London, 23 February 1888 

Dear Liebknecht, 

The debate on the Anti-Socialist Law? was the biggest triumph we 
have ever scored in the parliamentary sphere and I’m only sorry that you 
were unable to be there. However, that’s unlikely to go on for much 
longer, since you will, after all, be taking Hasenclever’s place shortly. 

* F Engels, ‘Protection and Free Trade. Preface to the Pamphlet: Karl Marx, 
Speech on the Question of Free Trade’ 

We also have a Puttkamer over here—Balfour, Secretary for Ireland. 
Just as Puttkamer is Bismarck’s cousin, so Balfour is Salisbury’s nephew. 
An arrogantly obstreperous stuck-up squire, exactly like Puttkamer. He 
too gets soundly thrashed and last week succumbed to a lambasting at 
the hands of O’Brien,*** just as Puttkamer does at those of our own 
people. Moreover, he’s as useful to the Irish as Puttkamer is to us. 
However, you'll glean absolutely nothing from the deplorable Saturday 
Review, supposing you still take it, about what’s going on over here; so 
far as anything of importance is concerned, a conspiration du silence* 
prevails. 

Bismarck’s speech was addressed to Tsar Alexander in person in order 
that the Gatchina prisoner might at long last learn the truth.74> Whether 
it will help is doubtful. The Russians, such is their irresolution, are 
becoming ever more deeply embroiled and in the end they may not be 
able to draw back with honour. Therein lies the danger. As a rule they 
behave like utter jack-asses when they embark on a war. It’s a repeat of 
Croesus by crossing the Halys will ruin a mighty realm.» They can place 
barely a million men on the border and haven’t enough officers for 
more. France disposes of 114 million very good troops, but no longer has 
sufficient seasoned men and still fewer officers to provide more. With 214 
million seasoned troops and an adequate supply of officers and NCOs, 
Bismarck has, however, still pitched Germany’s strength too low. Nor is 
it a bad thing that this should be so. Until the revolution gets under way 
in Russia, Bismarck must not be brought down by an external defeat. 
That would only restore his popularity. 

But it is impossible to foretell what will come of the affair if it really 
gets to the stage of a war. They'll certainly try to turn it into a mock war, 
but that is not so easy to do. If it is to be done in the way that suits us 
best, and the odds are strongly in favour of it, then let it be a static war 
with changing fortunes on the French border, an offensive war with the 
capture of the Polish fortresses on the Russian border, and a revolution 
in Petersburg which will all at once throw an entirely different light on 
everything, so far as the gentlemen prosecuting the war are concerned. 
This much is certain—there will be no rapid decisions, no triumphal 
marches either on Berlin or on Paris. France is very strong and very clev- 
erly fortified; so far as their disposition is concerned, the works round 
Paris are a masterly affair. 

4 conspiracy of silence — > This sentence was in Greek in the original 

Last Monday, during the meeting held to welcome Cunninghame- 
Graham (Communist, Marxist, on the above occasion he called for 
nationalisation of all means of production) and Burns,”*¢ Mother Schack 
was running round selling Freedom, the most extreme and strident of the 
local anarchist papers. She inadvertently offered one to Lessner, among 
others. Her unsatisfied craving for action seems to have driven her quite 
dotty. 

Reuss has instituted proceedings against the Commonweal (Morris) 
for denouncing him as a spy.*4” Obviously the Prussian embassy wishes 
to regain over here the ground lost in Berlin. It may, however, be making 
hellish blunder. Mr Reuss has to go into the witness box, and in this 
country perjury is not to be trifled with. There’s no Puttkamer over here 
to help! 

The Manifesto is coming out in English, edited by myself.** I shall 

send you one as soon as I get some. 

Your 

RE. 

Apropos, Pfander’s widow is living over here in the most wretched 
circumstances. I do what I can and have just sent her another couple of 
£s. The louts’ society! put on a concert for her and collected about £5. 
She herself is ill, her daughter paints, and the pair of them do bits of 
needlework, but all is wretchedness. Might the party not set aside a 
trifling sum every quarter? The doctor says she'll barely get through the 
winter. See what you can do. We really ought to set aside pensions for 
our veterans’ widows.