Page SOCIALIST APPEAL January 22, 1938 PARTY CONVENTION ANALYZES POLITICAL SITUATION Text of Resolution Adopted At Chicago By Founding Convention Of the of It can be The political and economic, basis, the conflict between its American conference in Buenos Open Door open in China and a large extent by the partinl real middle reformist party based sharp conflict with both the his tuation by patient and systematic situation in the United States is productive forces and the nation Aires; and subsequently by the preventing any other power covery. Under the impact of the on the trade unions allied with torical and the immediate inte activity among the Stalinist developing in the midst of a con al boundaries and the limitations sharp notes to Japan which are from shutting off the United already present cconomic decline various petty bourgeois politi rests of the working class. As the rank and file, and elements under vulsive evolution of a world ca imposed by its share of the world only a reflection of America States from expansion upon the and the inevitable crisis, it will cians and political grouplets, dio economic and political crisis their influence, above all in the pitalist society in a state of crisis market. This is especially true of dogged intention of keeping the Asiatic continent.
prove to be entirely unable to minated by middle class dema sharpens in the United States, trade union movement.
and decay a world crisis with those powers, like Germany, fulfill its function.
gogues of the LaGuardia type the Communist Party will be The world situation and the which the United States is inex Italy, Japan and Poland, whose Foreign Trade Vital for Capitalism The blow struck at the masses and by labor leaders like Lewis more clearly revealed not as a perspectives of development in tricably connected and from need be expansion whose effects it cannot exempt comes into the rpest and most The direct economic and ter sion into a deep crisis may be by the crisis will undoubtedly or Green or both; and breaking defender of the working class but the United States thus confront noinic or political isolation. Sent divisions of the world mar the United States in the rest of period of economic upturn, but tion among them. If the revolu: with the Roosevelt and Demo can bourgeoisie and its class tasks, which it can accomplish itself by a policy of either eco immediate conflict with the pre ritorial (colonial) expansion of temporarily arrested by a certain produce new political orienta: either partially or completely as a decisive prop of the Ameri the with tremendous The world bourgeoisio has ket. The present period may be the world is entirely out of pro the line of development toward tionary party measures up to its cvatic party machine, much in rulo a position determined by only with the greatest responsibeen able to surmount the vio characterized as one in which all economic mistakable. isinile neither the from increased support of see: broke with the Lehman and De perialism, at all costs, to an al must prepare itself consciously lent crisis that shook its whole the imperialist powers are jockey portion to its own economic structure beginning ing for best position, from the financial strength. The position the rate of development of the lions of the working class. But mocratic party machine in New liance with the Soviet bureau and deliberately for these tasks.
It must be aware especially of with the stock market crash in standpoint of the advancement of occupied by foreign trade in the crisis, heralded by the present it is virtually certain that in the York in the recent mayoralty cracy.
the United States in 1929. In their economic and military (ar economic life of the country, slump nor the moment of its first period, the growing radica campaign. 3) The Labor Party The revelation of the reaction the fact that it faces not only a countries like Germany, a purely maments) strength, in prepara while comparatively small in per cataclysmie outbreak, can be ac lization of the masses will be development takes on a more ra ary role of the Stalinist party great sharpening of the class conjunctural improvement has tion for the inevitable struggle centage, is nevertheless decisive, curately predicted, it is safe to expressed predominantly indical form in appearance, na and its leadership will serve to struggle in the United States, tion of the standard of living of among the big imperialist bandits, continued export of capital. The level than in 1929 and will be of full force of the crisis should termined by the Lewis bureau and the worker militants in its of an imperialist war, which will the masses and by a tremendous e. for the second World War efforts to solve the devastating greater scope, depth and dura be felt before the end of the cracy and the Stalinist party. In ranks. The sharpening of the be the severest test of all orga in the United tion.
Roosevelt term in office, the a word, the unfolding of the eco class struggle in the United nizations are policies.
crease of operations in the ar In this sense, the second World economic crisis Along with it will break the Republican party will benefit to nomic crisis would scarcely re States, as well as the horrible meet this test only by the rigid maments and related industries, War has already begun. More States on national soil, have big preliminary not succeeded in yielding lasting illusion of a speedy and lasting far lesser extent than did the sult in any mass movement of results of Stalinist policy in the safeguarding of the Marxian tion of the fascist regime. In skirmishes have already taken results. Quite the contrary. Al recovery which accompanied the Democratic party as a result of Fascism in the United States, Soviet Union and Spain, will principles of revolutionary inthe still unex therefore bring with it sharp ternationalism upon which it is France, the People Front mo place. The conquest of Ethiopia though the United States has preceding crisis as a hang over the crisis that broke out during but because of hausted lemocratic reserves internal conflicts and crises in founded.
vement has been able to survive by Italian imperialism strengthen shared in the general world re of the American prosperity Hoover term in office.
from the crisis which ideology. The American ruling Three main courses of deve in America, the present diffused the ranks of Stalinism, the first The truly revolutionary party, illusions on the basis of a tem lifc line of British imperialism, reached its lowest point in 1992, class will be compelled to interlopment are possible of realizar and unorganized People Pront signs of which are already pre jespecially in the present period.
porary prosperity, or more ae the Mediterranean, the Red the promote bechevebile reached in the most un delicte en litical re orientation. 1) Throw left and assume more clearly de linist movement. These will open mediate and historical interests curately, of a slowing down of Sea and Northeastern Africa, the 1929 boom peak. The New Borders in order to maintain its ing the responsibility of failure limited forms.
up to the the prospect of of the working class not only on Faced with the prospect of the winning many former Stalinist the economic and political field, mic decline which harassed the sical importance of Spain are the been as strong as the recovery or pacifier of Europe played lupon Congress, and consequent formation of a national Labor workers to its ranks, and under but also on the theoretical ficid.
land too has been able to arrest Germany and England France a more catastrophic economic the accompanying shadow of the due largely to the heavy arma will necessarily be replaced by party, Roosevelt seeks to retain the has no need of alter split in the even the pros mass work which is mandatory fall by virtue of the unprecedent Icivil war on the peninsula. The ments program of impe an attempt to reduce the Euro political control by splitting the ing the fundamental revolution pect of the fusion of a section upon the party does not con ed armaments program inaugu invasion of China by Japan only rialism. The United States in the pean powers (and Japan) to a party into conservative and pro lary Marxian position on the of the Stalinist party with the flict with but rather presupposes rated by the Government.
heralds the war in which no Roosevelt era has not only poor relation share of the world gressive camps, allying the latter Labor Party question. The revo on the basis of the pro the most militant defense of the None of the big powers, how: only these two countries, but also system of government spending, postponable need of expansion and basing himself upon the or responsibility for forming or for al. The Party must therefore pay cal principles from the assaults extensive market, corresponding to the unwith the progressive Republicans, lutionary party cannot take the gram of the Fourth Internation party program and its theoretitained, for example, by France pire and the United States will substantiat increase of production entirely excluded by reality, that in the form of trade unions or reformist, class collaborationist prepare the most favorable si gics in the labor movement.
after the World War, except by be inescapably and directly in made possible by the employment the older imperialist powers of local, state wide or national party, that is of a petty bourgcReaction Caused By Big Defeats resolving, at least on a capitalist volved as active belligerants. of public funds which facilitated themselves desperate and driving Labor Parties, similar to the ois workers party. At the sume The party cannot close its cycs the prospect that in the coming the re organization of capitalist relentlessly to war to expand or American Labor Party in New time we must be aware that unConflict Delay Outbreak of World War enterprises, but to a certain ex ven retain their resources at York during the last clections, der certain conditions the move has not yet broken out, this is these two powers are far strong and the rest of the world If the inevitable World War, making for an alliance between geram both of the Unitentes totes each other expense, will give Boostivielt would thus seck to rement for a Labor party would to the fact that the almost un period it will draw into its ranks ments merely as a result of pur country by converting a manag, groat mass of the organized backs suffered by the world labor the Stalinist camp but in general, due to the large clements of under than, for example, the bonds The recovery has undonbtedly rely political or financial presed Labor Party movement into workers of the United States, but movement, especially in the past who have not passed through of and dense criss crossing network of France and the Soviet Union. It the unemployed and mitigated the world map as the United Democratic party, the reaction progressive, advanced and semi sian Revolution (the phenomenon of the party has experienced. In the world. The deliberately simp in a large scale war without the in its purchasing power. But this of war.
dictions among all the powers of ing, that France would engage class in general by an increase can be obtained only at the cost etc. would tend to merge with labor movement. The could Stalinism. have produced a la sense, these new elements will Kified Stalino reformist division of assured and direct support of increase in the purchasing power It is most unlikely that in the publican party. The New stand completely apart from such against Stalinism but against confused and distorted ideas. The contending forces into demo. Great Britain, for whom all her of the masses has not kept pace event of an inter imperialist York Labor Party movement a movement only at the risk of the principles and organization utmost patience and the broadest solation and ineffect of revolutionary Marxism. This inner party democracy are recracies and dictatorships. present allies of the small de with the increase in their prowar, the United States will be spreads to the rest of the country complet reaction has manifested itself, quired in assimilating all new does not seriously correspond to mocratic countries (Poland, ductivity; the opposite, that is one of the original belligerants and constitutes itself as a nation iveness in the class struggle.
both in the realm of theory and forces, especially militant proleany reality save that of the need Roumania) can scarcely sub a widening of the gap between At the same time, it is just as Must Find Roots in Unions political action, in the almost tarians, but the task can to prepare the working masses stitute from the standpoint of actual output and purchasing unlikely that she will wait, RS universal attempted substitution successfully performed only if to act enthusiastically as can strength or importance. power, has occurred. The degree was the case in the last world It would be wrong to conclude latter is an opportunistic sect, of all sorts of reformist and re the party itself maintains an unnon fodder for democratic im An additional element of un of capitalist prosperity attained war, for 32 months before en from this that even if a national confined to a few localities, hav visionist doctrines programs, yielding firmness in its own perialism. The rivalry of the two certainty, which serves in a way in 1929 has thus not yet been tering the hostilities in order to Labor Party, based on the trade ing no real and solid connections and movements for the doctrine principles and its own theoretical great imperialist monsters, the to postpone the actual outbreak reached and from all indications emerge as the decisive victor. unions, were formed, the with the labor movement, and and movement of scientific social conceptions. Otherwise, the party United States and Britain, con of the war for a period of time, will not be attained before the The comparative poverty of the would or should seek to affiliate completely dominated by a con ism. The attempts to eliminate will gradually decline into a tinues to be deep going, in spite is the military unpreparedness outbreak of another ravaging European imperialist powers, as with it. Whether or not the refused combination of municipal the latter from the working class formless mass of conflicting and of the recent mitigation of its of two of the principal decisive crisis. The first symptoms of that well as the speedier and more volutionary party in this country social democrats, pacifists, uto represent at bottom the pressure contradictory currents which will sharpness by momentarily co powers, England and Germany. crisis are already obvious, and general destruction promised by would pursue the same tactics pian reformers, second rank la of a reactionary petty bourgeois not only negate its basic program inciding interests (opposition to But the completion of the they mark the collapse of both the coming war, will determine toward the Labor party that bor bureaucrats and a demora ideology upon the ranks of the but render it ineffective as a Japanese expansion. The British armaments programs of these the New Deal and the New the earlier intervention of Ame Lenin recommended at one time lized appendage of centrists. The labor movement in general and revolutionary force in the class conflict with Japan over the do two countries involves such a di Deal ideology which captured riean imperialism for the purpose in England, cannot be determin experience with the Thomas of the revolutionary movement struggle.
mination of China and, prospect version and squandering of eco the minds of the masses in the of delivering, as in 1917, the deed in advance and could be de Hoan Tyler Socialist Party is at in particular. The degeneration The sees the fundaively, of India, is presently nomic strength as to sap their period just elapsed.
cisive blow in the war and of cided oniy on the basis of the an end; it is behind us. The of the socialist movement, which mental causes of the degenerasharper than the antagonism otherwise none too stable ceo It is possible that the full de having the decisive word in the concrete reality of the given would be disorienting it celebrated its triumph in the tion of the other workers parties between Japan and the United nomic bases. The impending eco velopment of the present reces division of the spoils. Labor party, of the general po self completely if it concentrat Second International upon the in their departure from the States for the hegemony of the nomic crisis, presaged by the litical situation and the relation ed any efforts in the direction of outbreak of the World War, has principles of revolutionary MarxPacific. However, the conflict recent convulsions in the New Likely to Enter War Early ship of forees. Even if such a the old under the illusory succeeded in the past decade in ism and the adoption of petty between England and Italy for York, London and Paris stock control of the Mediterranean is exchanges, will not only be more United States will precipitate the movements, and to bring the way it would be totally false to re substantial numbers of militants International as a revolutionary theories. This process has always It is just as unlikely that the pendent labor and revolutionary actie is not eventually adopted, impression that there are still completely destroying the Third bourgeois reformist policies and of secondary importance and does devastating, from all indications, world war by immediately start to a close by the revolutionary Labor party it it has a mass to the revolutionary wogram.
not necessarily signify the occu than the preceding crisis, but ing a duel with Japan, as is overturn of capitalism and the It would be absurd to imagine sition of bureaucratic regimes pation of opposite sides by these will in all likelihood serve as the hoped by British imperialism, establishment of proletarian rule Oasis in the trade unions. The The Lovestone groun, which that the Marxian wing of the inside those organizations. Pretwo countries in the coming war, principal direct factor to preciany more than it did in the last pitate the outbreak of hostilities which is still unprepared for a in the form of the workers state. primary and principal means of since its inception has led the movement, represented by the cisely because our party is bas chauvinistic retaining and extending our con existence of an unacknowledged Fourth International throughout ed upon the tested principles of It would be erroneous, also, to re divide the world. In this sense, ürete conditions, and ece thitary and every form or lease collabora conditions, would be not so much maintained itself thanks primar immune from this petty bourge dofense of the program of revo ist bureaucracy. Under the con wave, it will not only reject any tact with the masses under such attorney for Stalinism, and has the world, could be completely Marxism and is inflexible in its and Germany Were opposed in a war boom alone can arrest the struggle against Japan at the nation support of the money. woud branches of the Lubor purty as trade union functionaries to the Fortified though our movement stands foursquare under the basis the last war, they will inevitably most disastrous development of present time would signify that of the capitalist government, but be opposed in the next. The bonds the crisis.
American imperialism is pulling will work toward the defeat of selves. All considerations there cy, now finds itself compelled to milation of the rich lessons of structure. The party that stands British chestnuts out of the fire the American capitalist class and fore point to the imperative ne unload the responsibility for the the last twenty years, and stand for the triumph of workers deImperialists Seek Defeat of and acting as a bulwark protect its war regime by the proletarian cessity facing the of mak crimes and po Stalinism, ing uncompromisingly though it mnocracy cannot tolerate a bưThe Soviet Union occupies a their demands for a larger share Soviet Union and the American The will advocate the ing systentatic, organized, con above all in the Soviet Union, does on the granite foundation reaucratic regime and structure singular position in the present of the world market of the other bourgeoisie does not intend to continuance of the class struggle centrated efforts to root itself which it defended up to yester of the principles of revolutionary in its own midst. Democratic world situation. The fragility of imperialist powers if the latter enact either role. It may be said during the war regardless of in the factories and in the trade day. This is not only cloquent Marxisin which the reformists centralism is based in the first its alliances with capitalist consent to a partitioning of the with practical certainty that the the consequences to the military fullest extent in the daily strug the counter revolutionary Stalin leto or super orthodox, our to the fundamental program of powers (France, etc. is only a Soviet Union, reflection of the still existing to countries like France and Eng war with Japan only under such and will try to prepare the masses gles of the workers and in mass ist bureaucracy, but a sign of International and our Party have the party. It implies the free inirreconcilability between the land because of their adherence circumstances as would make it to utilize the war crisis for the work in general. Therein lies the the shift which is taking place felt the effects of the current terchange of opinion, the right world of imperialism on the one to the renowned principles of de possible not only to deliver a overthrow of capitalism main line of our preparation for to one extent or another through of degeneration at their peri of discussion, presentation and side, and the yet remaining mocracy. It is not at all out of stiff blow at Japanese imperial and the victory of socialism.
the period to come.
out the working class movement. phery, defense of views within the achievements of the Bolshevik the question that the imperialistism The is the product of The fact that the lovestonite This current can be counter framework of the principles of revolution on the other. It is con power may seek to compose strengthen American imperialism to be allied with the Soviet the fusion of the elements form leadership is forced to make so acted by the party waging a revolutionary Marxism, the ungiven period the conflict between over the body of the Soviet Union. arly in the case of the Soviet imperialist power, this circum. the and the in the of the criticisms and programatic principles upon which it is built of the organization and to se ceivable, of course, that for a their own differences at a feast at the expense of British. Simil Union in a war against another erly organized in the Workers radical a retreat from its prc consistent struggle for the de impaired right of the membertwo imperialist camps may be come so sharp as to cause one that American imperialism can rantees vast concessions to the alter the imperialist character course of the struggle to win the points of our movement, even if and by which it must guide it lect its leadership.
side to enter into a real military succeed in resisting the inex. United States in advance, Ame: and aims of the war so far as the Lions to the principles of Marx the possiblitics of winning to the party today must become the in action upon the basis of the membership of these organiza in a distorted form, testifics to sell in all its daily activity. The implies the most rigid discipline alliance with the Soviet Union. orable tendencies that are pull rican imperialism would in all United States is concerned; ism and the banner of the Fourth ranks of the revolutionary party rallying center of all revolution program and policies of the But it is no less likely that the ing it into the vortex of the com likelihood permit itself a direct neither, therefore would there International. In the split pro a number of workers in its orga ary and class conscious workers. party under the direction of the rival imperialist camps will find ing world war. The United States war alliance with the Soviet Un be any alteration in the position voked by the reformists and nization. While this possibility Unless the party is to fall victim party leadership and the subsettlement of the conflicts among hower. The bases of its economic only after it was well under way American capitalism and its go tionalists rallied the overwhelmed, it must nevortheless be borne gidity, it must take into account nority to the majority, centrists, the Fourth Interna of recruitment cannot be ignor to a sectarian, self satisfied ri ordination in action of the miithemselves, involving not only the ind political strength extend over and when the entry into the convernment and in our irreconci ing majority of the members of in mind that the Lovestone group risk of the defeat of one set of every continent, and the shocks flict of the United States would lable hostility towards them. the Young People Socialist Stalinist Democracy Fraud imperialists by the other and and convulsions of capitalism permit it to dictate the terms the practical steps which our status by the victor, but also the immediate, direct or indirect, efthe Socialist essentially to a very few local.
membership of The democracy of the Sta the inclusion of all right wingers If the working class is unable! its opposition to the war would, linist parties is confined to the and the exclusion of all revoludefeat of all of them by the pro fects upon this country. This is to prevent the outbreak of war, however, have to be decided in Party. What remains of the ities. right of the party member. tionists.
letarian revolution.
expressed in military terms by and the United States enter di consideration of the need of faParleys Not Sought With Sects ship to carry out unquestionA postponement of the inter the fact that, despite the virtual rectly into it, the stands cilitating the utmost material ingly all the decisions arbitrarily centralism, which makes possible Our conception of democratic imperialist war for a re division ly invulnerable geographic posi. pledged to the traditional posi. aid to the Soviet Union armed Not very fruitful would be the mon with all other members, it arrived at by bureaucratically the richest and most fruitful of the capitalist world market is tion of the United States, its tion of revolutionary Marxism. forces in their war against an expenditure of any energy in a considers it wasteful and futile to appointed leadership over which inner life in the organization and conceivable only in the form of a armaments program today is the It will utilize the crisis pour car imperialist power, in conformity hunt for recruits from or fusion engage in a series of negotia: the ranks of the party have ab: the mutual influencing of all its by the troy the Soviet Union and to adjusted to the objectives of war to prosecute the class strug, with our position of defense or with the variety of disintegrat tions looking towards fusion solutely no control. The demos component parts by discussion, ing ultra leftist sects (Oehler, with the sects themselves. the divide it among themselves as world conquest rather than to sle with the utmost intransi the Soviet Union from imperial Weisbord, etc. which have doom. The Communist Party presents Thomas Tyler party is a miser conversion of the parte into his colonies, spheres of influence and the myth of self contained isola geance, to strengthen the inde ist assault.
ed themselves to sterility and a different problem. Although it able fraud. Our whole experience Bohemian talking shop which protectorates. The imperialist tion. Politically, it was expresshave become reactionary, even if has grown enormously in the te has demonstrated that it consists discusses interminably without haves would thereby not only ed in the clearest terms in the Crisis Drives Ruling Class Toward War insignificant obstacles on the road cent period as a result of the in the fullest freedom for the ever coming to a decision and preserve their present forees in aggressive, interventionist speech the world market (colonies, etc. of Roosevelt in Chicago, announc The impending economie erinin the Democratic Party, and see ary party in the United States. dle class elements, attracted by act as they please, even in the ary party is primarily a party to the building of the revolution influx of large numbers of mid opportunists and reformists to acting upon it. The revolutionfrom being snatched up by vicing the determination of Ame: States sharply along the road licans, but by the Farmer Labor While the holds the door its petty bourgeois line, it has violation of the formal policy of action and not an intelleet torious have nots, but, in the rican imperialism to take the to imperialist war, but will be ites, the trade unions (CIO and volutionary clements still aff thousands of militant and even brutal bureaucratic suppression everybody may come and go as Union, would even extend their keep its present most dangerous in the political situation at home. cial democrats. But this form, ready to admit them to mem The interests of the and is revolutionary. minded workers. of the revolutionary left wing he pleases. Democratie centralpowers along with their present rival, especially in the Far East, Up to the present time, the expressed in the field of legisla. Bership on the basis of accept revolutionary Stalinist bureau the party for Marxian pro the party to arrive in the freest, counter for the crime of fighting inside ism is the means which enables threatening rivals. It would the from increasing its ration of the People Front movement hus tion through the official, but in ance of the party program and cracy, which dictate the position gram. The all inclusive party most untrammelled and speediest to imagine that the plans of Gor: dell Hull efforts to consolidate the Roosevelt regime, and to a is already proving inadequate for without the slightest prejudice and activity of the Communist conception of the present leaders manner at those decisions and which are ready the clominant positions Amokka ende tren beste in preparation so there to be lickichele viskould have in com countries come into increasingly deception, which he ended with (Continued on page 3)
war.
It their reduction to a secondary anywhere in the would have their both to its enemy and its ally. party would take in the course League and the bulk of the active still remains a tiny sect confined