THE COMMUNIST Four Has It Been Worth While. Harold Lord Viney of The Communist Party (THE POLITICAL OBITUARY OF COMMUNIST By W. Continuation. The Communist Labor Party enme into be.
ing alongside the Communist Party as the conTo begin with the second in the last issue of part of our article, fusod protest of the Left Wing against its absorpilon into this religionsity of word Bol.
the Communist we called him a former editor, Mhevism.
which since has proven not be so. He still continues not only as theoreticinn, but also as editor.
nonsensione rereply to, and refute all this mod lost his faith. and now. ns is the caso with from the editorship of the official organ of the all renegades. vehomently attacks his former re.
ligion. Do we need to elaborate upon, and prove arty, ho editorial capacit. With the minority in an the moment they spilt away from thnt what he in his intellectual, petty bourgeois the Anyone who takes upon himself the stupidity and inability to understand the working unpleasant task of looking through No. of the slanderous sheet published by the minority group prychology Class DBYoh Judging perhaps by his own in the Communist Party. takes which they have the audacity to call The Com for roligiosity and religious attitude. is nothing munist official organ of the Communist Party else than the clou devotion of clans conscious of Amerion. but which, by no means, onn and workingmen and workingwomen to their own should be confounded with the real Communist, to what for them is not simply a mental and the anthoritative, orricinl Organ of the of spiritual self satisfaction, but the cause of their 02 publisbed by Its Central Executive Committee, omancipation from the yoke of capitalism. will be immediately convinced that its (fako Comcouryo not!
munist s) Actunl editor (to distinguish between We shndl limit ourselves to just one more qutahim and the Acting Editor. is our Harold Lord tion. The Socinlist Party does not take the Varnoy himself.
With the exception of a statoment by Damon theological position to the unpardonable sin.
and raport by Iraina, practically the whole It is precisely because the Communists insist isnuo is written by One article is openly signed by him, another, an unsignod leading ed mode of revolution; it is because they insisted itorial article entitled Communist Party Criticism and still insist, that revolution must proceed is nothing but a mild rephrasing (editorials, you as it did in Russia, that we have severed reknow, and especially unsigned ones. must of neces. Intions with them. What Call Renders sity bo mila. of the criticism contained in the article Has It Been Worth While? of which this The author of the above quotation is no one prosentation is an analysie. As to the rest or else than David Berenburg notorious Rightthe articles. Well, wo lonve it to the reader to Winger, former editor of that equally notorious decide who wrote them. Of one thing we are Socinlist. late organ of the New York Rightcertain however, nobody will be over anxious to Wingers during their bitter fight against the claim their authorship. Loft Wing in the spring of last year. The ar mode Let us now return to the article in question. in good, respectable company. are almost Nothing can better illustrato and more con certain that in such company he will not feel as clusively prove our assertion of Fi tendency lonesome as he does amons Communists.
toward opportunism, his opportunistic, purely re Now as to the above auoted accusation in vixionist attitude toward Communism than his own dogmatism.
utternnces and pronouncements in reference to Here also should be listed his accusations against the Communist movement In this country in gener the Party for its dispoaition to use the vaguest al, and to the Communist Party of America in sort of phrases. Jubilees of phrases. unparticular. The general trend of all his utterances dofined slogans and ready made principles. This and pronouncements is so well familiar to us from accusation is repentedly indulged in by all the leading minds of the minority group. Hore revisionism, and other Duropean revisionists dis again our author finds himself in good company: satisfaction with and against the Party The revolutionary phrases and stereotyped dosand Party leaders doen en and what they main of the past are also insufficient, for the new called orthodox religiousness. It is well to re world cannot be ushered in by brain splitting nbmember that the distinction between orthodox Ntrnctions. Henry Fruchter in an article: Shall Afarxism and revisionist Marxism or revision. We Work or Go on Talking? in the Call ism dates back to the publication of Edward Bern of Mny 25th. stein famous book Evolutionary Socialism. In The question then was whether the Socialists this regard, very characteristic of our author, and of America would remain true to the fundamental very significant, being a typienl revisionist state principles and methods. rejecting the suicidal ment, is the following citation from the above compromises of the extreme right as well as the named editorial article. Communist Party Criti sterile revolntionary phrases of the extreme cism. in the 5th. but counting from the split. left. And again: It is vital and indispensable.
the end issue of the lake Communist. that our party be preserved. not as a party of In the United States there has been largely mere patchwork reforms, or yet as a party of an acceptance of Socinlist science as a Nystem sham revolutionary phrasen. From the speech of dogmn and absolute faith, rather than as it of Morris Hilfult at the Convention. method of innlysis. Italics The very tests of the hours. eness of a Call day 9th, 1920. The war is over and we should discard phrases party. hich apparently are the main, if not the and tall senso. We cannot reach the worker sole, object of his article and the chief idea 01 his criticism, are but another a home made with Marxian phrases. Morris Hilquit in opposition to the Dictatorship of the Proletariat name for what in Europe has been cnlled revision Y. Call, May 12th, 1920. ism. We cannot afford to be emotional dogmatists.
But we do not even need to go as far as Europe (Oneal in opposition to Dictatorship of the Proto illustrate the opportunistic and revisionist char letarint. acter of our author utterances and statements We should use as few revolutionary phrases as substantinily similar in sense and meaning. And For overy statement of his we can quote a parallel possible. Let us discard the Marxian verbiage that often almost exactly worded, statement of some has become so hackneyed by continuous repitition in the last thirty years. From an article. Let Drop opinion Revolutionnry Jargon, by or revisionists. Our author spiritual and vietom. Begro sonhienl afinity to those wocinl opportunists, and that he thinks and spenks practically in the came So much for dogmatism and phraseology.
terms as they do. Will be conclusively proven to In his zealous attack upon hair splitting docthe reader.
trinaires and feverish talk conspirators our Hilquit. James Oneal and Victor Berger. Really.
Summins up the main points in our author indictment against the Communist Party pre: is it not a touching unity. The Party is worthodox and religious. TO The next accusation is that in its religious fervor the Communist Party became an instituhe comes back over and over again throughout tion for the holding of ritunlistic Incantations to We have suffered a great deal to the detrithe Russian Revolution. ment of the Communist movement in this counThis untimely revolution, you see. and for try by the imposition of a rellglous attitude of that matter not only Russia, but also the German tatat inevitability upon the whole process. and Hungarian revolutions, has sploied all the for indefined slogans have served liko holleplans and expectations for a sound, healthy.
tujalis it revivalist Hell las saped. analytical and forward looking development before us in all its Peruss, even more of the revolutionary Socialist movement in the terrifying than the portrayals by Billy Sunday.
the hell of being the minutent fraction under The adventure element with the revolution in one hundred percent. Nolshevik.
process in Russia, in Germany, in Hungary was The Communists, lo and behold, were the so alluring that none stopnod for questioning or hearers of ney revention! And ever since analysis.
the Summer of 1919 we have had an officiel The results of these alluring adventures were Communism in the United States which prosimply disastrous.
ceeds by incantations, counting or beads. in ready made Bolshevism was super imposed laams to the Baxt, jubilees of phrases and in this country upon Left Wins movement of slogaus, pictles neuding to Bolshevinm ton many years standing. Bolshevism consisting of il myterious comYou 800. that terrible Bolshevism again! Since pound of words and ritual which could only its ascendancy in leaves no in be known to its high priests!
talistare compelled to raise their voices Thus, on its very surface (not to speak of its against it.
contents) the fake Communist published by the The capitalist press complains that Bolshevista minority group. or.
rather. what is nearer the Inposed their will upon the wprawling country truth by former Executive Secretary Damon.(from an editorial in NY. Worla, May 31, 1920.
carries two lics. Lle No. an announcement that on Debs as a Bolshevist. meaning poor, sufferit is the Official organ of the Of Whating Russin. while our Communists of ever one may say with regard to Damon pretentype, not being so altruistic. confined themselves sion to still style himself Eexuctive Secretary of to their own country. complaining that Bolshe.
tho OI or even with regard to his ap Viam was super imposed in this country.
propriation for expropriation. of party funds, Compare both complaints. Is there not touchcalling the pitiful and slanderous sheet published ing similarity in thought and even in language!
by him official Organ of the of is the Truly has it been anid that great minder run most shameful, unhenral of and brazen lle. Lie in the same channel.
No. 2Damon signing as Acting Editor of the fake Communist. while its real or notual Acting Editor (beginning with No. 5) is Perhaps Ritualistic incantations to the Russian Revolution, The aventure element with revolutions Comende Kaabeek, who considered it necessary everywhere and on every occasion to officially and in process in Russia, in Germany, in Hungary.
such statements demand little inore that cursory oublicly announce that he has nothing to do and attention nothing in common with Langley ana and from us. because these accusations that he right from the moment of the split reclearer perhaps than hins se expose the fused to come out in company with them. Perhaps real, commonplace, petti bourgeois. non revoluComrade Kasbeek will be better able than anyone Home Continututionary, we should say: else to shed some light on the reasons of conceal All Areat revolutions. The Giontrench ment from the readers and we are to presume. volution of 1789. the Duropene 1871 MwaiN the name of the real editor ot the Paris Commune Revolution fake Com mumist. Has it not been worth while to conceal were and remain the greatest Buspirations and the rent editor, because, otherwise. hnd Damon lessons for all suppressed and suffering humanity.
nade publie that his clitoris he would Nors called revolutions Le grent locomotives have rieked losing not only his membership, but of history. Lenin insistently and repeatedly even the last and only asset of his all as emphasizes the necessity and importance of not it is. official family Comrade Kasheck only the minutes. Ven the imitation As our earned F. would call it, of the Paris Commune; he himself and the Soviet Government Imitated it to very great extent especially during the first period, when making first steps in their work, before the Soviet system had move by itsety put on ralls and began to But our learned statesman sees nothing is all these revolutions but adventure elements. and ly and venomously calls ritualistic incantation Our polltical scientist (this refers to please do not confuso polltical scientist with International politicians, which, by no incans, are the same thing. out political scientist we are bure, will feel himself unjustly accused on no less Dolshevik than Raybody else. w12 no Vehemently protest. to call me anti revolutionist is simply ridiculous: was always, from my very birth, have been and still am for a revolution as a matter of fact for all kinds of revolutions (even for Arty, wo hasten to add. What am against Is the auper Imposition of ready made Bolshevison in this country, which is, by no means similar 10 boing opposed to Bolshevism In general.
If not in the words, he will inoet certainly use the same language. In offect. Which, of course, suggests a question: What is the difference between a food, At for Ameriyn Bolshevism of Fi liking. and bad, poor species of Bolsheviya ready innde Roshevinm The difierence in question is plainly inchiested by the very adjective: ready made, meaning Bol.
shevism made in Runwin, and imported into this country in a prepared ready form. 0068 not want such a ready made Bolshevism. made by others in a different country, nworld of circumstances only dimly akin to those of 1919 the United States. He has nothing against the name Bolshevism (especially because this name has acquired great popularity, promising to bring with It certain adherence and following. but he does not want Bolsherint theory, principles and thetics, bulit and formulated in Hocow to be super imposed in this country. Ho. a pohiteal scientist himself, wants to discover. or 11 necessary to invent, to build and formulate them over again himself: he wants his own, homemade theories, his own American brand of Communism, preserving only, because of its usefulness He is, in this respect not unlike Hilquit. Oneal and other stars of the who are willing to affiliate with the Third International but do not want the Dictatorship of the Proletariat 2nd other theorios coinod in Moscow to be super imposed on them. He is even not unlike Victor Berger, who, in the above quoted article Let us Drop the Revolutionary Jar 07. expresses the same Thoughts. trangely enoughl stated a. most in identical language. Say Victor Berger. In order to son muista exclusively we cannot anything at all wo must transplant Russia to America. For the new developments in Sooinism for models to pattern after we must not look to Russia We cannot imitate Lenin Yes, our learned statesman truly belongs to those Centrists of whom Lenin speaks in his article Problems of the Third International, tbe publication of which begins in this issuo at the Communist, when he says: The most dangerous coming from the Bern Interntional is the Lip service recognition of the Dictatorship of the Proletarint. Itales curs)
These men are apt to recognize anything and sign anything only in order to remain at the head of the working class movement. Kauteky already says that he is not opposed to the Dictatorshin of the Proletariat. French social patriots and Centrists uso sign under the resolution for Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
They do not deserveriny confidence. italles curs. The recognize the Dictatorship of the PTO letariat in words, in order secretly to read into it the will of the majority. general sutra. co.
Wc should wund ourselves against these trleks, nainst there new lackeys or reformim.
more than anything else. Italics ours. The political identity of 2nd of all those who stood and stand with him now: is now clear to makes is a typical Left Winger. which term de himselt uses and prefers to the term Centrist for a definition of his political position The creation and existence or Left Wing was a good and positive sign at the death bed of the Second Internntional: it still 1g yuch in a country where. Communist Party has not yet been organized, presaging its formation in the rear future The Left Wing. in other words, belongs to 12 reprcaents the transitory period from the Sorinlint to the Communist International But when and where Communist Party has alrendy been in the epochuzedol speaking Terally the Communist International been organized and begun functioning the left wins most certainly representa a hack Wand stage of development, composed of the intelstva hesitating. wavering. backward elements, who left the rotten corpse of the Second International but still their professions to the contrary not withstanding cannot join the Third International full heartedly without oon or mental reserva tions.
Quotins Lenin (see his Greetings to communists Abrond in the International Supplemento this issue of the Communist. The Left Wing combines the unmaginative, cow ardly old prejudices of the small, paltry, pettybourgeoisie regarding parliamentary democracy, with the Communist recognition of the proletarian revolution, the Dictatorship of the roletariat and Soviet power.
Exactly this unimaginative, cowardly and pettye bourgeois Left Wing, our learned author YE represents. His sympathies are all on the side of the Left Wins. Toward Bolshevism or Communism, with its all prevailing sense of realismi he reals nothing but old prejudices and repulsion repeatedly and expressly indicates this throughout the whole of his article. Bolshevism is to him: a mysterious compound of words and phrases and ritual which could only known to its high priests. The Communist lond beholl areastically and ridiculingly remarks he.
were the bearers or new revelation. He feels really hurt and indignant at the discovery that the Communists were not the Left wingers of the Socialist Party, but spurned this left win along with the rest of the Socialist Party!
On the other hand, he, with an obvious and warm sympathy speaks of the protest of the Lett Wing against its absorption into this religiosity of wordMenning, 01 course all those who in spirit belong to the Borne International, with its traditional rule of letting ench country retain its own autonomy and right to eteriniae its own polielos which has since been proven so fatal. this account the whole of his article: has