2.
SOCIALIST APPEAL OCTOBER 22, 1938 From Left Socialism To Bolshevism THE REVOLUTIONARY MARXIST PRESS Ten Year Record of Struggle and Progress tinues Appeal Army Kansas SOCIALIST APPEAL Vol. II No. 46 Saturday, October 22, 1938 Published every week by the By MARTIN ABERN SELLING THE SOCIALIST APPEAL sulted in suspension of the New SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION By ERNEST ERBER ciples, particularly the discussion On October 27, 1928, James Militant; but soon the revolutionat 116 University Place, New York, National Chairman, on the road to power. Cannon, Martin Abern and Max ists found a press to express Telephone: National Office: Algonquin 8547 By the end of 1935 the Milit Shachtman were expelled from their views. Uulizing the Socialist The revolutionary party must ants had gone a long way in the Communist Party of the UnitAppeal, printed organ 18Subscriptions: be attracting to itself all the best political development. Only a fooled States, by the latter Censued in the by Albert 00 per year; 00 for six months. Foreign: 50 per year.
in the movements around it. Len could fail to see that their cohab tral Executive Committee at a Goldman, the left wing forces Bundle order, cents per copy. Single copics cents.
in pointed out to the foreign itation under one roof wit the Plenary Session, for espousing the soon developed the Appeal into a All checks and money orders should be made out to the communists at the time of the Old Guard was no longer pos platform of the then Russian Opmonthly magazine. year ago Socialist Appeal founding of the Communist Insible. Marxists were forced to ask position led by Trotsky the Appeal was converted into a ternational that Bolshevism dia themselves where this potentially simultaneously. Maurice Spector weekly newspaper and as the of Untered as second class matter September 1, 1937, at the post not only develop by disagree revolutionary force in the was expelled by the Canadian ficial organ of the it con office at New York, NY. under the Act of March 3, 1879.
ments and splits but that Bola would go. With the Seventh Con evolutionary tradeshevism had proved a unit, it gress of the in the summer Anticipating the bureaucratic tions on the Militant and Fiew MAX SHACHTMAN, Editor had drawn to itself all that was of 1935 and the shedding of the action of the Foster BrowderMilitant HAROLD ROBERTS GEORGE CLARKE best among the currents of so third period idiocies, there was Lovestone Communist Party leadEvents of a Decade Associate Editors clallst thought close to it.
a possibility that the Stalinists ership. we made swift preparaOur press has recorded through STANLEY, Business Manager The Bolshevik core that would intervene the revolutions present our case to the this historic decade of 1928 1988 emerged from the corrupted body tionary development of the P: Communist Party ranks and to all the significant events of the of the Communist Party of the and draw off the bulk of the left the working class, and two weeks period and has truly offered guidU. to found the Left Opposition wing, later, on November 15, 1928, there ance to the revolutionary forces had its share of conflicts in appeared The Militant, published and the labor movement generthe last ten years. Its break Entry of Workers Party as the organ of the Opposition ally in all fields. few of these with fellow travellers of the The leadership of the Workers Group in the Communist Party major events which, by the way, moment like Ludwig Lore and Party, sensitive to the changing 5, 000 copies were printed and dis.
also definitely record stages In Best Issue of Appeal Yet!
Louis Budenz and with die hard Currents about thema reacted to tributed widely in New York and development and attitude of our sectarians like Oehler and Field this new situation by proposing throughout the United States.
St. Louis own organization were: the de From every viewpoint this issue are described elsewhere. But like the entry of the Trotskyites inOnly a Handful cline of Bolshevism and the rise of the Appeal, celebrating the Chicago a Bolshevik tendency that knows to the Socialist Party. This bold Minneapolis of Stalinism in Russia: the 10th anniversary of our move Hard labor, as never before or how to swim against the current step was taken in the spring of since, went into the publication Vashington, events in Germany the develop ment in America and the foundwithout bowing its head, the 1936 and, not accidentally, coin of the semi monthly Militant.
Texas ment of German Fascism; the ing of the Fourth International. Trotskyite movement drew to cided with the departure of the There were at the beginning but struggles in France: the rise and is the best we have published! In Connecticut itself all that was best in the Old Guard at the national conNew York State current of socialist thought close vention in May.
a handful of comrades to publish, fall of Popular Frontism: the de size, content and significance it Newark distribute and sell the paper. Revelopments in Spain before and surpasses all others and is some to it.
Even before the final split with sources were slim, but the communist League to rally. But, as bloody purges of Stalinism can during the civil war prosper. thing our movement will long be Total Merger with the Old Guara, political differ. radet rallying to the opposition evidencies to the opere concommerce contoh destroy they sty and the economic and social proud of. Thousands of extra cop ties official Commu belong to us, to history and hu crisis. entiations were taking place in Group in the various cities were the movement circulated all over the country on We want to report that we re Workers Party not only strength wing under Altman played the The merger with the American the Militants group. right intensely devoted to its cause nist Party, we began the publice manity future forever. There foundation of the the basis of orders sent in ad now getting a much higher per tion in The Militant of the thesis by, to quote a phrase of Trotsky ened the movement by adding ex role of obscuring the political naof the former Minority (Cannon great vistas for Marxism were Fourth International, and 30vance. We urge comrades and centage of renewals on subscripperlenced cadres of militants who Foster bloc) in the Communist opened.
ture of the struggle and re echoforth at great length. All this friends to send in their comments tions that have expired than ever Party, entitled The Crisis in the The New International had proven their mettle in the ing the political line of the Stalforms part of the record of our section of these remarks next use the lists that we send to on this issue we ll print a cross before. Branches must be sure to struggle, but also gave the move inists, even to opposing the entry Communist Party of the United From the preparations and press.
ment some valuable lessons in of the Workers Party. The groupStates, directed against the foregoing achievements (weekly them once a month.
One must mention, too, if only week and the week after.
Militant; our printing plant; Plo in word, that the youth moveLovestone Wolfe majority.
One matter, however, having the realm of working with and ing opposed to Altman was com.
Here the list of new and inassimilating elements who were posed of Party groups in New But more important, The Mil neer Publishers) flowed later and ment managed to issue Young ter of finances. This issue was, it (1) Lyric News Shop. Indiana, to do with the ever present mat. creased bundle orders: approaching revolutionary po York and Chicago and the majorsition through the experiences of ity of the The publicaform of the now famous and his and necessity for our movement: thereby laying a sound founda socs without saying, a heavy Ind. taking per week, life in another tendency. These tion of the Socialist Appeal in toric Criticism of the Draft Pro namely, the publication of The Lion for the mass movement of drain on our exchequer! Only the (2) John Murphy of Los Angel.
lessons proved Invaluable during Chicago under the editorship of gram of the Communist Interna New International magazine, our youth which our Youth organiza in New York City enabled 118 to from weel to week and really the next great strategic turn un Albert Goldman resulted in a tional by Trotsky, a copy theoretical organ, regarded today tion must and can build.
dertaken by the movement.
go through with it. At the end of doing a splendid Appeal job is clarification among the left wing of which had been smuggled out as pre eminent in the field of of Russia after the Sixth Con Marxism throughout the world.
Building the Press this week, we are sending out to now taking 185 copies.
This turn, the entry into the Militants and the beginning of were con sress of the Communist Interna Here too skeptics Socialist Party, was necessitated a separation between those genuIt is not necessary to dilate in all branches and agents the reg. 3) Leonard of Boston is tional through Comrades Cannon founded. monthly 36 page mag. florid and many words the simple ular financial statement of their back in the running again and by the whole course of developinely concerned with the build.
and Spector azine, with a two color cover, at lact: The press is our major or debt to the Appeal. We must have has added. to Boston order.
ment that followed the banking of a revolutionary party and With its publication, along with such a low price! Can be done. canlzer. By now this should be especially quick replies this time. 4) New Haven, Conn. is now ruptcy of the Communist Inter the centrists who followed the dissemination of the contents of You ll break your necks. But the ABC to every member of our We re doing our share by pro. taking 10 copies and promising to national under Stalin and the leadership of Herbert Zam and the Real Situation in Russia will found the way, and in July, organization, and each member viding you with numerous and add many ore in the near futask of merging the principles of Gus Tyler. the program of the Bolshevik 1984, the first issue of The New should put as a first task the excellent issues of the paper. Try ture.
the small Bolshevik vanguard with the leftward moving SoRevolutionists Unite Leninists in Russia and contain International appeared, first as a need to build and spread widely to clear up the entire back bill, if (5) new literature agent out ing also the sections on the falsif monthly, then as a bi monthly. It the circulation of all our press: possible, and we guarantee even in Columbus, Ohio. Charles cialist militants around them. As a result of the preparatory ication of the history of the Rus was discontinued two years later Socialist Appeal, The New Inter greater successes in the very Raven, has trebled the former That the appearance of a left work of the Socialist Appeal, a sian Revolution) the eyes of after June, 1936, while the Bol. national, Challenge, Pioneer Pub near future.
order and now taking 20 per wing in Social Democracy in the revolutionary nucleus was devel.
members of the and shevik Leninists endeavored to lisher pamphlets and books. Subscriptions: week.
post war era could only come as oped that readily merged with began to open and the Opposition function for a period in the So In this connection it may be the splendid pick up in new a result of the bankruptcy of the the Bolshevik current from the Group made headway very slowly cialist Party. With the formation well to point out on cach and renewed subs late Reminder No. 1: Communist parties was nowhere former Workers Party. These but steadily. Our forward march of the Socialist Workers Party, occasion when special cffort shown that it is really very casy Send in payments for the MARTIN ABERN better illustrating than in the native Socialists proved the was also made easier by the pub The New International recom was made with our press; when to get subs for the Appeal. Look World Congress issue right now! Beginning with 1919 and link by means of which increas: Business Mgr. New International lication of documents showing menced publication in January, issues and emergencies of great at New York City record for the Notice: the Because of the heavy costs ist Party passed through series Hists were drawn to the Fourth and displayed tremendous energy. the extreme Right Swing the 1938, and has appeared regularly significance arose and our move past few weeks! This has been month for ten months ment endevored to react in done solely on the basis of fol incurred in printing this issue of splits that drew from it vir Internationalist current until the and also pledged heavily of their Russian Party was then making each organized lowing up the special, anti war we are forced to cancel the ortually every single member who alarmed bureaucracy took steps financial resources to get out the rise of Kulak influences: slow straight. Its circulation is above stronger and better down of industrialization, 4, 000 (4, 300 in October. very fashion to them, our movement issues and getting subs from in iginally announced costs. ALL high for a theoretical organ and made big gains in prestige, and terested readers. We like to be copler (Including extras) will quit, including 95 percent of the the party. The dead hulk of the Sterism arose to prevent the sale etc. Campaign For the Weekly over twice the average circula politically and organizationally. averaging about 50 per week cost branches and literatureyouth movement. The strug today is visual evidence of and distribution of the Militant, On February 15, 1929, The Mil tion in the first period of the On three occasions in past years within a short time and there is agents se per copy. This cancels gled along as a slightly living the ability of the Bolshevik cur but this did not stop the growth Itant published the newly drafted magazine.
the weekly Militant or Appeal no reason why not. It easy to the former price of te for regcorpse from 1924 until 1929. It rent to draw the revolutionary and spread of the paper.
of Opposition The Socialist Appeal was transformed for brief periods get subs for the Appeal! ular bundle order coples and le consisted of grossly opportunist clements to itself.
In New York, Max Shachtman. Platform On few words, also, to fill in into a tri weekly. Those were on Here the list of subs that for extra copies. Remember! 3c Common principles and com Joe Carter, the present writer, Group. Discussions began.
ench copy of the 12 page issue.
and Reading, national language mon experiences have long ago and very soon more comrades, in May 17 19, 1929, the Chicago con briefly the course of the paper. the occasions of the rise to power came in last weck: Fusion of the and the of Hitler; the time of the hotel NEW YORK CITY. 18 groups held together on a cult obliterated all differences be cluding Italian and Hungarian vention of our forces convened, the Massachusetts historic Communist CLA into the Workers Party strike in New York, and only a Send all contributions and subs ural and social, rather than a poween former ers, and the groups which joined us, distribu. and the events in Illinois to: Ohic litical basis, and the Jewish Daily original Trotskylte core. Like ted the paper to newsstands, sold League of America was formed merely brought a change in the few weeks ago SOCIALIST APPEAL Forward with a treasury and the Bolshevik Party, we have ce them on the street corners and in another great milepost of our name of the paper from the Czechoslovakia, Those achievements show the Detroit.
116 University Place considerable influence in the New mented the revolutionary clem front of the Daily Worker office progress. But with the organiza weekly Militant to the New Milforces nationally, itant, continering previous revolu road the press must travel. For a tion of our Pennsylvania New York, York labor movement.
ents from diverse currents into and the Coop restaurant. there came greater ambitions and tionary policies. This was in De permanent, larger and more freMove Left with Depression one unit, prepared for ideological tant salesmen were slugged but immediate goals. The Semi. cember, 1934. Entry into the So quent Socialist Appeals for SOCIALIST APPEAL and NEW INTERNATIONAL struggle against our enemies on In Philadelphia, Chicago, Min. monthly Militant was being issued cialist Party later, in July, 1986, greater New International.
The crisis that began in 1929 BUILD THE PRESS: Can be obtained at the following Newsstands and the mans unemployment that the leadership of the American comrades Leon Goodman, Soline insufficient for our needs a greater scale the struggle for neapolis, Boston and other points, regularly, but was already prov. by the Workers Party forces reROCHESTER, ROXBURY, MASS spread over the country during 433 Clinton St.
the succeeding months, turned working class, Lankin, Morganstern, Arne After thorough deliberation, esANNOUNCEMENTS Friendly Variety, Warren St.
207 Clinton St. Grove Hall)
the attention of thousands, par Swabicck, Albert Glotzer, Oscar pecially consideration of small numerical forces and the 25 cents for five lines. Copy must Insertions in this column are Fascism Cor. Cumberland Clinton Sts.
Cor. East Ave. Chestnut St.
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana ticularly young workers and stu Convention lund. Dunne, Charlotte She financial strain it would mean, it be in at the APPEAL ofice beLyric News Shop dents without a future under capand Big Business cor. Main Clinton Sts.
115 Illinois Street italism, South Ave.
toward the Greetings for chet, Konikow, Schlossberg est decided nevertheless to con. fore o clock Monday evening.
political MINNEAPOLIS movements on the left. The hys and and duct By DANIEL GUERIN for a weekly Militant. The sum Reitman s, cor. Broad William Labor Book Store, 919 Marquette NEW YORK, NY teria of third period Commuset was 1, 500 an amount which Readers of the Socialist Ap joined in the Jimmie Higgins laLittman Shinder s, Sixth Hennepin; perte will be glad to learn that bor. and The Militant went would seem like a 25, 000 cam. VECHERINKA Saturday, Oct.
Price on Publication: 00 nism, with its almost daily adcor. Hawthorne Ave. Reeves Pl.
Kroman s, Fourth Nicollet.
venturistic demonstrations, marching on, despite all obsta its they can send si personal greetpaign now, considering the relecles.
29, P. at the home of Advance Orders: 50 PATERSON, ST. LOUIS MO.
disruptive role in the mass organings to the Tenth National ConFoster Book Company tive number of members and Nesson. 321 Second Ave. ar Guabello Stationery Store Circu izations, its theory of social fas of 3, Mail your order today.
sympathizers then and today.
lvd.
Socialist League, 410 Washington 317 Straight St.
ranged by the Friends of the cism and united front from beheld in Chicago during the Circulation varied during the Moreover, the campaign for a Russian Bulletin. Antoinette NEW HAVEN, Conn.
CLAYTON MO.
if memory weekly Militant was linked to the low, repulsed thousands of sin. Thanksgiving weekend. This carly months, but, Konikow of Boston will be the Pioneer Publishers Nodelman Newsstand, The Book Nook, PA Meramac serves rightly, cere young rebels and forced convention, designed to trans at least 3, 000 aim of purchasing our own printguest of the evening. We ll sing, Church St. bet. Chapel Center YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio them to look elsewhere for a form the into a fight copies were regularly printed. ing equipment. list, a linotypedance, cat and drink. Bring CHICAGO 100 Fifth Avenue means of expressing their revolt ing mass revolutionary youth Since the printing was done by a in order to ensure the weekly Nick s, Wick St. and Commerce your friends. 160 Wells, Rm. 308 New York Cor. 57th Blackstone SAN FRANCISCO against the chaos and misery organization, needs and de commercial printer, the cost was appearance. Despite initial doubts Cor. 12th Kedzie MacDonald Bookstore, 65 6th St.
about them. Beginning with 1930 serves the support of the readvery high; but the development and hesitation, the organization DEAR GERT: Meet me at the News, 37 Monrou Fillmore Bookstore ers of the Socialist Appeal.
people began flow Our sole means of financing of a pledge fund to sustain the as a whole swung into the camthese younist Party and our Convention will be the Ceshinsky Bookshop Upper West Side Sutter Fillmore Sts.
The Militant carried the paper paign with high morale and coning into the at 916 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
ALLENTOWN, PA the Young People Socialist magnificent two color printed LOS ANGELES through precarious weeks. fidence. Six months later we had Ninth Ave. 59th St. We have Zettlemeyer, 637 Hamilton St.
program book, dedicated to the League in increasing numbers Our Press unquestionably has our linotype machine. On Nov.
the latest recordings, the best TWO STUDY COURSES Otto Yost, 383 Hamilton St. 233Broadway. Room 312 drinks, and the most interest heroic martyrs of the Fourth been the chief instrument, above 30, 1929 the first issue of the Fundamentals of Socialism PHILADELPHIA The Old Guard of Social DeSmith News, 5th Main Sts.
any other human or physical weekly Militant appeared. Not ing games. Admission is only 1806 North Franklin St.
mocracy first welcomed these International (Klement, Sedoff, Modern Book Shop, 509 5th St. ww. Norris, Instructor Cor. 13th and Market Sta. Wolf, Reiss, Moulin and the medium, in the creation, main long afterward we secured a 25 cents Joe.
new recruits, naively believing Dear Joe: You bet ll be there. History of American Labor Shop, 2307 Cor. 11th and Market Sts. tenance them to be material for a rebirth hundreds of others who have and development of printing press and with the de Ave.
Gert.
laid down their lives in the 40th St. Girard Ave.
Movement Lessons of reformist Socialist Party, Candy Store, 2141 Brooklyn Ave.
what is now the Socialist Work voted aid of comrades and sym8th St. Arch St.
Felix Morrow, Instructor cipation of mankind. The dedi: ers Party and the Fourth Inter pathizers, the weekly continued Classes held every Monday eveThey soon discovered, however, QUAKERTOWN, Penna.
SAN DIEGO, Calif.
that these people had not reject cation article is written by Max ning beginning, Sept. 26, P. Esser Newsstand Universal News Co. 242 way cd revolutionary views when they Shachtman. Outstanding among an expression of the left wings to surmount tepeated crises and BIG CONVENTION afSweet Shop, 2026 Brooklyn Ave.
to appear regularly.
fair sponsored by the Hunter, Front West Broad Sts.
Pioneer Publishers Day and Washington passed up the but had mere the other features of the proposition movement in the official BOSTON, MASS.
AKRON, Ohio ly turned to the as a mogram book are greetings from Communist Party and Commu But the achievement of Heights Circles. Admission 20 SOCIALIST FORUM Andelman s, Tremont St. opp.
News Exchange, 51 Main St.
Leon cents. Cards Games Refresh Every Sunday at P. beginmentarily more convenient veCigar Store, next cor. Bartges Hotel Bradford)
own an aloi of nist International, but events dic weekly Militant and our Role ning Sept. 25. Dealing th curments Dancing. Oct. 22. P.
tated far reaching and deep going printing plant, small and crudely hicle for the free expression of of Revolutionary Youth, and CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Main St.
rent subjects of local, national Epstein, 63 Wadsworth Terrace changes to the point today of ircquipped as it was, both mechanFelix s, Massachusetts Ave. at these views OAKLAND, California greetings from our various secAve. way 7th Ave. to 191 St. and international interest. Good tions in Europe now engaged reconcilable opposition to all the ically and in labor power, meant Speakers.
Harvard Square 7th and Washington Conflict Takes Form LYNN, Mass.
political and organizational de even more for our organization in the daily life and death Socialist Workers Party Hall, 12th, bet. way Washington Central Sq. Rm. 12 Andrew Williams Market By 1932 the conflict had taken imperialist war.
struggic against fascism and generation of the Stalinist Par and movement. It made possible SOCIAL AND DANCE with 919 Marquette Ave.
Sam Corner, Olympia Square ties. The important and decisive the creation of Pioneer PublishSwing Band, this Sat night, Admission Free.
Broadway, near 19th somewhat definite forms, dividing You will want to own a copy shifts and changes in the labor ors. There commenced pertod October 22, at 301 20th St.
the party into two more or less of our program book. You can and revolutionary movement are of publication of pamphlets and (nr. 8th Ave. Tendered by LO: RUSSIAN BULLETIN No. 68 69, amorphous groups that went un: guarantee yourself a copy and clearly and better indicated in books, small and large, by the cal Unemployed and Project featuring several important ar der the name of Old Guard and at the same time, do your bit our Press than in that of any Communist League of America, Workers Union. Admission 15c.
ticles by Leon Trotsky.
Militants. The Militants be in assuring the success of our other labor or revolutionary and later copy 20e; year Suto gan, as their name indicates, as all important Convention, by Pioneer Publishers.
sending in your personal grectgan, and that applies from the which brought strength and prestions and single copies on sale primarily opponents of the do PHILADELPHIA, Pa.
a! Labor Book Shop, 28 East ings Now. We are still taking period of Nov. 1928, the begin tige to the revolutionary movenothing ism of the Old Guard 12th St, ads: full page, 10; half page, ting of the Militant, to the presment in the United States and MAX SHACHTMAN will speak from the rather than 28 political oppo. 5: quarter page. But we are ent day, ten years later, in the also throughout the world, parments. The conflict, however, woon making a drive for personal Socialist Appeal and New Interticularly in the English speaking on Ten Years of the Left OpWANT ADS found its proper channel. This de greetings, which will entitle you national position and in commemora LARGE, NICELY furnished New York Downtown Branch nations.
velopment was given a great im to a free copy of the program tion of the October Revolution, petus when history, for the bene book and the inclusion of your In the Early Issues list of the pamphlets and room. Two closets, radio, sepaon Friday, Nov. 1lth at 1035 arate entrance. Use of good fit of the new Socialist generaname amongst the supporters The first number of The Milit books issued would in a few Spruce St. 8:30 revolutionary library and good After ten years, forward with tion, once again exposed Social Se the revolutionary movement ant contained the declaration, pages alone. Suffice it that in set of recordings. Brooklyn. See For the Russian Opposition by this way the literature of the ON FRIDAY, Nov 5th, James the Fourth International Democracy during the German Send all greetings to: Nations Stanley, Appeal office.
events in all its revolting corrup mittes. 160 Wells st. Rm the threc expelled comrades, a revolutionary wings in Russia, Cannon will speak on The to the victory of Socialism!
tion, aggravated by senility. The 308, Chicago, Illinois.
round which declaration they Europe, Asia and North Americle Present Situation in Europe. ASK FOR THE APPEAL Austrian revolt of 1934 accelerat The National Convention called upon members of the Com became widely known, which Same address and time as wa the discussion on Marxist prin Arrangement Committee.
munist Party and Young Connot all the machinations and above.
AT YOUR NEWSST AND th our vention of the Mohich is being day, Oct. 22. Ide Party, SaturProletarian Greetings