ITORIAL NOTES tures and held no conversations with ished lately with cooked up disclosures abou Lovestone. And that is not because we re overtures and conversations in the sumject the idea of talking to political op mer of 1930 is a third. All the rest folponents, but because to the leaders of this low the same pattern.
petry bourgeois faction we have nothing more to say. The last conversation we held with them was at the Plenum in the JANGEROUS SITUATION darity is mritten in the spirit of the editor, THE OPPOSITIONISTS AT THE latter part of 1928 when our expulsion from John Gaban a petty bourgeois phrase MAY DAY CONFERENCE the party was confirmed. What we said The unfortunate results of the dress monger of the Sandgren stripe and that on that occasion was printed in the Mufstrike were guaranteed in advance by the is to say it is written from a reactionary The delegates to the May Day Contant, and our remarks were addressed policy of the leadership and were easy to ference from the New York branch of the standpoint. It begins, in the heading, with already foresee. The Left wing union, equally to them and to the Fosterites who a reference to Trotsky the author of Communist League gave a practical demonstood united with them the same re segregated in respect of shop organization, the Kronstadt massacre and implies there tration of the actual policy of the Opposito a small corner of the industry. did not actionary plaltform. We did not have to by a solidarity with the ill fated attempt invent that alliance. It was open and Lion. It was not lost on the Communist cceed in appreciably widening the area at counter revolutionary overthrow enginworkers present; of this we may be sure.
public and all the world could see it. And its control. few hundred workerseered in 2921 through the medium of the it didn happen by accident. It is to cover The action of representatives of the Opposte or less added to the union rolls out Kronstadt sailors. And this implication tion, in disregarding all provocation and up the fact of this alliance that Foster conhe tens of thousands in the trade cangoes over to direct expression of the idea breaking through the bureaucratic barriers cocts the fiction of the bloc of the Right represented to anybody as a victory.
in the statement, the dictatorship of the and the Left and invents conversations to speak directly to the rank and file for ven these slight gains in membership solidarity. is one to be proud of and to we have no reason to dispute are proletariat. which is an instrument of opto support it. Or is there also another set up as a model for Oppositionist conpression.
ian counter balanced by the loss of reason? All signs indicate the reconstituduct. This is the way to carry our ideas wing prestige which derives inevitably The reviewer protests against our re tion of the bloc of the Right and the Center deeper into the party.
a the whole miserable affair.
ference, in the introduction to the pamph in the Russian party. Is the article of let, to the denegeration which has taken March 17th a part of the camouflage to Our policy is the policy of united front Under the blows of the united reaction place in the leading circles of the conceal the preparations for it in America. with the party. Several hundred Communon the one side, and of criminal misleadersince the war. But how could degeneration, Ist workers, assembled at the May Day ConIf the latter is the case and the 28ship on the other, the Left wing in the from a proletarian and revolutionary point ference saw it exemplified there in deed ne le trades itself today in an exBumption is not without foundation they and heard it expounded in the speeches of of view, be more forcibly expressed and critical position. The spiritless tremely are proceeding with it in a characteristic demonstrated than by such an attitude our delegates. Let the Stalinist disrupters manner. The Centrist bueraucracy reflects muuta wati which the most loyal militants toward the Russian revolution? or the of the workers vanguard slander and misthe went through the strike in which they had pressure of alien classes upon the two great camps into which the world was represent us all they want. If we keep our movement of the revolutionary proletariat.
no faith, the lost confidence of the masses divided, and remains divided, by the BolsheAs such it stands in contradiction to the own line straight, and if we find enough which the strike figures tell with cruel emvik revolution those who are for it and historie interests of the movement and its comrades who can represent it as faithphasis. are stern warnings of a dangerous those who are against it the reviewer fully as our May Day Conference delegates existence depends upon systematic decepsituation; a situation which has within it takes his place with the latter. And it is did, our slogans and ideas will make their tion. Driven by an uncontrollable impulse, the possibilities of a real catastrophe.
not simply a question of some other counway into the minds and hearts of the conIn that treacherous manner which 19 they must and they do lie automatically, try in which narrow minded philistines scious proletarians.
ag a man afflicted with the tic must twitch characteristic of all opportunists, Lovestone profess a lack of interest. We have here the muscles of his face. friendly reception was accorded to Zimmerman are seizing the occasion to gow only an advance notice of how the logie our delegates by the workers present, de The struggle for existence also in pol.
panle and demoralization in the left wing of false conception will work out at home.
spite the atempts to incite a lynching spirit ities sets its conditions for all forms of ranks. They are coming out in the open It should not be lost on those who still against them. Applause, even greeted their now with their program for liquidation life. The bureaucrats of Centrism could retain the idea of a workers revolution in exposition of our policy. These are signs of the struggle of the Left wing union.
not live politically without saying one thing America of the times. Do they not indicate the beand doing another. And they follow this They are trying to set into motion a wild The outspoken opponents of Communginning of a break in the wall between the stampede back into the camp of Schlesinger.
ism and the Stalinist bureaucrats who discourse with an increasing ease and proOpposition and the party ranks?
We warn the Left wing workers against ficiency as the contradictions and difficulties tort its meaning and soil its banner have The results of this incident confirm this panic propaganda. And in doing so of their position multiply. An example is some things in common, despite the noisy once more the rightness of our attitude towe have no need to conceal the desperate the recently proclaimed campaign agalnet and indecent brawl which passes for the position of the Industrial Union. That 18 exaggeration. which was immediately telward the party from which opportunists intellectual struggle between them. Gaand middle heads have tried and still try incontestable. Nor can we doubt that on lowed ag was to be expected by a verit han and Co. agree with Foster, Inc. that a to divert us.
able flood of bigger and better lies, chiefly Every new experience proves its present course the Industrial Union is club over the skull is more effective than an over again that those who want to turn moving, with accelerated speed, toward against the Opposition. How could it be idea directed to the brain. And in this reotherwise? For what purpose would they the course of the Opposition away from liquidation in fact, if not by formal deciview they take another leaf from the Fosthe party, who complain about being sion. We must recognize that the Left wing promise truth except to make falsehood ter book and allow themselves just a litunion stands now at a point where the odds tail to the party. do not speak our lantle misrepresentation.
appear more credible?
They accuse the are unquestionably against it. The weight guage and are not going our way.
writer of the introduction Communism It is quite obvious that moral indignaof the combined reaction presses down We are with the party, and no one can and Syndicalism of saying, The party is tion is without avall in such a situation.
heavily upon it, and the leadership of the tear us away from it. But to be with the the unified minority group of intellectuals We are confronted here with social and bureaucratic incompetents supports the reparty in the revolutionary, and not merely political phenomena which must be to guide, advise and lead the trade unions.
action, from the Left But the issue has No, we never said that because we don praised objectively and scientifically, In in the forn. al sense, means to be against the not yet come to the decisive settlement. The Centrist bureaucrats, who corrupt and misthink that. We believe with Mary and the interests of the proletarian movement time has not arrived to haul down the educate it, with an irreconcilability that Lenin that the party is the vanguard of the we explain and also refute the lies of the we banner of the Industrial Union. That cry grows harder and more relentless bureaucrats.
proletariat, the organization of the classBut we cannot and we do is the cry of panic stricken traitors.
draw nearer to the workers in the ranks.
conscious and revolutionary workingmen.
not promise to refute them all. The volTwo or three thousand members organOur delegates to the May Day Conference We do not think of the party as a speume is too great for a semi monthly paper ized in the Industrial Union, surrounded acted in this spirit and thereby advanced cial body of intellectuals. This idea is to cope with. One cannot bring down our cause another step forward.
yet in spite of all by the warm sympathy flock of quail with a rifle.
falsely imputed to us by the pseudo intelof tens thousands of workers in the In lectuals of anarcho syndicalism. The whole The best we can do is to single out dustry, represent a power out of all pro MAY DAY MEETING IN CLEVELAND argument against a proletarian party rests and refute some of the characteristic inportion to the numerical relation. What on this shaky foundation, Migrepresenta stances this game of falsification, enough Comrade John Brahtin will speak at they need is a correct policy and a leader tion of the issue and an appeal to prejudice to expose the whole system. In spite of the May Day affair of the German Workers ship worthy of the name. The need to put are the sole weapons of the bankrupt leadall limitations the International Opposition Educational Society at 4308 Franklin their own house in order. If they will do ers of reactionary syndicalism, of Gahan has managed to do this. The notorious Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio, on May 2nd, this in time, and only on that condition, and similars.
affair of the Wrangel officer was such a at 7:30 Other speakers will also they can yet regain the lost positions and It is a miserable armament and canease The alliance with Coolidge and the address the assembly on the significance of conquer new ones. Let the liquidators of not stand a real contest. What is needed Austrian Government was another. The the international workingmen hoiiday. All the Lovestone camp desert the ship which for such a contest is simply an able pre bloc of the Right and the Left. embell are invited.
they think is sinking. The task of the day sentation of the Marxist position. Comrade for the revolutionary fighters is to fix the Troteky has made this presentation, from leaks and keep it afloat.
all sides and with incomparable clarity and WORKS BY LEON TROTSKY logic. in his pamphlet, Communism and Syndicalism. It will make its way. COMMUNISM AND SYNDICALISM The new pamphlet, Communism and LYING AS POLITICAL SYSTEM THE DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL Syndicalism. seems to have hit its mark. Criticism of Fundamentals Introduction by James Cannon It has already gained a fairly wide distriAn article in the Daily Worker of Price 35c 140 pages, hard paper cover In bundles 25c bution and has enriched the life of the radi March 17th contains the statement that, cal labor movement with a fresh and ani in the summer of 1930, the opposition made THE STRATEGY OF THE WORLD REVOLUTION mated discussion of fundamental questions Overtures to the Lovestoneltes on the basis Introduction by Max Shachtman of principle. Industrial Solidarity, the of of work within the Muste movemezt and Price 250 96 pages, color paper cover In bundles 18C ficial organ of the devotes four against the Communist party. At the outTURN IN THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL AND THE columns in its April issue to a review of set it will be seen that there le something GERMAN SITUATION the pamphlet. And this fact alone bears wrong here. We have been toid often Price 100 32 pages, paper cover In bundles Tc eloquent testimony to the profound interest and so long ago about the unity of the op which comrade Trotsky masterful presenWORLD UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE FIVE YEAR PLAN position with the Right wing, that the tation of the Marxist position on the trade Introduction by Arne Swabeck allegation now of mere overtures for such Price 10c In bundles Tc union question has aroused within the ranks 32 pages, paper cover a bloc, and only in the summer of 1930 at of the syndicalistic workers.
that, comes like an anti climax. The first THE SPANISH REVOLUTION Price 10c 32 The Stalin faction in charge of the of rule for people who bear false witness 18 pages, paper cover In bundles Tc ncial party has been attempting to settle that all must tell the same story. The Stal.
COMMUNISM AND SYNIDICALISM (The Trade Union Question)
the dispute between syndicalism and Com inist Hessians of the Pen, who are in the Introduction by James Cannon Price 15c munism in the gutter of gang fights. In business, ought to remember that in the 64 pages, paper cover In bundles 10c this they have only succeeded in compromis future.
Soon to appear ing Communism and playing the game of However, this discrepancy is bridged THE PERMANENT REVOLUTION the reactionary elements at the head of the over by some brand new testimony which Introduction by Max Shachtman whose position depends on an reveals detalls of the great conspiracy cloth bound book atmosphere of confusion, prejudice and un just discovered by the Foster In reasoning hostility. The publication of the the summer of 1930, they say, conversaWe also can supply books of other publishers.
new pamphlet has served to elevate the tions were held between Cannon and Love On Hand SINCE LENIN DIED by Max Eastman 158 pages question again to leological stone. The purpose of these parleys was paper cover 50c cloth cover 00 struggle. the plane upon which Marx to work out a common base of struggle. In MY LIFE by Leon Trotsky.
fought Bakunin, and Lenin fagh the Eco this statement there is no truth whatever, Price 00 nomists. The Opposition monstrates in and no semblance of truth. It is a lie made KLORKEIT official Jewish organof the French Opposition. 10c this question also that it the real hetr out of the whole cloth in order to bolster In bundles 7c of the great teachers.
up a position which has been politically Russian Bulletin organ of the Russian Opposition.
250 The unsigned review in Industrial Soli exploded. The Opposition made no overIn bundles 18C FOR YOUR LIBRARY THE MILITANT, Vol. IV No. 8, April 15, 1931. Published twice monthly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at 84 East 10th St. New York, Sub ecription rate: 00 per year; foreign 50. Five cents per copy. Bun rates cents per copy. Editorial Board. Martin Abern, James Cannon, Mex Shachtman, Maur Ice Spector. Arpe eck. Entered as second class mall matte 1929 at the Post Office at New York, under the act of March 1870 (Total