Saturday, December 14, 1929 THE MILITANT Page Throughout the World of Labor Tardieu, the Man of The Real Victor in the rapid advance of Communism in Germany necessary to say so of the comrades who are, the party, under the leadership of are in Russia German Elections Thaelman and Remmele, shows itself incap The tension of the situation obliges the able of profiting the opportunity and Party itself to seek new ways under the of grouping the majority of the working On November 17, municipal elections aegis of the apparatus. Thence, the ever class around the banner of Communism. new fermentations and groupings, the birth were held in Prussia and Saxony. They were of a new Left wing within the party the first important elections KURT LANDAU since the Berlin, November 18, 1929. Schatzkin, Sten, etc. Whatever its leaders social democracy came to the head of the may be the birth of a Left wing and government, and in Berlin, they were the the necessity for a new campaign against first elections since the massacre on May the semi Trotskyists are the symptoms of First. Letter from Stalinist healthy and very important tendencies, The Communist Party of Germany which attest the fact that we cannot be cut entered the election struggle by affirming Exile oft from the party.
that Germany is in a stage of violent revoWe have been informed by the party lutionary outbursts, that the masses are LETTER TO THE BULLETIN OF THE journal in Kharkov of the policy of the recovering from their reformist Illusions RUSSIAN OPPOSITION Urbahns group. We have refuted dozens of and are turning to the of Germany times before the masses the ideas that the compariso condition of extraordinary isolation of the Reichstag elections prevails at the present moment in exile. In Stalinists Impute to us. Now the Stalinists in 1928 with those of November 17 throws the course of the last few months the utilize the articles of Urbahns to reinforce light on the situation. On May 20, 1928, the received 611, 317 votes in Berlin for courier blockade has been further reinforc their accusations against us and to comed. Especially does it rigorously hem in promise the Opposition. Is there any hope the Reichstag elections. The social demoChristian Rakovsky, who is now at Barof correcting the line of Urbahns? We can cratic party, 816, 196. On November 17, after naoul, as you know, where he was sent absolutely not bear the responsibility for the May Day massacre, after a year of the such positions. Not to be able to find his social democratic from Saratov. The initiative for addressing coalition government, declaration came from the group of place in the struggle between international after the Šklarek (Berlin administration)
imperialism and the scandal, this figure sinks to 51, 735. But the deportees at Saratov, which had Rakovsky revolution that at its head. No sensible person could exshocking benefit of it does not go to the for It did not succeed in maintaining the pect any practical immediate result from The point of view of the Left Opposifigure of 1928 which fell from 611, 317 to this declaration. No, the declaration is a tlon on the First of August is not clear to 565, 595.
new mobilization of the deportees, of whom us. There is no doubt at all that Molotov a part had given way under a certain wind interpretation of Bucharin Third Period It is true that on November 17 there of panic during the summer, caused by is the preparation of the basis for internawere 180, 000 fewer voters in Berlin than complete isolation and the lack of any tional adventures of the Cantonese type.
in the 1928 elections, Nevertheless, the parinformation: in addition, these comrades Nevertheless, the question remains always ties of the bourgeois center (with the exhad nothing else to read for many months ception of the Democrats posed whether we must abandon our right whom the than Pravda. In this sense, the declaration to the street. It is in the same way that Sklarek affair compromised the most)
has completely performed its mission. The the question of the First of May is posed.
maintained the number of votes received Saratov group has been dissolved as a in 1928.
Warm greetings and best wishes, punishment for this mobilization of the deA.
Contrariwise, the fascist bloc, that is, portees around the declaration and around the National Socialists and the Fascists, the theses of Rakovsky, in which the fununited among themselves (Hugenberg damental questions are presented with all Hitler. succeeded in spite of the small the necessary charity.
number of voters, in increasing the number of their votes from 475, 184 (in 1928)
You know that a pretty substantial to 536, 787, and the benefit fell wholly to group of deportees has been carried off by the Hour the National Socialist Party. It can, then a wave of Illusions, Isolation and uncertainty, as have already said, have played a Tardieu is master of the situation. His by no means be said that the result of the big role here. But it is nevertheless astonappetite for power can satisfied. And Berlin elections was an overwhelming through him, the bourgeoisie will also be ishing that there were people capable of takvictory for the Comunist Party of Goring Centrism for Communism, when a rich able to handle systematically the great many. The Party, following its falso and ventures that world competition now imposexperience tells us one thing: Centrism is adventurist policy, has been unable to reincapable of making tremendous vacillations es upon it.
force its base in the last eighteen months.
towards the Left and still remain Centrism, Tardieu has succeeded in making himThe losses of the Social Democratic party It is no longer Radek who is tracing the self appear as the candidate of the country benefited the fascista, line of demarcation in the Opposition and no longer only as the candidate of a In the whole of Prussla, the results (that an old story) but Smirnov. majority of the deputies. There has been differ from those in Berlin. In the provinam informed that he has addressed the renewed for him the mystery of confice, the increase of the socialist party, althird text of his declaration which differs dence with which Poincare was surroundready quite obvious in 1928, was not halted, in nothing but style from the text of the ed in his day. The press, big industry, the contrary to Berlin. In the industrial center trinity (Radek Preobrazhensky Smilga. whole bourgeoisie proclaims him: Tardieu of Central Germany (Halle Merseburg) the is the man of the situation.
Social Democratic Party gained twenty Despite the departures that have resultBack in 1926, Poincare, the honest and ed, the colonies of the deportees are inpercent in its vote. The of lost as ferocious accountant of the bourgeoisie, was much in this former stronghold. The fa creasing, being supplemented by more homothe man of the situation. Since then he scist bloc has no gain at all to register geneous and farmer elements. thus, when stabilized the franc. He balanced the budin this country, but rather a diminution of wrote you my first letter, we were four; get, he realized the important budgetary strength. In Wasserkante, Schleswig Hol now we are fourteen.
surpluses. Now capitalism wants a builder stein and in the West, the social democrats The situation in the country, from what and a spender man who knows how to increased everywhere. In part, they obtain gather in the press, presents itself thus, undertake work, to invest capital, to ed substantial results in Upper Silesia in my opinion: on the order of the daydevelop and to coordinate in a word, to (Breslau, Beuthen) but great losses in without setting an exact date is written rationalize. There he is: Tardieu! The press favor of the fascists. Nowhere in these reg the inevitable explosion of a civil war, with is burning incense, the economic groups ions did the of G, succeed in retain the possibility of foreign interventon. The caress him: he is their figure head. The ing its positions, especially in Saxony. After Party and the working class must be situation now demands a directing crew having suffered losses in the Landtag elec orientated along this perspective. The most that attends actively to the business of tions (in May. It now loses in this indus dongerous policy is that of the ostrich. The capitalism The Hague Conference, the trial region from twenty to thirty percent leaders of the party continue either to Young Plan have changed international more of the votes (Dresden, Leipzig, feed the party with official pictures of positions. The ever smaller field of markets Plauen. The hopes of the Brandlerites in prosperity or with unexpected sensational necessitates an ever more violent struggle Saxony, which is their stronghold, to events in the domain of internal and to conquer them. But the foreign markets influence a sufficiently large part of the foreign relations, without attempting to are already so disputed that the home workers, were lamentably disappointed. analyze them seriously, or what is worst market must be arranged for the greatest The elections have brought about no de of all to direct the attention of the party absorbtive capacity. The whole policy of the cisive change. They show that it was cor on to deliberately false roads, as was the Hardieu cabinet, as far as it is defined in his rect to estimate the regrouping of the case, for example, with the loathsome declaration, is orientated in this spirit.
masses by saying that they will not yet go articles of Yaroslavsky on the letter of Here is the situation. Tardieu and his towards Communism. The process of evo Solnzev. propos of this letter, assuming crew are not the only ones who would have lution of the masses towards bourgeois that it is authentic, it is indubitable that it to come through. It must be made clear reformism still lasts. That is what stands represents the product of a temporary that a Paul Boncour would have been unout even more clearly than in the Landtag confusion and is in no way characteristic able to do otherwise. He would have imitatelections a few months ago. At the decisive of the exile and not at all it is hardly ed his colleague Snowden. The illusions of points (industrial regions, Saxony, Berlin)
the petty bourgeoisie, of the people in this process has ceased. But that develop In Populaire (the French socialist power, through the Daladiers or the Blums, ment does not benefit the of be paper) a certain Rosenfeld regards the de have vanished forever. The governments cause of its ominous policy, but in part claration as a result of faint heartedness, of French Imperialism can only carry out the fascist bloc which will organize on of capitulation and of a course towards one policy, that of big capital, of producDecember 22, in the referendum on the well rewarded posts. It would be needless tion, of finance capital. It is dictatorial Young Plan, a new mobilization of the to dwell upon this zealous and mercenary policy that Tardieu will carry on and which masses for the fascist dictatorship. Tens servitor of the social democracy, one of the Boncour would have carried on. Only the of thousands of workers who followed the parties of power of capital, if he did not revolutionary policy of the proletariat can reformists a year ago are falling into in find imitators among the ultra Left phrase be set against it.
difference.
mongers and bunglers who utter the same The declaration of the Tardieu governWithout according an exaggerated 1deas in essence, but only in a meanor form. ment is addressed to the country. over importance to these elections and to elec Which shows us once more that the ultra the heads of the deputies. It puts the tions in general, it may be said that they Leftists are in accord with the estimates government under the control of the counglve quite a revealing picture of the pro of the social democracy not only in the try, that is, of the capitalists. It promises cess of fermentation and regrouping of the question of the Chinese Eastern Railway, prosperity to the country and considers masses. Unfortunately, It cannot be said, but also in that of evaluating the declaraas does the Rote Fahne on November 18: tion of the Russian Opposition. Schatzkin and others, according The election figures show the magnifi The first two texts, being found to a recent Daily Worker dispatch, have cent progress of the Favorable insufficient by the Central Committee, were confessed their sing to Stalin since this the objective circumstances for a not accepted.
was written itself responsible for it to the whole nation. Tardieu denotes, timidly enough as yet, his contempt for parties and parliamentary formations. He addresses bimselt to the producers, to the manufacturers, to the tradesmen, to the peasants. He brings them his program of endowments and reductions. He announces without a smile the lowest decreases in taxes on the transportation of manure or on pharmaceutical products. He makes it clear that all the communes in France will know how much the government will give to the country for technical education to give them an appetite, for tourists, to entice the dollarsthree billions in all.
But the cynical demagogue does not speak of the tens of billions which are the share of the War and Naval departments!
There is the program that the situation requires. It upsets the democratic prerogative. It passes over the represen tatives of the people; it addresses itself to the country, but speaks only for the bourgeoiste, for the pillars of capitalism. Produce, trade; the State, which is your instrument, will help you; we will free it from the petty bourgeois obstructors, from the pusillanimous defenders of the artisans, etc.
For the working class, the program of Tardieu is the muzzle and the police, because it is the very program of the employers. The government cannot have or allow towards the working class any other policy than that of the capitalists. The declaration promises but one thing to the workers, the application of the law of social insurance. Insurance being carried out on the backs of the workers and by withholding of their wages; Tardieu can do nothing but have it applied. But as to the rest, his declaration does not speak of a social program. as the bourgeois parties of the Left know so well to do, as Poincare himself knew so well to do. And after all why should he speak of a social program. His social program springs clearly from his economic program. The economic program is that of the big employers and consequently, his social program is also that of the big employers: rationalization, sueezing of wages, repression of the labor movement and tormenting the revolutionary organizations.
The employers, encouraged by the State, will have all the latitude to reinforce its exploitation. Order, to whose rebirth Tardieu has already contributed, will be still more consolidated.
Under such conditions, the Communist party would have to revise its attitude. On the contrary, however, it continues to be rent asunder by persisting in all its errors.
The day of the opening of the Chamber, Cachin delivered a wholly insipid speech from the tribune in which he limited himself to saying that Tardieu was not qualified to lead the honest working people.
Wherein is Tardieu past more scandalous for a Communist than that of most of the bourgeois statesmen. Aren they all accustomed to carry on their own business at the same time as that of the State? Aren they all in the service of economic groups of Interests? It is evidence that when one speaks of a dishonest bourgeois statesman, he assumes that there are others who are honest; but this opposition does not exist. Honesty or dishonesty have a class meaning. Capitalist honesty is to despoil of the workers, to dispute over imperialist booty, to fatten at the same time as the State. Tardieu has not abstained from acting as in the past.
Precisely one of the myths of bourgeois democracy is to bave the people believe in the integrity of their representatives, in their independence and their personal probity. But this myth must be unmasked by the Communists who show that these people are the beneficiaries of capitalist profit, on account of which they dupe the workers.
The honest Cachin is taking the wrong road in clinging to the dishonesty of Tardieu. He should, on the contary have declared that Tardieu was the worthy representative of capitalist democracy, the proper executor of imperialist piracies.
Cachin also limited himself to saying the program of the Tardieu government 18 translated for the working class by a redoubling of the repression. It is true. But this repression arises at a time when the working class is disunited, when the communist party gives it an example of confusion and corruption, Tardieu governs all the surer for the revolutionary movement being misled and its perspectives wrong. The leadership of (Continued on Page 8)