Workers' Dreadnought
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''Workers' Dreadnought'' was a
communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
based in London and led by
Sylvia Pankhurst Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst (; 5 May 1882 – 27 September 1960) was an English Feminism, feminist and Socialism, socialist activist and writer. Following encounters with women-led labour activism in the United States, she worked to organise worki ...
. The paper was started by Pankhurst at the suggestion of Zelie Emerson, after Pankhurst had been expelled from the
Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom founded in 1903. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and p ...
by her mother and sister. The paper was published on behalf of the newly formed East London Federation of Suffragettes. Provisionally titled ''Workers' Mate'', the newspaper first appeared on 8 March 1914 (14 March according to another source or 21 March according to yet another), the day of a suffragette rally at which Pankhurst was due to speak, in
Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...
, as ''The Woman's Dreadnought'', with a circulation of 30,000,, subsequently (at number 10, in May 1914) stated as 20,000. When the editor was imprisoned, Norah Smyth alternated as acting editor with Jack O'Sullivan. For many years, Smyth had used her skills as a photographer to provide pictures for the newspaper of East End life, particularly of women and children living in poverty. In July 1917, the name was changed to ''Workers' Dreadnought'', which initially had a circulation of 10,000. Its slogan changed to "Socialism, Internationalism, Votes for All", and then in July 1918 to "For International Socialism", reflecting increasing opposition to Parliamentarism in the party. The paper took a strong stance against the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, calling for Britain to begin peace negotiations, and speaking positively of Russia's exit from the war. The paper's first issue for October 1917 advocated for a peace referendum among the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
, but before it could enter circulation the Metropolitan Police raided offices of ''Workers Dreadnought'' and destroyed the copies of the issue. On 19 June 1920,'' Workers' Dreadnought'' was adopted as the official weekly organ of the
Communist Party (British Section of the Third International) The Communist Party (British Section of the Third International) was a Left Communist organisation established at an emergency conference held on 19–20 June 1920 at the International Socialist Club in London. It comprised about 600 people. H ...
. During the Post-war French
occupation of the Rhineland The Occupation of the Rhineland placed the region of Germany west of the Rhine river and four bridgeheads to its east under the control of the victorious Allies of World War I from 1December 1918 until 30June 1930. The occupation was imposed a ...
, German communists attempted to retake the region. France employed the use of black colonial troops to halt them. Reporting on the events, the '' Daily Herald'' referred to the soldiers using terms such as " Black Scourge in Europe," and "Black Menace of 40,000 Troops". Jamaican writer
Claude McKay Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay OJ (September 15, 1890See Wayne F. Cooper, ''Claude McKay, Rebel Sojourner In The Harlem Renaissance'' (New York, Schocken, 1987) p. 377 n. 19. As Cooper's authoritative biography explains, McKay's family predate ...
considered the papers' focus on the Black soldiers to be illogical prejudice, and a distraction from the communists' efforts against French occupation. McKay wrote a letter adressed to the ''Daily Herald'''s editor
George Lansbury George Lansbury (22 February 1859 – 7 May 1940) was a British politician and social reformer who led the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party from 1932 to 1935. Apart from a brief period of ministerial office during the Labour government of 1 ...
expressing these concerns. Lansbury refused to print the response, while writing back privately claiming to not be personally prejudice against black people. Instead, he was encouraged by a friend to send it to Sylvia Pankhurst and have it printed in ''Workers' Dreadnought'', and did so. The paper warned of
fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...
in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, condemned the white labourism in South Africa's
Rand Rebellion The Rand Rebellion (; also known as the 1922 strike) was an armed uprising of white miners in the Witwatersrand region of South Africa, in March 1922. Following a drop in the world price of gold from 130 shillings (£6 10s) per fine ...
,
Sylvia Pankhurst Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst (; 5 May 1882 – 27 September 1960) was an English Feminism, feminist and Socialism, socialist activist and writer. Following encounters with women-led labour activism in the United States, she worked to organise worki ...
was arrested under the
Defence of the Realm Act The Defence of the Realm Act 1914 ( 4 & 5 Geo. 5. c. 29) (DORA) was passed in the United Kingdom on 8 August 1914, four days after the country entered the First World War. It was added to as the war progressed. It gave the government wide-ranging ...
for publishing articles "calculated and likely to cause sedition among His Majesty's forces, in the Navy, and among the civilian population". Claude McKay had his rooms searched. He is likely to have been the author of "The Yellow Peril and the Dockers" attributed to "Leon Lopez", which was one of the articles cited by the government in its case against ''Workers' Dreadnought''. On 14 June 1924, ''Workers' Dreadnought'' ceased publication.


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External links

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Workers' Dreadnought text archive
- on libcom.org library Newspapers established in 1914 Publications disestablished in 1924 Political newspapers published in the United Kingdom Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom Left communism Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom 1914 establishments in the United Kingdom 1924 disestablishments in the United Kingdom London newspapers Socialist newspapers published in the United Kingdom {{Women's-History-stub