STARTLING FACTS ABOUT ANARCHIST CLUBS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 166, 7 August 1909, Page 4

STARTLING FACTS ABOUT ANARCHIST CLUBS.

(By a Russian Exile in London.) . You want to become an Anarchist? Nothing simpler, as long as you arc prepared to subscribe your modest twopence per week to any of the twenty odd groups existing in London—providing always that you stand the "characler" test qualifying you for initiation. Here is the rub! Have you ever been in prison for political reasons'( Are vou oreuared to denounce every institution, social, political, spiritual; and will you, at the risk of your own life, limb, or liberty, devote your whole time and energy to the destruction of the present system of society ? If you cannot swear to this you are hopelessly outclassed. If, however, on the other hand, you tind two Anarchists who are prepared to declare on their responsibility that you possess the above qualifications, then you can be sure of a hearty welcome as a new ''comrade.' ' You will be gradually initiated into the teachings and secrets of the worldwide brotherhood by attending classes and lectures. The new "comrade" will bo taught all the principles of Anarchism, and when he has mastered them thoroughly he will be familiarised with the doctrines and methods of Terrorism. If he has given satisfaction and shown his enthusiasm in the cause, the probationer is set on the active list as a fullHedged disciple of Bakunin. He has now a voice in the inner council of the Anarchist party, and for the iivst time he obtains a glimpse into the i-e organisation which has its rauuUcucions not only in every important town in the British Isles, but in every country under the' sun, including even India, China, and Japan. ANARCHISTS'IX ENGLAND. . Although the very word Anarchism implies a condition of absolute absence of every vestige of control or organisation, the leaders of the movement have ' long discovered that their propaganda ' must he ineffective without discipline 1 As a result they have amalgamated the ' innumerable groups into district, na- ' tional, and international federations. Onlv tho fully initiated man or ; woman, for some of the most ardent 1 workers belong to the "weaker sex.can have full knowledge of the vast '■ prowess that Anarchist ideas have made 1 in the course of the last few years. ■ The ordinary citizen will be astonished 1 to hear that/spread over the East ami t West ends nf London, there arc no fewer -'" than twi-'v-three groups, boasting ol i such •.!•:•. J 5 as "Reveille," "Freedom, r "Solidarity," "Workers' Friend, etc., i all of which have a following amongst I certain trade unions. Besides the Metropolitan groups clubs t have been opened in Thistle-street, > Glasgow, High-street, Edinburgh, Field- > -rate-terrace, Leeds, and in every other i English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh town r where there is a certain percentage of I foreigners and Jews-for so far the • Jews Russians, and Poles form the great majority of the membership of every ° Vl'l these groups, scattered broadcast ' over the country, are amalgamated ir, ' the Anarchist Federation of Great II Britain and'lreland—a body that can " muster over 80.000 comrades and is man- " aged from two headquarters, the Inter ' national Working Men's Union, of 83 '• Charlotte-street, W., and the Workers '■ Friend Institute, of 105, Jubilee-street ■' Stepney, E. t As far as England is concerned, this '' numerous both- refrains from terrorist ' outrages and concentrates its whole '1 energies upon propaganda (oral anil e written), organisation, and preparations c for the general strike. But it must not be forgotten that m n a =trike movement the ranks of the I. Anarchists would form a serious dangc. s as they advocate every sort of violenei •• iiirainst anv master—such as-the destine v tfon of harbors and stores, and, if neccs ■■ sary, the wreckage of machinery, plant t and. even buildings. THE "RED INTERNATIONAL."

TJhcre is still another side to the question. While momentarily abstaining irom violence here, the Auarchists organise, and superintend their terrorist work in other countries from London. Within the last two years, owing to Hie strict measures employed by tinStates and by Switzerland, London lia.tccome the soul of the foreign move nicnt. It is now the headquarters of the "Red," or Anarchist International. In the club in Jubilee-street, Stepney,

E. resides the luternationn llureau. consisting of live such well-known incr, ;-.s Malatesta, Rocker, Shapiro, Wilke. . id John Turner. They are the committee of a fedora-

lion to which over one thousand Anarchist groups of all lands are united. licetv post brings reports for tinbureau, and by every post instructions are sent out to all part- ■ :' the globe. This East-end house is m centre, of Anarchist conspiracy, t:..: place where every detail is discussed anil _ settled before it is finally carried out in sonic other and r emotc part of the world. This committee, also calls' the period-

ical international congresses. One of .tlicm will be held in the Jnouth of August, almost at the same moment wlien the Czar pays a visit to King Kd ward, and, although the place of the gathering has not been definitely decided upon, it is probable that the era,grcss will be held in London. As far as is known, the coming congress will be exceptionally -numerous, and will include delegates from North and South America, Australia, Japan. Uiiua. India, Persia, Turkey, Russia, Poland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, France, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland. Besides being the administrative centre of the world's Anarchists, London also supplies a large share of papers and literature. The Yiddish "Workers' Friend'' and the "Germinal" are distributed weekly to 'France, America, and South Africa, while the "Bulletin," printed in Esper-

anto, finds its way into every eliib belonging to the "He'd International," from Tokio and Hong-Kong to the smallest

town in Russia and Spain. In Shepherd's Bush, moreover, a Russian paper is printed every week ami smuggled in thousands over the frontiers into the Muscovite empire.

The literary output in London alone

supplies ample work for four printing establishments manned and managed exclusively by "comrades," while another [ rinting place in Leeds issues the Atheist journal, the "Age of Reason." ANARCHISTS AST) POLICE. Being, of course, well aware of (he

whereabouts of Die Anarchists. Scotland Yard keeps a strict eye on them. No. Imily can enter or leave any of the reco»:iised clubs and meeting-places without i.eing watched. The. movements and doings of every Midividual member are constantly checked and placed on the register kept at the "Yard."

Any newcomer is dogged and shadowed until his or her address, name, calling, and antecedents are found out. whereupon he or she is given the honor of a place ion the register and of a monthly visit by a detective—Tit-Bits.

j THEN THEY SMILED.

{ A certain actor is a little given to , fancying himself a bit of a lady-killer. J This gentleman, whom we will call Mr. Z ,is obliged to share a dressingI room with two of his comrades.

It. happens that at the theatre in •juration the doorkeeper i* somewhat careless in putting the letters in theii proper plaees on the .rack, and one of the three (let ns eall him .Mr. IS-*) on taking his letters, opened one adIressed to Mr. Z -.

I In the dressing-room he found tinthird occupant. .Mr. 0 . and to him lie promptly unburdened his disgust at having unwittingly opened 7. '3 vtter. : ' : "Might have been the most private I etter in the world." he said, vexedly: but, as it was, it did not matter, for ■was only a bill from his tailor—fourteen pounds, too, by -love, and demand;ig immediate payment." 1 "What did you do with ItV" 0— '•••d. 'h. the flap came open whole," 1! ii"il. "so T just stuck it together and -vc,t it into 7. 's pigeonhole." Tin: words were scarcely out of hN .nouth when 7, himself came in. carrying in his hand the unfortunate Vttcr. lie greeted his comrades, and then, standing with one foot on the fender, opened the letter, the other men watching eagerly for the burst of wrath which tliev expeded would 1«> th,> result of the tailor's communication.

Imagine their joy and delight when a slow smile overspread the speaking face of Air. 7. , ami, having read it. he tore the letter into a thousand pieces. and softly murmured. "Silly little girl!"

Those who knew the real contents smiled once more.