Edward Aveling (1893)
Source: The Halifax Evening Courier, Monday 20 November 1893, p.2
Note: The NAC of the Independent Labour Party held a meeting at Halifax in November 1893 to decide on candidates for the forthcoming election. Aveling was present for this meeting.
Transcription and notes: by Graham Seaman for MIA, April 2021
A Courier reporter on Saturday night interviewed Dr. Aveling in regard to the decisions of the Council(1), of which he is a member. He was reluctant to answer questions appertaining to the doings of that body, and what he did say was divulged most guardedly.
“Acting on the instructions of the Council, Mr. Maxwell(2), I suppose, has given you a report of the proceedings”, quoth the doctor.
I answered in the affirmative. Speaking of the various resolutions passed, and knowing that copies of them were in his possession, I asked Dr. Aveling if he could favour me with them.
“I don't see any objection” the Doctor replied. “In regard to the coal matter, we passed the following resolution:– ‘That in the opinion of the National Administrative Council of the Independent Labour Party, whilst the coal lock-out with all its disastrous consequences to thousands of worker, their wives and families, is directly the outcome of the greed and brutality of the coal-owners, it is also one of the inevitable results of our present capitalistic system; and this Council declares that whilst the principle of a living wage should at once be granted, the only real remedy for the horrible condition of affairs–culminating periodically in over-production, glut of the market, stagnation and starvation,–is in the nationalising of the mines and the land. as preliminary steps to the nationalising of all the means of production and distribution.’
Appealed to for the Featherstone motion, Dr. Aveling readily tendered it. This motion was worded as follows:— ‘That this Council protests against the murder of innocent men at Featherstone by soldiers sent by the present Liberal Government to take the side of the masters against men engaged in the righteous struggle against the tyranny of capital; and further, protests against the murder of the Matabele in the interests of capitalistic company mongers, and against the endorsement of the action of Mr. Cecil Rhodes and his fellow assassins by the Liberal and Tory parties.’
“And you discussed, I believe, the possibility of parliamentary action in different parts. Can you tell me where Labour men are absolutely certain to contest?” “Yes,” the Dr. assented. “Beginning with your own town, Mr. Lister will again wage war in our interests. In Bradford West Mr. Ben Tillett will champion the Labour cause present, in Barrow they will have Pete Curran, and in West Nottingham Mr. Cunninghame Graham will be our candidate.”
“There are some divisions you have failed to mention”—“Yes, I know,” Dr. Aveling replied, “but here I am in a difficulty. Well, in regard to Aberdeen,” he went on as he glanced at the list before him, “no decision has been arrived at.”
“But is it not likely that Mr. H. H. Champion will be run there?”—“There is a rumour to that effect.”
I understand Mr. Fred Hammil, of the Amalgamated Engineers, is running for Glasgow?–“Yes.”
“Have you really adopted a candidate for Huddersfield?”—“Yes, Mr. Russell Smart.” “Do you think he will go to the poll?” “Well, I should think so. Mr. Tom Mann will contest the Colne valley. and Mr. H. M. Hyndman will try at Burnley. Walwortb is not decided, though Mr. William Saunders represents the division at present.”
“Is he likely to run again?”—“I can't say.”
“And what do you think of the Halifax meeting altogether?”—“I look upon this meeting,” replied Dr. Aveling, “as an immense success for the Independent Labour Party. We sat about six or seven hours, and got through an enormous amount of business, with most satisfactory results. At the Congress in February next the Party will be found to be von a very solid and substantial footing.”
“And what are your relations to the other political parties?” I asked before taking leave. “Oh, the whole tone of the meeting was one of absolute antagonism to both the Liberal and the no Tory parties; there will be no compromise under any circumstances whatsoever.”
1. The National Administrative Council of the Independent Labour Party.BACK
2. Shaw Maxwell was General Secretary of the NAC.BACK
Yesterday afternoon, a public meeting, which was well attended, was held in the New Public Hall, under the presidency of Alderman J. Tattersall. The CHAIRMAN observed that, twelve months ago, an Independent Labour party would have been looked upon as almost impossible. To-day, however, they had it in existence and in actual life (hear, hear)—though he was aware that in Halifax just recently they were supposed to have cut rather a sorry figure. As to that, they had realised exactly where they stood, and they were not at all disheartened on account of what had happened (hear, hear). He thought that, when they looked the country round they must come to the conclusion that the Independent Labour party was making headway on all hands.
DR. AVELING, who had a good reception, stated that the Labour Party was a political party, pledged solely and absolutely to the interests of labour. It recognised nothing else except the interest of labour, and would only support men who would take action purely in the interest of labour, so far as politics were concerned. The Labour party was independent of all political parties. Some of their more gentle friends than themselves rated them occasionally, for their antagonistic position to the two old parties. If, however, they were independent, they must be antagonistic to both of them–(hear, hear). Neither of the old parties was really the party of the people. Each of them, they might say, was the master party, as distinct from their Labour party. Some of their good friends, the Liberals and the Radicals, wanted to join issue with them when they made a statement of that kind. Had either of the middle-class parties, however, yet declared for their fundamental principle, viz., the collective ownership of the means of production and distribution? Until they did that, they could not link them amongst themselves, and he that was not with them was against them in this matter–(hear, hear). They did not recognise, as others did, the righteousness of private property in the means of production. They did not recognise the righteousness of rent paid for land, they did not recognise the righteousness of profits, they did not recognise the righteousness of dividends. They declared, as a party, dead against all these varied forms of robbery–(hear, hear). Trades Unionism, no doubt, had done immense work for labour in the past, as it would do admirable and immense work in the future. So long, however, as it kept out of the political movement, Trades Unionism was necessarily limited in its powers for good–(hear, hear). He did not think he was claiming too much when he said that the Labour movement was the only international movement of the present day. It might be asked, “Do you, then, identify it with the Socialistic movement on the Continent?” He replied, “Absolutely, unhesitatingly, I do.”–(hear, hear). Their object was purely a Socialistic object, namely, the nationalisation of the collective and distributive means of production. He maintained that the surest and wisest method they could adopt to attain this end was to seize the political power, with the deliberate intention of using it towards that object–(applause).
Mr. PETE CURRAN, (Labour candidate for Barrow) having spoken,
Mr. JOHN LISTER (treasurer of the Independent Labour party) addressed the meeting. Referring to the office he held, he wished that he had more responsibility, stating that, were he to abscond with the party’s funds to South America, he should not be considered a very big robber at the present time–(laughter). However. all beginnings were small. and the beginnings of the Labour Party must also, he supposed, be on a small and trifling scale. Proceeding to allude to the cost of the soldiers and police drafted into the West Riding during the coal crisis, Mr. Lister mentioned that the charges up to date amounted to £20,000. These charges, he explained, could not legally be demanded from the Police Committee, as the military and police had not been requisitioned on their authority. Mr. Lister stated. however, that the Home Secretary had written the Police Committee complaining that they were ungrateful in refusing to pay, and promising to indemnify the Police Committee from any surcharge which the payment of the charges on their part might involve–(laughter). This, concluded the speaker, was the Home Secretary’s respect for law and order–(laughter).
Mr. Shaw Maxwell’s address brought the speechifying to a close.