02.11.1995

Sylvia Pankhurst’s imprisonment

From 'The Communist', paper of the Communist Party of Great Britain, November 4 1920

THE SENTENCE of six months’ imprisonment passed upon Sylvia Pankhurst shows to what lengths the governing classes will go in their attempts to intimidate those who do not happen to agree with their own peculiar notions of law and order.

On matters of tactics we have our differences with Miss Pankhurst. We do not think she has always acted in the best interests of the revolutionary movement, nor do we think the line of policy she has marked out for herself is the one best calculated to weld the workers of this country into a revolutionary mass. But in this attack on her we recognise the bitter hatred of capitalism against all who dare to question its justice or its dominance. It is therefore, indirectly, an attack upon all communists; or indeed upon rebels or revolutionaries

generally ...

The moral to be drawn is that we cannot afford to remain as isolated units, open to attack whenever the government through its officials so decides. A strong, united Communist Party, based upon the support of ever-extending circles of the workers, would be a proposition which no government, however desperate, would venture to attack through its leading personalities without running the risk of serious trouble.

As it is Miss Pankhurst has the satisfaction of proving to the world how hollow are all the pretensions to liberty and democracy with which British politicians befool the people.