Saturday, February 15, 1930 THE MILITANT Page For an International Conference of the Left The Need For Organizing the World Opposition ellent acquiescence like to the longe poleca The Third Period of the Comintern Mistakes in the city of the headquarters of the Ex ecutive of the Left Opposition.
The International Opposition Conferena has to lay out a campaign for an even more thorough expose among the Communist Parties and the mass of workers of Stalte and Stalinism, their methods of suppress sion and terror against the Leninist Bols There is noed now to begin prepara impression on the rank and Alle workers in which tend to obscure main lines, can then sheviks in the Soviet Union; the blow tions to convene an International Confer the Communist Parties. This too, on an be brushed aside.
against the Russian Revolution in the deence of the forces of the Left Opposition. increasing scale among the proletarian An International Opposition Organ portation of the outstanding living leader Many factors make such a conference both forces in the among the Russian of Bolshevism, Leon Trotsky; and to broadnecessary and possible. It is not even a proletariat generally, and particularly An exchange of views In the press of forced march. the world situation, the en the activites for the reinstatement of the among the party members and workers in the Opposition is required, At the same Left Opposition throughout the world into status and policy of the Communist Inter the large factories in Leningrad, Moscow time, we must discuss ways and means to the ranks of the Communist International national, urge such gathering of the Left and other large cities. Opposition deter transform into reality an International OpOpposition throughout the world.
and the return of Trotsky and the OppostEcon mination, the needs of the workers there, position organ, published in three languages tion to their rightful position and role in omic and political struggles, arising out of are more and more breaking through the at least, it at all possible, and to develop the depressed and receding strength of in Stalinist suppression and terror. The voice plans for a wide circulation. Such an orthe The European comrades, particularly in ternational capitalism, are taking place on of the Leninist Bolshevik is being heard gan will go a long way toward the theoan increasing France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland ale.
Opposi and his message read. major task of retical education of the Left Opposition and and Austria should take the initiative to tion plays its part, but it must consider the International Opposition is to assist the Communsts generally.
form a Committee of Action to lay the basin what manner its role can be more decl the Russian Leninist Bolsheviks in their At this conference should be elected is for such an International Conference.
Bive, both directly and through pressure tasks with propaganda, material aid, etc. an Executive Committee of the Internation When agreement has been reached as to by correct policy and tactics upon the ComOpposition Growing al Opposition to centralize the work of the time, place and character of the Conference, munist International and its sections in The correctness of the views of the Opposition, it possible representatives of a each country.
the needed steps to bring the delegations Left Opposition are a scepted by larger few of the European countries and also from the various countries together can steady and growing number of defeats one from America and China should remain then be taken.
numbers in the Communist Parties and the have been inflicted on the proletariat and. MARTIN ABERN the Communist Parties in every country proletariat each day, by open declaration (alleviated only by incidental victories of a not very marked character here and The zig zag Stalinist line fools less and there, in the past six years under the in less. Even now, the sudden dizzy Left fluence and direction of the Stalin Buchar zig zag of the Stalinists in the Soviet Union (Continued from Page 6)
does not lead to an armed uprising enda These range from the catasin regime.
and internationally, a course undertaken rise in the world market, are not yet In finally with the defeat of the proletariat.
trophe in the Chinese Revolution (1925 without conviction or understanding by the any way precisely because they are 180 If, therefore, Molotov words regarding 1927. Anglo Russian Committee debacle; chinorniks, apparatus men, shows signs of lated and fragmentary tremendous rey revolutionary political strikes and highest the pro Kulak policy, until recently in the weakening and again gradually yielding olutionary events. But Molotov wante to forms of strugglo have any sense at all, Soviet Union; up to the May 1st, 1929 ad. later a collapse. to the Right wing oppor combine the isolated strikes. praise. It is this: simultaneously, or almost simulventures in Germany and the washed out tunists(the removal of the so called ultra worthy task. But in the meantime, only a taneously, throughout the world, the revdemonstrations August 1st international left, Fried, in Cecho Slovakia, the speech of task, and not an acomplished step. To olutionary situation has reached such mat against warto mention a few of the out Manuilsky against the Left are the first unite isolated strikes Molotov teaches 18 urity that it puts the Communist Parties of standing events. For these defeats, Stalin straws. Only the active intervention of possible by means of mass political strikes. the West and East, North and South before and Stalinism, leaning strongly in these the genuine Left Opposition everywhere Yes, having at hand the necessary condi. the general strike as the immediate proyears upon the Right wing, bear the main can serve to try to push the apparatus of tlons, the working class may be united by logue ta armed uprising.
responsibility, Trade union policy and the Stalinist Centrists and the Right wing revolutionary mass strikes. The problem It is sufficient to formulate correctly activity, as embodied in the resolutions and onto a proletarian course. To do this more of the mass strike is then, according to Mol Molotov strategy of the Third Period theses and decisions of the Second and effectively, coordinated International activ otov, that new, that basic and most char for its absurdity to be revealed.
Third Congresses of the Communist Inter ity and policy of the Opposition is required. acteristic problem which stands in the cennational and the Red International of La The Stalinist apparatus men and the ter of the tactical tasks of the Communist «The Conquest of the Street bor Unions, when under the leadership of Right wing alike proclaim our death and Parties at the given moment. And this Along with the general strike is set Lenin and Trotsky, have become carica bave many times chanted our swan song. means. continues our gist that we the task of the conquest of the street.
ture coupled with either the abondonment They may bow to ikons if they want to. have approached (this time only ap The question here at any rate in words or grotesque modification of tested united The Opposition has its life in historic need proached. new and higher forms is not that of the defense of one of the tront tactics, have brought isolation of the and revolutionary activity. The more that of class struggle. And in order definitely democratic rights, trampled upon by the militants from the mass unions, and sec Stalin and Bucharin maintain their revi to affirm the Tenth Plenum religion of the bourgeoisle and social democracy, but of tarianism into practice on a world scale. sionism of Marx and Lenin by the theory Third Period, Molotov adds: We could the determination of the right of the Thero is, need for a conference of the of socialism in one country as against an not have advanced the slogan of a mass proletariat to barricades, That is preLeninist Bolsheviks, of the Left wing, under international revolutionary movement, the political strike, 11 we had not found our. cisely how the conquest of the streets the leadership of Trotsky, to examine broader grows the international ring of the Belves in a period of ascent. This trend of has been interpreted in the numerous artthoroughly the situation before the world Left Opposition, encircling and isolating thought is truly uncxampled! At first both icles of the official Communist press imworking class and in the Comintern, and to this social democratic theory and Stalin in strategic feet entered the most tremendous mediately after the July Plenum. It is not elaborate program of action that will the narrow confines of national reformism. revolutionary events, later on it appeared for us to deny the right of the proletariat Stalin, through more quickly defeat Stalinism and turn the terror and suppression, that before the theoretical head stands only to the conquest of the streets by means Communist movement again on a correct makes his way yet in the Soviet Union. the task of the general strike not the gen of barricades. But it is necessary to path. That the bureaucrats are subject to But the growing International Left, the in eral strike Itsell, but only its slogan. And clearly understand what this means. Beproletarian pressure, even though yielding crease of its press in the past year, the for from here alone, by the inverse method, fore all one must make clear to himself more comfortably and easily to the oppor mation of new Left Opposition movements the conclusion is made that we have ap that the proletariat does not go on the tunists and revisionists of the Right wing, throughout the world indicate its growing proached the highest forms of class strug barricades for the sake of the barricades, is a fact of experience. But the Left wing strength and influence.
gles. Because, don you see, had we not just as he does not participate in strikes must turn the screws still tighter, There is need to cite only the organi approached them, then how could Molotov for the sake of strikes. There are required zation and development of the Left Oppo advance the slogan of the general strike? immediate political purposes, welding toOpposition Problems Need Elaboration sition in the United States and Canada, The whole construction is based on the gether millions and giving firm support to conference is needed to elaborate the Argentine, Mexico, China and other coun word of honor of the newly made strategist. the vanguard. That is how revolutionists position of the Left Opposition toward the tries, not to mention the older European And the powerful representatives of the pose the question. The opportunists cone Comintern, the and Stalinism, Oppositions. The capitulators find little parties respectfully listened to the seit mad approach the question quite differentThat there is wanted more clarity is evi comfort in the increasing proletarian co confident blockhead and upon roll call re. ly.
denced by the differences that arose in horts of the Opposition. These found their ply: Right you are!
For the revolutionary conquest of the some sections of the Opposition (German way to the Opposition through understan At any rate, we find out that all street art for art sake they set aside Leninbund, Belgium) on the Sino Russian ding, and the pressure of the Stalinist chin countries, from Great Britain to China special days. The last Invention of this conflict; the attitude toward the recent ovniks will not avail against them. It 18 with France, Germany and Poland at the sort appeared, as is known, the First of capitulators to Stalinism (Radek, et al. this very growth of the Oppositions, with head have now attained the slogan of the August. Ordinary mortals wondered: why Thermidorism; etc their own special problems, the need to general strike. We are finally convinced the First of August, the fallure of which At the same time the Left Opposition has define the particular roles of each Opposi that not a trace is left of the unhappy law was pre determined by the failure of the reached the point and possibility where it is tion (the United States and Belgium as con of uneven development. We might manage First of May? What do you mean, why?
necessary and able to establish an inter. trasted, for instance, with Germany and to be reconciled to this, if they would only the officials strategists angwered excitedly: national political platform as a guide for France. the problem of the illegality of tell us in the name of what political aims for the conquest of the streets! Precisely the Oppositions in the various countries. the Opposition (C. the acute the slogan of the general strike is advanced what is to be understood by that: the Some of the Oppositions, among them the difficulties of work of the Opposition in in every country. It should at least not be conquest of the sidewalk or the pavement1 Leninbund (Germany. Bordiga group in China (illegality under Chiang Kai Shek forgotten that the workers are by no means Heretofore we thought, that the task of the Italy, Communist League (United States together with Stalinist suppression) that inclined towards general strikes just for the revolutionary party is the conquest of the and Canada. China have drawn up plat make advisable an international conference sake of general strikes. Anarcho syndical messes, and thatthe policy which can forms and given their estimate of the Into work out our problems. The extreme ism broke its head on the failure to under mobilize the masses to the greatest num ternational situation and the tasks of the conditions under which the Opposition op stand this. The general strike may some ber and most actively inevitably opens up Communists. The basic conceptions of the erate make sectarian practice and an in time have the character of a protest demon the street, no matter how the police block Left Opposition on the theory of socialism correct attitude toward the Comintern and stration. Such a strike is realizable, gen and lock it. The struggle for the street in one country; the Chinese Revolution; the Communist Parties an easy swamp Into erally speaking, in cases when some clear, cannot be an independent task separated role of the Party; party democracy, etc. which to fall. conference which will sometimes unexpected, event stirs the imag from the political struggle of the masses are incorporated soundly in the Opposition discuss how we can increase our influence ination of the masses and produces the nec and subordinated to the office schedule of forces, What is needed is to clarify as and activity among the masses and ener ossity for unanimous resistance. But a Molotov.
much as possible such differences as may gize our movement in the Communist Par strike demonstration is not yet, in the true And what is more important, you canand do exist; to draft the general platform ties will help greatly.
sense, a revolutionary political strike, it not fool history. The task 18 not to for all the Opposition; to assist one another The open discussion of such issues as is only one of the preparatory rehearsals appear stronger, but to get stronger. in the specific tasks of each country: to lay have arlsen in the Left Opposition in some for it. As far as the revolutionary political noisy masquerade will not help. When the basis for the unification and centralisa. countries have helped to clarify our tasks. strike is concerned, in the real sense of the there is no Third Period it is possible to tion of the organization and activities of There is no need to wall about that. How word, it constitutes, Ap to speak, the final intent it. It is possible to manufacture the Left Opposition on an International ever sharp these discussions have been, act in the struggle of the proletariat for dozens of resolutions. But to make the Third scale.
they will aid the development of unity on a power. Paralyzing the normal functions of Period on the streets according to the celIn little more than a year of the past, commonly accepted platform. An Inter the capitalist state, the general strike, enlar is impossible. On this road the the Platform of the Opposition in the Com national Conference should make it possible brings forward the question: Who is mas Communists Parties will find only defeat munist Party of the Soviet Union and the for ALL groups and tendencies in the Left ter in the house? This question is deactivities of the Left Opposition in other Opposition to be present and fully heard in some cases tragic ones, but more often cided in no other way than by armed force. sit aply stupid and humilating ones.
countries have made a definite and good as an aid toward unity. Secondary issues, That is why a revolutionary strike which (TO RA Continuar