Dear Gine,

From Louise, who came back here on Wednesday,* I have learned
that you are still in Zurich and that Kate? is already in this country,
and yesterday the letter from you and Ede at last enabled me to connect up the broken telegraph wires again. We are most sorry that you
should still be so unwell but that is something that will eventually
pass, and in the meantime Ede can continue to recuperate in the open
air for a while longer, which will be most beneficial for him and do
the party no harm, now that he has in any case missed the Trapes Union Congress.°*° The latter was the scene of considerable confusion.
The most interesting session from our point of view was the one on
Thursday‘ on the question of the Congress.‘ If we had known your
address, we’d have sent Ede a Scottish paper containing an account
of it, but as it is, the few copies we had have been sent elsewhere.

2 14 September-> Kate Schattner-* 8 September-? See this volume, pp. 519-20,
522-24 and 528-29.

When, despite continuous prodding from Thorne, the letter of invitation from Zurich ‘to the Trape Union Coneress’ in Glasgow had obstinately been withheld for 4 whole days, Matkin tabled a motion, clearly
concocted in conjunction with the ‘old’ unionists with a view to preventing attendance at Zurich, in which he called for the convocation
of an international 8 hours congress of their own. Parnell, on the
other hand, proposed an amendment to the effect that it would be better to go to Zurich. According to Ed. Aveling, Parnell and Quelch
spoke very well. At that, all the old unionists went mad. The continental workers, they said, were weak and badly organised, but if the
English took them under their wing all might go well; in any case
the Zurich Congress had not been convoked by the English Trapes
Unions. Besides, who would want to associate himself with all the
WILD THEORIES and the kind of soctauism that throve on the Continent,
etc.? (This latter anxiety, in particular, being voiced in rasping
tones by a Lancashire weaver,* one of the new converts to the
8 hour day.)

In short, in their delight that there should now be almost no opposition to the 8 Hours pay, and by way ofa sop to the weak in spirit — the
Lancashire cotton operatives — they unceremoniously consigned the
Continentals’ invitation to the waste paper basket, and by 189 votes
to 97, no less!

Now this, although most of them were probably unaware of what
they were doing, was in fact a disgusting insult and a slap in the face
for the entire continental Labour movement. We instantly broadcast
the news here, there and everywhere and no doubt the first riposte
will come from the French in a few days’ time at Marseilles.>°° It’s
a heaven-sent opportunity — without making too much of the matter —for putting a damper on the self-conceit of the old rrapes unionists who are proving ever more reactionary.

Herewith a Pall. Mall containing an article of Aveling’s about
the Hamburg socialists and the cholera.”

In the Daily Chronicle there was a long review, which no doubt
you will have seen, of Sociatism Uroptan, etc.© What a canny lot they
are!

The French daily has not yet emerged from the embryonic

* David Holmes-? E. Aveling, ‘The Cholera and the Hamburg Socialists’, The Pall
Mall Gazette, No. 8577, 16 September 1892.-° the English edition (1892) of F. Engels’ Socialism: Utopian and Scientific

stage; negotiations are still proceeding but this is better than if
the chaps were again to rush headlong into some short-lived
venture. *?3

Louise came back in a very cheerful mood, having found
her mother and Ignaz very hale and hearty. She sends her warm
regards.

Now for a note to Ede, so farewell for today.

With warm regards,

Yours,

F. Engels

Dear Ede,

The relevant passage went off to K. Kautsky* yesterday — indeed
the entire letter from the point at which you began to quote; I told
K. Kautsky that he would know how much to use, whether the whole
thing or only a part, and which part.

At the last conference of the Socia, Democratic Feperation °°° (Bank
Houipay, the first Monday in August), Taylor, the unsuccessful
candidate for Hackney,” proposed that Hyndman be thrown out.
This met with great acclaim, particularly among the provincial delegates; however, Taylor was persuaded to tone down his motion in
order that as large a majority as possible might be obtained. And thus
it was resolved (unanimously, according to Taylor) that Hyndman
be requested to resign from the leadership of the Soctar, Democratic Feprration and devote himself to written propaganda. How long this will
continue remains to be seen. At all events it is a bitter blow for the
megalomaniac. Gahan of New York, who called on him without
knowing about this, found him in a very despondent, chastened
frame of mind and remarkably conciliatory towards all those he had
hitherto torn to shreds.

The Workman’s Times, i.e. Burgess, now also wishes to become
party leader. You will have seen that the £400, which he placed at
the disposal of Burns, Keir Hardie, Taylor and Ben Ellis during the
elections, emanated from Champion (or rather, through him, from
Hudson’s Soap).

* See this volume, p. 528.-° district of London

In short, there have been a good many changes here during your
absence and you will find the chaps engaged in a variety of interesting pursuits.

Many regards,

Your

F.E.

I haven’t yet seen Kate.