He never discussed politics at home, so this piece of writing was a revelation to me, seeing it for the first time about 80 years later. I feel I know him for the first time now, and I share his sentiments. Too bad he wasn't successful as a candidate and continued as a history teacher for the remainder of his working life."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, We have the greatest pleasure in addressing you after this fashion for the first time; on former occasions it was "gentlemen only". The pleasure is all the greater in that we can look back with pride to the untiring efforts of the Labour Party on behalf of Women's Suffrage; and in passing, we would respectfully ask all women to remember that our party was the only party which voted en bloc on all occasions in favour of their political emancipation.

We appear before you today with renewed hope, because the stupid distinction between the person who earns a living by manual labour, and one who does not, is rapidly collapsing. There is, indeed, room in the ranks of labour for all who have to work honestly for a living. The basis of the Party is the union of all classes, irrespective of sex, creed, or nationality, to work for the common good.

Labour believes in the possibility of a new and better world. Change is inevitable, for the present social system stands self-condemned. You can hasten that change; you can retard it at your peril; but you cannot prevent it. You can retard it by bolstering up yet another so-called Liberal Coalition, or reactionary Government, but the masses will not be denied their just rights, and what they fail to obtain by peaceful means they will get by force.

We are honestly convinced that the only alternative to a class war is a Labour Government. All the other parties are bankrupt - of principles, ideas, and methods; they can only appeal to prejudice, tradition, and sentiment, for policy they have none. The times demand, not the excitement of emotion, but the sturdiness and good principles of good working principles.

Why not give Labour a fair chance? The Labour Party offers you a definite policy, such as the Nationalisation of Mines and Railways, with full public control over all revenue producing industries, so that the whole community, and not a few individuals, may benefit. It demands for every individual a rate of wages which compares favourably with the cost of living, and seeks to apply to all nations, great and small, the principle of self determination. In foreign politics, Labour would do away with the most baneful of all evil influences, secret diplomacy. Further, Labour is the only Party which has thrown itself wholeheartedly into the task of making the League of Nations a reality, believing that in the union of the working classes of the world lies the only possible basis of perpetual peace."