PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1931 Problems of the Spanish Revolution EDITORIAL NOTES Mistakes of Comrade Maurin WAGE CUTS AND STRIKES with the gusto and enthusiasm of It has been said that without revolu meeting which followed the next day at in who, for various reasons, is much its emancipation. In the claboration of wage informed on what is going on the tactics of Marx and Lenin the con that many other militants tribution of the experience of the great speeding up of the campaign on the one hand and the The section devoted to the Southern IIItionary movement. In Spain, this truth in. But they are of such importance Russia growth of the strike movement on the inois mining fields is a fair sample of the has never been so much in evidence is that we devem it indispensable to bring Maurin who can not limit bimself to the revolutionary movements of the nineother are the two outstanding and re whole document. They were busy there at the present moment Our labor move them forward once inore before the simple worship of a neophyte before the teenth century, and more specifically of itussian revolution, but has the duty the revolutions of 1848 and the Paris lated developments of the month in the and they have results to show for itment is terribly disoriented at a time Spanish Communists.
An. Uncomfortable Position to study its problems and to know the Commune, played a role of the first doestie field. The letter of Secretary of the achievements claimed in the resolu when a clear and distinct orientation is Maurin began hy declaring that the genuine history and not that manufae order. Without this experience. Lenin Commerce Lamont to Representativetlon include the following. a) Failure now more necessary than ever before.
Condon gave powerful impetus to the to mobilize the Illinols miners to strug. The ideological chaos into which the Nal Communists of the Catalonian Balearictured by the Stalinist bureaucracy, would have been unable to work out knows perfectly well that the accusation with such precision the tactics that led in he formulated does not correspond to the the Russian proletariat to victory drive against wage standards, and was ple and spread the Orfeut strike. b)tional Confederation of Labor has suak Federation, in whose name he spoke no doubt so designed. The subsequent Decline of our influence in the Orleat constitutes a mortal danger for the rey were regarded a Stalinixts by the TrotAnarcho syndicalism can only reality. Has the leader of the Work October 1917.
skylsts and as Trotskylsts by the the issue and interpret Lamont blunt cals of the U. d) Dinsolution of lead the Spanish proletariat to defeat. Stalinists. The thing is logical. Thelers ayd easts Bloe forgotten the If the Communist International failed attempts of the White House to obscure strike. c) Dissolution of the four lo olution declaration in Justification of reductions, hve units of the party. e) General The last congress of this central dotate which is reserved for those who history of these last years? Does he not in the countries mentioned by Maurin, It was not liecause it imposed the exby firms in extremely difficult position weakening of our position in the Illinois pelled the slender hopes for corrections in the case of Maurin and of tho know that it was precisely the Left Opfield that might have remained; the leaders represents have position that initiated the industrializa periences of the Russian revolution, but are not to be taken seriously. We do This, we contend, is pretty close to a of the of have learned nothing definite political position, is to receive tion of the country, which conducted a precisely because it forgot them comnot believe that Lamont spoke for hiu Bell alone, and certainly not as an up hundred per cent efficiency in the work from the rich experiences of recent years the blows from both sides and to be furious struggle for it against the prepletely. In China, in place of assuring ponent of Hoover attitude. It is more of clearing out the sprouts and shoots and they continte to debate in a fright compeled, in the final analysis, tornent leaders of the who ae the hegemony of the proletarint and of of Communist influence. The grasshop tul confusion, reasonable to conclude that his letter Theoretical poverty has always che nounce themselves concretely. Incorpor cused us as super industrialists, and guaranteeing its independence in face of utilized the collaboration of the lenshe the lourgeois parties, pers in a Dakota field could hardly make ating themselves into one of the ten proclaimed the was put out as a feeler and a tip to a cleaner sweep. And how do the Chic u erized the Spanish Socialist Party. dencies or else to be eliminated concha viks in the economic organs of the state bloc of four classex subordinating the the industrialists to go ahead every the same ones whom Stalin recently proletariat to the bourgeoisie, reprewhere, with full assurance of Govern. Ago Staliniste account for this result? But if its leaders gave no revolution sively from the political arema.
Do they re examine the policy that pro ary theory to the working class of our The tragic contlict that now divides had to try as sabotagerx. for the ela: Kented by the Kuo Min Tank curbed mental support.
duces such a devastation? Not at all country, it was not only out of incom the international Communist movement boration of plans based upon the the agrarian revolution, and con They are doing so. And even more significant than the reductions already! The District Bureau. they say, has petence but with the aim of subjecting luas its roots in profound differences on minimal development of industry and secuence of all this, prekured the view the liberal bourgeois ideo the fundamental problems of the revolu upon the protection of the Kulak? tory of the bonrgeois counter revolution is of Chiang Kai Shk. Then, if the made are the wide scale preparations for made generally correct decisions on work its hosts socialism is no longer at tion. These differences can and should re Does not Maurin know that the mining. Today and on top of it they the right lesson had not lwen sufliciently heavy.
especially in the big industries. The Add: Self criticism is that particular but perhaps not even at the left wing known up to now the application of imel them as counter revolutionists, that and of the revolution to the government steel workers will be one of the next method of work by which we improve of the bourgeoisie.
points of attack, an attack which was all our methods of work. They say it in the Communist movement painful dead letter by buren ueratie centralisin the militants of the Commist Left of the netty lourgeoisie of what the already being prepared at the time of with flowers.
as it is to say so, the situation is not of the International. But the fact is Opposition were expelled trom the party. sovernment which, according to Stalin in Farrell hypocritical speech against it few weeks ago. The railroads are get customed to much, and we are ready to the official Communist party, the system have become deeper, and to remain in why his assertion can have only two betrayed the interests of the working In the political struggle we grow ac much more alluring in this respect. In that the differences not only exist but imprisoned deported and shot? Maurin May 11 27 was almost the dictatorship knows all this perfectly well and that of the proletariat, which naturally, also ting ready now. Stuart Chase, in his believe that this incredible document was of bureancratie leadership chokes off in different or to maintain an attitude of latest work, prediet sweeping wage er class.
ap really adopted, that is not forgery ita intaney all possibility of theoretical neutrality towards themis Impossible meanings: to fall deliberately into In Germany, the Communist Interna plication for an inerease in freight rates cluborated to make fun of the party. Hfe. Nobody dares, out of fear of ex for any communist. To persistiu claim ror, or else to buy the good will of bli garima rioy. heute exclusivelyBut when the Daily Worker introduces the stom, to hazard, then slechteste den noring the contrary, leads to what Mauris nie niet ene loratuky trawing stone tion, thanks to its oppurtunistywolicy, did not know how to take advantage of buster to prepare the way for a drastie it is an example to other districts not the autonomous organizations, such as orientation which has alienated from The National Character of the the exceptional opportunity offered it reduction of rail wages on the ground only to follow, but to excel it goes the Catalonian Balearic Communist Fed the Stalinists and from the Left OpposiSpanish Revolution by the exceptional witration in the coun.
Having liquidated with such lightness try in the Autumn of 1923 for the difficult positions which, higher freight too far. How can that record be exceleration or the Agrupacion de Madrid. tion in exchange for an approach to the led. floating Ideolgically in the air, maintal Left wing of the petty bourgeoisie. the difference that separates him froni soixure of power. This formidable colrates failing, can be relieveil only by an indefinite policy full of vacillation Why Maurin Is Not with the the Communist Left Oppoeition, Maurin lapse had enormous con equences for a cut in labor costa. The wage cuts so al wavering. Trotskyists had to explain wherein lay his disagree the whole development of the internafar recorded, henvy as they have been Should the present ideological disor Since politics does not tolerate a yac ments and those of the organization in tional Communist movement and paved are only the first experimental sterg The Real Situation in ientation persist, the immense postuum, Maurin had to say why he was whose name he spoke, with the Stall the way for the beginning of the social The great offensive is yet to come, as ities that the situation contains objec not with the Left Communist Opposiist leadership of the Communist Inter reaction in Russia, which led to the enall signs testify Russia tively for the proletariat, will be wasted. tion and why he diesented from the poll national. Here the mistake of comrade thronement of the burenteratie Stalio The defensive struggle of the workMaurin is even more serious.
ist domination.
ers is gaining momentum, although slow By LEON TROTSKY Comuunist party capable of directing Against the political orientation of mauris. asserted that what separates In Bulgaria, the lack of revolutionly and in a tentative fashion. There is the spontaneous movement of the mass the Opposition, Maurin was unable nothing in the facts to sustain the blockto im from the Communist International ary decision and the opportunism of the Introduction by Max Eastman es towards the conquest of power. But oppose his own, or else he had none is primarily a difference of evaluation party leadership provoked the reactionhends who describe the situation as a 364 pages. Sold formerly at Through the indispensable premise for the forma or still better because he did not pre of the present situation. The Interne ary coup etat of Tanker, for wintoh workers offensive. The Department special arrangements with the pub tion of such a party and the guarantee sume to declare that its evaluation of tional according to him wanted to imthe Bulgarian workers and pensant paid of Labor figures which, like the reports in torrents of blooil. The insurrection lishers can be had trom us now at of its effectiveness as an instrument of the Spanish political situation and the pose the experiences of the Russian reson unemployment are not to be taken at the liberation of the working class, is tactics it recommends were correct. vlution upon other countries, and this that broke out afterwards in this coun face value, give, nevertheless, an appro the elaboration of a revolutionary stra Therefore, he went off on a tangent, re led to the defeat of the Communists in try and later on in Estonia were adximate picture for con garative purposes.
CONTENTS tegy and tactic. For this reason, the sorting to one of the arguraents favored Germany, In Bulgaria in Cihna and in venturist attempts to repair the conne 447 strikes and lockouts in the first six PART The Fear of Our Platform struggle on the theoretical front must by the sub Stalinists of every country: Esthonia. Spain has to make Its reye quences of the disastrous policy that had months of the year show an increase of occups at present a prominent place to assert that the Communist left Opolution a national, original revolution been practised.
nearly fifty per cent over the same perPART 11 The Keal Situation in Rus and the deviations and the mistakes position is an enemy of the Five Year. The conception of Maurin, in this ro Did the Tuternational fail in these 1od in 1930. But if e compare this with sia and the Tasks of the must be combatted with the maximum Plan. Precisely in recent times, Reuterspect, is a distorted transplantation of countries because it imposed the meththe 2, 385 strikes in 1921 also a crisis Communist Party of energy.
and other hourgeoisie press agencies, the anti Marxist theory of Stalin of socods of the Russian revolution? This is year. We can see that the labor moveIn this sense, the lecture given on singing in chorus with the Staliniste, ialism in one country, a conception the true up to a certain point insofar as ment is not yet standing on its feet. And PART 111 Stalin Falsities History June at the Ateneo of the strike figures for 1919, when 3, 630 Only a limited number of these books comrade Joaquin Maurin cannot be articles to Trotsky, according to which for the cause of the proletariat.
Madrid by have attributed interviews and falsified spirit of which contains grave dangers the policy of the Comintern in these ocuntries was inspired by the concep wage conflicts were recorded. Apenk at this special price. Order now lowed to pass in silence, inasmuch sour comrade called the Plan a fraud Nothing could be more disastrous to tions and the methods of the Mencheeven more eloquently of the realities of the spirit that animated it constituted and proclaimed Its complete downfall. the Spanish proletarint than to separate viks. We are of course in agreement the present situation.
PIONEER PUBLISHERS an attempt at revision of the baste prin Maurin who, up to now, hal maintained itself from the international Communist with Maurin if this is the example which Corl, steel and railronds were 84 EAS 10th St. ciples of revolutionary Marxism, an at a neutral attitude on the internal promovement and to claim to orient It In presented in the labor revolts of that tempt which, should It succeed, would blems of the Russian revolution be accordance with domestie policy of needless to say, it by his assertion he year and constituted the heart of it. The New York City represent an immense danger for the lieved it his duty to join his voice to home manufacture. The working class claims that we have to lay aside the present defensive movement of the work Spinish revolution.
the Stalino bourgeois chorus. We do not precisely because of international ox: this, we have no desire at all to attirm xaying ere is confined largely so far, to soft The author of these lines, at the congratulate him on it. Because Maur perience, will elaborate the methods of that it will be necessary to cops liter.
coal and textiles where the industry is the sickest and the pressure on the ally that which the Bolsheviks did in workers bas been the heaviest. But the we may have additional proof if more ductive forces with the national Imper Russia. Naturally, one must take into rate at which the struggles are develis needed of how all the Bolshevik ialist boundaries to their development, account the circumstances of time all oping in this sector and the militaney leaders during Lenin lite time regarded and the capitalist forms of appropre place, the specific peculiarities of each which characterixes them are promising More About the Theory of the question of Russia alleged self suf tion. The imperialist boundaries and coutry in the same way that the doctor signs of a genuine labor awakening, Socialism in One Country ficiency in the building of a completely, the capitalist form strangle the pro The theory that the workers are not taken into account the peculiarities of socialist society. and that without ala duetive forces and do not permit their each patient in order to apply the geninclined to strike during periods of crisis Before Lenin Death in technique and equipment on the part development. The only way out the eral treatment. What is ewential is the and wide unemployment receives of the victorious proletariat of the West organization of world economy accord seneral political orientation. And in this tain confirmation from American labor Let us quote the Stalin of 1921 ating to the principles of fraternel econsense it must be said that the Keneral and economie history, and is borne out length: omic collaboration of the advanced (In takes precedence over the particular.
within limits by the experience of the And Stalin in 1921 dustrial) states with the backward (fuel When we speak, for example, of the past two years. But the present situa It is already fairly well known how in technique and equipment on the part Elon is extraordinary in many respects in two editions of one of his pamphlets of the victorious proletariat of the West? side it is concerned with the fact that cording to the principles of the spoilation do not refer to the various forms in But the October also has its dark and raw materials) states (but not ac bourgeois rerolutions of the past, as has been pointed out before. It is Lenin and Leninism. both issued to Yes, this is possible. It is not only quite false to construct a law to the the same year, Stalin expressed himselt possible, but is both necessary and inthe seizure of power by the proletariat of the latter to the former. It is for which they manifested themselves in effect that the workers will not strike in two mutually exclusive ways about evitable.
in Russia proceeded under peculiar ex: this precisely that the international Cache. cuntry, but to their fundamental required. characteristie: the destruction of feudal during the crisis, as the Right wing has the theory of socialism in one coun The great significance of Lenin, also stamped all the work after the selure otherwise, an organization and normal relationships to be substituted for by been inclined to do. The increase in try in the first edition, published, by the way, consists in the fact that he strike struggles in recent weeks, and like the second in 1924, Stalin wrote adopted no haphazard attitude towards country in economie respects; it cannot even be thought of. But in orde of power. First: Russia is a backward development of world cconomy cannot bourgeois democracy. In our epoch, the struggle of the exploiter against the the miners and textile workers, refute letariat were sufficient to overthrow its plate construction without perspectives, dustry and electrify urban and rural in organization of a correct world econ begin (at least to begin) with the exploiters unfolds itself on scale, the national manifestations of this a world this dogma.
They are rather for the idea that ilm for the organization of socialist answer to the question of the perspec. changing the raw materials at hand for least in a few of the advanced states ta this oneral rule. In this huge batthe workers in other Industries, such as construction, the efforts of one country. Lives of our work that we have all the machinery and implements from the required. So long as this is not the the the proletariat can find its emanclthe furious wake cutting drive, will not Russia, are insufficient. In the second ist economy in our country, and that we for the present a socialist island, while ways for cooperation with the capitalist dictatoruluin, based on mass organiza wait for a revival to give their answer lition, Stalin introduced his nationalist can and must construct a completely is surrounded by capitalist states more groups on the economie Held. This is fons, such the Soviets, the revoluIn terms of struggle. Our perspective correction, according to watch what had solulist kociety. Stalin, Bolshevism: developed in industrial respects and the reason why the party, after having thonary Juntas and similar organizations of the coming months runs this way. a few months before been insufficient. Some Questions Answered. London, hostile to it. If Soviet Russia had but shaken off its bourgeoisie and raised with a directing Communist party x4 From swth a development will flow un now become quite adequate and entirely 1026. bounded possibilities for the awakening in accordance with teachings of one large state or a few Soviet states the banner of the proletarian world wide. Outside of this veneral formula of the labor movement and a sweeping Marx and Lenin.
are admissable all the modifications and It will be remembered tage over the other leading theoretical neighbors, then it could easily collaborerate small production and sinnll IndusNow, Stalin has one doubtful advan developed in industrial respects, as revolution, considers it expedient to libamendments impoxeal loy national ciradvance of Communism.
also that Stalin, to explain away the defenders of national socialism. With ate with such states on the principles of try from their fetters to permit a parcunstances and peculiarities.
embarrassing dualism in his 1924 con Bucharin, for instance, it is not difficult the exchange of raw materials for maal revival of capitalism, putting it in Let us record in this epunertion that tributions to revolutionary science, de to rummage through his old writings and chines and implements. But so long dependence upon the state power to in 1927when the political Bureau of THEY SAY IT WITH FLOWERS clared at the Seventh plenum of the bring forth one passage after another as this is not the case, Soviet Russia draw in tenant farmers and shareholdthe Russian Communist Party was dis1. against Zinovlev, that he had the in which he speaks decisively against and our parts, which has the govern er, etc. etc. up to the moment when using the problems of the German rev The exponents of Bolshevik self crit right to change and to express more the theory he and Stalin have advocatement in its hands, are compelled to seek substantint results are ylelded by the glution was precisely our comrada Icism are at it again and true stories sharply his formulation of a brief row from 1924 onwards. But Stalin liter forms and methods of economic coopera policy of the party to realize a maxi Trotsky stranger than fiction are unfolding them. months before. In the intervening years, ary contributions, especially prior to tion with the hostile capitalist groups mum of what can be curried out in one posal o crvate Soviets, arguing cor.
who opposed Zimowev pro selves on the pages of the Daily Worke understand if he can. Kuusinen precithe subject of ridicule and attack, bas self with the idea that, aside from his occurs of the victory of the proletarian all countries (Page for anyone to read it he will and to try. known to Marx and Lenin only has thus far heen able to console him necessary technique, until the moment and the arousine of the revolution in organizations around which the German proletariat had ground itself were not pitated the latest orgy with his recent been rounded out, invested with the slip in the first edition of Lenin and revolution in one or a few Industrial phasis. article entitled, Are the Decisions of thority of the Communist International, Leninism. his feeble literary endeavors capitalist states. Relations in the form Thus spoke Stalin in 1921, before he councils. To be concludel. the Plenum to Remain on dressed up in distorted and falsified of the past will not rise to contradict of concessions and of foreign trade had undertaken to deepen Marx and Paper? They should have, but they quotations from Marx and Lenin, and his present theoretical position. But it there are the means for attaining this to broaden Lenin. At that time, far ANDRES NIN didn And now we are hearing roll: laid down by Stalin and his apparatus appears that even this safeguard is not goal. Otherwise, a serious economic from beleving that Russia had all the call on the results. The head men of as the foundation stone in the struggle without its breach.
the have evidently called on all against counter revolutionary Trotsky construction, an electrification of the pre requisites for a complete socialist THE Glancing through some old documents, country, cannot even be thought of economy, he even rejected the idea that MILITANT the District Committees to explain asism.
the writer has come across an illumin. This process will undoubtedly be slow Russia could dvelop industry and elec Vol. IV. No. 18, August 1831 length, of course which district applied Stalin In 1925 the line of the XI Plenum most faithating article in Russische Korrespondenz, and painful one; but it is unavoidable trify urban and rural industry with its Published weekly by the Communist fully and which got the worst results. How definitely Stalin took his phice No. 9. July October 1921 a review pub and inevitable, and this inevitability own forces. In 1921 he had not the League of America (Opposition)
The Chicago C. bids for the prize on the side of this theory following lished in German by the Communist In will remain even if some impatient com slightest idea that the maximum of at 84 East 10th Street, course then it was quite ternational which, unless am mistaken, rades gesticulate nervously and demand what can be carried out in one country in the latest Stalinist competition with resolution in the Daily Worker of Aug unknown in the ranks of Holshevism or was the forerunner of the International Immediate results and effective opera was a completely socialist society.
How clearly does every new scrap of Editorial Board ust 1, which covers almost a whole page of any other Marxian current is to be Press Correspondence. The article is by tions.
of the paper. The report is long and soon from the following quotation from Stalin. The Communist Party Before From the economic point of view, the evidence dug out of the submerged past Martin Abern James Cannon a speech he delivered at the Sverdlev and After the Conquest of Power, a present conflicts and military clashes of demonstrate to us that the theory of Max Shachtman in its own way, good.
Maurice Spector chapter, the editor informs we taken the capitalist groups among themselves, socialism in one country, entirely allen The resolution of the district lenders University on June 9, 1925: Arne Swabeck bristles with accounts of weaknesses Is it possible then, to construct from some unknown booke by Stalin. In the same way as the struggle of the to Marxism and reactionary to the core.
What Stalin wrote in 1921 is so reveal proletariat against the class of the capl saw the light of day in the ranks of Subscription rate: 00 per year; for failures. opportunism Leftist mis socialist economie system in our coun eigh 50. Wive cents per copy takes. dissolution. demoralization try without the previous victory of soc. Ing. that it must be lifted out of its talists, have at their foundation the Rotshevism only after Lenin could see n.
Bundle rates, cents per copy and collapse in every field, all related talism in other countries, without aial obscurity and made publle again so that fundamental conflict of present day pro no more!
Stali in 1921 we 80s. Our em, the Soviets, as in 1918, but the factory