WORKERS OF THE WORLD.
UNITE THE MILITANT Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America NEW YORK, SATURDAY, MAY 5, 1934 PRICE CENTS VOLUME VII, NO. 18 WHOLE NO. 222 Left Currents in the IN THE NEW YORK MAY DAY PARADE The Revolutionary Policy Committee Greatest May Day in the History Of New York Labor Movement Parade is Fiasco At Minneapolis COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF AMERICA ho FOURTH INTERNATIONALE Mexican Police Seize International sts, with resounding chers and Communists unite Leon TRBTIKY TION urari 41 PIRINES Leader of the Spanish Resigns Post Note: This is the first of a which has divided the Social Deseries of articles by comrademocracy and Communism most pressive May Day demonstration demonstration.
Cannon on the program of the sharply and irreconcilably, tho that New York has seen took place May Day this year was not the Revolutionary Policy Committee rejects the conception that this year. From one o clock until occasion for a holiday festival. The of the Socialist Party.
the bourgeois democratie state can after six the parade passed before shadows of war and fascism bang serve as the instrument for the the speakers stand in Madisou too heavily over the world to perUnder the impact of the second transformation of the social order.
Square, singing the militant songs mit a spirit of festivity in the workhistoric debacle of social reformism The program assigns this function, of labor, shouting the slogans of ing class movement. The demonon the international field Germany as Marx and Engels did, to the dicMinneapolis, April 30 The dark unity and struggle and halling the stration was permeated, rather, and Austria and the sharpening of tatorship of the proletariat.
forces of reaction catch at straws imposing beginning of a great unit with a sober and determined spirit the class struggle in America, the In order to bring out the position these days. The surge of labor ed front of the workers in the tight or struggle and the powerful urge ferment in the Socialist Party is clearly we quote at some length: for unity in the labor ranks against deepening and a process of differ It is necessary (says the stateranks toward the organizations of against war and Fascism.
struggle bas a meaning for the Despite the division of the move the threatening reaction. The entiation along principle lines is ment of the to acquire profit mad bosses. They understand ment and the holding of a separate Young Socialists especially exclearly evident. Most significant, assession of the state power so that the temper of the workers, who parade and demonstration at Union pressed this spirit and presented an among the many grouping, left as to transform capitalist society have suffered long years of hunger Square under the auspices of the impressive spectacle they wing current is now taking shape into socialist society by means of in the bread lines, is mounting. Stalinist Party, the May Day Labor marched behind a huge banner inside the party.
the dictatorship of the proletarThey look upon the rapid spread Conference, which united all the bearing the motto: We will fight This current, which differentiates iat.
of the strike wave as a certain other tendencies in the progressive to the death against war and fusitself in many important respects Further: from the lukewarm radicalism of signal that the workers in industry, labor movement exceeded all prev. cism. The class character of a capeven though faced with unemploy sous demonstrations and all expec. As the divisions of the Communist the Militunts. calls itself the italist society means that no inment, have determined to fight for League, the Communist Party Op Revolutionary Policy Committee of stitution or instrument set up by a better living standard. These position, and the marched the Socialist Party. It has recent. the capitalist class can be de bosses do not mean to give up a into the square they were greeted ly issued a programmatic statement pended upon to establish the Worksingle penny unless they are forced by the assembled Socialist workers, of aims and principles with 47 sig ers Republic. Therefore the to do so.
particularly by the Young Socialnatures under the title: An Ap working class state will be an The America First parade and peal to the Membership of the entirely new type of state based demonstration in Minneapolis, orshouts of Long Live the United Socialist Party. In this pamphlet, on workers councils, historically ganized by the Hofstads and Labos Front! The fraternization of sofor the first time since 1921, a group suited to serve as the organs of as a counter demonstration to the cialist and Communist workers, the of more or less influential party liberation Way Day parade, marched in per The New York Tribune prints the Jarity in the common struggle comradely spirit of unity and sollmembers takes issue with the reFor Arming the Workers fect step with these labor hating following dispatch from Mexico against the common enemy, which formigt position on fundamental On the function of the workers bosses and their tools in the WelCity under date of April 29: principle questions and approaches the standpoint of revolutionary state, the declaration of the fare Board. Whether inspired at By Cable to the Herald Tribune front together, found a powerful is the cement that binds the united rectly by the business men associ Copyright, 1984, Tribune Inc. expression at Madison Square this Marxism, that is, of Communism. says: Declaring against any middle Once socialists are in possesations, the Citizens Alliance and road and demanding that the 80 olon of the state machinery by the like organizations or not (and there MEXICO CITY, April 29. Three May Day.
cialist Party change its present mandate of the workers, their is plenty of reason to believe that men bave been arrested bere for The International Communista it was) does not matter greatly distributing propaganda setting wound up the day with a rousing principles and tactics. the new task is to secure and insure the Left group attacks the traditional governmental power for the vicWhat must be made crystal clear, forth the doctrine of Leon Trotzky, mass meeting at Irving Plaza where reformist policies of Social Demotorious revolution by arming the is that a number of active workers, one time Red army leader, and the a number of speakers reviewed the cracy all along the line.
workers for its defense against members and, in some cases, of police have seized several hundroulevent and outlined program of The statement of the Revolutionall possibility of a counter revocials of the played an amphlets urging Mexican workers struggle for the united front for the ary Policy Committee is somewhat lutionary resistance and to proactive role in the work organizing to join the Fourth International, ensuing perlod. Our speakers at lacking in clarity and incisiveness ceed to transform the economie this disgraceful performance. The which Trotzky now favors. Law the Madison Square meeting on certain fundamental issues (Continued on Page 4)
Minneapolis Central Council of students of the University of Mex Cannon representing the League which permit of no ambiguity. The Workers must lose no time in clean fico seutu delegation in an unsuc and Garret representing the document also leaves other essening its ranks of these twilight elelease of one of the me, a recent great occasion for the real progress cessful attempt to obtain the re Spartacus Youth Clubs hailed the ments.
tial programmatic questions unlaw school graduate.
touched and omits the necessary Traitors in the Labor Ranks toward the united front which it According to the newspaper El represented and urged that every critique of the various groups and When Shay. McKinzie, Lindberg. Gratico, a Trotzkyite organization conscientious effort be made to extendencies in the Socialist and ComHofstad, Labo and others an already exists in Mexico, but the tend it to include all the organizamunist movements.
nounced, through channels best authorities have been unable to lotions of the workers, including the Despite these defects, however, known to them, that they were con cate its headquarters or to and the Stalinity. While continuing to fight the declaration of the Revolutionstituted as a committee to arrange persons who issued the propaganda. for this line, our speakers made it ary Policy Committee indicates the this America First parade for the Attacking emergence of a substantial group in other Communist clear, however, that the Internathe Socialist Party which is obviAccording to Barcelona des action leaped to their posts. What: protested against the French gov. partielpate in the existing move unemployed, all the forces of re: groups, the Trotsky pamphlets tional Communists will continue to ously breaking with the polley and patch printed in the New Leader, practice of social reformism. It an unemployed loyalty parade: lernment decision to expel Trotzky, ment that was launched so ausplIf organ of the Independent Labor the group preserves on this course Party of Great Britain, the leader With American flagrand all that calling this action the first direct clously with the May Day demonAnd just think best of all to step toward complete fascination of stration at Madison Square.
it will undoubtedly attract the rev. of the official Communist Party of olutionary elements of the party, Spain, Jose Balbontin, has resigned the morning, THE DAY BEFORE ky presence in that part of the Shachtman Speaks at especially the Socialist youth, and from the Party because it refuses MAY DAY. play an important role in the re to unite with the Socialist Party, What a perfectly splendid idea. tant for the workers, since leaderconstitution of the revolutionary the Anarcho Syndicalists and the MARCHING UNDER THE BANNER OF THE Ilere was an opportunity to deal St. Louis Meet movement in America.
Communist Opposition in resistance erushing blow to the real workers war into a civil war and revoluship is needed to transform the next Dangers Facing the Left Wing to ascism. The has rejected COMMUNIST LEAGUE International holiday. good tion.
St. Louis Max Shachtman adMany dangers will beset them on with the other working class organchance, so they reasoned, to cut the dressed one of the largest meetings this path. They can overcome them, izations under the phrase united May Day Demonstration to pieces.
arranged by the Communist League and avoid the fate which has be action from below.
tallen many other radical groupings In a letter to the Central Comin St. Louis recently when he spoke lesson. The local press give this Com. Cora Duff Dead on the need for a new revolutionary in the parties of the Second Inter mittee of the Spanish Communist project plenty of publicity. The party at the Crunden Branch LInational that of serving as a wind Party, Balbontin says it is inimiJournal, the most reactionary of the Kansas City, Missouri, April 23 brary auditorium last Wednesday, break for social reformism and an cal to the solidarity of the working lot, fairly outdid itself, carrying Comrade Cora Duff, aged 25, died Almost 100 workers were in atThe attempt of comrade Trotsky apologist for its treacheries only class to continue fighting Socialism two column pletures of the com early this morning at the Research tendance, mostly from the factories, on the condition that they round as if it were a wing of Fascism.
thus far proved fruitless. All doors SUDDEN DEATH OF Hg, also on the front page, de end of nearly six months suffering canizations. They were so attentive out their program and develop its He continues :implications to the very end. do not believe that Fascism are closed to him. Latest reports indicate that he must remain in BUEHLER tailed account of the preparations from an inflamatory condition of to the discussion that ensued and bor this, as theory and all exper in Spain has been defeated, as It listed the slogans: We have the arteries. Throughout her long so eager to learn about the princience have demonstrated, clarity Comrade Stalin stated in his last France underl eonstant police surfaith in America; all we want ts and very painful illness Comrade iples and history of the Internationvellance. The New York Times of and precision of expression speech. It seems to me that FasJust as this issue of the MILI work. Lets have fair play. Dutt fought bravely and May prints the following des TANT went to press we received uncom al Communist League that a large needed. And, in addition, a course cism in Spain marches apaco, and Merchants, farmers, factories plainingly.
patches: amount of literature, Militants and which suits the action to the word has one foot in the Government a telegram with the shocking our problems are your problems.
Comrade Dutt was secretary of pamphlets was rapidly disposed of.
is needed. The break with reform already, and it will soon succeed nows of the sudden death at Iets pull together etc. etc.
Wireless to The New York Times.
the Kansas City Branch of tho Practically entire membership ism must be complete and lead to in monopolising the Government Kansas City of comrade The Journal stressed the an Communist League of America and of the attended the meeta fusion with the revolutionary completely if we do not hurry to PARIS, May France, which Buehler, the beloved veteran of nouncement that a loyalty program organizer of the Kansas City Young ing en masse, after having been Marxists, or it is no break at all stop it by a sincere united front two weeks ago ordered Leon Trot the American Communist move would conducted at the Parade Spartacus Club.
visited by the writer and urged to in the real sense of the word.
against Fascism.
sky to leave the country, will be ment, one of the foundation mem. Grounds where the parade was to The revolutionary movement sut be present to help prevent an antieThe Revolutionary Policy Com. It seems evident to me that obliged to keep him. No other coun bers of the Communist Party and terminate after a march through fers an irreparable loss in the ipated Stalinist hoodlum attack. In mittee has taken the first, but only Spanish Socialism and Anarchism try will take him off her hands. an active member of the Commu the down town streets.
the first, decisive steps in such a want sincerely to fight against Since the order for his expulsion nist League since its inception. claimed that speakers from the leader of young and old. Her man lecture, the by unanIt pro death of Comrade Duft she was a order to be able to attend Shachtbreak. Needless to say, every in the Fascist danger, and that in was issued the arch conspirator, who The death of comrade Buehler is American Legion and Veterans of mind was keenly active. She had imous motion, omitted their regular telligent Communist can but wel this critical moment the Spanish admtted he was engaged in trying a heavy blow to our cause. Com Foreign Wars would address the an artistic appreciation of life; she circle meeting which was supposed come this significant development Communists must join loyally with to organize a fourth international. ing on top of the death last week expected crowds. Former CWA had a warm, affectionate nature: to have been held on the same in the Socialist Party and aspire to the Socialists and Anarchists in has carried on negotiations with of comrade Coma Duff the passing project contingents were to form she was courageous, optimistic, and night.
ald its further evolution in a revo a united front from below and many governments, with a view to of comrade Buehler infliets a par and march as separate units. Au militant. To the last she was lutionary direction. The first pre from above, suspending all inter obtaining asylum. But today, when ticularly severe loss on the Kansas in all, the press and certain radio steadfast in her principles and conORDER BUNDLE OF MILI.
requisite for this is frank, and nal factional struggles in answer the time limit put on his sojourn City Branch. The laconic tele stations did the best they could un victions and in her devotion to the TANTS ONE CENT PER COPY.
straight forward criticism. After to the demands of the masses. in France was reached, he informed grain of the Kansas City Branch der the circumstances to trick un high cause of social revolution.
that, direct proposals to the Left We must suppress effectively the French Government that he had comrades: We are grief stricken informed workers into participating JOIN THE COMMUNIST LEAGUE.
Socialists to apply their program the advances of Fascism; and not succeeded. No other country but will carry on. gives a true in this counter demonstration.
matic declarations in practical ac only then shall we be able, with would permit Trotsky to cross expression of the spirit of com Bands were promised. American tion follow as a matter of course. out fear, to dedicate ourselves to its frontiers.
rade Buehler.
flags for the cont lapels, banners, Those who mean their declara the tasks of organizing a Work Under these circumstances the ne patriotle symbols, police escort and tions seriously can have no objec ers and Peasants Government French Government has decided TERROR IN HITLER GERMANY the rest.
tion to such criticism and such pro based on Soviets.
upon his virtual internment. The It must be clearly understood.
posals. They are doubly necessary At this moment in Spain, It Council of Ministers agreed to as Berlin (T. Hitler justice This demonstration was cooked at the present time when, after the seems to me premature to sign a residence to him where he closes its balance sheet for the first up by the people mentioned and ac The Second of a New Series of Lectures on the International manifest bankruptcy of reformism insist on imposing upon the great would be kept under constant po month of 1934 with a total of three cording to their own statements, Program with Special Reference to America in Germany and Austria, reform revolutionary mass the leadership lice surveillance. Authorities stated new death sentences and 447 years behind the back and without the By ists of all shades are covering them of a Communist Party which has tonight that Trotsky would oc jof prison and hard labor.
Four knowledge of the the selves with the mantle of radicalista hardly begun to sprout. If you cupy that place of residence tomor earlier death sentences were exe organization to which most of them in order to return to the old ways insist on an immediato displace row, but they would not indicate cuted, including the one against belonged. They asserted that they again tomorrow. Oue of the first ment of Socialist and Anarchist its exact location.
obligations of honestly revolution leadership, in place of treating least 185 miles from Paris, it was instrument It will be at van der Lubbe, the unwitting knew such proposals would be for the establish defeated. They chose, rather, to ary Socialists 1s to mark them with them provisionally, you are stated.
ment of Nazi mass terror. Four go out as Individuals and get ala IRVING PLAZA HALL selves off, in word and deed, from preventing a proletarian bloe and Meanwhile, Trotsky will con well known anti Nazi leaders were from the only place that aid is these false prophets and contrist you are facilitating the complete tinue negotiations in the hope of shot dead by the police while try forthcoming for such an affair, from masqueraders.
triumph of Fascism, just as was obtaining a place of refuge. He has ing to escape although it is con organizations and individuals whose 15th Street and Irving Place The State and Revolution done in Germany.
solicited the hopitality of several clusively proven that the men were purpose is to divide, confuse and Under the chapter hending. The The resignation Jose Bolbontin Central American republics, from deliberately murdered.
throw back the gathering forces of Road to Power. the statement of has aroused great interest among which he has not yet had responses.
SUNDAY, MAY 6th at P.
According to January statistics labor.
the 18 remarkable, both the Spanish workers. There to not which are, however, incomplete, 123 It goes without saying that a few ADMISSION 15 CENTS QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION for what it says and what it leaves the least doubt that he will have DEMAND THE RIGHT OF enemies of the Hitler regime sut workers were misled into particOther lectures to follow on suomalve Sundays: Fascism; the unsaid. On this fundamental ques the support of many workers within ASYLUM FOR LEON TROTSKYtered heavy penalties from the pating in this sorry mess. Let them United Front.
tion of the state and revolution, the Communist Party.
IN THE UNITED STATES. Jhands of Nazl justice. Continued on page 4)
Capitalists of All Countries Close Their to tack the militante workers. Doors to Leon Trotsky The Trade Union Question and The Fourth International James Cannon