August 23, 1919 THE COMMUNIST Page Four issue; recognizing at all times the characteristic development cepts the Council form of organization oy its expression over of all capitalistic nations.
a continued period of time. Applying our declarations of payty principle to the (d) To propagandize the party organization as the organ of contact with the revolutionary proletariat of other lands organization of the party itself, we realize the need, in correthe basis for international association being the same political spondence with the highly centralized capitalist power to be understanding and the common plan of action, tending toward combated, of a centralized party organization.
Organizations endorsing the principles and program outincreasing unity in detail as the international crisis develops.
lined above as a tentative basis for the organization of a Com6. Communist platforms, proceeding on the basis of the class struggle, recognizing that the Socialist movement has munist Party are invited to send delegates to the Convention at Chicago on September 1, 1919.
come into the historic period of the social revolution, can conThe basis of representation to be one delegate for every tain only the demand for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
organization and one additional for every 500 members or (a) The basis of this demand should be thoroughly explained in the economic, political and social analysis of the major fraction thereof.
Provided, that States which are organized and endorsing class struggle, as evolving within the system of Capitalism.
this call shall send as States. In States which are not organ(b) The implication of this demand should be illus ized the organized locals accepting this call shall send deletrated by the first steps and general modes of social reconstrucgates as locals. In locals which are not organized a part of tion dependent upon and involved within the proletarian domthe local may send delegates.
ination of the political fe of the nation.
Provided further, that organizations composed of less (c) municipal platform of Conmmunism cannot prothan 251 members shall be given fractional votes; and proceed on a separate basis, but must conform to the general plat vided that the total vote for each State represented at the Conform, simply relating the attainment of local power to the vention shall not exceed one, plus one per 500 members or immediate goal of gaining national power. There are no sepmajor fraction thereof.
arate city problems within the terms of the class struggle, only Organizations sending delegates will be assessed Fifty the one problem of capitalist versus proletarian domination.
Dollars for each delegate. This fund will be applied to equal7. We realize that the coming of the social revolution ize railroad fare of all delegates to the Convention.
depends on an overwhelming assertion of mass power by the izations having less than 251 members which are unable to proletariat, taking on political consciousness and the definite direction of revolutionary socialism. The manifestations of special fund will be created to defray their traveling expenses.
pay all of this amount. 50) are urged to send delegates. this power and consciousness are not subject to precise pre Expenses other than railroad fares will be paid by the organcalculation. But the history of the movement of the prole izations sending delegates. In the event the delegates are not tariat toward emancipation since 1900 shows the close con provided with funds for rooms and meals, effort will be made nection between the revolutionary proletarian assertion and to assist them.
the political mass strike.
The mass action conception looks to the general unity of All delegates, either directly or through their local secretaries, Do not fail to be represented at this historic Convention.
the proletarian forces under revolutionary provocation and are requested to communicate with the National Secretary stimulus. In the preliminary stages, which alone come within immediately following their election.
our pre determination and party initiative, the tactic of mass blanks will be furnished.
Uniform credential action includes all mass demonstrations and mass struggles which sharpen the understanding of the proletariat as to the For the National Organization Committee, class conflict and which separate the revolutionary proletariat DENNIS BATT, Sec y.
into a group distinct from all others.
For the National Left Wing Council, Mass action, in time of revolutionary crisis, or in the FERGUSON, Sec y.
analogous case of large scale industrial conflict, naturally ac drese: 1221 Blue Island Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
On all matters relating to the Communist Convention, adOrganAN OPEN LETTER To the Revolutionary Socialists of the also that its paid officials national and tions, was determined to maintain conUnited States: state secretaries, speakers and organiz trol of the party machinery. The new Comrades: ers also every National Executive Com in a proclamation to the memberRealizing the utter futility of cap mittee it has ever had, did everything in ship, justly accused the old of turing the Socialist Party of America for their power to prevent the dissemination disrupting the organization, but subsequent events have proven conclusively revolutionary Socialism, have definite of scientific socialism; even stooping to that the majority of the new ly and for all time severed my affiliation the gutter in order to besmirch anyone with that organization and have joined who had the audacity to challenge its does not possess sufficient foresight and understanding to enable it to function for the Communist Party of America, which compromising position.
is the one organization in this country Time passed and in 1916 was fortu the vanguard of the proletariat in this based upon the principles of internation nate enough to become associated with country.
al socialism as enunciated in the Com the Michigan movement as speaker and The so called left wing which has munist Manifesto of 1848 and subse organizer. There, for the first time in carried on a propaganda of criticism quently elaborated by its authors, Karl my experience in the movement, came within the organization had split into Marx and Frederick Engels, also by La in contact with the small group of rev two groups a minority, represented by fargue, Dietzgen, Labriola, etc. into the olutionary socialists who co operated the Michigan movement and the lansystem known as scientific socialism. The with me in the dissemination of real so guage federations, which declared for fundamental principles of that which cialism. The organization and educa withdrawal from the old party and the has come to be known as the theoretical tional work carried on by that group immediate organization of a Communist system of Marx have been practically applaced Michigan in the front ranks of Party; and a majority which desired to plied by Lenin and Trotsky and the Com the revolutionary movement and perme remain within the party and capture it munist Party of Russia (Bolsheviki. ated the organizations in surrounding for revolutionary socialism. The maHistory has gloriously justified that sostates.
jority of the so called left wing was cialism and emphatically shown to the Since October, 1917, have been on composed of a most peculiar combinaworld the futility of that pseudo social the Pacific Coast and my activity in the tion of individuals with most diverse and ism of which the Socialist Party of Amer movement there resulted in my election ica has been an inglorious example.
in some instances fantastic conceptions to the so called National Executive Com of the proletarian movement; the mateThe position take today is not in any mittee of the Socialist Party. In that ca rialist and the Roman Catholic, the senway an alteration of the position in op pacity came to Chicago and partici timentalist and the nihilist, the pure and position to the reformist, compromising, pated the committee meeting of July simple industrialist, and the pure and conciliatory attitude of the Socialist Par 26 27. It was apparent to that commit simple parliamentarian, formed a heteroty that have taken since 1914. Since tee that the old National Executive Conthat time have been convinced that the mittee, representing pseudo socialism, genous conglomeration that could only Socialist Party was not only the greatest which had already expelled the state orresult in confusion. Opposed to that eleimpediment to real socialism in Amer ganizations of Michigan and Massachument was the minority who withdrew ica, but have had abundant evidence setts and suspended the language federafrom the June 21st conference and issued a call for the immediate organization of