London, 5 April 1889 

Dear Liebknecht, 

When I wrote to you yesterday I hardly expected that by today I 
should already be in a position to point the moral of my letter. 

Our pamphlet***—of which, 2,000 copies were distributed in London 
and 1,000 in the provinces and, thanks to Tussy, just at the right places— 
has acted like a bombshell, making a tremendous rent in Hyndman’s and 
Brousse’s tissue of intrigue, and this at the most crucial spot. The people 
over here, suddenly enlightened as to the real state of affairs, have now 
discovered that Hyndman has shamefully deceived them about the 
congress, the French socialist parties, the Germans and the Hague 
affair? and has concealed the essentials from them. The rebellious, 
progressive elements in the Trades Unions,>”» whom Hyndman was just 
in process of annexing, are now turning to Ede, and all are anxious for 
further enlightenment. Inside his own camp, the Social Democratic 
Federation,? Hyndman has also encountered opposition, which means 
that our pamphlet has induced some uncertainty in the ranks of the 
Social Democratic Federation, the only sure ally the Possibilists had. 
The consequence, enclosed herewith, was Hyndman’s backward-look- 
ing and, as compared with his previous insolent language, almost bang- 
dog, reply in Justice.* Never before has Hyndman beat so ignominious a 
retreat, and the article will bring us further victories. At one fell swoop 

*H, Hyndman, “The International Workers’ Congress of Paris of 1889 and the 
German Social-Democrats’, Justice, 6 April 1889 

the Sozialdemokrat has attained in London a position of respect such as 
would otherwise not have accrued to it for years. And instead of abus- 
ing us, they are now all but begging us to ensure that there should not, 
after all, be two congresses. 

Well, Ede is going to reply to the effect that he can only speak in his 
own name, but believes he can say that, should the Possibilists now 
instantly and unreservedly accept the Hague resolutions, it might not be 
too late to reach an understanding and he would be glad to do what he 
could to bring it about. 

Now that the Possibilists have also had bad news from Spain, their 
agent Gély having simply been sent packing in Madrid—where we are in 
full control—and having no prospects whatever anywhere else if you 
except a Trades Union in Barcelona, and now that the Belgians also 
appear to be taking a tougher line than they, the Possibilists, expected, 
there’s every possibility that this final blow, which is causing their chief 
reserves to waver, will make them more amenable. In order that you may 
strike while the iron is hot, it might be a good idea for you to copy,— 
more or less—the enclosed letter to Ede, preferably just as it stands, and 
send it to him without delay | am sending the same letter to Bebel 
with the same request. ey Preferably just as it stands, however, for one 
single expression inappropriate to the situation over here would prevent 
us from using the thing. Then the letters might be published. What we 
hope to do is to induce Hyndman to influence the Possibilists along the 
lines we want, in which case they’d be bound to submit and we should 
have salvaged one congress. 

All this was agreed today between Ede and myself. 

And now, having regard to my letter of yesterday,? you may again call 
me the rudest man in Europe. 

Your 
FE. 

Dear Ede, 

I am very glad to hear that the Social Democratic Federation is show- 
ing itself more conciliatory. But the rejection of the Hague resolutions 
by the Possibilists has forced us into the position of proceeding inde- 
pendently and convoking a congress to which all will be admitted and 

* See previous letter 

which will have the last word in its own affairs. Preparations for this are 
already under way and cannot be broken off. 

If the Social Democratic Federation earnestly desires an understand- 
ing, it might perhaps still contribute thereto. There may yet be time. 
Such an understanding might possibly still be reached if the Possibilists 
were to accept the Hague resolutions purement et simplement*—but 
without delay, for, having already once been rebuffed, we can no longer 
allow ourselves to be trifled with. 

I cannot speak here in the name of the German Party since the faction 
is not now in session, and still less in the names of the other groups 
represented at The Hague. But one thing I will gladly promise: If, by the 
20th of April at the latest, the Possibilists can lodge with the Belgian 
delegates Volders and Anseele written notice of their unconditional 
acceptance of the Hague resolutions, from which we cannot deviate by 
a hair’s breadth, I shall do all I can to promote an understanding and 
likewise the attendance of all concerned at the congress convoked by the 
Possibilists with due regard for the Hague resolutions. 

Your 
W.L. 

The date, 20 April, is important—because of the need to come to a 
decision before the Belgian National Congress on the 21st.3% 

I also enclose something from the Sozialist?*’—the Americans are 
wholly of one mind with Ede as to this. 

What has proved more effective than anything else over here has, in 
fact, been the publication of the Hague resolution concerning which 
Hyndman had disseminated nothing but lies and which has struck home 
all the more forcibly for restricting itself to the demand for things that 
were pretty well axiomatic.