LOSOVSKY Versus LOSOVSKY the event THE YOUNG PLAN THE Page MILITANT July 1, 1929 minorities in sympathy with the the French left wing union) the latter should not create rival organizations. The adherents of the should systematically organize their groups within the reformists unions and should carry on a struggle for Despite the indications that the Stalinists are now The Party follows the cours in this question that was preparing to make Losovsky the scapegoat for the correctly criticized by Losovsky (in 1926 not to unity within and without. This holds good today.
Jouhaux is neither better nor worse than Sigman or quite catastrophic result of the new trade union line of the day. The united front with one self.
Green.
Comintern and the developed in the third noteworthy formula which unfortunately corresponds THE NEEDLE TRADES SITUATION period. the fact remains that Losovsky only crime to the fact in some cases. It is the result of the tactic The Party is wrong in the course it pursues at the was that he followed the new line to its logical con of self isolation. Since in many cases it is only too clusion. Unfortunately, the essence of the ultra difficult to bridge the cleavage between the social present stage of the struggle in the needle trades. left infantile disease of the Comintern new trade democratic and Communist workers, the attempt is the position of the left wing union in the present strike maneuvers of the right wing union is pracunion line remains. Losovsky was the most con made to choose conveniently the line of least resistent spokesman and advocate of this line, the sistance, that is, instead of building the united front tically a boycottist attitude. The left denounces the sheer senselessness of which can be best demonstrated with the workers of other tendencies, the united front maneuver as a fake stoppage and says that if a by comparing Losovsky today with Losovsky (and between Communists in various organizations is set strike takes place, it will call upon its supporters to the line of the International) yesterday.
up. But this is not one and the same thing, or to speak walk out also and to proceed to the left wing union Can it be seriously maintained. writes Losovsky more exactly, absolutely not the same thing. com headquarters. What the left wing should do now, in The Communist International, Vol. VI, Nos. 10, munists and Trade Unions, Berlin, 1926, page 65. however, is to begin to agitate for a strike and for that the American Federation of Labor represents The Party cannot pass off as a genuine attempt at united action on the part of both left and right unions an advantage to the workers movement of the United united front activity a conference composed of the to win that strike. If the left wing is capable of rising States? Or, possibly. the All German Federation of unions directly controlled by the Party, plus the to its tasks it will mobilize the sentiment of the workers in the ranks of both unions and those who Trade Unions, which has shattered one revolutionary regular standbys from Party controlled singing stand outside of either union. That is the path towards movement after another, is an advantage to the Ger societies to swimming clubs.
man proletariat? Would it not have been better for The Party is wrong in arbitrarily withdrawing left uniting the workers and at the same time strengthenleft wing. That the right wing fakers will not German proletariat if that strike breakers, organ wing minority groups or organizations from the want to unite will only make it worse for them. Here ization had not existed in November, 1918? One of for the purpose of achieving temporary and again the Second Congress of the says: would have thought so. And if that is so, it is quite illusory victories. instead of stubbornly fighting in their attempt to extend and internally strengthen obvious that the Conmmunists who construct their for their retention in the old unions as a militant the revolutionary organizations they should always unions are closer to the social democrats than the millinery workers locals from the of union certed actions of all workers organizations. To tactics on such an estimate of the reformists trade opposition. It was wrong to withdraw the left wing bear in mind that their chief task is to organize conCommunists.
and add them to the Needle Trades Workers Idustrial take into consideration that in countries in which And further: We must not forget that the section League Union, without continuing the fight bitterly there are several trade union headquarters, every of the workers organized by the social democrats is against the expulsion tactics of the Zaritskys. It is action of the workers, particularly in the most reactionary section of the proletariat. wrong tactics to split off the Elizabethton local of of the general strike, is threatened with great danger, the United Textile Workers Union instead of organ if the trade unions will not fight jointly. Therefore, THE LOSOVSKY OF YESTERDAY This is the new line for trade union work that Izing it as an opposition nucleus within the the revolutionary trade union officials should take the world Communist movement is required to swal. to fight against the fakers and for the unification of upon themselves the initiative to create the united low without as much as a gasp. But Losovsky, not the textile workers. The slogan for the Communists front. This line was correct then and is now.
to mention others, wrote differently on the same is Unity. The responsibility for all splits and division All these proposals and criticisin may sound strange subject some time ago. Replying to the very nonsense must be placed squarely and indisputably on the and novel to the fascinated adherents of the new that he advances above, he said in his book The reactionaries. The Resolutions and Decisions of the Stalin Losovsky line. All that is strange about it is World Trade Union Movement (pages 84 85. Second Congress Prot intern) says: In the facility with which the Stalinized Parties have Basing themselves upon the unions, former mem sofar as there are in the reformists unions organized discarded the Leniniste tactics.
bers of the social democratic party, such as Noske, shot down thousands of workers. All this brought about pessimism and despair in the more revolutionary and impatient German workers. From that was created a whole theory: The old trade unions are rotten through and through; they are reactionary, The Dawes Plan placed a rope around the necks of self is a tremendous lever; the control over such moveand in order successfully to fight the bourgeoisie it the German masses. The Young and Morgan Plan, ments of wealth is not to be minimized.
is necessary to destroy them completely. If this colos through the International Bank of Settlements, aims Formally America is not directly represented on sal apparatus is being used against the revolution if to extend and tighten this rope around the necks of the board of directors. England on the other hand it is so entwined with the bourgeois state, it is neces. the workers throughout the world.
plays a very prominent and formal role in the Intersary to destroy it before the power of labor can be The Young Plan replaces and extends the Dawes national Bank. England helps to collect reparations: established.
Plan for the payment of reparations by the German America only receives. That England plays such a In deciding upon our line of action in this regard Government to the Allies and the United States Go role is evidence that English capital aspires to contiwe followed the Comintern which was categorically vernment. The German capitalists of course pass on nue a major financial world power. That the Uniopposed to the theory of destroying the unions, but the payments to the German toilers. The total amount ted States plays its gaine indirectly shows its confiwas for winning them over. Why? Did we not equally of reparations to be paid and the time in which they dence over the situation and its real power. It also estimate the reactionary character of the trade are to be paid is definitely fixed in the Young Plan. serves to establish somewhat the present relation of unions? Did we not recognize the fact of the inter This was not the case with the Dawes Plan.
forces between the two greatest capitalist powers now Jacing of the bourgeois state with the heads of the Approximately 400, 000, 000 a year is to be paid by contesting for the control of the world available trade unions? Did we not see their reactionary role? the Allies to America for a period of 58 years, from markets.
Certainly, we saw all that, but we are approaching August 31st, 1929 to March 31st, 1988, to cover the The International Bank, seemingly is to act as an the trade unions from an entirely different point of debts contracted by the Allies to the United States in ordinary bank conducting commercial, industrial and view than our German comrades then were.
the World War.
economic undertakings. But the formation of such an There was another reason why we were opposed to international institution at this time cannot be septhat slogan. What does it mean to consider the trade How German Workers must be squeezed. arated from the present world situation of economic, unions as hopeless in the revolutionary sense The Plan calls for special payments in the first 37 financial and political instability for capitalism.
Losovsky does now. If the nine million workers of years by Germany of an amount totalling 7, 826, 868. Capitalism also undoubtedly has in mind, through Germany are hopeless (or the most reactionary sec 000. The grand total to be paid by the sweating Ger the International Bank, to draw the Union of Sociation of proletariat, as Losovsky says today. then man masses, including the past five months under the list Soviet Republics into its orbit as one of the few the revolution itself is hopeless. Thus, we come to Dawes Plan, is 36, 996. 000, 000 Marks (about 8, 879, remaining markets of consequence. What capitalism unexpected conclusions which are of a Menshevik 040, 000. could not accomplish through military intervention pature.
The new and important feature in connection with and war up till now it hopes to achieve through the the payments of the reparations and the war debts presture of international economy. The imperialists THE NEW LINE IN THE UNITED STATES and the future plans is that a special institution, the also hope by the new plan to draw Germany away It would be purely academic to make these quota International Bank of Settlements, is thereby set up from the Soviet Union and to unite more closely all tions to prove the instability of Losovsky. were it through which all payments by Germany are to be countries against Russia. Thus the possibilities of a not for the fact that the application of this new made instead of directly to the Governments involved war offensive against the Soviet Republics are inline in the United States and elsewhere is bringing as hitherto. It will take the place of the existing ma creased. The military threat is inevitably coupled the greatest harm to the working class movement as chinery for the reparations collections. 65 percent of wth the economic threat and pressure against Russia.
whole and the Communist movement in particular. the payments will go to cover war debt payments to In the United States, where the trade union question the United States by the former Allies; the other 35 False Hopes for Stabilization.
is especially difficult, the application of the present percent will go to repair The authors of the International Bank hope to stareckless and non Leninst line threatens to play in France. The International Bank of Settlements will bilize the shaky capitalist economy, exploit more increased havoc with the movement. The American transfer the German marks paid by the Reich into cre tensively the existing markets and reorganize the exStalinites of all shades who accomodate themselves dits for the acount of the central banks of England, isting and available ones under domination of Wall to every twist and quirk of the international factional France and Italy. These nations can then draw Street. The Plan itself says quite plainly: apparatus, who drop old lines and adopt new ones such credits for payment of their debts to the United In the natural course of development it is to be exwith the utmost nonchalance, may give little heed to State Government. The resources of the German rail. pected that the bank will become an organization, not the consequences of their acts. But we will continue roads are pledged for Germany payments.
simply or even predominantly, concerned with the to criticize the present trade union line of the Party Formally the United States has no hand in the en handling of reparations, but also with furnishing to until its distortions are eliminated.
tire matter: it concerns only the Europe Powers the world of international commerce and finance imThe Party is wrong in its course toward the form. Actually the United States Government, carrying out portant facilities hitherto lacking.
ation of a new revolutionary trade union center at the will of Wall Street, is the main force that has It is to be hoped. says the Plan, that it will bethe Cleveland conference of the Without brought about the new plan and the International come an increasingly close and valuable link in the fully understanding it, the membership of the Party Bank, and it will use every agency at its command to cooperation of central banking institutions generally is being dragged into another Socialist Trades and enforce action and payments. a cooperation essential to the continuing stability Labor Alliance. We are for the formation of a broad The Bank is meant to be a permanent institution of the world credit structure.
left wing opposition movement, with the necessary which will continue to exist after the reparations have So say and hope Morgan and Company. But stacentralization, to fight to win the workers in the been disposed of. That is only its initial business. Af bility for the capitalists is multiplied misery for the trade unions and not to surrender them to the ter wringing Germany neck by controlling its foreign workers. The last word is yet to be spoken and it will The Party is wrong in its attitude towards the It is meant to become a real factor in world trade cannot solve the problem of new markets. The United progressive movement. The Party poiusiy and indig its profits are expected to run into hundreds of mil. States and Britain cannot absorb all the gold and aantly points out some of the leaders of this move. lions of dollars.
payments in kind that are to be made. The Internanent (and correctly, of course) as reactionaries, as tional Bank in due time will only aggravate the crisis facillators, as turncoats, and thinks that thereby the Center for World Exchange.
of capitalism and compel the working class of the problem is solved. Unfortunately, there are many While it is transferring the biilions of German world to fight for its overthrow. The exposure of the workers following the Mustes and Maurers who lead marks into Germany payments on the reparations Young Plan by the Communists and the struggle inly because there is progressive pressure from be accounts, it will endeavor to gather for itself business against it are a necessary part of the preparation for ow, a pressure that is sure to grow. The Party does in other exchanges and to become the logical handler this.
Morga kot see workers; it sees only the leaders and remains of most of the world exchange business.
vious and indignant.
Young and Company no doubt intend that it shall become an institution controlling most of the gold of TROTSKY THE MILLIONARE THE UNITED FRONT WITH ONE SELF the world. To begin with it has, according to the re For these lies and calumnies the English pay to The Party is wrong in its attitude toward the united port, 500 million dollars worth of marks to sell annu Trotsky hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Rojkov, front, which has today become parade slogan, ally, and it is expected that an odd 400, 000, 000 an a Russian worker in the Daily Worker, June 3, trotted out for show and nor for daily applicat ransferred to Washington. This in it 1929. as