From the October 1943 issue of The Western Socialist
[The following are extracts from a personal letter from the organizer, Glasgow Branch, Socialist Party of Great Britain, describing a street meeting recently held at Glasgow.]
[The following are extracts from a personal letter from the organizer, Glasgow Branch, Socialist Party of Great Britain, describing a street meeting recently held at Glasgow.]
A report published in the Toronto Star (Sept. 5) on work place safety found that unionized workers reported twenty-three per cent less accidents than their non-unionized counterparts. This shows that unions certainly play an important part in counteracting capitalist tendencies such as neglecting safety of the worker in the interests of profit. However, in a socialist society they would not be necessary as ownership would be in the hands of all and common sense would prevail over profit madness. John Ayers
In a tale of chasing the Arctic Riches (New York Times, Sept 13) we are told that the Kremlin has spent billions and come up empty. Shell has already spent $7 billion and seven years ago a conglomerate of Shell and other companies paid $2.7 billion for leases in Alaska. Apart from the ridiculous idea of buying parts of the earth, it shows that there is a tremendous amount of wealth available when the odour of profit wafts through the air, but not a lot for human needs. John Ayers
On the topic of the Workers' Party of former president Lula da Silva and current president Dilma Roussef of Brazil promised prosperity for the people and delivered for a while. Lately, though, things have turned sour as a recession eats up the gains made – usual story for the worker. However, under the rule of the Workers' Party, the country's banks have had a wonderful time. The combined annual profits of the country's top four banks have grown 850% in the twelve years of the Workers' Party rule from just $2.1 billion to over $20 billion. Some recession! John Ayers
Apartheid ended in South Africa twenty-one years ago and since then the governments have been of the indigenous black population. Despite this, many are disappointed with the pace of change. One young black student graduated top of his class in high school but when he got to university he found that of the fifteen students who owned cars in his dorm, only one was black. When test results came in, black students ranked at the bottom. South Africa is eighty per cent black but they make up only one quarter of the university students and just five per cent of the faculty. The percentage of African university students has risen just six per cent to 24 per cent since 1994. This shows that no matter what government is in, if the system is capitalism, no real changes will be made.John Ayers
A recent issue of the Toronto Star focused on the discovery of combined oil and natural gas deposits In Guyana said to be worth $50 billion and at least ten times Guyana's Gross Domestic Product. Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, immediately said the area where the deposits have been found belong to his country. Tensions are now high between the two countries. If that doesn't prove that economics are the cause of conflict and war, what does? John Ayers
Obituary from the February 1980 issue of the Socialist Standard
With the death of Johnny Higgins on the 4 December 1979 there passed into history an important contributor to the socialist movement in Scotland. Johnny founded the Glasgow Branch in 1924 and for many years was an indefatigable lecturer, debater and tutor on Marxism. That apart, he worked hard for the formation of branches and groups in Edinburgh, Hamilton and Bo'ness, and in his job as a commercial traveller—he continued working into his late 70s—made contacts for the party from Dumfries to Wick. He was 81 when he died.
In the summer of 1929, when I had just reached 18 years of age, full of juvenile naivete with a smattering of Tressell, Jack London, Wells, Shaw and Russell, I went to Jail Square in Glasgow Green to listen to all the so-called intellectuals. There was a man with a bowler hat and umbrella who was knocking hell out of all and sundry. His language, logic and erudition entranced and overwhelmed me. That was my first encounter with Johnny Higgins. I bought my first Socialist Standard a week later and, thinking that all members had to be of the calibre of Johnny, delayed my joining the party for six years. In all my early years in the party he was my tutor, guide and exemplar.
Johnny was absolutely fearless. In late 1935 Moses Baritz, in his usual overpowering manner, addressed Collet's Club (exclusively members and sympathisers of the Communist Party) on Opera and the Materialist Conception of History. A month later John Strachey was speaking at the same venue, peddling the nonsense of a "socialist" Russia. Johnny challenged him to debate, to the manifest fury of the audience. Johnny his back on the platform and informed the hecklers that he was addressing the organ grinder, not his monkeys!
Johnny, like me and many other members was born in one of the worst quarters of Glasgow, Plantation, and he I went to the same Catholic school, full of statues and vermin. For 25 years until my illness and his age prevented it, he traversed from North Glasgow to the south side to see me.
He was cremated in Maryhill. The Internationale and The Red Flag were played by an obliging organist and I gave a valedictory address on behalf of the party. His departure has left a gap in all our lives. Our condolences to his daughter, Mamie, and his son, Jack, who is overseas. For my part I can hardly envisage my few remaining years without him.
T A Mulheron
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