uropean kidlings of the Balkans. So one delegate
may equal a hundred; Servia and Bulgaria may outvote France; a solitary
Russian hold ninety-two Germans in check.

Before this they turned out a Polish girl with unsigned credentials. She
made a good speech and was gallantly supported, but in the end failed.
And when all the putting out was done there was an appeal for
unanimity. No one laughed, however, and then Bebel came from behind with
a proposal that seeing so much time had been wasted the articles of the
agenda should be submitted to the various committees first. So this
morning is a morning off and there is peace at anyrate among the mass of
the delegates.

In all this it is excessively easy to be unjust, to misjudge and to go
wrong. The man who is ready with _a priori_ opinions about all forms and
means and ends of Socialism will smile if he be kindly and sneer if he
be not. But most of these people are in earnest. If they represent
nothing else, and however they disagree and quarrel, they do represent
an enormous amount of real discontent. "I protest" is often in their
mouths; as the president yells "Monsieur, vous n'avez pas la parole"
they stand in the benches and protest again in acute screams. It is
under extraordinary difficulties that the movement is being carried
forward. Marx, when he started this internationalism, can hardly have
recognised the supreme difficulties that the differing tongues alone
offer to united action. In many a large assembly there is frequent
misconception, but here are three main languages, and many of the
delegates understand neither English, German nor French.

And under the broad top currents of jealousy are the secret unmeasured
tendencies of enmity or rivalry of ancient jealousy. To explain one
man's vote we must remember that So-and-so threw a glass of absinthe in
his face ten years ago in a Paris restaurant; that another was kicked in
Soho; that another got work over the head of a friend.

So the thing goes on, but whether their outlook be wide or narrow,
personal or impersonal, they work in their way and something is really
done.

But for deadly earnestness commend me to the party with the unfortunate
name of Anarchists. The party headed by Landauer and Werner issued
invitations in the Tonhalle to the delegates and others, to come to the
Kasino Aussersehl, where they would protest against the non-reception of
their mandates. I went there with an English delegate. We en