THE MILITANT WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!
Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America (Opposition)
Entered as second class mail matter, November 28, 1928 at the ost Office at New York, under the act of March 1879.
VOLUME IV, NO. 13 (WHOLE NO. 72)
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1931 PRICE CENTS The Hoover Reparations Debts Scheme Miners Strike Against Wage Cuts and Starvation Conditions An Appeal for Communist Unity in Spain HE The multi millionaire representative of the back delivered by Hoover agent, the American government, Mellon, has Captain Gregory, to the Hungarian revarrived in Parls and is holding the re olution in 1919. But American impervolver to the head of the French bourialism is not merely interested in the geoisie: Swallow the Hoover plan for maintenance of the German bourgeoisie a war debt reparations holiday or pre for their own sake; Its interests are less pare to engage in combat with us, your. generous.
superiors in every field! As these noces Why is Hoover so ready to forego foring miners in Western Pennsylvania, During the last two weeks the strik the coal miners.
demonstrate in reality that this is not Pinchot who helped negotiate this agreeare being written, totimal accord has yet a year the millions due the in war Northern West Virginia, and the Eastern ticularly in this section of the bitumin. cretely demonstrate their understanding It is worthy of note that it is partheir kind of unlon, they just as con ment to break the strikers ranks.
In face of these conditions the miners United States. Driven by the pressure are suspended? Because there is more part of Ohio have gained thousands of ous coal fields that the mechanization of of the need of organization of militant strike in Western Pennsylvania, North More mines were shut coal mining has reached its highest point organization. It is interesting to note ern West Virginia, and the Eastern part of the trans Atlantie Colossus the than that involved it Germany is forced new recruits.
Frenchmen have already yielded to the to go into bankruptcy and perhaps ylela down, picketing activities and mass de and most extensive practise. It natural that in this strike the Pittsburgh Ter et Ohio, assumes greater importance point of discusing only whether the sus to the victory of a proletarian revolucrease also the murderous brutality of speed up and in the most heavy Imagin to sign an agreement with the imply, Imposing though they are. It increased minal Company was the first company even than the numbers involved would pended repuration payments are to botion. The United States according to the coal and iron police, and the state ble pressure of exploitation. It is also officials. Not that any of its striking shows definite working class advance: It made up by Germany in five years on the Department of Commerce, has more Cossacks, in combination with the da precisely in this section that union or work. rs were members, not that it had proves the great reserve power of reWhether the compromise la reached on 1030) than in Great Britain, France and ficial remnants of the United Mine Work as Hoover proposes, in twenty five years. money invested in Germany (end of tardly strike breaking efforts of the ofgnnization during recent years has been the slightest love for the assistance of the American workers. Un a ten or a twelve year period will not Belgium put together. Some sources put fought most determinedly by the coal a matter of fact, this company three qustionably it is only a beginning of is natural that with a years ago, was the most unscrupulous working class resistance against the radically effect the essence of the whole the figure of the total American investers of America. This is their desperate operators. It scheme.
ments in Germany (government loans, way of attempting to prevent further ex combination of these factors the working contender in the onslaughts upon the Unwaxe cutting onslaught on a far more class power of resistance should demonited Mine Workers. It signed this agree extended scale. In this sense it 18 a What is the nature of this proposal muntcipal loans, industrial enterprises pansion of the strike.
The Heavy Strike Toll strate itself in such a splendid manner. ment in an attempt to drive the miners harbinger of the future prospects for which has been reclaimed almost unisecturities, etc. at about billion dolSeveral miners have already been kill.
versally by the bourgeoisie of most lara! With a return on these invested, fallen victims to the brutality many leadership in this strike. It is furnish police and the gunment, to ionism in the baste industries.
The National Aliners Union is in the back to the shafts, to utilize the state growth of militancy, for building of uncountries, hailed by the social democrats ments of from to percent, our in bave been wounded and scores are held ing a fighting program. The sympathy of accomplish this, and thus drive a wedge in this strike situntion the Communist of Germany, England and Belgium, and vestors stand to loose the lucrative an in the jails under almost prohibitive bail. the striking miners in its overwhelming into the ranks of the strikers. It leadership faces two important problems.
given the accolade of approval by such nual income of almost a third of a bil. Such is the heavy toll of this strike. majority embraces the National Miners further lessons should be necessary we The one is caused by the brutal attacks lesser socialist and liberal statesmeu lon dollars.
Amertcan bankers have yet its powerful proportions testify col Union. It has good prospects for growth. may add that the miners have now had of the combined capitalist forces upon as Morris quit and Oswald Garrison more involved in their loans and invest. quently not only to the terrible starra. These factors are also the practical evi one more serious experience in the role the miners. It necessitates an energetle Villard? In two words: Germany is al ments in the municipality of Berlin and tion conditions existing in these mine dence of the valuable lessons learned played by the forces of the state govern Aght on a correct basis for the full eslowed to suspend all reparation pay the Berlin City Electrle than in the ori.
fields but also to what has become pro by the coal miners from the role played ment on the sile of the bosses. Like tablishment of the democratic rights of ments for a year, the European debtors shal Dawes loan 200. 000. 000) or the verbial the militancy of the miners. by the type of union officialdom of John wise they are learning good lesson the workers, the right to strike, pleket are allowed the United States for the same period. forego for the moment the war debt a powerful slogan, effectively rallying. While the striking miners now sives in the capitalist parties like Gov. sntatives, the elimination of injunctions, What has necesitated this proposal, payments in face of the bankruptcy or of the state cossacks, etc. The second made so suddenly by Hoover, pressed revolutionary threat to the bankers inproblem wiheh Is of still more imporwith such impatience and intolerance of terests?
tance is the one of continuous and tendiscussion or revision?
There is yet another point. Under acious building of organization, not mereGermany is being wracked by one of pressure from the ruthless Americans, ly the organization for the strike but severest crises, acutely accentuated by England has lost considerably in inerushing burdens of the imperialist luence, power and prestige on the con Letter to the Political Bureausolini. It is needless to speak of what consequences ing of the National Miners Unione hot 150 treaty. Its. of the Communist Party of the this would have for the whole of Europe and for the as to disappear when the dramatic Aswhich must be maintained in order to his France, the best armed power in Soviet Union (Bolsheviks. On the other hand, a successful develop pect of the strike is over but to build make possible the payment reparations Europe, the most lavish spender of money to the Allies, is being stilled because the for armaments. After England comes FURTHER FATE of the Spanish revolution of the far from terminated world crisis, would open actually secure vectory to the miners, ment of the Spanish revolution, under the conditions on a lasting basis. Organize. Organsame Allies cannot afford to yield to France. Through its delegate McKelvie Germany a greater share of the world the United States has already spiked the depends entirely and completely upon whether up tremendous possibilities.
Organize to hold the key to the future.
market.
Taxation rises to tremendous French plan at the London Grain ConThe profound differences on a series of questions an authoritative Communist party, capable of strugThe army of the unemployed ference to organize a Danubian grain Relief Urgent heights.
gle, will be constituted in Spain in the coming months. pertaining to the and the world labor For the working class in general this. The wage its hegemony.
level reduced to a miserably tentons McKelvie simply made the hardisereiled Under the system of artificial splits imposed upon the movement, should not stand in the way oi making an strike also brings to the fore a problem istence. The financial condition of the threat to dump the tremendous American movement from without, this is not realizable. In 1917, honest attempt at a united front in the arena of the of vital importance. Reliet must be country is just short of catastrophic. Its surplus. Now the United States is lay the Bolshevik party consolidated around itself all the Spanish revolution. It is not yet too late! The pol forthcoming to feed and clothe the fightgold reserves diminish at an alarming ing the ground for cutting into France currents kindred and close it. Carefully guarding the icy of artificial splits must be stopped immediately in Siners Reliet Committee 611 Penn Ave.
mata meline de Porto, os outros metu on the mappement countries involvedkoniy unity of its ranks and the discipline of action, the Spain. advising not ordering, but just thut, advising Pittsburgh, asa o nerense musikere duro or one fifth of the reserve. Ever increas. France stands to lose substantialiyo ny party at the same time opened up the possibility of the Spanish Communist organizations to convene in ished. Assist the to defend ali for foreign curreuey. marked fight after it pays the war debt, Franca blems of the revolution (the March council. the should assure all shadings, under the necessary disIng sums of money are being exchanged the loover plan. Unlike England, even a broad and all sided consideration of the basic pro the briefest possible period unity conference which those strikers thrown into juils This is a battle of the working class as a whole.
of capital to other countries is observ. Continued on page 4)
Ferment among the miners is also able. So ominous has the situation be April conference, the pre October period. Can the cipline of action, at least that degree of freedom of growing elsewhere. The Kentucky stikcome that the Helchslunk in the face proletarian vanguard of Spain elaborate its views and criticism which in 1917 was enjoyed by the various ers are standing solid. In the miinois of the crisis in which discount rates «Permanent Revolution. be imbued with that indomitable conviction in their currents of Russian Bolshevism, which was in pos tields some progress can be recorded tolave dropped universally was compelled correctness which alone will permit it to lead the session of incomparably higher experience and temper. treasonable But there are to announce, effective from June 13, a sensational rise in the discount rate Barred in Canada masses of the people towards the decisive storm, There can be no doubt that if the official Spanish party still the inherent weaknesses of the from percent to percent with Am. The Permanent Revolution. the book through any other ways and methods? The mere fact understands the disproportion between its weakness Mutseite progressive leadrship which rica rate at 15 percent, France at my leon Trotsky just publiched to the adduce it as an example that the official Com and the tremendous tasks, and makes a serious at to an extent has come into the direction of affairs in Illinois. At a conference England at and Switzerland at Pioneer Publishers has been barred munist party is compelled in the present situation to tempt at the unification of the Communist ranks, it held in Staunton the early part of the from entry into Canala by the govern characterize Andres Nin as a counter revolutionist, will meet the fullest support on the part of those rev month in June, to delegates, represente The Crisis in the Young Plan ment customs division. The authorities cannot but lead to a monstrous confusion, primarily olutionary Communists who at present have their owning 150 locul intons, took part, and de The prices comrade Trotsky nas had a unique effect on certains work, for which there was considerable in the Communist ranks themselves. Upon ideological separate organizations for reasons you are aware of ded to call a conveution on July 6th German Industry must now produce 40 demand in Canadian revolutionary circonfusion, the party cannot risc. The defeat of and nine tenths of which lie outside of the conditions to leclare the offices of the district union vacant, proceed with the election percent more in order to pay the charges cles, as too seditions for consumption the Spanish revolution rendered inevitable by the of the Spanish revolution.
of the officers, to change the constituunder the Young plan, tised in marks by Canadian workers. The barring of further dismemberment and weakness of the Commun In order not to create even external difficulties, tion and to devise ways and means for Chancellor Bruening reports that instend the book was announced in a letter sentists, will lead almost automatically to the establish made this proposal of mine not in the press but in the a national policy. The greatest weukof alleviating the Dawes Lurden by an by the authorities to a Toronto worker annual 700, 000, 000 marks, the Young We reproduce the letter in full: ment in Spain of genuine Fascism on the style of Mus present letter. The course of events in Spain there ness is in the pussy footing about the new union and in the plan under the conditions of the crisis NATIONAL REVENUE. CANADA danger that the John Lewis forces The letter published above was sent by comrade Leon can be no doubt of this will every day confirm the buildink of.
and of price fallshan entired an addi. Customs and Excise Divisions)
Trotsky on April 24, 1931 to the Political Bureau of the necessity of uniting the Communist ranks. The reanay still maintain their foothold. To cional payment of 200, 000, 000 marks anl ort of Toronto, June 17, 1981 Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks. Because sponsibility for a split, in the given instance will be militant workers these weakness are no nually.
Mr.
no reply was received to the letter and the policy of the a tremendous historical responsibility.
surprise when one understands the inher The way out? Union with Austria per Toronto, Ont.
haps? Hardly! Even were the French Dear Sir: Re: Parcel No. Comintern in Spain is still moving in the same rut, the ently reformist position of the Musteite author considers it necessary to make his letter public. April 24, 1931 TROTSKY buccaneers to countenance it its effee type of progressive. However there In connect with the above numbered be no real guarantee of success until tiveness is Zukunftmusik. music of parcel we wish to advise you that the these weaknesses eliminated.
the future The open road to the Danu Commissioner of Customs has refused Today the relationship of the various blan grain producing countries is travel. entry of the contents, a book entitled, coal felds presents itself somewhat 48 led only one wily, by their exports of the ermanent Revolution rain to Germany, but not hy their im.
Bernard Morgenstern and Leon Good solution in themselves and should not be al Labor Defense, the party, and the follows: In the anthracite region where. The measures already taken have amount of six cents, by you.
orts of Industrial soods, Higher tax. sender by myment of postage in the man, two members of the communist so assigned. They are by the very sa Dally Worker. From the very inception production and with it employment has only multiplied the general misery and found guilty of edition under the notorited in their character. That is, they deliberately and criminally sabotaged Mine Workers is still the union in conFailure to do this within ten days fous Fiynn Act in a trial before Judze can offer means of temporary amellora the case. The need for a campaign in trol. There the task of the Communists advanced the question of social revolu from the date thereof welzure will be Reed on June 24. Sentence has not yet tion. And they must be a help to unite behalf of these vietims of the Flynn Act and the militant miners is certainly the tillons the team of the victons system Versailles of the havoe throughout Europe. The only way to set union. soft coal the being taken for a new trial.
Yours very truly.
but for the masses is the proletarian The case was tried before Judge Reecl. tion against their class enemy. They with a laywer! The defense had to be Mine Workers as a union, with its ro (Signed) Taylor victory a reactionary minded jurist of Cambria cannot solve the problem. Only the pro conducted by the Civil Liberties Union actionary leadership, is utterly discredit Supt. Customs Postal Branch.
But the tenacious hourgeoisie have one County, sitting specially in the Phila letarian revolution can do that. The attorney. The entire party press has noted and practically out of existence.
final resource: the assistance of the In the particular case under review. delphia court. The state simply offered distribution of the lentlet was, of course, written one single word about the case. There the only alternative is the build powerful, fabulously wealthy master the authorities do not seem to have in evidence the lenflet issued by the admitted.
The Daily Worker and Freiheit have noting of a new union. With the present In arguing with the Judge, Defense even mentioned the conviction. The sweep of possibilities of the National heard of the official Stalinist theory that Communist League on unemployment across the sea who saved then once be Trotsky work is founter revolution which was in the form of appeal for Attorney David Wallerstein, of the Civil whole Stalinist conspiracy of silence and Miners Union as represented by the fore. Suspend the reparations payments ere we verish under their pressure! Doar and that he is an agent. of a united front with the Communist party. Liberties Union, was told that Reed had treachery is based solely upon the fact strike: with the developments toward not bloed to the death Germania, the bul Trit imperialism. Or if they have the section which was the basis for the never seen a lentiet of this kind before, that besides the erime of sedition, the new union in other territories, one might wark ngninst Bolshevism! With these heard of the theory, it appears that they sedition charge react: Agitation slogans and that this was his first experience defendants have committed the greater ask again what would become of the misertes on their this. Rruening and Car do not agree with it.
and immetinte demands can present no with the Sedition Act. that upon the crimes of being Left Oppoaltionistseratle Lovestone Right wing policy of qitection of fact as to whether there was The has defended anarchists abandoning the new union movement and tius pled their case before MacDonald at CC CITOR an intent in the leaflet to overthrow the socialists, syndicalists, of men returning to the That would Chequers. His Majesty Most Loyal government by force and violence; and and others in the past. or Left Op spell defeat for the miners struggles.
Socialist Footmen, no less the foe of revolution than the Germans, were only that he personally thought there was. positionists, however, the officials one may also ask what would it mean too willing to aceedle to the latter de PICNIC Attorney Wallerstein explained to him find no better manner of acting than to to continue this boycott practised by the that the circular was almost in exactly sive aid and comfort to the capitalist official party leadership toward the new mands If only the tinited States would the language of that in Fiske vs. Kansas Prosecution! rotests that have come union movements not under their mechlet up on the war debts. That is why in which case the Supreme Court of the from various and members have anical control. continuation of such a the London Observer warned the grand To Celebrate the Appearance of the Weekly Militant United States reversed a conviction un not yet changed the official attitude. policy would similarly be disastrous to ing Americans to this effect: Do not be der the Kansas Syndicalism Act. Reed These protests must multiply and pile the future prospects of the miners shortsighted. Consider your own interreplied that he knew nothing about that up to such an extent that the movement.
esis. The bankruptcy of Clermany, a The New York branch of the Communist Lengue invites all militants case or any of the other cases on seli and pypty bureaucrats are compelled There should be no question of a doubt reve utionary wave Hooding Central Eur. to join with it at the Picnie to celebrate the appearance of the Weekly ope, mean the end to the annual intertion. Neverthelss, he presided over the to stop disgracing and discrediting the that the only correct policy growing out Militant. The affair will take place on case and refused the defense request for revolutionary movement by their sabot. of this strike must be one of further ast hvements on your huge German in charge to the jury to dismiss the case. age.
lutensive organization of building the vestments!
SUNDAY, JULY 12, 1931 The abil was again fixed at 1, 000, the The Philadelphia defense committee new union movement, of amalgamating It is this warning that Hoover has same as before. In addition to the mo for Morgenstern and Goodman needs the the various separate and sectional unneeded in the new plan. In 1924, the at TIBBETTSBROOK PARK tion for a new trial to be made by the assistance of every militant worker in ions with the National Miners Union as saved Germany from the effects Games Races. Rowing Baseball defense, there will also be a motion in the country. Financial aid, agitation. a prelude to the building of one militant vf revolutionary crisis which the rev.
arrest of judgment. The defense is pre the development of a united movement union firmly lodged on a class basis emviationists had fumbled. In 1931, it pared to go to the United States Supreme against the Flynn Act and for its vic bracing all the coal miners. With such bones to prop up decadent German capiDirections: Jerome Ave. Woodlawn subway to the end of the line. Hike Court on the case if necessary. tims these are urgent needs. Let those a policy the future can be faced with from the impending revolutionor take street car to Park: Plot Th report of the trial would be in who stand in the way of such work, who the confidence that within the perspecsults. The Hoover plan is de complete without a referencet to a most undermine the defense of workers caught tive for coming sharpened struggles lay be as direct a blow to the disgraceful action on the part of the In the net of capitalfst justice, be branded the possibility of victory for the revolutious wus the stab in COMMITTEE IMCI Stalinist commanders of the Internation) by their proper name!
Philadelphia Oppositionists Convicted of Sedition Are