PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1931 LETTER TO COMRADES BY LEON TROTSKY EDITORIAL NOTES The Question of Workers Control of Production us the leaders of all the factions found it recent developments among the furriers question, the class nature of such a re the dual power in its factories. Work icy, and in no case by its form. In Ger before the uprising and the seizure of pleces by the disruption of the union that way if they exert the necessary pre of Interregnum.
and hich we have advanced more than the Left wing again if the leadership developed form, workers control this is by no means the end of the affair maneuvers of the Right wing disrupters stable, normal. it must rest upon classi ently, also no longer completely the mas the factory councils, which were already can serve as the basis for the organs Therefore a brief review of what has and their Lovestoneite come ons Whil collaboration, and not upon class strugter in his state. This means the regime actually beginning to fulfill the role of which actually fulfill the role of SovThe initiative for the unity negotia educate and rally the workers again cracy. in England. Mondism. etc. in the manner that the dual power in the role of Soviets and replace them easier than to call upon the workers dirWho Is Christian Rakovsky?
FURRIERS UNITY the Left wing banner. And conversely, eyes of the bourgeois states, especially In answering your inquiry will en would have no workers control of pro have put into circulation.
although their are other factors, the deThe central feature of interest in cline of Left wing power and influence exchange er opinion to outline a tew the workers state as an introduction to ing at the present time, the proletarian ting to work creating Soviets will be According to the official view prevail of its Fascist guard, the Communists setneedle trades labor circles for the past and the revival of the Rights in this field seneral considerations which concern the the regime of state production on the revolution can be accomplished only by equivalent to a direct declaration of civil cussions over the question of unity of the slogan.
weeks has been the negotiations and dial are closely related to the dropping of Slogan of workers control of production. foundations of nationalization. What we means of the Soviets, where the Soviets war by the proletariat, and consequently the furriers. There is something behind The iden expressed there has gained The first question that arises in this are talking about is workers control in have to arise directly for the purpose of can provoke a decisivo clash before the this sudden eruption of unity fever which force in all the experience of the Left) connection is. eun we picture workers the domain of the capitalist regime, un the armed uprising This stereotype is Communist party itself deems it expedievery one who wants to understand the wing on the trade union field in the innot everlasting of course, but as one of ever, a bourgeoisie, which feels itself only an organizational form, the question All these considerations prompt consider. It is a remarkable fact that fresh and startling confirmation in the trade union question will do well. tervening period. It has been given a long duration In order to reply to this firm in the saddle, will never tolerate is decided by the class content of the pol strongly to doubt it one could succeed, necessary to take part in the negotiations: The unfortunate results of the unity the workers have in their hands con out only under the condition of an abrupt Soviets. In Russia, the conciliationist which would real embrace the majority gime must be more concretely determined. ers control, consequently, can be carried many, there were Ebert Scheidemann power in Germany, in creating Soviets that be stool for a united union. There negotiations should be warning to the trol. That is: ownership and right of change in the relationship of forces un Soviets turned against the workers and of the workers. In my opinion, it is was a reason for these protestariens. gerous path the party is travelling on capitalists. Thus the regime has a con control can be forced upon the bourge in, for a long time, took into account that lets will first arise on the morning after The rank and file of the fur workers the trade union field. If they see it tradictory character, presenting a sort otsie by the proletariat only violently, we would have to carry out the armed the victory, already as direct organs of are crying aloud for a single organisasure to turn the holm, the lost ground the workers need control not for platakes away from it the power, and then but of the factory committees This cal. Stetsky mane The matter stands quite differently courage for a new struggle struggle for a powerful union of the practically the production and the trad. duction. Thus the regime of workers events, for we succeeded, in the month exist today. They are composed of com rapacious employers.
ing operations of the employers. This control, by its very essence provisional, and a half to two months before the munists as well as of social democrats.
The fact that all the leaders without ex ship of the left wing. The masses of control, in one form or another, within only to the period of the convulsing of portant Noviets. Yet this example alone realize the united front of the working needle trades workers under the leader cannot, however, be attained unless the transitional regime, can correspond uprising, in winning over the most im. In a certain sense, the factory councils with it is a singular contirmation of the over by the traitors. They will support into direct functions of disposition. In a offensive, and of the falling back of the consider the Soviets as the all saving one of its functions with the rise of the thus bourgeoisie, that is, to the period of the means. In the Fall of 1972, defending revolutionary tide. Its role will grow, one, What no one can do just as he makes it possibile. For this a commun signifies a sort of economic dual power proletarian revolution, in the furthest against Stalin and others the necessity as will its encroachments into the life of pleases with the trade unions. The ele staltin denen die nou Poley. da in celoteh enot as in the factory, the bank, trading enter sense of the word.
If the hourgeois is already no longer fensive. fought at the same time of industry, of the district, of the whole We have no intention of suggesting here If the participation of the workers in the master, that is not entirely the mas against the creation of Soviets in Ger. state. Regional, district as well as fedthe schemes. At the present writing, the any clever answers for the Industria the administration is to be lasting, ter in his factory, then he is consequ many on command, side by side witte eral congresses of the factory councils negotiations have been broken oft, but Union to make to the fraudulent unity gle. Such a class collaboration can be of the dual power in the factories cor Soviets.
iets, that is, the organs of the dual powtaken place and some suggestions regards needed is a reorientation of the whole realized only through the upper strata of responds to the regime of the dual power There is much to say for the idea that er. To draw the social democratic working the future couple the Left wing but the slogan of unity in the foresociations. There have been no few such This relationship, however, should not the factory councils in Germany, ata of the factory councils will be much in the present revolutionary ascint, too, ers into this regime through the medium ground, and really mean it. It must re attempts. in Germany. economic dem be understood mechanically, that is, not certain stage tions came from a section of the right around the idea that it is the Commun Yet, in all these instances, it was not the factory and the dual power in the Upon what do base this assumption on a definite day and at a definite hour.
ectly to begin with the formning of Soviets ing in their now fully establised role union movement and the reactionaries but of the subserviency of the labor bur same day. The advanced regime of the der which the Sovietsrose in Russia can thoroughly fulfill the role of city The factory councils central of a city Co. who control the Joint Council of the sto agitation on this point with cute caucracy to capital. Such subserviency.
as experience shows, can last for a long of the proletarian revolution in every Austria in November 1918. In all three many in 1923. By extending their funcA.
very people the whole situation. One of the very time as long as the patience of the pro country, can develop in different countries places, the main organizers of the Soviets tion, applying themselves to ever bolder who disrupted the union.
cannot be first results of such a course will be letariat.
forgotten for a moment that these out the revival of the spirit and confidence right betrayers of the workers expelled of the militant workers. The second factory, to the shop departments, the tions, with a deep and perserving econ tions of the democratic revolution dur the social democratie workers with the The closer it is to production, to the clements. Thus, under certain condi who were forced to do it by the conditasks, and creating federal organs, the factory councils, intimately connecting the Left wing and joined forces with the result will be a complete retreat of Stet more impossible is this regime, for it is omle crisis (strong state of organization in the war. In Russia, the Bolsheviks Communists, can grow into soviets and bureaucracy to smash the union and the tenses regarding unity and the passing ests of the workers, and the whole protive weakness of the revolutionary party, from the conciliators. In Germany, the uprising. After the victory of the prostrikes. What does it mean if they now of the initiative into the hands of the cess develops before the eyes of the a relative strength of the state which did not succeed and that is why the Sov letariat, these factory councils Soviets approach the Industrial Union with pro Industrial Union. This will clarify the workers then selves. Workers control has a strong Fascism in reserve, etc. iets disappeared.
posals for unity? It means in the first situation and put the issues as they really through factory councils is conceivable workers control of production can prewill naturally have to separate themplace that they haven got the workers. stand. The demand of the workers for only on the basis of sharp class strugcede the developed political dual power sounds quite differently from what it dia sense of the wordt, and into soviets as Today, in 1931, the word Soviets selves into factory councils in the proper it means that even those furriers who unity, which will grow deeper and strong Igle, but not on the basis of collabora in one country.
have been driven back into the er every day they feel the harsh results tion. Yet even this means dual power in 1917 1918. Today it is the synonym of organs of the dictatorship of the proleof union by police clubs and economic of the division and disruption, will be in the undertaking in the trust, in the broad outline, especially characteristie that the bugbear on the lips of the social Under the conditions traced above in the dictatorship of the Bolsheviks, and by tariat.
pressure have not forgotten the traitors come a great mative force behind the branch of industry, in the whole of in of Germany, the dual power in the coun democracy. The social democrats in Ger say that the rise of Soviets before the By all this, we in no case want to and do not trust them. In spite of an Left wing, forcing it forward, strength. dustry.
the blows dealt by the combined reaction, ening its positions and thereby preparing What state regime corresponds to ens control as its main reservoir. One in the creation of Soviets for the second completely excluded in advance. There try can develop precisely out of work many will not only not seize the initiative proletarian overturn in Germany is in spite of all the blunders of the leader the ground for a genuine revival of mill workers control of production? It is ob must dwell upon this fact it only to re time, and will not only not join volun is no possibility of foreseeing all conship. the soul of the furriers belongs tut untousm in the needle trades vious that the power is not yet in the ject that fetishism of the Soviet form tarily in this initiative, but will fight ceivable variants.
to the left wing. That is why Stetsky has resorted to the unity maneuver. And hands of the proletariat, otherwise wel which the epigones in the Comintern against it to the last possibility. In the the bourgeois state to come long before by that he, and all those who joined in the proletarian rerolution, were Fascism the unity chorus from Kaufman down, to run its head into the wall, or fall paid tribute to the power of the Left to pieces, before the uprising of the prowing letariat, then the conditions coul arise On the other hand there is no room for for the creation of Soviets as the fightdoubt that the fakers have gained a cer The present whereabouts of comrade country a great number of meetings, The Russian Government was watching, of Kerensky of August 30 to the General a case, the Communists would have to ing organs for power. Naturally, in such tain advantage in the situation and that Christian Rakovsky, exiled leader of the started a campaign in the prers, and pub. the July manifestations in Galatz. In a staff, every effort was made to put an perceive the situation in time and raise the Industrial Union has been out man Russian Bolshevik Leninists, are un lished a big historical work under the telegram of June 17, 1916, the Russian end to the activities of Rakovsky. Gen. the slogan of Soviets. This would be the euvre. This followed inevitably from known, as we pointed out in our last is title On Russian Policy in the East. envoy Poklevsky informed his governeral Lukomsky, at the time of the revolt most favorable situation conceivable for the fact that the party, and the leader que Who is the man that Stalin is de In view of the fact that the country ment as follows of Kornilov gave an order to arrest him the proletarian uprising. Were it to fol.
ship of the Industrial Union kulded by liberately seeking to bound to death as where his family was living was occupled For the happenings in Galatz the but this did not succed owing to the liq low, it would have to be utilized to the it, gave over the initiative on the unity a counter revolutionist. The shocking by the Rumanians he was mobilized for Rumanian Government has removed from uidation of the Kornilov attempt. After end. Yet, to count upon it in advance question to the right wing betrayers at falsification of history undertaken by the military service, where he continued Soc. bis post the Prefect Gussy. It transfer learning of this order Rakovsky went to is quite impossible. Insofar as the Comevery stage of the discussion and nego stalinist apparatus men has prevented talist propaganda.
In 1890 Rakovsky went to Russia. He Rakovsky and the chief syndicalist spon.
munists must reckon with the still sufmade doubly sure by the failure of the those in the foretront of the struggle was immediately arrested and expelled sors of the manifestations. The latter At the time of the November Revoluficiently firm bourgeois state, and the reposition on the issue of unity. Can these who is the man upon whom the stalinist completed his well known work Present test bag against bloodshed in Galatz and which are sent his greetings and councils appears to be the more probable Left wing leaders to formulate a correct so that the American militants may learn through reveal to Germany where he have convoked numerous meeting pro tion Rakovsky was in Stockholm from serve army of Fascism at its back to leaders ever learn anything? They fist has descended, we reprint here a bio Day France. published under the peou in general against the war.
don know yet that the workers really graphical sketch of comrade Rakovsky donym Insarov. In order to get in touch want a united oranigzation and that the wich appeared in the May 21, 1921 issue with the French labor movement, Rak and threatening that the Rumanian Gov and Sebastopol with a body of sailors These manifestations were so powerful turn to Russia, he was ordered to Odessa one. To be continued. question enndt be played with any of Soviet Russil, the oficial organ of the ovsky entered the juridical faculty of the ernment was compelled to release Rakov for the liquidation of the counter revolu years after the trade union theses of at that time. From it, readers will be be returned to Russia and again was with Rumania declaration of war the loving his return to Moscow comrade cording to the decision of the Ukrainian longer. They don know yet eleven Soviet Govenment in the United States University of Paris: but within a year sky as well as other prisoners Wheation in Rumania and in Ukraine.
Pol Buckle wale arrested in kinagand forced the Second Congress of the Comintern able to see how comrade Rakovsky was compelled to leave the country the workers were mobilized, the Government gether with comrade Manullaky in the back and at the Third Congress of the the Communists So they hand it over foretruth was buried beneath the aval for the Russian Marslan review.
Novexel These activities and expecially the Zim. This activty of Rakovsky is known to the Soviet power returned after the such a contribution, he ought to be inism has contributed to the Communist the so called Rumanian period when he Rakovsky shared with Lenin and Trotsky. everybody crushing of Denikin, comrade Rakovsky People like Stetsky, whose function in movement. The sketch is published here reorganized the Socialist Party in Rum: stirred against him violent attacks of the After the conclusion of the negotiations became again the head of the Soviet of the trade unions is to disrupt and split in full: ania, which had been liquidated by Social European imperialist press of all coun comrade Rakovsky was delegated as a People Commissars, being at the same them, have their work greatly facilitated Democratie Intellectuals.
tries, particularly of France, Italy and member of the Russian Soviet Embassy time the People Commissar for Foreign if they are also allowed to parade as the The present leader of the Conimunist There now began a violent persecution Russia. Thanks to the Russian Revoluto Germany. He returned to Germany Affairs, member of the Central Commitee champions of unity.
reconstruction in Ukraine, the head of by the Rumanian authorities and bour. tion on May 1, 1917, when the Russian later in behalf of the Central Executive of the Communist Party of Ukraine, and The Industrial Union Jeaders present the People Commissars, Christian Georgeoisie, and in 1907 Rakovsky was ar garrison of the city of Jassy freed the Committee together with comrades Joffe, member of the Executive Committee of ed a sad spectacle throughout the affair gievich Rakovsky, was born on Septem rested following the peasant. uprisings political prisoners under the eyes of the Radek, Bucharin, Ignatov, Marchlewski, the Third International.
Here was a singular case of the preber 1, 1873 in a little Bulgarian town. He was deprived of his political rights, Rumanian king and his spies, Rakovsky conceived theories of Stalinism colliding Kote. He belongs to the very old Rak and entrance to Rumania was forbidden again was released from prison.
with the logic of the class struggle and ovaky family known in the history of the him. The whole organized Rumanian The Russian envoy Masslov in a secret STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP. New York, James Cannon. 84 a sweeping demand of the workers. The Balkan revolutionary struggles, a family proletariat rose in his support and he telegram reported thus: Yesterday on MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION, ETC. East 10th St. New York, Max result was contradiction and confusion which from the beginning of the nine returned to Rumani to arouse public May there took place in Jassy a meetREQUIRED BY THE ACT OF CON Shachtman, 84 Fast 10th St, New York, all along the line. The theories simply teenth century played an important role opinion by bringing his case before the ing of the Russian garrison; those par. GRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912, Maurice Spector, 81 East 10th st. did not fit the facts, and the whole time in the revolutionry movement of the courts; but the Rumanian government ticipating in the manifestation proceeded was spent in a hopeless attempt to re Balkans in general, and in Bulgaria par did not give him this opportunity and in an orderly fashion through the streets, at New York, for October 1, 1931.
OF THE MILITANT published weekly New York, Arne Swabeck, 84 Bast 10th St. New York, NY.
concile them. First they were taken un ticularly. He early showed the heritage, tried to send him over the border again the participants bearing red flags on State of New York 88 That the known bondholders, mortawares by the bold maneuver of the of his revolutionary family traditions. As The border countries refused to receive which were inscriptions in Russian and County of New York ss faker and their henchmen from the Love a youngster, while in the sixth class of the revolutionist who come that time was Rumanian. During the manifestation take. Before me, a Notary Publle in and for at holding per cent of more of total gågees, and other security holders owing Hot negotiate with the officials of the buting Socialist propaganda, and organiz opean proletariat, and the Romanian for they brought in an automobile, the Rum:ally appeared Arne Swabeck, who, having securities are. None. of union because it is a coming revolutionary circles ernment, to solve this problem, was on anian Socialist inkovsky who had just ben duly sworn according to law, deposes That the two paragraphs above current theory, it is wrong to negotiate studiden, went to Geneva, Switzerland. about an uprising of the workers in Buch: greeted the soldiers. Rakovsky was ans AuLITANT and that the following is to with reactionary leaders. They began tollere he immediately entered into the arest which ended with bloodly conflict wered in French by the Russian non. the best of his knowledge and belier, holders, and security holders, if any, con from below when they were interrupted at the heart of Watch at that time were policemen were victims. An attempt to ed his speects with the wish that the cement Centent things youper le meir security holders as they appear upon the by a movement from below in their Plechanov, Sakulich and Axelrod. Through remove Rakovsky from Bucharest was same fate might overtake the Rumanian culation, etc. of the foresata publica Looks of the company but also in casa own ranks. Under this pressure follow Plechanov, he familiarized himself with foiled by the workers who tore up the king that had befallen the Russian Tuartion for the date shown in the above cup where the stockholder or security holder ing the masses not leading them the international labor movement.
they had to go to the negotiations and for seven years Rakovsky, thanks to asked Rakovsky to exert his influence on formed, as soon as possible, In federation tion, required by the Act of August 24. appears upon the books of the company Sit at the table with the takers, choking covernmental persecution, spent his time the workers and a greed to return value of democratic republtes. Rakovsky was laws and regulations, printed on the re, intton, the name of the person or core In his conversa verse of this form, to wit: lon and united front from below as Switzerland, Germany, and France In a brilliant victory for the labor parts tion with me the Rumanian minister exthough their mouths were stuffed with 1892 he was arrested by the authorities over the Rumanian oligarchy. That the names and addresses of is given; also that the said two parafeathers.
of Geneva for an attempt against one of During his Rumanian period. Rak men for not executing the order concem the publisher, editor, managing editor, graphs contain statements embracing affant full knowledge and belief as to The basic fault lo the strategy of the the Russian agents provocateurs. He ovsky renewed his close relations with ing the removal of Rakovsky before the and business managers are: Industrial Union, which has given a real was expelled by the Berlin police for his the Russian revolutionary movement. In manifestation of May It must be add Publisher: The Communist League of the ho retoekhoulders and conditions under it only a temporay advantage to the participation in the German labor move 1005 he went on the mutinous warship od that this shameful action did not America (Opposition) New York, Which stockholders and who do not appear upon the books of Right wing disrupters, proceeds from ment. Finally the French Government Prince Potemkin and influenced the insucceeded owing to the fact that Rakor Editor: Max Shachtman Managing Editor: None the company as trustees, hold stock and the abandonment during the Third Per permitted him to study there, but only surgent sailors not to surrender and to sky fell gravely ill in time.
securities in a capacity other than that police surveillance 50 instead to the aid of the striking From this moment there began the Business Manager: Arne Swabeck of a bona fide owner; and this affiant unity. More than two years ago when while working in this error made its first appearance, and French, Swiss, and other organizations to the relief of the insurgents who re of Rakovsky. After coming to Odessa he corporation, its name and address must be person, association, or corporation bas on many occasions since, we have point. Rakovsky did not forget his native coun: mained in Rumania thus bringing upon organized a great number of meetings, stated and also immediately hereunder any interest direct or indirect in the said Compelled to catherings, and lectures, in which he ad. the names and addresses of stockholders stock, bonds, or other securities than as ed this out to the party and the left try. He published in Geneva a Bulgarian himself new persecutions wing workers. In the militant for Aug paper, Social Democrat, and directed the leave the country in 1907 he renewed his vocated his slogan Down with the War, owing or holding one per cent or more so stated by him.
ust 15th, 1920 we wrote the following Socialist papers in Bulgaria itself. relations with the Western revolutionary thus bringing upon himselt persecutions of total amount of stock. If not owned ARNE SWABHCK, Business Manager One of the greatest weaknesses in After having completed his studies in movement. He also returned again to and attacks from the Provisional Gov. tiy a corporation, the names and address Sworn to and subscribed before me the current trade union policy of the the Medical Faculty in 1897, Rakovsky Bulgaria where he founded the paper ernment as well as from the social poes of the individual owners must be given. this 3rd day of October 1861.
party is the withdrawal of the slogan wrote a brilliant doctor dissertation Forward.
triotle press and very quickly after his owned by a Arm, company, or other During the great war the LORCII, Notary Public Rumanian arrival in Petrograd he was entered on unincorporated concern, its name and This was a central slogan of which gives a Marxian explanation of of unity.
the party and one of its mightlest wea criminality and degeneration, a work Government shamefully persecuted Rak the list of the twelve whose arrest was address, as well as those of each indivi. My commission expires March 30, 1983)
pons in the fight against the reaction which has been translated into Russian. ovsky as well as the socialist press asked by Burtsev as well as by the Rum dual member, must be given. aries. The slogan of unity was one of Upon his return to Bulgaria, there began There were arrests and armed police at anian Government. As revealed in a The Communist League of America (Opwas secret note of the Minister of Foreign position. 84 East 10th St. New York, READ AND SUBSCRIBE the most effective means of mobilizing a struggle against Russian Tsarisin. Rak tacks in one of which Rakovsky the masses in the needle trades under ovaky organized throughout the whole wounded.
Affairs, Tereschenko, and in a telegram Martini Abern, 84 East 10th St. TO THE MILITANT pany union. Besides, according to the In 1890, Rakovsky unable to finish is the point of shooting him. This brought been released and who in a short speech and says that he is the Manager of giving the names of the owners, stock lod of the Lenin teaching on trade union under very strin Russian, German, workers at Batum. Later Rakovsky went Russian Ukrainian period of the activity That the owner is. 11 owned by ahas no reason to believe that any other