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The Trial of the Russian of the Russian Mensheviks The Illinois Miners Convention re What about u.
miners are streaming en mas THE REAL DISPOSITION OF THE FIGURES ON THE POLITICAL SCENE Secondly, at the convention to which the miners should not send delegates, acThe connection of the Mensheviks with By LEON TROTSKY ods of struggle of the Menshevike ngainst cording to the the miners should the wreckers on the one hand and with the the Soviet power. The Lureau drew closer take charge of their movement not their s, imperialist bourgeoisle on the other, is not of both processes coincide completely. At in this work to the countei revolutionary Foster; it is the movement of pure and something unexpected. The discovery of the very moment when the Stalinist burspecialists and the emigrant heurgeois.
simple social fascism) themselves. They this connection, irrefutably confirmed by the eaucracy, out of fear of the Opposition THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL LINES should elect a rank and file committee to which was submitted to pogroms but not avowals of the members of the Menshevik There exist only two firm and serious head the organization What organization center, has, however, a great demonstrative vanquished, saw itself obliged to make an Ines: the line of the imperialist bourgeoisie. the or a new union. significance because it proves in a particuabrupt turn to the Left the Mensheviks and the line of the revolutionary proletariat.
rallied around the banner of the struggle Thirdly, the miners of the Illinois larly striking manner that a policy, in spite Menshevism is the democratic mask of the convention (again: to which the miners of all the democratic absthactions with for the overturn of the Soviet régime.
first line. Stalinism is the Centrist deformust send no delegates. should then devewhich one wants to cover it, is inevitably The indictment in the affair of the mation of the second. In the heat of the lop a united front with the National Miners the Alled with a class content and embodies the sabotaging specialists established on struggle against the consistent revolutionUnion. Such a united front, based upon interests of this class. One cannot go to basis of the dispositions of the accused ary proletarian faction, the Centrists found the elementary demands of miners wards pure democracy without going to that, during the period between 1923 1928, themselves in a bloc, not formal but all the would lead to a real solidification of the wards capitalism. One cannot go towards the essential work of the sabotaging en more efficacious, with the Mensheviks; thus, workers ranks and lay the basis for efcapitalism without becoming the agent of gineers in the State Planning Commission, unconsciously, the Centrists did what the fective struggle.
the imperialist bourgeoisie. By its class in the and in the other direct Mensheviks did consciously, that is, they content, the role of the Mensheviks in the ing economic centers, consisted of artificial realized the tasks of the capitalist general But that is precisely what the Left is in no way distinguished from ly slowing down the rhythms of industrial staff abroad. Beginning with the moment Opposition proposed over a year ago at the time of the Fishwick Lewis split! And the role of the Labor party in Great Brl ization and collectivization. It is precisely when the Centrists, under the pressure cf tain, of the social democrats in Germany. upon the basis of the technical and econoeven more to the point: that is just what the Left Opposition, leaned abruptly to the The form and the methods are different, the mie data of Ramzin and Osatchi on the Left early in 1928 the Mensheviks made we proposed weeks ago, when the revolt was at its inception and when the party essence is the same. The struggle against an abrupt turn in the spirit of an open one hand, and of Groman, of Ginsburg and the social democracy is a struggle against of Sokolovsky on the other, that the Central deliberately ignored it, thinking to solve bloc with the world bourgeoisie. That is the democratic wing of socialism.
Committee conducted a furious attack upon the need of a policy towards it by the the real and incontestable disposition of the the super industrializers for the defense principal figures on the political scene.
artifice of suppressing all news of the move There is, however, in the trial of the ment in the columns of its press! Again, Mensheviks a circumstance which may apof the pseudo Leninist line. As to the The Ramzins, the Osatchis, as well as rhythms of industrialization, the principal it must be asked of Foster and all the pear secondary at first sight or even egthe Mensheviks, have confessed. The quesdefendant, Ramzin, declared: The princi tion of knowing to what extent these conother Hathaways, what happens to the more cape our attention but which in reality pal organs which decided these questions ſessions are sincere is not of great inter simple demand made by the Illinois clarifies in a harsh light the political diswere entirely in the hands of the Industrial est to us. It is, however, beyond doubt that that the miners join their organization position of the figures on the scene. All party. The Mensheviks only served the outright, without the bothersome united the accused are of an age varying from 45 the next trial will reveal the transgres front business?
industrial center abroad. In his struggle to 56 years; only two. the youngest of them, sions of the sabotagers guilty of the disagainst the Opposition, Stalin was only the are 39 and 41 years old. We find before us ordered acceleration of disproportionate Foster concludes his article with the representatives of the elder generation of loud speaker of the two parties: of the rhythms in the complete collectivization, in significant remark: In Illinois the Menshevik party and of the Industrial the Mensheviks, of the founders of Menthe administrative de kulakization; made many serious mistakes during the the party.
strike of a year and a half ago.
shevism, of its theoretical and practical trial will show that if the Menshevik ecoHere Beginning with 1928, according to the the leaders in the first revolution, in the years is not merely jxaImed off as nomists, in the years 1923 1928 saw, and avawals of Ramzin and the others, the of the reaction, during the war period, in with reason, the path to the bourgeois de pseudonym for all the Fosters, who were the months of the February revolution and legal sabotage, in the form of the artificial generation of the Soviet system in the re primarily responsible for the disastrous slowing down of the rhythms of industrialduring the first years of the Bolshevik ré tardation of industrialization, blunders, just as they are today, but the many of ization, became impossible because of the gime. Yet there is an interruption in their them beginning with 1928, became veritable ground is laid for repeating the disgracepresence in the party which coincides with too abrupt turn of the official policy. It super industrializers so as to prepare, by ful sport of shifting responsibility (a few was at this very moment that the Menshea certain period of the Soviet régime. All months or weeks hence) for the party leadmeans of economic adventurism, the politivik Bureau of the Union was formed, cal downfall of the dictatorship of the ers confusionism to the shoulders of the the 14 Mensheviks. with one possible exwhich completed an abrupt turn in the methception, broke their connections with the proletariat.
rank and file in Illinois.
Menshevik party for a number of years The Left Wing Must Act ranging from three to nine, and the majorIn any case, necessary as it is, the ity of them worked in this period in Soviet Left wing dares not wait until the Stalininstitutions on the ba official ist high priests decide which of their many course and not in accordance with the direc(Continued from page 1)
Union policies is right and who is responsible for tions of the Menshevik center. During the sulting the miners, conducted like a putsch Torn between their dislike to adopt this the wrong policy or for the wrong appliperiod which runs from 1923 1924 and 1926on a small scale, and concluded in the miscourse of action mainly because the Left cation of the right policy. It must carry 1927, almost nobody among the accused had erable defeat, to which its whole concep Opposition proposed it, and the pressure on now and strike while the iron is hot.
any connections, not even formal ones, tion doomed it in advance; for the false, which the facts of life exert, the Stalinist The miners of four or five of the most imwith the Menshevik party and with its censectarian course pursued at the time of bureaucracy is solving the problem in portant coal districts are moving ahead proter abroad. The reestablishment of the oflast year miners convention, which the characteristic fashion. That is, it militates gressively, seeking for way out of the ficial Mesherik organization was effected on boycotted against the urgent ap against the possibility of progress by pay. swamp of misery into which the Lewises the initiative of the accused only three years peal of the Left Opposition to see that ing homage to the incoherent philosophy the Fishwicks, the Howats and their saago.
the Left wing was represented there to pre of social fascism. it yields to the com sociates have led them in the past. The vent its unchallenged domination by Fish pulsion of events and our criticism by borWHO ARE THE MENSHEVIK scholarly Messiah of the Muste university wick, Farrington, Germer, Walker, Howat rowing from our proposals; it fuses the are running to the head of the column to DEFENDANTS?
and Co. In discrediting itself and this is two incompatible standpoints and leaves a head off the militant movement, to divert worst of all Stalinism has succeeded also loophole open for the inevitable self critic The first figure in this trial is Groman it along a by path that leads back to the His contact with the Menshevik party, whose in besmirching to a large extent the ban ism. e. the sport of fixing the blame for reactionary swamp. The big Stalinist artner of Communism and the cause of the most prominent economist he was, was the defeat prepared by the Fosters, Bed ists at sleight of hand are jerking rabbits broken in 1922, that is, at the time when, Left wing as a whole.
achts and Browders upon the shoulders of of all colors out of the bag. They stand with Lenin ill and turned away little by Heavily and disastrously as the past the lower functionaries and the ranks. now on one foot, now on the other. The weighs upon the Left wing, it is yet possilittle from the work, the preparations were True, such a course, or multiplicity of Left Opposition, through its militants like ble to repair the evil done, providing that begun in the apparatus for a whispered, but courses, does not add to the clarity that is Joe Angelo and others, is exerting every a new course is charted and helmsmen put intensive struggle against Trotskyism.
so essential: it only makes confusion worse effort to help the miners movement find its at the wheel who know their business and Groman returned to the ranks of the Menconfounded and reveals the thorough bank way. It is attempting to rally again the are imbued with an awareness of their re sheviks in 1926. Ginsburg, after having Left wing and Communist fighters in the ruptcy of the Stalinist statesmen.
sponsibilities in the movement. The miners inspired the All Union Council of National mine fields who once constituted such a Economy for a number of years, returned who represent the best and most consistent Confusion Instead of Policy powerful factor in the progress of the to the ranks of the Mensheviks after an of the Communists among the miners, Left In the Daily Worker of April 14, the miners.
Oppositionists and Left wing militants like whole movement is dismissed as nothing Interlude of six years in 1927, just like the Joe Angelo, Gerry Allard, John Watt, Ed more nor less than this: We shall have in The St. Louis conference, regardless of other pillar of the SokolovMorgan and others, are fighting to reestab.
the mining industry Pure and simple its size at the moment, can be made a point sky. The others came back in 1918, some social fascism.
lish the strength and prestige once enjoyed of departure for a new epoch of advance, only in 1929. The Bureau of the Union. by our movement in Southern Illinois. And In Illinois itself. the National Miners not only for the miners but for the Amerithat is, the Central Committee of the Men in the face of their activities, the Muste Union of the Illinois District, whose strength can labor movement as a whole. Blunders sheviks in Russia, was finally constituted, straddlers, running true to form, are trying begins and ends with its post office box now will porve trebly disastrous. Cowardice according to the indictment, at the beginto put every obstacle in the path of the ning of 1928. The significance of this date address, has issued a leaflet which repeats of self constituted leaders, indecision, the will stand out before us in all its clarity real Left wing militants. You men are the same radically blundering policy which policy of trafficking with the interests of too red. You ll get the movement in bad. the official party pursued last year: to the coal miners, more than ever conby quoting the following passage from the That is how the Musteites approach the boycott the new movement, to boycott the demnable. The miner: marching, and Indictment: The evolution from the posiactivities of the Communists whom they St. Louis conference, and to substitute acthe Left wing must march loyaily with them, tions of peace in 1924 to the positions of fear only less than they fear to arouse any armed insurrection within the country and tivity in this movement with a bare, un assisting them in every way, clearing the fundamental conflict with the labor bureauarmed intervention from without is the evoheeded call to the miners to join the rout for them, giving them courage and cracy whose come ons they are.
lution of the Menshevik social democracy Do not rond delegates to Howat foresight. and investing their movement convention April 15! it writes with double The active presence of the Musteites, with vitality and resoluteness. If the adduring the period from 1924 to 1930.
before, during and after the St. Louis con emphasis. Organize locals in vanced Left wing militants tread this road Now all is clear. It is precisely during vention demands an ever increasing attenevery mine.
they will find themselves supported not the years when the Stalinist bureaucracy tiveness on the part of the Left wing workThen, to raise the confusion to unonly by those who in the past have fought conducted an ever more armed struggle ers. The latter must be in the forefront with the revolutionary wing, not only hy touched peaks. Foster himself proceeds to against the Left Opposition that the Menthe Communist miners active in the move to prevent a repetition of the black year lay down the laws and to select in advance sheviks disarmed, or broke finally with their when the progressives raised such vain the scapegoats who are destined to be selfment today, but also by the bulk of the party, considering that what was necessary miners as a whole.
hopes in Fishwick diplomatic maneuver criticized for the disaster. Writing in the would happen without them, or else occupied and helped him to betray the miners. Now Daily Worker of April 9, he goes through themselves with peaceful politics, with cabmore than ever is a correct policy the im the obligatory ritual of denouncing Watt, INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN No. OUT!
inet polities which also served as a foundaperative need in the situation. Such a Angelo and their handful of Trotskyists The second number of the International tion for their hopes in the bourgeois evolupolicy has been advanced by the Left Op.
working under the leadership (so. of Bulletin, containing two programmatic artition of the Bolsheviks. The pogrom against position. We elaborated it in our last is Muste. in order to cover up the mortifying cles by comrade Trotsky, a whole section the Left Opposition was the preliminary sue, and proposed to the party and the fact that a few paragraphs later he is com on the development of the Communist morecondition for the conciliation of the MenLeft wing to adopt it. In a few words it pelled to repudiate (not by name, of course, ent Greece and the advance of the Left sheviks with the Stalinist régime. This is was this: the miners have begun to revolt at least not as yet) the Illinois party memOpposition in that country, important inforthe principal fact registered drily but preagainst their treacherous leaders of yes bers, and to borrow planks from the promation on new developments in Bulgaria cisely in the indictment of February 23, terday; the pseudo prorgessives are seek gram the same confounded Trotskyltes and Hungary and a highly interesting dis1931.
ing to capitalize the situation; the Left (again not by name. He continues. cussion article on the Belgian Opposition, When did Stalin course to the Left wing must penetrate the movement and The course that the miners should take is ready for sale. Every comrade should begin? On February 15, 1928, when it was guide it properly, towards the end of con at the Illinois convention (but the avail himself or herself of the possibility for the first time decreed openly in the solidating the miners on a national scale leaflet a few days before said. Do not send to become acquainted with the problems of leader of Pravda. The Bureau of the Un into a powerful class struggle union, em delegates to Howat convention. is clear.
the Internaitonal Opposition. Send your ion was definitely formed, as we know, at bodying the new militant forces and those First of all they should clean out Howat and orders in time. Make sure everyone gets the beginning of 1928. The political turns grouped in and about the National Miners his gang. The miners must repudiate a copy.