SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1935 NEW MILITANT PAGE The American Approach Question In Belgium. a the ing society or an academy of theoreticians? If by that is meant MARCH OF EVENTS that we have vigorous internal discussions over real issues, in the By JACK WEBER (Ed. Note: This is the second of one has come forward with any national and international sphere, he tramples on the needs of the Muste.
a series of articles by Comrade The Use of Polemics others that merit serious consider wesay. By all means no organiz ation has any vitality which does Box massor Social Democracy again proves appear next week. In the Labor The Point of Departure not have that sort of internal life.
IE, however, it is meant that we its role as a brake on the working By WEAVER It then becomes necessary to nsk talk und weite, but do not act, that class in its struggle against cap The Effects.
Movement By MUSTE how the basic principles have been we develop an Ingrown party, the PHILADELPHIAII.
talism. With the existence of a Marxist party in Belgium, the polit.
It is clear from the circumstances There is another der advanced cussions which have indeed raged trom. Ilow can the revolutionary answer is that we shall permit that Question: Do not Stalin and ical crisis through which that counsurrounding the formation of the by. Comrade Buders which along furiously many times in the rad movement possibly go on, unless it to happen at our peril. Again and other of his followers prove that must been utilized to direct the proletare workers, the rank and file, were op exhibits the same forlaxidualism, he as the cravines as fearea rasthenics dark, sive on the basis of an evalu in the As it must prove itsele ciety in the Soviet Union alone?
pose of achieving as a first step a collaboration at this juncture. For pioneer longing for a fresh start issue between Marx and the Uto its failures? Since when has it lie thrown into the garbage cantication given by the stalinista lutionary party did not exist there coup etat, an accomplished fact. Conceptions we have been discus Bakucin? And was it not essential movement not to strive earnestly to ing class. Theory is with us the one country consists of two quo. of the. die. u detion.
article on the United States of Stalinism. Social Democracy re tee of the party as well. This is the American revolutionary out and clarified to take another with a brand new revolutionary tains its power over the trade utbrows the clearest light possible warty we must make a fresh start. illustration, comrade Budenz would movement is to cry for the moon.
The Question of Stalinism Europe, written in 1915, and the ions and in the political activities on the attitude of these misteaders The movement in this country must be the last to argue that there is we cannot wipe out history. Our Are we to be an anti Staliniat other from his unfinished article on of the masses, But within the ranks towards legality. They would be Footloose from the broils no real issue as between the Social opponents will talk about it if we rather than an anti capitalist Cooperation, written in 1923. Every absorbing some of the bitter les ital in the struggle to overthrow with the charges and counter hold of the Socialdemocracy on the with discussion of these issues who from different angles take an as are the programs of the Party sium, the most advanced workers, permitted to them by finance capers and farmers are nauseated that it is not necessary to break the do not. It is not even true that the party? It seems to me that there thing else that Marx, Engels and sons of the German defeat, have the bourgeoisie, but they reserve to charges of opportunism, ronegad mind of the working class.
Most of them do not know anything unrealistic view of the matter here and Young Communist League durbeen slowly moving to the left. The themselves the right to act illegalism, etc. which all the radical air.
The Issue at Hand about them, it is true. They are raised. On the one hand, there are ing the October period and all the deep going crisis of capitalism proy for the benefit of the bourgeois. They are led up on the neurasIt really comes down, then, to the uninterested, rather than nauseated. comrades who to all intents and opinions expressed by the Party duced the objective conditions for lo in the ranks of the working thenie fictions which one radical the rapid growth of such a left class. This act on the part of the group must, as a matter of duty question as to whether the conflict But will any one say that there is purposes say that we have to an leaders during that time, including wins, but its leadership could only reactionaries will have wide repr. create about the other muddying between the and the beless discussion in the for ex swer the stalinists arguments and those of the now supporters of the a accommodate itself to the pressure cussions. The desertion of the left the waters and biding the lesson of those who have raised the banner workers generally, about revolu them and so abead, and those who stratice of the fact that even the of the reformist leaders at the right wing by its leader Spaak, who also correct tactics.
stead of arousing them to militant this foul treachery. prevented an ine, a hint that it is only European But to ask this question is to an a few years ago?
There is here, be it sald in pass has to do with significant Issuestion of European events, etc. than tend that until the has been quotations adduced by the Stalinput out of the running, by whatever ists do not permit them the claim that Lenin was an advocate of the action.
forces in the Labor Party were broils, that American radicalism worker may be on one side or the possible or advisable for the revodo.
Less now than ever before is it means, there is very little we can theory which Stalin first adthrown into confusion. Neverthe would be free of them if these bad other in the controversy, and we do lutionary movement in the to For one thing the Stalinist ar.
vanced in 1994, but if you will refer Coalition Gov less the left wing continued its pub Europeans had not brought them not class those workers who differ ignore or folate itself from Europ ruments have all been answer to The Draft Program of the com munist International, a Criticism of In Belgium, is in France, fas denounced the coalition government, cans had not imitated the Europ and social fascists (a breed that talism in the rapidly approach otsapixar. The arguments of the of which is available from almost lication of Action Socialiste and over or it, perhaps, foolish Ameri from us as counter revolutionists can or world experience. As capi but that has not made the Fundamentals by Trotsky, a copy working class. The Belgian king stating: We again reaffirm our beans. There is surely no founda seems suddenly to be as extinct ases the same stage of development capitalists have all been answered any of the former members, is in close touch with the forces of lief in the revolutionary road to tion in fact for such an assump the dodo. But every day in the us in Euroean countries and re too. Only comrades with very you will find a complete analysis reaction and the monarchy will be Socialism. Coalition is disastrous. tion of the peaceableness of Amerfield our comrades encounter Thuse sorts to much the same devices to academic, intellectualistic, e. non of this question under the chapter utilized without a doubt in the atat present is a real test of the lett. a tendency is evident here to slip der its influence. They must be learn very direct and specific les think that arguments, oral or weit of the Party.
by handing the power to the ter ist forces and may result in rapia into language which might easily equipped to reason with them. What sons from European experience. ten, by themselves, dispose of institreme reactionaries who will crust progress to a real Marxist basis. be given a nationalistie interpreta else should a responsible ker do Fascism is not a remote or abstract tutions and organizations. We have (H. NEW YORKall workers organizations unless Thus deputy from Brussels detion which its author would be the with other workers?
issue for American workers War to demonstrate to the workers not Question: What is the difference the workers seize the power and clared in the Special Congress Arst to disown.
Furthermore, the issues of the is not a remote or abstract issue only that we can win a debate with between a minimum and a Marx liquidate the monarchy at the same called to ratify the fait accom Mud Singing Methods pll: am convinced now more Now there is no question that of the social fascism, party ternational, not national issues. a living alternative, a revolution Answer: The ping of the probunited front, the trade union policy for us. Furthermore, they are to the CP, but that we can offer them lan program!
masses for this revolutionary task, than ever that with these methods radical parties and groups have and workers democracy, socialism Still further, it is utterly impossible any party that can actually function lem in this manner puts the entire the Social Democracy is rendering be conquered. We have behind us to wrangling over non essentials or of the Soviet Union, cannot be dis to the pocket book, the home, the (compromise) capitalism will never sometimes devoted time and energy in one country, the foreign policy to comprehend what is happening in the class struggle. Obviously, if ques have to prove that we can func question in a false light. The conwith the bourgeoisie them passive. Instead of breaking bitter events Germany. Austrissues that had become dead. It is missed 18 unimportant, neuras dinner table of American workers tion in order to win the leadershin fusion surrounding the term ministep in the defense of the workers mum where of the concerned, flows learn? scended at times to the level of against controversy between ware and the wut, save by an understanding ox parties, we have to function while trom the attempt to decree history.
leaders of the Labor Party have class in our own strength the weed a policy of mud slinging, char Democrats could be. The adventism and of what the working class at work. Who would expect to be less of time and space, the concept joined in the coalition ministry.
The militant workers have demand time will come when our voice will acter assassination (at this very of Fascism, the reasons why the of all lands can do about it otherwise in the world of reality of what a program must be, and to ed straight along that in the polit be heard the voice of Revolution moment directed against Comrade workers movement did not prevent Unity Its Real Meaning Who can give the matter a mo label this Marxist. When a proical crisis accompanying the eco ary Socialiem.
Budenz. lying, double crossing, it, the debacle of the in Ger One other point in this comme that we put or trade union work aitions, obviously advances the his ment thought and then propose gram, under definite historical connomic one, the labor Party take The struggle against coalition breaking up meetings of other many, the fact that in seven years, tion. It is true that the workers until the has been liquidated torical needs of the working class there is nothing that socialist lead forces and at them to reach the demoralization and bitterness into tional claiming to be the general unity in order to win their free untons now with the Yes, which the historical ultimatists they cannot reject the basic devolves the struggle against De Man protest against any of these ten movement, has had. no congress business to lapse into sentimentality into the class struggle!
mands of the working class with for putting into effect his entire dencies wherever they may appear, all this, the claims, can only or muddle headedness. As we have cepted by them but labelled mini out standing naked and exposed. Labor Plan which would involve the will associate itself. It mean that the working class of the pointed out on other occasions, The Ostrich Method mum IN CONTRAST to MarxThe entry of Vandervelde, De Man the taking of power by a workers has taken and will take the lead in world has entered upon a new there was a united labor movement On the other hand, there are tau. Actually such contrasting 18 and the leftist Spank Into the government, and not merely por the effort to eradicate them. eroch. as truly as a new epoch in Austria, but it went down before comrades who practically take the impermissible because that proVan Zeeland coalition shows once tions of it, as De Man now pro But there is here a lumping to dawned with the debacle of the Fascism because it was united on position that the Party should ik gram, conditioned as it must be by more how reformism creates illu poses. In this fight the Bolsheviks gether of all controversies in the Second International in 1914.
a false, social democratic, basis. We nore the existence of the sim the life process, which moves social sions among the workers by de must come to the aid of the revo radical movement and the sugges Confronted with such a situation, must not, therefore, seek to evadenly go ahead with its work, sprend forces in a progressive direction, 18 nouncing capitalism loudly in words lutionary workers in the Labortion that they are not over serious the revolutionary vanguard must the controversy as to what is the its anti capitalist message, build MARXIST.
in order the better to save the Party. In the course of common and genuine issues but the product first decide whether the basic prin sound basis for unity. Rather must branches, help organize the unem Let us recall a historical examcapitalist. democratic. system in struggle the Bolsheviks can win of neurasthenic fictions which ciples of the movement remain or we fight with all the mental reployed, enter the unions, etc. but ple.
When the Bolsheviks, under bourgeoisie in the coalition so as struggle against fascism and for against the others as a justification out. The ba 80s itself upon the conception as to what that basist the comrades referred to in the pre sharply criticized by Rosa Luxemreal a. divided the land equally is. principles or practical matters. It among the peasantry, this was to avoid complete exposure when workers power.
for its own existence. Are the dis principles of Marx and Lenin. No to a debatcoding paragraph suffer primarily bourg as having nothing in comfrom being academie, these latter mon with Socialism. The progres comrades are aflicted with a senti sive character of the program of mental outlook. It would indeed be the Bolsheviks is now obvious 80 pleasant it there were no serious that if we were to follow the methcoutroversies in the working class, odoloy of those who contrast mintWard Rogers Tells Stirring Story riders, vigilantes are the exploiters by a mob of planters who threat if they were all engaged in a united mum with Marxist we must nec.
high powered. for years.
attack on the capitalist system. But essarily conclude that the Bolshe On April the home of then the revolution would be here! viks had such a non Marxist minOf Share Croppers Battle They were McKinney, another member of the The world does not happen to be as imum program to improve their living conditions. held in a tooded cell for three days party which toured the east in the we would like it. In the real worla Marxist in the fullest sense of the Actually it was Rodgers outlined some of the acts without adequate food or fire. Interest of the union and vlee we must fight those who mislend word and Trotsky had occasion to By HARRY STRANG crooked pencil the cropper gets of terror perpetrated by the agents The plight and struggle of the next to nothing. The new policies of the landowners. few of them of the Socialist Party and several with more than fifty bullets while the working class in order to fight point out that if they had followed exploited sharecroppers of Ar of Roosevelt mean nothing to the follow.
union officials were prevented from his family and some friends were capitalist effectively. In any event, Rost Lxembourg Marxism they kansas are an integral part of cropper except that some of the On November 20, 1934: holding a meeting at Birdsong by inside. Two men were badly shot they will attack ns and leave us no might have been left with this but in all probability without the prothe plight and struggle of the most energetic among them have stultz, President of the Union, and planters and officers alternative but to fight.
and the entire household terrorized whole American working class. been forced off the land altogether three organizers were arrested and On March Will Irving, share when the mob told them that unAnd though argument about prin letariau porer.
It is quite logical, therefore, that to starve with the urban unem jailed! while It would be able to speak of organizing Cross cropper and union member was sbot less they all left Marked Tree with ciples does not of itself suffice to the Non Partisan Labor Defense ployed.
County. They were held in jail for in the arm by a plantation rider in 24 hours they would be killed, wrest leadership from an opponent Socialist jwerspective only after should be part of the committee Poverty, illiteracy, tuberculosis, 40 days. At the trial in February named Lancaster.
The Federal government, that arty, it just as true that in the establishment and successful supporting appeal against a That is the life story of the the judge ordered a verdict of Not On March 16 Norman Thomas, friend of the oppressed, Marr arty must do more than conduet wer. At this power could prepellagra, malaria, starvation six month sentence for anar sent an tu order to achieve lendership the preservation of the proletariu sbare gnity.
The union meeting was Mitchell, John Herling and flow vestigator to Arkansas.
chy. The Southern Tenant Farm croppers of Arkansas as well as of broken up by Sheriff Stacy who ard Kester were manhandled and Connor Myers. She didn like to picket lines. It must demonstrate Nerve itself only by giving literers Union appreciates this sup. other parts of the country. In Ar acted on orders from plantation slugged by a drunken mob of plant mnke trouble for the plantation it intellectual superiority. Partly mind co operation to the pensent in currying out his revolution port. wish the Non Partisan kansas the average family caros owners near Parkin and Earle, Ar ers and officers at Birdsong. Bob wners, but so terrible is the plight case only thus can the most ail: about 300 a year. Hall the popu. kansas. gang of gunmen accom Frazier of Tyronxa, Arkangis, te of the croppers. No obvious the anced and intelligent workers and the distribution of the land would its effort to build a nation wide, lation of the state are living of panted Sherit Stacy, including puted head of the recently organ crimes against them, that her intellectuals he won. Chielly, le fighting defense body including that much If you can call it liv Moyd Roberts, planter, o. Belized Ku Klux Klan was in the motort necessarily reflected some crit cause the party Job not merely politically, it was then wholly jusworkers of many political affiliaing.
ford, plantation rider (foreman. There were many prominent planticism of the landowners methods to conduct a series of skirmishes ined as an immediate measure. The tions.
The croppers have been promised Hazlip, Justice of the Peace, ers in the mob who took no active As a result, the Department of Ag with the employl class, but noth pant had to be taken as the revThus Ward II. Rodgers, class war salvation thousand times, but and Walls Campiell, Justice of the part except to encourage the others riculture and the man have sup: ing less than leadership in the overtation found him. History victim of the Arkansas plantation they never got it step nearer at peace at Parkin, Arkansas. on March 21 a mob, many of pressed the Myers report. Senator throw of capitalism. The Party of the Russian Revolution. The rise of the matter is this: struggles now touring the Fast on their own hands. When Rodgersins, Nerro minister and Chaplain of lynek Rev. Brookins, Unionloor leader in the upper House of autisty the advanced workerstevolutionists may. wtboutilu.
they beman to take their fute in Belford took charge of Brook whom are identified, attempted to Robinson of Arkansas, Roosevelt must have intellectual competence behalf of his union, of whose exand others began to organize the the Union and beat him so badly Chaplain and organizer at Marked Congress. uses his power to block that it has slon, adopt a program which does a brief address to members of the Southern Tenant Farmers Union that it was necessary for Sherif Tree, Arkansas. After the mob had all requests for the publication of The Job Before Us not contain all that they would New York at their reorlast July, the croppers at Tyronza Stacy to secure medical treatment. failed on four occasions to lure the report. He vetoes any Federal It makes a tremendous difference, vances the historient needs of solike to see fulfilled but which adganizntion meeting last week, Rodwent for it in a big way. Today, On January 26, 1985, Rodgers Brookins from his cabin they turned intervention on behalf of the crop however, whether the attack on ciety mier a given set of circumgers, who will spenk in many casaccording to Rodgers, it has 10, 000 was arrested at Marked Tree, while their guns upon his home and rid pers.
Stalinism is regarded as means stances, and sach program 18 tern cities during the next two members in 50 locals in eastern addressing a meeting of Negro and led it with bullets Brookins is The Federal government knows or an end, whether we think of MARXIST even if it le labelled months, was unanimously elected Arkansas, with a few in southern white croppers. Fred Stafford, in hiding.
what is going on in Arkansas, ourselves or act as if we considered an honorary member of the new Missouri and eastern Oklahoma. It deputy prosecuting Attorney for On March 99 Stultz was and it wants nobody else to know ourselves crities of another party conditioning minimum to show its historical Execntive Roard of the at has held the largest maka meetings Poinsett County had been stationed taken to the office of Chapman Dew about it or to do anything about which is after all to do the job or this meeting ever held in the history of Arkansas with his stenographer at the edge ey Land Co, in Marked Tree by it!
whether we are really conscious of Question: Is the Declaration of Interviewed after the meeting and held them in the face of a of the crowd with the evident in Spillings, Fred Bradsher and LD. Aids Defense being the revolutionary party whose Principles of the Workers Party Rodgers told something of the siti: se me enchen backed lanteros sent was errean to someone, Boda Bob Frazier Stulty was told by by the landowners was tried for anarchy by a Fraxier und Bradsher that they solution is further organization and salt on capitalism, which justi Rodgers stated that the only task is to rally the workers for the a Marxian document union and his own persecution at ers.
jury composed of 11 planters and would personally see to it that Curther struggle. He said that lies itself in netton on broader contains the following point which Answer: YES! The Declaration the hands of the landowning class.
Color Issue Raised business men and tenant farmer. Your brains are blown out and since the terror was loosed against and broader scale, and pays just are essential prerequisite for nd Our union is made up of share used to hitch hike when went te was sentenced to six months your body thrown into the st. the croppers, union mored much attention to other parties vancing the historical needs of the croppers. sharecropper is a man out organizing. Rodgers related, now on appeal.
a fine of 500. The case is Prancis River.
uthead. Down in Arkansas we are is may be necessary as an incident proletariat under present lay his who owns nothing but his own and it was quite safe. We started On March 26 the home of fighters, he says. When the own in that major task. We are the torical conditions: The recognition labor power. Generally. whether in the summer apd the owners Threaten Lynchings Negro or white, he has no rote. He thought it was just a little preOn February Lucien Koch and for the union, was fired upon by croppers came to the sensible con pation is not with the but with perialism. the recognition of the Carpenter of Marked Tree, attorney ers began to fight the union, the anti capitalist, anti imperialist, rev. of the decline and reactionary nalives on a great plantation and election stunt by political fakers. Robert Reed both of Common vigilantes in Marked Tree.
farms a little corner of it. The Election passed, and we went on wealth College, Ark. were forcibly Shoot Union Men thing for the croppers. So in the the capitalist system in the nature of the capitalist state pow.
plantation owner furnishes him, organizing the union. We took in taken from a church at Gilmore, On April Walter Moskop, one came, and no terror can stop them. and throughout the world the syscr; the need for the overthrow of that is gives him seed, mule, tools Negroes and white, mixed up in the Arkansas by an armed mob carry of the members of the trio which Rodgers case comes before the tem which with our sister parties capitalism through a revolutionary and food, as well as a rotten clap same union. We showed the croring a rope with which to lynch toured eastern cities in behalf of higher court of Arkansas In Octo we aim to overthrow.
struggle for power: for vanguard family work all year, planting, cul road, that class matters rather than and pistol whipped. The mobion, escaped from his home when by a union committee which has Muste series will appear next working class: for workers com(The third article of Comrade Party: for the dictatorship of the.
tivating, plcking.
color. The union grew.
was led by Jake Lewis, a planta he was told by his cleven year old the backing of the Ward Rodgers week. cils (soviets. for a classes sociNRA a New Burden Then the owners changed their tion rider and Benton Moore, form boy that the vigilantes were clos Defense Committee, joint body ety: for a new International, for He is supposed to get half the attitude. They did not wait for us erly an officer of the law in Critten ing in on home to kill him. Andy including the Workers Party, the on the plantation owners of Arkan the defense of the Soviet Union: market price brought by the crop to strike. They raised the color den County.
Smith, riding boss for Chapman. Socialist Parts, the the sas, Rodgers may yet be saved from for a struggle against imperialist That would be little enough. issue. Then, before we could even On February Rodgers, Koch, Dewey, lay in hiding throughout Non Partisan Labor Defense, unions a six months sentence in jail. To war and fascism; for a program of but by the time the landlord gets pose demands, the terror began, and Atley Delaney and Robert Baker the day near Moskop home. Mos and other bodies. If this committee save him would be a real atd to immediate demands and the united through with his deducta. whenow can move around in North were arrested and jailed by Mays, kop is a native of Arkansas and succeeds in raising the needed funds the share croppers and their union, front; against reformism, Stalinism ther reckoned honestly or with a Eastern Arkansas safely even in a city marshall of Lepanto, Arkansas. has had his home in Marked Tree and bringing aggressive pressure of which he is a leading militant. and centrism, The Forgotten Men in America No Mans Land IC