vi gauızalivu noves. PHILALELPHIA. Our comrades, Morgenstern and Goodman, who were indicted for sedition, may soon have to stand trial.
Sereral revolutionary workers have already received variyng prison sentences in Philadelphia under the Flynn sedition laws. The International Labor Defense, which, after much pressure from workers in various parts of the country, made a half hearted promise some time ago that it would furnish legal aid, is now even failing in this respect.
With the trial pending and possibly being called sooner than expected, no agree.
ments whatever have been made by the to furnish attorneys. Naturally, comrades Morgenstern and Goodman are not satisfied with purely legal aid, that is, merely the hiring of an attorney, the Left Opposition is not satisfied with this, the working class cannot remain satisfied with this. These two comrades charged with sedition are indicted as revolutionists and must be accorded the defense as revolutionists. Our Philadelphia branch, in view of the failure of the has found itself compeller to proceed independently to organize the defense for the two comrades and to call upon the workers organizations to form a united front to fight the sedition laws. All possible efforts will still be made by our Philadelphia branch to give the the opportunity and to make it assume the duty it should assume in a workers united front for de fense of the clas war prisoners.
NEW YORK Our branch in the headquarter city has maintained a splendid lead in contributions made to the Program of Expansion. It is therefore not too much to say that the actual establishment of the Milltant on a weekly basis will to a considerable extent also be due to the efforts of the New York branch membership. At least that much we feel we can say surely for the future prospects.
The main reason for this prediction is the action taken by the branch at its last regular business meeting. First, it divided itself into two teams which will enter into competition in securing the most subscriptions for the Militant. Secondly, it took up the re establishment of the sustaining fund which comrades make their regularly weekly contributions on the basis of a renewed pledge. The branch member ship has already learned the important lesson that in such organizational activities coordination brings the best results. The comrades going around to solicit subs also carry with them an ample supply of literature and in general urge the workers to not only become subscribers but also regular supporters of the Left Opposition.
With the beginning of the month of May. the New York branch concluded its regular weekly forum which had been held very successfully throughout the winter.
Now it is conducting regular street meetings. Just as the Militant goes to press, the final arrangements are being made for the first meeting in New York on the events of the Spanish revolution, with comrade Slachtman as the speaker.
BOSTON Big arrangements are being made by our Boston branch for the lecture to be given by comrade Cannon in that city on umday, June at 2:30 at Belmont Hall. 150 Humboldt Ive. Roxbury.
The subject will be Problems of the American Revolution. The fact that all of our comrades there are very active in various workers organizations and have cained good contacts by their splendid record in several strike meetings. The branch has become lately one of our most effective units in distribution of literature.
With the first step of our Expansion Program realized that is, the establishment of the Pioneer Publishers and its first book, the Permanent Revolution ready for sale we are now striding rapidly forward to the second step. Our readers have already noticed the announcement of the plan to establish the weekly Militant. In this step we are even a good deal ahead. In our original plan we conceived of its possibility only after the collection of contributions amounting to 1500. It has now become certain with an even less amount, that is, with total of 1000 actually collected.
The date for the appearance of the first weekly issue is set as July First. But it does depend on the actual sum of one thousand dollars being collected by that date While the national office is taking these steps and endeavoring to keep a little bit ahead of the program, our branches should take good care not to lay behind. An ac tual comparison of the sums collected by the various branches to date will be the best means for each one to estimate whether or not they have reached expectations.
We do believe that in making such a check, several branches will find that they are still behind and will have to speed up immensely to be in time to do their share before July first, and from then on up to the completion of the program. The first point of importance is to finish the collec tion of the pledges made by the various comrades and to forward the names to the national office when each pledge is completed so that we can properly make out the certificates. Secondly, to organize systematically the approach to sympathetic workers and get them interested in participating in the realization of the program.
Thirdly, the appearance of the weekly Mulltant at a date earlier than expected should become a spur to renewed pledges. But remember that these payments should be met before July first.
Following are the contributions to the Expansion Program: 2, 000 1, 750 uuce Check this, Owerwin Luone party mem IVuitant Juo Drive ers who might be won for the fight against the party Centrists, will rightly distrust ONLY ONE MONTH LEFT FOR the Opposition and be thrown into the SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE hands of Pollitt and Co.
The total of new subscriptions, trials The Secretariat must lay down very and renewals for the Militant, to date is definite instructions dealing with the fol 128. This registers a big improvement over lowing questions: the last report. To reach our goal. how1. When may Opposition groups be ever, the branches will have to concentrate organized. their efforts on this drive for the next four Who may be members of such weeks and double their activities along groups?
these lines. The organizational attitude of the The New York branch reports a declOpposition groups to non members. sion to gather 100 by July First. This is The Secretariat must make absolutely not too much of an undertaking considering clear that the task of the Opposition is to its large membership and the fact that organize the opposition to the Centrists comrade Goldberg in St. Louis was able within the party. Where the Opposition is to gather 19 new subscriptions all by him legal (in a party sense) its only task is sele.
this. That, is, its other tasks are normal Thus far, the Chicago branch still leads tasks of a party memler.
in the drive. Minneapolis comes second DAVID DAVIS. ad comrade Goldberg and the Sew York branch follow.
THE MOVEMENT IN LOS ANGELES From Brooklyn we received two subLOS ANGELESscriptions from one of our sympathizers While in Los Angeles, got in touch stating that he is working to earn the with our compade Boisnert. Despite his bound volume of The Militant.
The prizes to be awarded will be as isol: ion, he has gathered around him a splendid proletarian group known as the follows: To the branch coming in highest Machinist Club. The club consists of about by July 1st, a copy of My Life. To the 30 members, is open for workers to branch coming in second highest, a bound volume of The Militant and an enlarged rejoin and holds an open forum each week besides its regular meeting. The element production of Trotsky photograph to the branch coming in third.
is of course a raw one as far as its theoretical understanding is concerned, but it Rush your subs! Increase the circulation of the Militant. Assure the return is permeated with a healthy class consciof The Militant to a Weekly on ousness which should in the near future sound basis.
bring some organizational value to us.
These workers will listen attentively to any subjeet of working class interest but feel tionist in the proletarian fight against the an absolute hostility towards the official bosses worst forms of persecution and disCommunist party. This hostility came in crimination. They knew that comrade Saul contact with often throughout the country.
Down the working class section of wanted to and could do organizational and agitational work as in a militant rebel. And the party is known the commics in their hearts they were in favor of aeConsidering the location and organizational cepting comrade Saul as a member. Some influence of the party, which from my ob of them referred to a she bureaucrat who servation is almost negligible believe we said, Saul must join the party first. She could have a healthier and more influential meant the Centrist faction in control of base than that of the party if two or three the party, for Saul is a member of the Left comrades could come to the assistance of faction of the party and is, as he has been comrade Boisnert.
for years, a Communist. The party is located, or should rather These comrades stated plainly that say isolated, in the Jewish section of the a higher committee would no doubt town, known as Boyle Heights. From uphold her opir that Saul application there they march down upon the city with be turned down because his political demonstration after demonstration until no affiliation.
one but the police began to take them seriously. In typical Stalinist fashion they so It is in this way that the Centrist burconducted the demonstrations of the third eaucrats seek to isolate many of the tried and able Communist rebels. It is in this period that they find themselves practically underground without any contact or way that they mechanically control the mass organizations and impose sectarian even the sympathy of the working class.
From last reports there, hear that the tactics upon them.
With the revolutionary party is knocking at the back doors of the situation in Civil Liberties Union for assistance.
Spain, the knot of European economic and political forces tightening to the breaking The only tactic open to the party in point, the movement of the oppressed rising is the one adopted by our comrades in Minneapolis, namely: a broad united in the colonies the observant Communists everywhere see more clearly than ever the front for the right of free speech (The validity of the political stand of the Left Communist League branch in Mineapolis is Opposition, which stresses the international working towards creating a broad movement proletarian revolution rather than the utoof all workers organiations to fight against the reactionary attentps to outlaw the rerpian cere of Stalinism (socialism in one country. Because we stand for a real olutionary movement as a prelude to a concerted attack upon the whole labor move.
united front in the defense of the Scottsboro ment. Ed. But such a tactic. the party boy instead of a purely nominal one, and that largely with religious and unreis in no position to carry out since through liable elements, the bureaucrats discrimin that other brilliant slogan of the third period. social fascism, they have alienate in practise against such comrades as Saul, experienced in work among the Necro ated every working class organization in masses and devoted to the cause. It is The only time the police does not bother the this policy of mechanical strangulation that is the party memreduces the auxiliary organizations of the bers get together for their best beloved movement to pure caricatures of a party revolutionary sport banquets. attended two of them in the two weeks was already narrowed down by official sectarianin Ajolly time was had by all ism.
with plenty of collections and empty rev.
olutionary phrases. Just how empty the FROM AN MEMBER hysterical boastings of the party are conld MINNEAPOLIS.
clearly be sen on May First, when the police In the late issue of the Militant (April not only prevented any street demonstra 15) note that what you have to say retion, but occupied the rty premises and garding the Industrial Workers Unemrefused to tllow an indoor meeting. ployed Union. Strangely enough, the party members ac As a member of the for sercept the police terror in as evidence eral years. am rather surprised to read of their revolutionary activity and impor that we are now reactionary! It is true tance. To every criticism of their revolu that the leaflet (breadlines or picket lines)
tionary integrity. they point with pride at does not mention the necessity of disposing the police terror against them. To the of the capitalist system. being as the picket worker in the street, the entire situation line proposition is one to bring about imthere looks like a grudge fight between the mediate demands.
party and the police.
We know that as long is capitalism MAX GELDMAN.
exists there will be unemployment. The object is get the working class to make NON PARTY ORGANIZATION a real fight where some results may be NEW YORKexpected.
Activity breeds militancy and When, on May 20, 1931, the executive that is what we want. feel that the best committee of the League of Struggle for results and relief) can be obtained by Negro Rights considered the application marching upon the industries, the only for membership of comrade George Saul place where our class has power. And that in that organization, they knew of Saul is where we must go if we hope to gain fearless and effective activities in the South or better our conditions.
against lynching, his record as a working Your editorial regarding the review of class and Communist fighter, and his under the book Communism and Syndicalism, standing of international forces and devel which appeared in Industrial Solldarlty, is opments. They knew the reason for Saul 0. suppose, from a political point of desire to become a member of the organiview.
zation, namely, to place himself where he Yours for the revolution, could more effectively struggle as a revoluI. member.
1, 500 New York (M. Fisher) 00 New York Glotzer) 00 New York (G. Saul) 00 New York (J. Rose) 00 New York (M. Rose) 00 New York (Anonymous) 00 Newark (Dr. Tanos) 10. 00 Pittsburgh (N. Leperes) 65 Chicago br. 00 innen polis branch 29. 00 Cleveland Bryar) 00 250 1, 000. 750 500 250 60. 65 Previously reported 797. 00 Total to date 57. 63 In the next issue of the Milit:unt. the contributions to date will be listed by branches.
LETTERS from the MILITANTS CRITICISM OF THE ENGLISH OPPOSITION LONDON The recently published articles by Black Diamond and Spartacus dealing with the situation in the and the growth of the Opposition call for comment.
In dealing with Minority Movement conferences. Black Diamond approached the question of their representative char.
acter from the viewpoint of trade union democracy, which of course is not a Bolsherik view point. What we must criticize is the deception practised. The representation of workers at conferences is exaggerated in order to deceive the Comintern and the workers. Spartacus longs for a full time organizer. Or what? new party? This must be made clear before great mistakes are made. No one has yet been expelled from the CP GB for oppositional views.
There has so far been no fight against the Centrist leaders. Any opposition that has been made has never yet been openly expressed in the party as being based on the International Opposition fundamental criticism of the errors of the Comintern and leaders.
Despite this, there exists an opposition group consisting in part of workers who have never been members of the or who have dropped out fed up.
This group is, believe, making contact with workers outside the Pas a group. This work is not being done as normal party work, but as opposition group work, as though no party exists!
This is completely wrong and dangerous. Comrades must realize that Oppositionists who mask their opposition in the party and at the same time organize opposition groups which include now party members, are lacking in the elements of Bolshevism.