THE COMMUNIST 11 first proclamation had projected as joint proclamation by Schiffer and Never were the limitations of the a bog ey, was now a real menace. To Hirsch (Social Democrat) in the General Strike in itself more apcontinue the struggle between the name of the National and Prussian parent than in Berlin. The Strike was Government and the coup meant to Governments declared it was false to complete; for eight days not a prepare the conditions for the revol accuse the National Army and the factory nor a car was in motion. But utionary conquest of power by the Security (Noske) troops of offering in spite of all this, the strike broke proletariat. What was necessary now no resistance to the coup, and has and dispersed after unsatisfactory was agreement and compromise, this delicious bit: It is not commonly promises of concessions by the Govunity against the Revolution. The known that on the night of Friday ernment.
danger was very real. Hindenburg Saturday (March 12 13) the troops There are six aspects in the revolappealed to Kapp Luttwitz to with stood at their posts ready to defend utionary conception of the General draw from Berlin, and to the Govern the Government; but, because of the Strike: ment for compromise and agreement. difficult conditions of night fighting, A General Strike, if complete, Now the strategy of the Socialistthey were, before the advance of the must inelude the whole working bourgeois Government was apparent rebels, re called to barracks. class; but this temporary unity, while. in avoiding the decisive military Simultaneously with the conclusion inspiring, is deceptive, since all groups struggle against the coup, the oppor of the compromise, the Government in the working class are not in imtunity was provided for agreement and the bourgeois parties issued the placable opposition to Capitalism and unity against the Revolution. The slogan: Back to work! The para. officials, aristocracy of labor, trades opportunity was seized at the earliest lysis of the economic activity united union bureaucracy. The unity temmoment.
with the menace of Bolshevism to porarily of fundamentally irreconIt is a fact, in spite of denials, that compel a compromise. But the prol cilable elements in a General Strike the Government was negotiating with etariat of Berlin rejected the call to means that at a particular moment the Kapp Luttwitz dictatorship. On end the strike, the trades unions and these elements will split apart and Wednesday these negotiations resultthe Social Democratic Party being break the Strike. It is necessary, acthe compelled to order strike to ed in an agreement. On Monday the cordingly, to mobilize independently Kapp Luttwitz dictatorship had anproceed against the compromise. the potentially revolutionary forces nounced negotiations, and stated its The General Strike was now, in. the industrial proletariat, the unconditions: Elections to be held two its impulse and in the mood of the skilled workers.
months hence for the Reichstag and masses, a Strike against the Govern The limitations of the General ment. But, in the conscious direction Strike in itself are innumerable; unthe Prussian Landtag; a new President to be elected, the former Presimparted to it by the trades union less it ceases being a strike it must ident to be requested to continue bureaucracy and the strike break and disperse, since a General office until the elections. This dewas against the compromise of the Strike presses more heavily on the claration was denied by the GovernGovernment purposely or stupidly proletariat than on the bourgeoisie ment and the National Assembly; but evading the problem, in that the com. for example, the bourgeoisie can promise was not in a formal agree feed itself much more the agreement was concluded two sily than ment but in the prevailing situation the proletariat.
days later, practically on the KappLuttwitz conditions. On Wednesday itself; the Government might re A revolutionary General Strike, pudiate the formal agreement but accordingly, must cease being the Kapp Luttwitz coup declared that, a would inevitably be compelled to Strike and become a revolution, mohaving accomplished its mission, the old Government agreeing (1) that compromise, as actually did happen. bilize itself for the seizure of politelections should be held within two The compromise agreed upon by ical power.
months and (2) election of the Pres the Government and the military The seizure of power implies ident to be by direct vote of the coup, the masses persisting in the breaking the military might of the people, it would withdraw. This was General Strike, now in fact a Strike bourgeois state; it is necessary, therenot accomplishing the program of against the Government, these fore, to arm the proletariat.
the coup, but it was a partial victory; developments emphasized the All that a General Strike can inand, moreover, the Kapp Luttwitz herent character of the crisis, as accomplish is to create temporary troops withdrew from Berlin with all developing the conditions and proeconomic and political demoralization, the honors of war, to the strains of viding the opportunity for the demaking a breach in the old order martial music and assisted in their finite Communist struggle for power.
through which the proletariat can evacuation by the Government It was clear to all that the conbreak through for the conquest of troops; carrying with them, more tinuation of the General Strike was power, its moral and physical energy, over, an enormous mass of captured latent with the threat of proletarian enthusiasm and mass consciousness munitions. proclamation charter revolution. On Thursday and Friday being aroused by the General Strike.
ized the agreement in this fashion: the citizens of Berlin acted as in A General Strike may become After long negotiations between the mortal terror; the words Spartacus, a revolution. But there must be adrepresentatives of the Government Arbeiter, Unabhaengigen, were on all equate revolutionary leadership to parties and representatives of both tongues and the basis of discussion formulate, at the start, the moral Right parties (which had recognized in all crowds. At night, store and and physical measures which become the Kapp Luttwitz dictatorship. hotels were barred and people orthe basis of action at the stage of the especially between representatives dered off the streets: terror was General Strike developing conditions Trimborn, Sudekum, Stressman and rampant in Berlin. The Government of revolution.
Hergt, the following compromise has None of these conditions were met.
troops now occupied the entrenchbeen reached: The representatives of ments erected by the Kapp Luttwitz The fright of the bourgeois dissolved the majority parties will advocate in smiles of troops and new entrenchments were satisfaction. The elections to the National Assembly to erected. Riots were frequent, treachery of the moderates and the take place not later than June; that Government troops using rifles and incapacity of the revolutionists prethe President be elected by the people, machine guns at the least pretext: in vented the General Strike becoming that the National Government will three days more persons were shot Revolution.
undergo a change in the near future; by the Government troops than in the But should the Strike persist, the carrying on of the business of five days of the Kapp Luttwitz dic danger would come: complete econoGovernment in Berlin to be taken tatorship. In the proletariat a new mic chaos and more revolutionary over by vice Chancellor Schiffer. At 12:15 Thursday morning, energy manifested itself, a develop vigor. The Government, accordingly, Schiffer ing consciousness of larger means again compromised; it repudiated the issued a proclamation in the name and purposes. But the General Strike Schiffer Intermediate Government of the Government, designating Ge did not move to Revolution; nor was and established itself in Berlin. The neral Select as commander of the it the masses who were not ready, trades union bureaucracy met the troops and calling for restoration of but the representatives of the economic and political activity. Government in conference; a commasses.
promise was agreed upon (to be rethe