Genesis of our group

THE WOODEN SHOE GROUP is, of course, the Cuddon’s Cosmopolitan Review group plus those who have gathered around the Cuddonite flag. We began by thinking of in terms of a literary/satirical journal (it is still coming out; Cuddon’s seems to have been lying around since August but fear not.. yet another issue will come piping hot from the press). It occurred to us that what was needed was another centre for anarchist thought and work. 

Freedom Press having shifted their bookshop to Fulham, in surroundings that must baffle new members of the Special Branch on the look-out, there was for some time nowhere in central London where people could hang around talking occasionally. When visitors came to London they had to wait for week-end meetings. While convinced libertarians bought their ultra-left journals in the commercial newsagents or even in the totalitarian C–t’s [Colletts, presumably]. The Wooden Shoe Bookshop was born – Ted Kavanagh is in charge (process servers from Camden Borough Council, note). Meanwhile; aside from the bookshop – a worthwhile project in itself – we found the necessity for another anarchist press. For it is only when you put all the anarchist books and pamphlets and mags together in one shop, out of which someone has to pay the bills and live, that you find how few they are, and what long gaps there are between publication. 

The American Universities are finding it commercially profitable to reprint our old stuff – nothing can be more infuriating – when you think how we went without over the years to bring it out.… Well, no use complaining – let us bring out as many new books, mags and pamphlets as we can… 

The group that is growing up among our regulars is a part of the Anarchist Federation. We do not in this magazine claim to voice the views of the movement. We do not really aim to voice the views of each other; merely to continue discussions on various subjects that come up. In the next issue we will speak of propositions for action on various issues. 

ON SALE AT WOODEN SHOE:  

Anarchist journals Freedom / Anarchy / Cuddon’s 
Syndicalist journals Direct Action / Industrial Worker / Rebel Youth 
Pacifist Peace News 
Marxist Socialist Leader / Workers Review / Tribune 
Solidarist Solidarity 
Psychedelic International Times / Oz / East Village Other