November 30th, this year marks the 5th anniversary of the death of a great revolutionary - John Maclean. INTERNATIONAL regards itself as standing firmly in his tradition.
Maclean was probably the most influential marxist that the British working class movement ever produced. More than anyone else, he can be said to have been responsible for the mass revolutionary upsurge on the Clyde which followed the First World War.
Besides his struggle to bring the ideas of marxism to the workers of Scotland he gave an example of personal courage and dedication that provides an example for the new generation of revolutionaries.
John Maclean will best be remembered for his fight against the First World War. The vindictive treatment he received at the hands of a reactionary government broke his health, but never for a second weakened his resolve to struggle to the end. The greatness of his internationalist stand was specifically singled out for praise by Lenin, and he was appointed the first Soviet Consul in Britain.
It is unfortunate that until a short time ago Maclean was forgotten and ignored by all but a few people on the left, his name was used as an ikon, but there has been a dearth of factual material on his life, and practically none of his writings are available.
Now there has been a revival of interest, and a vigorous John Maclean Society has been organised in Scotland. INTERNATIONAL welcomes this development and wishes the society well. As its contribution to this revival INTERNATIONAL intends shortly to publish a pamphlet containing the text of Maclean's great speech at his 1918 sedition trial, in which he turned the court's accusations against the Government and the employers. We do this as a means of helping forward the revolutionary movement of today and our contribution towards keeping alive the memory of a great working class fighter.