Page THE MILITANT March 15, 1929.
March 15, 1929.
THE MILITANT Page Some Remarks on the Sixth Congress Party Convention Results those many to The must Dear Comrade: By Trotsky 14. The report of Varga, if weighed discern You ask me my opinion of the Congress. Up to ingly, presents material from the point of view of now have at hand neither the final text of the struggle for the Chinese Revolution. But there he will not be rendered entirely responsible for this socialism in one country, but in such a way that Program, nor the resolutions of the Congress, with the exception of that on tactics adopted after the counter revolution. We cannot know when the theory. Varga is theoretically much too educated reading of the report by Bucharin, This received revolution will have a rebirth there. In Europe stand up.
not to know that this whole conception cannot is tions were not published this in order to prevent abolished.
In the Spring of 1926 when was in Berlin, who are on the other side from comparing them with the final text. Thus many of The report of Kuusinen on the colonial and Varga said to me literally, in the presence of La speeches appear to allude to something unknown semi colonial countries is absolutely shameful in pinsky and Krestinsky, the following words. Obviously, this theory is false, but it gives the final judgment could be formed character. The poor devil has merely vomited Russian worker a view of the future and sustains to anybody.
only after receiving all the resolutions. For the up a lot of undigested Menshevism. Martinov his morale. If the Russian worker were sufficient of moment will confine myself to some provisional he used fo twenty years ago. The mere fact that ly developed to become enthusiastic over the inter the Congress not drive Kuusinen from the The Congress has attempted to inaugurate a tribune with an old broom is a warning.
have needed the theory of socialism in one country.
new line of conduct without having abandoned In The question of peasant and worker and offers salvation.
word, this is a pious lie of the priest, but it the old. Automatically, the two clash. In In the Communist International Varga is a questions, starting from revisionist opportunist persa necu parties was left pending. They didn theoretician like the Polonius of Hamlet. He is now extreme leftist. The Congress has changed voices, to be sure, were raised in favor of creating ready its color during the very month while its sessions Communist Parties. The objections, timidly adon the hormonstrate theoretically that the clouds resemble a camel, or a fish, or, if lasted, or rather it has increased its leftward vanced, were not objections in principle. do not. coloring country, or in general whomever and whatever ization are contained in the first report of Buchayet know whether this question was broached in you wish. The Communist International already game report some phrases are added on the possi questi art life and death for the colonial Com possesses a whole army of Poloniuses of this kidney.
15. The theses announce a Bolshevization and intern: taken word for word from our documents but with 10. The slogan of the democratic dictatorship mintern, and the suppression of the internal ett any exposition of the tendencies characterizing of workers and peasants is definitely transformed into a super historical abstraction for four fifths through the bars set up by the editorial censors)
Besides an influx of new colonial elements coming especially from across the Atlantic, and other debates of the Congress, even according to the violent and muffled struggle is developing all new tendencies appearing in the speeches and proposals of numerous delegates, the general spirit of dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantrysigi delegations from Germany, England, Poland, the ing in Pravda make it evident that the democratic song, fealize the fractional groupings, large and tions, was that of eclecticism and epigonism.
United States, Rumania, Jugo Slavia, etc. Although, repeat. do not yet possess the possible historical variations.
delegation of the naturally was no ex final text of the Program, it is clear already that 11.
things have not gone beyond dissimulation of freshing new quote here on this subject the truly ception. On the contrary, it is the one which words of Martinov: transplants scissions into the other Parties. In a the worst parts. According to the opinion of Bucharin, we are multitude of speeches complaints were heard about The Program is a consecration of eclecticism. It in India on the eve of a transformation of the therefore contains in germ a whole series of revis: bourgeois and democratic revolution into a socialist sharp factional battles which are not justified by any serious political differences.
aonist opportunist and ultra leftist abcesses. Like revolution. But this is just what Radek said about What becomes. then, of the struggle why these factional struggles devour the ins 16. No one took the trouble to ask himself janugurates a period of immense changes in the age oing to be on the materi imperialisme dictatoribine terally consolidated Communist International.
of workers and peasants? They disappear. The Congress occupied itself the whole time Communist International is basing itself on a bloc with the Opposition. It was held under the ban The struggle against imperialism disappears ner of defense of defense against us. Hence its the proletariat. In the same way with us the because it is conducted under the dictatorship of mourposed of the Right and the Center, or to speak situation in the and the regime in the made prudent reservations. Those who wanted, agrarian revolution ought to have disappeared Communist International, have retarded the des to, accepted the theses; those who did not, availed of October.
because it was not made till after the coup Etat velopment of the differences of opinion between themselves of the reservations.
The Opposition 12. The Anti Imperialist League remains.
these groups, whereas the class struggle makes their constituted one of the most important sectors coalition, shot at from all sides, insupportable. That in the hall, although it seems we had no repre sort of super Kuo Min Tang, an arena in which is where the bitter factional struggles the delegate from Indonesia, Alfonso, was the only imperialist countries may refresh their reputations 17. Much was said at the Congress of the inone to speak clearly from our standpoint. Pravda, the proletariat. It suffices to point out that one tegration of the social democracy with the capitalist No. 191. The of stabilization was judged difs of the representatives of this. League for pparlia trade union bureaucracy is forced, because of the ferently at different moments of the Congres, this mentary. Farnivalsm is uithe Anglish a demi Porically situation of the petty bourgeois layers caught be that point. For Europe and America stabiliza.
as it recently did for Purcell.
tariat, to assume at all critical moments, in all im 13.
tion is presented as organic and not accidental. By simply declaring the Chinese revolution portant questions, direct responsibility in the bour (Bucharin. This absurd position easily allows in process of continuation, the leaders have reinferences breaking with every principle of the lieved themselves of the necessity of furnishing the cratic bureaucracy provides positions for new petLeninist analysis of the imperialist epoch (see the Communist Party of China a program of action for ty bourgeois layers.
These positions are occupied in part by the Left At the same time it is announced that in China which China is now passing. The absolutely neces.
the revolution is continuing who thinks sary transitional slogans have not been issued: Rignt Wing of the Comintern. In China and in that after the defeats already suffered, China is Expropriation going through a fairly extended period between entre a cifhe herwurde ein beste omografis une questa complete and dla sier for moun but the same eenden No program of immediate demands was of on also in the parliament (when the parliament is fered for this period of organic stabilization, ex established) should lead, the moment the revolu the basis of this situation.
munist Party of the Soviet Union which forms cept the slogan of struggle against war.
tion begins anew, to the creation of Soviets and In the Centrist Left groupings of the Comintern The slogan of strugle against the battle for the dictatorship of the proletariat we frequently see a distorted picture of proletarian issued in a mechanical, isolated fashion, a real supported by the urban and rural poor.
Bucharinist fashion.
The Parties are urged to heroes, however, jump over the strategy of the der the present regime, in view of the mechanical concentrate all all their forces for this struggle. As present reactionary period in the evolution of if there were a special secret in the struggle against They attempt to stuff up all holes with differentiation of the proletarian and petty war, not to be found in any correct revolutionary the panacea of the democratic dictatorship which tendencies in the Comintern is absolutely struggle in that country has a significance only for the bourable and imminent.
Bucharin poses in exactly the same way the Kuo Min Tang.
18. The theses concerning the victory over question of the struggle against the social democra The report of Manuilsky is remarkable only for the Trotskyist Opposition hinge upon that. It has already been said above that the whole Con we have not yet learned to struggle abiniges but the personality of the reporter. Things must have gone pretty far when they put on this harlequin, gress took place under the banner of a defense social democracy, he gle were a special ways. As if this latter strug. whom no one takes seriously (his masters less than against us. We have already resumed the attack art, independent of the cor others. introducing him as the attorney general in the rect line of revolutionary conduct in general, and guardian of Marxist doctrine and Bolshevik tional front. Only hopeless imbeciles can imagine ideological domain on the whole interna7. While no program of immediate demands instruction. Here the struggle against the Oppo (and hypocritical bureaucrats can confirm it) that is offered, the struggle for the seizure of power is, sition has descended to the level of collecting the resolutions of the Sixth Congress, which ap on the other hand, indefinitely postponed. They anecdotes. This is an imprudent step.
prove those of the Fifteenth Congress of the Compresent, as one of the most important tasks in group which designates Manuilsky to defend munist Party of the Soviet Union, signify the end cumbent on the European Communist sections, the its ideas is reaching the end of its rope.
of the Opposition. The end is still far off. The Acording to tradition this should be the signal for the intensification of the factional struggle, and the Foster caucus document proceeds along that line. It accuses the other side of giving only the CONTINUED FROM PAGE payment received by the Party on its investment in customary lip service to the line of the Platites will split on this question. Their aim was the methods of gangsterism against the Opposition. forms have no real meaning in this degenerated to discredit the idea of Foster as the actual leader It is a warning. The methods of the Labor Fakers struggle for power in the Party. Stalinization has cannot be played with just a little. they will produced the type of bureaucrats in all the Parties withdraw his demand that Foster be appointed permeate the whole movement and undermine its who have no definite standpoint, no stability of Secretary; or, if Stalin insists, on the ground of the ideological foundations. And to what base uses principle, and for whom the prevailing winds in the song of the International proletariat Russian Party are decisive.
can finally accept it without in any way endanger being put? Nowadays they sing it at meetings of It was the elder Liebknecht who said that a revothe Opposition to Eight delegates of the Lovestone caucus, includprevent the compel the audience to arise and lutionary must be able to change his mind within speaker ing Weinstone, split from the faction over this it seems, it. The Stalinist regime has modernized and inissue on the platform of the literal acceptance of all sing it when a physical fight breaks out if pos proved this excellent formula to read: a bureaucrat decisions of the Stalinist leadership of the Comin. sible, before the cops arrive. Such desecration is a must be able to change his position in 24 minutes tern regardless of their contents and no matter how sign of the times. Hooliganism is a symptom of if ordered to do so, without inquiry into the merits much one contradicts another. The nimbleness degeneration.
of the change or the reason for it.
which such a platform requires in these days makes THE OPEN LETTER OF THE Weinstone its natural leader. Two years ago he METHODS OF THE BOURGEOIS PARTIES broke with Lovestone because he thought the According to the Daily Worker of March 11 the Convention unanimously accepted the Open Letter The peculiar characteristic of the Lovestonites, really meant to unify the Party. year later he returned to the faction because he thought the of the Comintern (printed in the Daily Worker says the caucus document of Bittleman and Foster, was against Foster. New he makes another switch of March 4) without reservations and declared is their unprincipledness, which reflects within our Party the methods and practices of the bourgeois out thinking of what it really means. He hasn theses, counter theses, statements and declarations Parties. This is quite true. But it does not pregot things straight yet.
vent the authors from declaring in the same docudocument which, on the most important questions, me ment our readiness. to join with all comrades FREE FOR ALL FIGHT is much nearer to the Platform of the Opposition in the Convention for the merciless struggle The Convention session of Friday evening, than to the theses of the other groups. It would against and liquidation of the counter March 8, was broken up by a free for all fight be a grave mistake, however, to conclude that this Cannon Trotsky Opposition, jedney which began with the refusal to grant the floor to action signifies a change of course on the part of and the methods and practices of the bourgeois a minority delegate and was soon followed by either of them or a a removal of the basis of the Parties are the necessary basis of such a combigeneral melee which spread throughout the hall quarrels. It is merely a gesture of internal diplo nation against Communists.
saying singing of The International brought a lull dur is always right. The light heartedness with The political differences between the leaders of the two factions are eliminated. We are told ing which the meeting was adjourned. Such a which the Open Letter was accepted as a sub. this in so many words by the unanimous resolu thing never happened before in all the history of stitute for their various theses and other documents tion of the convention which says: The political our Party not even in gatherings which ended in demonstrates how little attached to them.
e importance they themselves splits. This unheard of scandal is the first interest questions at issue between the Majority and the Such practices reduce the authority of leadership to nothing.
Minority the Party no longer exist after the The Open Letter represents a great departure Letter.
aceptance of the political platform of the Open from the line of the Sixth Congress on the position Their political coalescence at the This is true, however, only of the leaders.
Opposition has only begun.
top is acocm19. This resolution makes a pititful attempt to of American Imperialism and the perspectives of panied by deeper and wider divisions below. The foist upon us the group of adventurers of Suhl revolutionary development in Europe. Bucharin development of International events, the pressure who, with the workers duped by them, have passed of the class struggle and the criticisms of the Op sided in its awe before the power of American position strengthen and clarify the proletarian ten.
from the Opposition to the social democracy. will not explain here why good revolutionary wor Imperialism, in its failure to estimate its involve dency in the ranks. These factors create the con of blind alleys which they can not get out of by revolutionary implications of its world aggressions and make the growth of the Opposition certain.
themselves. The blame lies upon the leadership of as was the conception of Pepper and Lovestone.
the Comintern. Obviously, it also touches us in correct this line under pressure of the criticisms The Open Letter represents a partial attempt to The new line decreed by the Convention, and echoed in the caucus document of the Bittleman directly: we have not been able up to the present of the International Opposition, in a typical Stalin group, for a stronger attack against the Opposition will react in our favor. It clears the air and draws enough, adapting them to the situation in each ist manner, without saying so or explaining the reasons. Trotsky Criticism of the Draft Program and proletarian tendencies more sharply. It leaves the line of struggle between the petty bourgeois country. But one thing is clear: a certain group which, for a brief lapse of time, had come to us and to our former allies of the Bloc (Zinoviev and This is the real source of the belated half correcand particularly the role of American Imperialism. less room for intermediaries who catch the halfCo. went over to the social democrats. We are tions of the mistakes of the Sixth Congress partly the ranks and divert them into futile factional sentiments of the workers in neither more nor less responsible for it than are revealed in the Open Letter. In accepting this wrangles over small questions. It is bound to bring of Smolensk, Artemovsk, Schachty, etc. which glibly pronounced a menshivist and counter ority which will draw the proletarian elements took place under their leadership.
revolutionary program. Such turns are easy for closer to us and push the bureaucratic functionaries If we bear the responsibility for the defection people whose words signify nothing but factional of the Suhl group, our accusers must answer for speculation. In practice it means nothing.
at the top into one camp with Lovestone. More Tomorrow they can reverse the position and it will the faction of Malachov.
energetic and deliberate work on our part to accele mean just as little.
20. The Congress has again shown the ineferate this cleavage will be work for the re establish ficacy of crude pretences. By minimizing differ THE QUESTION OF AMERICANIZATION principle line.
ment of the unity of the Communist forces on a ences of opinion, by adopting a hypocritical tone, section of the Open Letter of considerable one can slip into the Centro Soyuz. but not into interest to us is that which stresses the necessity It is our task, above everything, to make the is.
sues clear to the workers in the ranks and to base the. Comintern. The re establishment of the unity of a course toward the Americanization of the Pare of the Comintern must be preceded by a profound ty in the Communist sense. This runs like a single out activity upon them. What has been done up internal purification. The present leaders can not thread throughout the ciocument and is listed in to now is only a beginning. The Opposition on conduct this purification; they will be its first development of the Party on the path toward the summary as one of the four conditions for the an International scale has only completed the first stage of its development, the stage of formulating makers also will receive only blows and bruises. phasized this point in our Platform; and it is not a struggle for the winning over of the Communist No concessions to cheap peace making! On the new opinion of ours. The Party can become a contrary, relentless for the re establish mass proletarian Party only on condition that it masses is before us.
ment of the revolutionary unity of the Comintern widens its base by creating its main strongholds in The establishment of the Militant as a Weekly through purification on a basis of the ranks of the American workers. The course and the holding of a National Conference of the The profound differences of ppinion which rend on the American workers and the decisive branches Opposition are the next steps on the path to this the Comintern, and which even appear throughout of industry must run through all the activities of goal.
that it is impossible to speak of our isolation. The are almost literally the same as those in our Platmuffled factional struggle all the Parties will be form.
transformed, under the pressure of events and of The need for such a course was not even men our critcism, into a battle between well defined tioned the theses of the Lovestone and Foster Dear Comrades: political lines. The proletarian line will adopt our Bittleman factions. They considered this idea, The Open Forum meeting last Sunday at which spoke principles as the only possible ones.
which we have brought forward repeatedly and was very successful from the standpoint of attendance.
These are my provisional impressions after read. insistently in the past, as a deviation peculiar to this season. spoke about an hour and a half. Over a was in that it was the largest meeting of the Forum ing the reports in Pravda.
With sincere greetings, blandly accept it and forget it. The ideolog to those present. had plenty of material. most of it Yours, ical campaign to permeate the Party with this from Trotsky book The Real Situation in Russia and Alma Ata, September 9, 1928. TROTSKY.
material that received from you in Trotsky criticism consciousness and the thorough going organiza of the policy pursued in the Chinese Revolution. Seve tional readjustments which such a course necessiTASS is the abbreviation for the TELEGRAPHIC Agency of tates will not be thought of. It is impossible to havior was excellent. More of them came late and Manuilsky delivered the report against Trotskyism at the educate a Party in this way.
couldn get into the hall since all the space was taken. The reference here is to Zinovier. Following his capitulation Having withdrawn their own theses and adopted Last night meeting at the Workers Center at which to Stalin, after the expulsion of the Opposition from the Zinoviey finally received a post in the Centro Soux (All Russian the Open Letter both factions have once again also spoke had a record crowd despite bad weather.
Yours for the Opposition, found a common platform as a basis for unity.
ELMER BOICH.
come Anyone struggle war was ACTIVITY IN CLEVELAND in Cleveland, Ohio Central Cooperative Leon.