London, 20 April 1892 

Dear Baron, 

Needless to say you will be getting the introduction to the English 
version of Sozzalismus* ete.— in German of course; it’s got to come out 
and where else could I get anything as long as this published except 
in the Neue Zeit? It went off yesterday and so, until the proofs arrive, 
I shall be hors de combat. It’s so infernally long because I’ve made it the 
vehicle for all sorts of old grudges against the English bourgeoisie and 
look forward to seeing what the British philistine has to say about it. 

We over here are at last clear about what is to happen on May 
Day — or rather the reverse of clear. The Trades Council, 19° and the 
Social, Democratic Federation 2° have done their utmost to ensure 

* F. Engels, ‘Introduction to the English Edition (1892) of Socialism: Utopian and Scien- 
tific’. 

that on this occasion matters should be placed completely in their 
hands and, above all, that the Eight Hours League ?°° be totally ex- 
cluded. For just now the Sociat Democratic Feperation is working 
hand in glove with the most reactionary elements — Shipton, etc.— 
in the Traves Councit, to which body it is wholly subordinating itself 
so far as the May Day demonstration is concerned; the Trapes Coun. 
ci. is to conduct the campaign against the independent elements in 
the East Exp, while the Social, Democratic Feperation hopes to reap 
the fruits thereof. Those elements they sought to get rid of have, of 
course, found a rallying point in the Avelings, the latter’s mainstay 
being |. the Gasworkers Union, 2. the Merroprourran Rapicar Fep- 
ERATION, *3° 3. a number of the smaller unions who would rather make 
their mark in the Eicur Hours Leacue that be forced to play second 
fiddle to the op, petty-bourgeois-minded unions in the Trapes Coun. 
cu.. There was a great deal of manoeuvring on both sides and, at 
a meeting of delegates from London’s labour organisations — in 
which, of course, the majority was rigged —, the Trades Counciltt suc- 
ceeded in assuming control of the demonstration. Nevertheless, al- 
though it had previously decided not to enter into any negotiations 
with the Eight Hours League, it had to climb down and admit into 
the Executive Committee first | and then 2 delegates from the Eight 
Hours League, besides placing two platforms in the Park* at the lat- 
ter’s disposal. In addition the Merropotiran Rapicat Feperation like- 
wise has a couple, which are also ours, whereas the Social, Democratic 
Feperation only has two. 

Now the eight-hour day advocated by the majority on the TRrapes 
Couxcn. merely implies payment of the ordinary wage for 8 hours, 
any work over and above this being payable as overtime at one and 
a half times or twice the ordinary rate; thus the eight hour day advocated by 
these people is quite different from our own, which means that in the 
course of this year, after May Day, the conflict will flare up in real 
earnest and be fought out anew. Such is the issue that will at long last 
receive an airing over here. So don’t allow yourself to be hoodwinked 
by anything anyone from the Vorwérts, etc., may say about May Day 
here; from our point of view the whole thing’s a swindle; it’s an eight 
hour day 1x a Pickwick1an SENSE, as is bound to come out in the long 
run, whereupon the equivocal situation from which both the Socia. 

* Hyde Park 

Democratic Feperarion and the Fasians? are profiting will cease to 
exist. ; 

You should make use of The Workman’s Times only for its factual 
material. The editor* is a provincial who is relapsing into belletrism, 
is anxious to keep in with everyone and both talks and accepts a great 
deal of bosh. But the reports are all done by working men, stupid 
though the ‘Erranp soy’ and his mother, the ‘Marxian’ (an out- 
and-out duffer), and the ‘Proletarian’, etc., may be.* 

Mother Wischnewetzky has had to suffer all manner of rough 
treatment at her husband’s hands, has got divorced, calls herself Mrs 
Kelley again and lives in Chicago with her 3 children of whom she is 
the legal custodian. 

I wonder very much what results our Frenchmen will obtain in the 
municipal elections on 1 May.*?° It will be the first time they have 
been really put to the test. 

Regards from one household to the other. 

Your 
PLE.