Page SOCIALIST APPEAL February 26, 1938 Widick Leaves Progressives Lead Car Rubber Unions Party Resolutions On Midwestern Strike In Minneapolis Confronted By ON THE NATURE OF THE PARTY Lecture Tour Unsatisfactory Fight For Life Following is the full text of the resolutton on The 10. betegem to alter elemente pod the young talent the old town Hook Answers Broun Attack On John Dewey was Terms Attacked by Broun Forced Through By ternal Situation and the Character of the Party adopted basic cadre will be refreshed by new blood, that the leadership Union Officers as a whole will not become purely bureaucratic committee men by the founding convention of the Socialist Workers To Organize Party Union Lay offs and Attacks On Party.
with a life that is remote from the real life of the party and the activities of the rank and Ale. Like leadership, membership itActivities During Two MINNEAPOLIS. The first Organizations Open The Socialist Workers Party is a revolutionary Marxian self in the party implies certain definite rights.
Months on Road effective street car strike in the history of the Twin Cities, compCritical Period Party membership confers the fullest freedom of discussion, party, based on a definite program, whose aim is the organization letely tying up bus and trolley of the working class in the struggle for power and the transfordebate, and criticism inside the ranks of the party, limited only Widick, Labor Secretary lines in Minneapolis and St. Paul BY BLAKE LEAR mation of the existing social order. All of its activities, its by such decisions and provisions as are made by the party itself of the Socialist Workers Party, for nearly two days, February methods and its internal regime are subordinated to this aim or by bodies to which it assigns this function. Affiliation to the began a lecture and organiza 14 15, was one of the most magAKRON. The present inevitand are designed to serve it.
party confers upon each member the right of being democratiction tour last Monday, Feb. 21, nificent demonstrations of labor able and deep going crisis of Only a self acting and critical minded membership is capable ally represented at all policy making assemblies of the party at Boston. The Tour will carry strength which the Northwest capitalism has placed the of forging and consolidating such a party and of solving its (from branch to national and international convention. and the rubber workers face to face with him as far west as Minneapolis has seen.
right of the final and decisive vote in determining the program, and Omaha and keep him on the Ndr was the present strike the most grave situation since problems by collective thought, discussion and experience.
policies and leadership of the party.
road for two months.
called by the Executive Board of From this follows the need of assuring the widest party dethe early precarious organization Comrade Widick will address the local. One lone progressive days. With the unions it is now mocracy in the ranks of the organization.
Responsibilities of Membership mass meetings, meet with party on the Board, Howard Carlson, very close to a situation of make The struggle for power organized and led by the revolutioncommittees and fractions of ac initiated the strike. The men have or break.
ary party is the most ruthless and irreconciliable struggle in all With party rights, the membership has also certain definite tive trade unionists, and in gen many grievances, but the imme. For really the first time, the history. loosely knit, heterogeneous, undisciplined, untrained or obligations. The theoretical and political character of the party eral aid in the organization work diate issue was the dismissal of rubber worker has been confront ganization is utterly incapable of accomplishing such worldis determined by its program, which forms the lines delimiting of the Party. Provision has been some men when their cats were ed with the dilemma of capital historical tasks as the proletariat and the revolutionary party the revolutionary party from all other parties, groups, and ten ism. The unions, fighting the em.
made for him to remain several replaced by one man cars. The are confronted with in the present era. This is all the more em dencies in the working class. The first obligation of party memdays in the most important cen news reached Carlson Sunday JOHN DEWEY ployers tooth and nail in a manly phatically true in the light of the singularly difficult position bership is loyal acceptance of the program of the party and ters, in order to combine his night, and through the night he and courageous struggle, estabregular affiliation to one of the basic units of the party. The.
rathered a group of of our party and the extraordinary persecution to which it is lished themselves in the seemparty organization work with nilitant party requires of every member the acceptance of its discipline public mass meetings.
who succeeded in tying up one ingly impregnable rubber shops. subjected. From this follows the party unconditional demand car barn, then sent delegations The fruits of victory seemed upon all its members for complete discipline th all the public and the carrying on of his activity in accordance with the proUnion Work Stressed to close the others. By Monday within their grasp. Then came activities and actions of the organization.
gram of the party, with the decisions adopted by its conventions, the recession and the lay offs.
and with the policies formulated and directed by the party Comrade Widick will devote morning the tie up was complete!
Principle of Democratic Centralism leadership. Party membership implies the obligation of one special time and attention to the Fakers On The Job Unions Fall Back hundred percent loyalty to the organization, the rejection of all problem of organizing the parLeadership and centralized direction are indispensable preBefore the lay offs, the unions agents of other, hostile groups in its ranks, and intolerance of Wigstrom, the business agent, ty trade union activities in the requisites for any sustained and disciplined action, especially virtually stood with their hands various localities.
and Coles, the president, attemptdivided loyalties in generals Membership in the party necessitates in the party that sets itself the aim of leading the collective At the same time, the Na ed without success to induce the at their sides. Now the membera minimum of activity in the organization, as established by efforts of the proletariat in its struggle against capitalism. Withship is dwindling, confusion and out a strong and form Central Committee, having the power to tional Office has announced that men to return to work. Sam Berthe proper unit, and under the direction of the party; it necessi.
the first order of 50, 000 leaflets, rong, international vice president, lates the fulfilment of all the tasks which the party assigns to act promptly and effectively in the name of the party and to Containing the party Anti War was hastily summoned from Min. Asks Pointed Questions while the leadership counselis pa: each member. Party membership implies the obligation upon Manifesto, has come from the waukee to end the strike. In Reply To Columnist tience. The howl of the Greater supervise, coordinate and direct all its activities without excepevery member to contribute materially to the support of the Berrong, able and smooth, dia Akron Association sharpens. The press. It is planned to print and tion, the very idea of a revolutionary party is a meaningless jest.
Slanderous Article organization in accordance with his means.
demand for It is from these considerations, based upon the whole of distribute a million copies of this a neat job. The Lake Street wages, the speed up and the the lowering of the experience of working class struggle throughout the world From the foregoing it follows that the party seeks to inManifesto in the course of the strike committee led by Carlson clude in its ranks all the revolutionary, class conscious and militanti war campaign. formally representing the first The following letter lengthening of hours becomes in the last century, that we derive the Leninist principle of or.
ant workers who stand on its program and are active in building barn that went out but actually sent by Sidney Hook, well more insistent. Lay offs, accord ganization, namely, democratic centralism. The same experience Tour Schedule the movement in a disciplined manner. The revolutionary Marxleading the strike) was divided known Marxist scholar, to the ing to the United Rubber Work has demonstrated that there are no absolute gu rantees for the ian party rejects not only the arbitrariness and bureaucratism The schedule of Comrade Wi in two, one half shut up in the New Republic, which publishers, amount to 25 per cent; most preservation of the principle of democratic centralism, and no of the other factory employees union office while the other halfed only of the but also the spurious and deceptive all inclusive: dick tour is as follows: small portion of it.
are working one, two, or perhaps rigid formula that can be set down in advance, a priori, for the ness of the Thomas Tyler Hoan party, which is a sham and Boston, Feb. 21, 22; Lynn, Feb. was locked up with Berrong and three application of it under any and all circumstances. Proceeding the company officials.
The Editors, New Republic.
days. Everywhere the 23, 24, 25; Boston, Feb. 26, 27; a fraud. Experience has proved conclusively that this allfrom certain fundamental conceptions, the problem of applying In exhausting negotiations lastNew York City, Feb. 28.
In his attack upon Professor question is raised: What is the inclusiveness paralyzes the party in general and the revolutionthe principle of democratic centralism differently under different Philadelphia, March 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Sives on the strike committee, the New Republic (Jan. 12, 1938. Increasing numbers ing fourteen hours, the progres. John Dewey in the columns of answer to lay offs?
ary left wing in particular, suppressing and bureaucratically of the conditions and stages of development of the struggle, can be solved only in relation to the concrete situation, in the course hounding the latter while giving free rein to the right wing to Akron, March 8, 9, Youngstown, ing, were beaten down by Tuesed the limits of Narrenfreiheit understand that the union can of the tests and experience through which the movement passes, commit the greatest crimes in the name of socialism and the and on the basis of the most fruitful and healthy inter relationparty. The seeks to be inclusive only in this sense: March 10; Akron, March 11, 12, day afternoon. An agreement was but was guilty of irresponsible survive only if every member Cleveland, March 13, 14, 15: To accepted by the Executive Board, misstatement of Professor Dethat it accepts into its ranks those who accept its program and ship of the leading bodies of the party and its rank and file.
ledo, March 16; Detroit, March which gave the men nothing ex. wey position. Absolute retention rejects from membership those who reject its program: of the 17, 18; Chicago, March 19, 20, cept 30 day notice before oneThe leadership of the party must be under the control of 21, 22; Indiana Harbor, March man cars the membership, its policies must always be open to criticism, Anyone who has examined the six hour day.
replace the regular context of Professor Dewey re2. Rejection of a proposal by Inner Party Discussion discussion and rectification by the rank and file within properly 3:24. Chicago, March 25, 26: cars, and the empty right to ne marks in the Washington Post Goodyear Local for impartial established forms and limits, and the leading bodies themselves Minneapolis, St. Paul and vicini: gotiate before and after the cars. which Broun admittedly has arbitration boards to act in the The rights of cach individual member, as set forth above, ty, March 27, 28, 29, 30, subject to formal recall or alteration. The membership of the do not imply that the membership, as a whole, namely, the party are thus replaced not done will see that they bore urrion failing to agree in nego April party has the right to demand and expect the greatest respons itself, does not possess rights of its own. The party as a whole Omaha, April 2; Kansas City, No Meeting Called upon the implications of the tiations a proposal which wouldibility from the leaders, precisely because of the position they has the right to demand that its work be not disrupted and dis April 3, 4; Joplin, April, 5; St.
occupy in the movement. The selection of comrades to the posi. organized, and as the right to take all the measures which it Louis, April 6, 7, Indianapolis. men, if called together in a strike by a direct reference to the use Correctly fearing that the America. They were illustrated rule out strike action of any sort. Strict plant wide seniority in tions of leadership means the conferring of an extraordinary finds necessary to assure its regular and normal functioning responsibility. The warrant for this position must be proyed, The rights of any individual member are distinctly secondary April 9, 10; Louisville, April 11: meeting to discuss issues, would which the Communist Party and lay offs and rehiring, Columbus, April 12. Newcastle, formulate a strike program, the press were making of the Cor less than 18 hours for those still Stabilization of work at not not once, but continuously by the leadership itself.
to the rights of the party membership as a whole. Party demoApril 13; Reading, April 14, Al. Executive Board had successfully coran case in Minneapolis.
cracy means not only the most scrupulous protection of the lentown, April 15, 16; Quaker prevented the men from getting employed, since to go lower will Responsibilities of Leadership rule of the majority. The party is therefore entitled to organize town, April 17.
together. Now, with the backing Dewey Warning shift discontent from the comthe discussion and to determine its forms and limits.
of Berrong, they decided not to pany to the union as the cause It is under obligation to set the highest example of responsProfessor Dewey did not say of the trouble, prevent (at least ibility, devotion, sacrifice and complete identification with the All inner party discussion must be organized from the point submit the strike settlement to that Communist Party. members for the time being) those work.
party itself and its daily life and action. It must display the of view that the party is not a discussion club, which debates the men!
should be barred from the ing from getting relief, and ability to defend its policies before the membership of the party: interminably on any and all questions at any and all times, with But this was too much even or any other labor union because stifle their militancy by imbuing for this body of inexperienced of their views. He warned against them with hopes for an upturn and to defend the line of the party and the party as a whole out arriving at a binding decision that enables the organization men, striking for the first time factionalism and against the fa in business.
before the working class in general. Sustained party activity, to act, but from the point of view that we are a disciplined party in their lives, most of them only miliar Moscow tactics of revolutionary action. The party in general not only has the frame not broken or disrupted by abrupt and disorienting changes, Political Issues Injected recently in the union. Berrong up and slander as deadly to the for adequate relief including United action by employed presupposes not only continuity of tradition and a systematic right, therefore, to organize the discussion in accordance with By Stalinists Cause the requirements of the situation, but the lower units of the development of party policy, but also the continuity of leaderdisobeyed; the few cars that went In asserting that the Stalinists Working.
supplementary relief for those ship. It is an important sign of a serious and firmly constituted party must be given the right, in the interests of the struggle Threat of Bolt out were ordered back by other are striving whole heartedly for party, of a party really engaged in productive work in the class against the disruption and disorganization of the party work, strugglé, that it throws up, out of its ranks, cadres of more to call irresponsible elements to order and, if need be, to cject Broun shows that it is he who DENVER Local 209, Ameri again Tuesday evening.
cr less able leading comrades, tested for their qualities of en them from the ranks.
Whereupon Berrong yielded to is behind in his homework, not durance and trustworthiness, and that it thus insures a certain The decisions of the national party convention are binding ean Federation of Teachers, faces the extent of convoking a mem Professor Dewey. Part of the stability and continuity of leadership by such a cadre.
on all party members without exception and they conclude the a crisis that may result in near: bership meeting. But what a public oath which all members Continuity of leadership does not, however, signify the auto discussion on all those disputed questions upon which a decision twenty two founders of the local. part of the men, with speakers quired to take is to drive the matic self perpetuation of leadership. Constant renewal of its has been taken. Any party member violating the decisions of the (Continued from page 1) ranks by means of auditions and, when necessary, replacements, convention, or attempting to revive discussion in regard to them than a year effort to work with Jimited only to those who support Lovestoncites out of the labor is the only assurance that the party has, that its leadership will without formal authorization of the party, puts himself thereby Stalinist majority in control of himself speaking twice and using Trotskyites out of the labor mo Bulletin reveal that they have at not succumb to the effects of dry rot, that it will not be burden in opposition to the party and forfeits his right to membership.
the local, this large minority has all the authority of the interna vement.
ed with deadwoed, that it will avoid the corrosion of conservat All party organizations are authorized and instructed to take decided to demand from the national union to ram it down their (alias Rous. the actual assassin tional headquarters a charter for throats, the agreement went any measures necessary to enforce this rule.
ism and dilettantism, that it will not be the object of conflict Stalinists Real Aim of Reiss, had also been chosen to a local separate from the e Stalin For the time through 754 167.
cago University: Alvin Jobuson, ist majority, threatening to leave the Federation if this is denied.
head of the New School for So.
Two Other Strikes opposes the Communist Party on selves merely to pointing out Local 203 was founded about important measures is labelled a that among Rossi belongings cial Research; Sidney Hook of seven years ago by teachers of living evidence to the street car independent thinking union mem items: a map of Mexico city and Two strikes still going on are Trotskyite, this means that every were discovered the Fight To Keep Hiring Hall New York University; and Paul following Brissenden of Columbia Univertrades and mechanical arts in the men how strikes can be carried ber or leader is slated for rail its suburbs: a street directory of sity.
Denver public school system. on under progressive leaders. Yoading as soon as the Stalinists Mexico City; a map of Mexico; SAN PEDRO, Cal. Securing Telegrams and communications Practically all the union members 450 cab drivers have the town feel strong enough to get away a number of American addresses the support of most of the mari. were read from a number of (Continued from page 1)
Among other members of the Non Partisan Committee for the at that time, and for several years shut tight, holding out for a 24 with it.
subsequent, were members of the weekly guaranteed wage minimand, most important of all, a time unions on the Pacific Coast, unions, including one by Wash. and John Bernard of Defense of Fred Beal are AlIt requires considerable cheek duplicate of Rossi application San Pedro longshoremen are Malone, recently elected officer Eveleth, Minn.
fred Bingham, Marion unions in the trades in which um instead of the purely com for Heywood Broun to ask to the Mexican consulate for a threatening a stoppage of work oficine Marinet Pivotne seronok they had worked before entering mission system. The Clark Wood whether Professor Dewey e visa to Mexico.
Burroughs, Abraham Cahan, Among the outstanding weiter Calverton, Richard Cox, if a receiver recently appointed voicing solidarity with the long now in the defense group are Zara DuPont, Abraham Epstein, the teaching field.
enware Manufacturing Company riously means to contend that (For further details on the by Judge Reubin Schmidt of the shoremen.
Ferdinand Lundberg, author of Morris Feinstone, Bejamin GitAbuses and Violations tried to hire strikebreakers among certain workers should be bur Reiss murder see Soviet Union Los Angeles Superior Court is the national guardsmen, but red from union membership be Notes by John Wright on ordered to take control of the Backs Dockers America Sixty Families. Ed low, Rubin Guskin, Elizabeth few years ago the Stalinists quick action by Furniture Work cause of their political or eco Page mund Wilson, one of the leading Gilman, Jed Harris, Hazel Hawbegan to throw all the strength ers Local 1859 exposed the secret nomic views. This is precisely union hiring hall.
The San Pedro Local of the literary crities; Hendrik Willem thorne, John Herling, Frank they could muster into Local 203, preparations. The plant is shut the view of the Communist Party, In an action brought by a few Sailor Union of the Pacific is Van Loon, author of The Arts 4) The resolution of the Cen members of the International sued a leaflet declaring: and then by virtue of their nu tight, and will stay so until Clark as the above cited slogans prove trai Labor Council of San Fran Longshoremen Association 38Hill, Jacob Hillquit, Gail Hillson, John Chamberlain, author and merical majority began a long provides a cent hourly increase Before Heywood Broun under. cisco, condemning the Stalinists incremer of who are 19 passed motion, the nation Assignment in Utopia. Sidney Longshoremen! By unanimous critic: Eugene Lyons, author of John Haynes Holmes, Harry series of abuses and violations for all workers and a 50 cent takes to whitewash the role of for attempted frame up tactics. endeavoring to prevent the major. Union last night declared their Howard, John Dos Passos, James Bertha Mailly, Charles zanne LaFollette, Pierte Loving: of all sane principles of trade hourly minimum for beginners. the Stalinists in the labor move (5) The Communist Party ity of members of the unlon from support of bona fide San Pedro Farrell, Rose Wilder Lane, muth, Muste, Liston Oak, unionism. They used their major. Firm Jeadership has carried these ment, let him explain the follow campaign against Homer Martin joining the International Long longshoremen. We intend to sup. Werner, Lincoln Colcord, Meyer Schapiro, Anna Shapiro, ity to appropriate all the offices workers to victory in previous ing: and the Lovestoneites in the shoremen and Warehousemen port fully your right conduct Helen Woodward, Ludwig Lore Samuel Shore, Clara Stillman, of the union. At every opportu strikes and will undoubtedly do Auto Workers Union, nity they used the union as a so again. Here is a lesson and Explain All This Union (C. Judge Schmidt your hiring hall as the majority and James Rorty.
front to carry forward the poli example for the street car strikThese are only some of the rendered a decision appointing a of you see fit, regardless of Educators of national import Benjamin Stollberg, Norman tical program and to advance the ers. 1) The attempt of the Daily more outstanding incidents. I, for receiver to take control of the whether you choose the of ance active in the defense include Thomas, Cario Tresca, Harry activities of the Communist ParWorker to smear Minneapolis mne, am in favor of Broun sug: incorporated union and its hiring or independence. We Prof. Paul Douglas of Chi Weinberger and others.
their The older members of the trade unionists of Local 544 by gestion that a neutral group of hall and enjoirling the officers do not make a fetish of name, unión, they set up innumerable Teachers Union by this time practically charging them with investigators be called together of the union from causing its nor worship at the shrine of San Pedro Branch, February 1, ANNOUNCEMENTS gain a foot hold in labor assem and rebellious. Dissatisfied with of Patrick Corcoran, on the Party works for unity in the la or from using union funds to hiring is control of the Union. In this critical situation the Llies by electing only their own the results of negotiations with ground of their alleged Trotsky bor movement. Things have come assist the organization of the When control of your hiring hall Harry Bridges leadership is at members as delegates from the the national office, they now ist sympathies.
to such a pass that it is impossible, Insertions in this column are 25 Tenchers Union.
seem determined to stand firm in (2) The use of phony affidavits to expose the nefarious tacties Protest Meeting Held and against the wishes of the adopt a militant policy. It must their demand for a break with by West Coast Stalinists in the of the Communist Party without rank and file, your interest will be made clear that for them the in at the APPEAL office before six By their maneuvering, the the Stalinists. They insist that. to prove that Meyer Broun, its unofficial trouble.
o clock Monday evening.
Stalinists succeeded in securing they be allowed to function un Lewis, of representative, shooter, crying red baiting.
Upon announcement of this de not, be served. The Sailor Union stake is not the issue of work. POLISH WORKERS CLUB dance for their members and stooges der a different charter, or they had hired Bell to kill Harry If the Stalinists are red, then for the cessation of all work in and for the interest of sailors of their own dominant position in headquarters, 78 st marks teaching posts in the Denver La will withdraw completely from Bridges, despite the wire sent Roosevelt it a Trotskyist. If Hey the harbor as a protest and held but, also, for the interest of all the The whole StalinSaturday, Feb. 26. 8:30 PM bor College, an institution en the union.
25 cents dorsed and supported by the fortunate that this disruptive director of the warning hue and cry of the Communist agreed to call a strike if the re betray our trust!
It is extremely un. them by George Cole, regional wood Broun sees fit to join the a mass meeting at which the men maritime workers. We will not ist line in the past period of WILLIAMSBURG SOCIAL, at the new headquarters, 138 LAW creating a lock out scare every Denver Trades and Labor As and domineering course of the that Bell was unreliable and no Party against Homer Martin, a ceiver actually took office.
sembly. As a result of carrying Stalinist majority has brought good.
Solidarity Stressed leader, why is it forbidtime the longshoremen had to Dancers and Refreshments, sat: their methods into the Labor about a situation of split and The longshoremen protested act in support of workers in other February 26 (3) The resolution of the Sail den to criticize, on the basis of the court interference in College, they found themselves weakness at the very time when ors Union of the Pacific, condemn authentic evidence, the machina internal affairs of the union and fought shoulder to shoulder is acting as a boomerang. For Sailors and longshoromen sections of the maritime industry, removed as teachers, and in re, the crying need of the organiza ing the Western Worker and the tions of those stalinists in the declared that rather than sub against the common cnemy in a victory against the courts and WANT ADS school, at which leading officials to drive to reducnto the vast sertions of gangsterism against the Communist Party and not to small minority, assisted by aditions resulted from such solid: imperative. The revival of milit. ROOM WANTED. Young man would tallation instituted workers tion in this part of the country Communist Party for libeldus as whose first loyalty is to mit to a decision permitting a many battles. Our bettered con the shipowners, militant action is of the Communist Party taught majority of teachers to the ele its leaders and authorizing legal labor. the new Stalinist line in classes mentary necessity of trade union action for criminal mót against can like to share room Audiment SIDNEY HOOK, rights they would go out on more than ever on this solidarity. take place only in conflict with variously designated organization, the Western Worker. Write SML in care of The Jan. 12. 1938.
strike. Sailor Union of the Pacific, the Stalinist policy.
SOCIALIST APPEAL Denver Teachers Face Union Split barns The city was tied up there anumite we chatboten Swiss Tribunal Convicts GPU Since in effect anybody who being, the editors confine them San Pedro Longshoremen Beal Defense Wins Strong Supporters Avenue, Brooklyn. Famous Reci