PAGB NEW MILITANT SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1936 The Great Marxist Teachers on the Commune Karl Marx The Tradition of the Communards Frederich Engels Leon Trotsky rifice in these Parisians! After six out in civil war. Class rule is no to us very modest, it was due to the theoreticalation of the Third International and our task in stock of themselves, and to look the image of the Commune appears Lenin Workingmen Parls, with its tween France and Germany and the By MAURICE SPECTOR over factories shut down by the manufacturers and The renunciation of the belief in how this dictatorship looks? Then Commune, will be forever cele enemy were not at the gates of brated as the glorious harbinger Paris. History has no like example Look at the Paris Commune. have them run by the workers on a cooperative basis. a hereditary monarchy and the look at the Paris Commune. That of a new society. Its martyrs are of heroism. If they are defeated.
That was the Dictatorship of the Prole. The Commune decreed the separation of Church and programmatic adoption of a demo was the dictatorship of the proleenshrined in the great heart of only their good nature will be to tariat Frederick Engels.
state and nationalised church property. Foreigners cratic republic are often deemed an tariat. Engels Introduction to the working class. Its extermin blame. They should have marched INCE the end of the Franco Prussian War, the the flag of the Commune is the flag of the world reality, however, the state is nothi were declared eligible for election to the Commune extraordinarily audacious step. In Marx Civil War in France. ators, history has already nailed at once on Versailles after first proletariat has experienced great victorles and republic.
to that eternal pillory from which Vinoy and then the reactionary sec great defeats, in widely separated fields of parliaRevolution is undoubtedly the all the prayers of their priests tion of the Parisian National Guard mentary activity and of civil war. But so far from That the Bank of France could escape national oppression of one class by another: will not avail to redeem them. had quit Paris. The right moment reducing it, our epoch has actually enhanced the ization reveals the state of confusion, the lack of a this applies equally to a democratie most authoritarian thing in the Revolution 1s an act in (Civil War in France, 1871. was missed because of conscien. significance of the Paris Commune.
scientific program, and the dire lack of star seeing republic and to a monarchy. In the world.
best case, the State Is an evil to which one section of the population tious scruples. They did not want The Paris Commune was the first attempt of the revolutionary leadership in the Commune. The which the proletariat will fall belr imposes its will upon the other by to start the civil war, as if that modern working class to seize political power. Like economic ideas of the Commune were provided by On the dawn of the 18th of monstrous abortion Thiery had not the great Russian Revolution, the French Commune the Proudhonists, socialists and the small craftsmen after emerging victorious from the means of rifles, bayonets and guns, Commune! his attempt to disarm Parls. Sec collapse of an Empire.
What is the Commune, that sphinx ond mistake: the Central Commit to rule as an arbiter of conflicting class interests, was that the resources of the bourgeoisie which was be compelled to top off immediate pelled to maintain its rule by means Louis Bonaparte pretended equitable exchange as their panaces. The result mude the case of the Paris Com. thoritarian implements. The vicmind?
to make way for the Commune and the bourgeoiste from the exorbitant demande immaturity of the Commune was further exhibited. in so far as that is possible of that fear which its arms inspire the Central Committee in its mant pulosity! Be that It may, the Anancial buccaneers and its hall marks were corrup armed struggle against Versailles, wbich was per new and a free social system, will authority of the armed people The proletarians of Paris, saia Again from a too honorable scru of the workers. In reality, the state was a coorde in the half measures characterizing the conduct of the worst aspects of this evli, untii in the reactionaries. If the Paris Tests and treasons of the ruling it be crushed by the wolves, swine that he could no longer alleviate the social contra sive. The proletariat paid a bitter toll for its inde have sufficient strength to do away against the bourgeoiste, would it clasees, have understood that the and Tile curs of the old society dictions, he unleashed chauvinism. But the montis cislon. After the victory of the possessing classes with all this rubbish of all state have maintained itself more than.
twenty four hours? And are we hour bas struck for them to is the most glorious deed of our unified Germany of Bismark broke Napoleon neck came the White Terror and thousands of workers save The German philistine has re not, on the contrary, Justified in rethe country by taking into their June Insurrection and the Empire crashed. On Septe 4, 18 the were cold bloodedly butchered at the Wall of the cently been struck with wholesome proaching the Commune for having Federal at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
own hands the direction of public in Paris. Compare these Parisians workers of Paris proclaimed the Republic affairs. They have understood ready to storm Heaven with the The study of the lessons of the Commune enabled fear again at the words: Dictator employed this authority too little that it is their duty and their ab. Saves to heaven of the German ernments, a dual power. The Government of Nation Marx to work out in more concrete fashion his theory ship of the Proletariat. Well, then, Frederich Engels: Ueber das Ausay that the of thelr own destintes, by seizing with its antideluvlan masquerades, the propertied classes. Its principal objective became Bolshevike insight into the Commune decisively inin their own hands state power. reeking of the barracks, the Church, to disarm the Parisian proletariat, who were the fluenced the struggle for the Soviets in 1917. ComBut the working class cannot of philistinism. Extract from tcnlly carried out the defense of the starving city cabbage. Junkerdom and, above all, majority of the National Guard and who hnd hero mune and Soviet are equally the antithests of parliamentarism.
simply lay hold of the ready made Marx letter to Kugelman, April against the Prussian armies, Lenin considered it the fatal error of the French State machinery and wield it for 12, 1871. Revolution has often followed on a social basis. This was the first Socialists that they combined the contradictory tasks its own purposes. Karl Marx. Realizing the national treachery and class alms Se patriotism and socialism. Let the bourgeoisie war tordinatory, step towards the socialist organiza Civil War in France. In ordinary times the working tion of cconomie life.
That after the most tremendous eighteenth of March, 1871 the Central Committee of bear the responsibility of national humiliation It is war of modern times, the conquer the Paris Connu une proclaimed the absolute right the business of the proletariat to fight for the social masses toil from day to day, docile. The Commune did not achieve its of my Fighteenth Brumaire you common massacre of the proletariat treasons of the ruling classes to render themselves seoisie you look over the last chapter ing hosts should fraternize for the of the proletarians of Paris amidst the failures and ist liberation of labor from the yoke of the bour performing their slave inbos. proposed measures: It was crushed.
will find that, in my opinion, the this unparallelled event does in masters of their own destinies, by seizing the govThe Commune was defeated both by objective and Neither overseers, nor police, neith co operation of its national enemy subjective factors. European capitalism was on the er Jail keepers nor executioners Bismarck who immediately be Dext attempt of the French revolu dicate, not as Bismarck thinks, the ernmental power.
tion will be no longer, as before, anal repression of a new society eve of a period of expansion. The workers of Paris could hold the masses in subjection came its class ally drowned in The proclamation of the Commune was the negato transfer the bureaucratic minheaving, but the crumbling into tion of bourgeols authority and the bourgeois state. lacked Amarxist program, and above all they lacked does faithful service to capitalism. my: the working class. The plane lacked an understanding of capitalist economics, they were it not for this habit which blood the uprising of its real enetary machine from one hand to an dust of bourgeois society. The All the Labor governments since the war have not other, but to smash it. This is the highest herole effort of the conception of the disciplined revolutionary party. The war which tortures and de and tasks of the Commune did not which old the slightest shred of reality compared to the fact short lived was the people revolution on the ContlWar and this is now proved to be the necessity of shattering the state machine of the superior to those workers of 1871, let us remeber the rulers well precisely be they found their way into the from comrades in Paris are attempting led to defer the struggle of the tion. The Commune was the anticipation of the conditions for the struggle for socialism. We have altion, awakens with its thunder became the revolutionary covenants. be.
initiative, what a capacity for sac. soon as that class struggle bursts witnessed the debacle of the Second International, the most backward and dark ele of our struggle.
And today, on March 18, 1917, If the social legislation of the Commune seems and have had the tragic experiences of the depener ments, and compels them to take.
before us more clearly than ever be rather by internal treachery than national uniform; the national gov the military struggle. The city was belcaguered by the powerful revolutionary party of the working War and Revolution fore; for, after a great lapse of time, Impelling millions of tollers into we have once again entered into beneath the Prussian bayonets, as proletariat. Civil War in France, the Versailles troops of Tuters and his virtual allies, class!
1f there had never been a war be 1871. the Prussian Junkers. But what the Commune did Towards that goal we shall march forward un the flames, the rulers are obliged the epoch of great revolutionary was nevertheless significant. The column of Victory daunted and the memory of that gallant generation to resort to promises and lies in battles.
on the Place Vendome, the symbol of chauvinism, of proletarian fighters of 1871 will remain an abid place of habit. The bourgeolate The World War was demolished. Plans were worked out to take ing Inspiration.
paints up its war with all those The world war has torn tens of traits which are dear to the mus millions of tollers out of habitual the proletariat, no strong trade un leader, the bloodthirsty dwart. The picture of its life and death, nanimous soul of the masses: the conditions under which they labor Forty years have passed since the Government did not want to tons and co operative socletles.
But the chiet thing which the he and his generals had arranged which seized the capital of the masses to their nethermost depths, morrow we shall see the same thing Thiers, after the blood bath which the sight of a workers government war is for Liberty. for Justice and vegetate. Up to now this has mune. According to their custom, the Commune gave it. Finally, it commune lacked was the time to for the proletariat of Paris. But world and kept it in its hands for the war invariably ends by doping in America as well. Never before the French proletariat are honoring had, at first, the sympathy of the think out and undertake the ful these bourgeois crows cawed in over two months, the spectacle of them it brings them nothing ex have the working masses been given workers of March 18, 1871. by that the reactionary National As had time to start working, when son of the Commune, when many rat and its suffering after defeat this reason the tense condition of such rainbows been painted for the memory of the revolutionary bourgeois republicans, who feared Allment of its program.
meetings and demonstrations.
bring wreaths to the tombs of the monarchy. But the chiet role in military operations against Paris, movement rose in France. new hopes and attracted their sympa against the rulers; war gives birth before have the possessing classes the end of May they will again norant landlords) would restore the ed by the entire bourgeoisie, opened prison or in extle, a new workers millions of workers, aroused their hie duped masses produced by the them. Never have they been 80 Communards who were shot, the this movement was of course played The Commune had to think first of Socialist generation, enriched by thles to the side of socialism. The te resolutions in Paris dared to demand so much blood This happened twelve years ago from the people in the name of deand over thelr graves they will tisans of Paris. among whom Sovery end. May 31 28, it had no time and no whit discouraged by their awakened the most victims of the fearful Mry Week, by the workers (especially the ar all of defense. Right up to the the experience of their predecessors thunder of the ward stracalduring the Russo Japanese war: It fending the lie which goes by the once more take the oath to fight clalist propaganda had been ener to think seriousls of anything else. defeat. picked up the flag which of the proletariat from deep slom. Immediately aggravated the dis name of Defense of the Fatheruntiringly until their ideas have getically carried haud betheneset In spite of such unfavorable con had dropped from the hands of the ber, and everywhere rave impetus satisfaction of the people and led land. And never before have the conquered. until their cause has years of the Second Empire and altions, in spite of the brevity of fighters of the Commune and bore to the growth of revolutionary Sotoilers been so duped, betrayed, and been completely Victorious.
This happened in France 46 crucified as today.
Why do the proletariat, not only the First Loom even belonged to its existence, the Commune found it boldly and confidently forward, cialist propaganda. This is why to the revolution of 1906.
time to carry out some measures with cries of: Long live the social the cause of the Commune did not International.
In trenches Alled with blood and in France but throughout the en For a Better Future watch suficiently characterize the revolution long live the com ate te lives to the present day in werbe so 19h e tramite Prostar war of 1870 1871 led to the uprising mud, in starving cities and villages, tire world, honor the workers of Only the workers remained loyal Commune replaced the standing that, the new workers party and the Paris Commune as their fore to the Commune to the end. The array, that blind weapon in the the agitation raised by it through. Rabochaya Gazeta, No. 5. of the workers and the creation of millions of hearts are beating with April 28 (15. 1911. the Paris Commune exasperation, despair and anger, runners? What was the heritage bourgeois republicans and the petts hands of the ruling classes, by the out the country, compelled the rul of the Commune?
The Commune And these emotions, correlated with The Parisian workers were arm socialist ideas, are being transform.
taneously. No one consciously pretionary Socialist proletarian char abolished the state support of te hands of the government.
The Commune broke out spon it, the former afraid of the revolu armed people. It proclaimed the ing classes to release the imprisoned separation of church from State Communardes. raha ehe suurlemoen WPA Election ed by the bourgeois government and ed into revolutionary fervor. Toorganized into a National Guard morrow the flames will burst into unsuccessful war with Germany, others dropping out when they saw for priests. gave popular education of the Commune 18 not The memory of the eshters Football. 1936 for the defense of the capital the open in mighty uprisings privations during the slege, unem. that it was doomed to inevitable a purely secular character, and in honored only against the German troops. But the workers masses.
by the workers French bourgeoisle stood in greater The proletariat of Russia has altain among the petts bourgcolsie: supported their Government tear. The gendarmes in priestls robes. In the noch heuter oria. for the commune uittoal machine to re elect the Dra: the troops of Hohenzollern. After af Revolution, and under tilbage on see (Continned from Page 1) fear of its own proletarians than of ready emerged onto the great road against the upper classes and fought and died for ut, for the mune could do tery little, but this cow national arm, but for the tree dilemma will undoubtedly be solved ran Government attempted to dis coupoartfone e en thee mast stefamone displayed their complete incapacity, working class for a better inture character as a popular, workers downtrodden andra oppressed. As safely Democratie states, particu, utrendy awakened in them the spir: revolution procureussia, e horolerian.
the working class, which was disGovernment. Night work in anker, the foremost fighter for the social larly those South of the Mason and it of rebellion. They did not want only the precursor of proletarian Deserted by their allies of yesies was fobidden, the system of contented with its lot and was terday and supported by no one. Aines, this system o legalized Tobrevolution, the Commune has won Dixon line where the unemployed to return to benches self. uprisings in the whole of Europe striving towards different sociale commune was doomed 10 in bery of the workers, was abolished. Setariat struggling and suffering weak. In Texas, for example, the to the war. The Parisian proletasympathy wherever there is a pro organizations are comparatively same workers they had been prior and in the entire world.
Itemember the Commune we, the National Assembly time for the expiration of all pro rians refused to let the weapons Socialists, will say to the insurgent roused fears as to the fate of the scoisie of France, all the landlords, sued according to which all facjects has been shortened from No. out of their hands. clash took workers masses. The bourgeoisie the stockbrokers, the factory own torics, works and workshops which republe. all this and many other ers, all the great and small robbers, had been abandoned or stopped by WORKERS vember 30 to June 30. In doubtful place between the armed workers has armed you against an external things combined to drive the topu all the exploiters, combined against their owners, were to be handed states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and the regiments of the Govern enemy. Refuse to return your wea.
lation of Paris to revolution on it. This bourgeols condition, sup over to associations of workers in Protect Yourselves Against the and New York, the percentage fred ment. This occurred on March 18, pons, like the Parisian workers reMarch 18. which unexpectedly ported by Bismarck (who released order to resume production. And.
Hazards of Life. Join the will be proportionately much less. 1871. The workers were victorious: fused in 1871! Heed the appeal of placed power in the hands of the hundred thousand French soldiers as if to emphasize its character as WORKMEN SICK DEATH Meanwhile, the whole principle Paris was in their hands, and on Karl Liebknecht and turn these National Guard, in the hands of the who had been taken prisoner to a truly democratie proletarian Gov.
of relief is being attacked in terms March 28, they established, in the weapons against your real enemy, BENEFIT FUND OF THE working class and the resty. bour. put down revolutionary Paris. sucernment, the Commune decreed that that are viciously insulting to the known as the commune. The latter transform it from the instrument capital, a proletarian government, against capitalism! Tear the state from their hands!
geoisie which had joined in with it. Cowled in rousing the backward the salaries of all ranks in the ad1881 1935 First Time in History peasants and the petty bourgeoisie ministration and the government are refusing to hire workers who a heroic resistance, on May 28, the of bourgeols oppression into an api Organized, managed by and for This was a event unprecedented of the provinces agatust the prole should not exceed the normal wages workers with only one purpose hare ever been relief ellents or who last defenders of the Commune fell paratus of proletarian self rule!
in history. Up to that time power tariat of Paris, and in surrounding of a worker, and in no case should have been jobless for a consider before the onslaught of bourgeois Today, you are infinitely more pow.
to render protection to members able period of time. Thus, the cohorts. Then ensued weeks and erful than were your forefathers in had customarily been in the hands half of Paris with a ring of steel exceed 000 francs per year. and their families, and to supbosses are able to get at ridiculous months of bloody reprisals upon the the epoch of the commune. Tumble of landlords and enpitalists, e. in the other half was held by the Menace to Slavery furt all endeavors and struggles the hands of their trusted agents German army. In some of the All these measures showed with for the improvement of tollers, ly cheap prices the young workers participants of the proletarian rev all the parasites from their thrones!
who made up the so called Govern larger cities in France (Marseilles, sufficient clearness that the Com About 50. 000 members organ ment. After the revolution of March Lyons, St. Etienne, Difon, etc. the mune was a deadly menace to the Lzed in 300 branches. Reservamous group of workers whom it is the greatest event in the history of ternity In labor quality in enIndustry now has not only an enor lation. But, despite its briet exist. Seize the Innd, the mines and the 18, when the Thiers Government workers also attempted to seized world, rounded on slavery od.
fled from Paris with its troops, its power, to proclaim the Commune ex;litation. Therefore bourgeois police and its officials, the people and come to the help of Paris, but melety could not sleep peacefully Death benefit graded accord of cheap, surplus labor is also being the proletarian struggle. For the Joying the fruits of labor. The banner of the Commune 18 ing to age at entry. Sick benefit remained masters of the situation these attempts soon falled. Paris, so long as the Red Flag of the pro and power passed into hands which had first raised the flag of tariat waved over the Paris City payments from 225 to 900 to high powered official humanitarlans: perience of the Parisian workers, the banner of the World Republic the world proleteriat was able to of Labor. of the proletariat. But in modern proletarian revolt, was left to its Hall. When at last the organized men and women, according to Roosevelt and Hopkins.
see what the proletarian revolution (The above article was written classes.
society, enslaved economically by own resources and doomed to cer torce of the Government had manis, what are its aims, and what in America and apppeared in Novy capital, the proletariat cannot dom. tain destruetion.
aged to defeat the poorly organized Monthly assessments from 450 PAUL LUTTINGER, paths it must pursue.
Mir, New York, March 17, 1917. inate politically unless it breaks the Conditions Unripe forces of the revolution, the Bona to 10.
DANIEL LUTTINGER, The Achievements of the Commune chains which fetter it to capital. For the victory of the social rev artist generals who had been For further information apply The Commune began by confirmThis is why, the movement of the olution, at least two conditions are beaten by the Germans and who to Main Office Washington Square North ing the election of all foreigners to NEW MILITANT Commune Snevitably had to take on necessary: a high development of were brave only when fighting 714 Seneca Ave. Brooklyn, 1 and 8 Éxcept Sundays the workers government. It proa Socialist coloring, le, to begin productive forces and the prepared with which is merged their defeated countrymen, these and Holidays claimed that: The banner of the THE MILITANT striving for the overthrow of the ness of the proletariat. But in 1871 French Rennenkampfs and Meller Commune is the banner of a World Published weekly by the New Millpower of the bourgeoisle, the power neither of these conditions was Sakomelsky organized such a READ THE NEW MILITANT SUBSCRIBE TO NEW MILITANT Republic.
tant Publishing Co. 55 East 11th of capital, to destroy the very foun present. French capitalism was slaughter ns Paris had never It purged the state and the school St. Phone: Algon, 0058.
dations of the present social order. still only slightly developed. And known. About 30, 000 Parisians of religion, abolished capital pun. Entered as second class mall matter At first this movement was ex France was at that time mainly were killed by the ferocious sol WILL IT STOP WAR! WILL IT DEFEAT FASCISM? ishment, pulled down the Column at the Post Office at New York, tremely indefinite and confused. It country of petty bourgeoisie (artt. diery, about 45, 000 were arrested of Vendome. the memorial to chau under the act of March 3, 1870.
was joined by patriots who hoped sans, peasants, shopkeepers, etc. and many of these were afterwards HEAR vinism. transferred all duties and JAMES CANNON: Editor that the Commune would renew On the other hand there was no executed, thousands were impris.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, P. posts to genuine servants of the Subscription rates: In the United the war with the Germans And workers party, the working class, oned or exiled. In all, Paris lost GUS TYLER bring it to a successful conclusion. whch, in the mass was unprepared about 100, 000 of its sons, including IRVING PLAZA HALL people, setting their salary at a lev. States 1, 00 per year; 65per slx Irving Place and 15th Street el not exceeding workingman months; Canada and foreign 60 It as supported by the small shop and uptrained, did not even clearly the best workers of all trades.
wage.
per year: 00 six months. Bundle keepers who were threatened with visualize its tasks and the methods Admission 15e The bourgeoisie were satisfied.
Peoples Front ruin unless there was the postpone of fulflling them. There were no Now we have finished with SoAuspices: LUMEN CLUB It began a census of factories and rates: Two cents per copy mills, closed by frightened capital SATURDAY, MARCH 21. 1936 ment of payments on debts and rent serious political organizations of Jalism for a long time said their Ists, in order to initiate production Vol. No. 11 (Whole No. 63)
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