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PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1934 Party to Act Workers Párty of the Declaration of Principles On Defense Rolldarlty.
The American Workers Party and the Communist race, the colonial and semi colonial peoples of the the party. Its declalons are binding on all members. ary principle, the Stalinist bureaucracy of the Every member is obligated to observe discipline in American Empire these are the allies of the Ameri which mechanically dominates the Third InterThe founding convention of the League of America bave united on the basis of the can workers Nighting a common foe. It is only in the action. The administration of the party se central national and its sections, has everywhere followed Workers Party unanimously adopt following Declaration of Pripelples to form the social revolution that all groupe of workers and pro ized. Lower units are subordinate to the higher centrist zigzag polley, which in the for ed three resolutions on defense Workers Party of the units.
ducers, all the oppressed sections of the population, The National Committee as the representative example, has ranged from opportunistic efforts to questions, including one endorsing THE DECLINE OF CAPITALISM can and deliverance from insecurity, want and ty of the entire organization, elected at the Convention, cooperate in the formation of the La Follette Third the idea of setting up a broad, mil Capitalism in the stage of decline and decay as a ranny.
has full authorſty to act for the party and to enforce Party of middle class radicalism to partisan exitant labor defense organiza world system, subjects the masses everywhere to in discipline of subordinate units. Party members clusivenexs and ultra leftiam.
tion. It is interesting to note a security, misery, Fascist terrorism and war. The THE CAPITALIST STATE AND DEMOCRACY leading comrade of the present world erials marks much more than a depresworking in non party organizations are subject to No semblance of party democracy obtains in the This deliverance can come only as the result of the control and direction of the respective party Interuntional or its sections. They have sponsored James Cannon, was secretary of slon or dip in the business cycle. Under the capital victory in a revolutionary struggle. The belief that bodies.
the International Labor Defense ist system of social and political relations the prodivisive tacties in the trade unions and other mass we live in a free, democratic society in which im from the time of its founding until auctive machine can no longer function effectively.
At all times and under all conditions the Workers organizations, the policy of bullding dual sectarian portant economie changes can be effected by persuaParty maintains its organizational and political in unions, the theory of social fascism and the tactic the Stalinist regime transformed it its operations are directed not to fulfllment of from a class instrument into a pup human needs but to the making of profits for private ston, by education, by legal and parliamentary meth dependence. In relations with other political organ one day of the united front from below, and the next ods, is an illusion. Such a belief must be an illuizations, in united front actions or other forms of day of purely formal united fronts only from above lenders have been active in Individuals and corporations. It cannot expand the slon in every capitalist society, and, in fact, in any cooperation, the party, while obligating itself to in which non agression pacts with reformist parproductive forces further It contracts them. It society which is divided into socio economie classes discipline in common action, reserves its right of ties are concludel. They have resorted to low, vicious defense work.
Freedom can be realized only in a society based upon criticism and rejects in principle all pacts of non tactics in the labor movement, time and again orderThe resolutions adopted at the cannot feed the masses In the very midst of plenty it starves them.
the economic and social equality of all individuals aggression.
ing their members to break up meetings called by convention are the following: IMPERIALISM AND WAR composing it, and no social and economic equality other labor organizations, and to beat up spokesmen FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIALIST SOCIETY can obtain so long as the means of production and RESOLUTION ON MOONEY of other viewpoints. In their own ranks, dissident Seeking new ontlets for uninvested capital and new distribution, by which members of society live, are The most important of the economic measures be opinion is stifted and bureaucratism relgns supreme.
In the history of the American possibilities for capital accumulation, as well as outside the control of society as a whole. Capitalist taken by the revolutionary government in its initial chas struggle there has been no cheap raw materials and profitable markets for the The and its sections are completely and me Boclety, in which a small minority owns and controls period is the appropriation and socialization, without more striking illustration of capt goods which their own population could not purchase, chanically dominated by the bureaucracy of the the means of production, means and must mean capi compensation, of all monopolles in Industry and talist oppression and class justice the capitalist nations entered the imperialist stage As the revolutionary tide temporarily subsided than the case of Tom Mooney now of their development. Having divided the world tallst dictatorship. The political forms of capitalist and: all mines, factories and shipping: all public In other countries, the Russian workers were obvisociety (monarchy, democracy, military dictatorship, utilities, railroads and other organized means of completing the eighteenth year of among themselves the struggle for new capitalist ously confronted with the need of concentrating upon fascism) are only the means by which the actual communication: all banks, credit agencies, gold the tremendous task of laying the foundations of a Prison in the state of California cutlets, for raw materials and markets now becomes dictatorship of the controlling minority expresses stores and all other supplies and services that the daily more intense. Driven by the lash of the crisis socialist economy in the Soviet Union, In expectation Imprisoned ther the behest of the capitalist in tions are plunged itself. The state or government is thus the political revolutionary government finds it necessary to take of decisive nid from the workers in other lands when onomic.
Instrument through which the owning class exercises over in order to lay the foundations of a socialist the capitalist class of California, tariff and exchange struggles and armament competithe next revolutionary wave raised them to power.
Kfter his life had been saved tion among themselves. The capitalists strive to shift and maintains its power and suppresses the working society. This socialization of the means of produce At this juncture the leaders of the bow.
through the intercession of the ortion and exchange injures only the small handful of class. As the necessary political phase, therefore, the burdens of the crisis and the decline to other ever, instead of pursuing the work of laying the ganized revolutionary workers of classes, especially the working class and the colonial financiers, landlords and industrialists whose private foundations of a socialist economy in the as of the change of ownership and control of industry, Russia who demanded his freedom, neopies. The period of the decline of capitalism is the workers in the cities and on the land must take control of the resources of the country is the source one significant part of the movement for world revocontrol of state power by revolutionary means. of hunger, unemployment and insecurity for the great he has steadfastly refused to con accordingly marked by a series of the mightlest struk lution, adopted the position that a socialist society bulk of the people. The policy of socialization purvede to the proposal that he obtain gles in history, imperialist wars, wars of liberation CONQUEST OF POWER THE WORKERS STATE could be built in the Soviet Union alone (the theory sued by the Workers State will make possible the liberty at the cost of whitewashing of the colonial peoples, and the revolutionary struggle of socialism in one country. even though revoluthe criminal conspirators of the or the working class for its own emancipation.
The opportunity for the workers to take power will guarantee to every willing worker of a well paid tions did not take place in other countries and that judiciary who placed him in jail.
come in the course of the disintegration of material job, security against unemployment, and insurance the building and defense of socialism in the Soviet FASCISM life and of culture under capitalist dictatorship.
Against industrial risks, old age, and sickness. There Tom Mooney freedom will be Union in the first and well nigh exclusive task of In its early progressive period capitalism fought The masses will find themselves faced with growing will realized solely through the organ.
be no need for the Workers State to impose the entire world revolutionary movement. In the Arbitrary and oppressive measures upon small indi hunger, impoverishment, curtallment of social ser Ized expression of that profound against feudal and clerical reaction, and relled for process of mechanically imposing this position upon indignation felt by all workers that its victory upon the support of the workers and vices, and the threat or actuality of fascism and war.
vidual proprietors and farmers. The example of the the Communist urtles of other countries all semDe who should be at liberty and farmers. In the period of capitalist decline the Taking advantage of the growing discontent gener social and personal advantages of the socialist or blance of party democracy was wiped out. These ated by the crisis of capitalism, led by the revoluleading in the struggles of the day, owning class cannot maintain a measure of profita ganization of production, and assistance from the parties, Instead of concentrating their attention and is kept in confinement year after and its position of privilege save by constantly re tionary party and supported by ever larger and more workers government, can be trusted to lead them to energies primarily upon advancing the revolutionary year. The organization of a great ucing the standards of the dispossessed majority significant sections of the population, the workers voluntary collectivization. Socialism will release movement and seeking the overthrow of the capital will take power and put an end to the destructive the productive forces to serve the needs of men, and campaign for the liberation of our and presently plunging them into war. When the ist state in these countries, became Mittle more than class brother is a solemn duty and social crisis thus generated approaches a climax, and course of capitalist dictatorship.
will enable production to be planned rationally in agitational groups dedicated to so called defense of vital peed of the whole class the working class, as the result of the lack of a The fundamental mans Instrument of this struggle terms of actual social requirements. It will allow the pacitat agitation against war and FasThe Workers Party of the strong revolutionary party, fails to aet decisively for for power, forged in the course of united actions of the utilization of every technical improvement. The cism. etc.
at its founding convention, pledges a revolutionary solution, it suffers Internal demonel. the workers, will be the Workers Councils (Soviets. leisure and educational opportunities which will ac This degeneration of the Communist parties everyits unremitting efforts in a struggleixation and loses the confidence of the middle clasa The Workers Councils, representing the Interests of company these material advantages, together with where and their diversion from the task of achieving for the liberation of Tom Mooney. masses ruined by the crisis. Under the domination removal of the dead weight of the perverted capital.
the majority of the socially productive elements of the revolution in the capitalist countries, weakened To Tom Mooney himselt this con of finance capital, fascism then succeeds in mobilis the population, are the organs which mobilize the lat culture, will offer every individual possibilities the real defense of the Soviet Union and contributed vention sends its warmest comrade ing the desperate middle class elements and even workers for the revolutionary assault as well as the for the fullest creative development.
to the defeat of the workers in other lands, as was ly greeting and a solemn pledge of certain demoralized sections of the working class on organization form state power after the victory.
THE GOAL OF CLASSLESS SOCIETY Ho tragically demonstrated by the collapse of the reactionary basis. Stabilization is thus tempor. It is through them, not through the existing govern in Germany When Hitler came tr power. The RESOLUTION ON HOLSTEIN The elimination of all socially useless and paraatrily achieved by the destruction of the workers mental apparatus, which represents the interests only effective defense of the Soviet Union today and the The founding convention of the organizations, the wholesale murder of working clam sitie classes and groups will proceed simultaneously of the capitalist minority, that the workers will oversupport of those revolutionists in the who fight Workers Party of the has militants and the suppression of all forms of indewith these material and cultural changes. The enthrow the capitalist class and take power. The for the reform of the Soviet State and the revival of been informed of the plot instigated pendent class expression.
workers will abolish the whole machinery of the tire population will be transformed into com the Bolshevik Party of Lenin time based on the by the capitallet class munity of free producers owning the total proMinnea Under Fascism democratic rights are suppressed, capitalist state in order to render it incapable of ductire wealth and resources of society. The counter revolutionary activity and because it cannot principles of revolutionary Internationalism and polls acting through the labor hatworkers democracy depend therefore upon the building Citizens Alliance and Police all the forms of democracy are abandoned. The serve as the instrumentality for establishing a new need of coercion and repression of socially allen Ing of new revolutionary parties in the capitalist Chief Bloody Mike Johannes, to trade unions and all other independent organizations social order. Its plac will be the workers classes will disappear with the disappearance of countries and a new revolutionary International. To state, based on the Workers Councils. The workers these classes. With it will vanish the need for their death in order to deal a blow become a passive part of the state machinery. The state, while assuring and continually extending far state machinery even the workers state. The accomplish all these objectives we devote ourselves with all our energies to the building of the new to the trade union movemnet of right to strike is abrogated. The standard of living noblest objective of the human race, the classless more genuine and substantial democratic rights to revolutionary party in the United States.
Minneapolis and especially to Gen. of the masses 18 steadily driven downward. Open communist society which inaugurates a new era for the masses than ever accorded to them under caplterror is exercised not only against avowed revolu.
eral Drivers Local 574.
tallem, will function as a dictatorship of the working all mankind, will be realized.
e Centrist Political Groupings To Emanuel Holstein, falselylonists but against any workers engaged in a millFascism Bows class against its enemies.
The working class can build a complete socialist The Workers Party of the firmly opposes charged with murder, and whose ant struggle for their own defense.
society only on the basis of world division of labor ROLE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PARTY centrist organizations and tendencies on the national only crime has been that shoulder division among the people by appeals to the basest and world cooperation. The Workers Party aims not and International fields, which try to reconcile or to to shoulder with thousands For the victory of the workers a revolutionary poll of his racial prejudices and nationalistle passion. Thus merely to lead the working class of the in And a middle of the road position between revolutrade union brothers he has gone capitalism allies itself in its period of decline with tical party is all important and indispensable. The revolution but to unite with the workers of all other class war is fought by class armies. The working tionary Marxism and reformism.
forward on the picket line to defend verything that is archale and reactionary and While ready to countries in the international revolution and the cooperate with organizations and groupe evolving the rights of labor and to gain for hirentens to drive whole nations back into barbariem class as whole to say nothing of its necessary eteablishment of world socialism. Modern forces of from reformism or centrism to revolutionary Marxism himself, his family and his class and savagery.
allies in other sections of the population 18 not production have compelled capitalism itself to trans the Workers Party will not tolerate any conciliation brothers a standard of living above AMERICA PLACE IN THE WORLD It is divided by characterized by firm bomogeneity.
cend national boundaries. Imperialism, Itselt with reformat or centrist policies the starvation level, we send greetWith the war, the United States rose to the poslconflicting philosophies, by separatist interests of predatory force, cannot, however, achieve a harmoniIngs and a pledge of solidarity.
tion of the leading imperialist power in the world.
caste, religion, nationality, race, sex, age. Without Labor and Farmer Labor Parties our society. World socialism is the only solution To the Trade Union Defense it assumed this leading role at a time when capital, the revolutionary party most vallant struggles for the conflicts and disorders in the modern world, At present the Farmer Labor party movement In League of Minneapolis, organized ism everywhere was in decline and conflicts between fail to achieve lasting results. The working class as well as for the major contradictions within a this country 1s Weak and inconsequential. It 18, to defend Happy Holstein, we the great Powers were threfore intensified American As a class, ALS wavanguard is necesdirectly plan and guide Bingle nation. socialist society will utilize rationits battles. For that pledge our uuttagging support.
however, possible that there will rise into being a ally the natural resources and productive machinery fairly radical farmer labor movement, or some This Convention gives to the imperialism cannot expand further, or even maintain Cts existing world position, without cutting deeply sary not imposed from above, without the possibility of the earth in the interests of the people of the ot control and verification from the ranks, but rising earth, and solve the conflict between the efficient combination of farmer, labor and middle class moveC. of the Workers Party of the into the share of world power now in the hands of the mandate to communiente im. he other imperialist nations, as well as into the from the ranks by tested ability and common apdevelopment of productive forces and the artificial ments, which will seek to reform capitalism.
mediately with the Trade Unioniving standards of the millions in the Latin proval. This is the revolutionary political party. It restrictions of national boundaries. It will grant The workers revolutionary movement faces a comDefense League and with Happy America, Europe and Asia whom it exploits directly embraces the most advanced, the most militant, the the rights of free cultural self determination and plicated problem in dealing with such developments.
most devoted workers, unites them firmly on the Holstein and to arrange measures It is the task of the revolutionists to build their own ur from whom it exacta tribute. In extending Ita self development to all nations and all individuals.
whereby we can assist in his de xwer throughout the world, capitalism thereby basis of tested principles, and welds them together World socialism will remove the causes of Internaparty, not to engage in building up any party of fense. ntroduces the Instabifity of the capitalist world In rigorous discipline.
reform. In the period of capitalist decline, so called tiona wars that under capitalism now seriously RESOLUTION ON LABOR The revolutionary struggle of the workers can be threaten to send mankind into barbarism or complete reformist parties cannot pretend to the progressive ystem Into its own foundations. The economy and DEFENSE victorious only on the condition that the Marxist destruction.
role they have played decades ago. Political and The founding convention of the politics of the United States depend more and more economle concessions can now be wrested from the party bas gained the confidence and support of the upon crises, wars and revolutions in all parts of the Workers Party of the takes world. These clrcumstances profoundly shake all CRITICISM OF EXISTING PARTIES majority of the working class and leads it in the capitalist class only by means of the most resoluta hote of the fact that the rising tide the classes in the country, cbange the relations beattack. The united front of different parties and The founding of the New Party on the basis of the end militant class struggle. Besides, any party of labor struggles is logically acorganizations of the workers, welded together in the present Declaration is the one possible step toward which purports to represent two more classes on companied by a wave of persecu wern them, sharpen and accelerate political differWorkers Councils, can mobilize the workers and revolutionary unity. mere attempt to fuse the an equal footing, or to direct its appeal to all Hon of labor inilltants and revoluentiations, and open the way for a stormy revoluworkin conduct partial actions even when the revolutionary classes, is essentially a middle class party doomed class. In the programs and tactics of existing parties would lead Honaries throughout this country tonary developme party is yet supported only by the minority. Its nowhere since careful analysis reveals their falsity to irresolution and surrender to the big capitalista Hundreds of workers are today in cery nature of the power of Imperialism, Ise leadership in the Councils, however, are a prerequl. and inadeqnacy.
in every decisive test. We do not believe that the prison or Jail, or 80 threatened, those irrepressible condicts that berald its collapse site for the revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist American working class must inevitably pasa solely because of their political or THE ROOSEVELT PROGRAM Socialist Party regime and the consolidation of the workers rule.
through a protracted experience with reformist par economic views or activities in the The Roosevelt program is essentially that of mono The revolutionary party likewise of necessity leads The Socialist Party is not a party of revolution ties. It is entirely possible that it will either skip labor or revolutionary movements. poly capitalism, concentrating power and wealth in the working class in the consolidation of its power but of reform and pacifism. The fundamental error this stage, or else concentrate it within a brief It is only a few weeks since a close the hands of a decreasing few financiers and indus after the victory, in the organization of socialist of all wings of the party is their false conception of period. Another dangerous aspect of middle claan Erlend of our movement, Antonio triallats. It fosters an open alliance between Indus economy, in the suppression of internal counter rev. the nature of the state and of the colonial question. reform movements, in the present period, is the fact Bellussi, was deported from this try and finance and the government. It strengthens olutionary enemies, and in wars of the workers From this flow its parliamentary Illusions, its notion that they easily fall prey to those demagogic appeals, country by the liberal Roosevelt monopolistic tendencies in the form of codes and atates against capitalist states. The role of the party that the workers can achieve power within the chauvinistic slogans and reactionary Ideas of class vegime because he is a confirmed cultivates the view of the state as umpire in con as the leader of the class continues until all forms framework of existing state forms, its fetishism of harmony which are the hallmark of the fasciat Aghter against Italian Fascism and diets between capital and labor. It seeks to tie the of class organization, including the state and the capitalist democracy, its policies of class collaboramovement. However, the membership of these groupe in this country. Today trade union movement to the capitalist state machin party, are finally dissolved in the classless society. tion, and betrayal of colonial revolts and revolutions. represent real blocs of social unrest and of potential members of our party active in cry, breaks strikes under the pretext of impartial It is affiliated and gives allegiance to the bankrupt antagonism to the existing order. The Workers THE WORKERS PARTY OF THE trade union struggles in Minneapo composition of differences by government boards, and Second International, which bears the responsibility Party will work out its tacties toward these groupe lls are in danger of arrest on a attacks militant workers and their organizations. Its The Workers Party of the 1s founded on the for supporting the last imperialist war, and whose and movements in the light of its basic principles frame up charge of murder inspired vast military program is designed both as an instrugreat principles of revolutionary theory and practice leading section, the German Social Democracy, openly The masses in the movements must be won to sup by the labor hating Citizens Alllinent against dissatisfied sections of the populations stated by Marx and Lenin and tested by the experiaided the capitalists to suppress revolutionary up port the revolutionary movement. The revolutionary ance of that city. Not long ago at home and as an agoney of American Imperialist ence of the class struggle on an International scale, risings of the workers and made possible the triumph party will show them by theory and historical er comrades Muste, James Cross interests against those of other nations in the wars above all in the Russian Revolution of 1917 (the of Fasciam in Germany. The Socialist Party conample, and above all by its own activities that the and Mayer were indicted in Bellwhich are inevitable so long as capitalism endures. October Revolution. The Workers Party con ducts no struggle against the reactionaries in the actual consequences of the policies of reform movedelves as its duty the realistic application of these Ville, II. and Comrade Louis Botrade union movement and Important sections of the ments, bere as in all other countries, are directly denz and others in Toledo, Ohio, THE ONLY WAY OUT principles to the present historical situation. Since Party are directly associated with these elements. opposed to their avowed alms, that they act to prefor the crime of assisting workers There is only one alternative to capitalism to its primary task is the defent of the enemy at home Though now as at other periods in its history the serve capitalism, and hence are inimteal to the Interin strike struggle. Comrades crises of cumulative Intensity, growing unemployment the overthrow of the capitalet government of the Party contains many militant and leftward moving est of the workers. In order that it may effectively Cannon and Shachtman were jailed and impoverishment, Fascism, war and chaos, ending United States the Workers Party will seek, Arst workers, the powerful right wing elements in the perform this task the revolutionary party must at in Minneapolls. Delegates to this not only in final collapse of the capitalist system but and foremost, to demonstrate to the working class of Party openly spurn and combat all revolutionary all times maintain its own political and organizationconvention have called to reach in a relapre into barbarism. That alternative is to the and its allies that the application of the tendencies. The radical phrases of the centrist wing al Integrity and independence.
their destination because the police wipe out the central contradiction of capital lam, to principles of revolutionary Marxism is the sole means represented by the Militant leaders serve as a of various cities have arrested and cake the ownership and control of the natural refor the fulAllment of their hlatorical needs and incover for an essentially reformist attitude and a THE NEW INTERNATIONAL detained them.
sources, the productive plant and the agencies of terests. Proceeding from these principles, the Work policy of capitulation to the right wing. The Party The workers revolution by its very nature is inWhile the heavlet blows of the distribution and communication, out of the hands of ers Party of the will use the revolutionary and the Second International with which it is affil ternational in character. Beginning in one or more capitalist oppressors naturally fall private individuals and corporations, to um and potentialities of American tradition and history, and ated therefore serve the purpose of hindering the countries It must be extended progressively to others upou the most revolutionary ele operate them for the fulfillment of human needs and adapt Its tactics to the concrete situation and the consistent development of the workers to revolu until it embraces the entire world and establishes mhausts of the class and particularly not for private profit, to build socialist society.
relation of class forces in the United States.
tionary position. The genuinely revolutionary work socialism as a world system. The revolutionary members of the revolutionary party. Thus and only thus can the masses in the modern The Workers Party 18 a voluntary organization of ere in the Socialist Party can carry out the implica party must therefore be an international party with these blows are also directed world achieve plenty, security. peace and the class conscious vanguard whose members are tions of their position onl hen reak with sections in every country. We united by a system of ideas set forth in this Declar.
therefore comagainst all militant and class conTHE WORKING CLASS AND ITS ALLIES the reformists and social patriots and unite with mitted to the formation of new revolutionary parties scious workers and in times of ation. Its organization principles are: democracy, the Workers Party and New International.
throughout the world and their union in a New Ingreat erials against all elements of The central position among the social forces which centralisation and discipline. Freedom discussion ternational. The needs of the working class movethe population who dare to express must be depended upon to destroy the capitalist ecob. The Communist Party of party problems and freedom of criticism, including ment In earlier perlods of capitalist development led opinions or engage in actions ini. nomie system and the capitallat state and effect the the criticism of the leadership and its polley, is the The adoption of a nationalist, and therefore non to the formation of the First and later the Second Inloal to the interests and plans of transition to a scientific socialist economy, belong inalienable right of every party member. The lead revolutionary theory and practice, associated with International, and demanded the establishment of the the capitalist exploiters and their to the working class. It will, however, need the ership, from the lowest unit up to the National Comche abandonment of the principle of workers demo Third International when the Second betrayed the executive committee, the govern support of other sections of society who are also ex mittee, is freely elected by the membership and cracy in the Third International and its sections, working class in the war and post war crisis. Today ment of the and its subdivi ploited or oppressed. Sections of the middle clase, subject to its control and removal.
constitutes the root cause of their decline and degon the existing Second and Third Internationala ere (Continged on Page 8)
the debt ridden farmers, the Negroes as a persecuted The party Convention is the highest authority of oration. Having left the Arm ground of revolution bankrupt. The problem of International organisation its offshoots