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Curtin's writings as a socialist
Tom Fitzgerald aimed to plot the development of Curtin’s ideas
through his published writings. Curtin's early writings in papers such
as the Socialist and the Timber Worker were a rich
source for Fitzgerald, as were his editorials during the years he worked
on the West Australian Labor paper the Westralian Worker.
Curtin in the Socialist newspaper
Fitzgerald painstakingly identified and copied all the articles by and
references to John Curtin in the Socialist newspaper over the
period 1906 to 1917. The photocopies and handwritten transcripts of these
articles and references are often extensively annotated with Fitzgerald's
analysis and thoughts for future reference. There are descriptive finding
aids in ERA for this material in the research papers.
In addition, all the articles by and references to John Curtin in the Socialist, as identified by Tom Fitzgerald, have been wordprocessed
by the JCPML into a separate series for access as full text in ERA.
Tom Fitzgerald also wrote his own notes exploring themes arising from
the Socialist material. |
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Descriptive finding aid for Socialist 1906-1909
Photocopied and handwritten pages, often with annotations by Tom Fitzgerald
(not digitised for ERA)
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom
Fitzgerald. Socialist 1906-1909 Originals. JCPML00653/330 |
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Articles in the Socialist by or relating to John Curtin
All the articles by and references to John Curtin in the Socialist,
are available as text files in ERA.
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of the
Socialist Party. The Socialist articles by or relating to John
Curtin. 1906 - 1917. |
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Extracts from Socialist 30 April 1909 p.5
At the Bijou. References To Albury. Jack Curtin Vehemently Declares
for an Industrial Policy.
The Bijou Theatre held a large and enthusiastic audience on Sunday night...
Mrs Wallace had organised an excellent musical programme. Little Miss
Minnie Isaacs rendered, with grace and confidence. “A Whispered
Vow,” and had to respond to a vociferous recall...
The lecturer of the evening was Mr Jack Curtin, on “The Overthrow
of Coercion.” He was splendidly received. His speech was of a high
standard, and held the audience for over an hour. He first touched upon
what he termed the “callousness” of the High Court decision
re Mr Justice Higgins’ award, and then went on to impeach the conspiracy
of the mining companies to effect delays in operations. He spoke with
bitterness, of the brutal treatment meted out to Tom Mann at Albury, and
said his enemies were prepared to go to any length to injure Mann’s
physique; but the shame was that a man should be jailed before his conviction...
The remainder of the address was devoted to an earnest advocacy of Industrial
Unionism. Not in its meekness but in its strength was hope for the working-class.
The cause and nature of industrialism were analysed. Industrial organisation
impelled a unit of Socialist purpose. To be an exponent of the new order
was to earn the undying enmity of the old order. The speaker said two
important events would culminate within the next few years – viz.,
the triumph of aerial navigation and the opening of the Panama Canal.
These would have big influences upon the Capitalist order. The workers
had need more than ever to be watchful. In the impending struggle, all
must be combatants.
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of the
Socialist Party. At The Bijou. References To Albury. Jack Curtin Vehemently
Declares For An Industrial Policy. Socialist, 30 April 1909, P 5. JCPML00819/024 |
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Extract from Notes re Curtin as a speaker and Speakers' Class in the Socialist, 1908-1909
Curtin. As a speaker: seen as nervous
In “Socialist” of October 2, 1908: “He was not quite
at his ease, nervous one might almost say, and he never stirred from one
spot, nor raised his hands in gesticulation. With all these drawbacks,
his lecture was so crammed with knowledge and so evidently part of himself
that the audience listened spellbound.(Subject was “The Doctrines
of War”)
VSP [Victorian Socialist Party] Activities – Curtin biog.
“Socialist” 8 January, 1909 (p 3)
The Speakers’ Class on Tuesday. (Curtin one of the new “directorate”)
gave some attention to Altgeld’s fine exposition of “Oratory,”
and for the second hour dissected Hazell’s masterly summary of Marx’s
“Capital.” Each speaker should arm himself with this last-named
penny pamphlet; stock to arrive.
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records
of Tom Fitzgerald. Notes re Curtin as a speaker and Speakers' Class in
the Socialist, 1908-1909. JCPML00653/27/106
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Other socialist writings by Curtin |
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Extract from: The Heritage: by Frank Anstey and John Curtin,
1930?
Written in collaboration by Frank Anstey and John Curtin to epitomise
the history of a Movement which has made Australia a land of hope and
opportunity.
THE LABOR MOVEMENT in its world-wide sweep is the greatest reformative
and progressive agency in history. It has broadened the constitutions, liberalised
the laws, modified the power of oppressors, and ameliorated the conditions
of life. Its influence has permeated all the institutions of our time.
THE HERITAGE
Thirty years ago in this Commonwealth the workers' lot was hard and cheerless.
Sweating was then an evil which flourished in the land; wages were low;
hours of labor were tedious; equality of social place and opportunity
was an unrealised ideal.
We were then reproducing in Australia a second Europe, with its poverty,
its
wretchedness, its long hours, its misery, and its industrial servitude.
But for the work of the Labor Movement, the sacrifices of its founders,
and the
incessant and undefeatable struggles of its stalwarts, Australia would
have
continued a preserve of privilege, and a land where would have been reproduced
every sweating device and condition that has made the Old World the shame
and
despair of every lover of his kind.
The truth of this assertion is evidenced by the history of our country....
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom
Fitzgerald. The Heritage: by Frank Anstey and John Curtin, 1930? JCPML00653/167. |
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Extract from The Independent Workers' Federation with its clothes
off! 1912?
By J. CURTIN,
Secretary Saw Mill & Timber Yard Employees’ Union.
“With pleasing mien, grave walk, and decent vest,
Fraud rolled her eyeballs humbly in her head;
And such benign and modest speech possest,
She might a Gabriel seem who “Ave” said.
Foul was she and deformed in all the rest;
But with a mantle long and widely spread,
Concealed her hideous parts; and evermore
Beneath the stole a poisoned dagger wore.”The condition of the
working-class is best where the degree of industrial organisation is considerable.
In all countries, and at all times, and irrespective of the form of government
obtaining, the character of the industrial movement of labor is the measure
of social advance. Unionism is the greatest force in civilisation; it
is the motive power behind the establishment of order in the place of
chaos. To the extent that society is nearer to the realisation of complete
liberty and fraternity, it may be said that Unionism is the great Redeemer...
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom
Fitzgerald. Curtin, J. The Independent Workers' Federation with its clothes
off! 1912? JCPML00653/101/30 |
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Extracts from Civilisation and the crisis by John Curtin,
1933
For more than three years now the people have been in the vortex of economic
cataclysm. The hopes entertained by the upholders of conventional conduct
that if only the people would adapt themselves to the necessities of a
short but salutary period of sacrifice the depression would cure itself,
have been signally blasted by the iron facts of experience.
Things are not getting better. They are getting worse. The refusal to
essay practicable measures of reform has now produced so menacing a political
position that the future is black with all the portents of disaster. Sustenance
rations and widespread misery and destitution may be tolerated for a while,
but when the hour strikes that for millions they have all the appearance
of a permanent condition, then reformers find themselves engaged in a
veritable competition with revolution, in which every delay tells to the
disadvantage of the reformer...
I read the thirty of the leading economists have drafted an agenda paper
for the World Economic Conference to be held this year. They aver that
unless action is taken the whole system of international trade will collapse.
I am not surprised. But why should this document be prepared after three
years of crisis, and not long ago? The reply is that even the leading
economists did not realise the organic malady of the social system until
quite recently. Steeped in the orthodox, they refused to suspect that
there was a fundamental fault in the whole structure...
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom
Fitzgerald. Curtin, J. Civilisation and The Crisis. The New Era, Vol.
4, No. 1, 30 March 1933. JCPML00653/226/45. |