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THE COMMUNIST Page Eleven September 27, 1919 mation of Capitalism into Communism. the Joint Call. Obviously our Convention is of knowledge the experiences of the war Between these groups stood the waver bound by the call which brought it into and revolutions.
existence.
Immediately after the Russian Revoluing centre, revolutionary in phrases, it was never revolutionary in action. Rejecting the By this we do not mean to lay down any tion, Left Wing manifestations in the Soc.
rule of formalism. To say that we are bound ialist Party in this country became more idea of legislating capitalism out of existence a step at a time, and therefore not by the Joint Call is only another way of pronounced and gradually crystllized until saying that the fact of our convention a very large element in the Socialist Party agitating primarily for social reform measures under the capitalist system, this fac means a fundamental basis of agreement accepted the Left Wing position. This eventtion nevertheless considered the bourgeois arrived at by discussion among these mem ually resulted in the expulsion and suspensstate as the medium through which Cap bers. Every delegate in our convention ion from the party of a portion of the Left iitalism would be abolished.
owes his seat to the fact that our Committee Wing element by a reactionary officialdom.
It required the test of action under rev on Credentials has had placed before it the When this definite break occured a conferolutionary crisis to bring out the irreconcil documentary evidence of a membership ence was held in Chicago at which Fraina, able differences between these factions. mandate to organize a Communist Party. Keracher, Ferguson, Ruthenberg, Stoklitzky Our convention would lose its real meanUnder the test of action it was found that and Stilson were present. It was there Moderate Socialism betrayed the class ing if every additional delegate did not meet agreed to carry on the fight for the Left struggle in favor of reconciliation of the the same test. There is nothing in the nature Wing and its principles within the Socialist of an adventure in our work. It has been Party in order to rally all Left Wing forces classes. Moderate Socialism is today directly and openly counter revolutionary. The deliberately planned; it is the calculated for a final battle against the Right Wing for Centre, because of its vacillation, is even response to the development of the Left control.
more dangerous because its revolutionary Wing novement within the Socialist Party; At this conference it was unanimously phrases conceal its betrayal of the rev it is not an accidental gathering of Socialist decided to divide the necessary work to be olutionary class struggle.
Party members who happen to agree at the done. The duty of making what is now calmoment that a new party might be the right led the legalistic fight was given to the Although the movement in this country way to give expression and force to the rev Ohio state office of the Socialist Party and has not undergone the test of revolutionary olutionary Socialist movement in this it was agreed that the Revolutionary Age experience in an advanced stage, the influence of the social revolution in Russia country, speculating as to what response should continue its propaganda for the Left such an experiment might meet.
Wing dominance of principle. Under these and the struggle in Germany have deepThis is our instruction from our Conven circumstances any criticism of our group on ened the difference of viewpoint which tion: that every additional delegate must these grounds is unworthy of those who have heretofore existed in the one party.
present his credentials to our Credential make it.
Out of the Socialist Party Convention, Committee in the same manner as delegates The decision to carry on the fight within easily controlled by the Right Wing by already seated. This instruction carries with the Socialist Party was endorsed by the ruthless manipulation, there have gathered it the clear implication that every additional Left Wing National Conference and again in your Convention delegates who for a delegate who votes in our convention must at the meeting of the new national executive large variety of reasons are opposed to asmeet the test which puts him on the same committee at Chicago in July. Members of sociation with the Right Wingers. Many of membership basis as the rest of us. His vote, your group, Fraina, Ruthenberg and others your delegates left the Socialist Party Conin addition to the votes already assigned agreed to this course.
vention merely because they object to the within our Convention, must be in cor Despite these repeated decisions to carry methods of those in control of the old orrespondence with the membership of the on the fight within the party, certain ganization. The leaders of your group have state organization he represents.
elements of your group, decided to organize carried on their campaign against the old There are some delegates with credentials a new Party. We refer to the Russian Fedparty upon legalistic grounds. They have emphasized the question of party regular covering both the Socialist and Communist eration Michigan Combination, who were conventions, who have already been received united, not on principle, but for politicai ity; they have asked for support upon this for full participatipn in our Convention. advantage.
basis, not upon understanding and acceptOthers who have such credentials will be ance of Communist principles and tactics.
The National Left Wing Council was similarly received through the Credential stampeded by these elements into its violaThere are delegates in your group who Committee. There may be other cases which have made use of revolutionary phrases would meet the same general test in a diftion of the National Left Wing Conference decision and reluctantly joined in the call without conception of the differences in ferent way, according to the principle al for a Communist Convention.
principles and tactics which separate the ready stated.
The group we represent remained true to Right Wing from the Left. There are delDelegates from the Left Wing States or all edicts officially issued by these several egates who are with you because of per other organizations, that is organizations Left Wing conferences, carried the battle sonal grievances against the old party which have adopted the Left Wing program to the Emergency National Convention of officialdom or against the Left Wing of but have no credentials or instructions from the Socialist Party, and there made a ficialdom.
their rank and file to the Communist Con decisive fight. We shall probably never One of your delegates, for instance, in his vention, and who were not elected in opposi find ourselves in agreement with the tactics statement before the Socialist Party con tion to the Communist Convention, there of flopping from one position to another at test committee, specifically repudiated ever fore fail to participate as voting members the rate of nearly twice a week, in direct having endorsed the Left Wing or being in of our body, will be seated as fraternal violation of the mandates of higher govsympathy with it. There are delegates with delegates. This Committee will favor the ex erning bodies and arguments.
you on the basis of objection to foreign clusion, however, of delegates who opposed We agree that the sentiment of the memcontrol, thus showing inability to grasp the Jonit Call for the Communist Convenbership of a large organization can never be the first principles of Communism. Think of tion in favor of the Emergency Convention definitely ganged. However, the Socialist such an objection against an organization or who were elected on such opposition. Party membership, by a vote of nearly 10 which is to be the American Branch of the The total delegates for any state or other to 1, decided to affiliate with the Moscow Communist International!
organization will be reduced by the number International. This would at least mean In the Communist Convention are to be of delegates for such organization already that by far the greater inajority of the found the representatives of the conscious seated in our convention.
membership of the Socialist Party subCommunist elements in this country. In Committee of the Communist Convention, scribes to the Left Wing program. The Left contrast to your heterogeneous bolting del Sept. 1919.
Wing delegates who compose this Comegates, most of them without a mandate munist Labor Party, are unanimously in from any membership for the organization ANSWER TO THE STATEMENT OF THE favor of carrying out this decision. The 92 of a new party, the delegates in our con COMMUNIST CONVENTION BY THE delegates which compose this Communist vention came clearly instructed to form a COMMUNIST LABOR PARTY Labor Party convention represent an overCommunist Party based upon the principles CONVENTION.
whelming majority of the Socialist Party and tactics of the Communist International.
membership. The delegates who compose It must be remembered that a Communist We waive the answer to the introdaction your convention are separated from Party gains nothing by additional memberin your statement because it contains no merely because of the one fact that a few ship unless that membership is consciously point of controversy. Neither do we care reactionary officials kicked them out of the Communist. Ours must be a party closely to propagandize the Communist Convention, party.
united on fundamentals.
for we are sure that the introduetion to your We have lont out joint agreements. You In considering our proposal for a unity statement is common knowledge among rer have violated yours. You deserted us, you of all the delegates now in Chicago who olutionary Socialists.
deserted the party membership when it represent Communist groups, it must be The Left Wing movement is not a child needed you most. It is therefore assuming kept clearly in mind that our convention of a day. Left Wing movements have existed much on your part to attempt to lay down is absolutely bound by the Joint Call which in the Socialist Parties of the world ever terms for unity to us. Despite your inconaccounts for the presence of 128 delegates since their inception. The only difference sistencies, we now offer to meet you to and fraternal delegates in this city. These between the Left Wing factions of to day unite the two conventions upon a basis of delegates represent 58, 000 members. Their and those of before the war is that these cquality mandate from this membership is stated in Left Wing factions have added to their fund We see many inconsistent elements in us