| Author(s) | First International Karl Marx |
|---|---|
| Written | 28 July 1872 |
This document was written by Marx who communicated its contents at the General Council Sub-Committee meeting of July 27, 1872. The document was published in English for the first time in The General Council of the First International. 1871-1872. Minutes, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1968.
GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL
WORKING MEN'S ASSOCIATION
33, Rathbone Place,
Oxford Street, London
To Citizen Schwitzguébel, Corresponding Secretary
of the Jura Federal Committee
I have placed your letter of July 15 inst. before the General Council and it has instructed me to inform you that its decision to hold the next Congress at The Hague was reached after due consideration of all the arguments contained in your letter, and that this choice was dictated by the following considerations:
The Congress could not be held in Switzerland, since that is the place of origin and focal point of the disputes; the Congress is always influenced to some extent by the place in which it is held; in order to add more weight to its decisions and enhance the wisdoms of its debates, the local character must be avoided, for which it was necessary to choose a place remote from the main centre of disputes.
You can scarcely be ignorant of the fact that three of the last four Congresses were held in Switzerland,[1] and that at Basle the Belgian delegates were most insistent that the next Congress should be held either at Verviers or in Holland.
In spite of the relative freedom which she enjoys, Switzerland can hardly claim the right to monopolise Congresses.
The Romance Federal Council has also expressed its dissatisfaction with the General Council's choice and does not approve it.
Greetings and equality,
H. Jung,
Corresponding Secretary for Switzerland
July 28, 1872