Slogan of the Hour Day The and the Unemployment Problem present moment in England. This is an That the struggle for social important point in their exposure.
presents greater dangers of oppor cu.
All of the above does not prevent the viations goes without saying. The history revolutionary party from shifting the main DISCUSSION ARTICLE part of its efforts to obtaining the shorter of the party efforts in that direction proves working week when objective conditions this conclusively. All of the criticism In the class struggle in general and time for complete domination over the wages are such as to make the greatest gains posthe manner in which that struggle has been particularly in the the major part of the working class. All the history of sible on this field of struggle But since conducted by the party appearing in the of the activity of a revolutionary political the class struggle under capitalism proves the question of unemployed relief or that Militant and that contained in comrade Swaparty should be on the field direct eco this. In America such strikes as the shop part of it we choose to call social insur beck article was correct and of positive nomic struggle; in the factory, work shop men strike 1922, where the Railroads ance is of very great importance for all value. But if it is true that the fight for or in the union every opportunity being spent money like water to defeat the shop time and particularly at this time when the immediate demand of social insurance, seized upon to arouse the fighting spirit of men, are good examples.
because of the sharpness of the projection which is in its very essence a political the working class, to develop its class conSecondly, social insurance and the fight of the unemployed problem before the workstruggle, offers more danger of opportunist sciousness and endeavor to lead the work for it offers the chfef instrument by which ing class and because of the continued large deviations than a struggle that is approached ing class toward political struggle. But the the unemployed and the employed workers number of unemployed we cannot be hasty from a direct economic industrial basen present unemployment situation presents a can be united. If they cannot be united on in shifting the major part of our efforts it is also true that danger is greater in particular phase of the class struggle. Morethis basis they cannot be united at all. over to the struggle for a shorter working any struggle that is political from its very over the present unemployment situation has Third: granted that the six hour day week. Also it must be answered from a beginning. Moreover it is also true that the its own peculiarities, coming as it does afcould be obtained at once (which it can general standpoint that the emphasis restruggle that begins from a direct economic ter a long period of unheard of prosperity not even at this time it cannot be proved mains on the struggle for social Insurance industrial base meets with this same dan(eight years almost, if minor fluctuations that this would provide jobs for all the when considering the question of unemger the moment It reaches the stage where are disregarded. Second, while the jobless and even if it would it would be ployment as a special phase of the class it is elevated to a political level. might temporarily solve its crisis to a only a question of a very short period be struggle. And finally, just as the proper It has been emphasized numerous times eertain extent, considering the present world fore the situation would be the same as at tactics in the struggle for unemployed inthat all along the line we must constantly conditions one cannot by the widest stretch present, due to rationalization, new mach surance should be conducted in such a way stress and point out to the wroking class of imagination anticipate another eight inery and the law of surplus value. Thus As to prepare the ground for the struggle that no permanent relief from capitalism years of prosperity (such as those precedsocial insurance offers the most permanent for the shorter working week during the chief contradictions can be expected or had ing the present crisis) in the near future.
form of relief (even though it is not com upward curve, must the struggle for the under capitalism. Nothing said above in Allowing for temporary upward swings, it plete in itself) and places the biggest stum shorter working week be conducted in such connection with social insurance contradicts must be noted that the standing permanent bling block in the path of the capitalist away as to prepare the ground for the this in the least. The manner in which the army of unemployed has been increased.
class. Also at some point the social re further advancement of the struggle for struggle is conducted is the all important In other words, the number of jobless even formers are compelled to attempt to lower social Insurance when that struggle again question. JOHN MIHELIC.
in a new period of prosperity will be great or abolish social insurance just as at the becomes the order of the day. To Be Continued)
er than previously. Also the cyclical crises will be more frequent with every reason to expect them to become greater in severity.
Such are the present conditions of the unemployment situation which have injected At the beginning of the present crisis, equilibrium, produces crises, and mass un by the proletarian revolution. apparently the question of unemployment into the the saw no need of spending much employment.
it no longer knows this elementary truth.
arena of the class struggle in the sharpest energy upon the unemployment problem. Even if we were to obtain shorter hours As for a program, picket lines do not conform. The capitalist class endeavors by Now, having obtained a late start, they are and bigger pay from the capitalists we would stitute one. They are the tactics to carry use of every conceivable method, govern presenting as their main slogans: The six not have eliminated unemplolyment. One out a program. correct one must resolve mental, economic, etc. to place the entire hour day and five day week and Bread leaflet says: Unemployment can be cured around the slogan for the six hour day and burden upon the working class. The work lines or picket lines. Leaflets, stickers by small hours and big pay. The only five day week without wage reductions ing class, even sometimes against its will, and meetings are being pushed everywhere cure for unemployment is the overthrow of Organizationally, the have is compelled to resist in self defense and in the country that they can rally forces. the capitalist system.
out Stalinized the Stalinists by organizing sometimes to take the offensive. Thus the While their program has a certain positive The way the official party is fighting an Unemployed Workers Industrial Union whole question of unemployment, regard side, it is far exceeded by its negative fea for unemployment insurance must be cri. with membership cards. The party less of whether or not the working class is tures, which we point out not for the sake ticized as a mixture parliamentary op formed unemployment councils and tied class conscious enough to realize it or not, of abstract criticism alone but because they portunism and adventurism. But to swing them to the determining in is elevated to the position of a political are so characteristic of the sectarian futil to the other extreme and say that a fight advance a narrow basis for the unemployed struggle.
ity to which the once vigorous organization for unemployment insurance is wrong is movement which must be made up of workThough the Communist movement, conhas been condemned.
equally false. By leaving this field to the ers with varying ideologies who will follow In their reaction against purely parliasidering its program of action, places the reformists, opportunists and labor fakers, revolutionary leadership only on the basis emphasis on the direct economic strugmentary activity as against revolutionary we allow them to corrall large masses of of the most elementary issue. By seeking political action which the Stalinist bureau workers by having them appear as the only to confine the unemplolyment movementgle, in considering the question of unemdefenders of their immediate interests and and in the form of a union, at that strictly crats have understood so poorly the ployment must be dealt with as a partineeds. have swung in the opposite direction and as a tail to the sect which the cular phase of the class struggle. The In the leaflet: Bread lines or picket are narrowing the possibilities for develis today, to reject in practise the need of struggle for working class relief is carried lines. we read: Such is our program to the united front, is to commit, on a smaller on from two angles or avenues.
opment by the lack of a correct analysis But each are and program. Their poverty in Marxism, abolish unemployment and such its scale, the same blunder as the official party is incomplete without the other. The purto which they acknowledge a formal ad consequences. The once knew leadership pose of both is to place the burden of unherence at times, is shown by their explana that unemployment could only be abolished HUGO OEHLER.
employment upon the backs of the capital class and thus strengthen the hand of tion of the cause of unemployment. In one ne working class and at the same time leaflet they say: Unemployment is caused weaken the capitalist class. Also to make by long hours and short wages. In anit possible to unite the unemployed workers other, they say that culminative (organic From reliable sources we learn: The Left Opposition, which advanced with the employed this further strengthenor permanent) unemployment has been At the last meeting of the New York this proposal some time ago, can only greet ing the working class and weakening the added because of the industrialization of party fraction of workers in the fur in its adoption by the party fraction as a the backward countries and the increased capitalist class.
dustry, one of the comrades proposed that step forward in the proper direction. It productivity of labor chiefly through autoThe two phases of the struggle for re the policy be adopted to send some for indicates that our point of view, despite the matic machines. Increased productivity lief are of course (1) the fight for social workers still under the influence of the slanders of the party bureaucrats, has not and automatic machinery have undoutbedly Insurance and (2) the struggle for the Left wing into the Right wing international. fallen on deaf ears and is being seriously shorter working week with no reduction of played a big part in the increase of unThis proposal was motivated by the fol considered by the party comrades who study employment, but the socalled industrializapay. In considering the question of unemlowing facts: The Left wing union (N. the relationship of forces objectively and tion of the backward countries flashback ployment as a special problem of the class no longer has anything but a not through bureaucratle spectacles.
In the of the notorious de colonstruggle these two avenues of struggle purely nominal influence in the fur trade It is characteristic that upon learning ization theory does not reflect realities.
are very nearly on the same footing. so far as organizational control is con of the decision, Stachel, one of the recent On the one hand. imperialism glves an imBut speaking from the general angle of the cerned, at the very least. It has only three additions to the staff trade union speunemployed struggle, the emphasis must be petus to the development of industry in the to five shops under contract. The Right cialists in the party, informed the comcolonial countries. on the other, it strives placed on the fight for social insurance for wing union (Kaufman and Co. has suc rades of the fraction that their proposal to keep these countries in subjection and several reasons which be iefly set ceeded in re establishing its control over was not acceptable, at least not completely.
backwardness. This contradiction is one of forth here. From this it follows that the a large part of the trade. It is not true To straighten out the matter so that the the great sources of colonial revolution and treatment in comrade Swabeck article is that the Right wing union a company line may retain its halo of infallibility, inadequate. From the need for supporting them which the general standpoint the union. it is a class collaboration union the fraction is to meet soon with Foster, fails to acknowledge.
placing of the emphasis on the slogan of with reactionary leadership and policies. It Browder and Stachel. We hope the comthe six hour day as in the 17th paragraph But even the development of the hack is the duty of the Left wing to send those rades of the fraction will stand their ground of the article of February is wrong. Also ward countries is still not the determining few workers still under its control into firmly and not be frightened away from it the slogan itesit should be The shorter cause of unemployment. The latter is pro the Right wing union to help build up a by accusations of Trotskyism or the like.
working week with no reduction in pay duced by the whole system of productive re Left wing opposition to Kaufmanism, in Their position is entirely correct, and the instead of the six hour day slogan.
lationships under capitalism, and crises stead of continuing to deceive itself with comrades in the other needle trades fracwhich accompany it are intensified by the the baseless idea that it still has any dir tions would do well to follow suit in adoptAs to the importance of social insurfact that capitalist production has become ect control in the fur trade.
ing the course recommended for the Left ance from the general standpoint of the so intentwined on a world marldet that This proposal, after some discussion, wing in the needle trades by the Left Opunemployment problem, there is and will over production constantly threatens its was adopted by the fraction unanimously. position remain a standing army of unemployed, with no means of support. Capitalism makes no provision for these unless forced STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, Publisher: Communist League of America not only the list of stockholders and securto do so. That is the horrible feature of MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION, ETC. Opposition) 84 East 10th St. New York, it yholders as they appear upon the books kapitalism which arises from the very, naREGUIRED BY THE ACT OF CON of the company also, in cases where ture of capitalist production. The law of GRESS OF AUG. 24, 1912.
Editor. None.
the stockholder or security holder appears surplus value casts up and constantly aug. Of The Militant, published twice a month Managing Editor: Max Shachtman, 84 upon the books of the company as trustee ments this army. The capitalist class seek. at New York, for April 15, 1931. East 10th St.
or in any other fiduciary relation, the name ing to maintain its super profits, seeks to State of New York: Business Manager: Rose Kargner, 84 East of the person or corporation for whom such use this standing army of unemployed County of New York, 10th St. New York City.
trustee is acting, is given: also that the against the employed workers. Social in Before me, a Notary in and for the State That the owner is. Communist League said two paragraphs contain statements surance while not offering complete and and county aforesaid personally appeared of America (Opposition. 84 East 10th St. mbracing aftlant full knowledge and belief permanent relief under capitalism places Max Shachtman, who, having been duly Martin Abern, 84 East 10th St. as to the circumstances and conditions unthe chief stumbling block in the path of sworn according to law, deposes and says Cannon, 84 East 10th St. der which stockholders and security holders the designs of the capitalist class. This is that he is the Managing Editor of the Max Shachtman, 84 East 10th St. who do not appear upon the books of the the most important explanation of their Militant and that the following is, to the Maurice Spector, 84 East 10th St. company as trustees, hold stocks and securhostility toward it. Not a small proportion best of his knowledge and belief, a true Arne Swabeck, 84 East 10th St. ities; and this affiant has no reason to beof the ravings of the English bourgeoisie statement of the ownership, management, lieve that any other person, association, or against the dole system comes from their etc. of the aforesaid publication for the That the known bondholders, mort corporation has any interest direct or indifficulty to get blacklegs for strikebreaking date shown in the above caption, required gages, and other security holders owing or directs in the said stock, bonds, or other purposes which makes it difficullt to lower by the Act of August 24, 1912, embodied holding per cent or more of total amount secturies than as so stated by him.
wages in order to compete in the world in section 411, Postal Laws and Regulations, of bonds, mortgages, or other secturies are: Max Shachtman, Managing Editor.
arena of capitalism. The amount of dollars printed on the reverse of this form, to wit: None.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th or pounds paid out for the dole is by far That the names and addresses of the That the two paragraphs next above, day of March 1931.
not their chlet worry. They would glad publisher, editor, managing editor and busi giving the names of the owners, stock holdGeo. Lorch, Notary Public.
pay out twice that amount any ness managers are: ers, and security holders, if any, contain (My Commission expires March 30, 1931. Step Forward