28.08.1997

Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council banned

From ‘The Call’, paper of the British Socialist Party, August 16 1917

We have received the following telegram:

“Provisional Committee, Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council

... The following order has been issued: ‘City of Glasgow. Prohibition of meetings of WSC. We, the undersigned, acting under special authority conferred upon us by the secretary of Scotland in pursuance of regulation 9a of the Defence of the Realm regulations, do hereby prohibit the holding of the meeting in Glasgow on Saturday August 11 1917, called by the Provisional Committee of the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council in whatever place it may be proposed to hold the same.

Thomas Dunlop, lord provost ...’ ”

There would have been no disturbances in Glasgow. There was no reason whatever why the authorities - if ‘law and order’ was their only concern - should have banned the conference. The movement in Glasgow is so strong and our Scottish comrades so well able to take care of themselves that there can be only one conclusion with regard to the decree of the authorities. They are afraid of the Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council ...

Instead of a conference our comrades held a magnificent demonstration of protest under the auspices of Glasgow Trades Council.

It is understood that an order is about to be issued in Birmingham which will authorise the lord mayor ... to prohibit the meeting of the WSC arranged to be held in the Priory Rooms, Birmingham on Saturday next ...

Arrangements are being made for holding a further conference at Newcastle.

The Southern Counties conference, which was to have been at Southampton, was held at Portsmouth on Sunday ... The conference was successful in every way...

The Lancashire district conference which was to be held at Manchester was held at Stockport. Some trouble was occasioned by organised hooligans, but the proceedings were carried through successfully ...

As soon as definite arrangements can be made for the holding of the London conference delegates will be notified.

Tom Quelch
for the Provisional Committee