E. Belfort Bax

Personal Explanation

(9 May 1891)


From Justice, 9 May 1891, p.3 (letter).
Transcribed by Ted Crawford.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Marxists’ Internet Archive.


Dear Comrade, – When the Provisional Committee of the “Twentieth Century Press,” did me the honour to invite my co-operation with them, I at first hesitated accepting, for two reasons – (1) That my lack of business faculty and my at times prolonged absence from this country would, I feared, hinder my being of any very great use; (2) for the essentially personal reason that I thought my being connected with the committee might lead some persons to suppose that I necessarily sympathised with the personal polemics with certain well-known Socialists with which the organ Justice has, in my opinion, unfortunately been associated in the past.

The first of these objections was overruled by those who invited my co-operation; and the second it was suggested might be removed by this letter.

I shall therefore feel obliged if you will kindly give me space to state that, while gladly doing anything in my power to assist the Socialist propaganda in this country, and of course agreeing with the general principles Justice has advocated, I desire to dissociate myself from any attack on certain individuals who have been for years personal friends of my own, and still remain so, such attacks being based, as I believe, entirely on misapprehension.

 

Fraternally yours,
      E. Belfort Bax

 


Last updated on 17.10.2005