22 AUGUST 1891, Page 2

An International Socialist Labour Congress has been sitting at Brussels

during the week. As usual, there has been a great deal of frothy talk, and of squabbles over the drafting of resolutions. As usual, too, the English delegates have not been willing to go anything like the lengths demanded by their Continental brethren. For example, the British dele- gates formally declared that they were attending the Congress

as a Labour Congress, and not as a Socialist Congress." At one time, too, they threatened that they would not take part in future Conferences if, instead of defining the aims of the workmen in general terms, assent was given to a regular Socialist programme. Ultimately, the English opinion pre- vailed, and a long and rather colourless resolution was carried unanimously. This resolution ended by declaring that " this Congress recommends the wage-workers of the whole world to unite their efforts against the domination of capital, and, wherever they enjoy political rights, to exercise them with the object of gaining their emancipation from wagedom." As an example of what Protection is doing for America, it is to be noted that the most frenzied speaker at the Congress was the representative of the Labour Union of New York. A fter -describing the riches of America, he went on :—" In the midst of all that wealth, misery is increasing so fast that the land -of the brave and the home of the free is in reality a hell."