This Day in History: 22 August 1915
At a special conference of the South African Labour Party (SALP), Colonel Creswell’s move to support the war won majority votes. Prior to this special conference, there had been an anti-war majority at the Labour Party's annual conference which was held in East London in January of the same year. As war agitation mounted, the pressure on the Labour Party to withdraw the East London decision grew speedily. Subsequently, a special conference was held in Johannesburg on 22 August, where 82 votes to 30 supported the war.
Unhappy with this decision, the anti-war section led by William H. Andrews walked of the conference. Later this anti-war faction formed the International Socialist League (ISL) under the leadership of William H. Andrews. Some of ISL’s ideas later influenced and radicalized South African Natives National Congress (SANNC) members such as Thomas Levi Mvabaza, who attended the organization’s meetings.
References:
Roux E., 1993. “War on War” in S.P. Bunting: A Political Biography. South Africa: Mayibuye Books. Available at www.sacp.org.za [Accessed: 30 June 2011]
Wentzel E. ‘Major General Sir Henry Timson Lukin (1860 – 1925)’ from Scholar [online] Available at www.schola.sun.ac.za [Accessed 30 June 2011]
