Just about a month ago a certain number of citizens formed in 
Geneva the Central Initiatory Committee of a new international 
society named The International Alliance of Socialist Democracy, | 
stating that it was their “special mission to study political and 
philosophical questions 6n the basis of the grand principle of 
equality, etc.” 

The programme and rules printed by this Initiatory Committee * 
were only communicated to the General Council of the International 
Working Men’s Association at its meeting on December 15. 
According to these documents, the said “International Alliance is 
merged entirely in the International Working Men’s Association”, at the 
same time as it 1s established entirely outside this Association. 

Besides the General Council of the International Association, 
elected at the Geneva, Lausanne and Brussels working men’s 
congresses, there is to be, in line with the initiatory rules, another 
Central Council in Geneva, which is self-appointed. Besides the 
local groups of the International Association, there are to be local 
groups of the International Alliance, which “through their national 
bureaus”, operating outside the national bureaus of the Interna- 
tional Association, “shall ask the Central Bureau of the Alliance to 
admit them into the International Working Men’s Association”; the 
Alliance Central Committee thereby takes upon itself the right of 
admittance to the International Association. Lastly, the General 
Congress of the International Association will have its parallel in the 

General Congress of the International Alliance, for, as the initiatory 
rules say, 

“At the annual Working Men’s Congress the delegation of the Alliance of Socialist 
Democracy, as a branch of the International Working Men’s Association, shall hold public 
meetings in a separate building.”4 

Considering, 

That the presence of a second international body operating 
within and outside the International Working Men’s Association 
would be the infallible means of its disorganisation; 

That every other group of individuals, residing anywhere at all, 
would have the right to imitate the Geneva initiatory group and, 
under more or less plausible excuses, to bring into the International 
Working Men’s Association other international associations with 
other “‘special missions”’; 

That the International Working Men’s Association would thereby 
soon become a plaything for intriguers of all race and nationality”; 

That, moreover, the Rules of the International Working Men’s 
Association admit only local and national branches into its ranks 
(see Article 1 and Article 6 of the Rules); 

That sections of the International Association are forbidden to 
give themselves rules or administrative regulations contrary to the 
General Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International 
Association (see Article 12 of the Administrative Regulations‘); 

That the Rules and Administrative Regulations of the Interna- 
tional Association can only be revised by the General Congress in the 
event of two-thirds of the delegates present voting in favour of 
such a revision (see Article 13 of the Administrative Regulations)," 

“That this question was decided beforehand in the resolutions against the Peace 
League, unanimously passed at the General Congress in Brussels °°; 

“That in its resolutions the Congress declared there was no justification for the 
Peace Leagues existence since, according to its recent declarations, its aim and 
principles were identical with those of the International Working Men’s Association; 

“That a few members of the Geneva Initiatory group, as delegates to the Brussels 
Congress, had voted for these resolutions.”— Ed. 

The General Council of the International Working Men’s Association 
unanimously agreed at its meeting on December 22, 1868, that: 

1) All articles of the Rules of the International Alliance of Socialist 
Democracy, defining its relations with the International Working 
Men’s Association, are declared null and void; 

2) The International Alliance of Socialist Democracy may not be 
admitted as a branch of the International Working Men’s Association; 

3) These resolutions be published in all countries where the 
International Working Men’s Association exists.* 

By order of the General Council 
of the International Working Men's Association 

London, Decembei 22, 1868