THE MILITANT WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America Opposition Published weekly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at 84 East 10th Street, New York, Entered as second class mall matter, November 28, 1928 at the Post Office at New VOLUME V, NO. 17 (WHOLE NO. 113 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1932 ork, under the act of March 3, 1879.
PRICE CENT New Stage in Needle Trade Fight Failure of the Danube Union Conference Campaign for Unity is now the Order of the Day THE MENACE OF FASCISM IN The convention of the International the workers in the prospect of any proGERMANY Many credulous workers have suf. crisis and with the unemployment fig. In New York City the printers and the fered from the Illusion, and possibly ures still mounting, building trades are having their scales Lecture by Ladies Garment Workers Union stands gress along that line. The traitors at in the center of a series of developments the head of the International, freed from still do, that wage reductions will bring The most recent wage reductions ac adjusted Intimations are made in no ARNE SWABECK an increase of jobs. To those there tual or contemplated, are symptomatic uncertain terms by the United States and events which signalize a new stage the pressure of a genuine fighting op on in the needle trades struggle. This oc position, were able to transform the of have been a number of decisive and hard of the fact that the formerly more pri Steel Corporation directors that their casion can be the starting point for the ficial strikes into decorative affairs FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1932 hitting answers kiven in the rounds of vileged strata of the working class are several hundred thousand workers are at tbe wage cutting which have followed one now ever more becoming the victims, the due for another cut.
revival of a genuine labor struggle which left the conditions of the workers another in rapid succession during this same as the lower paid, unskilled ones. few months ago the New York against the bosses and a new advance of no better than before, and in some cases Labor Temple printing employers associations made a the militant section of the movement. worse. The morals of the masses in the 14th Street and Second Avenue demand upon the allied trades for a 20 The conditions now are present for the needle trades has suffered heavily under at P.
per cent reduction. Their contracts had rapid transformation of the existing these repeated blows. Pessimistic mooda, in the state of affairs in favor of the workers Induced by the apparent hopelessness of not yet expired but this did QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION least deter the employers from calling and their revolutionary vanguard. In victory while the union organizations ADMISSION: 25 Cents order to make this possible the Leftare split apart, spread a paralyzing inThe Conference which was held instants. Millions of unemployed and ruin upon their old friend Major Berry, PresiUnemployed Workers Admitted Free Union. Major wing is obliged to make an objective fluence over the market and under Auspices: New York Branch Communist week in London of delegations from ed peasants are doomed to starvation dent of the Pressman Great Britain, France, Germany and and suffering. The bourgeofsle of these Berry came to their assistance, once examination of the whole situation as it mined the struggles in advance.
Lengue of America (Opposition)
the systematic again playing the role he has so often exists in reality, and to elaborate a new The slogan necessary to revive the Italy to consider plans for rescuing the countries are recealist powers in all before played, namely to break the work Danubian line of tactics which proceed from it. Alighting spirit and fighting capacities of States, Austria, Hungary, aid of the big Roumania, Czecho Slovakia and Juglo their plans of saving themselves at the ers ranks. In the name of the union he The leading idea in this departure is the needle trades workers, and to restore Slavakla from economic and financial expense of the broad masses and also to accepted a per cent reduction for the new and correct formulation of the the decisive influence of the Left wing the situation. From this standpoint the bankruptcy, ended in a complete fatlure crush every resistance against the ter pressmen. After that treacherous break slogan of unity. Bound up with it, and which is a condition for victorious ad latest meeting of the National Commit Germany and Italy did not agree to the rible exploitation. The price that the the other unions began to follow sult: indispensabled to ottenerective appellent ances, is the slogan of trade union too of the Communist League, in agree plan elaborated by France and support. bourgeoisie is requested to pay for that the masters, the paper handlers, the cut.
is a reconsideration of the present at titude with regard to the problem of This slogan can move the workers cided to recommend to the Party and French Plan deprives them of their the imperialists in thelr fight against cepted cuts. Only the typographical unwork with the reactionary union.
The appearance at the it corresponds to their most burning with respect to the International, be anteed them under their commercial more than any other precisely becaus the Left wing that the slogan of unity, rights of the most favored nation guar. the proletarian revolutions and the ton, the Big Six, is still holding out. It is holding out by virtue of the fact that convention of seven delegates five from needs and expresses their deepest im formulated now as follows: Readmis agreements with the Danublan States, Local one from Local 1, and Poland, Czecho Slovakia and Rumania the membership almost unanimously set from Local 38 even though their elec Just because of that, there can be notional in a body, without discriminations five small states are to lower their tar in all the schemes of French imperial officials, who, for the time being at least The plan in brlet is the following: the are virtual vassals of France and figure themselves against the demand. But the tion was accomplished under shady cartriting, no phrase mongering bluster, no and with full membership rights. Tots with reference to each other by 10 ism to provoke a war with the Soviet had to pay heed to this decision, are trycumstances denotes recognition demagogie pretense with this great gether with this a general fact of the necessity for systematic slogan. Whoever really wants to campaign percent or more maintaining at the Union. The present scheme of France is ing to turn the tables in a different way.
the should be carried on for the amalgama struggle within the right wing union. attention It is also a proof of the fruitful posal and to influence them seriously same time the existing tariffs in regard to draw in the rest of the European They are merely emphasizing the fact the needle trades masses tion of all the unions the various to outside countries The outside coun countries into the Little Entente and that the union contract does not expire bilities of this struggle. This was clear. remember one thing: they have been bracing the entire industry.
must trades into a single organization entries are to agree to a lowering of tarifs augment her hegemony over the whole until Sept. 31 this year, thus intimating ly indicated long ago, from practical fooled enough, they are on guard for this slogan, which flows out on the agricultural products of the Dan of Europe. Should she succeeded in this that after that date the prospects of as well as from a theoretical standpoint, tricks in the name of unity. they have of the ubian States.
scheme there will be created a monstrous their following in the footsteps of Major despite all the fulminating agitation to to be convinced that the slogan is both the workers as both reasonable and real her objection to the plan because underker to the existence of the Soviet Union. ever, in the first instance depends upon actual state of affairs, will also impress Germany also had a specifle ground for power that will present the greatest dan. Berry are likely to improve. That how.
the contrary by the people who deduce sincere and realistle.
Izable; it will reawaken their confidence it, Czecho Slovakia, an industrial coun About year ago Germany attempted how well the membership are able to tactics out of their own heads and not Unity from Below or Genuine Unity. and their aspiration for an effective untry, is granted the privilege of the agri to establish a custoins union with Aus prepare to frustrate it and to resist the from the facts of life.
What the Election of the Left Wing The Party bureaucrats overlooked this ion. At the same time it will open the cultural countries, those of a preferen. tria which could eventually also include attack.
will other European states. The late Aristide point, and this is one of the main reasons way for the left wing to the masses oftial tarif on her products which Another Privileged Trade Hit Delegates Signifles After the consistent barrage of the The election of the Left wing delegates that their bombastic agitation around workers now separated from it in the afford her a possibility of eventually Briand employed his diplomatte talent the question of unity. and their gross Schlesinger union.
driving Germany out of the Danublan and France financial power to frustrate newspaper campaign, always holding up is an expression of the fact that work perversions of the Lenin teaching on the Germany plan, and he succeeded. The the building trades workers as a borers, who are sympathetic to the sims subject yielded such miserable results Plenum on May 1st, the day before thel Italy refused to support the French French bourgeoisie envisaged in Gerrible example of high pay and little The Industrial Union, which holds its market.
of the Left wing, are compelled by the and gave the force of clrcumstance to belong to the their labor agents every time she de opening of the convention of the Inter Plan because it would strengthen the annis plant the danger to her hegemony work. the official wage reductions are Right wing union. The organized Lett mand for unity under the leadership in this way and elect a delegation to pre Thus the plan of Great Britain and However, the Interests of finance capl Unofficially, of course, the level of actual wing, under the direct influence of the of the Communists predetermined in ad sent the question before the Internation France to rescue the Danubian states tal urgently require the adoption of al Wages paid has long ago been reduced.
Party, had and well proach to these workers and provides of Stalinism have been presenting the wing delegates to the International con Imperialist designs and that of other system in Europe. The narrow national enough that an official sanction for meaning note that there wing campaign for meget om no campo de rende combined except vention, acting in concert with the In European powers.
ist boundaries in which the small Dan downward step in the actual level Doethe election of delegates to the conven necessity of this leadership. The units austrialight in the convention in favor which crew out of the former Hapsburg binderance to their economic develop official reduction has alreads taken The plight of the Danublan States, ubian states are cramped in are aalble. In most of the larger citlee the tion. The Party was dragged at the tail from below ballyhoo is part of the of the slogan. Such an action on their Empire after the last World War 18 ment which endangers the investments of in spite of the asinine theories which day is to unite the great masses of the trial Union Plenum, will immediately which divided up the old Austro Hungar revolt. They are consequently completions that even the season, which should of a movment which came into existence same futility. But the problem of the part, following the action of the Indus result of the Versailles Peace Treaty. the financiers and drives the peoples to place; but there are no particular indica prohibited it. The problem now is to re needle trades workers, including those change the character of the convention, ian Empire in small parcels, forced them led to bring about some sort of a union now be at hand, will anywhere approach cognize the vital progressive character who are indifferent and even hostile to and change it most radically.
of the unauthorized movement and pro Communism, for a common trade union into narrow national boundaries, as among the small states in order to stimur. an absorption of the jobless bullders.
vide it with a bold and realistic leader struggle for concrete demands. This 18 beasts in the enges of a Zoo, and compel late industry and commerce and suvel Last week the New York Building The Slogan as a Challenge to the led them to conduct their own econom1 their investments. Their plans, how. Trades Employers Association broke off ship what the workers want, and this is what Progressives The program on which the Left wing they need.
ies independently on the basis of their ever, are constantly clashing with their all parleys and sent the unions an ultidelegates campaigned for election. for formulated in such The slogan of unity must be The more or less shum battle between mengre economic resources. The com own contradictions, with the mutual riv. matum to accept a 20 to 35 per cent way that it con the Schlesinger machine and the Pro petition, tariffs and other national re alries and the strife for hegemony among reduction. It was done by the simple program of class struggle against forms to this situation and appears to gressive Bloe. with the Left wing ges. strictions augmented by the various na the European powers. In each plan process of posting notices.
The reduc clique control in the International. the workers as both realistic and realiz ticulating on the sidelines for etc. refutes in life the worthless conable.
which tional historical controversies and mu brought forward there brazenly pro tion will involve some 115, 000 workers.
tention, imposed upon the Left wing by At the time when the Industrial Union realignment of forces and a real fight. economic development of these countries other imperialist power to strengthen led to run until December 31, 1933. In the stage is now set will give place to atual distrust, continually hindered the tudes the sinister aim of this or the It is to take effect May 1, and is schedwith Let the Progressive Bloc dare to op and rendered them a toy in the hands of her hegemony over the other.
this manner the employers aim to also national being a company union and still contested the field seriously In the rivalry of the imperialists fortion just prior to the beginning of the gain a more propitious time for expiretherefore not proper teld for system the International When the struggle for pose this slogan! Their rank and file the imperialist powers. During the peratle work and not subject to reforma, svorenom unery, ined formulated by the tant policy and mean it earnestly, will used with great dificulty and with the opean countries there are revealed its winter months. But it should not be tion struggle of the militants within it. The Left Opposition, was applicable to the at once begin to shift over to the Left nid of loan from British, French and true character of a conflict for hege pose to sign any kind of agreement, thus forgotten situation (the amalgamation of the uni wing. If the Progressives accept the American banks to maintain their pre mony, a conflict that recalls to memory leaving themselves the option of decreeers to re enter the Right wing union Im of joint convention. The presenting a struggle on a broad front that will high interests on the periously command the revolutionary of militants to adjust themselves to the sit conditions and relationship of forces be 800n go beyond the bounds of the pseudo have finally led them to economic and outcome in a much more horrible shape, tions would still depend upon what the fit. Yet in this respect also, the calculauatlon and organize a struggle there, in tween the unions dictate a reformulation Progressive preram in few decisive financial bankruptey.
the danger of a world war of monstrous organized workers may have to say about The victims of the deplorable situa dimensions.
Union. The old polley which has artis yielding anything in principle, will cortion as the dynamic force in the whole tion thus brought about are, of course, The Solution Lles in the Proletarian (Continued on page 4)
clally divided and thereby demoralized respond more closely to the realities of is reported that the New York the broad masses of workers and peasRevolution Building Trades Council, through Presithis struggle must be replaced by a polThe real solution to the plight of the dent IIalkett, has announced that it icy which unites and revitalizes it.
peoples in the small European countries, will resist. How much confidence can be These developments, among others, lles in the hands of the European proplaced in this announcement one may are signs of a relationship of forces letariat, in the direction of a proletarian gather from the offer already previously between the Right and Left unions in the field which cannot be ignored in the The following speech was delivered of Parliamentarism, when it was still soldiers councils for better or worse, as revolution. Capitalism is unable to solve made by the council to accept a 15 per elaboration of the Left wing tactics of several weeks ago in the Prussian developing progressively and did not as the fundament of the state. But the all the contradictions that have accumucent reduction. And it becomes a good the day. On the contrary, they must be parliament by comrade Oskar Selyet fall into living decay, the question working class was lulled to sleep by the lated in the course of its developmert. deal clearer by the observation that at taken as the basis from which the tacpold, speaking in the name of our of the budget was always a question of leaders of the and the key to Imperialism has brought ruin and bank this time no steps whatever have been tics ensue. Alded by the bosses and the German brother section the Left Op high politics. Whoever has the key to the house was stolen away from underruptey to the broad masses and the small taken for organizational preparation to police on the one side, and the consisposition of the From the the cash box, is the master of the house neath its rest cushion. In this manner, oppressed peoples. All its financial and resist.
tently false policies of the Party leadparliamentary tribune the spokesman hold. When we pose the question of the proletariat was again sold out to the diplomatie plans can only stave of the obvlously, as far as the wage cutting ership on the other, the Schlesinger of the Left Opposition hurls the chal sovereignity in Prussia and Germany to bourgeols and betrayed. The social dem moment of its catastrophic collapse, but campaign is concerned, there is today lenge of united proletarian union, which was badly shattered in the action day, then we get as an answer that ev: ocracy promised to bring about prosper. by po menos, avold it. The hour of the little distinction made between the or against the hordes of Hitler, mer split, has been able to re constitute itself erything, budget and government has at ity and socialism democratically. to open proletarian revolution has struck. Its be ganized and the unorganized workers.
to a very large extent. At the same chlessly exposing the bourgeois dem present only a temporary, unstable, the road to the golden mean, Germany ginning is on the order of the day in That this could become possible is, in the time, and by dint of the same factors, ocratie politicians and the social provisional and hardly serious character and the world were to flourish under the Europe, in Germany in the first line first instance, an expression of the addemocratie lackeys for the role they the organization of the Industrial Union Budget and government are already protection of the League of Nations. To The Communist Party of Germany is advantage taken by the employers of the has been reduced and relegated to a are playing in paving the road for waiting for an actual master of the day, in the Far East, we already hear what a Soviet Germany means for the also largely be ascribed to the complete small sector of the trade and has been household. But at present there are the thunder of cannon, despite this pro whole of the European continent and failure of the present union leadership.
unable to lead the struggles of the needle Making concreto proposals of mobEuropean still administrators of the second rank tection. despite this Lengue of Na particularly for the small In view of what is happening to the trades workers on a sufficiently broad Ilizing the workers for a genuine in power. To be sure, administrators scale to beat back the enroachment of (Continued on page 4)
tions. How many other illusions this (Continued on page 2)
struggle against the Nazi danger, he of capital! Least of all, is the Prussian party has spread, this party which bethe bosses.
forces the reformists to show their government enduring, stable, serious in lleves in Wilson and Briand, which can What the Past Developments Teach true colors, thus polnting the way to character. Prussia was at one time at have confidence in Bruening and hope in The justified aspiration and the an effective Communist polley and the head of the Hohenzollern reaction; heroic struggle of the workers to replace permitting the masses to judge be today it has become the tallend of the a Wilson, but cannot trust to the power the reactionary unions with a militant tween the Leninist tactic of the Left November revolution. Hitler is zealous of the proletariat and remains hostile cialist Labour Party (now in 1918, industrial union did not meet with sucOpposition and the impotent con ly sharpening his knife to cut off his to the only revolutionary workers state ATHENS, GREECE cess. The best militants were isolated fusionism of the Stalinists. In these tall. But he promises to do this within the world, the Soviet Union! In 1918, Our National Congress took place in through this long period up to now. The into a small organization which, lacking, tense days, when the whole world strlet legality, to move within the frame the social democrats renounced the path Athens on March 25 26. Forty eight dele experiences accumulated will encourage a mass membership, lacked the power to looks anxiously to the outcome of enforce its demands. On the other hand, the historie struggle now going on in do not believe this? Then, you have not pure democracy And after that presenting 2, 000 members. The Congress the forerunner of our organization, the the masses of workers, driven by the Germany, the speech of comrade read the biography of the Corsican ban They have in the name of all this pro was preceded by Regional Conferences Communist Union which formed the pressure of circumstance into the fakerattention controll union and Selpold deserves especial directcut off the heads of his victims with reaction, of counterrevolutionary force. East Macedonia and West Thrace. 3) in 1918, and whose ideas (the necesIng nucleus of conscious militants, could on the part of all class conscious such diligent exactitude that he did They rejected Lenin and sowed the soul Athens, Pheloponessus Islands. The sity of a homogeneous neleus, the forof not organize an effective struggle with workers.
not even disturb the circulation of the for that hireling of capital, for Hitler. national and International problems were mation of cadres, the assimilation While the Fascist bandit is sharpening discussed in the organization nuclel be Bolshevik experience, etc. are forming in the union blood or their respiration. Hitler has As a result of all this the fighting Rep. Seipold (Left Opposition of the undoubtedly learned his state surgery his knife to cut of the head of the Ger fore the Congress and the conclusions ar. the foundation upon which our organizacapacities of the workers in the trade The nations of the entire from this gentleman. Thirteen years man working class, the social deuocratic rived at will be published in Davlos, No. tion rests. We feel certain that our have been weakened and they have had world and especially we in Germany, are ago, after the overthrow of the Hohenzol leaders insist emphatically, that every 3. Theoretical Organ of the Greek Left Congress will be a landmark in the his tory of the revolutionary movement in to suffer a steady deterioration of their at present living under such conditions, lerns, the working class was tactually thing will be in order. For they have Opposition. conditions. The strikes of the Indus that every serious conversation turns master in the German household. The raised all in the spirit of democracy, in The Congress took the opportunity of Greece.
trial Union yielded no concrete results, directly to the questions of high politics state based itself on the workers and clading Hitler. The Heidelberg Program reviewing the long and hard history of We are preparing a report on the and each fallure had the effect of still and the questions of high politics to soldiers councils. The bourgeoisle was expresses itself in a similar veln: that our organization, the roots of which are Congress for the International Secretarfurther undermining the condence of that of the revolution. In the history forced to recognize the workers and (Continued on page 3) found in the First Congress of the So lat and for the national sections.
Left Oppositionist Speaks from the Tribune of the Prussian Diet Fascism.
Greek Opposition Holds Convention