MARX TO PAUL LAFARGUE“ 

{London,] 18 April 1870 

Dear Paul-Laurent, 

I send enclosed credentials for Mr H. Verlet. Let him give to 
the new section he is about to establish no sectarian ‘name’, either 
Communistic or other. Il faut éviter les ‘étiquettes’ sectaires dans 
l’Association Internationale. The general aspirations and tendencies 
of the working class emanate from the real conditions in which tt 
finds itself placed. They are therefore common to the whole class 
although the movement reflects itself in their heads in the most 
diversified forms, more or less phantastical, more or less adequate. 
Those who interpret best the hidden sense of the class struggle 
going on before our eyes—the Communists are the last to commit 
the blunder of affecting or fostering sectarianism. 

Mr Verlet would do well to put himself in communication with 
our friend Jules Johannard, 126 rue d’Aboukir. 

2G. F. Kolb, Handbuch der vergleichenden Statistik der Vélkerzustands- und Staaten- 
kunde. - > See this volume, p. 479. - © Sectarian ‘labels’ must be avoided in the 
International Association. 

One thing which ought to be done as quickly as possible, and 
which might be done by Paul-Laurent, is to publish in the Libre 
pensée a true and literal translation of the International Rules.* The 
French current translation, emanating from our first Paris 
Committee, Tolain et Co., is full of intentional mistakes. They 
suppressed everything which they did not like. If a true translation 
was made, it would be well to send it me before its publication.*'’ 

In Germany people would much wonder at Verlet’s appreciation 
of Biichner.? In our country he is only considered, and justly 
so, as a vulgarisateur. 

You know how much I admire le ‘Roman de Conspiration’.‘ I 
was, therefore, truly delighted to see it so well appreciated by 
Paul-Laurent. 

I am now forced to say a few words which Paul-Laurent will a 
little fret at, but I cannot help doing so. 

Your father wrote me a letter to Hanover which I have not yet 
answered, because I did not know what to say. 

I feel quite sure that Paul has discarded all notion of finishing, 
or occupying himself with, his medical studies. When at Paris I 
wrote to his father in a different sense, and I was warranted in 
doing so by Paul’s own promises.4 Thus I am placed in quite a 
false position towards M. Lafargue ainé* I cannot remain in that 
fix. I see no other prospect of getting out of it but by writing to 
him that I have as little influence with his beloved son as himself. 
If you see any other way of escape for me, any other means of 
clearing my position, please communicate it to me. 

In my opinion, which however I neither pretend nor hope to 
see accepted and acted upon, Paul-Laurent cum figlio' ought to 
pay a visit to their parents at Bordeaux and try to coax them by 
the many means personal intercourse permits of. 

Yours truly...8