SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1935 NEW MILITANT PAGE MARCH OF EVENTS The American Approach Question Box compared after eighteen years of with the socialists, then known as comrades who insist that we have phet pointed out, you cannot Tutments upon which the demagogues in pecting any kind of constitutional at least, which are other than that into effect in the manner prescribed in the Constitutiou, viz. by action of Congress, ratification by state legislatures, etc. This is certainly By JACK WEBER Ed. Note: This is the third of instrument class domination. suggesting in a most extreme form Franco Soviet Pact. front days in Germany now gives the fourth article will appear Twin Evils of Labor these provisions in it intended for the possibility of revolution by par the protection of the masses either lamentary method which comrade way to the chills of the popular next week.
Nationalism being perverted like the due proc Budenz has often violently deWhy was it necessary for the front and the sacred union in ess clause or simply not enforced nounced. In a country where it is Reformism By WEAVER Soviet Union, according to the France. Both the fever and the By MUSTE like the amendment granting civil Impossible to get an amendment to lackeys of Stalin, to enter into the chills are manifestations of the III.
and political rights to Negroes.
abolish child labor passed, the profit HAMILTON nutual assistance pact with French same disease, that cancer that saps It By this means faith in America, system is to be abolished by con Question: In his article on April mperialism? The Stalinists would the strength of the October Revo An undervaluation of international powerful, have pictured world of in capitalist America, is broken stitutional ni mendment. 6, Comrade Muste states: If, how.
have us believe that history began lution Stulinism. The Bolshevik isto to a natiopalistic attitude of peace and brotherhood, etc. Let us town, and that is a prime essential If the idea is to use the proposalever, ang party refuses to face and yesterday. that is, with the advent Leninists clearly predicted in nd at least to attitudes and expressions Larness the institutions, emotions, filitler to power in Germany. Ger vance that if Stalinisin perssted in which play into the hands of those Symbols and slogans of religion to for the building of working class of such an amendment as a slogan, lalscuss the issues we raise, such a revolutionary movement.
tactical maneuver at a certain nan fascism is the main enemy of its course in Germany, then Hitler reactionary forces which use pat fore, and to carry the latter to vic much to lose from a romanticixing it is a matter of tactics and not of true revolutionary cannot remain the revolutionary movement, thereWe have nothing to gain and stage of political development, then Party is not revolutionary and a paring with the aid of Japan and the worst threat to the very existism, chauvinism, in order eventual: knows that this is a fantasy, Reished Marxian interpretation of it discussed on its merits and from all same as Stalinist ideology of leavPoland, an imperialist war of in tence of the Soviet Union. And is to smash the workers movement Wigious institutions are a bulwark is a priceless instrument in our angles when it came up as a dullnite tervention. To put obstacles in the How again the Bolshevik Leninists and to impose Fascism upon the of the existing order. Keep the lands Certainly in an age when political proposal in a given historing the mass organizations to the way of Hitler and thereby maintain warn that if the French proletariat masses. am thinking of suckiminels and emotions of men boundatriotism is the dominant emotionical setting. Eren so the question mercy of the reactionaries because world peace, it was necessary for are misled into following the he slogans as Advance America.
Soviet diplomacy to make use of the traying course laid out by Stalin Theshold of patriotic sentiment to religious fdeas and symbols, and upon which capitalism in its dewlet ber it fostered a fetishism of the reformists inside them would contradictions in the camp of cap in France, fascism will again be on the masses and the havoc you keep them bound to the existing cline calls in order to fasten the parlimentarism would have to be not listen to them?
italism; namely, the antagonism be victorious there too.
wrought by capitalists and militar sconomic and political order. The chaius of reaction and terrorism very scriously considered.
tween French and German imper Answer: In the first place the have been told of these ideas and symbols upon the masses, we must not fall In Germany the Comintern reists by playing upon ialism. These tactics are falsely used to enter into a united front abundantly demonstrated. Those As for thetical considerations, instalinists used to quit the inang or must be brokey. As one great pro into the trap of arousing senti view of the dificulties and delays canixations Cor reasons, theoretical Soviet power with the tactics of social fascists. But in France Stal. here a crucial problem and that we new wine into old wine skins. can in any case play much more amendment passes in this country. which you give here. They merely The state, the governmental sys.
Linen iso the contre fint the civil war luism enters into a popular front must know how to deal with it are tem untere which we live, is like some timeless than hendationists came the proposal does not appeal to me drew a currect omelusion from an when Soviet Russia ringed not. Yet for the very around by white guard armies and the bourgeoisie itsell. As the guar reason that we are dealing here wise an agency and bulwark of cap used to destroy the revolutionary making any appeal to workers or claring that the A, of etc. was and whieht in the end can only be Imperialist troops.
But history does not begin with pact, the stalinists will tie the be careful that the bomb went that we must break the hold of the antee of French imperialism for its with explosive material we have to italizm. We have to overthrow the movement Hitler. Germun fascism came to workers to their bourgeoisie, will to use against the enemy does not xymbols and the emotions that atfarmers generally. There are quick scist and that they therefore er ways of getting results, and ways could not remain inside these or.
The Constitutional Amendment power with the permission of the bring about the sacred union of blow up in our own hands!
At this point may properly come more calculated to build labur mili ganisations.
Stalinist Comintern.
tach to the present state.
taney, as when in 1916 the threat an analysis of Comrade Budenz It came to civil peace, will ald in the building power by the defeat of the German up of French militarism, will ad! The idea that seems to underlie Borrowing Symbols Secondly, Comrade auste refers Practical Example suggestion of a proposed amend of a general railroad strike forced workers, due directly to the betray. vocate that the proletariat aid its good deal of the discussion on this When in the great unemployert ment to the constitution as death blow through Congress and got a verdict party of the working class and not to its mass organizations. Different al of the German and the world own bourgeoisie if that bourgeoisie point is that if the revolutionists convention in Columbus in 1923 the, means to strike a de 4, or the Adamson eight hour recifically to the revolutionary proletariat by the Stalinists. Stal is the ally of Stalyn. Stalinisin would take over the patriotic sym hundreds of honest but politically at the profit system. On the face of constitutional from the Su workers have different ideas as to preme Court which, incidentally, Inism is capable of resorting to the pursues the policy of the lesser evil bols and slogans, they would geturs against us by labor spics alership, wage slavery etc. is presented to it if the will and the lower Flou and, insed on these various worst features of capitalist diplo for the preservation of French the following instead of the Longs undeveloped workers were roused to of the article in question this can always have a few judges add how they are to achieve emancipaand amendment to abolish private ownmacy, but was and is incapable of bourgeois democracy, hoping there and Coughlins; and attaching new Fascists, and Arnold Johnson was erishi, conceptions, form themselves into electronice resolutionary politics. by to keep fascism from power. Wens and aims to these symbols about to be dragged from the plated as the fundamental basis for an are available political parties with different ideas situation where of which is to utilize This is the road best calculated to they would make the masses fight form and lynched tween capitalist enemies, but the lead the proletariat to bloody de tempting idea to many who foreseen and did not properly resectuurd its integrity (not, e. firmment abolishing capitalism was deformist, etc. No that, because it is the contradictions, not only as be feat. For the sake of maintaininger for a workersworld, It is that he was radical and un Ameri 1, the amendment, would safe passage of a constitutional amend and principles (revolutionary, retimes, and particularly in the epochupartist regime in Russin, dis and who bebold the contrast be and stripes around us or make principle. the movement will give dispuse with formalities and write vions that revolutionary minded brand new constitution for the worker cannot remain in an organ.
ization which preaches reformism tween the classes.
or whose notivities lead to revoluStalin would sacrifice once more demagogues and the handful of patriotic. Arnold Johnson stood basing itself on this amendment. Workers Republic!
Logic of a False Position tionary defeats. This was the esStalinist Wreckage. lat.
the interests of the world proletar supporters of the revolutionary his ground, plended for reason and The proposal of this amendment, It only we could use calm consideration. When quiet til for any real revolutionary vix: that the idea is that the work ment.
There 19 one other movement possibility, sence of Comrade Muste stateThe passage of power from the Rules of Class War.
their tricks and get the masses to was restored, we claimed that those ers will gain power by revolutionLeninists in the Soviet Union to jump on our bund wagon! But, who raised the issue did so in order movement in the The mass organizations of the If this was not intended, if the ary means an then enact the Stalinists, took place over the alas, the easy way is not necessarily to serve the capitalists and their consti working class, however (trade un The rules of class war are in the right way.
political henchmen bridge of socialism in one cour many senses analogous with those breaking up amendment is proposed as a slogan, tutional amendment. This idea bus tons, unemployed organizations, The same engerness quickly to the Leagues and that the waving of the basis for a tactical maneuver no merit either. In the first place, etc. are composed of all sections terme the weather here te those bridge also o2 war in general, The enemy of win a mass following for the idea the Hug, patriotic appeals, etc. were at a certain point eben certainly when the workers are conocer la percent of the class regardless of political that the October Revolution passed the working class is the bourgeoisie a non profit economy, hy the constantly used for precisely this was a grave error not to make that as a result of revolutionary action or other beliefs because there are from its period of upswing accom. at home and abroad. The war way, leads some to propose that the purpose, 18 when men were led to clear in a serious and formal prolit they will not need to stop with an economic interests binding the by wide at be ening of the proletariat, to the per against the enemy. In war no ene ddle class which seem more re slaughter in the war to end warlcal document as this article pro amendment. In the sepond place, workers together, and the limited claims itself to be bellious than the workers should be the war for democracy, etc.
iod of decline and defeats under my is ever defeated by pursuing a old on the right brand of revoit encourages the notion that in the framework of such organizations Statements about serving the the savior Stalin. The Third In course of pure defense. The Stal. lution, Instead of looking to the nation, the country, the community, Parliamentary Revolution main the machinery capitalist permite unity of the class within teruational turned its If the expressions describing the government will remain and will them. It is the duty of the adback on inists would pursue that strategy working class as the spear head of have also to be carefully guarded: proposal are taken at their face serve the needs of a workers order vated worker to stay with the one country. The October Revolu ship of the proletariat. The tactics rectly rejects. Let the middle class there is one sedintry, builders concern liste olin the first stage of the dictator quick cure Comrade Budenz cor country Le everybody alike, that is clearly and utterly out of accord tradiction of the position set forth the brota organizations embracing tion lost the offensive while Stalinin France and in connection with organize as middle class, and the less such a thing as nation or with the position of the Workers in our Declaration of Principles. them, as means of teaching the proresorted to the theory of pure de the Franco Soviet act are not in result will be reactionary, to main which we belong and which pro trary being given one must assume The final article in Comrade letariat that their emancipation community. a mystle something to party. No indication to the con Muste series will appear next lies beyond these narrow boundarfense in order to protect the gains disagreement but in complete ac tain, not to overthrow, the profit tects us, is cultivated by the ruling that the amendment is to be put week. ies.
of the five year plans, cord with the larger and complete system. But merely theaten class for the purpose of hiding the to be a threat to peace, the pence reacuracy, bination of empty, mechanical, parnecessary then to build socialism run through the present body pollotton for the purpose of making the Hamentary democracy with a in one country. Hence the Stalin maintain power, then they must It the workers are to capture and tic.
worker think that when he goes to strong polley, which it is true is Iste gave no guidance to the Ger pursue the Marxist strategy of Deadly Parallel war he is fighting for his country, not, nor yet need be, openly fascist, man workers; hence they failed to Equally dangerous and deceptive Instead of against himself and for but which, in case the depression world revolution, that of turning is the despairing resort to patrl. the capitalists.
use the class contradictions within the defence at the proper moment otism. How and why that is the in Holland should become more inGermany, refused to enter into the into an assault on all the positions case can be made clear, as one of American Tradition From The Bulletin of the Inter also a signer of the Pact of four stronger, a pre fascist, character.
tense, could take on an even revolutionary unted of capitalism. Today the decisive the comrades has written in about The same caution holds for an national Communist League (Bol recognizes it. Without breaking For this reason the defense of the front with the social democracy. Reld of battle is France. The work this question suggested by an Illusuncritical use of the American shevik Leninista. and permitted fascism to come to power as the easier course, the rally to the aid of the French gion, the argument would run, has ing class of the entire world must tration from another sphere Reli: revolutionary tradition. There are On March 2, 1985, the two Dutch new also has delegates Political and economie positions of to be sure, revolutionary traditional workers parties, the Revolutionary to the International Communist the Dutch Working class requires course of lesser evil. Thus Stalin workers and belp them arm for a great hold on men. It is true that in American history. revolutionary party which can isan, Itselt a major cause of the the final struggle against French religion, its institutions and sym shall have occasion to refer again. of the International Communist to exploit, in the January session the Bourgeoisie as have the social League which we Socialist Party (R. member The attempt of the have no community of interest with German debacle, is historically the imperialism. That will be the best bols, have been used as supports or But the dominant American tradi Tengue, and one of the signers of of the Amsterdam Bureau (in Neue democrats which does not. Ruswhich cannot be entrusted to the true that the great prophets of re pansion, exploitation, imperialist and Socialist the Dutch Party to two Internation. sian national bureateracy as does But the fever of the anti united Stalinist betrayers.
Independent ligion have denounced the rich and adventuring Years of experience Party (O. also a signer of the al organizations, and to exploit the in workers education have demon pact, which had, however, not im fake contradiction between the rep the In any case without in. as a MOTION, and the majority of strated to my complete satistaction, mediately started unity negotia resentative of the Sneevliet, Bi Weekly Organ The has a bi weekly followed that example, according the classes at Brookwood or similar gences, held their last separate have been publicly repudiated to to Dutch comrades and the repre this, that outside of the actual ex following day.
we Fakkel (The New Torch. al review of the The New The conditions on which the fu.
sentative of the International Youth perience the American worker gets Parties in Holland Way) has been replaced by The Ed. Note: We publish herewith for which ten of the twelve Bureau voted for their motion of injustice the most effective way sion took place had been formulated International, monthly theoretical Whatever the merits ur demerits to make him class conscious is to during a preparatory period of sev The formation of a party inde review of the RS.
a letter from comrade Seekers delegates voted, with only one vote of the conference and the decisions, teach him the real facts of Ameri eral months. The congress pendent of the Second and Third The new party has about 4, 500 on our previous report on the against it (Comrade Schmidt abInternationals has naturally been members, that is to say more than Paris. Conference of the Left Sostaining) is as follows: In the face believe revolutionists should be can hstory, American history, le, accepted the conditions unanimouscalist Parties and groups (Inter of the total fallure of the Second Cully (so far as possible) and fairly from a Marxist viewpoint. And this ty, whereas in the a small violently attacked by the parties of the of Holland.
rational Arbeits Gemeinschaft. and Third Internationals the con Informed about it. The following is by no means to teach him in an minority was opposed Left opposition has formed in central organ of the social demoappears to us that comrade ference notes that the international parties or groups were represented: critical fashion that anyone who The Name of Party Seegers misunderstands the im1. The LLP. England. The oppresses labor is a black betrayer The fusion congress took place casts for the members of the ever the German Communcrats, Het Volk (The People) fore the II. during the last year, revolutionary labor movement is at Holland. The of the ideals of the Founding Fa: port of the position taken by the present without real leadership (Germany. The Independent thers or that Hancock and Adams extes, numerous guests and on on March There were del German Socialist Workers Party that while they have thus far (S. on the question of the ment and that it is therefore nee Labor Party of Poland; The So slept with a price on their heads. lookers. The spirit was enthusias they will now been for democratic socialism. Ist Labor arty, ultra left) tenden Fourth International. The declartransformed cy in the split uff was so strong cialist Party of Sweden; The Quite the contrary, it involves tie, since a revolutionary workers that the gained little with ation of Schmidt and Sneevliet, essary to create such a leadership, Communist e. a real, proletarian International. Iberian Federation pointing out that Washington with the leaders of the newly formed Revolutionary Socialist Workers (worst fate the The conference emphasizes that (Spain. The Red Front (Aus his 30, 000 acres of western lands: Party was formed which woula against their will one might say the exception of Comrade Van Riel, The had Dutch reformists. The Tribune. e this opposition (C. who was one of the leaders Holland (R. tionary leadership can develop only Unity (Doriot. France: 10. destruction by laws passed by a jority of the as a left wing (teclares that the Is nothWorkers mercantile business threatened winever been a member, but the macentral organ of the Dutch printed below, as the result of a historie Forward Step nature of the dispute. un ne of the revolutionary elements inside International Bureau There can be no doubt that the Rev. Youth merchants, acted in line a The way of the united front in Holland. formation of the marks a and outside of the prevailing Inter Stockholm. 12. The Group Mot with their class interests when they came for the new party was proLetter of Comrade Seegers But in Holland there is no united step in advance, not only in the life engaged in the Revolutionary War Dosed hy the several com front between the 90. 000 members of the Dutch workers, but in the nationals. It further declares that Dag (Norway. Editor, The New Militant, this leadership can develop only on Fraternally yours.
and brought American farmers Fades of the preferred the of the social democracy, the 301. 000 international arena as well The Dear Comrade: the basis of a fundamental renewal WILL SEEGERS, and artisans into it: that as soon more simple and, from the revolu: members of the independent trades danger of war become more and In the issue of March 30 there is (Erneuerung) of the international as possible after the war wus over tionary point of view, less forerunions under social democratie in more nente. No one of any politi an introduction to a translated re workers movement.
Declaration of Schmidt and print from De Raanbreeker at note To accelerate the achievement Sneevliet ciples of the Declaration of Inde illist Party which was voted Hence, the less than 600 cal development can believe that members of the Dutch which the Third International in case of on the Paris Conference February of a proletarian International cap The organ of the Die Idence and in the most high hand down by a large majority 14. In this introductory note you able of action (aktionsfaehig. Neue Front, in the March 1st edited fashion imaginable put over a is entirely without influence in the war will be any less catastrophic The formation of a Dutch work trudes unions.
than its collapse in Germany on the state that the Socialist LA which alone can realize the neces tion, in the course of a report on constitution which protected their ers party proclaiming the necessity bor Party of Germany) appeared as dry unity on a revolutionary the laris International Conference property interests against the farm for a New International is an im Not only the international situove of Hitler rise to power. It is the chlor sabotager of the slogan pasis, the parties represented at in February, presents the Dutch ers who had marned the revolution portant event in the life of the in atton but the situation in Holland even less credible that the social for a New (Fourth) International. the conference resolve: From the reports on the Paris To concentrate with all their as an abstract proclamation of tion has been used ever since as an second of the same sort as the strong revolutionary workers party any other way than they behaved Conference that have received power upon Initiation of Interna the new international.
Workers Party of the formed Holland, it is true, is nothing but in 1914. The task of the Fourth In(and certainly you have or should tional actions; This presentation is false and in December 1934, proclaimed even a small and unimportant country ternational is to pose and to at have the same information) this To utilize all possibilities for without foundation, tion, left the dor open to every does not seem to be the case the coordination of the rendy for Both Schmidt and Sneevliet said deviation, to such an extent that more clearly the creation of the in Europe, but beyond Europe it is tempt to solve the problems which Against the motion of Comrades action forces in the international quite clearly that they realized that the delegates of Fourth International as a most ur master of a large colonial empire. no other organization can solve.
of the who sent task.
The depression has hit this country For that reason the existence of Sneevliet and Schmidt voted only frame and at the same time to ex a new international could never be were definitely instructed to vote International Affiliation the two Scandinavian comrades and and the International Arbeitsge tormed by a mere proclamation. against the new international) There exists in the heart of the and wealthy, the colonial profits platform, the and the the comrade from the The meinschaft.
Both of them understood the diffi could vote for their resolution, se new Dutch party some difficulty on have shrunk, Indo Asia, the colony is a great advantage Let and five ohter comrades ab For this resolution voted 10 of culties connected with the forma ing nothing therein but that the exactly this point. The is a from which Holland draws its the opportunists ridicule the numer ical weakness of the parties, let the stained because they wanted to the 12 deleates, against it only tion of the new international. Both xissibility of a fusion of the Second member of the Amsterdam Bureau wealth, is the object of separ. centrist revolutionaries, such as demonstrate that they are for Comrade Sneevliet, Comrade of them stated with equal clarity and Third Internationals was not of Left Socialist Parties and imperialist greed; national New International but believe it Schmidt (O. abstaining. that the first step toward the new excluded. We are of the opinion Groups. The Bureau, it is true, Isatist movements, and revolutionary the cook up their recipes for be attained in a different man Accord to the Neue Front, the International must be the recogni that our comrades of the by a very loose organization, function insurrections wrack the colony: New International, let the StalinS. was ready to sign the motion Lion of the necessity for a new in their compromise resolution and by ing mainly as an Information bu ner. As the official organ of a responsible revolutionary party, we submitted by two Dutch Com ternational. They refused to ada their abstention from the vote on reau. Several of the members even Provinces was an alarm signal for until 1933 The existence of living should be careful to avoid mislendrades, namely: The conference de to the confusion surrounding this the precise Dutch resolution, bave recognize the necessity for a New the Dutch bourgeoisle, and it is for parties growing in both America ing statements, and therefore hope clares that the proletariat, in order question by voting for ineffective harmed te cause of the New Inter International, although generally that reason that restrictions of and Holland furnishes a beginning you will correct this statement in to conduct the international strug. compromise resolutions national, for which they have de hostile to the slogan for fourth democratic and parliamentary lib. which may perhaps prove decisive the next issue, or print this letter gle, must create for itself a new The proletariat needs above all clared themselves International. Those that recogerties are undertaken in Holland precisely in case of war.
instead, International, If It had been sub clarity and precision on this quesP. SCHMIDT nize the Fourth International, ree today.
The resolution submitted by the Imitted as a declaration instead of Ition. The with its resoluH. SNEEVLIET ognize as the incidentally The Colijn government is a com SUBSCRIBE TO NEW MILITANT Sementar Ferolution was de su realise trategy of the Soviet bestemt strike and colours and one on the colors Celte van de Fourth International Party Formed in Fusion in Holland counter act the The LeftSocialistConference be throws more light on the rear and only through the rest operation Trotskytists, Holland mhe British spartament to the Internet had only left the Dutch Social Delig more than hen obstacle in the nany