UNITE AGAINST HAGUE!
Form Workers Defense Committees. Leon Trotsky Challenges British Labor Party On Oil Land Expropriation SOCIALIST APPEAL May 14, 1988.
unions from external assault by the Socialist Appeal bosses or internal disruption by the StaVol. II. No. 20. Saturday, May 14, 1938 linists. Properly speaking, these are two Published every week by the sides of the same task.
SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASS The second is an even more immediate at 116 University Place, New York, and pressing problem than the first. The An Editorial Telephone: National Office: Algonquin 8547 Stalinists are a greater danger to the Subscriptions: 00 per year; 00 for trade union movement than all the The struggle now raging between gangster Defense. Its president, Marcantonio, took public mayor Hague and the people of New Jersey months. Foreign: 50 per year. Bundle order (The following letter was juridical side. The executive responsiblity for calling off the meeting. In bosses precisely because they attack for the restitution of their democratic rights cents per copy. Single copies cents. from within. They sail under false colors the face of a reactionary threat, the Stalinist sent by Leon Trotsky to the committee of your party would, All checks and money orders should be made has tremendous significance for every American leadership cravenly crawled on its bellies and London Daily Herald on the created a special commission for in order to deceive and befuddle the worker.
out to the Socialist Appeal.
surrendered without a fight.
workers. They disrupt the unions with subject of the British go studying what British, and in Not in isolated Harlan County or in rural Instead of going forward to meet the gangEntered as second class matter September hypocritical cries for unity. They California, but in the industrial appendage of ster army, they retreated before the Jersey vernment demand for re general foreign, capital has contributed to Mexico and what it 1937 at the post office at New York, New York, preach solidarity only in order to beNew York itself, a petty boss has established Hitler just as the German Stalinist leaders, turn of the oil property of has extracted. Such a commission under the Act of March 3, 1879.
tray the workers more effectively. Sta a dictatorial, anti labor regime. The elementary despite the great labor organizations behind the Mexican Eagle Oil Co. could within a short period preMAX SHACHTMAN linism is the worst and most destructive rights of free speech and free assembly have them, succumbed to the Nazi battalions. recently expropriated by sent to the British public the Editor.
disease of the labor movement of the been nullified for every critic of Hague; arSURRENDER WITHOUT BATTLE the Cardenas administra stunning balance of imperialist HAROLD ROBERTS bitrary arrests and illegal jail sentences meted FRANK GRAVES world. Stalinism is deception, disruption Associate Editors.
out to them by his judicial servants; The liberal generals talked more belligerentLion. Ed. Robber Clique STANLEY and treachery organized and subsidized The Editor, Jabor unions placed under a ban. This is the ly but acted no less spinelessly than their Staon an international scale. It is high time way Fascism begins!
Business Manager.
Daily Herald, small clique of foreign maglinist comrades in chief. O, there never was a The insolent defiance and repeated provocato diagnose this disease and quarantine nates, in the full sense of the London.
braver crew than these liberal Congressmen, Dear Sir: word, pumps out the living sap the labor movement against it.
tions of the Jersey despot have aroused every they marched right down from Washington and Unite Against militant element in the labor movement against In the vocabulary of all civiliz of Mexico as well as of a series marched right back again.
him.
ed nations there exists the word, of other backward or weak counUnion Wreckers!
The Stalinists were able to plead the desire cynicism. As a classic example tries. The solemn speeches about The Sheriff Knocks HAGUE GETS AWAY WITH IT to avoid personal danger as a pretext for their of brazen cynicism, the British foreign capital contributing ci(Continued from page 1)
After a week of intense excitement, Hague e mai nadiennomy operates they and their friends her ernment defense cathe in the case of copment of nationting. com In that case, you can be sure they will For a long time the Stalinist slander foes went forth to challenge him on Saturday out the workers of Jersey City in a counterexploiters should be introduced nomy and so forth, are the sheer.
soon find out what disruptive factionalmachine, with the estimable Daily Work at a public meeting. Both sides understood the demonstrat against the Jersey Hitler into all encyclopedias. am there est Pharisnism. The question, er in the lead, has felt free to exercise, importance of the occasion. Hague mobilized ism really means.
forces.
foro not mistaken if say that in actuality, concerns plundering without fear of punitive consequences, his whole reactionary army in Journal Square. Representative Connell insisted that he and voice of the British Labor Party try. Nature required many milThe National Maritime Union, raised its democratic prerogative to indulge The liberal New York Post said in its lead Bernard were only beating a strategic retreat regarding the scandalous role of lions of years in order to deposit up through heroic struggles of militant in the most poisonous calumny of its ing editorial that morning: The entire country in preparation for a new offensive when the British diplomacy in the question gold, silver, and oil in the suband self sacrificing seamen, gives the political opponents and of all and sundry is watching the proposed civil liberties mass organization of the masses has been brought of the expropriation of the Eagle soil of Mexico. The foreign immeeting this evening and will know whom to joint stock oil company latest example and warning of what Staabout.
who in any way incur the wrath or disblame if Boss Hague carries out the violent riches in the shortest possible Jinite domination of a union really pleasure of the Communist Party chiefHe should be forced to make good his words. Mexican government by the perialists wish to plunder these threats of his underlings. The deportation The unions, directly endangered by The juridical side of the ques time, making use of cheap labor means. servile belly crawling attitude tains.
of Norman Thomas last week has created a Hague dictatorship, ought to invite him to tion is clear to a child. With the power and the protection of their toward the bosses; the signing of agreesituation in which American citizens must either come to Jersey City and speak under their wealth of Mexico, On May 3, Supreme Court Justice aim of exploiting the natural diplomacy and their fleet.
the British ments which shame the labor movement; insist on civil liberties in Jersey City or Picture of Oilfields auspices. He will need protection. The organizMeier Steinbrink awarded 25, 000 capitalists placed themselves an internal regime of bureaucratic terknuckle under for good to Jersey City arro ed workers of the region and their friends can under the protection and at the Visit any center of the mining ror and expulsions; the factional exdamages against the Daily Worker to gant dictator. Nothing succeeds like success furnish it to them in the same way that they same time under the control of industry: hundreds of millions ploitation of the union for every twist Mrs. Edith Liggett of Brooklyn in a libel and if Mayor Hague gets away with the have protected themselves against scabs and Mexican laws and the Mexican of dollars, extracted by foreign and turn of Communist Party politics, suit which the Stalinist scandal sheet warning uttered by Governor Moore secretary police in their recent strike struggles. authorities. No one compelled capital from the earth, have givdeemed it unwise to defend. The Daily that eight hundred men with sections of rubber that is what Stalinite domination of a Enough of begging Roosevelt to proceed Messrs. Capitalists to do this en nothing, nothing whatever Worker, in its well known style, had re hose will prevent a meeting, other tinpot die against one of the national vice chairmen of through diplomatie notes. They neither highways nor buildings either by military force or to the culture of the country: union means, as the latest example of ferred to Mrs. Liggett and her husband tators will be encouraged to do likewise.
the National Maritime Union again de(the late Walter Liggett, murdered What happened? Hague got away with it! uses the Federal patronage (relief, etc. fur consciously. Now Mr. Chamber cities. Even the premises of the monstrates.
Without a fight he chalked up a complete vie.
Minneapolis editor) as enemies of the nished him by the Roosevelt administration to tory.
lain and Lord Halifax wish to companies themselves often reNo, the militant and progressive mem labor movement.
force the unemployed to do his will!
force mankind into believing that semble barracks. Why, indeed, Why was Hague permitted to get away with Let the workers rely upon their own strength the British capitalists have should one spend Mexican oil, bers in the must give a different The fact that the Stalinists did not it? Who was responsible for the fiasco? What and their own independent action. Let them pledged themselves to recognize Mexican gold, Mexican silver on and more responsible answer to the Stadefend the suit speaks for itself. Now must be done to get rid of this menace? These defend themselves with all the means at their Mexican laws only within those the needs of far away and alien linite drive for control of their union.
that they are to pay, and pay heavily, are questions every worker and every radical disposal.
limits where they find it neces Mexico when with the profits ob They cannot stand as neutrals on the ought to ask himself. His life and liberties The militant and forthright action of the sary. Moreover, it accidentally tained it is possible to build sideline of the struggle either. If the for the privilege of slander, they may depend upon a correct answer to them.
employed and unemployed workers of Jersey occurs that the completely im palaces, museums, theatres in feel constrained to tread more warily in militants in the auto union want to save The arrangements for the demonstration were partial interpretation of the London or in Monaco. Such are City alone can unseat the Hague regime and the future. They have already another Mexican laws by Chamberlain the civilizers! In the place of his.
their organization from such a fate, they in charge of the Stalinist International Labor wipe that black spot off the political map.
libel suit on their hands, the action Halifax coincides exactly with torical riches they leave shafts in need an active policy now in the present the interpretation of the interest the Mexican soil and ill health critical situation. That policy can only brought by Local 544 of the Teamsters ed capitalists.
among the Mexican workers.
Union in Minneapolis, which is claiming Inside the Painters Union The notes of the British gobe the broadest united front in the union substantial damages against the Daily Imperialist Cynicism vernment refer to international against a disruptive alien force. This is Worker for libelling both the union and The British government can law. Even irony powerlessly just as logical and just as necessary as its officials. This suit is expected to be not, however, deny that only the drops its hands in face of this solidarity on the picket line against a Mexican government and the argument. About what kind of gang of scabs trying to break a strike.
heard in the near future.
Supreme Court of the country international Inw are we talking. At bottom it is the same thing. And that The results of this suit cannot, of are competent to interpret the Evidently about the law which is what it has already come to on the course, be foretold as yet. But the deciWest Coast waterfront.
sion in the Liggett case is an indication In our first article we gabized racketeering to illicit tirely and always in conflict with who nourishes warms sympathies which the British government of what may be expected when the progave a picture of conditions business. unionism was but a the profit greedy boas class; SUPPORT MARTIN The knowledge that their the Mexican laws and courts may tion. Evidently about that same fessional slanderers are compelled to in the painting industry, in short step.
only safety lies in reliance on seem unjust. But who gave the law which the airplanes and Graft Flourished British government the right to tanks of Mussolini and Hitler are The policy here recommended does not their own organized strength; confront those whom they have sland the past as well as in the The determination present.
imply extensive negotiations over quesJust as graft and racketeering ered.
con control the inner politics and already announcing in Spain for tions of program, etc. It does not necesAs our readers know, the Stalinist conditions come about. How did these terrible flourished in municipal govern duet a militant struggle for the legal procedure of an independent the second year with the British ment under the reign of Tam maintenance of union standards; state? This question already con government invariable support.
sitate formal agreements of any kind. The organization of the un tains part of the answer the The latter held endless conversaThe most important facts are already press here is like its kin everywhere. Where was the union and these same vices grew into bloom organized in the alteration and to commande hundreds millions foreign volunteers from Spain.
known, and the duty of responsible About a year or so ago, the leader of the British trade unions, Walter Citrine, was its leaders? What did they in New York building trades maintenance fields; The re establishment of de slaves, is trying to fit those same of colonial slaves and semi Spain and Mexico militants is clear. In the crisis provoked given a favorable verdict against the do to prevent such a mess? under the rule of Czar Brindel, Tammany ally in the local labor mocracy in the union, cleaning methods also to Mexico. Having by the Stalinite bid for power, the militNaive public opinion long slanderers of the London Daily Worker. If they did nothing. why movement. Prohibition had rais out the gangster elements. encountered courageous resist thought this meant the halting ants have no choice but to support the Shortly after the Radek Pyatakov trial not? What is the present the status of a big business conDual Tacties of ance, it instructs its lawyers of intervention by the foreign Martin administration as against the hurriedly to invent arguments in fascist bandits. Actually the in Moscow, the Prague courts compelled union administration doing cern. Gangsters like Legs DiaStalinite. Frankensteen combination.
The task of the progressives which juridical logic is replaced British government demanded of And this support should be given openly, the official Stalinist rag in Czechoslo to help the painter out of mond and DutchSchultz.
tee. was made extremely difficult by by imperialist cynicism. Mussolini only one thing: that frankly and aggressively.
vakia to make a public retraction of its his fix? What can be done? came heads of tremendous inter the dual union policies of the calumnious statement that the German The economic and social side he remove his armies from Spain These are questions every ing. Through the bus that period. The latter split the locking directorates of racketeerStalinists (Communist Party) in of the problem is as clear as its only after he guaranteed the victory of Franco. In this case, To be sure, the progressive and milit Fourth Internationalist emigre, Erich painter should ask himself. of racketeering made by progressive forces, withdrawing as in all others, the problem conant forces in the have grievances, Wollenberg, was a Gestapo agent. And An understanding of the Brindel and his crowd, these big a good section of them for the defeat of the Zausner administra sisted not in defending inter and serious grievances, against the only a few weeks ago, the French courts answers that such questions their entry into the labor move Painters Union. The Stalinist national law or democracy Martin administration. We have spoken decided in favor of the libel action call for, is the first step to ment. When prohibition was rebut in safeguarding the interests Stalinists Change of them before and will speak of them brought by the Menshevik emigre of British capitalists in the finding a way out of the pealed in 1938, they shifted their based on the conception of the again. am not suggesting that these Theodore Dan, whom the Stalinist organ, troubles the painters are fields one triedes mapenexclus. Communist Party at that time from Moscow, had changed its possible attempts on the part of The Stalinist party, on orders Spanish mining industry from criticisms be muffled or put de. On the faced with contrary, it is seasonable even now to agent, associated with the other fascist Thus, when the economic crisis that all of unions were line just about at the same company unions, did untold time. From the extremism of the In Mexico, the British governbroke and burst the bubble of point out that the opportunist policies spies who were tried in Moscow frame shall try to find some of building trades unions were left progressives.
In the following lines 106 prosperity, the leadership of the damage to the struggle of the period between 1929 to 1934 ment carries on basically the and bureaucratic practices of Martin ups.
when they preached that John same politics as in Spain pashave alienated many of the best fighters these answers.
They carried their destructive Lewis, William Green, Roosesively in relation to Spain, actinot only without plan or perdual union tacties so far as to velt and Norman Thomas were vely in Mexico. We are now The Stalinist liars, pilloried in public. in the ranks and made them easy victims of the Stalinist demagogy.
are finding their profession a very costly World War, the apparent stabil poison of racketeering and gang Brotherhood in the general company unions; when they development? No one can get Wonia the boom days after the thoroughly infected with the actually scab on jobs struck by all Fascists; when they maintain witnessing the first steps of this of the ed that all official unions were activity. What will be its further one.
But even in criticism it is necessary rise to many illusions widespread gravated the already bad straits ity of the capitalist system gave sterism. This situation only a strikes of 1933 and 1934 when predicted that the struggle for foretell. Chamberlain himself to respect proportions and concrete in their influence. Prosperity the union men found themselves the bosses tried to take advant the streets and the proletarian does not yet know. One thing circumstances. The under the the professors of economics and in, due to depression.
Lifeguards of Capital the highly paid journalistic apo Martin leadership remains, by compariunion brought about by the de corner the international Stalin the further development of the logists for the profit system told Kick backs Paid pression and by gangsterism. machine swung around to the attempts of British imperialism son, the most progressive of the The following letter appeared May 10 us was here to stay. The difThe few Stalinists, like Louis opposite form of extremism: Mexico will to a great degree de unions and by far the most democratic. in the correspondence column of the evenees. thetweenia, bosses formed and file painters who still ma einbrotherhood. served like to have over of the country; Lewis and end upon the conducter of this The victory of the Stalinists would Stalinist Daily Worker, without editorial being wiped out the whole naged to get day work here millstone around the neck of Green were now to be brothers impossible to evade the issue by swiftly put an end to all that. You have comment: American population was deve and there had to pay a heavy the progressives because of their and Norman Thomas only to look around a bit to see what Editor, loping into one single class the tribute in kick back and other half concealed sponsorship of andrade; the proletarian revolution resort to indefinite formulas.
happens to a union that falls into the class of profit sharing stock graft to the machine run by the their apologetics for the scabby was now pipe dream of the Firm resoluteness is necessary to hands of the Stalinists and their stooges Daily Worker: Long famous slogan with under the Zuusner administra old line administration and its thing now was to build a finish as began world publie The writer is certainly glad to see that imperialist violence. therefore and bribed agents. To prevent that haption in District Council No. gangster allies could maintain People Front or a Democthere are a few newspapers in this great Slogan of their own: Every Most of the painters naturally themselves in power as long as ratie Front with Roosevelt, La opinion awaits the firm Voice of pening is the first task, and one that Man a Capitalist.
country that will continue to uphold the cannot be postponed.
The entire officialdom of the together, with not a word of hope licies of the Stalinists.
the British Labor Party!
found themselves out of jobs al they did only thanks to the po Guardia et al.
hands of President Roosevelt, and if half American Federation of Labor, from the union leadership.
Overnight the order came to TROTSKY.
IN OTHER UNIONS of those who are knocking and trying marching in the tow of the boss The crisis had, in the mean liquidate the Alteration to tear down would join those of us who Coyoacan; The same problem confronts the militcompers mulle ewales completely had been fighting gangsterism municipal politics.
The big New members to join the Brotherhood.
ants in numerous other organizations at are trying to save the economic system filled with this false capitalist and who had forewarned against York capitalists who, for years, April, 1938.
With the groundworks doreweryP. Several imperialist the present moment. As this is being or at least make it work, we would be way of thinking and with this the illusions of prosperity, had looked on tolerantly upon the LAGuardia and written the convention of the pocket sure to avoid what is happening in Eu phoney optimism. The labor slowly began to raise their heads. extravagant graft grabbed up by the Stalinist machine in the rope.
book makers is split in two; Stalinists me. as the initiator skates in every of union Their long years of patient ex Jimmy Walker and the Tammany Painters Union, reinforced by the represents have attempted to (signed) John Lang.
went in for all kinds of get rich planation that capitalism, pro machine, began to be alarmed in recruits from the defunct Al of the expropriation. Such nonand gangsters combined to end factionquick schemes: labor banking, ducing not according to plan nor creasingly as their profits shrunk teration outfit, well organized sense does not even deserve realism. The West Coast sailors are fight Is it not high time that members of labor insurance, etc. Since wages on the basis of the needs of the Through their mouthpiece, Sa and financed, found it a fairly futation. I, a private person, ening it out with the Stalinists on the picket line to protect their closed shop agreethe Communist Party, who honestly be mostly those in the skilled crafts about crises and depressions was attack on Tammany which re the District Council when the country, have learned only from lieve they belong to an organization de. were fairly high and work borne out by events themselves. sulted in the victory of the La Za usner administration was out the papers all the stages of the ments. By and large the same policy is dicated to the overthrow of capitalism plentiful, they were able to hand The rank and file began to give Guardia Fusion ticket. LwGuared.
struggle of the foreign capitalists required everywhere. The class conscious and the establishment of a socialist somilitants, while insisting on their right ciety, took stock of their position? Is to the rank and fie, to a consideration for the workers against the pledged to protect the bosses in coming intom power, how they this was completely sufficient to of constructive criticism, must always able extent. In return, they re misery of capitalist crises and from the scourge of racketeer have given leadership to the form an opinion. To state this not high time for them to ask themselves ceived a free hand from the latter boss exploitation, the progresing, began the clean up which, union and how their policies opinion aloud is the elementary be ready for common action with all seriously in which direction they are for their legalized racketeer sives explained, was: aided by a press campaign, suc are made these questions will duty of every participant in the other bona fide unionists to defend the ing schemes their so called The realization that they are ceeded in ousting Lepke and serve as the basis for articles liberating struggle of the proreally going. business unionism. From le a class whose interests are en Gurrah and brought about the to come.
letariat. LT In the Grip of Racketeers