WORKERS THE MILITANT OF THE WORLD UNITE Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America (Opposition VOLUME VII, NO. 10 WHOLE NO. 214)
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1934 PRICE CENTS Internationalism and The Statement on the Rakovsky Corporations Win the Case. by Trotsky Fake Elections an funda Big Crowd At Debate End of the Hotel Strike Hard Times Missed Bosses Toward the New Party SPRING FESTIVAL and Company Unlons The last Indoor affair of the season to be held by the New York Local of the League will be held on Satur.
day, March 31st. at Vietoria Hall, Irving Place This affair will be primarily a dance, with a good band. In addi tion, we are planning a short pro Humanite (organ of the French Ped) for February 21st As has already been reported the began with an international pro numbers of the program we expect published a telegram from Moscow which announces that Rakovsky Last week the Fifth Avenue Coach(efforts at reprisals. What this of American Is giving up his fight and submitting to discipline. Without a doubt Company of New York successfully pretended protection meant to the tiations with the Provisional or after the collapse of the Second In: dance and Madame who will ers who knew and followed the old fighter.
munist League is conducting nego After all that has happened since, Indian, in a recital of his native this news cannot fail to produce a deep impression among all the work prevented its 1, 450 employees from workers was quite clearly illustratrecording themselves whether they led by the fact that only one dozen ganization Committee of the Amer. ternational along the line of social It has always been our motto to speak out what is. Even at this wanted to belong to the of of them ventured inside the polling ican Workers Party. We hope for patriotism and the downfall of the appear in typical speſe costume Street Carmen Union or any other places to cast their vote.
frultful results of these negotiations Comintern along the Itne of social prepared to tell you all the pleasant time we do not wish either to mitigate or conceal.
uuton of their own choice. For. The company had of course taken and for the eventual fusion of the Irm in one country (national re things you want to hear about your The telegram concerning the declaration of Rakovsky tells us, fortune.
this purpose an election had been its measures of reprisals in advance.
two organizations in the great task formism. there is less ground than however, that Rakovsky has not capitulated after the fashion of arranged by the Regional labor in the first place it declined alof launching the new party. Such ever to think the problems of the Keep the date open. Come and Zinovjev, Kameney and Co. He has not recanted a single word of Board. This right of choice is sup together to comply with the order me of the Degotiations proletarian revolution can be apbring your friends. Get together. the ideas in whose name he fought together with us. He has not re prosed be accorded all workers of the Labor Board. Secondly, it would undoubtedly give a tremend proached from a national stand. Talk, dance and have a good time cognized the so called mistakes committed by the Left Opposition under Section a of the NRA.
Yet sent its spotters to all polling places ous Impetus to the reorganization point. It is from this point of view generally, of the proletarian vanguard in Am that we raise the question of the He has not proclaimed the correctness of the official policy. Thus, in this is not the first case on record with prids and pencils ready to take of the employers enforeing their down the names of those workers erica and could not be without ef. Fourth International as a the conditions of the of which we are well aware, this interpretation and compelling the who would exercise their right to fect Internationally, mental consideration in the discusessential feature of Rakovsky declaration is exceptionally outstand acceptance of their company unton. vote. Thirdly, the company had And since, in our convinction, this sion of a new party in America.
ing. It can only emphasize the fact that Rakovsky, theoretically and The company unlon vote successful given every worker to understand can only be realized if there is a We take part in the discussion of politically, has abandoned nothing, nor has he renounced his past. ly staged by the Weirton Steel Co: that the employment would terminfirm agreement on the fundamental a new party in this country not In an interview with comrade Trotsky on this subject he had the last December, is one of the crassate for any worker who would aval!
questions of principle an agreemerely as American revolutionists following to say: est among several examples which himselt of this right. In this man ment, moreover, which extends but as internationalists, as adher Rakovsky states that he will give up his struggle and submit to could be elted. There are sure toner it was very easy for the comdown into the ranks of both organi ents of the Fourth International.
pany to make a farce of the elec zations we are bringing out in a The Program discipline. That is the only content of his declaration. In order to be more in the future. Protecting Workers Rights tion.
neries of articles in the Militand the The programmatie statement of Cannon and Lovestone understand the declaration in its proper light and naturally we conWeirton Steel Case On behalf of a goodly number of ing in the discussons within the ward an American Revolutionary Discuss Internationals sky was placed. In fact he had been placed in a condition of giving the New York Coach Co. employees, is another instance of protection The case of the Weirton Steel Co.
Joint committee of the two organiza movement. appears to us to be up his active struggle three or four years ago. He could neither comtions. The more openly and clear inadequate and decidedly incorrect Before an audience of 1500 the municate with his friends, nor write articles, nor receive the litera Street and Electric Rallway Em of the right to union organization ly the points of disagreement are in its treatment of the interna debate which the Lovestone group ture of the Left Opposition and generally information on the Inter ployees had fled a petition with the under the NRA. Only, in this indiscussed the former will be the tional question and to chart had so long evaded occurred. In a national labor movement. In his complete isolation he remained withLabor Board for the right of these stance the losses proceeded much foundation for eventual fusion of course which would doom the new packed hall, on Monday evening. out any perspective whatsoever.
workers to decide in a regular elec more crudely and flagrantly to en agreement is arrived at.
force the company union provisions.
party from its inception. The col March 5th at the Irving Plaza the tion for a union of their own choice.
The Paramount Question Rakovsky declaration, far from being an ideologic or political The Labor Board ordered that such The workers had gone on strike for lapse of the Stalinist and Socialist representative of the Communist capitulation, is at the same time not only a highly regrettable but a lelections be held, set the date and the right of union organization and tionalism is a pramount question the imperative necessity for a new defended the position of the reform condemnable fact. Undoubtedly this example will be extensively util designated several polling places. Ithe strike was a splendid display For us, the question of Interna parties in this country, from which Party (Opposition. Jay Lovestone, had walked out almost to a man.
As it has always been for revolu party ariser, is not due simply to of the Communist International. Ized by the Stalinist bureaucracy in order to draw many of the youtb, stated that the board would proof militaney. It lasted a good many tionary Marxists. Marx and Engels (Continued on page 4)
while James Cannon, represent. Imprisoned and isolated like Rakovsky, on the path of capitulation tect every worker, who exercised h1 ing the Communist League, spoke not in the manner of Rakovsky but of Zinovlev.
right to vote, against any and all (Continued on page 4)
for the formation of the Fourth In We have reiterated many times that the restoration of the Comternational. Sidney Hook acted as munist Party of the can only be accomplished on the inchairman. At the conclusion of the ternational arena. The case of Rakovsky confirms this in a negative debate the question which stood bat striking manner. The Bolshevik Leninists in the are outstanding was why the Lovestone not aware from the Pravda of the burning facts of International life: Left Wing Fights to Rebuild Amalgamated Union group was outside the ranks of the Presidents Increased Salaries and Bonuses Hitler victory, the danger of war, now the crushing of the Austrian fenders of the Stalinist Comintern proletariat. They have no oppor orienting themsel in the The general strike of the New in the union, these careerists in really deserved to hold place true light of these events, nor of discerning the different formations It is one of the well known char to know that Campbell, Presl.
York hotel workers was formally trigned and conspired against the within it.
in the workers movement.
acteristics of modern imperialism dent, Director, and Chairman of the called off by action of a member strike militants, disorganzed and In order to recreate a powerful Internationalist Communist move interlocking directorates, by spread who was paid 100, 000 in 1920, re that, the finance capitalists, by their Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. ship meeting last week on the re disrupted the strike machinery, some tactical reforms in the linement in the the struggle of the IV International must take ing the shares of a company into celved 191, 000 in 1931.
Lovestone maintained that with commendation of the general strike sabotaged the functioning of the many hands, and by means of comcommittee. According to the terms most important committees and de of the Comintern it could be made form, become so powerful a factor that the Stalinist bureaucracy will Hardship For Some Captains laid down by the Regional Labor moralized the ranks of the striker nerve the Interests of the prole no longer be able to hide it from the Soviet workers, the Bolshevik plicated systems of holding com Leninista Included pantes, are able to control mans were able to raise their salaries Not all captainy of Bourd all strike breakers are to be by their general incompetence, bo tarian revolution industry discharged and all strikers rein reaucratic methods and conserva Cannon in an annihilating reply We register the purely formal declaration of the old warrior, Industries which they themselves stated within two weeks. Strikerstism.
shewed how Lovestone completely who by his whole life has demonstrated his unshakable devotion to own only partly. This enables them and bonuses during this period.
not reinstated within that time are The Food Workers Industrial ignored the significance of the great the revolutionary cause; we register it with sadness and pass on to to milk these Industries to their be cut. There is the case of poor to be given preference in future Union (Stalinists. which was al events which had occurred inter the order of the day, that is to the doubly vigorous struggle for the heart content, elther through fin Alexander Legge, President and hiring. Since no provision was most completely isolated at the be nationally in the last year, that new parties of the new International.
ancial Jugglery of these companies. Director of the International Harmade for the recognition of shopginning of the strike, could only Lovestone could just as well have or by paying themselves fancy salvester Co. who received 612, 860. INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT aries and bonuses.
committees or shop delegates in the thrive on this polley and practice made the same speech two or three LEAGUE OF INTERNATIONALIST COMMUNISTS supervision of the return to work, of the leadership and. dd to the years ago with no change. From corner of the curtain screening of the 42, 000 workers in that inin 1920 and a paltry 63, 678 in 1931.
the workers were left without any general demoralization. Working the rise of Hitler to power in Ger(BOLSHEVIK LENINISTS) the latter method was lifted by the publication, by the Federal Trade working in 1931, 57. unemployed, Austry In 1929 only 18, 000 were real check on the employers in pre trom the start to break up the many, from the tragie defeat of the couta gain some advandesperCommission (New York Times of and the average pay of 1, 400 per Feb. 27, 1984. of the salaries and year in 1929 was cut to 000 per stances the bosses are discriminat unlon the disruption of a strike against Fascism, Lovestone was in bonuses which were paid to the year in 1981, 243. Then there ing right and left and are making in the process is a small matter to capable of drawing any Marxist officers of various large corporais poor Jesse Straus, President a concentrated drive to break on them the Stalinists were able to conclusions. In these events tions.
and Director of Macy and the union.
exploit the gross mistakes of the only social democracy, but also Hill Draws Mere Million Co. who was pld 130, 240 in 1920 Discrimination Against Strike leadership in order to add to the Stalinism had It will interest the workers in the and had his pay demonstrated its Appeal of the Communist on the model of Hitler.
in 1931 to Multants general demoralization.
bankruptcy and impotence. Does League of France (Bolshevik WORKERS. EITHER YOU OR tobacco Industry to know that 137, 110. Hm, President and Director of The list could be continued, but 90 called citizens committee The Loft Wing Organizes the working class need the victory Leninists) published in La Ver THEY!
of five, on which the union has only It was not until the Left wing. of Fascism in a few more countries ito of February 16.
Upou your action depends the the American Tobacco Co. was paid the picture would not vary one representative, is obviously following the line of the Militant, before the revolutionists will be TO THE WORKERS OF FRANCE. without power to protect the work made a sharp break with the of convinced of the necessity of a new society. It depends on you to mob. 1831, despite the fact that out of mployment and wage cuts. For Two forces face each other ers against discrimination even if cials and began to organize the International?
ilize all the tolling med against 100, 000 workers in the industry in the magnates of industry, big fat It should be so disposed. And when fight On February 6th the reactionary Fascism as well as a large part of 1929, only 88, 000 were employed salarles and bonuses even against them, that the ad Yes, it is true, the Communist vermin Action Francaise, Jennesses the it is considered that this committee vances of the Stalinist was appointed by the notorious crew were checked and a genuinely takes of an ultra Lett character. Francaise) mutinled. Assured or by wrecking International has made many ml. Patriotes, Croix de Feu, Solidarite the armed forces of the nation whe 1831 (16. per cent unemployed)
have been completely disoriented and that average wages for the em though in a number of cases they Judge Panken, fresh from his ex constructive movement for the pre sald Lovestone, but it is getting the support of Chiappe (ex police the present situation.
ployed were cut from 818 per year may be getting less than they in 1920 to 600 per year in 1831 ceived to 1920. Out of some 300 ploits in breaking the taxi strike, servation of the Amalgamated be better. Cannon had merely to commissioner of Paris Ed. they HOW SHALL THE STRUGGLE (15. reduction. names published in the Timer, the idea of it functioning in any gan to take shape. The election of point to the decisions of the 13th exploited the discontent and the BE CARRIED ON?
way as an aid to the strikers has Hugo Oehler as chairman of the plenum of the Comintern which en chauvinism of a section of the petty By organizing your forces rapidly, hearts of the workers in the found bonuses as low as 20, 000. The It will probably gladden the one has to search with great care In order to find, salaries and to be dismissed altogether.
There is no doubt that the hotel over the heads of Feld Co. and in Germany and to the native stal last Lett government of Daladier, heroic example of our Austrian that despite the fact that the num made it porter over 100. 000 and what ment as a basis for the establish the unlon around the picket com at the recent Madison Square meet. a dictatorial regime for the benefit very quickly: not to wait for the reduced from 454, 000 in 1020 to part of the Income which these sen bosses alm to interpret the settle. the rallying of the best fighters in Inists with their booligan actions Its objective: the establishment of brothers should inspire us to act ber of workers in this industry wax is of importance is that this is only ment of the infamous merlt sys mitte the center of class struggle ing to finish this ridiculous asser of the big bourgeoisle, the suppres moment chosen by the reactionary 285, 000 in 1981 (37. unemploy and other sources.
tem in hiring and firing workers policy in the strike under the chair. tlon. Stalinism, seld Cannon, does son of the workers rights, the en provocation and then to put up aed) and that average wages for the Millions suffer so that a handful and that a blacklist of the leading manship of James Gordon. were not follow only an ultra Left course slavement of the tollers, to sweep desperate struggle.
employed were cut from 1, 535 per of individuals can live in the lap of militants among the strikers will two outstanding signs of the rapid, but also a Right opportunistone away the last remnants of bour. The magnificent general strike of year in 1020 to 1, 100 per year in luxury.
he attempted.
gains of the bona Ade Left wing as was manifested in the referen scola democracy; opening the road the 12 of February which enlisted 1931 (a 26 reduction) in spite Despite the militant struggle of that is Aghting for the Amalgam dum with the fascists in Germany to complete Fascism, to unleashed all the workers of France, was not, of that, Patterson, President Such a system can be changed.
the workers, and the stirring exam ated union and its future. and the agreement to refrain from chauvinist barbarism, to war.
It must be changed ples of solidarity, courage and sacrt Rebuild the Amalgafated! criticism of the social democrats in February 12 saw a magnificant certed action of all the central or ine and Foundry Co. received as Note: Figures on employment and ile he called to the room the ranks. The rest own langs brought for the united front manifesto of Marchproletarian reply. You have care gantzations of the working class. salary and bonus 210, 980 tn 1920 ages are from the Census defeat. reorganization of the un concentrating on relief, picketing cepted the challenge of the Fascist They acted separately. Workers, it and 294, 211 in 1981 Schwab Gets Raise acensed of exaggerating unemploy.
lou and preparation for new strugand a clase struggle polley to the As to the program of the Fourth provocation in a complete general was under your pressure that all In the Steel industry, of the 410, ment or wage cutting. gles confront the hotel workers as end. Frustrated in this alm by the International. Cannon stated, it strike, a mass gathering of the pro of the organizations were Anally WR.
a necessity in their aim to estab whole course of the official leader won have any Innovations, but wiu letariat in all the workers centers forced to join the demonstrations. co workers in 1920, 278, 000 were work. We greet you in this first step, but employed in 1931 (33. unemploy lish union conditions and recognt ship, the Left wing is now fighting tour congresses at the Communisters of city and country mustered you must continue your pressure for ed. wages, which averaged 746 tion in Industry.
NEXT WEEKI in 1929 were cut to 1, 200 in 1931 NRA and the Strike Leadership to rebuild the organization, light International and the revolutionary their force to block the road to more far reaching results.
Joint action was spontaneous on (a 26. reduction. The same CENTRISM AND THE FOURTH The Regional Labor Board play the blacklist and keep up the rellet experiences of the last ten years, reaction and Fascism.
rub ed a highly effective part in defeat to support its victims, and to cleanse in other words, on the ideas of Two forces are measuring their February 12; henceforth it must be steel workers will no doubt INTERNATIONAL Ing the sims of the strike; and its the union of its careerist leader Marx and Lenin. Lovestone at strength. War has begun between organized. That is why our party their hands in gleo when they hear that Charles Schwab, director and This is the subject of an article designs in this respect, clear to ship. The motion of James Gordon, tempt to make of the International them. No perico is possible, but continues to propose to you: Communists opponents of the Soviet struggle to the death. One must The united front of all organi chairman of the Bethlehem Steel Co.
by comrade Leon Trotsky just re every class conscious militant, werej at the first meeting of the Executive Upton because they fight the Stalin annihilate the other and take power. Izations of the proletariat in a broad was paid a 150, 000 salary in 1920 celved at the office of the Mulltant.
supplemented perfectly by the con Board of the Union after the end ist bureaucracy collapsed dismally. The period of democracy and per workers alliance which will co and 250, 000 in 1931. Bitter tears It is now in process of translaservative, belly crawling policy of Ing of the strike, to reject the rethe officials of the unlon Field, port of field and declare no confid Marxist revolutionists could not be filamentary games is over. The fu ordinate the actions of each of the will be shed when it is known that tion and will be featured in the Costas and Kaldis. These unworthyence in the leadership was carried silenced and prevented from speak ture whl be decided in the street organizations and unify the strag. Grace director and President next issue of our paper.
lenders, posing originally, as of that company, who received gle against Fascism, by force.
proby a vote of 14 to In this the ing the truth by such methods.
forced to ac gressives and even a The Immediate and universal 1, 636, 668 in The present government, the Dou.
OPEN FORUM Left wing strength of the revolt against the Is it to be expected, asked can militants, showed themselves up in Field administration is indicated. non, that the stalinist parties which mergue ministry, proceeding to organizations of Committee of the cept a paltry 297, 796 in 1931. The BARNEY HERMAN action as no better than ordinary The task of the left wing is now so miserably capitulated before the first alignment of bourgeols Workers Alliance grouping the recup of joy, however, will once more routine trade union bureaucrats, to lead this revolt to the very end Fanclem would be capable of de forces for the establishment of a presentatives of all the workers or flow over when it is announced that ganizations by localities and factor Myron Taylor, chalrman of the THE TRADE UNION POLICY OF fearful of the public opinion of without any compromise and to fending the Soviet Union against dictatorship. The Inauguration of tes. These committees, basing them. Finance Commission of the THE COMMUNIST PARTY the bourgeois world and utterly in steer it into constructive channels the attacks of the imperialist bour a period of Bonapartiem, the equildifferent to the public opinion or for the rebuilding of the Amalgam geolsle? The answer is obvious. Ibrlum between two hostile selves on all the tolling messes, or Steel Corporation who was at OPPOSITION (Lovestone Group. was rewarded thelr own rank and Ale, especially ated Food Workers, the defeat of They would prove just as bankrupt. campe, will no prove any more will struggle for the dissolution of with 241, 367 in 1931. The Youngof its militant and class conscious the Stalinist disrupters and the pre For the defense of the Soviet Union stable in France than it was International Workers School the Fascist bands. They will also stown workers who can speak first section.
paration of the coming struggles to is necessary the creation of new Germany. Hindenburg made the bed partlafpate in the defense of the hand about the unemployment and 126 East 16th Street, Basing themselves on the most unionise the hotel industry under Communist Parties and a new Com for Hitler, Doumergue can only Wage cutting in that city from 1929 backward and reactionary olements the banner of the Amalgamated.
New York City munist International. Continued on page. Pave the way for bloody Fascism to 1981, will probably be interested SUNDAY, MARCH 11, at P, M, only be expected under the circumstage for their ow 18n street ate attempt to defond themselves FRENCH INTERNATIONALISTS APPEAL TO THE MASSES not re on at in