The Semi Monthly Organ of the Opposition Group in the Workers (Communist) Party of America It is necessary that every member of the Party should study calmly and with the greatest objectivity, first the substance of the differences of opinion, and then the development of the struggles with in the Party. Neither the one nor the other can be done unless the documents of both sides are published. He who takes somebody word for it is a hopeless idiot, who can be disposed of with a simple gesture of the hand. Lenin MILITANT VOL. II. NO.
NEW YORK, Y, JANUARY 15, 1929.
PRICE CENTS Ε Ι D Y powerful the epigones: at Instructions to Pin Biele incisive laying bare of together SO Those of digging in in: army Marx doctrines are now undergoing the same olutionary movement, of binding the alliance of the revolutionaries: After their death, however, atfate, which, more than once in the course of history proletariat with the masses of the toiling peasantry, tempts are usually made to turn them into harmless thinkers and leaders of oppressed classes struggling Under the regime of the epigones it is becoming a saints, canonizing them, as it were, and investing for their emancipation. At the present time. the chart for steering the course of the revolution to their name with a certain halo by way of consolaopportunists within the labor movement are cooper wards the right, towards the fatal magnet of the tion to the ating in this work of adulterating Marxism. They economically oppressed classes, and with the object of duping them; whi peasant the Kulak, toomil, obliterate, and distort the revolutionary side of its teaching, its revolutionary soul. Lenin.
wards a policy of concessions to foreign capital which ing and vulgarizing the real essence of their revoluLenin new only to oppose.
tionary theories and blunting their revolutionary Lenin dictum that socialism and capitalism candistortions and revisions of his disciples. The not live side by side is substituted by assuring con The real essence of Lenin revolutionary theories five years that have passed since his death have ference speeches by Russia representatives that will not be emasculated for the Opposition led by witnessed the corrosive effects of adding to the sound metal of Bolshevism the base alloys supis no reason why these two systems cannot Trotsky are their vigilant guard and most unyielding peacefully. His masterful Theses of defenders. The opportunists have been unable to plied by the The revolutionary content convince the revolutionary fighters of the world that and essence of Leninism has been diluted to conhim in these Bolsheviks have betrayed Lenin. for there form with the theoretical needs of the ruling op all pacifist illusions, is discarded for the new diplo is no proof in existence with which to convince portunist bureaucracy in the movement.
of Bolshevism at the macy of Russia agreement with the Kellogg pact at the present time is time is to maintain the banner of Lenin in the face the open and conwho cannot defeat Trotsky and the Oppocealed pose its hypocritical pacifist imperialist purpose. sition attacks of the revisionists in every guise.
on the the basis of their present struggle are forced What was national in Lenin his decades long the chief enemy of the working classto resort to the miserable subterfuge of which the was a the ash heaps of history to find differences that Lenin had with Trotsky twenty years ago. And it class and maintain it was an integral and subordin Communist Party is an inseparable part is opate part of his internationalism. More than anyone portunism. His mightiest blows were delivered is true that Lenin had differences with Trotsky and else Lenin led a relentless battle against internaagainst it. In the struggle against it Bolshevism that Trotsky came to Bolshevism. But it is the littional social democracy and chauvinism, firing into the temporary leaders of the Communist Interna prior to the October revolution and even afterwards, took shape and developed. Today the arsenal of eral truth that Lenin differences with Trotsky its ranks the mighty artillery of Marxism, until he tional is not only not directed against opportunism added all together and doubled, are as nothing comwas able to build upon its defeat the basic structure but against the Leninist Left, and opportunism itself pared to the divergence between Leninism and the of the international revolutionary movement, the has been installed in high places.
policies and line of the present leadership of the ComAfter the death of Marx, the opportunists in the not as an instrument whose main task it would bemunist of the Soviet Union and the Communcome to defend the first workers state from the fighters who remained true to Marxism as BlanSecond International denounced the revolutionary ist International.
Those who military intervention of the capitalist wolves encircfight for Lenin teachings, who are it socialism might be sucquists and Bakuninists. After the death of Lenin, the remorseless opponents of all opportunism and cessfully erected there, but as so that a national social proletarian the opportunists in the Communist International de revisionism who remain international revolutionwhich, while ardently and aries, are expelled from Lenin Party, denounced nounce the banner bearers of Leninism. as Trotunyieldingly the Stalins and Buch and slandered. In the Soviet Union, they are imfending the Soviet fortress, doggedly suited everything toll teachings. Lenin said about Marx and other great stands and exiled, and at the head of the exiles as its first victory and skyists. Behind this sham cry to the arins conceal their own vulgarization of Lenin prisoned and unvanquished and still triumphant, the livmain problem of of learning and applying successfully the art of insurrection enging the origine proletariane Cleveland Meeting Great ing leader of world Bolshevism, Trotsky.
Trotsky in exile today is Lenin in exile! Trotsky revolution in Europe, America and the East was expelled is Lenin expelled!
for Lenin and remains for us the extension of the Success It is our shame that the Lenin memorial meetings revolutionary front this year are transformed by the official Party apront beyond the borders of Russia By Telephone to The Militant as the surest guarantee the victory of socialism.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, January 13. An enthusiastic and paratus into a mobilization of the revolutionary The genius of Lenin gave the Communist move.
interested audience of more than 200 workers gathered workers against Trotskyism. against those who ment the weapon of the united front as a method of in a hall here remained until after midnight listening to really defend the power and the teachings of Lenin.
The opportunists have now their brief moment of mobilizing the proletariat in a struggle against the Opposition, on The Truth About Trotsky and the Rus bourgeoisie and its social democratic and nationalist sian Opposition, despite the unsuccessful attempt of mastery.
agents, not as an excuse for alliance with these the Party right wingers to disrupt the meeting and create We are fortified in our convictions and in our bourgeois licutenants so that the Communist Party is a riot.
struggle by the knowledge that the wisdom and converted into a brake upon the revolutionary temWhen the workers had quietly listened to Comrade per of the masses, as occurred in Germany in 1923, by upwards of 60 rowdies led by the Party district obce Cannon for half an hour, the hall was suddenly invaded strength of Lenin lies in the fact that he was chosen by history to make history; that he was the highest in England in 1926 and in China in ganizer, Israel Amter, champion Party wrecker of the expression of the struggle of the world most pronate are those false gressive class which liberates all humanity by freeing of the Berlin and Disciples of Lenin, the authors Lovestone faction, and Schaeffer, expelled from the Party agreements of itself; that his teachings and his work have been the Anglo a few years ago for corruption and stealing of Party funds, Russian Committee, the capitulators to Chiang Kai him into Party leadership in Cleveland.
written into the final chapter of a centuries long and Chin Wei, who by their policies Chairman John Foley urged everyone to maintain order world epoch.
Those who fight for Leninism, for robbed the ammunist Parties of their revolution but under Amter direction the 60 rowdies began the victory of the proletarian revolution, are clearindependence and deprived the to sing at the top of their voices: Hail, hail, the gang the struggle of its ing the road that leads to a new era of history.
genuinely revolutionary content! Lenin alive would skyisme and shout their college yell: Down with Cannon!
Those who fight for the Opposition, in spite of conhave branded them with the same vigor and tumely, persecution and temporary set backs, are tempt that he lashed the faint hearts and worse Then the brawlers made a mass rush towards the plat building the permanent, living memorial to Lenin.
than faint hearts on the eve of the Russian October. form, hoping to break up the meeting by pulling down The triumph of the Opposition is the triumph of Lenin revolutionary wisdom gave the New the speaker. Schaeffer hit the Opposition Communist Leninism!
Economic Policy to the young Soviet republic as an Keller on the head with the leg of a chair. The workers instrument of strengthening the socialist elements finally decided that these fakers tactics had gone far guard at the meeting led by our comrade Elmer Boich, THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ORDERS in the country in a period of a retarded world rev enough and a flying wedge put the entire 60 of Amter gang outside the hall in short order. By 9:30 the ANOTHER BURGLARY!
THE PLATFORM OF THE COMMUNIST hall was cleared of the gang whom the Cleveland revoluAs we go to press! The house of comrade OPPOSITION tionary workers had thus given an impromptu lesson in James Cannon, during our temporary abworkers democracy. It was one of the worsts defeats the The thesis to be presented to the forth Party right wing has suffered in a long time.
sence, was again burglarized on Monday, coming national convention of the Workers Comrade Cannon then continued to speak for more January 14, 1929, and a number of old private (Communist) Party by the expelled Comthan hours to the scores of workers who had come and personal documents, letters, bound Inmunist Opposition group will be published in to hear our point of view. All questions were answered, prekors and books stolen. In addition money and the interest of the workers kept the meeting going full in the next issue of The Militant. It will until after 12 o clock at midnight. strong group of orders, bank and receipt book, and postage deal with the present world situation, its stamps were stolen. The responsibility for reOpposition Communists and supporters were consolidated lation to the condition of American imper at the meeting, and a good collection taken.
this criminal work rests directly with the ialism, the situation in the United States. The report of the meeting in the Daily Worker of Central Committee of the Workers (Comand the tasks of the Communist Party. It January 19, 1929, is false. The Stalinites tried to cover up the chagrin of their bad defeat by wholesale lying, munist) Party from which neither faction will be the first platform drawn up independ Workers will soon be asking in greater numbers why is exempt, either for participation or silent ently by the Opposition in the American the correct position of the Stalinites has to be bolstered acquiescence. More details in the next issue Party.
up by the twin pillars of falsification and gangster methods of The Militant.
which lead to the destruction of the movement. In 1921.
927. FortuShek