MIA: Encyclopedia of Marxism: Glossary of Periodicals


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Beehive, The (1862-76)

Was founded after the second building workers' strike (1861) by a group of trade unionists, including George Odger, as "a weekly newspaper of general intelligence and trades, friendly society and co-operative journal"; it was the official organ of the London Trades Council and its "avowed object" was "reporting the proceedings of trade societies and other bodies of working men shut out from the columns of the speculating and other middle-class newspapers."

Its first editor was George Trupp, its second Robert Hartwell, a former Chartist and later a member of the General Council of the International. George Potter (Bricklayers' Trade Union) secretary of the building workers' committee 1858-59, and strike committee (1859-60), and till 1868 an opponent of the "Junta," was its publisher and manager. In 1863 the Beehive altered its sub-title and became "A Journal of general intelligence advertising industrial interests."

In the first months of the International Marx tried to gain the Beehive as its real organ, but failed owing to the mutual enmities of Odger and Potter and their respective fractions. The International therefore, had no organ of its own but continued to use the Beehive until in 1869 it was bought by the astute woollen manufacturer and Liberal M.P., Samuel Morley. Applegarth and Odger, both members of the General Council of the International, had remained members of the editorial committee of the Beehive after it was sold to Morley, but through Marx's determination the decision to "sever our connection with the Beehive and to publish that resolution was nevertheless carried by a unanimous vote of the Council. Mr. Applegarth sat opposite to me, while I explained my motion, with a diminished head....I denounced the paper as sold to the bourgeoisie (S. Morley, etc.), specially mentioned its treatment of our Irish resolutions and debates, etc." (Marx to Engels, April 28, 1870.)

Berner Tagwacht (Berne Reveille )

 

The organ of the Social-Democratic Party of Switzerland, published in Berne from 1893. In 1909-18, it was edited by R. Grimm. At the outbreak of the First World War it carried articles by Liebknecht, Mehring and other Left-wing Social-Democrats. From 1917 the newspaper gave open support to the social-chauvinists.