The Coming Dressmaker Strike The Bureaucratic Leadership Fails to Make Real Preparations Sylvan Pollack for the Opposition on as the moving force during the period International demanding organization of preparation and the strike itselt. Gen. are organized into groups by us to carry eral meetings in all localities, bulletins on a systematic fight against Schlesinger; and systematic publicity, and a number of unless the Left wing changes its disasother means must become the task of the The situation and the problema con to give the delegates a bird eye view of trous policy of regarding every worker day.
outside the Industrial Union as a social tronting the needle trade workers and the our strength, the strength or weakness of at present need a sober and The Danger to the Strike Fascist. unless these steps are taken the enemy (the bosses and the Right In a word, it is not in the demands careful evaluation. For years now, the the coming dress makers strike is certain wing. the general situation, etc. The dethat the trouble lies. as the critics of the to end just like the furriers strike: in a needle trade workers of America have mands brought down to us, were not in Lovestone group would have us believe.
fought the bosses. against the debacle.
against conjunction with, nor an outgrowth of, a treacherous brand of leadership, and for a The principal danger confronting the strike thorough analysis.
It is up to the serious Left wing millThey were handed 1s the one that was so ruinous in the last working class trade union. But all their down to the council in the same manner tnats in the union to compel serious prestrikes of the Industrial Union: bluft inunheard of sacrifices and hard won condiparations.
as changes in organizational forms and The conditions of the workers stead of solid preparations. It must be tions, were sold by the Right wing fakerg make it possible to have a successful strike personnel were previously handed down.
said now, and quite openly: Unless our What is needed is that the Industrial Union for a few piece of silver to the bosses. The Take It or leave it like it or not.
consistent policy of the Right wing clique, union begins with serious work of prepara fulfil its tasks.
The Strike Demands tion, drawing in all elements ready to. SYLVIA BLEEKER in working hand in hand with the bosses, has been carried on at the expense of the The demands are the following: Week work, seven hour day, minimum wage for workers.
various crafts. unemployment insurance.
For years the Left wing, under the Is there anything wrong with the demands?
Leadership of the has gathered The dress makers have fought real miliand molded the discontent and rebellious In response to a demand for a reply ist basis is of paramount importance tant battles for the abolition of piece Question Do you have any symspirit to the questions mentioned below, comthe needle trade workers into an work. We all know that piece work is deorganized sen result of that rade Sylvan Pollack sent the following pathies whatsoever, with them, or do you grading tor the worker, that it is a source work, the Needle Trades Workers Indusstatement to the Central Control Com agree with the Party that they must be exof more profit for the bosses and flerce mission of the Party. His endorsement of trial Union came to life, representing all posed and fought relentlessly as enemies exploitation for the workers.
the branches of the trade and endowed the standpoint of the Left Opposition is a of the Party and of the Comintern and as It is high time for the Left wing to with the faithful devotion of thousands of further indication of the ferment taking enemies of the working class, with whom sound the need for week work, and lead class conscious, experienced fighters.
place in the Party, and the refusal to swal we can have no fraternization, no sympaththe workers a struggle for it.
low the opportunist adventurist policy and les whatsoever?
Since its inception, the Equally with the seven hour day, war leadershpfoisted upon the movement. As my reply to the other questions has had a number of very instructive exranted by the surplus number of workers Comrade Pollack, editor of Solidarity, the point out clearly, do not consider the periences, which must serve us as a guide as well the simplified processes of pro official organ of the Workers International Left Opposition as enemies of the party or in discussing the tasks facing the union at duction More than that: even a still Relief, and its agit prop director, has been of the working class. In my opinion, the present, Not one of the lessong, whether shorter working day would be applicable to a member of the Party since its founda program of the Left Opposition, which it was a victory or a defeat for the workthe needs of the workers.
tion in 1919, and active in its ranks and is the program of Lenin, will help the ers, can be lost sight of in our present Unemployment insurance is on the or in the class struggle in various fields. Communist movement recuperate from its preparations for a general strike of the der of the day, While in the anthracite coal region as dis defeats of the recent past and go forward dress makers, who are a very important Then why such apprehensions on the trict organizer for the International Labor branch in our union, to victories. Instead of being renegades, part of the membership? Why such fear Defense this July, he was arrested, charged as the supporters of the Left Opposition The Strike Plan at the outcome of the strike? And here with sedition, and is now out on bail are called in the official Party press, they is the key to the situation.
awaiting trial. For a couple of years, he are the real defenders and exponents of The demands and the plan for preparaThe convention last June was on the Daily Worker staff, and assisted Communism.
tion of the dress strike to be called this In supporting the Left Opdecided that our orientation must be to in the relief work during the Passaic, Gas position, am only continuing the line of coming February, were adopted by the shop wards a general struggle in the various tonia, and New Bedford strikes. Militant revolutionary Marxism adopted when delegates council on October 6, followed branches, separately or a few together, to readers will recall the series of articles joined the Communist Party at its foundaby a meeting of the membership a week be judged by prevailing conditions and on the textile situation he wrote under tion in 1919, the same line defended by later. There is no doubt that the quescirumstances Four months passed and the pen name of Frank Bromley. Comrade Lenin and the real founders of the Intertion of the strike in its entirety must time what was done in the union to raise the Pollack, in past internal Party disputes, national Communist movement.
Instead and again be elaborated upon and discussentiments and inspire the workers for was a supporter of the old Rathenberg of putting ridiculous, Inquisition quessed in a far different manner than it was struggle under its leadership? Those were group. His study of the question since the tions to Communist militants who differ at the delegates council. The discussion months of changes not for the better, but first expulsion for Trotskyism have con with the ruling group, we should raise the certainly did not reflect the importance of the strike issue. On the contrary, there for the worse. Instead of expansion there vinced him, like many others, of the cor demands that the Party must eventually has been a diminution of our forces. Instead rectness of the Opposition standpoint, and adopt: was no desire on the part of the delegates of a further penetration of unorganized the need for its adoption by the Party.
Reinstate Trotsky and the other expelsupporting the official point of view to shops, the Right wing shops, instead of led Bolsheviks their rightful places in open the discussion, which reveals the giving leadership to the workers against the ranks of the Communist International!
very abnormal In your letter of October 9, you ask situation that must be the treason of the Right wing officaldom remedied. Why was there no spontaneous End the campaign of suppression of me three questions which will reply we have narrowed down our base. All for all working class expression in the Com desire on the part of the delegates to the sake of securing unquestioned unanito point by point.
munist movement!
discuss the plans and demands? Why did Question What Is mity. the last thing a labor union should your opinion Stop the false estimation of events the voice of the shop have no desire to about Trotskyism and the Trotzkyite group strive for that have become the order of the day in speak? Because the atmosphere is stifling, The feeling of desperation that the in the United States?
the third period. hostile to any view opposing the official needle trade workers received from the The Trotsky group (Left Opposition. For a real, and not a stupid, bureaudecision and leadership. mechanically last strikes of the cloak and fur workers is conducting a campaign for the reestab cratic struggle against the liquidators of controlled to such an extent that there is has not been wiped out by any constructive lishment of the Leninist line in the Amthe Right wing.
no more place for reason.
and systematic organization work.
erican party as well as in the Communist Unite the Communist movement for an New and undesirable precedents are The needle trade workers are quite International. For that reason agree offensive against the capitalist class!
gaining a foothold in the council. No more aware of the fact that the International with the program of the Communist LeaLong live the international Communist reports, which should properly precede or the Amalgamated will not solve their gue of America (Opposition) and believe the discussion. Just concise minutes as movement! Long live the Union of Socialproblems, will not lead them in struggle for that all party members and Communist ist Soviet Republics!
a matter of record. The reports have been better conditions. But they are also consympathizers should support it. As one SYLVAN POLLACK eliminated so that the manager or as at vinced that the wrong policies and crimwho has been a member of the Communist present, the secretary of the executive cominal neglect of constructive work for our Party since its formation in September 1919 As we go to press, we receive word mittee of the staff should be assured of union has given the of fakers a and who has always actively partici from Chicago that comrade Ida Levin has not making any deviations.
breathing space too long.
pated in the class struggle, have, after been expelled by the Stalinists for her The discussion that take place is inWe see a report in the press that many long and objective study, came to the reali support of the viewpoint of the Left Opvariably centered upon an attack on those hundreds of cloak makers, unemployed furzation that only by supporting the Left position. Expulsion, Ignorance, and terror opposing the official minutes. thereby riers, come to a mass meeting. They come Opposition and adopting its point of view these are the answers the Party leaders undermining the interest of the council to hear the message of the Left wing bewill the international Communist movedelegates. The lack of attendance of the give to the militants who raise questions of cause they have no faith in the of ment regain the strength it had when led principle.
elected delegates has caught the eye even fakers. The cloak and fur workers have by Lenin and Trotsky.
of the official leaders blind as they are to their hope in the Left wing that lead them Question eisting facts and conditions. What in your opinion, is in such great struggles during, and some The demands for the strike and the their line and activities in relation to the plan for preparation was brought down to time after, the Joint Action fight. But all Party and the Comintern? And in relation the council on a string of thin air, comthese workers are out of our ranks organi to the class struggle in general?
zationally and don entrust thefr dally pletely detached from objective and subjecThe Left Opposition, under the leaderstruggles to us only because the Industrial ship of tive conditions existing at present in the Comrade Trotsky internationally Union leadership has made so many bluntrade and the union. There was not even and the Communist League here in the EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT ders, an attempt on the part of the leadership United States has formulated the correct To regain the faith and trust of the policies that must be followed by the Com Nov. 8: The Results of the Elections workers, the Industrial Union must begin munist movement, that is, a return to the MAX SHACHTMAN MAIESTAUHALCON CECILITIETCOIMHE SUNILE real organization work. Every member, program of Lenin. The national socialism regardless of political beliefs, must be that has been substituted for the Leninist Nov. 22: Thirteen Years of the Russian position of the Comintern since Stalin Revolution diate colonization of union members in uburped power, must be ended, together JAMES CANNON MILITANT non union shops colonization and concen with his un Communisu program of socialtration on substantial number of shops ism in one country. Comrade Trotsky Nov. 29: Unemployment and Revolutionary controlled by the Right wing. The outcome ENTERTAINMENT and the other exiled members of the Rusof the strike will also depend on the strenTactics sian party must be reinstated and al MAX SHACHTMAN At Stuyvesant Casino, 9th St. and 2nd Ave. gth of the wedge that we will success in lowed to participate freely in the work of On Saturday, November 15, 1930, P.
driving into the International, shop con the Party in the Soviet Union. The game ferences from organized and unorganized Dec.
rights should be given to the Opposition Prospects for the New Unionism SPEAKER. MUSIC. REFRESHMENTS shops; not fake. spectacular press reports, in the American Party as well in all. JAMES CANNON but well prepared and carefully planned other Communst Parties. The expelled All Inylted. Admission 25 Cents conferences as will raise the spirit of the members of the American Party should be at the Labor Temple workers rather than dampen it.
reinstated and give their aid in the Ameri14th Street and Second Avenue Given by the New York branch of the Preliminary strikes in shops with com can class struggle. With the unemployAll Invited. Admission 25e Communist League.
paratively worse conditions, street meet ment situation becoming more serious and ings, especially in Italian and Spanish the possibility for mass work especially Auspices: New York branch of the ComUTCHARACTURINIZIMINCIATION CONTINUENIUNTIMUN languages. The building up of an active bright, a Communist party united on Lenin munist League of America (Opposition. OPEN FORUM THE MILITANT Vol. III. No. 32 Nov. 15, 1980. Published twice monthly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at26 Third Avenue, New York, Sub scription rate: 00 per year; foreign 50. Five cent per copy. Bundle rates cents per copy. Editorial Board: Martin Abern, James Cannon Max Shachtman. Maur ice Spector, Arne Swabeck. Entered as se cond class mall matter. November 28 1928 at the Post Office at New York, under the act of March 3, 1875 (Total No. 57)