London, 16 March 1892 

Dear August, 

Today I have a request, namely that you send me the stenographic 
report of the session at which our chaps spoke about Alsace-Lorraine 
and Singer apparently made a statement on the same subject on be- 
half of the parliamentary group.*** I’m sure to be questioned about 
it and should therefore like to be in possession of the precise facts. 

Over here the usual struggle * has begun again in regard to May 
Day, but so far the outlook is favourable. What I am about to tell you 
must not appear in the ‘Vorwérts’, for Gilles will interpret and manipulate 
it in his own way for Hyndman’s benefit —i.e. in order to sing the 
praises of the Independents ?*° and malign the parliamentary group 
and, since the struggle has still to be decided, anything that might be 
published could be used against us. 

Well, the original ‘Leca, 8 Hours Commirter’,?°° presided over by 
Aveling, and the Trapes Councr. under Shipton (presently allied 
with Hyndman and the Sociat Democratic Feperation ?°) tackled the 
matter almost simultaneously. The 8 Hours Commirree invited the 
Trapes Counci. to act in concert with them, as happened last year, 
but was rejected with contumely. At the same time it approached the 
Mertropouitan Rapicat Feperation (comprising more than 50 radically 
‘labour’ and partly socialist clubs),#3° whereupon the latter was ap- 
proached by the Trapes Councit. In the meantime Aveling had 
played the same trick on the Trapes Councit as they had played on 
him 2 years before and secured first right to the Park.” Having as- 
sured itself of the Park, the 8 Hours Commirtee actually made 
a further approach to the Trapres Counc but was again rejected with 
contumely. Immediately afterwards, however, the Merropouiran Rap- 
1cAL Feperation, which on several occasions had also been treated by 
the Trapes Councit in a high-handed way (last year the Trapes Coun- 
cit admitted only Travers Union people, not club speakers, to the plat- 

* See this volume, pp. 370-71 and 380-81.-” Hyde Park 

forms they had been allotted) resolved that, whatever happened, it 
should join forces with the 8 Hours Committee, but that there should 
be one more attempt at reconciliation with the Trapses Councit. The 
8 Hours Committee met on Sunday* when it was agreed with the 
Metropouitan Rapicat Feperation that the latter should make this at- 
tempt, after which a decision would be taken on further action. That 
is how matters stand. Up till now the 8 Hours Commirtee has been in 
a vastly superior position. It has the Park, the Gasworkers, a whole 
number of small Easr Enp untons and the Radical Clubs — in short, 
a number at least twice as large as that which supports the Trapes 
Counc. and Hyndman’s Feperation. For the moment the latter is 
keeping as quiet as a mouse and letting the Trapes Counci do its 
work for it. Provided there are no blunders or indiscretions, the 
Traves Counci. will either have to back down or, as was the case 2 
years ago, play second fiddle at the demonstration, and an ill-tem- 
pered fiddle at that. 

I have now read Mehring’s ‘Lessing-Legende’ in the Neue eit and 
derived much pleasure from it. It is a really excellent work. There is 
much that I should have accounted for differently or toned down 
a bit, but all in all he has hit the nail on the head. It is truly a pleasure 
to see that the materialist view of history, which for the past 20 years 
has — as a rule — had to pay the price of being used as vainglorious 
rhetoric in the writings of our younger party members, is at last be- 
ginning to be put to the use for which it was originally intended, i. e. 
as a guide for the student of history. Kautsky and Ede have produced 
some very nice stuff in this line but Mehring has made a much closer 
study of his special subject, namely Prussia’s small segment of Ger- 
man history, and generally takes a less blinkered view; above all he 
expresses himself more positively and precisely. I hope the work will 
be published on its own as soon as it has finished appearing in the 
Neue eit. Never, to my knowledge, has the citadel of the Prussian 
legend been besieged so well and so forthrightly: for Lessing read old 
Fritz.” And it is vitally necessary to démolish the Prussian legend be- 
fore Prussia is able to vanish into Germany. As regards the precondi- 
tions for Prussia east of the Elbe in German as well as in European and 
world history, I should sometimes have expressed myself differently 
but these are things which in fact Mehring merely touched upon. 

But now I must go and eat so that the Witch can get on with her 

* 13 March-? Frederick II 

Witch’s Latin. As to the East Enp business,**7 you mustn’t let it 
worry you too much; I don’t think that anything dangerous is being 
planned. 

Warm regards to Mrs Julie* and yourself. 

Your 
F.E.