WORKERS OF THE WORLD.
UNITE THE MILITANT. Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America (Opposition Published weekly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at 84 East 10th Street, New Yort. Entered as second class mall matter, November 28, 1928 at the post office at New York, under the act of March, 1879 VOLUME V, NO. 34 (WHOLE NO. 130 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1932 PRICE CENTS. MUST SPEAK OUT THE ONLY ROAD Illinois Miners Revolt Warns Party on Germany VON PAPEN HITLER Spreads Thru State Thousands of Miners on Strike against Lewis Machine and Wage Cuts Opposition Campaign On Germany Seb. Pappas Expelled own situation, utes a crowd of more than one hundred and a second time be was repulsed. The Their method is the one of militant fightBONAPARTISM AND FASCISM Leading Member Appeals for United Front against Hitlerism By Leon Trotsky To the Members of Unit 2, Sec. serious danger of confusing the workers To the arty Members of Dist. Two by throwing the Fascists and the reform Let us endeavor briefly to realize what In its time, we designated the BruenTo the Central Executive Committee ists into one pot under the theory of has occurred and where we stand. ing government as Bonapartism. caricaof the Communist Party of the Social Fascism. They correctly rel Thanks to the social democracy, the ture of Bonapartist. that is, as a Comrades: stated from the first the Leninist policy Brueuing government had at its disposal regime of the military pollee dictatorThe latest events in Germany make it of the united front in the struggle the support of the parliament for ruling ship. As soon as the struggle of two impossible for me to remain silent any against Fascism.
with the aid of emergency decrees. The social strata the haves and the have longer. The coming into power of Von My studies and observations have social democratic leaders said: In this nots, the exploiter and the exploited The Ilinois miners struggle has sustained its first victim. Joe Colbert, apen, the dictatorial action of Hindenbrought me to the following serious con manner we shall block the road to power reaches its highest tension, the condi.
president of Local 303, Orient, Illinois, was murdered in cold blood by Lewisburg in Prussia, the direct aid given by clusions. The viewpoint of Trotsky and of Fascism. The stalinist bureaucracy tions are given for the domination of Walker gunnen firing from an automobile in front of his home.
the government to the Fuscists. Na the Left Opposition in the German situa said: No, Fascism has already triumph bureaucracy, police, soldiery. The govJoe Colbert was known as one of the staunchest millitants. He held a long tional Socialists. irting of the unition has been fully confirmed by the ed, it is the Bruening regime which is ernment becomes independent of so record of fight against the corrupt Lewis machine. He acted as chairman of the form bani, special permits for demonstra events. It is now absolutely necessary to Fascism. Both were false. The social ciety. Let us once more recall: If two miners revolt mass meeting at Benld, Ili, at which the present strike found its tions, suppressing of the working class sive full attention to this viewpoint and democrats palmed off a passive recede forks are stuck symmetrically into a organizational initiatlon. Colbert held his post in the ranks to the last. He dloud as the struggle cork, the latter can stand even on the Aghting. All honor to the fallen militant!
workers are unmistakuble danger sign International may draw immediately and against Fascism. The Stalinists pre head of a pin. That precisely the ats for every conscious revolutionist.
without delay the greatest benefits from sented the matter as if the victory of schema of Bonapartism. To be sure, The Illinois coal fields are again seeth ment has spring up in which the young At the Brink of the Abyss it.
Fascism was already behind them. The such a government does not cease being ing with revolt spreading througbout the militant mirar Gerry Allard is one of The ruthless militury dletatorship esThe Party False Course Alghting power of the proletariat was the clerk of the property owners. Yet various sections and directed against the the leading spirits, gigantic mass meettablished by the reactionary Junkers is Our party leadership in Germany and sapped by both sides and the triumph of the clerk sits on the back of the boss, most brazen official treachery yet reings have been held from which marches pushing Germany to the brink of the the have been following a false the enemy facilitated and brought closer. Continued on page 4) corded. powerful rank and Alle move are being organized to close down the Fascist abyss. disunited German work and dangerous course toward the danger mines which reopened tider the operating class is fucing an increasingly ar of Facism on the one hand, and the ors reduced sale of wages.
Since April first, the Illinois miners marching to power. Germany is already social democracy on the other. While the Fascist danger was minimized for a have been on strike refusing to retreat in the milit of a civil war. The blood long time, the party continued to set up from the basie wage senle of 10 per thirsty hordes of Flitlerism are on the a wall between itself and the socialist the streets, shooting down militant workers by the theory and practice of with the rising tide of Fascism in many questions and bought our literature hundred workers. Our speaker mounted called it a suspension and meanwhille workers, creating an atmosphere of ter Social Facinto. Instead of proposing Germany and the enormous crime belog Not all of our meetings have been the platform while our comrades formed prepared to have their trusted Agents in rorism, while behind the scenes the anal united front of all the workers against concocted in the Stalinist kitchens the as successful as the two just reported a ring around it. With the usual words control of the unlon, John Lewis and preparations are being made to drive the the onwand march of Hitler banda left Opposition has been struggling to Last Saturday, August 18, our meeting of address, comrades and fellow work his handmaid, weeping Johnny Walker, Communist party underground and for our party compromised Itself with the abscharge the great taska imposed on ut Avenue und Seventh Street was ers. a tremendous boo arose from the make all arrangements ready for the the seizure of power by Fascism. The slogan of National and Social Emanet. It by the historic situation. The League broken up by an organized gang of party stalinists who surrounded the platform treacherous sell out. new contract government of von Papen bs only a stot pation and by its active support to the has opened a national campaign of mass members and members of the local and the rug of our comrades around it. with a reduced basic wage scale was gap. It is there only to clear the path Hitlerite referendum (July 1931) in meetings in an attempt with the forces employed Council which is situated a few For almost an hour this continued. offered. It was submitted to a referThe victory or Fascism is a horrible Brussta. Our party played into the hands at its disposal to reach the masses of ours away from the account which Every time the speaker opened his mouth endum ani defeated by a vote of more With the boos than 20 to But this did not at all event to contemplate! We know already possible for the social democratic trait the development of the German situa whipped into a lynching spirit by the was growing a mingled chorus of threats deter the official locches. They had more from the tragic experience of the Italian ors to continue their murderous polley tion with the greatest interest. We have perly bureaucrats in retallation for the and dirty epithets. Gradually the stal ways than one to attempt to defeat the working class what It has meant in the (Continued on page 3)
printed and are distributing thirty two powerful blows we have dealt them at inists who outnumbered us many times will of the rank and Alle and pursue their past. It it comes to power in Germany, thousand leaflets stating our position on the Anti War Conference and in connecwere working up the small stock of deadly work of destroying the union. So the consequences would be much greater.
the German situation.
tion with the German situation. Not courage to the point at which they could they arranged to have the tabulated Hitler in power means the crushing of Yorkville Meeting sluce the battles in the Labor Temple in attack the revolutionary representatives tally sheets of the referendum vote the Communist movement. It means the In New York City we have increased the early days of the Opposition and the or Leninism.
stolen, declared an emergency, signed wiping out of every other working olass the number of our street meetings in tours of comrade Cannon and Shachtman Finally a Stalinist more frenzied than new contract providing for a 00 a day institution. It means a set back for the addition to our other activities. Recent hus an Opposition meeting been broken basie wage scale and manipulated a whole proletarian movement, throughout Ly we have broken into new territory up with such premeditated and organized the rest rushed the platform only to be The counterfeit referendum vote, which they thrown back by the Europe and the rest of the world. It where we have shown the face of the violence.
means the beginning of a new and len Life of Unlon At Stake Left Opposition for the first time and The meeting was one organized by us chorus of jeers and threats rose higher now confidently expect to be carried.
sthy period of reaction everywhere, the It is this new outrageous action which strengthening of the bourgeoisie in every the Daily Worker of the expulsion of most a thousand. They looked on in amAs we go to press, we learn from delivered our message. In Yorkville in our regular schedule of speaking And the number of workers grew to all which has a large German population we tivities. Comrades Milton, Carmody, axement and confusion. It was obvious save the signal for the present revolt country. It means that our problemerlang Sebastian Pappas, leading Communist have held a number of successful meet Glee and Wynne attempted to open the that they could see no reason why we movement. The rank and file is once ingx. The last one was attended by be meeting with comrade Milton on the should not speak.
their and immediately menaced by the stran: the battles of the Food Workers In tween three and four hundreds workers. Speaker stand distributing our leaflet second time the Stalinist rushed when set into motion they do not hesitate.
hands. They know only one method and Gulating bloc of reactionary nations alldustrial Union. Pappas is expelled They listened attentively to the speak on the German situation. In a few min.
along its western frontlers.
from the Communist Party of the u. ers analysis of the German In a civil in a fight between the as a Trotskylte and a disrup the unspeakable, despicably treacherous Workers gathered around the stand to word the speaker uttered could be heard in that lies their strength. They have classes in Germany, all of the imperial tive element.
role of the degenerate social democracy, listen to the speaker. Across the street even by himself.
ists will undoubtedly take the side of The specific charge against him is the fatal policy of the central com a party bureaucrat mustered his mistime Stalinists rushed learned from many bitter experiences Hitler against the workers.
extend the Aght against the German. the party, hundred of coples of which Therwan that he recently issued a letter to mittee of the German the coward guided seng. Suddenly they rushed through a gap in our defense and be that the union oficials have long ago be ly and treacherous silence of the Stalion across to the stand, snatched our literafore their assault the platform gave way. reads. at every Avorable opportunity workers to a struggle against the Inter were printed and distributed to partylized Comintern, and what must be done ture, burled comrade Milton from the Like a pack of wolves waiting for thelr to do Its bidding and yet, these officials, national working class, and in the first and non party workers. In his letter if the workers are not to be deluged in stand and overthrew it.
prey to be brought down the stalinists skillful in the art of treason, have sucplace against the Hitler he not only disagrees but attacks the a frightful blood bath.
To the credit of some party members closed in on us. Comrade Gordon was ceeded again and again to circumvent would be the outstanding military agent line of the party. He accused the They found nothing counter revolu it must be said that they protested verbthrown face down to the ground by their militancy and to inflict heavy deof world imperialism in a war to crush Party leadership and the Comintern oftlonary in what we said, asked a num ally against such gangsteristic tactics, two Stalinists. maniacal Stalinistreats upon them step by step reducing the workers republic.
following a false and dangerous course Der of questions which revealed their and a few even attempted to assist our female scratched comrade Beardslee the union. Now it is the very life of Arouse the Working Class! toward Fascism and social democracy.
intense Interest in the German situation comrades physically. One Ler face. Other comrades and some of our the union itselt which is at stake.
many and of the rest of the world to Comintern make an open demand for nature and role of the International he was going to resign from the. honor in the struggle for the ideas of stronghold of the United Nine Workers To arouse the working class of Ger. He proposes that the Party and the and their slowly growing grasp of the said in the heat of his indignation that sympathizers received blows, marks of The Illinois conl fields harbor the last the imminent danger of Fascism imme united front with the social Fascist Laft. So systematic were they that when our comrades retired to another corner revolutionary Internationalism. of America, and practically the last of diately, to crush Hitler before he comes leaders and disagrees with the party estimation of the social democratic home from other meetings, tried to dis which one comrade was sent. When all More than one Stalinist will remember thoroughly proletarian in composition, the organized miners morement which, into power that is the task of the hour, if the revolutionists are to defend the leaders as social Fascists. Daily rupt our meeting by heckling they warn the comrades that could be mustered on ruefully.
interests of the world proletariat, and Worker of Thursday August 18, 1982. ed the misguided party members to keep short notice had asembled, a short meethas established such a glorious tradition Some workers from the crowd rushed in American labor history. It is due to above all to defend the Soviet Union.
Stalinist Silence Broken quiet and listen.
ing among themselves was held to or in to stop the fight and the staliniste, the Indomitable spirit of the rank and But this is just where the tragedy lies The expulsion of Pappas follows Brownsville Meeting ganize the defense of the meeting. Our disappointed in not rousing the workers Ale, despite wreckage of treason inflictat the present moment. When Fascism upon a whirlwind change in the attiMore recently we broke new territory comrades then returned to the corner to the same lynching manta, desisted. ed upon them, that they have been able threatened in Italy, Lenin and the whole tude of the party leadership toward in a section of Brooklyn, the outskirts from which they had been driven, in With the announcement to the assem: to preserve an organization. But the loft no stone unturned to arousel the German situation. It is only to of Brownsville. We spoke to an inter second attempt to hold the meeting. bled workers and Stalinists that the Left biggest job still lies ahead of them.
the working class of the world against day, on Friday, August 19, that the ested audience of about a hundred work. They set up the platform unmolested Opposition would not be prevented from There can now be no thought whatever fers to the proletariat are involved, our on the danger in Germany at the Centhe danger. Now, when far greater dan: party is first calling a mass meetinglers who appeared to be impressed by our amidan ominous silence. By this time delivering its message to the working or further preserving the union until that five class by the stalinists or by anyone we job is finished, until the whole crew of world leadership, the Communist Inter tral Opera House in New York. The marched off in a body singing the Intercorrupt officialdom is completely cleaned national and the Red International or change has indubitably been brought nationale.
out. In this sense the movement must Labor Unions, are silent. No burning about by the intense campaign on What the thousand or more workers be clear on its double aim, viz: To deappeal one that would stir the ComGermany of the Left Opposition and who were attracted to the scene witness feat the attempts of the operators to munists into action has come from the particularly by the response this camed, was a battle between two factions of further reduce the now miserable standExecutive Committee of the Communist paign is receiving inside the official the Communists initiated by the Stalin ard of living prevalling and to clean International. Our press, particularly Communist party itself, as evidenced This article was written a few days facturers, considering the situation un ists.
our central organ, the Daily Worker, by the Pappas letter. Not only has after the stoppage was declared. At favorable and even disastrous for a everywhere in the front rank of the light out, root and branch, their agents in the official union positions.
has maintained a virtual silence on the this mass meeting been called, but the present moment when we are go strike.
for free speech for every faction of the Extent of Present Movement threatening developments in Germany, more than that, the apparatus of the ing to press most of the workers are Hillman Grants Cuts working class movement they saw the There are good indications that such bringing only scant news reports. The Stalinist bureaucracy has been thorback in the shops. Hillman has car The biggest shops of the Clothiers Ex. Stalinists break up a meeting of the Left is actually he aim of the present moveparty has not even attempted to awakenoughly alarmed and has seen itself the American working class to the territoreed to call special functionaries ried out his program completely. Wage change received considerable wage cuts Opposition before it had begun ment. Despite the great contusion de cuts have been folsted upon the tail amounting in some cases to 25. What The League will return to this cornerberately provoked by the whole method ble danger that impends. Not a single meetings to take up the German situa ors in most shops. In addition a is the leaflet has been issued on the subject of tion.
and 10 tax has been levied on them. stoppage? Despite these sus of what they saw last Saturday. And in dum vote, the opposition to the sell out is Fascism moving toward power. Not a The statement announcing the ex.
Hillman has thru this stoppage streng picious circumstances, the masses of so far as we are able we will redeem rapidly organizing. Reports at this single mass meeting has been arranged pulsion of comrade Sebastian Pappas thened his hold on the New York or tailors left their shops, manifesting trem the prestige of Communism squandered stage of developments are still some to arouse the interests and activity of ganization. The tailors have suffered endous courage on the picket lines, con so heedlessly by the Stalinist masters of what unclear, but it appears that every the American workers. Not even the does not, as will be observed, even make an attempt to take up any arguanother defeat and gained a little ducting a herole fight against the scab the party. And we will explain to the where the local unions are meeting and party membership has been awakened!
ments, it does not even mention the more experience with Hillman expresamen and the police, exposing workers what our position is on the Gerdeciding to reject the put over agreement Must Speak Out Now word Germany, the word war danger, treachery.
their bodies to the police clubs and bul man situation and why the Stalinists and to prevent the mines from resumThat is why feel that must speak which run through the Pappas letter lets. Only their intolerable conditions attempt to beat us up for speaking the ing operation by throwing strong picket out now as loudly as enn in an attempt like a red thread. The Stalinist bur stoppage has been declared in the and their desperation can explain this truth about Hitler and about Stalin. We lines around them. In rapid succession to arouse my party comrades to the dan eauerats mean to suppress the rev.
New York Clothing shops. The ostens fact. The taflors in this stoppage, just invite all party members and all work the locals are falling in line with most ger that threatens, so that we may be olutionary alarm cry sounded by comble purpose of this stoppage, as present. as in last year s, looking for a way outlers who are interested in free speech of the sub districts remaining sold on able to fulAll our duties as international rade Pappas and to drown it out with ed by the Officialdom, is the of their misery, have clutched at this for workers to attend our meetings and strike.
revolutionists. In this declaration, filthy catcalls and by hasty, insincere enforcement of the following demands: stoppage as a drowning man graspe at help us defend them against all attempts mass meeting in Benld had an at am moved only by the deep interests of and half way concessions to the de(1) stop wage cutting. 2) stop the ex(Continued on page 3)
to break up our meetings. Continued on page 3)
the proletarian revolution and of mand made in the letter.
odus of bundles to sweat shops. 3) re Communist party, to which have beThe Left Opposition greets the ac establish union control of labor condi.
longed and which have served loyally tions in plants in which such control 18 tion of comrade Pappas as a cov for many years, and in many struggles.
now lacking ageous and important step in support ist is to arouse the active interest and the revolutionary reawakening of clothing workers with last year stop Five years ago, at midnight of took their toll of these workers who militants still imprisoned are the participation of the workers in the life the Communist party and the Cominpage, called for similar purposes, and tern, as first aid within the American lending in a general wage cut and worl August 22, 1927, two revolutionists had dared commit the crime of loy blood brothers of Sacco and Vanzetti and struggles of the comrades in the of immortal memory were martyred alty and devotion to their class. and a heavy obligation les upon the other countries official party to the cause of the Gersened conditions, the tailors had no man revolution and proletarian inin the electric chair in Boston at the Five years afterward, another legal working class to free them: Mooney.
Trotsky first indicated in his pamreasons to believe that the present stop hands of the bloodthirsty bourgeoisle murder is being prepared, this time Billings, the Centralia men, the Comternationalism.
phlets The Turn in the Communist Inpage will bring them any improvement of the United States. The legal mur against the Negro boys in Scottsboro. munists throughout the country.
ternational and the German Situation The party document of comrade in their conditions. Moreover, the whole der of Nicolo Sacco and Bartolomeo The voices of Sacco and Vanzetti, and especially Germany the Key to the Pappas, which the bureaucrats of the atmosphere surrounding the preparations Remember Sacco and Vanzetti, Vanzetti was relentlessly executed which are not still even in death, International Situation the great seriStalinist apparatus are attempting toll for the stoppage are extraordinarily shining martyrs of the proletariat!
after millions of workers throughout call out to the working class of the ousness of the Fascist danger, the mis hush up is in the first column. Let peculiar. Only a couple of weeks ago the world had raised their voices in world to join hands in a ring of sollT nite in millions to save the judge for take of looking upon Fracism as a move the Communist workers the New York Joint Board of the behalf of the two Italian anarchist darity around these boys which will Scottsboro boy from murder!
ment that will swiftly disintegrate. Hell themselves! decided to giva the officialdom a tree workers. Supremely contemptuous break the death clutch reaching out Join hands to liberate our political and the Left Opposition pointed out the!
hand in granting reductions to the manu of these protests, the executioners to assassinate them. The scores of prisoners. nore New YorkTailors on Strike my August 22: Fifth Anniversary of the Murder of Sacco Vanzetti