PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1932 Statement on the Situation in the Failure of Danube Union BUREAUCRATIC ULTIMATISM International Left Opposition by LEON TROTSKY lowing conclusions. The correctness and necessity taken shape in the struggle against the factional struggle in the French the slogan of the United States of Eur class which is on the road to class consciousness. Not under the leadership of the Communist Party, reiterdemoralization arists from the standpoint of the epis tative and the National Committee will of capitalism with it. Socialism which sharply originates therein.
uch repr progressive and must base itself on a OPEN FORUM (Continued from page 1)
countries is needless to state. The situation in all countries is bound to change radically in the event of a victorsidered and discussed the most impor the representatives of the disintegrating of the proletarian revolutoin to come to The National Committee, having con tion of the crisis by a firm stand against sous proletarian revolution in Germany.
tant parts of the material bearing on tendencies. Among these we count the When the newspapers of the new Socialist Labor majority of the class must in no instance come into the present situation in the Internation leaders of the Jewish group, and we par the aid of the small nations with a clear al Left Opposition, and the French secticularly condemn their attempt to set program for solving the comitern and Party (the criticize the party egoism of opposition with the need of the workers to keep unity tion in particular, has come to the fol up a nationality group as a faction with pressing problems. The contenever the social democracy and of the Communist party within their fighting ranks.
in the League and their resignation from completely ignore the international sit when Seydewitz assures us that so far as he is con Die Rote FAHNE is completely justified in con1. The most important feature in the the National Committee in the name of uation and advance no slogan outside cerned, the interests of the class come before the indemning all discussions concerning the contention that Internal life of the International bueno lices are incompatible with communist mange and the abstract slogan ot De sentimentalism, or, what is worse, behind this sentir ests. In reality, the correctly understood interests the struggle to free the movement from organizationNo los barmful in the tend the Soviet Union. The fact that mental phraseology, they screen the interests of their of the class are identical with the correctly formulated the educes clefselen elemenite intrigues have been the ambiguous and diplomatie existing situation in Burope and react own party. This method is no good. Whenever, re problems of the party. So long as the discussion is distorted its principles In practical ap maneuvers of Naville, asalnst which we ing on it in his propaganda deserves to action demands that the interests of the nation be limited to this historico philosophical assertion, the plication and hampered its development besoin de ordered coursel peal on our previous be mentioned. There can be no doubt placed before class interests, we, Marxists, take position of Die Rote Faune is unassailable. But the ee of the proletarian resolution. In our opinion its most that the German delegation to the Lonpains to explain that under the guise of the whole. political conclusions which it deduces therefrom are vanguard. We are and have been fully the internal controversy to conclusion, necessary for the French League to bring don Conference on the question of the convinced of the progressive and revolutionary quality of the struggle for these to draw clear and precise lines and Danubian countries was compelled to the reaction puts through the interests of the ex nothing short of mockery of Marxism.
take a position of defiance towards ploiting class. The interests of the nation cannot be The identity, in principle, of the interests of the ends which has been led by comrade makes a selection on that basis.
France under the pressure of Hitler formulated otherwise than from the point of view of proletariat and of the aims of the Communist party The proposal of comrade Trotsky propaganda. Has the German Commun. the ruling class, or of the class pretending to sover does not mean either that the proletariat as a whole is, and necessary stage in the preparation for the reorganization of the Internist Party made clear the Communist eignity. The interests of the class cannot be formueven today, conscious of its class interests, or that the tulnu its great historie tasks. The Na of representatives of the most important masses in Germany and the rest of the lated otherwise than in the shape of a program; the party under all conditions formulates them correctly.
program cannot be defended otherwise than by creat The very need of the party originates in the very fact tional Committee is in full solidarity sections who will be responsible to their European countries?
with the estimate of this struggle and sections, is the most feasible plan unThe Slogan of a Soviet United ing the party.
that the proletariat is not born with the innate underthe perspectives of the International der the circumstances. As the experi States of Europe RELATION OF PARTY TO CLASS standing of its historical interests. The task of the Left Opposition outlined in the circularence of the past few years has shown, In the year of 1923, at the time of the The class, taken by itself, is only material for ex party consists in learning, from experience derived letter of comrade Trotsky under date the International Opposition has not yet of December 22, 1931.
developed to the point where a secretar revolutionary situation in Germans the ploitation. The proletariat assumes an independent from the struggle, how to demonstrate to the proleof lat based on the selection of persons Comintern under the pressure of com role only at that moment when from social class in tariat its right to leadership. While, the Stalinist this struggle to purge the movement of free from accountability to the respec rade Trotsky adopted the slogan of itself it becomes a political class for itself. This can bureaucracy, on the contrary, holds to the opinion allen elements is demonstrated, among the sections could fun the office. Soviet United States of Europe. But the not take place otherwise than through the medium of that it can demand point blank obedience from the the German section after the liquidation sible body standing above the intrigues hostile to it. Later it entirely aban a party. The party is that historical organ by means proletariat, simply on the strength of a party passground that, In Stalin of which the class becomes class conscious. To say port, stamped with the seal of the Comintern.
CORRECT CONCEPTION OF THE UNITED FRONT and the freeing of the section for its of the opinion that comrade Mill misused declaration, it was impossible to foresee that the class stands higher than the party, is to actual revolutionary tasks. The leader the office of International Secretary and whether it would be necessary to apply assert that the class in the raw stands higher than the Every United Front, which doesn first place itself ship of the German section, which haserred fatally by identifying himself with ope after the proletarian revolution. SubLandau and his sterile factional regime, League against the leadership. Thereby sequently the slogan of Soviet United only is this incorrect but it is reactionary. There ates Die Rote Fahne, is directed against the intermust be given all possible international he helped to negate the whole progres States of Europe had been responses super opportunities and the Beamer and at the same time, andere Trotakresem and bitterly attacked by theory in order to establish the necessity for a united leadership of the Communist party is none ottimize hehe the counter revolutionary himself. The worker is necessity of the struggle for internal mined the authority and discredited the slogan has been and is today more than renovation is shown with no less force International Secretariat. The reorgant ever of vital importance to the European The progress of a class toward class consciousness, obliged to trust the Communist organization in ad although in a negative manner by the cation of the Secretariat as a responst: proletariat because it flows from the that is, the building of a revolutionary party which vance, on its word of honor. From the identity, in present state of affairs in France. The ble body will help to shield it against very character of the present epoch of leads the proletariat, is a complex and a contradictory principle of the aims of the party and of the class, from the fact that the two year strug tible to personal moods and vacillations the economic development.
The main characteristic feature of the process. The class itself is not homogeneous. Its the functionary deduces his right to lay down the law gle has not been brought to a conclusion The difficulties of distance, etc. present epoch is the international scale different sections arrive at class consciousness by dif to the class. The very historical problem which the In our opinion the present situa make timely and effective participation of the productive forces which come ferent paths and at different times. The bourgeoisie Communist party is yet to solve that of uniting the tlon in the French League which ought of the American League in the internal into conflict with and are breaking participates actively in this process. Within the overwhelming majority of the workers under its banto be a matter of grave concern to the questions of the European sections ex: through the national boundaries.
Hence, working class, it creates its own institutions, or util ner is turned by the bureaucrat into an ultimatum, entire International Opposition, not tremely difficult, and preclude altogether the national conflicts and the imperialism izes those already existing, in order to oppose certain into a pistol which he holds against the temple of the rear ond of the struggle to clear the leading role in their solution. We must small nations. The last world war was strata of workers to others. Within the proletariat working class. Formalistic, administrative and bur There eaucratic thinking supplants the dialectic.
section of the influence of unassimilable not undertake that. Nevertheless we a direct result of the above process of several parties are active at the same time.
The historical problem that must be solved is deand careprist elements, which has been consider it desirable to participate more the development of the productive forces. fore, for the greater part of its historical journey, it unduly prolonged. The task there, as we alrectly in the work of the International Since the world war this process has remains split politically. The problem of the United creed as solved already. The confidence yet to be won, certain periods most is announced as won already. That, it goes without saying, is the easiest way out. But very little is odle questions and differences. This only propose to select eved that way.
The historical interests of the proletariat find their facts as they are, and not as one would like them to politics must proceed fro blurs the real issue.
What is necessary of the American league as soon as pos higher development of the productive is a decisive course toward the liquida alble. It is necessary to acknowledge a forces, surely cannot be driven into the expression in the Communist party when its policiet be, or as they will be eventually. The position of the. and duties, the nature of which and its the contrary, the international character are correct. The task of the Communist party con: Stalinist bureaucracy drawn to its conclusion leads, ST. LOUIS WORKERS ATTENTION! basic causes have been accurately de or the productive forces under socialism sists in Winning over the majority of the proletariat: in fact, to the negation of the party. For what is letter. In order for our League to be spread Itselt over the face of the whole The Communist party cannot fulfill its mission except tariat is obliged beforehand to accept the leadership Friday, April 29th useful in the solution of the internal world. There is where derives its in: by preserving, completely and unconditionally, its of Thaelmann and Remmele?
problems of the European sections, and ternational character and on which is political and organizational independence apart from Speaker GEORGE ROBERTS to educate itself in internationalism in based the slogan of a Soviet United all other parties and organizations within and without the Communists, the party has a right to demand: You Crunden Branch Library Auditorium From the worker desirous of joining the ranks of Fourteenth St. and Cass Avenue the process, it must firmly organize a States of Europe.
collective participation. The National tarehe term The Soviet United States the working class. To transgress this basic principle must accept our program and obey our regulations Committee as a whole must familiarize of Europe expresses the idea that soc of Marxist policy is to commit the most heinous of and the authority of our clectoral institutions. But For Unity in Needle Tradel and bring a collective Judgment to bear it cannot even attimine itse tuleoheredem class. The Chinese revolution of 1925 1927 was demand, or even a part of it, to the working masses it is absurd and criminal to present the same priori (Continued from page 1) white must be translated and supplied to The Socialist United States of Europe wrecked precisely because the Comintern, under the or workers organizations when the matter is broached needle trades situation, beginning with the League membership for information represents a stage of a historical slogan leadership of Stalin and Bucharin, forced the Chinese of joint action for the sake of definite aims of strugand discussion. The progressive cle on the road to the Socialist World Fed Communist Party to enter into the party of the Chi gle. Thereby the very foundations of the party are It goes without saying that this for ments in all sections, which are strugeration.
mulation of the slogan of unity has noth gling for the liquidation of circle psy. Dec. 7, 1929.
ister liguldastellectualtierele and perhe present leadership of the comin. discipline. The experience resulting from the appli maintaining correct relations with the class. Instead program of the Lovestoneites. The Left worthless factional intrigues, and for the tern, naturally, cannot adopt this slogan cation of Stalinist policies as regards the Kuo Min of issuing such a one sided ultimatum, which irritates wing suffered a defeat in its major un consolidation of genuinely revolutionary because it contradicts Stalin theory of Tang will enter forever into history as an example of and insults the workers, the party should submit a son with another one That must be that they have a conscious and resolute theory is the main source of all tactical leaders. The Stalinist theory of two class workers definite program for joint action that is the surest frankly. But it.
mistakes and its bankruptcy in problems way of achieving leadership in reality.
tains its basic nucleus of the most reHable and tested militants. It still reCOMMUNIST LEAGUE OF national proletariat.
tion and authorization of the practice employed with OF THE PARTY mains an organized force. This force AMERICA (OPPOSITION)
the Kuo Min Tang; the application of this theory in Japan, India, Indonesia, and Korea has undermined after failing to convince it: Workers, unless you acUltimatism is an attempt to rape the working class poration into the International AS a the authority of the Comintern and has set back their cept the leadership of Thaelmann Remmele Neumann, individual re entry of its members into same policy perfidious in its essence was applied, The bitterest foe could not devise a more unsound the International on the terms of SchlesTwo developments in the Scottsboro this there yet little sign. The though not quite so cynical Ingers. The masses will support this pro case within the past week testify to the is not doing it. The is not doing in England, and in all countries of Europe up to 1928. place themselves. That is the surest way to ruin!
position than the one in which the leaders of the party The leadership of the German Communist Party who are standing aside from both un class. The execution has been stayed to demonstrations in the Communist press: UNCONDITIONAL INDEPENDENCE OF UNDER ALL HISTORICAL CONDITIONS fons, discouraged and waiting for some to the Supreme Court. No doubt paratively small number of workers read stresses its ultimatism all the more sharply by the The struggle of the Left Opposition for the main casuistical circumlocution in its proclamations, We But, Foster and Browder will answer, is secure. It feels that it can afford number respond to the party calls. The ence of the Communist party and of its policies, un beforehand. This rings like an apology for policies the bourbon tiger still feels that its prey the Communist press. Only a small tenance of the complete and unconditional independ make no demands that you accept our Communist view Schlesinger and his black and yellow this small concession and expects that overwhelming bulk of the working class der each and every historical condition, and on all for which there is no apology. When the party progang will not agree to this proposal. Its Judicial superior will confirm its find is still non communist. It must be a stages of the development of the proletariat, strained claims its refusal to enter into any kind of negotiations The slogan of unity, as the Communists ing.
present it is not designed to meet the approval of the labor fakers but to facThe State Department has applied to the organizations it supports. the relations between the Opposition and the Stalin with other organizations but offers to take in under ilitate the struggle of the workers case for transmission to consulates united front of working class organiza Stalin bloc with Chiang Kai Shek, Wang Chin Wei who want to break with their organizations without the Governor for information about the For this is required the tactic of the ist faction to the breaking point during the period of the party leadership those social democratic workers against them. The new campaign for abroad. Unquestionably this is a reactions. This the party and the Purcell, Radich, La Follette, etc. It is quite unneces their being obliged to call themselves Communists, will start the ro organization of the being brought to bear on the diplomatic There is no other way to build a mass sary to recall that both Thaelmann and Remmele as then the party is using the language of pure ultimaworkers around the banner of the Left representatives of dollar Imperialism. movevent to free the Scottsboro boys. well as Brandler and Thalheimer, during this strug tiem. The reservation as regards our Communist wing. The Left wing will rise again as the authentie spokesman of the masses.
In the consciousness of the interna gle, were completely on Stalin side against the Bol views is absolutely ludicrous: the worker who is at On this basis the genuine unification of tional working class the memories of the shevik Leninists. It is not we, therefore, who have to this very moment ready to break with his party and the needle trade workers struggle will Succo Vanzetti and Mooney cases are ST. LOUIS MASS PROTEST go to school and learn from Stalin and Thaelmann to participate in the struggle under Communist leadlegal take place, with or without the wishes still green. They do not need MEETING proofs of the innocence of the Scottsboro about the independent policies of the Comnunist ership, would not be deterred by the fact that he must Saturday, April 31st party!
call himself a Communist. Jugglery with labels and JAMES CANNON.
For the Release of Tom Mooney and another attack on the international workAll Class War Prisoners But the proletariat moves toward revolutionary subtleties of diplomacy are foreign to the workers.
Central Library Auditorium consciousness not by passing grades in school but by He takes politics and organizations as they are. He THE MILITANT Fourteenth and Olive Streets passing through the class struggle, which abhors in remains with the social democracy as long as he does Published weekly by the Communist And they are protesting. They hold Auspices: Molders Mooney Defense terruptions. To fight, the proletariat must have unnot trust Communist leadership. We can say with meetings and send cables of protest. The League of America (Opposition)
mother of one of the boys, Mrs. Wright, ity in its ranks. This holds true for partial economic assurance that the majority of social democratic af 84 East 10th St.
will tour Germany under the auspices of Left Opposition speakers included conflicts, within the walls of a single factory, as well workers remain in their party to this day not because EDITORIAL BOARD the International Red Aid to speak for as for such national political battles as the one to they trust the reformist leadership but because they MINNEAPOLIS, ATTENTION!
Max Bhachtmap Maurice Spector will the Supreme Court confirm repel Fascism. Consequently the tactic of the United do not as yet trust that of the Communists. But they STUDY CLASS Front is not something accidental and artificial do want to fight against Fascism even now. Were the decision of the Alabama Supreme Entered as second class mall matter Court? It may. It may reserve it. One Minneapolis Spartacus You. Club cunning maneuver not at all; it originates, entirely they shown the first step to take in a concurrent strugNovember 28, 1928, at the Post Office a thing is sure. Only an aroused working Elements of Marxism Leninism and wholly, in the objective conditions governing the gle, they would insist upon their organizations taking New York, Under the act of class movement can save these nine memdevelopment of the proletariat. The words in the that step. If their organizations balked, they might March 1879.
bers of our class. Between now and LABOR LYCEUM Communist Manifesto which state that the Commun reach the point of breaking with them, SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1932 Sixth Ave. at Irving Vou No. 17 (Whole No. 113)
concessions the capitalist class has TROTSKY.
The course is open to adults as well ists are not opposed to the proletariat, that they Subscriskon rate: 00 per your; for yielded must be a stimulous to get greathave no interests separate and apart from those of olga 50. Miro cents per copy. er activity.
textbook.
the proletariat as a whole, carry with them the mean. From WHAT Next? Vital Questions for the GerBunda Tes; cente per copy.
Our protest must bo organized. Or Instructor: CARL COWL ing that the struggle of the party to win over the man Proletariat)
Class Justice in America the International. NATIONAL COMMITTEE of the greatest importance to the Inter and peasants parties for the Orient is the generaliza BUREAUCRATIIC ULTIMATISM LEADS TO NEGATION ALBERT ORLAND.
must be kept Intact nd demand reincorhar en goe, not a couple outlet ons eie Execution of Scottsboro Boys Stayed. the ited ternational at present and This is not sufficient. Only comnew turn in the situation. STAMM.
of the normalist betrayers.
boys. The American frame up system 18 familiar to them. In this case they see ing class.
Committee Martin Abern James Cannon all nine of the boys.
Arne Swabeck at the Every Friday Night June 24 the time is short.
The small (To be Continued)
as to youth. No charge except for