BourgeoisieCommunismSocialismSocialist PartyStrikeSyndicalismWorking Class

August 29, 1919 THE COMMUNIST THAT MENSHEVIK CALL From certain quarters has come ignorant denunciation and vague criticisch of the Michigan State Convention call for the organization of a new that in the event of the capitalist class abolishing or nullifying party. We are publishing below the full text of the call, reprinted from constitutional procedure, they can have recourse to the revothe Michigan State Bulletin, for the information of our readers. We lutionary political action of the mass.
heartily invite opponents of the call to point out its alleged Menshevik Our propaganda attitude toward present day institution character.
and social phenomena shall be to expiain, criticise and attaci Although this call has been superceded, first by the Communist Call and later by the joint call of the Organization Committee of the Communist if necessary, without exception, each and everyone of the Party and the National Council of the Loft Wing, we deem its publication institutions that prop up, apologize for or defend the capitalist necessary in fairness to the Michigan movement.
class in their privileged position.
In this respect, religion as a social phenomena and the TENTATIVE PROGRAM AS BASIS FOR THE CALLING OF church as an institution shall be explained in the light of the NATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE ORGANIZAmaterialist conception of history. The functions of the state TION OF NEW SOCIALIST PARTY with its forces of repression and its institutions of entrenchWhereas: Some thirty five thousand members of the So order, to be explained and mercilessly exposed by all means ment, the courts, the judiciary, democratic capitalistic law and cialist Party have been expelled or suspended because of their within our power.
attempt to gain the party for socialism; and Our attitude toward other workingclass organizations, Whereas: The indications are that, the bourgeois socialists such as labor unions, craft or industrial shall be to explain now in control of the party, will not even stop at the ruina to the workers their origin and functions, by pointing out that tign of the organization in order to maintain their control so long as the working class is forced to live by the sale of its thereof: labor power, that it is necessary for them to carry on a guerilla Therefore be it resolved: That a call be hereby issued by warfare on the industrial field for redress of grievances and the Socialist Party of Michigan, through its Emergency State to prevent further encroachments upon their present standard Convention in session June 15th, 1919, at the House of the of living.
Masses in the city of Detroit, for the convening of a national In this daily struggle with their employers, we should convention in the city of Chicago on the 1st of September for point out to the wage workers that the most efficient method the purpose of organizing a Socialist Party in the United States of carrying on the struggle between the master class and the of America.
working class is through the industrial form of unionism, The tentative basis upon which delegates will be seated in which is the most powerful, most efficient and most militant this convention will be as follows: form of organization as against the craft form a survival of That a program, platform and constitution conforming the days of craft production with its tendencies to divide the therto be adopted, which will express only the uncompromis workers into small, conflicting, inefficient groups.
ing principles of revolutionary socialism as the theoretical But in endorsing the industrial as against the craft forma expression of the American proletariat in its struggle for the of unionism, we should on all occasions point out the character.
conquest of political power.
istics and limitations of unionism at its best. To do otherwise That the delegates work for the adoption of a policy and would be a betrayal and a stultification of the position of the tacties, that will express in action the one and only aim of proletariat and the revolutionary object that confronts it. Exrevolutionary socialism, the complete abolition of the capitalist plaining to the workers that so long as the unions confine system.
themselves to the struggle over the wages and conditions of Objects and Methods employment, their circle of activities revolves within the 264That the object of such an organization be for the purpose fines of the capitalist system, and it is only when the organ of running for political office candidates representing the ized mass takes steps that are calculated to strike a blow at aforesaid, and to propagate socialism in conformity with the the political entrenchment of the capitalist class that their ac economie conditions and social institutions of the United States tivities take on a revolutionary aspect.
of America, along the lines of the struggle of the proletariat The withholding of their labor power (strikes) and the against the exploiting class, who through their political power tying up of industry cannot be in itself the means of emancihold possesion of the means of life, the machinery of wealth pation. So long as the powers of government remain in the production. This propaganda to be carried out in such a man hands of the exploiting class, the path that must be pursuedwhatever its characteristies must be a political one, and the ner as to educate the proletariat and bring them to an understanding of their class interests and class position, and the first step to be taken is the capture of political power.
nature of the historic task they are called upon to perform It is upon the basis of an understanding and acceptance namely, the complete overthrow and abolition of all forms of of these principles that the new party shall formulate its platexploitation form and program of action, with a constitution adapted thereIn order to aid the working class in the attainment of this to, with a party owned press that will propagate these prinaim the proposed new party will confine its propaganda to ciples and with a uniformity of expression throughout the entire country. The proposed new party shall align itself with this object alone, and leave all reform agitation, which has so the recently organized Third International, which held its first characterized so called socialist parties in the past, to the orcongress at Moscow, Russia, on the 2nd of March, 1919.
ganizations and groups who consider the present social orcier To all organized States. Locals or organized groups this worth reforming.
call is made, and to all other groups whatever their present The Socialist Party of Michigan in issuing this call, after affiliations may be, that are ready to abandon their present due deliberation, contends that only through an organization allegiance of any to existing organizations and join with along the lines proposed, can the American proletariat be sucthe socialists of Michigan, on the basis of this call for the cessfully headed to the desired goal; that the attitude of the formation of a real Socialist Party that will function with and party towards the capitalist class be one of unceasing hostility, and toward all other political organizations, whether alleged through social institutions and social forces as they now exist in the United States of America for the complete emancipasoeialist or avowed defenders of the present social order, one tion of the working class from the yoke of capitalist slavery.
of scathing criticism and militant opposition. For we must reThe basis of delegation will be one for each group, local gard all attempts to defend and buttress institutions that supor part thereof, with one for every additional 500 members port in any manner the present ruling class to be a betrayal of and major fraction thereof. Credential form inclosed, same the workers in their struggle for emancipation.
must be completely filled according to instructions thereon As a political organization in a highly developed capitalist and duly signed by Chairman, Secretary or both of groups country like the United States of America, we shall endeavor selecting delegates to this convention.
to elect representatives wherever possible, to governmental of(Signed) ALBERT RENNER, Chairman, fices, not to perpetuate the present form of government, but LOREN TEAL, Secretary, to be in a position to assist in the establishment of the proletarian dictatorship for the purpose of socializing the land and Michigan Emergency State Convention, June 15, 1919.
industries of the United States.
In addition to this revolutionary struggle for the possesAn American Socialist Party, which the old E.
sion of the state power, we shall carry on agitation and education on the broader aspects of political action. Conscious of favors, will no doubt be able to serve this country much better than one which lay emphasis upon its international charthe fact that all power, constitutional or otherwise, rests upon acter. Then we have the AMERICAN Federation of Labor. force, we shall endeavor to arouse the workers to a full concontehaknow.
sciousness of their mighty powers which now lie latent, so