3 THE COMMUNIST What Kind of Party?
An Answer to the Majority Group of the of HE present crisis in the Communist Party organization presents the opportunity through membership action to make the party really a party of understanding and a party of action.
During the seven months that the party has been in existence the work developing its organization strength and carrying its message to the masses has been hampered by a group in the Central Executive Committee which was more interested in the personal revolutionary fortunes of its members than in building up the party.
This group has shown itself to be incompetent to develop constructive organization work and as a matter of policy has sought to keep the party organization within very narrow limits. This latter policy was not based upon any question of principle, but upon the realization by this group the majority group of the that it could maintain its position of leadership in the organization only so long as the movement was prevented from attracting to its ranks men of greater capability.
The policy of the majority group toward the Communist Labor Party, both during the Chicago conventions and since, was not determined by the widely heralded difference in principles. The majority group has been frequently challenged to show these differences by analysis of the programs of the two parties, but never has done so. The aim was to prevent this group from being ousted from its position of prominence and leadership in the Communist Party a position which it could not hold in an organization which included all the Communist elements, because it has neither the capability of applying Communist principles in action nor the organization ability to entitle it to such leadership.
This use of power in order to safeguard its position has not only been made against the but has been used in the party itself, notably in New York City, where comrades of considerable ability, whose services would have been of great advantage to the party, have been shunted aside because they were not enthusiastic enough in their support of this Whenever this majority group of the Central Executive Committee was under attack because of its factional policy it has taken refuge in loudly shouting about differences in principle. It realizes that the members of the Communist Party are really in earnest in their desire to maintain the party as a clear expression of Communist fundamentals, and that by assuming the part of defenders of principles it could always shout down those who attacked it beacause Now that its use of power for selfish was not a single vote against sending the ends has brought about a split in the International Secretary to Central Executive Committee, it is Europe. It has since developed that again raising the issue of differ the trip could have been delayed ences in principles as a smoke cloud another two months and had exactly behind which to hide the fact that the same results for the movemont.
it was the intrigues and use of power Yet it is sought to maonify this to maintain its group leadership, question into an issue of principle.
even to the extent of disrupting the This is itself the best example of the organization, that has brought about kind of bluff the maioritv group the present situation.
uses in order to deceive the party Analysis of these differences in membership.
principles is all that is necessary to The facts about the matter of reshow the hypocrisy and demagogic lations with the Third International character of this majority group.
are that the minority group has THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL fought for a policy in harmony with Through some twisting of the facts the ideas expressed by the Third the attempt is made in the mani International, while the majority festo of the majority group to has disagreed and has taken the create out of the controversy over attitude of super Bolsheviks who European representation one of the look with contempt upon the policies issues of principle. The fact is that of the Third International. This is no such issue exists.
illustrated in the majority group The controversy over this question issue of the Communist. In an developed on the point whether editorial on The Party Crisis this matters of party policy should be statement appears: decided by the governing body of the The secessionists believe that party or by underhanded intrigue of subscribing to the three fundaa group within the Central Executive mental and basic policies of the Committee. It was this underhanded Third International, namely intrigue of individuals, who, immeProletarian Dictatorship, Mass diately after the adjournment of the Action and Soviet Power, is sufChicago convention, took no further ficient in itself upon which to build interest in the upbuilding of the Coma Communist movement in this munist Party of America, but devoted country.
practically all their time to the intrigue to become the party representThe inference in this statement is ative in Europe, which created this that the majority group do not controversy.
believe this to be the case and the The minority did not at anytime policy it has pursued is further proof.
oppose the establishment of relations And from whom did this statement with the Third International. Steps of policy with which the minority were taken by the Executive Secre group is charged with agreeing, tary, before the question of sending come? From the Third Internaa representative developed, to ac tional!
quaint the Third International with There have been three of four comthe facts about the organization and munications on the subject of unity principles of the Communist Party, of Communist elements from the and only a few weeks ago the com Third International. Two of these rade who took this information to at least were directly concerned with Europe returned with the report that the question of unity of Communist it had been successfully transmitted forces in the United States. One such to Moscow.
communication was brought by a The controversy over sending the representative of the Third InternaInternational Secretary to Europe tional sent to this country to organwas not over the question whether ize a Communist Party before the we should be represented in the Third time of the convention. Another was International. It was because under published in the New York World, handed methods were resorted having been taken from a courier and the argument was only over the who was captured and shot in Lettquestion of time and party resources. via. And each of these documents The matter was first broached urged the unity of all those elements three weeks after the party con in a Communist Party which accepted vention. At that time the party was the three fundamentals, Mass Action in the midst of organization work and as the means of achieving power, the a bitter controversy with the Dictatorship of the proletariat, Soviet It did not have five speakers who government.
could present its cause in English, Yes, comrades of the majority. and the same was true in regard to the minority group accepts this writers and editors. Yet it was pro basis of Communist unity and is posed to immediately take out of the working to build a real Communist party work the man who had up to organization of action on this basis, that time held the position of leader while you reject the position of the ship in the editorial work of the Third International, fearing the loss movement. When the question finally of personal prestige and power, and came to a decision in November, there attempt to create some superfine to; factional group: of its intrigues.