Speech at the Meeting of the International Socialist Bureau on the Split in the Dutch Social-Democratic Labour Party

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The International Socialist Bureau—the executive body of the Second International established by decision of the Paris Congress in 1900. Lenin became a member of the Bureau as the official representative of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party and he spoke at its Eleventh Session on November 7 (New Style), 1909. On the meeting of the Bureau, see Lenin’s article “The Eleventh Session of the International Socialist Bureau” (see pp. 140–44 of this volume).

Both Singer and Adler proceeded from a number of facts, which I want to mention once again here. First, the split is a fact that has to be taken into account. Secondly, according to Adler himself, the Social-Democratic Party is a socialist Party. Thirdly, it has the Incontestable right to participate in international congresses. The S.D.P. it self does not even demand to be allowed to participate in the decisions of the Bureau; it could be granted an advisory vote in the Bureau, as was done in the case of a number of Russian parties. Fourthly, Comrade Adler has found that the votes at international congresses should be divided between the two parties in the Dutch section of the Copenhagen Congress, while the S.D.P. is to be granted the right of appeal to the Congress. Unanimity should be achieved on these four items at this session. I want to add that Comrade Roland Holst mentioned by Troelstra had come out for the acceptance of the S.D.P.