Two THE COMMUNIST THE COMMUNIST INTERNAL AND FOREIGN POLICIES OF ENGLAND.
The cleverent any concession tion.
hoping CONTACT WITH THE MASSES Experts POLITICAL ADVENTURERS AND CHARLATANS scure the real issue.
We repent again, for the benefit of the CenOF CONTA Only whertion at tasue is the KIND There we disagree and fundamentally We are opposed to that contact which implies By KARL RADEK OFFICIAL ORGAN OF that the Communist Party must remain silent on The English bourgeoisie is preparing for a cam.
the of Tostering systematically among THE COMMUNIST PARTY the mehe tactic of Mass Action and the and most far sighted bourgeois statesman ot Eng.
paign against the working class. Inevitabiliaty of a violent revolution.
land Lloyd George understood that not by ora.
that the Communist Party should adapt Its proWe are opposed to that contact which implies OF AMERICA tory and not by petty concessions would he be able to keep the workers from revolution, and paganda to try to win into its ranks masses of the workers politically immature in the predemands. He understood thee to the worlcers that the bourgeoisie cannot PUBLISHED BY revolutionary, propaganda stage of the organizagranted by the government to the working class, The Central Executive Committee We are opposed to that contacta whiche Impullen at this stage of the movement, becomes starting point not for sops of one kind or another but for the possession of the means of production, elements who only accept the principles of the If men of the kind of Admiral Fisher, or former VOL. II.
Third International but refuse to accept Its policies: JUNE 1, 1920 No. Secretary of War, Lord Elden, are sth In other words, those who accept principles in to hold back the working masses with the assist words but reject them in action.
We are opposed to that contact which implies ance of Henderson, MacDonalds and other leaders that unity and large numbers are necessary of the opportunistic Labor Party Lloyd George understood that the Labor Party. after having and eeeential in order to have contact with We are not yet sure whether the confusion the masses.
obtained the power, would find itself captive of which exints on this question in the ranks of the We are opposed to that contact which is the radical working class elements, which will leaders of the minority and the is based upon a fusion with elements who differ with compel it to go further than it really wants. It deliberate or unconscious; perhaps, true to their us in principles and tactics.
some of the liberals still carry the hope of holding Centrist character, it is a mixture of both. For, We pointed out in our editorial in question the masses back by concessions the great major it seems that the theoreticians from those that this cry of contact with the masses was ity of the bourgoiste are uniting under the banner groups both agree in their confusion on of the most merciless resistance to the working this just an American Centrist adaptation of the old question, and in their attack upon the Communist class.
position. enunciated by the of the social patriotic cry of we must not isolate our.
selves from the masses. Every compromise, every The barometer of English social life indicates Communist Party of America. In the May 15th betrayal perpetrated by the second International issue of the Communist Labor a particularly was always justified on the ground that we must to resist the workers demands by lockoueparing stupid article appeared which, frankly taking the not isolate ourselves from the masses. We point are organizing White (technical) Guards for breaky Center position, first attacked the posied out the danger of such a policy in the ing up strikes, for service in the necessary state tion and then the majority. position.
That it failed dismally in both attempts goes withCommunist movement, and cited some European enterprises and in case of great riots. This is examples of to day.
openly spoken of in the leading bourgeois papers out saying. Perhaps that was why the minority Needless to say the policy of our Centrists of in London and in the industrial centers.
theoretician came to the rescue in the latest in English politics consider two possibilities: either number of the fake Communist issued by Damon the minority wid the is instinct with lend compromise and opportunism which must Co. in an editorial entitled Lenin vs. the eventunlly to betrayal. They are not seeking series of economic conflicts beginning with the thority Group. contact with masses in order to win them general strike, which may take the form of a is nothing like trotting out Lenin when you wish to prove yourself an honest to good over to Communism. They are seeking contact general battle between Capital and Labor in with the masses in order to make Communism England, or, at the critical moment of danger Communist. or, rather, when you wish to prove palatable to the masses. to sugar coat It; to the tendency of concessions will once more gain your opponent is not. With this uppermost in make it palatable to the syndicalists, mensheviki the upper hand the Labor Party will take over their minds. Damon Co. carefully search for and anarcho mensheviki. alike to those of them the helm of government in order to pacify the some phrase or sentence of Lenin which, taken who are opposed to it consciously, as well as to workers.
Only to the extent that the masses by itself, may tend to prove their point. They those who do not understand it as yet, but, who, tried it in Mass Action, but it proved a boomeleave the opportunistic Labor Party will the fesue if they did, would have nothing to do with it.
come to great collisions between the two con.
rang: this time they try it in a sorry attempt And like their prototypes of the Second Intertending forces.
to prove that contact with the masses at the national the minority are already Justifying Whichever of these two possibilities we conexpense of sacrificing Communist principles and policies, is in line with the teachings of Lenin.
their present conduct and method of propaganda sider the more probable does not change the by claiming that they seek contact with the problem in substance. In any case the acuteness When this fails, no doubt they will try to prove masses.
of class antagonisms in England has developed that Lenin also agrees with them on shop As if the does not! But the kind of to such an extent that they speak of revolutions branches, or their attitude to syndicalist organi. contact the seeks is that based only upon already.
zations like the which do not, as yet, accept the basic principles and policies of the uncompromising Communist principles and tactics.
That being the case, there arises before us the Third International.
All other contact, no matter how nicely it may Who knows? Centrists are question of the significance of that turn in the a peculiar lot, leaning now to the Right and be camouflaged carries the seeds of compromise, foreign policy of England which manifests itsell opportunism and betrayal with it.
now. to the Left, but never long enough in one toward Soviet Russia. How can it be explained that at the very moment when the English bourrinciples, to them, in any concrete situation, geoisie is preparing itself for the decisive struggle are either to be held in reserve or to be bartered with her own working class she should be ready for certain concessions. Therefore the minorto compromise with the birth place of a revoluto take a purely barter and exchange point tion. with Soviet Russia? Is it not a contraof view with regard to Communist principles and diction, showing the insincerity of English peace tactics. In the Left Wing split last year with talk? Is it not another instance of English cunthe their attitude was, sacrifice Communism As the split between the Central Executive ning? Concerning the question as to whether the but get the membership of the in the con: capitalist government of England intends to consequent split between the remnants of the Left develops, more and more proof comes to hand clude a permanent peace with us, there is no Wing (C. and the Communist Party, the that Damon Co. are nothing but a set of doubt that we have to deal with a maneouvre minority were and are willing yet to sacrifice political adventurers and charlatans. Centrist in the English government is not preparing for peaceprinciples in order to effect immediate fusion. character and tendency, and unprincipled in their ful relations with Russia. But when we come in the present split between the majority and actions.
to the question, not of England distant plans, the minority of the of the they One important fact comes to light through the but whether it wishes to live in peace with held their principles in reserve, but split on printing of unity negotians in the Communist us during the present period of Its policy. this the purely formal groand of refusing to obey Labor of May 15, which is typical of all of nuestion must be answered in the affirmative.
a decision of the C. forsooth, because Damon Co. actions throughout. both before There is no doubt that the English Government and after the split.
weten wronkers of the majority of the is trying to come to an agreement with the International On April 22, the minority sent a letter to politicians, etc. etc. ed nauseum.
Soviet Govermnment and to establish peaceful Principles the requesting the opening of unity relations with it. This policy by no means contra only developed after they were smoked out of negotiations, for the purpose of holding one con dicts the internal policy of England directed their hole. And as they are developing the cleav vention of both or holding this concions together with the No mention was made ago becomes wider and wider.
against her working class, but, on the contrary. In fact, in this letter and the subsequent is closely connected with it.
In this particular editorial of theirs it is inDuring the struggle structive to note the manner in which they distort one on May (both printed in the last issue of of England against Soviet Russia. between the the very basis of the discussion and then go on The Communist. there is only reference to one period of the October Revolution and the breaking to prove that Lenin agrees with them. Incident party convention. Also, in verbal conversation up of German Imperialism, predominated not the ly, in order to prove that Lenin is diametrically with our Acting Secretary Bunte, Damon xplicitsocial aspect but the desire to crush a power opposed to the majority, they necessarily distort ly stated in effect, that for the present the in which English Imperialism saw a possible ally the position of the latter.
may be left out of it. This was the reply to to German Imperialism. However absurd it should The editorial in question nowhere holds that Comrade Bunte question, relative to the three appear, there is no doubt that the English Capture contact with the masses is to be spurned, as the cornered convention. minority phrase mongers try to make out. On That the above letters were merely so much of Russia by German capitalism, with the tacit the contrary, it points out, sufficiently clear to dust thrown into the eyes of the membership or open connivance of the Soviet Government.
anyone who has eyes to see and a mind to think 18 now definitely proven. They never intended The English bourgeoisie ala not believe in the with, that no contact with the masses both to agree to one party convention THEY DID undesirable and fatal to a Communist Party. We WITH Russia of the Workers and Peasants regime quote: Only when the victory over German THE On April 22, Damon Co. sent Imperialism had freed English Imperialism from The secessionists believe that subscribing to simultaneously a letter to the also rethose fears, when the end of the war and the the three fundamental and basic policies of the questing the holding of a joint convention in (Continued on page Third International, namely. Proletarian Dictator: which the inference is contained that the minority represents the whole party and that he Italics are ours. Compare this point of views in itselt upon which to build a Communist move no longer exists as an official body.
ment in this country. The next step in their To this letter the responded immediately with the similar point of view on the capitalist peace with Soviet Russia, expressed by the Ama opinion is to procure contact with the masses. although two letters from the reqesting sterdam Bureau of the Third International to give the Communist Party a mags character information regarding the status of the negotin to rolato It up with the immediate and every tions were entirely ignored. Note what transpired sevetet by Comrade Fraina in his report to the of its statements reprinted in the com: day struggles of the working class.
afterwards between the minority with Whiel we quite ngree. The difference Several meetings were held bewteen and the Party (Communist. No. 4) and by Comrade Ruta comes in when the problem is tackled, when the representatives of the and representatives gers in his letter to Comrade Martens reprinted in this issue. Ed.
manner of adapting Communismunist is foolish to the given situation.
tactics is applied of the minority group as represented by.
At these conferences agreement was reached not enough to want to keep the party detached and to negotiate with the majority group of the e. e. of the those who attempted to admission made by Eugene Debs in The Call tlon and fallure. Thess. That way lien stagnaof May 30, announcing his formal acceptance as striking continue their control in opposition to rank and presidential candidate example of such decay. But, likewise, one must flle desires. Italics ours. beware of the danger that lies in trying to come more brazen piece of trickery could not be extreme Cominunists denounce me as a traitor.
to the masses at a time when the masses due have telegrams from Ruthenberg. Ferguson 101.
That doesn matter: shall not denounce the imagined on the part of to apathy and inertia before the full reaction to This is secret diplomacy with Wagenknecht urging me to refuse the capitalism appears are not receptive to the mesDamon Co. have evidently taken a leaf out of a vengeance.
Bege of Communism. This is the very rock upon the booksiaan olive branch in one Margaret Prevy was here last week. She did not tell me what to do, but advised me to do as my which the Second International was smashed to Sovlet with conscience dictates.
pieces. This is the lesson which the Third Inter a dagger in the other. Obviously, the letters to national has lernt and learning, guides its course It would be interesting to know what these away from this dangerous shoal.
Bided with the minority. but were ne those who The above is a real extract from the above telegrams contained for one thing and when and ed to be enrried out.
on whose authority they were sent out for another.
editorial, not merely a sentence torn from its of one thing however, we are quite certain context which may be twisted this way and that Even assuming the possibility of a three cornerthat the entire move was a concerted plan to win by phrase mongers and adventurers of the typo of the Centrists of the minority group.
ed convention from the minority and with him the left elements of the imponey.
to bolt and join the united party of the Here is predicated the very question at issue and impracticable in between the majority and minority. Not Communist Party on Des and the necessity Only when this move falled for the time being of clarifying the party position both in the con kind of contact that is the issue. The minority vention and in the suchship after the conthe reluctantly plead with their by deliberately distorting the issue convict thermembersity to Communist principles to please whose love for Debs Overshadows Belves of ignorance or willful deceit, or both. vention. how could a Joint ye the party, or else they might be expelled.
How can there be any question of the desirabil be held when the minority and then had agreed beforehand NOT TO NEGOTIATE ity of getting contact with the masses? Why, But we notice that The Toller, official Organ WITH THE MAJORITY GROUP OF of the of Ohio (the home of the Centrist the very organization of the Communist Party, 1ts legal character in swamp. on May 14, is still in the the eyes of the luw though defying the pitiful squeal of their ity underground machinery, is based upon conThe only logical conclusion we can draw from this mess of chicanery, lies and double dealing Executive body the entire membership, tact with the masses.
of course that the ot the misht resign, with a few isolated examples, are workers, classmunist Party to the effect unity eventconscious workers, engaged in shops, tacbecause of its evicient diversence in views with with the Left elements led by Eugene their membership (a course they themselves carry Communist propaganda in the land who aby of the social patriotic and blossom tories and mines. To whom do Its leaflets and Best when such a condition arises in a party. For out into a united Centrist Party of America but that would be rubbing salt into the wound, proclamations to, if not the masses?
consumption is it intended, it not tho masses Every act of a Communist Party is That this seems to have been the intentions of the Centrist leaders of the minority and the related up However, the circumstances decidedly tend to to the every day struggles of the prove that this was the scheme in the minds mages, explains the otherwise utterly incomprehensible Such a charge against the majority is tho membership of the over by fraud and de minority and the P, and also Rillient kind of rot, intended to conceal or ob coption) 1s by the C, E, C, and the party just before cor of Damon Co. in splitting away from on the ticket: The Communists.
George in his negotiation and of the split in the with suggest and so we refrain.
of the an ungunrded vention.