SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1932 THE MILITANT PAGE IN THE INTERNATIONAL OF LABOR Reviews and News of the Working Class and Revolutionary Movements The Party and the French Elections Thel. and British Communism this in the view of the masses those forces of the workers votes, was not followed and the leaders of the Fifth Congress of afield from this original object.
However, After being so steeped in error, after accumulating such a string of mistakes, after so much self discreditment, after sowing such a distrust among the work Right Wing Renegades Exploit the Mistakes of the Stalinist Bureaucrats ers, it is necessary, not to spout words, In the last few months, the question of many times, the party declares on order but to act in a decisive, courageous and the attitude of the party towards the from the that between it and the persevering manner to bring about a Independent Labor Party has occupied LP, there is war to the death. The first and second ballots of the made to use this argument about the a bureaucrat, a certain Richetta, for elec do to repeat turns like those of 1930 and The absence of a clear policy on this ly nothing.
change in this whole situatioh. It will not the attention of the party and the very noisy resolution signifying absoluteelections constitute important moments Barbe group last year, they did not tlon, instead of a worker victim of the 1931, which are finally revealed to be matter has led to frequent disasters: the The resolution issued by the and a new situation, throwing light upon the gress. Do they think they will have But the number of votes received provessary to carry out of the political life in France, creating dare brandmark it until the party con bosses reprisals following the strikes. nothing but petty deception. It is neces bloc with the Left reformists from accepted by the party leadership last genuine turn. The 1925 1927, the support of the Maxton, Cook January declares that during the strug.
strength of the various parties partici better success today?
that the methods of the lead. militants in the party will have to take movement of 1928, and the confusion oncle of last September one could anly notice pating and upon the tendencies in the broad masses in view of the crisis and ership have been condemned by the work up this task in spite of the bureaucrats, this question as recent as last Autumn, the slightest difference between the party But if the party is just about to overlers, who in their disgust fall under the who are much more concerned about all these blunders are due to the essen and the LL.
it for come its decline, then this should have intuence of the reformists.
This fact, which is due the consequences flowing from them.
been expressed in the second ballot on The lesson to be drawn, is the neces necessities of revolutionary policy.
their personal prestige than about the tial weaknesses in the policy of the lead to the Left reformist policy pursued The elections showed most clearly the May The Communist workers and sity of a radical change or policy. And ership of the and the British Party. by the party in the time prior to and movement of the masses toward the sympathizers should have showed that above all, 110 half fueasures, no ruses.
LA VERITE. Today, after they burned their fingers during last year crisis, was pointed out by party members among whom this viewconditions, to cast off the burden the they understand and approve of its policy.
point will stilled and denounced. Now left. that is, their desire to better their Was this the case? The day following that one can perceive it, what is the state has imposed upon them through the the first ballot, Humanite stated perNine Years of the Struggle of the Left Opposition remedy? As for the party leadership, it tremendous military and police apparemptorily: 800, 000 roters deeply conis war to the death. But such an atatus; their desire to do away with the vinced of the correctness of our policy But the second ballot disproved policy, whereas a clear demarcation bein their eyes. All these deep seated usassertion. The tactie of clase The crushing defeats suffered by the jeet, according to its founders, was the radical representative. Yet this com tween the policy of the and that of pirations of the masses led to the victory against class. that is, the retention of German proletariat in October 1923, by agitation for the establishment of world mittee was not only touted around the the LP, make such declarations suSocialists and the socialists, over the the party candidates in every case on the Bulgarians in September of the same trade union unity in the struggle against world by the Comintern apparatus, but perfluous. The difference is clear in it.
Tardieu government, which represented ist candidate had received the majority 1924, were dealt with by the delegates long before the Committee went far were attributed to it. In July 1926, cal role to fulfill and between it and the second ballot, even where the social year, and by the Esthonians early in the capitalist offensive. It did not take the most extravagant virues and aims well. The revolutionary party has a spe.
Stalin declared that the task of the Com left reformism there is a great ditto which they were opposed.
by about 50 percent of those who voted the Comintern like so many transient The Standpoint of the Opposition mittee was the organizaion of a broad ference, but the leadership of the party What will the new majority bring Communist on the first ballot. In some episodes. Far from attempting to anIn the course of the disputes that movement of the working class against is afraid of repenting its st errors and about? coalition government or a cases, the losses are relatively small, in alyze the new situation that had devel developed subsequently around the ques. new imperialist wars in general and lumiw together the leaders of the Labor bloc? coalition of the democratie part others they reach 70 and even 80 per opel as a result of these defeats, the tion of the Anglo Russian Committee, the against an intervention in our country. Party, those of the and at the les revolving about the Radical party cent. Let us add that the same pheno leaders of the Fifth Congress, who had Stalinists, to cover up their own crimes especially on the part of England, the same time, those workers in the ranks and excluding the Marin group (nation menon can also be observed with regard failed to see the revolutionary situation and blunders, ascribed to the Left Opinightiest of the imperialist states off of the who are orientating them.
alists) and the socialists or a bloc of to the Radical candidates. Consequently, in Germany when it was rising before position a number of fantastic views Europe. In the same spirit, the official selves towards a revolutionnry policy.
the united Left in power following in experience proves superabundantly and their very noses, now proclaimed that which it never held. Some of these do theses of the Moscow party committee and calls them all social fascists the footsteps of the bloc in the electoral even better than in 1928 that the so the armed struggle was only just ahead. liberate falsehoods are repeated against announced that The Anglo Russian ComWhat is the campaign In general, it may be said called class against class tactic is not After the German defeat had disclosed the Opposition which was accused of mittee can and will undoubtedly play an The occupies a rather importhat French capitalism, and among its accepted by the mass of the Communist the beginning of a new and different sit wanting to split the British trade unions, enormous role in the struggle against political formations, the Radicals in the voters. It is not at all astonishing, more uation, the Comintern leaders declared of advocating that the Communists should all possible interventions directed against tant position in the British working class first place, would prefer the first solu over, that it arouses the reformist work that Europe is entering into the stage not work within the reactionary trade the and further something movement, not because it has a formidtion.
ers against us.
of decisive events. Germany is apuntons, of opposing the united front, and we always thought the Comintern alone able following, but because the impotence of the party has fortified idea among Far from becoining amelioratet, the There are more things to be taken parently approaching a sharpened civil of being opposed in principle to anyl could be: it will become the one the workers that it is becoming a real war (Zinoviev, February 2, 1924) or negotiations with reformist leaders or tory center that embraces the perspectives are wrowing more sombre, into account. First of all, the success It is false that the decisive struggles to the formation of temporary blocs. tional forces of the proletariat for the center of opposition against the Labor the crisis is continuing to deepen. In of the Parti Unite Proletar have already been fought, that the pro All these absolutely unfounded accusa struggle against every endeavor of the Party. On the other hand it has a large order to make the proletariat and the lenne the party of Sellier and Co. the letariat has suffered a decat in these lions were made by the apparatus sup international bourgeoisie to begin a new number of individual adherents, and eslaboring masses bear the burden, the Right wingers expelled from the French struggles and the bourgeoisie has grown porters in order to cover up their own war.
pecially of late, it is attracting those the base of the govorument and the sion. This fact alone, more than the 20, 1994. Is The fact Asta en escemberheden en het inte has 1921. however, in the depths or the stalinist conception of movement for the first time These two quotations suffice to plumb young workers who are entering the this. pacifist period had begun, that the their the on was no Until now the has always been leaders are not very enthusiastic about other program than that of struggle of the Comintern defeats) in achieving Eighth Plenum of the comrades concrete, immediate aims corresponding neo trade unionism of the unskilled work.
on participating in the power at the present against the which originally boostmoment, when there are great difficulties. ed them and elected them to ottice. Theyla temporary stabilization. was vigor. Trotsky and Vuyovitch wrote: The crea to the daily interests of the proletariaters and has played a big role in pust sident bears witness to this orientation ing slanders against the party. As a re year and a half afterward, The unanimous election of the new Premerely conducted a campaign of disgust and was only acknowledged by them awas, at a certain moment, a thoroughly will become the organizing center of independent workers policy. The social ously denied by the Comintern spokesinen, tion of the Anglo Russian Committee in a given situation. It had become, or in large masses of workers towards an of French capitalism toward the coali sult, they have been elected. To be sure facts were already matters of Indispute Leftward development of the working and Intervention against the ized itself as Mersian but we alichamelis the correct step. Under the influence of the the proletariat against imperialist war democratie federation which character tion. It has showed in a clear fashion the bourgeoisie has alded them, but it is able record, and when the situation was masses, the liberal labor politicians, just in this manner, the Stalinist course in repudiated 19 sectarlan Cutled in this who will be the master by deciding on Indisputable that workers gave their vote again turning in a new direction.
a man who has no qualifications other to them, who only yesterday voted for the like the bourgeoisie liberals at the comthe Anglo Russian Committee only follow task: the was infected by the mencement of doctrines of radical liberalism and based The Swing to the Right a revolutionary move consistently from the reactionary con than that of being the representative of party. It is an insult to the many prothe Committee des Forges (the powerful letarians to claim that personal favors But in the process of calling a non ment, took a step towards the Left inception of socialism in one country. its socialism on ethical conceptions and syndieute of French industrial imperial have sutticed to assure these successes. revolutionary order to retain their influence in the According to it, Russian could build up not on Marxism. Consequently it grew period revolutionary masses. To hold them here was entire its own nationally isolated socialist as a reformist party organized on this ism) ever since he has been in politics. Personal favors have assured Sellier and period, the apparatus people were com ly correct.
economy, it only foreign intervention basis and it never has been otherwise with each other within the bourgeois others a local apparatus but if they have pelled to hunt high and low for the But the formation of a temporary bloccould be staved of. With this in mind, During the war it adopted the pacifist Victory and the wave which has brought party has not been able to unmask exaggerate it all out of proportions, or with reformists moving to the Lett, and an idea that must end in converting the point of view, and after the war it con Kelly at the same time to both the them because the party did not expel even to manufacture revolutionary phen the establishment of clearly limited ob Comintern into a Soviet border patrol. tinued to support the Labor Party and Ball dels and the socialists is so strong them on en political and is clearly under omena where they creating dinner chest lects and tasks for such a bloc explain came the hunt for anti interventionists the leadership of MacDouald who up to manifest La power time a government bloc may be restricted itself te shouting and has not sought a justification for their proche cure and limitations and preserving in the other trade union bureaucrats quick. Its diferences with the labor been able to convince the workers. In which the actual course of the class tact the freedom and independence of the ly became a political bloc between the Party began in actuality to Communists is one thing. What the reformists England and the Russian themselves during the last Labor Govern.
But no matter which of these solutions order to realize the difference in methods struggle did not provide. That is, con will be adopted, the essence of the elee and policies of the party today from that sequently, the period in which the most Right Centrist leadership of Stalin Buch party bureaucracy, not for a moment, but ment. But these were always differences for a long period of time. The Opposi in words only: behind all the criticism masses, today deluded by the left parties, Frossard, when he was expelled, was were heralded to the world, serving to sian Committee was its existence as a conceived the Committee as anything but port of the Labor Government.
tions results consists in this: that the of ten year ago, it sutlices to recall that fantastic victories of the Cominternarin actually did was quite another.
The original basis for the Anglo Rustion, on the contrary, which had never was always to be found the implied supwill shortly be disillusioned with regard forced to seek a seat in a distant prodeceive and bewilder the masses in But in the ranks of the the to the false promises the latter have vincial constituency, whereas a Gelis can general and the Communists in particu ment of international trade union unity, labor leaders on a limited basis, as a criticism had an effect which tended to made them. This opens up great per today get himself elected in the 13th, lar, and to lay the basis for the long This aim was hardly set down in the step in mobilizing the reformist masses carry it beyond the realm of words, and spectives for the Communist party, pro arrondissement in Paris (an old com swerve to the right which marked the Comintern than it was extended for be behind the Communists, declared: The toward the struggle for a break with re vided that within the months which sep munist stronghold. Comintern policy, until 1923. It was yond its original framework. To it, and more acute the international situation beformism. The young members criticized arate us from this break, It assures its attachment to the masses by an appro account, is the fact that most of the was halled in Moscow and abroad as the ities that could lead not only to contus and international imperialism.
during this period that the shrewd bour to its reformist side in particular, were comes, the more the will be the labor Party leaders more and more Another thing that must be taken into geois politician, Raditch of Yugoslavia, immediately attributed virtues and capac transformed into a weapon of English and had little inclination to be satisfied priate policy. If this does not come elected candidates of the with parliamentary maneuvers. This about, the bourgeois Right wing will be elected with the support party were great peasants leader. This was the pering the advanced workers throughout the Theories are the condensed generaliza year we have seen the growth of un of socialist sod in which every demagogue and scoun: world, but to the downright catastrophetions of preceding experience. They are oficial committees constituted to bring Illusionment of the masses, in the first slogans of the socialist party declining order to preserve his leadership over the ment and the Soviet Union actually sut the present and the future, because events trines and to work for the adoption of place to the disadvantage of the prole either in favor of the Radical party or masses, could get it without difficulty by fered before very long.
tariat and its class party. Within the the Communist party, were followed by applying to the Comintern apparatus.
do not merely repeat themselves, but re a revolutionary policy by the party, there exists the belief that when the very great majority of the socialist Raditch was not the only one. The British labor leaders represented Entirely forgetting the fact that the peat themselves in a different manner The leaders immediately transthe masses will be disillusioned they voters. And it is therein that we find kulak farmers of the American North other class, that they were its staunchest anand under different circumstances. Let formed this movement into one for a will automatically come to us. That is the successes of the socialists, perhaps west were hailed in Moscow as the next pillars pushed momentarily to the Left the test of events.
us see how the two conceptions stood formal break with the labor party and an infantile conception; it suffices to even more than in the number of votes thing to Communists, as the inestimable by the discontentment of the masses)
the principal discussion has been for or look at the example of Germany and they received. The socialists did not, by partner in the notorious Farmer Labor the Comintern apparatus commenced an (Continued in next Issue)
against the breaking off of relations Great Britian, where the party has been the way, refrain from giving their mo party movement. Macia, the head of international campaign in behalf of Pur MAX SHACHTMAN. with the Labor Party. The leaders of unable to benefit from the reformists im tives for withdrawing in favor of the the Catalonian petty bourgeoisie, was cell and Co. which brought the latter the asked for the right to vote potence on the one hand, and from their communist candidates; not because of transported to Moscow for negotiations, Infinitely more prestige and profit than in the communes according to the dietates treachery, on the other.
of their conscience. The Labor party their sympathy or affinity to the case Delegates from the Kuo Min Tang par. it did the Soviet Union or the Comintern.
Strikes and Repression refuses this right and on such a quesThe present relations of the Commun with the Radicals, but in order to bet tie pated officially in the deliberations of with the initiative and aid of the tion these revolutionary leaders spend ist party to the class working are dis ter be able to win over the workers at the Communist International. They were Purcell was toured throughout the world in Spain hours of babbling, filling the columns of closed by the elections. First of all, it present under Communist influence to prominent figures, together with the rae as the great apostle of proletarian unity. newspapers and holding record breaking What a fine lesson for our tag and bobtail of potty bourgeois pol in the struggle against expitalism. When Spain a strike movement has broken out meetings!
that the party met with one defeat in the centrists! The socialists do not fear to it iclandom from India to London and he came to the United States, the com with renewed vigor. In the city of Sev The Party must struggle against such first ballot and with another in the second compromise themselves by favoring our back, in the famous. Anti Imperialist munist party and the were me a general strike is in progress. Ac leaders but it should distinguish between ballot.
party by voting for some of our candi. League. The socalled Peasants Inter transformed into advertising agencies cording to the latest press reports it them and the members who are trying The first ballot reveals a decline of dates on the second ballot They hope, in national was formed at that time, to for a Purcell tour. Our press heaped un to be mounting in militancy. Police to point the way toward a revolutionary of May 3, the party leadership attempts layer of the working class from the peasantry who needed the protection of head, his name was shouted from the and Civil Guards are at hand in full force attitude which signifies in reality all his undeserving and Civil Guards areat hand in full force policy. Nevertheless the party adopts an to play this up as a victory. We be party. This will not remain a hope for Moscow and to advance the unique Communist housetops, his report on the Governor of Seville states, threatens to those outside our ranks are enemies of lieve, on the other hand, that the results them if our party persists in the path slogan: The emancipation of the pea Soviet Union was hailed as a revolu burn the 202 churches of Seville. We the working class an attitude which of last Sunday testify to a fine victory which it is taking at present. santry is the work of the peasantry it tionary classic. After his appearance at learn from the incomplete reports in the makes it impossible for the Party to win for our party. How? Because we are Everybody expected the defeats of the self!
supposed to have made gains in some party. When it conducts a policy which Not the least prominent of the figures picted as the St. George of the inter been an almost complete shutdown of the reformist ranks.
the of La convention, he was de capitalist newspapers that there has over the most militant sections within industrial centers and because this is isolates the party from the masses, who made their pilgrimage to Moscow national class struggle fighting valiantly the industries of Seville. And its efter The British Left Opposition group 1s said in all seriousness if the elections which weakens its positions in the trade in those days were the leaders of the against the dragon of Gompersian reactiveness in keeping out strikebreakers is fighting against this policy; It demands had taken place a year ago or two years unions and the workers organizations, British trade unions, Purcell and Co. tion in the labor movement. To be sure, attested to, in one instance, by the fact that the party while showing the weakago, we would have suffered an even it is inevitable that losses should follow who visited the Soviet Union at the end the American party leaders were only that soldiers had to man the bakeries. nesses of the policy advanced by the u greater decline due to the workings of in the elections. This is once more, pay of 1924 as an oficial delegation. The aping their confreres in the other part At the same time this latest outbreak official committees; for example, their the Barbe group.
ment for all the past mistakes, for the offensive of the British bourgeoisie ies, who, in turn, merely took orders from is not local in scope. In Cadiz there inability to give clear expression to the First of all, it is not true in general third period. for the red days. for against the workers standard of living Stalin and Bucbarin but this did not were head on clashes between strikers relation between the present struggles of that we have made gains in the indus the political mass strikes. for unity was producing radical changes in the mako matters any better. And about and police. Strike cars, taxi service, the workers and the struggle for power, trial regions. That is true only for a within the etc. All these ranks of the proletariat, a more mill whom were these eulogies sung? About shipyards and aeroplane factories were their lack of understanding of the role of very small number of wards in the pas mistakes, the enemies of the party have tant mood was already visible among a man who, though one of the founders completely paralyzed by the stirke in revolutionary party in the daily strug de Calais, in Douaisais, and in other been able to exploit with signal sue them, they were moving towards the of the English Communist Parts, de that city. In Madrid, Catalonia and other sles and in the struggle for power, their isolated sections. But as a whole, we cesses. The elections have showed what Lett, and this process was reflected inserted it for the flesh pots of bureaucratic places rioting of a similar nature oc equivocal statements on the subjects of isian region, in Lille, Roubaix, troupes is not enough to cry about the reformist opment of a Left wing, Purcell, Hicks, General Council, a renegade Communist ment were felt as tar of as Algeria where with them against the leaders ing, in the seine Interieure region, in betrayals to convince the workers; it is Swales, Cook and others, who found it shrewd enough to go so far as to ware shooting took place on the streets of and on questions of the daily struggle.
Alsace, in the Aube, in Lyons, etc. etc. also necessary to show them that we are custer to maintain their reactionary a red flag once in a while it it would Algeciras in the course of a protest strike Already some progress has been made the account fighting for their immediate demands, it along to the left with them working class. If that was not clear then workers.
militants have been won over to the As to the second argument, it is simply encemene the workers. There is the able report which the delegation pub made it clear it nothing else did It of a nation wide monarchist conspiracy Opposition.
the latter are not to retrain their iniu Out of this visit to Russia, the favor and the warnings of the Opposition contemptible.
It is also reported that this is part support of the viewpoint of the Left attempts example of Roubalx Tourcoing (the scene lished, the impression made by the Rus should have become clear short time to restore Alfonso to the throne. While on this question as on others members of last year textile strikes) where the sian trade union delegation to England, afterwards. See the article Political Banditry reformists have gained votes, there is the was born the Anglo Russian Committee, we can conceive of the possibility of such of the Lett Opposition in England will The Stalinists and the in the French Communist Party. in The example of Vienne, where the party in representing the Councils of the two an attempt in view of the recent pro carry on a consistent struggle against Militant of December 5, 1931 Ed.
Purcell only typified the English hall nouncements of the Bourbons we are a the false policy of Stalinism.
addition made the mistake of putting up trade union centrals. Its original ob of the he was even its most little sceptical of such dispatches. ANGLICUS.
seems There were