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 once at New York, y. under the act of March 3, 1879.
VOLUMEV, NO. 19 WHOLE NO. 115 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1932 PRICE CENTS The Lefts. Program DEBATE The Strike in the Building Trades on WEEKLY MILITANT DEPENDS UPON SUCCESS OF 1, 000 DRIVE partica Bourgeois Lett Gains in French Elections was chaude pan hew directions.
Stalinist. Lovestone Unity Negotiations The militant socialists have forced a reality but in the next breath they Representative Between 30, 000 and 40, 000 New York should be remembered that it is not at all thus reduce the standard of living every.
their attention upon the American move said it was not for their country. And Communist Representative building trades workers went on strike called in protest against the wage cut, where. To this should be added, that May 1st because of a fallure to arrive but rather in protest against a verbal acceptance of one wage cut leaves the ment by Issuing a Militant Program of now, years later, the developing class the Socialist Party content americanora Lathe struggle in American forces de Is the Program of the Wees era de semployercementele tion Buhada premine on our specially for allerede har for road open for the employers to presa tor previously, arbitrarlly posted notice of made no preparation whatever for strike. No matter how much the building their opposition to the party fathers of the rank and filers objecting to these Sufficient for the wage cuts ranging from 25 to 30. It has made no proposals to sollally the trades unions have suffered from their prompted Neal to give them a spank clever formulations, this up service to However, the immediate cause the unions of the seventeen different inter own inherent craft weakness, and from ing, issued as a criticism in the New revolution and action for reformism.
Emancipation of the strike was the fact that the elevator nationals to resist teh wage slashes. It their corrupt leadership, they are still Leader. But like all bureaucrats and They demand another step.
upholders of the crimes of the Second manufacturers broke ranks and made a has made no proposals for strike activ. the best organized section in the coun.
The program says, At the same time, International, Neal splashed a lot of we set ourselves firmly against dictatorWorking Class? verbal promise to the elevator constructitles to prepare against possible scab. try. In other words, this means that words, set up a few straw men and evad. ship in this country as long as demors union of a day scale of 11. 20 In bing. Thirdly, it made no efforts to es it is still up to them to lead the fight AFFIRMATIVE: ed the whole issue. No doubt this kind ocratic means of transition to a socialstead of the 10 announced in notices tablish some semblance of concerted ac against the general wage slashing. The of criticism will spur the militants to ist society are still available. We will Els posted. The press carries staements to tion on a national scale. It is perfectly cuts already suffered should therefore the effect that the leaders of the build true that building cannot be transferred become a serious warning that it is now new conquests. In this advance of the vote the capitalists out of power, and Editor, Industrial Solidarity ing trades council were otherwise pre from one city to another, nevertheless high time to prepare to lead that fight militants. it is well to point out what these defeated capitalists will give us NEGATIVE: their present step means and to lay bare the key to every mine, mill and factory. pared to accept the cut.
the lack of concerted action has permitand to prepare to lead it on a national some of the contradictions.
James Cannon and the next day they will report to On Monday May the 2nd three unions ted opening wedges to be made in many scale.
The deepening crisis has caused this work in overalls. So say the m111Communist League of America still remained at work, the elevator con cities where the building trades workers mm ത stir and forces the more enlightened tants. who are going to use the dem(Opposition)
structors, the electricians and the fron have already submitted to drastic wage cuts. Lastly, the union leadership was But the following willing to accept the wage cut decree, Militant Builders members of the to seriously quesocratie means of transition to socialism.
and steel workers.
tion the crimes of the Second Interna. What a mess. Shapiro, Coleman, Sinday the employers decided to make the Attention Militant Builders! To each tional. For the rank and Ale of the clair and Blanchard and their like. What SATURDAY, MAY 14th at P. shut down complete and dispense with had the employers remained united.
comrade and sympathizer, who during Conditions of the Unions militants It is a step forward, but for kind of a game do you call this? They the service of these three union also.
the final month of the drive, May to at the those leaders who were formerly sup may be able to convince some followers The officials of the bricklayers union It is of course correct for unions to June 1, accounts for 15 subs or donaLABOR TEMPLE porting the Communists it is a big step that they don know any better but evidently still expect to gain special make all possible use of any break in the tions to any of our papers we will give backward. At least one will have to we know them from before.
14th Street and Second Avenue favors. Their previous agreement car ranks of the employers; but such can be a free copy of Volume of comrade give these leaders credit for one thing. Every one remembers the last part of ADMISSION: 20 Cents ries a no strike clause, and they now utilized only provided the organizations Trotsky History of the Russian Rev.
They have set themselves a big task. the Communist Manifesto and the last Auspices: Joint Arrangement Committee insist upon arbitration.
are prepared to make a serious Alght. olution. To each comrade who falls They intend to reform the Second Inter sentence. It is well to know the last of what there is no indication whatever. short of 15 but reaches 10, we will give How serious is the building trades un.
national. Already sections of the more words of the militant socialist prolon leadership about the strike? It The building trades unions in New a free copy of WHAT NEXT by comrade advanced workers in their rank and Alecram: We must create and promote York as well as elsewhere, have sut. Trotsky. This is an opportunity no comare to the left of the militant program a spirit of intelligent hopefulness. Such fered serious membership losses. In the rade can afford to overlook.
and are seriously questioning it. an opportunity as is at hand for all of main, this has been due to the fact that, To the comrade who stands highest in of the The program is written in the fashion us to hasten the emancipation with the widespread heavy unemploy the staff of Militant Builders at the close of a crafty lawyer who puts out a feel working class of America may not come ment members have been unable to keep of the entire drive we will give free a er, Insinuating much, condemning const again for generations. We call for ac.
up their dues payments and the unions bound volume of The Militant. To the derably, but accusing no one tion. Let us close ranks and go for have failed to maintain closed shop con comrade who stands second we will givg lar. The program points out some of ward to Socialism in our time. This It is necessary to put the question The past year and a half has witnessed ditions. To resist in a serious manner free copy of The Problems of the the crimes of the Second International. sem of reform ignorance has two mistakes: ordinary and extraordinary. These bluntly: We depend absolutely on the an unprecedented extension of our pro it is first of all necessary that realet The record of the builders for the but there is no hint us to who their reformers tell their followers that if the thousand dollar press fund to keep the paganda activities. It has seen the forts should be made to regain what has entire drive to date with the final month atraid of stepping on somebody to: the reformers at once we may not have funds to sustain THE MILITANT and our penetration of the language held with been lost and to strengthen the unions listed in parenthesis, is as follows Hedlund. 6) 11; Dunne. 6)Like good politicians of the capitalist settle this problem by informing the the present resorted to normal meth. issuance of a Youth organ and a whole rive at a basis of unity of action. That (3) 8; Nagy. 1 2) 3; Forsen, Another chance for generations. We can our other publications we have up to Jewish paper and a Greek paper, the ed effectively only when the untons ar 9: Roseland. 1 2) 5; Dunne, orders these militants leaders have left the door open for proper adjustments militant Socialists that they will not ods soliciting subscriptions, renewals series of Left Opposition books and pron, such is not yet the case is amply demon 1 2) 3; Basky. with the fathers at a later date. Generation and in the next generation present time necessitates a much harda necessary in our struggle to delve deeper could remain at work after the strike Curran. 1) 2; Zalmanor, 117 The militant Program accuses the there will be no need because the second or drive. We must put on more pres into the ranks of the American revolu: was called. Moreover, there will be lit 1; Cowl. 1) 8; Schulman. 13 Second International of crimes beyond International 14 only be a terrible sure, we must exert ourselves more and tionary workers. The word of the newest ele possibility of preventing strike break. 19. Barach. 17 4; Johnson. 13 breath advocates reforming this propose memory for the victorious world pro sacrifice more. The life of the weekly Opposition, in pamphlet and Innowing unless such penitenciar later le libre 2; Lessin. 1) 1; Berman (1. Capitalism. Such a position is even. at Must Prepare to Resist Herman. Ross.
Greek languages, has more tragle than the position of the libnew Irundreds and thousands of class workers by this time that a reduced scale Cheloft, 2; Ray, 2; Gottlieb, 1; It should be clear to the buildng trades Skoglund, 3; Coover, 2; Carr, 2; eral who admits all the evils of capital ism and then sets out to cure it.
conscious proletarians. good start of wages will not at all serve to increase Koehler, Wynne, 1; Carter, 1; the jobs. On the contrary, it is the con Capelis, 1; Herman, 1; Swa The reformers of the Second InternaNow we are faced with the problem oftinued unemployment and the surplus of beck, 1; Glotzer, 1; Logan, 1; tional speak of class struggle saying. The first ballot of the French elec ently making overtures to the Herriot making all these steps permanent and bands available which is being atllized Kaldis, 1; Sterling, The moment this Marxian concept 19 tions, last Sunday, although not decisive party and in view of the importance of durable achievements. Can this be done by the employers to reduce wages and welllllllll abandoned, not only in theory but in in its resulta, indicates a definite trend cooperation in the second ballot, which it must be done, if we are to fulfill the practice as well, at that moment Social toward the bourgeois Left in the coup will definitely decide the composition of historic task o of the Left Opposition in Ism loses its significance. We are told try. The dle hard policies of Andre the Chambre for the next four years, America, if we are to continue the work this in 1932 by the militant socialists. Tardieu and his Right bloc; In control a temporary accord may be arrived at of regenerating the Communist movebut this universal, open abandonment of at the present time, seem to have driven in any case a process of self exposure ment, of returning the Communist party the class struggle by Second Interna brond layers of the French Intermediate before the mases of the impotent to the road of Lenin, it we are to roWe have recelved the following two graceful way in. The old time Fosterltes tional was heralded unashamed to the classes to the side of the moderate bourbourgeols parties Iles in the perspective. establish its Marxian basis.
letters workers of the world in 1914 and ever geols parties. The Radical Socialists un. At the same time, good opportunities The most important organ of propa who have prospered in late gears, are since then, and it from then on edr the leadership of the pan European are opening up for the revolutionary ganda and education that we have is the not very enthusiastic about the return that Socialism has lout Its signific pacifist Edouard Herriot have already party, for the Communist Party of Weekly MILITANT. Upon its existence, Dear Comrades: of the Lovestone group and the consequance. No group of Lefts can blow received 63 sents, the largest bloc of France, to utilize this self exposure upon its maintenance depends the life of The unity negotiations with Lovestone ent sharpening of competition for the life into what is already dead. It the votes for any of the parties participating This requires a realistic attiture and all our other organs The terrific effects have been going on for some time Every places, which for these people have come militant socialists blow anything into The Left Republicans of Premler Tardieu careful and consistent class policy of the economic crisis with the monstrous thing has been conducted in the quiet to mean life itself. But it is hard to the American party we can be sure it received 37 seats, reducing their former part of the leadership.
unemployment it has brought about, through secret personal conferences and get direct expressions from many of will not be Marxism.
getting They can blow strength considerably. The socialists So far, there are no clear indications make it impossible for us to get sufficient nothing has been put in writing on the them. They are so afraid of into the Socialist Party some was exradical with their 40 mandates also show a sub of how the fared in the elections, funds for the sustenance of THE MILI party side. This precaution cross ways with the line that phrases, and make it more presentable stantial gain. Comparisons with the re although the capitalist press forecasts TANT and our other papers by the ordin plained to me as measure to prevent they wait to make sure what to expected for conditions of crisis. In this stage sults of the first ballot in the last elec little change in any direction, in so far Ary methods. SPECIAL EFFORTS AND Lovestone from having anything to show of them before committing themselves.
of increasing class struggle, capitalismtions (1928) demonstrate the trend to 28 the Communists are concerned the THE WEEKLY MILITANT IS TO CON. tiong fail. My personal opinion, howity negotiations with Lovestone is the The SACRIFICES ARE NECESSARY IF which cannot be denied if the negotiaThe most significant result of the unmust bring into life the American var. ward the Left very distinctly.
growing industrial depression and ever, is that they will come to an agree effect on those who, like myselt, were fety of social democracy, so ably pre The political line of Tardieu, particu inevitable disillusionment of the masses TINUE IN EXISTENCE!
sented by the German comrades. Iflarly aggressive in its foreign relations, bute in great measure to a consolidation MILITANT requires your aid immediate these are my reasons.
that generally comes with it, can contri Funds are urgently needed. THE ment. You may not agree with me, but disorientated by the left turn. It a few sincero but non Marxian worker has opened up French Industry was the expulsion Lovestone that lentlers allow themselves to be utilized economy to counter attacks by the other and of Communist Influence. It remains for 1y. Let every comrade, every sympath do know that several meetings be really arrested our trend toward the together with the conscious fakers. world powers. The high tarims and the the French party to take advantage of Izer, every reader of THE MILITANT tween them have taken place. under Lett Opposition. It certainly makes one much the better for the development of suspicious attitude aroused in the other these conditions.
reformism in America, for the capital countries has Instigated the fear of 190 we will bring full reports and a detailed contribution and all the funds you col. lutely sure of this The negotiations hinge Lovestoneltes will complete the circle In the coming issues of The Militant readers, get DONATIONS. Send in your talked to Lovestone, but am not abso to realize that the readmission of the ists. The second International served lation among the rather formidable Its master well in Europe. Why not give middle layers of French society. Thol the background upon which they are Do your share! Every cent, every help. The C. negotiators demanded anothing to show for our strategy but analysis of the French elections and of lect immediately to the National Ofice. At present on the Brandler question and leave us where we started with a little doctoring up for presentation been for some time campaigning for dls: respondent.
it a chance for America, eventeent needs Radical Socialists and the socialists have taking place, as seen by our French coring hand is needed to keep the Weekly statement repudiating Brandler as the a bad taste in the mouth.
American capitalism had better make armament and European cooperation MILITANT going. It will also interest you to know that haste while there is time and construct and have been able to achieve a measure sisted that Lovestone issue such a state the Soviet American military alliance some kind of a storm cellar for the of success in their campaigns.
ment personally, under his own sign issue caused some repercussions, even in coming class battles. Will the rank and ature, in addition to the statement by the apparatus. When that famous edi.
Alle militants of the Socialist Party Growing unemployment and the worthe group. This proposition was taken torial came to the Daily Worker office under advisement for some time. it was written, am told, by the help in this process, or will they take sening of the general conditions of the the next step toward the Communist which is first unfolding in all seriousness working class, due to the economic crisis Then another conference was arranged man it evoked strenuous protest at first movement?
and Lovestone made the following reply: from Harry Gannes. He is something in France, produces still another and He will act together with the rgoup and of an editor or half editor there and he The program says, It is a fundamental very important movement toward the cannot Issue any statement in his own began to mutter something about prin principle of Marxism that Sociallem can radicalization of the masses. The soname. The group will not issue any ciples, Marxism, etc. You know ho has not be achloved as a result of a series calists have for their part, flirted with statement against Brandler before being occasional outbursts of this kind. Howof reforms within the framework of the the idea of new reforms in their camreadmited into the party. However, it ever, he was promptly told that this Capitalist State. When the fathers of paigns. That French Imperialism, in its by LEON TROTSKY they were taken back into the parts, editorial came from the top and he the party read this they became fright present precarious position, with an ecothey would submit to party discipline soon subsided.
ened, but as soon as they read the next nomic crisis on its hands and with a and carry out any instructions given Yours, sentence all their fear was quieted, for very wobbly and unrealistie political pre THE 1925 27 CHINESE REVOLUTION WAS ONE OF THE FIRST them on any question.
in its own pecullar way, in the language ponderance in Europe, will not be able WORLD IMPORTANT POLITICAL EVENTS IN WHICH TROTSKY A second demand o the WAS II.
of the politicians, it lays the basis for to concede in any great measure to the that the Lovestoneltes issue a declara. From a Member of the Lovestone Group the understanding of words and deeds. road of social legislation, is a foregone!
POSITION TO THE POLICY OF STALIN MANIFESTED ITSELF IN tion to the effect that the party line Dear Comrades: The next sentence of the program says, conclusion.
THE CONCRETE. IN THIS BOOK, QUOTATIONS FROM STALIN OWN is right and has always been right. Last Thursday we held a general Emancipation of the workers can begin WRITTEN WORDS AND SPEECHES ARE GIVEN AS WELL AS THOSE To this, Lovestone gave the same reply membership meeting of the group and The Radical Socialists are quite conas above: no statements before the unity heard the report on the unity negotiaonly when the workers capture political OF TROTSKY AND HIS SUPPORTERS.
power and constitute themselves the scious of this and bence the reports of submission to discipline, including de tions with the party.
their weariness of an alliance with the READ THIS HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. COMPARE THE PROPOSED Lovestone made ruling class. Just another way of say clarations they are instructed to make the report.
ing, we will shoot the capitalist to death socialists. Despite the many protests POLICIES OF THAT DAY WITH SUBSEQUENT EVENTS IN THE CHI. afterward.
He said the negotiations began several with paper ballots. The question of and declarations of Herrlot in the press, Then the cabled the report weeks ago soon after the unity mass NESE REVOLUTION, THEN DECIDE WHO WAS CORRECT. THE LEFT what to do with the capitalist state to the effect that he will not conclude OPPOSITION DOES NOT FEAR YOUR JUDGMENT AFTER YOU HAVE to the Comintern and asked for instruc meeting of our group in the Labor Tem(smash it) and what kind of a state any bloc with the Tardieu group, we tions. few days ago, the reply of the ple. The first conference took place bewill replace it, is left for people cannot help remaining skeptical. The SERIOUSLY READ AND STUDIED THIS BOOK. I, signed by Kuusinen arrived. It tween Lovestone and the rep.
guess as they please. This is no acct Radical Socialists have the interests of PAPER COVER 00 said: Conditions not acceptable. This The rep. Becording to CLOTH BOUND 50 Love.
was reported to Lovestone. Up to the stone, proposed that the group return dent on the part of the militant social. the French master class well in mind, they are apt 1st leaders. These reformers of the re and just as in the ORDER YOUR COPY NOW!
present he has not replied.
to the party and work everything out formers in American say the dictatorship to be more inclued to draw their conMoney Is Needed The whole affair is provoking a new gradually Lovestono demanded as a of the proletariat is alright in Russia. clusions from the eventual logic of division in the upper circles of the in condition party democracy, a full discusBut in America that a different ques French politics than from considerations PIONEER PUBLISHERS formed functionaries. The former Love slon and following that, 84 East 10th Street, stoneltes, especially Stachel, are undoubttion. Years ago the intense class strug of temporary gain Implied in an alliance The rep. said: Do you mean to convention New York, gle in Europe forced the left Socialist with the socialista.
edly in favor of the unity and will do say that you want party democracy in to accept the dictatorship in Russia as Sun, the socialists have been consistall they can to help Lovestone and a (Continued on page 8) Now on the Press!
Problems of the Chinese Revolution