CommunismCommunist PartySocialismSocialist Party

Saturday, August 23, 1919 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE National Council and New THE Letter from Lousi Fraina to WagenDear Comrade Wagenknecht: knecht, Temporary Secretary favor of, must recognize this necessity fo. a HE National Council of the Left Wing Socialist Party.
split and rally the revolutionary masses in the Section, Socialist Party, has decided to Socialist Party for the Communist Convensever relations with the new and the our convention in the same hall as Germer tion Emergency Convention of the Socialist Party delegates who now go to the Emergency Com breaks the plan completely. Any Left Wng did not realize, at the sessions, In accordance with this decision and my own that our acts in constructing a new organizaconvictions, tender my resignation from the vention are going to the convention of Germer tion of the was not in accord with Co. packed by the moderates in order to the project of the Communist Party. now At its sessions, the new decided secure control for counter revolutionary So realize the vital necessity of the new in favor of an American Communist Party, cialism.
ceasing to function after the declaration for The realization of this decision now makes The original plan for the fight within the a Communist Party; and act accordingly mandatory the acceptance of the Comunist Party was right; but owing to the defection by tendering my resignation.
Party Convention of September as the only of the Federation elements and owing let us What can be accomplshed by going to the real force that assures the actual formation of admit it to our own hesitation, this plan was convention of Germer Co. The state of the Communist Party, which the de completely spoiled. To adhere to it now, under Ohio has been expelled, and you are now no clared in favor of.
new conditions, is to co operate with Centre longer a member of the Socialist Party. You The E. however, in spite of its decla elements and to act against the Communist will not be admitted to the Emergency Conration, is not assuring the organization of the Party.
vention, which is a Germer convention. how, Communist Party.
As see it now, the revolutionary course then, can you call it to order as decided by In order to make the logical deduction of its that the new should have followed the new declaration, the new should have held was, after its declaration in favor of a CommI still maintain my position at the National an Emergency Convention of its own, as the unist Party, either to call for a Communist Left Wing Conference. still maintain that organ of the Socialist Party, to organize a Party Convention or immediately resign and there was real value in the declaration for a Communist Party. This was not done; and it leave the fulfillment of this declaration to the Communist Party by the new But was not done because certain members of the only body capable of realizing it the National now maintain that the logical action necessnew such as Katterfeld and Har Council of the Left Wing Section, Socialist ary to realize our purposes is to concentrate all wood, are much more interested in the unity Party. Either of these acts have made the our Left Wing forces for the Communist of the old party than they are in the construc issue clear as a Communist issue; it would Party Convention of September tion of a Communist Party have challenged the party; it would have split It was simply a flourish for the new What was in my mind at the meet the old party immediately. But the split apC. to re instate the expelled and suspended ing, and what was the basis of the decision parently was not desired by Katterfeld and comrades, who refuse to go back to the old to carry the fight to the Emergency Conven Harwood. They want to maintain the unity party and are solid for a Communist Party.
tion of the Socialist Party, was that the new of the party and throw out the old administra The decision of the National Council in would assume complete control of tion to throw out the crooks, as Harwood issuing a joint call for a Communist Partythe Convention. This implied actually holding phrases. Our struggle, however, is not a Convention is, in my opinion, in complete aca Socialist Party convention other than the struggle against the administration or the cord with the purposes of the National Left convention of the old This, again, crooks, but a struggle to separate the rev Wing Conference. Our mandate was to work implied holding our Emergency Convention olutionary elements from the moderate elefor the realization of the Communist Party; in a hall other than that secured by the old ments, and construct a Communist Party. It and the new decision of the National Council with our own roster of delegates, and is necessary to split the old party in order to is necessary in order to actually realize the our own organization separate from that of realize a Communist Party, in fact as well as Communist Party which the Conference de the old But your decision, as Tem in name. The new in order actually sired.
porary Secretary of the new to hold to realize the Communist Party it resolved in August 13.
LOUIS FRAINA.
York News THE New York Central Committee at its last BRONX NOTES of the Massachusetts membership solidly withmeeting decided to reconsider its action to Branch will hold a series of lectures at its head in the Communist camp at the outset.
send delegates to the National Emergency quarters 1258 Boston Road, Bronx, every Thursday Convention and to concur with the National CounMassachusetts has set a splendid example evening.
cil action in issuing a joint call for the Communist for the nation. The spirit and action of this Convention in Chicago on September 1st Special Convention are of the highest promise Ballots are out and branches are already voting.
Those brances which have not yet procured same The headquarters of Local Bronx will be tempofor the Communist Party and for the workshould do so immediately and call special meetings rarily located at the headquarters of Branch 4, ing class movement everywhere.
to vote for the delegates.
1268 Boston Road.
Ballots should be in this office by August 20th.
The Call for Communist Convention (Continued from page 8)
Second Bi Weekly Letter To Enrolled Socialists will be created to defray their travel is now ready for distribution to branches. Price Massachusetts Convention ling expenses. Expenses other per hundred letters 80 cents.
railroad fares will be paid by the The Special Massachusetts Convention of organizations sending delegates. In Emergency Due Stamps and Emergency Party August 1oth endorsed the Joint Call for the the event the delegates are not procards are now ready and can be procured at this September first Communist Convention by vote vided with funds for rooms and meals office.
effort will be made to assist them.
of 62 to The State Organization was at Do not fail to be represented at Special Propaganda Stamps are also ready and ized at the Chicago Convention.
once made part of the new party to be organthis historic Convention. All delethe Left Wing comrades should do their best to gates, either directly or through their push the sale of these stamps among the comrades local secretaries, are requested to and friends and sympathizers. Every comrade should This decisive step is all the more significant communicate with the National Secretary immediately following their carry a book of these stamps with him to the shop in that the Convention contained practically and union meetings and sell them to his comrades. no Federation representatives, due to the split election. Uniform credential blanks will be furnished.
At the same time it gives him an opportunity of in the Left Wing. Massachusetts has about explaining the Left Wing organization to those For the National Left Wing workers who as yet are in the dark about our move6000 Socialist Party members, and these are Council, ment.
divided into three fairly equal parts. The right E FERGUSON, Sec y.
Wing is largely made up of Finnish branches, For the National Organization The 8th meets every Thursday evening at and it is certain that a reactionary officialdom Committee, the Socialist Party Headquarters, 122 Second Ave.
All members are requested to and in their new cannot hold this membership out of the ComDENNIS BATT, Sec y.
addresses to the Scrtary, Comrade Lichtinthall. munist Party. One third of the membership On all matters relating to the Communist Convention, address: MAX COHEN, Ekecutive Sec y had joined itself with the Minority Conference 1221 Blue Island Avenue, 18 West 29th Street, New York Convention, and this makes two thirds Chicago, Illinois.
Greater New.