A report on the Dutch Social Democratic Workers’ Party’s 1910 congress which saw Henriette Roland-Holst lead the left wing minority.

‘Socialist Party Grows in Holland’ from The Chicago Daily Socialist. Vol. 4 No. 159. April 30, 1910.

Socialist Convention Takes Up Vast Range of Practical Topics

Leeuwarden, Holland, May 1. The sixteenth congress of the Socialist party of Holland was held recently in this city. Ninety-one different questions were discussed among which were the creation of a new Socialist review; the franchise question; old age pensions; the young Socialists; militarism; the agrarian question; propaganda, etc.,

The party is composed of 205 sections, in place of 194 last year, and has a membership of 9,533, in place of 8,770 last year.

In the last municipal elections, the Socialists gained twenty-one seats; and in the legislative elections they gained two and lost two.

The party has passed a prosperous year, casting 88,621 votes at the general elections. The Marxists have retained a majority.

The chief point under discussion at the congress was the question of free old age pensions. This measure is one of the permanent demands of the Socialist party platform of Holland. The question was made a campaign issue at the last election, but its introduction is considered an improbability since the clericals, opposed to the measure, secured a majority in parliament. The demand of the Socialists for old age pensions includes the provision that the worker be relieved from making any contributions whether yearly or monthly.

The ultra-radicals, however, caused considerable disruption within the party ranks by opposing the resolutions of the regulars, with radical plans. In the discussion at the congress on plans of agitation to secure universal franchise, carried on by the party for ten years, with the determination to succeed, it was suggested that since the agitation which hitherto had been conducted by means of street demonstrations and meetings did not bring results, that a petition of the people be drawn up to be presented to the chamber of deputies and that the entire winter be spent in collecting signatures. This was considered an important plan and sure of success because of the awakening that would be caused by the house to house canvass.

A part of the Marxists voted for the plan, but introduced a proposal that in the month of September a great demonstration In the form of a one day strike should be arranged.

Considerable dispute arose between the cautious and the radicals. The political element claimed that the house to house canvass when gathering signatures for the petition would reveal the attitude of the mass of the people, whether the revolutionary movement was strong enough to successfully carry the demands of the citizens, as in 1848. The “radical” amendment proposed by Frau Roland-Holst finally was rejected by vote of 155 sections to 10 sections. Resolutions were passed to send message of sympathy to comrades in Prussia in their struggle for universal franchise.

The third discussion arose over the direction of the party organ edited by Frau Roland-Holst. Sharp criticisms were directed against the paper under her direction, because it constantly fought against the tactics of the party and the methods of the group in the chamber, and in this way threatened to disrupt the party. In the debate that followed Frau Holst became personal in her attacks and caused considerable agitation in the congress. Frau Wilbaut, assistant editor of the paper, however met the attack calmly and saved the situation, which seemed threatening.

Resolutions were passed to support the Teachers Federation in its efforts to secure the right to maintain religious and political neutrality in teaching.

The Chicago Socialist, sometimes daily sometimes weekly, was published from 1902 until 1912 as the paper of the Chicago Socialist Party. The roots of the paper lie with Workers Call, published from 1899 as a Socialist Labor Party publication, becoming a voice of the Springfield Social Democratic Party after splitting with De Leon in July, 1901. It became the Chicago Socialist Party paper with the SDP’s adherence and changed its name to the Chicago Socialist in March, 1902. In 1906 it became a daily and published until 1912 by Local Cook County of the Socialist Party and was edited by A.M. Simons if the International Socialist Review. A cornucopia of historical information on the Chicago workers movements lies within its pages.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/chicago-daily-socialist/1910/100430-chicagodailysocialist-v04n159.pdf