March 1, 1929 THE MILITANT March 1, 1929.
Page THE MILITANT Page The Draft Program of the Comintern CRITICISM OF Platform of the Communist Opposition the mem prevent period regime.
in no less politics, it upon CO Dour or hall at brought to the street a and geoisie working class activity internal con fronted with an orgy of CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS ISSUE gressive, more revolutionary than the Russian bourgeoisie? Historical experience bears out the fact The Chinese bourgeoisie is sufficiently realistic FUNDAMENTALS that the Polish bourgeoisie. notwithstanding the and knows closely enough the nature of world im fact that it suffered from the yoke of the autoperialism to understand that a real serious strug gle against it requires such an upheaval of the rethe Russian bourgeoisie in volutionary masses which would first of all become Dumas, was always inclined, not towards the It a menace for the bourgeoisie itself.
against the Manchu Dynasty was a task of smaller revolution of 1905 only because it received from historical importance than the overthrow of czar the revolution the State Duma, that it. it received Cadets (liberals) but towards the Octobrists (reaca an opportunity to bring direct pressure to bear on tar bourgeoisie. The fact that the Jews had abism, the struggle against world imperialism is a as much larger scale. And if we taught when the war of 1914 1917 revealed the inabilir Jewish bourgeoisie from being more cowardly, more the bureaucracy and to compromise with it. But solutely no rights whatever did not the the workers of Russia from the very beginning ty of the new. regime to secure the basic not to believe in the readiness of liberalism and of the bourgeoisie, the latter again turned towards reactionary, and more vile than the Russian bours the ability of petty bourgeoisie democracy to over geoisie. Or perhaps the Esthonian bourgeo. sie, throw czarism and to destroy feudalism, we should the revolution and became more radical even than the Lettish, the Georgian, or the Armenian bour degree, have imbued the Chinese work in 1905.
geoisie were more revolutionary than the Great Can it be considered that the revolution of 1925.
Russian bourgeoisie? How can one forget such ei with the same spirit of distrust. The new, ab27 in China has at least partly satisfied the basic historical lessons?
Or perhaps now, post factum, we should deBacharin about the imminent revolutionary char interests of Chinese capitalism? No. China is now tecter of the colonial bourgeoisie is, in substance, independence as it was prior to 1925. But as a clare that Bolshevism was wrong when in contra a translation of Menshevism into the language of Chinese it serves only to make, on the matter of fact the creation of one home market distinction to the Bund, the Dashnjaks, the and its protection from cheaper foreign goods is the Georgian and other Mensheviks it catled position of China an inter oppressed bourgeoisie a question of life and hil political allowance for the Chinese bourgeoisie death. It is a question only second in importance vergdach of the bourgeois democratic revolution, nationalities, colonial peoples of czarist Russia, at the to that of maintaining the weights of the trebly oppressed Chinese proto dissociate themselves from the other classes and tion over the letariat But, say the authors of the draft program, also for the proletariat and the rural poor. But on their independent class organizations, to break and for the British the maintenance of China in in its colonial ruthlessly all organizational ties not only with the Scalin and Bucharin, Chiang Kai shek northerrite is a question of no less importance than the liberali bourgeoisie, but with the revolutionary campaign touted a powerful movement among the question of economie independence is for the petty bourgeois parties, to win over the working workers and But did not the whes. Of this there is no doubt. Chinese bourgeoisie. That is why the Chinese Siht againstaster the peasantry? Was it not a class in the struggle against those parties, and to with the help of the fact that Gutchkoy and Shubigin bourgeoisie will still display many zig zag moves the to Petrograd Nicholas II abdication play towards the left in its future policy.
workers, For those for influence over a revolutionary role? Did it it not arouse the most who like united fronts there will still be many tations to the mistake, did we not we not skip over, in re downtrodden and scared section of people?
yesterday was a Laborite, became the President of the Ministers munits today that their alliance with the bour backward nations, the Kuomintang phase of every the Council and the Commander in Chief, rouse the rect but that noiv it is no good because the bour the Dashjnaks, the Tsutun, the Bund and has definitely gone over to the counter re. others were peculiar forms of necessary collabor ings, did it not rouse to its feet the village against ation of the various classes in the struggle against camp, means to disarm the Chinese the landlord? The question could be raised even solutionists once again in face of the coming ob the autocracy and against national oppression. Can more widely. Did not all rause the masses, did it workings of capitalismjective changes in the situation and the inevitable such historical lessons be forgotten?
not snatch them, to use the zig zags of the Chinese bourgeoisie towards the the Communist Manifesto, out of teft. The war now conducted by Chiang Kai shek expression of For a Marxian it was clear even prior to the Chinese events of the last three years now it of rural life? Did not move the pro fully disproves the mechanical scheme of the auletarian battalions to the struggle? Does our his thors of the draft program.
should become clear even to the blind that for cign imperialism as a direct factor in the whole or the various actions of the bourgeoisie lite of China, renders the Chinese Miliukovs and our active class revolutionary attitude to capiBut, if you please, the fundamental error of the Chinese Kerenskys in official formulation of the question will appear talism or to the actions of the bourgeoisie? Op mile than their Rue final analysis even more prototypes.
It was always based on this kind of non finitely if we will remember the fact which is still moře glaringly, more convincingly, and more de vain that the very first manifesto of our Party proclaimed that the further east we go the lower conservative Khvostist objectivism.
Marsism on the contrary fresh in our minds, and is of no little importance, vile become the bourgeoisie, the greatrevolutionary results of one or another act of the namely, that czarist Russia was a combination of er become the tasks of the proletariat. This hisbourgeoisie to which it is forced by its posłtion compressed and oppressor nations, that is, it consist torica! law fully applies also to China.
will be fuller, more decisive, less doubtful and Our revolution is a bourgeois revolution, THEREmany of whom lived entirely in a colonial of semi colo firmer, the more independent the proletarian van FORE the workers must support the bourgeoisienial state. Lenm did not only insist this is what the bankrupt politicians of the liquidator the greatit est attention to the national problem of the nationcamp say. Our revolution is a bourgeois revolution will trust the bourgeoisie, the less it will be is what we Marxians say. THEREFORE the workers alities of czarist Russia, but even proclaimed inclined to play into the hands of the bourgeoisie, must open the eyes of the people to the treachery to see it in bright colors, to overestimate its re against Bucharin and others the elementary duty of the bourgeois politicians, teach them not to believe them and to rely on their OWN forces, on their volutionary nature or its readiness for a united of the proletariat of the dominant Pation to be OWN organizations, on their OWN unification, and the support of the struggle of the oppressed nafront or for a struggle against imperialism.
on their OWN arms alone. Lenin. Vol. 14, part tions for their self determination, even to the exNeither theoretically nor historically nor politic1, Page 11. ally can Bucharin appraisal of the colonial bourtent of separation. But did the Party conclude This Lenin thesis is obligatory for the whole of geoisie stand criticism. However, this is exactly from this that the bourgeoisie of the nationalities the East and must by all means find a place in the the appraisal, as we have seen, the draft resolu oppressed by czarism the Poles, Ukrainians, Tar program of the Comintern.
tion is seeking to lay down.
tars, Jews, Armenians and others were more proTO BE CONTINUED One uncondemned error always leads to another JOIN the CAMPAIGN, for a WEEKLY MILITANT or prepares the ground for it.
The fight for a Weekly Militant is now beginning in earnest.
If yesterday the Chinese bourgeoisie was in The goal of the campaign is the raising of a 2, 000. fund to insure its existence over cluded in the one revolutionary front, today it is the first period.
declared to have definitely gone over to the coun The Chicago group of the Communist Opposition has started the ball rolling with ter revolutionary camp. It is not difficult to find a donation of 100. All the local groups are now taking the responsibility for definite how unfounded are these transpositions and incluquotas of the 2, 000 total, All militants of the Communist Opposition must concentrate on this task. Our istrative way, without a more or less serious Marx future work and effectiveness depends on it.
TL analysis.
The pached: of the campaign will be reported in each issue of The Militant until It is a colutely clear that the bourgeoisie in join the goal is ing the revolution does so not accidenta ily, not The Weekly Militant will be a mighty weapon in the fight for the preservation of owing to light mindedness, but under the pressure the Communist movement in America. ºſt will be a powerful fighter on the side of the of its class interests. For fear of the masses the laeroic Russian Bolsheviks who defend the basic principles of the Russian Revolution in bourgeoisie later deserts the revolution or openly the face of expulsion, imprisonment, calumuy and exile.
displays its secret hatred for the revolution. But In addition, the Weekly Militant will be able to present to its readers serious articles to go over definitely to the counter revolutionary and comment on the sititation in the United States, the latest developments in the labor Camp, that is, to free itself from the necessity to movement, and on the situation within the Workers Party which is not properly discussed in the official Party Press, because a real discussion is forbidden.
it, this the bourgeoisie can do only in the All together for the Weekly Militant!
event that, whether in a revolutionary or in any Answer the expulsions with a contribution to the 2, 000 fund!
other way (for instance the Bismarkian way. its Send Contributions to main class requirements are satisfied. We will re THE MILITANT call the history of the period of 1848 1871. We Box 120, Madison Square Station, will recall that the Russian bourgeoisie received New York City.
an opportunity to turn its back so openly to the is not in CONCLUDED FROM LAST ISSUE bureaucracy, for separation of the rank and file It is possible to unite them with the poor white members from the officialdom, bot high and lows farmers: this has also been demonstrated by past The Party Organization More frequent membership meetings will make it experiences even in the reactionary South, where, The organization of the Party, in the Party bute his views and to check the functionary; at gro and white poor and tenant farmers existed and possible for the rank and file worker to contri in Texas for example, strong organizations of Ne units and in the trade union and language frac the same time the officials thereby can obtain a functioned effectively for some time.
tions, represents today a state of chaos and declearer picture of the actual views moralization. The execution of the reorganization bership, the resources and capacities of the Party, of Young Workers League and the functioning of the Party from top to and the Party work can thus be better carried out.
bottom since that have brought confusion, All organizations, and the Party organization too, munist) League merits the deepest attention of the The situation in the Young Workers (Com inaction and indifference into the Party ranks. tend to develop always a certain inertness and entire movement. The leadership and line of the The basis of Party organizatio today is the tradition that conservatize. These tendencies must shop nucleus and the street nucleus. international be guarded against by a continuous re invigoration the factional and League have, merely been a miniature replica sa branch. This is correct. The Party The eviis from below.
of the Lovestone Pepper leadership in the Party where shop street nuclei (international branches nation of nuclei cannot be organized, had as its purpose an TRADE UNION FRACTIONS in an even more grotesque form accelerated political development and general The trade union fractions of the Party, where the Zam Herberg (Lovestone) leadership in the former they are not utterly liquidated, are lifeless, func League.
language branches formally were liquidated in tioning usually only is in times of hemiona lectures high politics, are corrupting the League like so super sophisticatesin, petty bourgeois order that thą foreign speaking member might In a large measure this is due to the virtual liquida tion of the work in the existing trade unions and more nor less than a faction agency for the Love labor and political activity and Party life and get the wrong line being developed in the Party in this stone regime. Instead of the League being in the away from the narrow existence of his national respect. Functioning trade union fractions in every forefront of the struggle against opportunism in grouping, But what do we find actually? The street nuclei council, etc. are absolutely essential for the treat the Party, it is always ready to endorse it uncon or international branches, are for the most part tention of Party influence in the trade unions. LifeIn every struggle where splendid opportunities non functioning bodies in a political sense. Organunion fractions foster or non functioning trade the development for growth were presented, the League failed sig.
izationally, there is the anomaly that three, four or non critical attitude five street nuclei, with 20 or more members each so called progressives and Left wingers in the owned nally to take advantage of them. In the face of the on the record book, will meet in the same room growing exploitation of the working youth and the movement, of an easy going opportunism and at the same hour, often mixing or combinadaptability on the one hand and completely League has either lost membership or stood still.
possibilities for the development of struggle, the ing their work. New York district. Presumably Leftist or sectarian attitude on the other. The There is an increase in the mood of passivity nucleus is is organized on the territorial latter tends to contine activity in the trade unions among the League members, and the inner life of (living area) basis of the members. Generally and among the unorganized to the Communists the League becomes constantly more barren and mally alone.
withered. The leadership of the League has been organized in that manner. Actually the street nu The trade union fractions must be organized and dead hand on the organization cleus (international branch) loosens this practice brought to life in the unions. The must symbol of the situation is the fact that the membership becomes general regardless of become a genuine organi and not remain founders of the Communist youth movement in residence. This, however, is not the main defect. just a Communist body. The Party center must this country, and its leadership at the period of it!
The defects are so outstand is but necessary also for each industry a concrete program around son, Edwards, Shachtman, etc. have now been and known to any put this work in the foreground, and work out swiftest and healthiest development (Abern, Cari member who wants to see, that it mention them in general outline form, The which and through which the fractions may be expelled. In their stead have been placed a leader functions conducted by the street nuclei are vitalized and become the real instruments of the ship, which cannot have the confidence of the mass mockeries of and political trade union work.
life. It is common practice that the mem has brought only disintegration, factionalism and bers at their unit meetings find the Agrarian Work degeneration into the League. Instead of helping of ticket selling, money col to turn out this leadership, and replacing it with lecting and similar technical activities, till they feel The severe crisis in agriculture, with all its sharp a sound proletarian core which alone is that they are petty salesmen and agents instead of consequences for the masses of poor farmers and solve the difficulties with which the League is Committee of active Communists concerning themselves with the vital issues of the working class. Bureaucratism is by American capitalism. It has remained one of the Young Communist International has followed course which has in actuality resulted in the enchief sources of weakness in the armor of the rampant, the functions of political activity, discussion and decision are usurped by the committees American bourgeoisie. and a broad field for agita trenchment of the Zam Lovestone leadership in It is necessary that the Party organization be which has not been taken advantage of except to by the Party leadership in its relationship to the Youth.
overhauled. Shop nuclei must be formed in such an insignificant extent.
The League (and even the Pioneers. is at preso The Party has indeed, followed a consistently opplaces where there are sufficient members working to make it it possible for the nucleus to function portunist line in this field of work, having gone ent being mobilized against so called Trotskyism, that is, against the fundamental tenets of Lenin actively (issuance of a shop paper; organization so far as to give virtual endorsement to the hypoof the unorganized, etc. remedia Nary Haugen Bill and other bourgeois ism. Instead of the Communist Youth being per The street nuclei (international branches) must be constituted on a genuine territorial basis and various strata of the tural population from hered in portionism and revisionism, they are have a membership of not less than 25 or more each other, and has therefore not succeeded in ap the basic teachings of Bolshevism. The main task of work of the nucleus. Namely, that the units have been looked on as a mass solely as objects the line of revolutionary principles now being de than 50. The Party shall emphasize the character proaching any of them properly. The farmers of the League members is to fight relentlessly for shall concern themselves with political and labor for maneuvering in Farmer Labor Party movements. fended by the Leninist Opposition. An additional of problems. It trade union questions, parliamentary activity, thie prerequisite is the eradication of all in this recpect.
corrupt petty The first ourgeois tendencies in the League of opportune step the Party must take is to obtain following in the path of the Party faction regime, strikes, etc. All technical work, such as payment of dues, other financial collections, etc. shall be ontact with the agricultural wage workers, the of smart Aleckism, cynicism and playing with placed as a subsidiary part of the agenda and con proletarians on the farm. It is the primary duty the working class movement.
ducted at specific periods only, and in such a of the Party to carry on this work, and especially PHILADELPHIA MEETING have a correct approach to the syndicalist wor manner as in no way to interfere with the main kers (the who have been the only organ James Cannon will speak in Philadelphia on Sunday, March 17 at 7:30 Mi at the Friend The general vitalization of Party life for each izing force in this field up till now.
ship Liberal League Forum, Clayton Hall, 9th St.
member is essential. Each member must feel him The ranks of the Party must be open to only and Girard Ave. The subject of the lesture will self as a factor and contributor to the life and those farmers who accept the proletarian viewpoint be The Truth about Trotsky and the Platform of the Party. The practice of thinking and on property. It mud concentrate its chief efforts of the Russian Opposition.
administering from above, without real consulta among the farmers upon organizing the tenant and CANNON MEETINGS IN BOSTON tion and participatiworeby the membership betwee beasily a morte do fornecer a long time in the bears Friday, March 22, Chelsea, Mass. Chelsea Labor Lyceum.
contribute his orders Saturday, March 23, Boston, Mass. at Militant are not suffi big farmers. guarantee for the proper function Vetcherinka.
cient to produce healthy Party life and participa ing of the movement of the poor farmers, that they Ready Now bership is a prerequisite. The membership must of succumbing to the pressure of the big farmers, have the opportunity through more frequent mem THE DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL bership meetings (on city or section scale, de land shall have the preponderance of leadership in By TROTSKY pending upon the size of the membership) to take the movement.
With an Introduction by James Cannon The Negro tenant farmers, share croppers, and up the major issues and campaigns of the Party THIRTY FIVE CENTS PER COPY in order that they may thoroughly understand the those who are slaving under a system of virtual In lots of or more 25 cents per Copy Party objective and better be able to carry out peonage in the South, must receive the special Order now from its aims. The practice which has made the meet attention of the Party. It is possible to organize THE MILITANT ings of functionaries (officials) almost the main them: this has been demonstrated in the past by Box 120, Madison Square Station and the only medium of discussion must be liquid the fact that organizations of the Negro poor New York, ated. Such practices are breeding grounds for farmers have arisen spontaneously, in the South.
a the and more to critical agricultural action on CL to tasks needs ian Mere of