MARX TO FRIEDRICH ADOLPH SORGE"” 

{London,} 21 December 1872 

Dear Sorge, 

Just a few words in great haste. 

The ostensible majority on the British Federal Council (consist- 
ing to a very large extent of sham sections numbering a few 
individuals and founded by that scoundrel Hales merely for the 
purpose of sending delegates) has seceded from the minority 
(which alone represents the large English sections in London, as 
well as in Manchester, Birkenhead, etc.).“* The fellows secretly 
put together a circular to the Federation* (will be sent to you), 
(dated the 10th of this month), in which they summon the sections 
to a congress in London to make common cause with the 
Jurassians, with whom Hales has kept up contact ever since The 
Hague. 

Our people—who now constitute the only legal Federal 
Council—at once sent out printed postcards to all the sections, 
advising them to delay. any decision until they had received their 
counter-manifesto, to consult about which they all assembled in my 
house yesterday (to draw up the main points). You will get it 

a‘To the Branches, Sections and Members of the British Federation of the 
International Working Men’s Association’. 

without delay.’ It will be printed at the beginning of next week. 
They will also adopt a formal resolution to recognise the Hague 
Congress*” and the General Council. 

At the same time Engels, at the request of one of the 
Manchester sections, has prepared for them a reply” to the 
circular of the scoundrels (who include among their number that 
vain idiot Jung, who has been unable to stomach the removal of 
the General Council from London and who has for a long time 
now been Hales’ toot). They will receive it in their meeting today 
and will print it without delay. 

My view is that you should confine yourselves to the role of 
observers as much as possible for the time being, and leave the 
battle to the sections on the spot. In the meantime of course 
circulars like the one to Spain that I found in the Emancipacién‘ 
are very good.™ 

Apropos. On my advice The [International Herald and _ its 
proprietor, Riley (a member of the Federal Council), have gone 
independent.*” We shall probably agree a contract whereby we 
shall publish our own international supplement to it once a week. 
I am sending you a copy today in which Engels and I open a 
polemic against Hales et Co.‘ 

As for Poland, your letter cannot be sent there. The old General 
Council was only able to obtain Poland’s accession on the condition 
(essential, given the situation in the country) that it dealt exclusively 
with Wréblewski, who lets us know what he thinks would be 
appropriate or necessary. 

In this situation you have no choice. You must grant Wrdéblewski 
the same unlimited authority as we did, or else renounce Poland’s 
membership.™ 

Because of the French translation,“° which makes me more 
work than if I had to do it without the translator, I am so 
overworked that I have not been able to write to you, as I have 
wanted for such a long time. 

Cuno has promised to provide details of the meeting of the 
Committee of Enquiry in The Hague. Tell him that if he does 
not do so immediately, we cannot wait for him any longer and that 
his personal honour is at stake in the matter. 

aK. Marx, ‘Address of the British Federal Council to the Sections, Branches, 
Affiliated Societies and Members of the International Working Men’s Association’. - 
b F. Engels, ‘The Manchester Foreign Section to All Sections and Members of the 
British Federation’. - © ‘Consejo General. A los miembros de la Asociacion en 
Espafia’, La Emancipacién, No. 78, 14 December 1872. - 4 K. Marx and F, Engels, 
‘To the Editor of The International Herald’.