AND 
 
 statement of Jlccotmfs 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31st, 1894. 
 
 Presented and Adopted at the Annual Meeting of the League 
 held at the Grove School, York Road, Battersea , 
 on Friday, January nth, i8g§. 
 
 “ We strive for the conscious ordering by Society of 
 
 its own life.” 
 
 PRICE OjME PENNY. 
 
 \ 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by THE FALCON PRINTING COM PAN V, 
 128, Falcon Road, S.W., and 
 
 Published by THE BATTERSEA LABOR LEAGUE, 
 451, Battersea Park Road, S.W. 
 
Bathie^sea Labor League, 
 
 451, BATTERSEA PARK ROAD, S.W. 
 
 OBJECTS. —To promote the interests of Labor :— 
 
 {a) By securing direct labor representation in 
 Parliament, and on the County Council, the 
 School Board, the Board of Guardians, the 
 Vestry and other administrative bodies. 
 
 ( 6 ) By the diffusion of Economic, Social and 
 Political Knowledge. 
 
 (c) By promoting united action among all sections 
 
 of the workers in all matters affecting their 
 interests. 
 
 ( d) By establishing and maintaining Lecture Halls, 
 Committee Rooms, Club Rooms, &c., for the 
 use of Members and others. 
 
 (e) By such other means as may be decided upon 
 
 by the League. 
 
 SUBSCRIPTIONS. •—The minimum subscription is 
 i/- per annum, payable quarterly, or annually,as 
 Members may desire. 
 
 MEMBERS Members are enrolled on Thursdays 
 and Saturdays, from 8.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m., at the 
 Offices, 451, Battersea Park Road, or at any time by 
 letter to that address; also at any of the outdoor or 
 indoor meetings. 
 
 The management of the League is thoroughly 
 democratic in character. As the result of experience, the 
 Executive Committee has been abobshed, and the 
 ordinary business is transacted at the weekly meeting of 
 Members, held at 451, Battersea Park Road, every 
 Thursday at 8 p.m. All Members are entitled to be 
 present at these meetings, and to take part in the 
 business transacted thereat. Matters of an urgent 
 character, and which cannot stand over until the usual 
 weekly meetings, are dealt with by an Emergency 
 Committee. 
 
 All those in *ympathy with the movement are invited 
 to join the League. 
 
 A copy of the Objects and Rules, together with a 
 detailed Parliamentary and Municipal Program, can be 
 obtained at the Offices of the League, price id. 
 
3 0 
 
 12 105261645 
 
 BATTERSEA LABOF^ LEAGUE. 
 
 REPORT KeXr 
 
 For the Year ended December 31st, 1894. 
 
 The past year has been an exceptionally busy one for 
 the democratic party in this district. The following are 
 among the more important matters which have called for 
 attention :— 
 
 Battersea, Clapham, Wandsworth and District 
 Trades and Labor Council. 
 
 For upwards of five years we have kept steadily in 
 view the necessity for a permanent organisation, consti¬ 
 tuted upon a democratic basis, and capable of expressing 
 in an authoritative manner the wishes and desires of the 
 organised workers in this locality. We have, from time 
 to time, assisted in the endeavors made to constitute 
 such a body. These efforts having, however, failed, the 
 League, in November. 1893, appointed a Committee to 
 
4 
 
 formulate a draft scheme and draw up a code of rules. 
 As an outcome of these efforts a local Trades and Labor 
 Council has been formed. It has already received the 
 adherence of a considerable number of democratic bodies, 
 and several others have promised their support in the 
 near future. The Council had a principal hand in 
 organising the recent electoral victories, and gives every 
 promise of becoming a great and lasting success. 
 
 London School Board Election. 
 
 This matter engaged our attention during the greater 
 part of the year under review. 
 
 Delegates were sent to numerous committees, but we 
 were finally unable to give our adherence to any of them. 
 Past experience has made us wary, and perhaps over- 
 suspicions, in our dealings with large caucuses controlled 
 or largely supported by men and women of the capitalist 
 class. These bodies often altogether fail to recognise 
 the claims of bona-fide labor candidates, and use the labor 
 organisations whose support they have obtained merely 
 as dec ys to the working-class voter. On the other hand, 
 we were unable to support the two candidates put forward 
 by the Social Democratic Federation, and who were 
 announced as going to the poll whether they were or 
 were not adopted by the local working-class organisations. 
 In Battersea, at any rate, the time has gone by when 
 candidates should be run by any one organisation ; such 
 action is undemocratic, and, in our opinion, opposed to 
 the best interests of the labor movement. 
 
 We therefore decided to await the formation of the 
 Trades and Labor Council, and agreed to abide by the 
 decision of the majority of the organisations affiliated to 
 that body. The Council eventually resolved to support 
 
5 
 
 John Ward, president of the Navvies’ Union, and the 
 Rev. W. Hamilton, one of the few members of the old 
 School Board who had displayed an intelligent and 
 zealous interest in the labor movement. 
 
 As the result of a law suit, in which he had been 
 engaged, John Ward was at the last moment compelled 
 to withdraw from the contest, and the Council thereupon 
 adopted T. J. Macnamara, the official nominee of the 
 National Union of Elementary Teachers. 
 
 Mr. Macnamara was returned at the top of the poll, 
 with Mr. Hamilton only a few votes behind. Each 
 polled more votes than any other candidate in London, 
 and there can be no doubt that this result was largely 
 due to the hard work and good organisation of the 
 people of Battersea. 
 
 Vestry and Guardians’ Elections. 
 
 These elections were the subject of constant effort by 
 the League during the whole of 1894. We drafted 
 programs (afterwards adopted by the Local Elections 
 Committee), carefully examined the records and qualifi¬ 
 cations of the sitting members, and endeavored, by work 
 in all directions, to assist the Local Elections Committee 
 in securing the return of capable and democratic ma¬ 
 jorities. 
 
 The results fully justified our exertions, seventy- 
 eight members being returned on the democratic ticket 
 for the Vestry (against only forty-two returned by the 
 “ Moderates ”) and eight for the Guardians (against only 
 four returned by the “ Moderates ”). The foregoing re¬ 
 sults are for the whole parish of Battersea. In Wards 
 2 and 3, which practically constitute the Parliamentary 
 division of Battersea, and where most of our work has 
 
6 
 
 been done, the democratic party ran sixty-five candidates 
 for the two elections and secured sixty-two seats—fifty- 
 seven for the Vestry, and five for the Guardians. 
 
 At the suggestion of the League delegates, the Local 
 Elections Committee resolved :■— 
 
 (a) To refuse its support to any non-unionist, should a union 
 
 exist in his or her trade or calling: 
 
 (b) To refuse its support to any Vestryman who had recently 
 
 sought to obtain any public office of profit in the district. 
 
 (c) To pledge all candidates running under its auspices that,. 
 
 in the event of election, they would not seek cr accept any 
 public office of profit in the district during their term of 
 office. 
 
 It is especially necessary to the success of the labor 
 movement that its public representatives should be pre¬ 
 vented from utilising public office for private ends. We 
 hope and believe that the workers will at all times be 
 fully alive to this danger, and will, whenever necessary, 
 take stringent measures to put a stop to any failure of 
 duty in this direction. 
 
 Workmen’s Trains and Trams Committee. 
 
 In March last the League appointed a Committee to 
 enquire into working-class grievances regarding the 
 Train, Tram and Boat services in this district. The 
 Committee formulated a program, and a public confer¬ 
 ence was subsequently held, when the Workmen’s Trains 
 and Trams Committee, representing twenty-seven local 
 democratic organisations, was formed. After holding a 
 large number of public meetings, and endeavoring to 
 arouse general interest in the matter, the Committee de¬ 
 cided to lay its demands before the Companies concerned, 
 and to ask them to receive deputations. The Tram 
 Company has made some slight alterations, but the 
 
7 
 
 Railway Companies are unanimous in refusing all con¬ 
 cessions worthy the name. 
 
 The Committee is convinced that nothing short of 
 Parliamentary action will meet the needs of the case, and 
 it has therefore decided to invite the help of the London 
 County Council and the Parliamentary Committee of the 
 Trades Union Congress in this direction. The Com¬ 
 mittee has also resolved to make the agitation a 
 Metropolitan one, as it is of opinion that only by local 
 pressure being brought to bear upon the various Members 
 of Parliament and other representatives can any good 
 results be brought about. 
 
 It was at first intended to include the Boat service 
 within the scope of this agitation, but, in view of the 
 insolvent state of the Victoria Steamboat Association, it 
 was eventually decided to keep this matter in abeyance. 
 
 The Unemployed. 
 
 In.November last the League appointed a Committee 
 to inspect the streets and ascertain what work under the 
 control of local public bodies called for immediate 
 execution. The Committee presented a report, giving a 
 list of i 30 streets in Battersea which were unchannelled, 
 the estimated cost of this work alor.e being upwards of 
 ^50,000. The Committee also gave details of numerous 
 other works which might and should be carried out in the 
 near future. We also learned that there was a consider¬ 
 able amount of work which needed doing at the Battersea 
 Cemetery, Morden, in making up paths, levelling, &c. 
 Deputations then waited upon the Vestry and the Burial 
 Board. Both these bodies promised attention to the 
 representations made, and the Vestry subsequently 
 provided the Burial Board with funds, thus enabling it 
 
8 
 
 to give constant employment during the present winter 
 to about thirty extra men. It remains for the Vestry to 
 see that some, at least, of the other works referred to 
 are at once proceeded with. 
 
 It is, however, evident that spasmodic efforts of this 
 character will do little or nothing towards the ultimate 
 solution of the problems arising out of want of employ¬ 
 ment. Nothing short of complete Socialism will meet the 
 difficulty, we are told, and we may accept the statement 
 without demur. It must, however, be remembered that 
 in many departments of life Socialism is still little more 
 than a theory, and in this, as in many other matters, it 
 remains for us to realise in actual fact the theories to 
 which we have given an intellectual assent. 
 
 To this end, we would suggest the formation of a 
 Committee of delegates from the \arious democratic 
 organisations in Battersea (or, failing that, a strong 
 Sub-Committee of the Trades and Labor Council) for 
 the purpose of studying this question in all its bearings, 
 enquiring carefully what practical work there is to be 
 done, and thereafter formulating a program as a basis 
 for future agitation and endeavor. 
 
 Lectures and Propaganda. 
 
 Our outdoor and indoor lectures have attracted 
 increasingly large audiences. The series delivered at 
 the Washington Music Hall during the winter of 1893-94 
 resulted in a loss of more than £12, but we are hopeful 
 that the present series will show a better result. 
 
 The following are amongst the indoor lectures de¬ 
 livered during 1894 :— 
 
 Jan. 7th.—John Burns, M.P., on “The Old Year and the New.” 
 
 Jan. 14th.—Herbert Burrows, on “The New Democracy.” 
 
9 
 
 Jan. 2 ist.—Mrs. Sidney Webb, on “ Trade Unionism, its Past 
 and Future.” 
 
 Jan. 28th.—G. Bernard Shaw, on “ Social Democracy and the 
 Labor Program.” 
 
 Feb. 4th.--B. T. Hall, on “ The State and the Sailor.” 
 
 Feb. nth.—John Burns, M.P., on “The Lords and Labor.” 
 
 Feb. 18th.-—B. B. Haldane, Q.C., M.P., on “The Labor 
 Question and Politics.” 
 
 Feb. 25th.— J. Havelock Wilson, M.P., on “The Federation of 
 Labor.” 
 
 Mar. 4th.—B. F. C. Costelloe, L.C.C., on “The House of 
 Lords ” 
 
 Mar. nth—J. Verdon, on “Labor and the 1 ondon School 
 Board.” 
 
 Mar. 18th.—Dr. Aveling, “Readings, Giave and Gay.” 
 
 Mar. 25th.—John Burns, on “ Parliament, and what can be 
 done with it.” 
 
 Oct. 7th.—John Burns, M.P., on “ The Norwich Trade Union 
 Congress.” 
 
 Oct. 14th.—Halliday Sparling, on “ Working-class Life in Paris.” 
 
 Oct. 2ist.—Herbert Burrows, on “The Labor Movement as it 
 is and should be.” 
 
 Oct. 28th.— Debate on Land Nationalisation. 
 
 Nov. 4th.—H. Ward, L.C.C.. on “ Feats of Engineering,” 
 illustrated by magic lantern slides. 
 
 Nov. nth. —G. Bernard Shaw, on “Compromise” 
 
 Nov. 18th —Dr. Stanton Coit, on “The Ascent of Man.” 
 
 Nov. 25th —John Ward, on “Our Navvies” 
 
 Dec. 2nd.—Debate on Socialism. 
 
 Dec. 9th.—Tom Mann, on “The Need for an Independent 
 Labor Party ” 
 
 Dec. 16th.—J. Fletcher Moulton, M.P , on “Land and Labor.” 
 
 Labor Guardians’ Maintenance Fund. 
 
 During the year the League has contributed £6 ios. 
 to this fund. At the present time we are paying 3s. per 
 week, and we may point out that, if that sum were con¬ 
 tributed by each of the organisations affiliated to the 
 Local Elections Committee, a total of nearly £4. per 
 week would be realised. 
 
IO 
 
 Organisation of Women. 
 
 The efforts made from time to time to form a 
 Women’s Branch of the League have been signally un¬ 
 successful, and the last attempt in this direction came to 
 an end during 1894. 
 
 The need for the organisation of women in this dis¬ 
 trict is, however, very urgent, and the League delegates 
 on the Trades and Labor Council have been instructed 
 to move a resolution calling upon that body to take the 
 matter in hand. 
 
 It is g. noticeable and regrettable fact that Battersea 
 has not returned even one woman to the Vestry. 
 
 General Progress of the Movement. 
 
 The passing of the Local Government Act, 1894, 
 marks a new epoch in local affairs, and it will be well at 
 this juncture briefly to review the progress made in a 
 democratic direction since the establishment of the 
 League in December, 1889. 
 
 The League had three principal “ Objects,” the first 
 being:— 
 
 “ The securing of direct labor representation in Parliament, 
 and on tbe County Council, the School Board, the Board of 
 Guardian^, the Vestry, and other administrative bodies.” 
 
 In 1889 John Burns, on the London County Council, 
 and a mere handful of men on the Vestry were the 
 only working-class representatives which Battersea pos¬ 
 sessed. At the close of 1894 Battersea had secured 
 labor representation as follows :— 
 
 In Parliament and on the London County Council: 
 
 An Engineer. 
 
On the London School Board: 
 
 The official nominee of th@ National Union of Elementary 
 Teachers 
 
 On the Board of Guardians : 
 
 One Barge Builder, 
 One Engine-Driver, 
 One Mason, 
 
 On the Vestry : 
 
 Nine Labourers, 
 
 Nine Clerks, 
 
 Six Bricklayers, 
 
 Five House Painters, 
 Four Carpenters, 
 Four Plasterers, 
 
 Four Schoolmasters, 
 Three Engineers, 
 Three Plumbers, 
 Three Masons, 
 
 Two Fitters, 
 
 One Barge Builder, 
 One Carpet Planner, 
 
 One Navvy, and 
 The wife of an Artisan. 
 
 One Coal Porter, 
 
 One Compositor, 
 
 One Felt Hatter, 
 
 One Harness Maker, 
 
 One Instrument Maker, 
 
 One Itinerant China Dealer 
 One Machinist, 
 
 One Plumber’s Mate, 
 
 One Polisher, 
 
 One Railway Porter, 
 
 One Teacher, and 
 One Warehouseman. 
 
 Making a total of 66, out of 120 elected Members. 
 
 On the Baths Commission : 
 
 One Brass Worker, and one Schoolmaster. 
 
 On the Libraries Commission : 
 
 One Carpenter. 
 
 On the Burial Board : 
 
 One Clerk, One House Painter 
 
 One Fitter, and 
 
 Our second principal “ Object ” was :— 
 
 “ The diffusion of Economic, Social and Political knowledge.’ 7 
 
 No exact figures can be given regarding these 
 matters, but it would be safe to say that many thousands 
 of meetings have been held during the past five years 
 under the auspices of the numerous democratic bodies 
 
in Battersea. Certain it is, that every phase of the social 
 question has been discussed and re-discussed from every 
 standpoint, and if there are people in this district still 
 ignorant on social subjects they have only themselves to 
 blame ; short of physical violence, every method has 
 been tried to compel their attention. How far our 
 efforts have been successful it is, of course, impossible to 
 say ; but, judging from electoral results, they have been 
 fairly satisfactory, and, if the program issued by our 
 “ Moderate ” opponents during the recent local elections 
 is to be taken seriously, even they would seem to have 
 been influenced by the democratic propaganda which they 
 affect to despise. 
 
 Our third principal “ Object ” was :— 
 
 “ To promote united action among all sections of the workers 
 in all matters affecting their interests.” 
 
 The formation of the Trades and Labor Council, 
 and the many electoral successes achieved, are striking 
 evidences of the progress made in this direction. Expe¬ 
 rience teaches us, however, that complete success can 
 only be obtained by the adoption of thoroughly 
 democratic methods, chief among which we rank the 
 decentralisation of all labor organisations. 
 
 A Word to our Friends and Critics. 
 
 The labor party in Battersea has been greatly 
 eulogised, and not less severely condemned. While it 
 must be admitted that mistakes have been made, and 
 work neglected which might and should have been carried 
 out, we still believe that both our friends and critics have 
 something to learn from what has been done by the 
 men and women of Battersea. Our work has, we claim, 
 been largely successful; indeed, it is not too much to 
 
i3 
 
 say that, had every district in the United Kingdom 
 done as well as Battersea in the direction of Parliamen¬ 
 tary, County Council, School Board and Municipal 
 representation, and the general education of its citizens 
 in regard to economic, social and kindred matters, the 
 fundamental changes in the bases of society for which we 
 have worked, do work, and shall continue to work, would 
 to-day be within measurable distance of realisation. 
 
 
BATTERSEA LABOR LEAGUE. 
 
 CASH ACCOUNT 
 
 Fop th|© y©ap ended t)o©orqb©p 31©t, 1894. 
 
 RECEIPTS. 
 
 
 
 
 PAYMENTS. 
 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 Cash Balances in hand on January 
 
 
 
 
 Rent ot Rooms . 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 — 
 
 1st, 1894:— 
 
 
 
 
 Hire of Halls . 
 
 38 
 
 16 
 
 _ 
 
 Tieasurer . £\ 13 1 
 
 
 
 
 Printing and Stationery . 
 
 21 
 
 12 
 
 — 
 
 Asst. Secretary ... - 2 2 
 
 
 
 
 Neo-Cyclostyle . 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 6 
 
 
 I 
 
 15 
 
 3 
 
 Postages.. . 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 Collections . 
 
 7 2 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 Hire of Magic Lan’ern . 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Subscriptions. 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 Bill-posting. 
 
 8 
 
 !4 
 
 10 
 
 Sale of Literature. 
 
 15 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 Purchase of Literature. 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 io£ 
 
 Profit on Dramatic Entertainment 
 
 
 
 
 Labor Guardians’ Maintenance 
 
 
 
 
 (Hunts’ Hall) .. ... 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 - 
 
 Fund. 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 Advertisements on Lecture Lists... 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 - 
 
 Grant to Trains and 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 £113 11 6 
 
 Trams Committee ... £— 10 
 Preliminary Expenses re 
 
 ditto. - 2 
 
 Grants to Local and Central Legal 
 Eight Hours’ Dem. Committees 
 Preliminary Expenses re Trades 
 
 ar»d Labor Council. 
 
 Dues to ditto. 
 
 Grant to House of Lords’ Demon¬ 
 stration Committee. 
 
 Grant to Land Nationalisation 
 
 Conference . 
 
 Grant to Local Elections Comm. 
 
 Cash Balances in hand on Dec. 
 31st, 1894:— 
 
 Treasurer . £4 5 4 
 
 Secretary . - 7 4 
 
 Late Secretary ... - 3 7 
 
 Lecture Secretary. - - I 
 
 - 12 1 
 
 - 15 - 
 
 1 3 9 
 1 n 4i 
 
 - 5 - 
 
 - 2 6 
 
 1 4 - 
 
 108 1; 2 
 
 Total Cash Bal. in hand 4 16 4 
 
 Total . ,£11311 6 , 
 
 BALANCE SHEET • 
 
 Fop tho Y©ap ondod DeeGnqb^p 31st> 1894. 
 
 LIABILITIES. 
 
 
 
 
 
 ASSETS. 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. \ 
 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 Bills Unpaid:— 
 
 
 
 
 Estimated Value 
 
 of Literature Un- 
 
 
 
 Printing. ^4 LS 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 sold . 
 
 . 8 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 Literature . - 18 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 Cash Balanc , as 
 
 per Cash Account 4 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 
 5 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 Balance... 
 
 ... 7 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total . 
 
 • ..^12 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 Total 
 
 ••• ... ... ••• ^12 
 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 We have examined the Books and Accounts of the Battersea Labor League, and find the 
 same to be properly vouched and to agree with the figures as shown above. 
 
 F. 1. TAYLOR. } Hon. 
 
 January 1895* Wm. SANDERS. J Auditors. 
 
‘WbmOffij i’$ *; ^ 
 
 COMMITTEE. 
 
 RAILWAYS. — The principal objects of the 
 Committee are:— 
 
 (1) The securing of a better service of workmen’s 
 
 trains, with tickets available by all trains up 
 to 9 a.m., and the right to return at any 
 time during the day of issue. 
 
 (2) Adequate carriage and station accommoda¬ 
 
 tion. 
 
 A long - continued and strenuous agitation has 
 been carried on, but the results have been practically nil , 
 and the Committee are now convinced that nothing 
 short of Parliamentary action will meet the needs of the 
 case. 
 
 The Committee consists of delegates from numerous 
 Democratic organisations in Battersea and the South- 
 Western suburbs, and has hitherto confined its opera 
 tions within these limits. The Committee are, however, 
 sensible that the workers in all districts of London and 
 the suburbs have like grievances in regard to these 
 matters, and they therefore invite the assistance of all 
 Democratic bodies in and around London to the end 
 that common action may be taken to bring about the 
 ■necessary reforms. 
 
 Societies desiring to affiliate, or seeking further in¬ 
 formation, are asked to address the Secretary of the 
 Committee at the Offices, 451, Battersea Park Road. 
 London, S.W. 
 
J©^pi Buies’ Wages Bund 
 
 COMMITTEE 
 
 All persons in sympathy with the labor movement 
 are invited to subscribe to this fund, which is the 
 only source from which JOHN BURNS derives 
 his income. 
 
 Monies subscribed to the fund are kept entirely 
 apart from the general funds of the League, and a sepa¬ 
 rate balance is issued half-yearly. 
 
 Further information can be obtained from, or sub¬ 
 scriptions be paid to, the Secretary of the Wages Fund 
 Committee, at the Offices, 451, Battersea Park Road, 
 London, S.W., any Saturday, from 8 to 10 p.m. 
 
 . 
 
 BATTERSEA 
 
 LABOR LEAGUE SLATE CLUB. 
 
 A Slate Club is held at 451, Battersea Park Road 
 every Saturday, from 7.30 to 9 p.m. Workmen and 
 others are invited to join. Every information can be 
 obtained on application to the Secretary, at the above 
 address. 
 
 3 0112 105341637