SATURDAY, THE MILITANT PAGE OCTOBER 31, 1931 EDITORIAL NOTES From an Our Own Interview with Ben Gitlow Delegate hard The Party on the Philippines Banking Crisis in the The Opposition at Party Forum We notice by the current issue of the are against the stupidity of the Norman about the situation in the Amalgamated Revolutionary Age that it has scooped Thomas group. We are against stupidity, Clothing Workers Union? You can exthe whole labor press with an exclusive altogether. We also stand against Mos pect him to know anything about it. He AN APOLOGIST FOR left wing labor movement in generai. NEW YORKSTALINISM.
The United Front Committee. as evLogle is a most consistent touchstone Interview, obtained at great cost and cow dictation If it we that are dictated is too busy with Russian problems. Rustravail, granted to a special correspond One of the surest signs of the signi. erybody knows, is under the leadershipl but experience is more so. Facts make ent by. Ben Gitlow. We are totalo. The Communist International is a sla has many problems. All the Rus.
noble experiment.
sians are busy with them. We are busy ficance of alien classes upon the course of the Stalinists. It is a long way from logie genuine. For about a year or so of the Stalinist bureaucracy in the their mad bounding campaign of yester. have been reading The Militant. My that your correspondent took the in itiative in interviewing Gitlow. he International, Mr. Gitlow?
We: What has happened to your own with ours. When the Five Year Ilan is completed we have every reason to be Soviet Union is its rabid persecution of day against everyone differed with ideological knowledge of Communism be stated. he stated further. Gitlow BEN: We are against foreign inter lieve that it will come to an end. Then the Left, proletarian wing of the Party the official party in the slightest doing in a sorry state, somewhat akin to further stressed. he further stated. vention. We stand foursquare with the there may be another Five Year Plan.
It is the hounding, exiling, imprisoning gree to today polite invitation to all Earl Browder education along party and so on and more of the same. Wej father of our country: no entangling for. We do not know for sure, but whatever and murdering of the unwavering and actions to meet together and talk things lines, my political attitude was undeter reveals mined, vacillation. The logic asupra ing been beaten to the draw by the Age America for the Americans. Russia for foursquare on the platform of were naturaly deeply chagrined at have alliances! Slam for the Siamese! happens is all right with us. We stand incorruptible defenders of the ideas and over. This inconsiseney only Іarx: the tradition of the October revolution once more the instability of Stalinist sented by The Militant seemed logical in so difficult, and yet so important, the Stalinists! See America first! From Live and let us live. The American work left turn of the Centrist and where it does not alter the correct. Marxism Leninism, but my feet, asheet How the correspondent got to him and greens of Maine, we must build up the deprive it of the right to cance. The tess of the action in calling the sym resisted unui October 11, 1931, when managed to turn the trick, continues to united front of all the workers. Brand a great success. We say: Long live the in the Soviet Union involves in the the trade and in the first place the Scottsboro conference as duly acere attempt to stage a comeback, we ronce: Soviet Union! Quote me if you like dited delegate.
We: What do you think of Trotsky?
highest degree the unceasing exposure group of the Left Opposition should GEN: Trotsky has made a lot of misof the reactionary terror against the Bol welcome and support and strengthen this This meeting was an eye opener and enviously try to emulate the enterprising ites. We believe in life and Breandler: shevik Leninists and the most energetic trend.
also affected my mind. The bureauerite lishing a wholly imaginary interview with WR: What do you think of Stalin and not Lenin. Lenin was not Bucharin. In takes. Trotsky is not Stalin. Stalin is defense of its victims. Every tionist worthy of the name counts this inviting the workers to the symposium, ed, the railroading through of motions, terview was never given is no great him in Moscow. was once a delegate ahead. That is OpposlThe leaflet sued by the committee, manner, the steam roller tactics employ the same Gitlow. The fact that our in the Five Year Plan?
BEN: Stalin is a nice fellow. met though we hope that better times are one word, that sums up the situation, alamong his first duties.
is well worth reading especially by was, to say the least, disgusting. No shakes as an argument; the truth of the to the Communist International. Stalin position Weisbord, who assisted in the expul those who want to check up on the is open election of a chairman, no open matter is that Gitlow would have been is a Russian, but he is also a leader or munist Party of the United States (Maj.
the Comsion and terror campaign against the sues of controversy on trade union pol election of a credentials committee an better off if he had not given any interAmerican Oppositionists, turned up It Icy in the Party and consequently, men. He invented the Five Year Plan, ority Group. These are times tbat try although Lenin invented will be recalled two years later with the Left wing labor movement. The of the sewer, but the absolute refusal view at all in the first place.
Leninism.
men souls. Trotskyism is not Lenin the offer to instruct us how to interpret ledtlet says: The present state of af. to seat non party or sympathetie deleBucharin is also a nice man. Some ism. One is Trotskyism and the other the principles of the Opposition in Am fairs in our industry is, to a very large rates, smacked of the of Le WE: What is your general view say which of is. Leninism. met Lenin once at the erica. Now he is enlarging his terri extent, the result of the split and the pool. But to cap climax, one smirk the present situation, Mr. Gitlow? the two is nicer. But they ought to let Third Congress. He was a nice fellow.
BEN: These are times which try men the Americans work out their own his. He was a Russian too. The Russians are misconceptions of the situation as com workers which the bosses are taking his master empty shoes, had the colos. souls. What is needed is a concrete pro torle destiny. What does Stalin know into the Russian situation. That why tory. First he wanted to correct our artificial division in the ranks of the ing, wash faced bureaucrat, rattling in all right for Russia. Trotsky didn fit our opinion this sal ett rontory, the brazen gall, to threat gram of action adapted to the physidlogy rade Trotsky explained it; now It is advantage of. In he in Turkey now. Turkey is a semicomrade Trotsky bimselt whom he takes statement is incontestable even thoughen to report back to that delegates of the American working class. We stand to tak. Trotsky, who knows something it was written by, or at the direction local his actions at the conference and foursquare on the platform of pasteurized feudal country, bounded on the North by Bulgaria, on the south by Africa, on the about the bureaucratic degeneration of of, people who made a virtue, and even thereby to have him thrown out of the Leninism.
the Stalinist apparatus and its terror a fetish, of the split at the last con local and possibly out of his job! An WE: What is going to come out of the East by Afghanistan and on the West by the Bosphorus. It is populated mainagainst the Leninist Opposition and vention of the Needle Trades Workers this before a communist audience. Bat crisis in this country?
not by hearsay has again ilun:Inated Industrial Union. And following that this is not all. After the district or BEN: It is clear to all of us that one ly by Turks who eat halvah. Trotsky is this side of the question, among the there 18 another complete right about ganizer of the Carl Hacker har of two things will happen for sure: the a sectarian. He does not know the situation in the Amalgamated Clothing others, in his recently published thesis face, when the leaflet says: Dressmak anguing his audience after the fashion crists will elther blow over, or it will In a declaration (Daily Worker, 10 Workers union. There is quite a strugon the Problems of the Development of ers representing all shades of opinion of a William Green, proposed a motion not blow over. In the meantime, htings the Therein be demon will be called upon to come and present to put four delegates, refused seats, outlook pretty bad. What we need is less 23 31) addressed to the Communist ble there between Hillman and Orlot strates once more that the Stalinist thelr views and proposals. Our of the hall, and the stalinist myrmidone theory and more action. Theory is all Party of the Phillippine Islands by the sky. wrote an article about it, but plebiscitary regimo has been converted emphasis. On this point also the leaf bogean to applaud franticaly, one bellicose right in a way. used to make speeches Central Committee, Communist Party of Trotsky hasn written any. We are not into a main danger of the dictatorship let is just as correct as yesterday see individual, seeing me not applauding about it myself years ago. But as Marx a large share is devoted by sectarians. We make alliances with any of the proletariat. Against this red tarianism was false.
turned towards me with threatening ges said, we need action and a mang labor way of advice to the Phillippine com body except with the Communists. They radies on the lessons afforded by the are stupid. We are against stupidity. How were the infallible leaders of the tures and even went so far as to pokeme party what about the socialist party? Chinese Revolution of 1925 27. The de said that in one of my other answers.
soned and deliberate conclusion Wels bord has intervened with a statement of Party Induced to approve such a com. In the side, meanwhile saying. Wh his own in which he corrects the ex plete reversal of policy? The answer is don you applaudine criminal motion socialists. Some of my best friends are the butcheries of workers and peasants friend of mine from Havana makes thereby trying to BEN: We have nothing against the claration refers to especially the treach WE: What about the Patersonerous role of the bourgeois nationalists. apgerations.
simple. In this instance, as always, force me to BEN: Glad you called. Have a cigar In this statement we read the follow they did it under the whip of necessity of the socialists. was once a socialist myby the Kuo Min Tang and the servility, them up for me. Drop in to see me ing: Comrade Trotsky declares there is the results of the old approach have. As soon as the expelled four left the self. But it appears to us that the Soc of its factions to one or the other of again some day.
not a trace of party democracy. Local been so catastrophic that further steps hall, or rather were forced to leave (they inlist party is getting too conservative organizations are selected and automar on that roed became impossible. Even were threatened to be thrown out by We need a new party, a more radical the imperialist bandits, all of which, it appears, has finally become known to tically reorganized by secretarles. Local blind man knows he has reached a force. left the hall in disgust. At any party. We stand for that, too.
secretaries are appointed, Congresses are blank wall when he bumps his head event, change in the party must take WE: What about the Left wing in the the American Communist Party. The years are not so many, however, since arbitrarlly postponed, delegates selected against it. When it came to the point place, if it must prevent being smashed. Socialist party?
the Stalinized Communist International BEN: These are times which try men from the top, every spark of those fea that the Kaufman gang of boss and The day draws near and the rope hange United States tures which go to make up the nature pollee agents were able to appropriate high for the Stalinist misleaders souls. Live and let live. We are against and its American lackeys, saw in these of a revolutionists crushed: Blumkins are the slogan of unity and make fun of CONFERENCH TELGATR the stupidity of the Communists. We bourgeois nationalists the leaders of the Chinese Revolution, permitted the (Continued from page 1)
shot down, Bessedovskys direct the purg. the left wing workers in the fur trade, butchery of the Chinese proletariat and months has kept the percentage of froing of the party, etc. All this is lit a revolt from below against the suicidal eral quotation from the thesis of Trot polley of the leadership was no longer peasantry in order not to break up the zen paper from increasing. The Hoover National Credit Corp, will probably not It is quoted with disapproval of to be avoided. It was this logic sky, bu grotesque united front of the bloc of four classes. and deliberately held but will transfer some of the excessivo be of much help to the banks as a whole, Things are not so bad as Trotsky makes events and the pressure of the workers NEW YORK them out. Like the impartial Judge who that persuaded the bureaucrats to ap: The Communist Party New York tions by some party members whose con lution of the Comintern in those stirrThen began another of these exhibi back the agrarian uprisings. The resostrength of the stronger banks to the sees both sides he comments: We the symposium and the properly forum on Sunday, October 17, at their duct only serves to disgrace the party ing days said: The apparatus of the weaker ones, helping along the process of gerated (2) that while some of the of the Opposition played its partits members of the Left Oppositon and their ers. was attacked by the brother of Chiang Kal Shek) offers a very real road aree ristet to the ance capital turn from the stage stage of depression, decisive as to whether there is a party. would have been greater and would have William Weinstone was the speaker signal for several more who surged Kal Shek was hailed as a warrior whenever it comes, will thaw out Exaggerated? Only some of it true brought results soonerit. while remain on the subject Capitaltem or Socialism va Mantly to the aid of Eisman in his against imperialism. Many little Stal some of the assets of those weaker banks and that only in part. Where had been sharper, more aggressive and more cept for two important points his speech Comrade Morris likewise was set upon were in China in those days ovom ble variant is a continuance of an abIng entirely loyal to the Party, it had. Which Road Out of the Crisis? Ex struggle against the Trotsk fista. inists the Browders and Neumanns who can survive, be kept alse bement does not way, and cannot say. We ruthless against the leadership. Stalin: was the usual one, that of contrast of and had his copies of the militant torn such theories and thereby to aid in the know that the monstrous accusations ist bureaucrats cannot be cured with the Soviet Union with the capitalist up. Before altercations became worse, treacheries to and butcheries of the normal number and size of bank failworld.
ures, but not on a scale that will threatagainst the Left Opposition (The Wrankindness.
a number of party members and sym workers and peasants.
An interesting question arises: Does gel Officer and so forth) were all ex. The first point of interest was Wein pathizers intervened and compelled the en American finance capital as a whole.
posed and refuted, but we do not know this action in the dressmakers slenty stone constant repetition of the nec attackers to stop. Above all else, continues the declaration to the Philippine Communist The price of bonds has an immediof a single instance where the opposi de principal echange prilor poliey motivated essity of the use of the united front taction was convicted of falsifying or ex by a principle conception, or is it merely tie by the party, before it oculd hope to Opposition proposals with a number of the Filipino masses the danger of fol decline in the whilue of bond investments We remained then and discussed the Party, the lessons of China should teach ate bearing on the position of the banks.
a Is there a trade of party under the completion for and desired cost organize the American working masses Boccacy? Can a worker Bolshevik the compulsion of necessits? Most He nikewise pointed this toute core the workers who remained and distributed lowing the leadership of the national to a point where the surplus was wiped stand up and speak out for the basic likely the latter. Centrists in general English Communist Party. But Wein the remaining copies of The Militant bourgeoisie which chatters of oppost out and the capital impaired, under ideas of the October revolution without are incapable of following consistent stone explanation of what he meant and our open forum cards.
tion to imperialism. the example which conditions a ank is technically being sent to prison or Siberia? Was line of polley, and will less a prin by the united front was penetrating When we left, we said we would be of China should prove to the Filipino Insolvent, has no right to accept further not the heroic Blumkin assassinated cipled one. They live from day to day, the shops and uniting the workers around again to help to clarify the ait workers and peasants Imperative deposits, and must close down. Bond Was not the organizer of the October attempt to solve each problem separate revolution and the Red Army exiled to ly and move one way or the other ac. against their enemy, the bosses. fernces before the Communist workers need of their own reovlutionary mass prices have recovered since the first week The second point centered on Wein and sympathizers.
movement, organizationally and politie in October the campaign of wage cuta, Turkey by a dicker with Kemal Pasha cording to the pressure of the moment stone remarks on conditions in the ally Independent of and opposed to the by increasing the srplus values accruand kept there by an agreement with Hence their repeated contradictions, the Soviet Union today. No strikes take vacillating and compromising leadershiping to industry, has strengthened the the Bourgeois governments of Europe attempt to escape from which only leads Place said Weinstone.
because the of the national bourgeoisie, their own standing of bonds whose interest is paid Did not Bessedovsky help to purge the to others. This is the case right now workers don go on strike. If they are with only when led by the proletariat whose ticipation of wage cuts on the railroads ed over the fence Into the camp of the lons and nonpary mass organizations in tory, they simply move and shift from general. If they have purchased a re one factory to another, as was pointed guide and leader is the Communist has strengthened the prices of railroad White Guard. Continued from page 1)
Party of the Philippine Islands.
spite in the dressmakers situation by out in the latest decree on wages and There could be no better way of actually bonds, which constitute the largest sin We have one more question the ultion the policy implied in the conduct of the by comrade Stalin in his speech before preventing a mass trasis of struggle for the American Communist Party and its government bonds. renewed intenstBut, we ask in all humbleness, have gle group of bond investments next to to Rakovsky, the great hero and warrior orl multiply med.
complications in the this a new depths reverse this broader from job to job, the revolution, being slowly and dell: Here is their dilemma: If the policy comrade Trotsky those workers who in vain search for a advise for the Phillipines?
tendency: In the absence of present inberately done to death right now in the of the symposium is defended as a cor article on Stalin speech in The Mil Job are turning away from their capldications of such a turn, the most proDoes the American Communist Party bable variant appears to be a stabiliza tione No: Wo submit that com rect one fotkey. clemine thateni Fest took the floor and endeavored to to join the revolutionary unlons. In in defiance of the conceptions of Stalin tion of the value of the investment asrade Trotsky has only told the Indis be applied generally. But such genstate some of the tasks of the Com that broad tlela the social reformists can Bucharin, the vith Congress of the sets of the banks.
putable truth and that this truth must eral application would bring them to which point the speaker had concluded. and deceit. But it is precisely also in opposition that the subordination of the The immediate perspective of the Amguard without any mitigation or sl 86: course in the other mass organizations relfer, the immediate importance of the around the burning issues of unemploy was unqualifiedly be made known to the proletarian vall a head on collision with their present stressing the question of unemployment that field that a united front struggle Communist Party to the Kuo Min Taneerican banking crisis, based on these ing over of the cruel facts. It is not where yesterday policy in the dress!
leadership of the Chlover industry, of increasing monopolization nationally, and of maintaining its Trotsky who exaggerates the burean makers still survives, and with similar slogan and demand for unemployment ment as well as the very question of ceptance of the Wrong: that the ac valuations, is one of increased hegemony cracy and the terror againstad the results. They are crying out loud these insurance. also emphasized the slogan Communist activities has such rich pot ne se revolution placed a noose around International position, through the main shevik Leninists, but who days to the effect that the skeletons of of the six hour day and five day week entialities. The Militant, July 28. the necks of the Chinese proletarint and tenance of the gold standard, to a point pesantry and the young Communist minimles and thereby apologies for left wing trade unions must take on the without reduction of wages, and the 1930. Purty? Or do we have a case of Love the leadership of its oligarchie finance where America can go forward, under However, despite this present recog them.
flesh and blood of membership and that slogan of the extension of long term no accidental error. It has an intimate be transformed into ma organizated States, as one of the means for the ceeds yet essentially on the same basis. mittee have one theory regarding the the Central com capital and its highly developed and monconnection with the whole campaign tions. But such a consummation must development of economic relations be It is now intensifying the activities of mitte he has conducted against the American logically presupposesince only a com ween the two countries and the smellor. hunger marches and connecting it with Robert Communist Party in China and expansion and inevitable contiet with and the rising capitalism of France.
slanders borrowed from the Centrists Communists that other workers are the United States, etc. stated also ery of unemployment. This serves to like Minor, the comrades will change and the Right Wing. Our National con given a chance to live and breathe and that there were demands of the Left emphasize the needs of the unemployed their minds a little more. B, FIELD.
ference unanimously rejected the proteel at home there, that all groups and opposition, of which faction was a but still ignore the essential aspect of the class. When standing posal of Wetsbord to present his views shades of opinton to quote the invita member and that these were some of the needs before it. And rightly 80. We have tion to their symposium are made free the tactical questions on which we dit alone it lends itself to facilitate all the Read!
nothing in common with such view. to present their views and proposals. fered from the position of the oficial efforta capitalism to separate the It would have been a disgrace if a single delegate had expressed any of criticism and discussion Impels them spoke and evidently these correct Isolate the struggles of the former.
Out It is necessary for the Communist doubts on this question. For our part, Soon it we have to choose between the out to deny, as the expulsions in the Mar slogans had aroused some thought and Ine Workers Union and the LD questions in the minds of the workers movement to fight relentlessly for mitipresent.
and out Stalinist henchman who defends This is one of the gation of the misery of unemployment.
When sat down, several workers it must, however, to be successful, be Watch For It everything and the camouflaged apologist so cloquently testify reasons why the mass movements do who blunts the edge of criticism if we not materialize, or if they do take momaround me questioned me about the done in such a way as to provide for Published by the National Youth Committee, Communist League of have to choose between the one who entary shape as a result of spontane cards advertising our forum to them. It is necessary to repeat again that in Communist League (Opposition. gave the maximum of working class unity, America (Opposition)
justifies the crimes and the one who YOUNG SPARTACUS official organ of the Communist youth oppoel submits that they are exaggeratedtion in the United States, prints news, articles, educational material and we prefer the former. It is best to have cute by wrecked. The bureaucratic recoge Young Communist League member this teld especially there is an oppor editorials on the economie and political situation in the United States and enemies out in the open. And if they elme narrows down and defeats the took the floor and warned the audience tunity of a broad united front policy.
About It is the one where the most elementary elsewhere, particularly ag related to the youth and young workers in inconceal themselves behind the pretence workers democracy, which is the prere a third of the audience applauded hun. class objectives, aspirations and activIt printe also the writings of Leon Trotsky and other leaders of the International Left Opposition of the Communist movement.
of adherence to the International Left quisite for the healthy growth and de Following him, one confused young chapitles of the workers can be united. The neces opment of the Left wing organizations took the floor and argued against our docent of convention again de Published Monthly 84 East 10th Street New York, sary to drag them into the open, the basis monstrated its servile capitalist cbarac. Fifty. 50) cents per year (Canada and Foreign 65) 5c per copy.
in the labor movement, is at the same slogan of the six hour day time incompatible with the survival of of its inapplicability in the jewelry in ter and refused to consider even the need dustry a leadership by appointment and comof unemployment insurance. So much YOUNG SPARTACUS THE DRESSMAKERS SYMPOSIUM.
84 Last 10th Street Discussion was closed with one or two more should that now be considered an mand. All the Browders are stranded New York, NY The symposium held last Sunday under on this contradiction. additional speakers and then Weinstone opportunity to press forward for ComEncloseu please find Afty. 50) Gents for one year subscription: the auspices of the Dressmakers Unproceeded to answer number of ques. munist leadership on this issue. An step Namo.
tions. Comrade Morris and myself wentI actual united front foundation for the ited Front Committee repenaltions forward. Under certain WATCH FOR downstairs and proceeded to distribute uemployed movement embracing also the Address can become the starting point of the free coples of The Militant. We had of unions would be a good revival of the militant union movement DATE OF Stato given away about 80 without any die beginning.
In the industry and a stimulus to the MILITANT DANCE ficulty. ARNE SWABECK.
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