Page THE MILITANT Saturday, November 30, 1929 LETTERS FROM THE MILITANTS The Twelfth Anniversary 10 THE BELLEVILLE CONFERENCE St. Louis, Mo.
Dear Comrades: The recent Belleville convention of the National Miners Union for the state of Illinois has created a very sharp and serious situation.
The Daily Worker for October 28 claims that there were 110 delegates at this convention. First they had a general gabfest and bombastic predictions as to what was done in the textile fields and the clothing Industry throughout the South and Eastern states, and also of the greatest forward step, etc. that the working class of America (led by the great Stalinists) had taken in launching the in Cleveland. Practically all the long speeches had the tone and make up of Party phrases used in all of the Communist conventions that the red, red revolution was right around the corner, The rank and file on the second day of the convention was so sick of hearing these speeches that they demanded that they be stopped and that some practical plans for organizing the miners be discussed, that a report on the strength of the miners of Illinois and throughout the country be made, and also to discuse plans for calling a strike etc.
All the window dressing of a Commun1st convention was present on the stage with constant stream of runners delivering caucus mandates to members on the stage and on the floor. The trouble began when the Party gave the floor to John Watt, president of the Watt started to ask why he never had the floor sooner.
He called for showdown and wanted them to present charges against him if anything was wrong. Then the fireworks began over again. More wonderful speeches followed Right Wing. Left Wing, Centrist groupe, Trotskyism, Lovestoneism, socialist takers, Hapgood, Howat, MacDonald, Fishwick, Lewis, Green, Woll, the coming world war, the Russian Revolution, and the general parade of the balance. What this meant to the 40 or 50 non Party rank and ale delegates was summed up them in motion to close debate and cut out this damned foolishness and get to work building the The big hearted and fairminded chairman, Voyzey, after granting the floor to at least 20 Party members, also Joined in the demand to close debate. John Watt was given exactly minutes to answer all the other speakers and that was not all the chairman did: he ruled that it was only fair that Pat Toohey should close debate after Watt, speech with also minutes.
Watt took the floor and bitterly attacked the national committee for their wrong policy. Then up spoke the wellknown Lovestonelte, Toohey, who toured through the tame regions of Illinois, but was kept out of the West Frankfort subdistrict where he would have been exposed to the terrorism of the reactionary forces and meet the same fate as Corbishly and Allard, who were beaten up and shot at He took the floor and tried to show up Watt and ended with reading a letter sent by Watt. Before he could finish, Freeman Thonipson made a point of order by stating PARTY PROGRESS IN BOSTON period. Bill Foster is the craziest one of toat if this was read other things would be Boston, Mass.
all worse than Amter (Impossible. Ed. vrougat in and urged that it should not be Dear Comrades Looks like they are about to throw overread. It so happens toat Thompson is lined board, lock, stock and barrel, all the posup with the present sanhulle wamue anu You may be interested to know about itions and advantages we have won in the nere was too good a cnance for Toohey to the progress of tue Communist Party in past ten years by our many sacrifices and pass up. Tooney knew that Thompson and District une. can give you 11111e 1010r hard fought battle. If a change is not Watt were in uno together when this scab macon avout toe Cuaus lo Our Wiscrict. made or if we cannot ribe to the occasion, company union of coal miners was supposed As you Kuow, ne nost acive comrades all seems lost and the movement will have to be organized and that the dues collected 111 tue Diotic Lote uere lur lue las to be placed in the position of starting all uy the company woma de turned over to iew years bave been wens, Louis Marks, over again at the beginning with Cominunthe It was not until this letter was and Bad, Wim Ball as District organizer. ism discredited in the eyes of the masses.
to be presented for the purpose of showing NOW Louis Marks and Bail are expened from The comrades have arranged another up what kind of a leader Watt was, that the Party. and Zeinis is removed from the party and dance for The Militant. The last Thompson stepped in and wanted it kept District communicee. It may be said. There one was quite a success financially and quiet. Why? Because Thompson is otherwise and this one is expected to be the 18 Farty. Watuout a District Committee.
man responsible for the conditions laid Last night, November there were even better. sub getting campaign te down in collecting dues from this scab also being prepared.
seven comrades on trial for not being loyal With Communist greetings and collunion. He reported this to Watt and Watt to the Party. Dubox, Mary Schainis, and referred it to the national committee for others. The result will be known in a tew fidence in the success of our forthcoming Weekly, am, advice. So Pat Toohey read this letter to days. The Jewish District Committee has the convention.
been dismissed because there is no one in Fraternally yours. Watt was never given a chance to angthe district to be the organizer for the JewJOHN MIHELIC wer. After Toohey spoke a motion was put ish section, for the Jewish organizer, through to refer this case to the national Kutisker, has been removed from office for committee of he for a hearing. not being loyal to the Party and a commitThe vote on this motion was 63 for and 47 tee of three has been elected out of inCouluued low Page against. It carried. Then a large number competents to be the rulers of the Jewish lan nucleus will need leadersuip. It will of these delegates rose and walked out of section.
ve duie tu nu it only in tue uolumunist the hall. Watt was accused by Foster that There was no one in Boston to be the LELL, Leavuutud allu5610.
he lead the walkout from he nall, but that chairman of the meeting to celebrate the we approach this thirteenth year as was either a mistake or a deliberate lie on 12th anniversary of the Russian Revolution ueporuces, padumi. ale, wu wu appiuacu Foster part, for personally sat 15 feet and comrade was brought from near WorWaluvut uue sigues pessimis.
away from Watt when Foster spoke and cester to be the chairman of the meeting! The principle of Lue proletarian dictatWatt was not 12 feet from Foster all the (At the 13th anniversary celebration or spencered arwy into history. It time he spoke.
chairman will have to be brought from New nas snow the formuable power of a young After Foster speech we realized that York, no doubt. Quite clearly, the Party revolutionary class directed by a Party that a mistake had been made by the Party in is progressing. knows what it wants and now to combine handling these non Party delegates and SCHLOSSBERG its walk with the march of objective develthat the situation had developed to the Opiuen. The twelve years that have passed by point of a spat. Watt, Angelo, Goluberg, Payer, Morgan and myself got together AMTER SHOP BULLETINS have shown that the working class even of immediately and started to round up these Youngstown, Ohio a backward country can not only dispense deregutes and took as many as we could Dear Comrade: with bankers, landlords and capitalists, but to a room where we invited Foster to talk Enclosed you will find postal order for that it is capable of giving industry a much to the delegates. The delegates refused to five dollars from Comrade Plarinos and five More raplu development than it knew go back to the convention hall. Then it from me.
under the domination of the exploiters.
was up to us to use our intluence to get Whenever you are on a speaking tour These twelve years have shown that up this way we will try to arrange a meetthem to overlook these mistakes and have an economy centralized according to a ing here if such is possible.
them remain and work in the and plan is far superior to capitalist anarchy.
The official crowd have given out many carry on the work of organizing the miners All these conquests, all these lessons, copies of the Red Ingot at the mills around into the union and prepare their forces for all these examples, remain unshakably fixed.
here and the Daily Worker has carried the impending strike.
some articles supposed to be from a Wor. They have entered forever into the consciousness and the practise of the world After hours of discussion this was in ker Correspondent, a mill worker.
ally agreed to by all the delegates present.
Every one of the workers could see at working class.
Another thing: Watt, Angelo and Morgan first glance that the writer of the Ingot and We repent nothing and we renounce played a big part in winning these workers the Daily Worker articles dealing with nothing. We live with the ideas and the state these inllls were one and the same and that of mind that animated us during the days over to our viewpoint and Watt or the he, whoever he may be, knew nothing of of October, 1917. Through the temporary others are accused of leading a split, that is a damned lie for they and our group did what he was talking about.
difficulties we can see ahead of us. Strong It was obvious to us all that the writer though the windings of the river may be more than Foster could do. We succeeded was one who was never yet on the wrong the river flows toward the ocean.
in reaching 30 delegates of the 40 or so side of a mill, which is the inside. But that walked out of the convention and in Constantinople, October 17, 1929 what is not obvious, what we cannot for preventing a split in the union.
the life of us understand is what he hoped The Communist League of Amerca to accomplish by such gross misrepresent(Opposition) fully understood the role ation and idiotic exaggeration.
played by the Party and was thereby in a This, think, shows that it is possible SAN FRANSISCO, Calif. McDonald Book position to take over the situation, try to for a guy to wear corduroy, smoke a cheap Shop, 65 Sixth Street LOS ANGELES, Calif. Belmont News Co. correct these mistakes and lead the miners pipe and yet not be a mill worker either physically or psychologically. But what 101 East 5th St. Western News Stand, forward to the next steps in the struggle.
can one expect from Lovestone former Box 604, Arcade Station.
Preparations are being made to hold subman Friday of Ohio, WASHINGTON, Gale Book Shop, 805 district conferences as a means of organTenth St.
With comradely greetings, am yours izing the rank and file miners into the Natfor a Weekly Militant.
CHICAGO, ILL. Cheshinsky Book Store, lonal Miners Union and for the liquidation CHARLIE BRYNE 2720 Division St. Horsley Book Store, of the United Mine Workers of America 1623 Madison St. and on various newsФ stands.
throughout the state of Illinois. We will SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Joe Angelo, 431 No.
continue to carry on our work in the unions STALINIST DESTRUCTION Wesley St.
and fight the policy of the Communist Party Chicago, Ill.
BOSTON, MASS. Shapiro Book Store, whenever their policies are wrong. This Dear Comrades: Beach St. near Washington.
fight developed as a result of the belief that There sure have been some interesting ROXBURY, MASS, Goldberg Store, 536 no non Party worker can be an official of developments in the Illinois coal fields; Whrren St.
the and if there is, he must be re also in the Party attitude in the Chicago DETROT, MICH. Aidas Book Shop, 1713moved at all costs even if it leads to a split cleaners strike of which you will get the 24th St. and on various newsstands.
in those working class organizations. details soon. The Party has gone plumb MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Engelson News ELMER MCMILLAN crazy or maybe don understand the 9th Co. 234 2nd Ave, So.
KANSAS CITY, MO. Buehler Book Store, 220 West 12th St.
ST. LOUIS, MO. Foster Book Store, 410 In German In English In Jewish Washington Ave.
PHILADELPHIA, PA. On various newsstands.
SEATTLE, WASH. Raymer Old Book Store, 905 Third Ave.
CALGARY, ALTA. CANADA: Boston News Co. 109 8th Ave. West TORONTO, ONT, CANADA. On various newsstands.
NEW YORK, On various newsstands in fter reading this book by Leon Trotsky, now available in New York and Brooklyn; Biederman Bookthree languages, the reader will have a clear picture of the store, 2d Ave and 12th St. Rand Bookstore, viewpoint of the Russian Opposition and the origin of the East 15th St. The Militant, 25 Third Ave.
present state of affairs in the Soviet Republic. This volume includes a In addition to the stores listed above, detailed exposure of the campaign of misrepresentation and falsehood The Militant also can be obtained through conducted against the Russian Opposition and its leader, Trotsky.
members and Branches of the Communist League of America.
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THE REAL SITUATION IN RUSSIA. BYL. TROTSKY