Tom Mann's Arrest Stirs British Labor
Henderson, Fred
By Fred Henderson Tom Mann's Arrest Stirs British Labor M« One Act by MacDonakfs "Netional" Government Haa Done More to Unite Worker* Than Thie— The 76 Yew Old Agitator Jailed Under Law of...
...Our Party press must also bo boosted and subscriptions for it solicited...
...Every bye-election has given evidence of that On every recent occasion when the electors have had to be consulted in any constituency, outvote has shown i welcome and substantial increase, and the Government vote has slumped heavily...
...Consummate Folly And now, it would almost seem, the Government itself, by a piece of consummate folly even from their own point of view, has suddenly put th* dramatic quality of real popular excitement into this swing-round of public opinion by th* arrest and imprisonment of our old friend Tom Mann...
...Many people merely glance at a leaflet thrust into their hands and throw it away...
...let these changing alignments of the forces in British politics km not come into action in any large way...
...Even the capitalist press admits the impressivenes* of this demonstration which filled the streets of London and mad* Hyde Park a vast arena for the manifestation of working-class strength of purpose...
...As I point out above, the situation is manifestly changing in our favor, but the forces now turning against the Government have not yet come vigorously into action in their full measure...
...Wherever and whenever possible and advisable, an appeal should be made for funds to carry on our propaganda and campaigns...
...In other words, the confidence which th nation has lost in the Government during then-year of impotence to deal with the economic situation has only in part been transferred to us...
...Also, it can not be repeated too often that to be a good speaker one must he constantly alert to every suggestion and criticism...
...and this, as the working-class mind has been swift to perceive, means direct claw-war against the workers...
...and for the reduction of electric rates...
...It is so hopeless a constituency for as that it was not fought at all last time...
...Tht End -- ...i...
...In both cases the Government vote has dropped very heavily and the Labor vote is up...
...Watch it...
...Do not tot your appearance occupy tht foreground...
...Think along with your audience...
...for the affair reveals like a searchlight the Government's own consciousness of the tens* class antagonismus now shaping for open conflict here as elsewhere throughout the capitalist world...
...Another bye-election Is now pending in the Rotherham division of Yorkshire...
...They usually have a very limited amount of printed matter and large type...
...But we fought them, as Ws are now equipping opportunity...
...to Rosalie Fralman who so graciously types and corrects my manuscripts, end of course, to the numerous speakers, teachers and active Socialists te whom I owe all that I am sad all that I bars...
...The East Fife figures will show you the movement of public opinion which is going steadily on...
...The speaker or chairman at a meeting, indoor aa wall as outdoor, should •alt attention to th* fact that a good leaf-lot is being distributed, ssy a f*w words •bout it* contents and urge every on* in the •udienc* to take on* or mora copies and •la us In the most efficient distribution of *h* leaflet The prims objective of every meeting " «» obtain members for our Party...
...Our progress is going on...
...AT periods of great tension between opposing forces preparing jKbr fundamental conflict under the surface of an established jocUl order, when the sense of such conflict is growing in all men's grinds, snd everybody is looking for great events to break through gad set the struggle going with a real impetus, it has happened more dun once in history that some quite small and trivial event, hardly gore in itself than a minor incident, has been the determining factor in transforming action from sluggishness to swift decision...
...and there was organised in the heart of London on Sunday, February 6th, the mo.it immense working-class demonstration that London has witnessed for a generation...
...Th*' magistrate who sent Mann to prison quite frankly admitted that no offence had been committed...
...Conclusion A few final words to my comrade* who would add their voices to th* service of our great cause...
...A propaganda leaflet requires more time and concentration to ***dt and its receiver should be in a receptive mood...
...The Government has embarked upon the course of suppressing that free public manifestation of grievances...
...Furthermore, such leaflets am too expensive to wast* as "throw-sways...
...Th* dinner will start the drive for th* reinstatement of 5,000 employees discharged by the Edison Co...
...Speakers will be John Haynes Holmes, Heywood Broun, A. J. Muste, Jerome Count, Francis Henson and Wm...
...H. A. Over-street advises: "Look at your audience...
...It is early yet to make a definite forecast...
...Prof...
...We have now polled 12,412 and the Government vote has fallen to 16,198...
...and th* result will b* a real test of how far our increasing strength during th* past year has now carried us towards complete recovery...
...Eliminate dietreiting manntrUmt...
...Beedie...
...The most obtuse observer could not have failed to note She new spirit...
...No single incident since the General Election has roused so much working-class resentment...
...When in doubt, a few Inquiries of th* chairman, a chat with some members of the committee in charge of the meeting will often help to an effective adjustment...
...An efficient Socialist speaker must be very adaptable...
...Never make an audience feel inf'trior...
...accordingly dug up an old law dating back to the age of serfdom centuries ago, long-forgotten in disuse, and consequently remaining nominally unrepealed, which gave to the ruling authorities of the dark ages power to put any man under lokck and key, not for any offence actually committed, but on suspicion that he might become Inconvenient to the ruling powers if he remained at large...
...It is true that during the past •ear there has been a splendid rally within the ranks of the British Labor Party from the discouragements of the last General Election...
...Most speskers call for a collection at the end of their talks...
...making the organised demonstration of grievances whicr Tom Mann lies In prison for refusing to give guarantees that he would refrain from helping to organise...
...A Manual for Socialist Speakers by August Claessens Literature and Beoksale* Ths best method for distributing leaflets (free literature) is by house to house canvass and by mail...
...The Liverpool figures are better than that...
...the steady, but as yet not overwhelming, flow of a renewed tide of Labor strength recording itself at every opportunity...
...The sole purpose of the arrest was to prevent the unemployed from showing themselves in an organised way in public and making a demonstration of their existence...
...Vtt humor humorously...
...It is all right to distribute hand-bills in this fashion...
...To repeat, however, the best collection can be obtained at the moment when th* audience is in the friendliest and warmest mood...
...Edison Employees to Dine by Candlelight The Brotherhood of Edison Employees and the National Committee on Utilities and Labor will give a candlelight dinner in Peter's Tavern, 217 Fulton St., Brooklyn, March 1st, at 6:46...
...It I* on* of th* constituencies lost to us at th* last General Election...
...A good speaker or lecturer must be an authority or a specialist on th* subjects hs spesks upon, , Lastly, let me acknowledge the assistance and express my gratitude to the following comrades who have helped me In he preparation of this book: to William E. Bohn, Samuel H. Friedman and William Morris Feigenbaum who read my manuscript and offered valuable suggestions...
...but at the General Election before that—the election at which the Labor Party was returned to office, and the high water mark nf our electoral strength in this country, the combined Liberal and Conservative vote was 28,077 against our 5,350...
...Obviously, the appeafetfor a collection should be made at the highest climax of the speech or meeting...
...A strong appeal to Join our ranks should be the ringing conclusion of every speech and meeting...
...but all the indications are that Labor will win th* seat...
...It* details are worth nothing...
...Hs must always try to understand ths composition and nature ef the audience before Ma...
...Such an incident, the arrest and imprisonment of a single man, has hut taken place here *, and there are many indications that it may prove to be just that spark on the tinder necessary to set the public mind aflame for action...
...One must study th* manner and technique of all good speakers and emulate their best qualities...
...The Labor movement has taken up the challenge...
...On* must b* aware of every important article and book on subject* of Interest, particularly those dealing with public ¦peaking and crowd psychology...
...Free Government Suspended For what It means is that the ordinary struggle for political power, conducted by free public opinion expressing itself openly and by the appeal to reason, is being suspended...
...At the last General Election Labor polled 10,894 against 24,038 for the capitalist candidate...
...Never bt angry at the audience, only with tkom...
...with results in both cases very encouraging to us...
...In both these cases, you will vote, the gain made by Labor, encouraging as it is, is nothing like so heavy as the fall in the Government vote...
...Lot your ipeech march...
...But he was associated with a movement for giving organized expression to the plight of the unemployed...
...By Fred Henderson Tom Mann's Arrest Stirs British Labor M« One Act by MacDonakfs "Netional" Government Haa Done More to Unite Worker* Than Thie— The 76 Yew Old Agitator Jailed Under Law of 1361!— Ubor Party On the March...
...one in Liverpool and the other in the Scotti h constituency of East Fife...
...This time our vote has risen to 6,035, and the combined capitalist vote has fallen to 22,470...
...Lansbury, Stafford Cripps, and practically the whole Parliamentary party, were there with the leaders of every section of the Trade Union movement...
...One must strive to master th* particular subject* that on* frequently speaks about...
...Neither of these constituencies had ever been held by the Labor Party...
...No charge was made against him of having broken the law...
...but in a rather sedate way...
...Keep your audience thinking along with you...
...Election Straws Since my last letter was written there have been two more such bye-elections...
...Knowing the character of th* audience should prevent the danger of talking "over their heads...
...True it is also that the National Government, which was It curs all the economic evils of the time for us, stands more and ¦ore discernibly the helpless puppet of the capitalist-finance interests from whose exploitation of the world's life those evils arise...
...They were not seats lost in the debacle of the General Election, but strongholds of our opponents which we had no reasonable expectation of winning outright on this occasion...
...Hand-bills announcing a meeting can be *aad at a glance...
...The polling will ptobably take place about three weeks hence...
...Such a person, under this ancient feudal law, can be arreated, required to give guarantees of good behavior, and locked up in default of each guarantees Mag forth coming...
...Some do it at some time in the course of their speeches, and at meetings where there are a number of speakers, it is good practice to make the collection speech Just before introducing the "celebrity...
...There will be a test of that within the next few weeks...
...Handing out leaflets to passers-by on the street or on the outskirts eta street meeting is a wasteful practice...
...Tom Mann was not arrested for any offence against th* law...
...The situation has been manifestly changing in our favor and against the Government...
...Close with a map...
...And the significance of this procedure has penetrated to the working-class mind of this country with revealing effectiveness...
...Find what interest* thorn...
...And the Government (with J. Ramiay MacDonald still nominally at Its head...
...Organize your speech into groups and larger group: Give on effect of rhythmic movement...
...to Kurt Dietl^ and Sol Salklnd who drew ths sketches for the outdoor meeting platforms...
...Keep of tht monotont...
...Cultivate a volet that 00% 00 endured...
...It will also help you use such illustrations and material that will establish that intimate relationship between speaker and audience so essential to a successful meeting...
...and I shall be surprised if from this incident our genersl advance along the whole line is not quickened...
...Eliot White will serve as chairman...
Vol. 15 • February 1933 • No. 8
