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SOCIALIST APPEAL 21. 1951 NEC Suspends California State Charter CLARITY IN CALIFORNIA AND CLARITY IN WISCONSIN of identically senting in conClarity Group Guard hangover, anti Trotskyite. pacifist, liberal and stay atIn Punitive home member, and by a secret and unparalleledly vicious personal campaign they had secured a Expedition slim convention majority last February. Every meeting, discussion, class, trade union struggle (Continued from page 1)
The Clarity group in control (Wisconsin now has one third the we have to do is. We take everyor demonstration saw Clarity of the National Executive Com membership of the party accord thing very seriously in Wisconsin.
California comrades to present the overwhelming evidence support dwindle. Their stay at mittee of the Socialist Party has ing to the latest membership re We want the NAC to agree that against the viciously false and home members were too far to voted unanimously to lift the results of the convention and its as far as the resolution concernabsurd charges presented to the the right for the Chicago con charter of the California orga decisions to be disastrous. Not a ing trade unions goes, Wisconsin NEC by the tiny Clarity clique vention decisions. Registration nization, which is controlled by true convention. If held now, re can follow its own course.
in the state. The responsible of took its toll of those whose so the left wing, and to reorganize presentation would be entirely TRAGER: The NEC will ficers of the state organization cialism was not sturdy enough the State different. Pennsylvania now has agree that the interpretation of were given no notice whatever for the exertion of filling out a Bold, prompt, vigorous against only 200 members, while at con this resolution and all resolutions that such drastie action or action card. The State Committee ma the left wing.
vention they had more delegates shall be through the SEC of cross section of of any kind was contemplated. jority was The official party press kept Clarity support, it could agree Clarity Capitulates to Wisconsin than we (3) Also, we had Wisconsin as it is through coach thought there was an agreement SEC in each state.
But how does the same NEC on labor secretary we thought KRUEGER: Wisconsin is an bership was barred out, while its opposition to any and all active act with regard to the right wing he (Trager) had agreed to re exceptional organiation. It has a most far reaching and important which the membership persis shameful policy of Hoan, Porter, Now we find him back. We have people who had a great deal of responsible officers prepared the work and political development organization in Wisconsin? The sign if given a place on the NEC stable organization with many ted in.
Biemiller, Raskin and Co. has not theoretical and organizational experience.
expulsion sinee 1919.
We can agree that In marked contrast to this deA thriving party and a do only led to a disgraceful alliance differences.
for the purpose of carrying out cisive and ruthless attack upon nothing, politically illiterate State with the La Follette machine, but Attack Trade Union Line trade union work in line with the revolutionary Socialist wing Committee majority clashed more to the decline of the party mem CHAIRMAN PLACE: Labor the convention resolution that the of the party was the vacillation and more sharply. Locals repre bership from some 2, 000 to about full three quarters of 400 according to the Clarityites resolution full of contradictions. in Wisconsin, shall be considered SEC, through its state secretary and reluctance addition, the AFL and CIO both could take constituted National Executive the members. San Francisco, themselves. In exceptions to things said in it. responsible and no program of Committees in dealing with the Oakland, Fresno, Los Angeles Wisconsin right wing simply state organization of socialist activity frankly reformist and disloyal Branch Central, Dominguez Hills, fuse to accept the Trade Union Need simplified general New York Old Guard. For more Santa Monica and San Diego Resolution adopted by the nat ment. Next step lies with NEC. in the trade unions shell come than two years local after local, called for a special state conven ional convention in Chicago. In Unless something is done Wis into Wisconsin except through state after state, demanded action tion. The SEC met and Clarity a word, whatever is even re consin has said for a long time the state secretary. CHAIRMAN: We object to the there was no Socialist Party and revolutionary to discipline the Waldman clique. managed to hold a majority motely The Old Guard systematically against a committee vote for SP is ignored by Wisconsin why go on. They be happy to the publicity given the trade broke every principle and rule of state convention by forcing its party bureaucracy. The Clarity have us go to devil so there union resolution and policy. We to know the party and yet its reward from members to sign the opposing ite National Action Committee of would be no party in Wisconsin. don want the press the NEC was discipline of the resolution in advance. The ques the Party thereupon proceeds That why suggest a refe about such policy before we do. ultra lefts. Investigations, hear tion was lost by a tie vote but a humbly to Milwaukee to meet rendum and if socalled leader. Besides, such questions should is right Let find never be for public consumption ings, negotiations without number second motion was offered calling with the Wisconsin State Exe ship but only for inner party dragged through long months. for a state referendum to allow cutive Board and the Milwaukee it out now. sumption. MINKLEY: Our objections to In all these the Waldman Cahan the membership to decide the County Executive Board of the betrayers played the role of question democratically. Clarity party to straighten things out. iabor policy are these: An or Wisconsin Gets Cart Blanche Dickensian schoolmasters with floundered and broke in the faec And how are things straightened ganization within an organization (Socialist MOTION BY RASKIN: All rod in hand. The NEC took its of this unforseen emergency. The out in Wisconsin? By bold, is the wrong policy licking, and the charter of the motion carried 5. Frank Trager, prompt, vigorous action. No, Leagues. Our own policy is questions relating to union and of state of New York remained in who was present as Clarity re Clarity blows are directed at better have key positions in Workers Alliance activities Waldman vest pocket. Only after inforcement from the National the left wing. Before the right labor movement now. Our supe. Wisconsin members of the SP rior knowledge pushes us ahead. will be handled by and be the years of waste effort and Office, and who heard at the SEC wing, it capitulates!
Here are the revealing ex We believe that workers responsibility of the State Comwardly cringing, only after the meeting every item of the Clarity NEC was faced with a national evidence against the Left wing cerpts from the official minutes should organize into any union mittee of Wisconsin. Carried. RASKIN: You leave the labor membership so aroused that they favored a referendum. Now Rod of the meeting of the National The question is should we push could not be denied, only in the gers repeats this evidence and Action Committee with the Mil them into one rather than other. question to Wisconsin and it will face of the accomplished fact of the entire NEC, aparently in waukee right wing officials on POLAKOWSKI: Only object be generally in line and not in two parties in New York only cluding Trager (though the ac June 4, 1937. They tell their own ion to trade union resolution was conflict with the national resothat cused have received no minutes story: groups within unions.
lution. We will apply it in the then did the NEC, reluctantly RASKIN: If you use discipline correct way. We agree that in and almost tearfully, suspend the or statement of the vote. votes for suspension of state HOAN: For many in forming leagues, it causes some places guidance from the charter of the state of New York. charter for the stated purpose Wisconsin has been tempted to anti group feeling. Our County national organiation is necessary No such tender regard and polite ceremony is shown to the of nullifying the referendum and form coalitions with progressive Central Comittee acts as a league but we believe the state office can handle the matter.
State organization of California. preventing a convention. Consi movements, but has refused out in forming labor policy. PETER: Wisconsin loyalty Trager Raskin Demand No proof of disloyalty or violation derations of fair play. truth of loyalty to the national moshould be loyalty to itself. We TRAGER: Wisconsin in prac. have kowtowed to the rest of of party decision by the state and elementary democracy are vement. It grieved over the New organization has been shown, or very quickly sloughed off in the work split;kept out communistic tice is following out the national the country and what have we can be shown. The California face of California real crime elements; took a stand against trade union policy. On local mat gotten out of it? In no convention Socialists, only two short years that of insisting on maintaining, violence. On the basis of these ters there is no disposition on have we ever gotten a thing.
ago virtually wiped out by Epic acting on, and fighting for a rev stands it has kept its membership the part of the national office to (On June 7, 1917, the Milwngdesertions, have fought back to olutionary Socialist position. and it has now become larger and make mechanical the system of kee Leader had the following to healthier, more militant, more What the Left Wing is Hindering more successful than ever before. Jeagues. On national questions say about the pact between the influential mass work than was Now with our large and thriving concerning national trade union NAC and the Wisconsin right in the last twenty La Guardia sell out, hinder ne flirting with communists Trot we are better able to help you the Socialist party nationally Such criminals endanger the membership this new policy of policy in a specific union, we feel wing. As a result of the pact, years of the state party. The gotiations with Lovestone and the skyists or Stalinists, does not set to act.
number of trained, active, en franker Stalinists, discredit our well. We believe the program as will pursue a hands off policy thusiastic comrades has steadily young friends busily job hunting set out at the convention to be socialists and if the convention ed, and gave this state autono RASKIN: We are disciplined in so far as Wisconsin increased. Faced with the strong in the happy hunting ground of the wrong one for building a tells us to do so and so, we feel my. est Stalinist concentration out the CIO, demoralize our pa movement.
side New York City they have cifist, liberal and social reformist subscribe to these doctrines we We feel that if we fought them to a standstill and hangovers from the good old days will go the way of all other their ranks. On the day when kinds were socialists. Such of sticking our noses as a poWard Rodgers, accompanied by sectarians keep us out of the litical party into the business bodyguard, presented his National big, happy all class family of of trade unions is wrong. We be the left wing charged that the We say in advance: the ClaMonths ago, spokesmen for hibit the sell out to LaGuardia.
Office order demanding the the People Front. It is impos lieve we have problems different Thomas Altman group was head rity will not stand in charter and property of the State sible to work with them suspend than those of trade unions and ing straight for withdrawing the the way of the right wing beorganization on grounds of de the charter!
moralization of the state memordering trade unions around is party candidate in favor of La trayal of socialism; it will take bership and stultification of The revolutionary socialists of not successful. political move. Guardia.
ro action to assure an indepenCalifornia do not intend to be somente doesn allow trade unions party activity. young Socialists easily disposed of. We are the to dictate their policies s0 trade alarmists and slanderers.
We were accused of being dent SP candidate for Mayor of were returning to San Francisco Party in California. We intend uions shouldn allow a political nobody has any doubts on this Now New York in the Fall elections.
from the largest and most suc to proceed with our work Is it not a fact that the and movement to dictate its policies. score. The Thomas Altman right has already failed to act on this cessful state summer school in with our convention. We will not And you won attempt to do this wing combination has come out question? Is it rat a fact that more than twenty years.
turn over the Party equipment if you want a Socialist Party in in the open.
at its special meeting in New California Real Crime to these disrupters it would Wisconsin (We know federation At present, the right wing li York it turned a deaf ear to the only get dusty from disuse. We set up, etc. Wisconsin can build quidators still say that they will formal demand made by the ApThe crime of California So will challenge and fight the un better within the (Farmer Labor not withdraw ther mayoralty peal Group that support of La cialists is not too little but too constitutional suspension and Progressive) federation now candidate if La Guardia is at the Guardia be condemned in admuch revolutionary socialist act every illegal act that follows than ever before. We have ob same time the Republican party vance, before the present damivity. It was not loss of mem from it. We have already moved jections to war resolution; parti candidate.
bership that worried the Rodgers for a national referendum. We cularly to section which states age was done. Is it not a fact clique, it was steady gains in call upon all revolutionary So that when there is a war we will will not only run on the Republi at least the following are already We say in advance: La Guardia that out of 15 members, youthful, aggressive revoluionary cialists to come to the defense start revolution.
socialists. All along the line the of their California comrades ond can ticket, but Thomas, Altman committed to support of Thomas. BIEMILLER. 1) We are and Co. will withdrawn in his Thomas himself, Hapgood, Allen, cause of socialism was gaining, to join the fight against the seriously concerned with the de favor even if he does.
but the plight of Rodgers and wreckers who are trying to drive cline in membership of the SoBaron, Burt, Coolidge, Krueger, At present, the Clarity group Polakowski, Raskin?
Co. was growing more and more Socialism Isn this out of the Socialist cialist party outside Wisconsin. leaders still say that their a fine Clarity for you, tragic. By corraling every Old Party.
ports) and we believe (2) the Win step in and pro a fine left wing the years ever true concernfor hate the pothey What is the Doing About LaGuardia