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2$2 VIOLENCE AND THE LABOR MOVEMENT
cialist congress at London were divided into two sections :
one in sympathy with the views of the anarchists, the
other hostile to them. Such notable anarchists as Tortellier,
Malatesta, Grave, Pouget, Pelloutier, Delesalle,
Hamon, and Guerard were sent to London as the representatives
of the French trade unions. Although the
anarchists had been repeatedly expelled from socialist
congresses, and the rules prohibited their admittance,
these men could not be denied a hearing so long as they
came as the representatives of bona fide trade unions. As
a result, the anarchists, speaking as trade unionists,
fought throughout the congress against political action.
A typical declaration was that of Tortellier, when he
said : "If only those in favor of political action are admitted
to congresses,
the Latin races will abandon the
congresses. The Italians are drifting away from the
idea of political action. Properly organized, the workers
can settle their affairs without any intervention on the
part of the legislature." (2) Guerard, of the railway
workers, holding much the same views, urged the congress
to adopt the general strike, on the ground that it is
"the most revolutionary weapon we have." (3) Despite
their threats and demands, the anarchists were completely
ignored, although they
were numerous in the
French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch delegations. At last
it became clear to the anarchists that the international
socialist congresses would not admit them, if it were
possible to keep them out, nor longer discuss with
them the wisdom of political action. Consequently,
the anarchists left London, clear at last on this one point,
that the socialists were firmly determined to have no further
dealings with them. The same decision had been
made at The Hague in 1872, again in 1889 at the interna-