Ernie Judd
Encyclopedia
Ernest Edward Job Pullin "Ernie" Judd (9 April 1883 – 20 August 1959) was an Australian bookseller and socialist.
Judd was born at Scrubbing Plain near Forbes
to labourer Ernest Augustus Judd and Alice Florence, née Stevens. In 1907 he joined the Socialist Labor Party, a group of Australian followers of American socialist Daniel De Leon
who split from the Industrial Workers of the World
in 1908, although Judd remained with the IWW. He ran as an independent
for the state seats of Wollongong
in 1913 and King
in 1917, and during World War I
was the Municipal Workers' Union delegate to the Labor Council of New South Wales. He opposed conscription
and was appointed by the Labor Council as investigator into the imprisonment of IWW members in 1916.
In 1917 Judd stood for the Senate
as an independent without success, and also published The War and the Sydney Labor Council. In 1918 he was prosecuted for "making statements prejudicial to recruiting" and was fined in 1919, although he attracted significant publicity, publishing Judd's Speech from the Dock and The Case for the O.B.U. He continued to campaign for socialist causes and contested Sydney
at the 1920 state election, receiving only 282 votes. He distanced himself from the Communist Party
, which he considered "a front for capitalist spies". During a clash with right-wing demonstrators in the Domain
in May 1921 he drew a revolver and was convicted of carrying a firearm.
He was appointed general secretary of the Socialist Labor Party in 1920 but was involved in damaging disputes with industrial organiser A. W. Wilson and De Leon's successor Arnold Petersen
. Facing declining public support, he engaged in a number of legal stunts; he was convicted of failing to vote for the Senate in the 1925 federal election
and supported Thomas Mutch
against Bob Heffron in the state seat of Botany
in 1927 and 1930. He contested North Sydney
unsuccessfully in the 1929 federal election
and sued the Barrier Daily Truth for remarks it made during the campaign, winning a farthing's damages. He published How to End Capitalism and Inaugurate Socialism and Why War is Near in 1931; during the 1930s he decreased in relevance and has been described by Ian Turner as "a cantankerous stump orator, preaching the truths of De Leonism to a dwindling handful of the converted". He died a bachelor in 1959 at the mental hospital at Rydalmere
.
Judd was born at Scrubbing Plain near Forbes
Forbes, New South Wales
-Notable residents:*Carolyn Simpson - Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales; Member of the first all-female bench to sit in an Australian court*NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt was born and raised in Forbes....
to labourer Ernest Augustus Judd and Alice Florence, née Stevens. In 1907 he joined the Socialist Labor Party, a group of Australian followers of American socialist Daniel De Leon
Daniel De Leon
Daniel DeLeon was an American socialist newspaper editor, politician, Marxist theoretician, and trade union organizer. He is regarded as the forefather of the idea of revolutionary industrial unionism and was the leading figure in the Socialist Labor Party of America from 1890 until the time of...
who split from the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
in 1908, although Judd remained with the IWW. He ran as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
for the state seats of Wollongong
Electoral district of Wollongong
Wollongong is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Noreen Hay of the Australian Labor Party.-History:...
in 1913 and King
Electoral district of King
King was an electoral district in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was created in 1904, replacing Sydney-King, and in 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into the multi-member electorate of Sydney. It was recreated in 1927, but it was abolished in...
in 1917, and during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was the Municipal Workers' Union delegate to the Labor Council of New South Wales. He opposed conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and was appointed by the Labor Council as investigator into the imprisonment of IWW members in 1916.
In 1917 Judd stood for the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
as an independent without success, and also published The War and the Sydney Labor Council. In 1918 he was prosecuted for "making statements prejudicial to recruiting" and was fined in 1919, although he attracted significant publicity, publishing Judd's Speech from the Dock and The Case for the O.B.U. He continued to campaign for socialist causes and contested Sydney
Electoral district of Sydney
Sydney is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Inner Sydney. It includes the commercial centre of the Sydney CBD; the suburbs and localities of Barangaroo, Broadway, Chinatown, Chippendale, Darling Harbour, Dawes Point, Elizabeth Bay,...
at the 1920 state election, receiving only 282 votes. He distanced himself from the Communist Party
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
, which he considered "a front for capitalist spies". During a clash with right-wing demonstrators in the Domain
The Domain, Sydney
The Domain is 34 hectares of open space in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Sydney central business district, near Woolloomooloo. The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the New South...
in May 1921 he drew a revolver and was convicted of carrying a firearm.
He was appointed general secretary of the Socialist Labor Party in 1920 but was involved in damaging disputes with industrial organiser A. W. Wilson and De Leon's successor Arnold Petersen
Arnold Petersen
Arnold Petersen was the National Secretary of the Socialist Labor Party of America from 1914 to 1969. Petersen played a major role as spokesmen for that party and as a promoter of the De Leonist version of Marxist theory in the 20th century.-Biography:Arnold Petersen was born in Odense, Denmark,...
. Facing declining public support, he engaged in a number of legal stunts; he was convicted of failing to vote for the Senate in the 1925 federal election
Australian federal election, 1925
Federal elections were held in Australia on 14 November 1925. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 22 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
and supported Thomas Mutch
Thomas Mutch
Thomas Davies Mutch was an Australian politician.Born in London to busdriver William Murdoch Mutch and Sarah Davies, he arrived in New South Wales in 1887 and was educated at Double Bay Public School...
against Bob Heffron in the state seat of Botany
Electoral district of Botany
Botany was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1894, partly replacing Redfern, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Botany...
in 1927 and 1930. He contested North Sydney
Division of North Sydney
The Division of North Sydney is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division is named after the North Sydney area where it is located. It was proclaimed in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
unsuccessfully in the 1929 federal election
Australian federal election, 1929
Federal elections were held in Australia on 12 October 1929. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election, with no Senate seats up for election, as a result of Billy Hughes and other rebel backbenchers crossing the floor over industrial relations legislation, depriving the...
and sued the Barrier Daily Truth for remarks it made during the campaign, winning a farthing's damages. He published How to End Capitalism and Inaugurate Socialism and Why War is Near in 1931; during the 1930s he decreased in relevance and has been described by Ian Turner as "a cantankerous stump orator, preaching the truths of De Leonism to a dwindling handful of the converted". He died a bachelor in 1959 at the mental hospital at Rydalmere
Rydalmere, New South Wales
Rydalmere is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rydalmere is approximately 21 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Parramatta.-History:...
.