8 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, July 26, 1919 Social Reforms and the Left Wing HAT is the attitude of revolutionary By Jay Lovestone Left Wing would show the why and whereSocialism to social reforms. Can a Sothe proletariat into class activity, and should fore of unemployment The Left Wing would cialist party be revolutionary and at the same always point out the nature of Capitalism. The take advantage of this crisis of Capitalism time accept a program of immediate de Socialists should not wage campaigns for the and spread revolutionary propaganda amongst mands. Does a revolutionary policy demand transformation of the state or for the enlargthe unemployed. It would not stop there. The that we neglect the present condition of the ing of its functions. Socialist political party Left Wing would propose and work for a proletariat? Does the Left Wing want all must always be on guard against the seduccountry wide strike for shorter hours so that or nothing? The answer to these questions tion of the proletariat by the state activities in fewer workers might be disemployed.
touches the heart of the social reform contro its benefit. The parliamentary campaign Is this an abandonme of he immediate versy the so called immediate demands and the legislature offer us a means of exstruggle? Why waste energy in attempting to issue.
pressing our class interests, and of exposing solve the insolvable, the contradictions of CaAt the outset let us look into the why and bourgeois. class interests.
pitalism? Why misdirect the efforts of the wherefore of capitalist reforms. It must be The policy of the Left Wing, or revolution working class when splendid opportunity is kept in mind that when one speaks of reforms, ary Socialism, is neither to oppose or to pro offered to lead them into revolutionary chanhe is well aware of the fact that the capitalist pose these immediate demands, these so niels? Is this denianding all or nothing? Is system is not yet overthrown, and that the cial reforms this whole gamut of benesuch a policy as outlined above based on the reforms are to be granted by capitalists. ficial state activities or state Capitalism. The notion of damn the immediate benefits and Why do capitalists grant reforms?
social reform of state Capitalism is today a ihe worse the better?
There are two reasons. First, in order to fact to which Socialism must adjust itself.
Let us take another example; the release stifle the ever increasing class consciousness The Left Wing does not intend to abandon of political prisoners and militarism. In its of the workers. To the capitalist class, as to the immediate struggle. To the Left Wing attack on militarism the Left Wing would others, an ounce of prevention is worth a the immediate demands that arise serve as the not be pacifist humanitarian. Militarism is a pound of cure. By granting certain improve dynamo of all action. By means of them we phenomenon inherent in a class society. Only ments in the immediate conditions of the generate revolutionary currents amongst the working class opposition to militarism is to be workers, the capitalist hides the class nature proletariat. By aggressively engaging in this sought. And the anti militarism campaign is of the present system of production. By ap struggle the revolutionary sparks latent in the to be fought solely on a class basis. Indiviparently being kind to the worker, the capi proletariat can be fanned into revolutionary dual conscience, scruples, democracy, talist hides the conflict of interests and pro fires against the bourgeoisie. We employ this justice, liberty, and inviolable rights motes the proletariat belief in the brother struggle as a means of promoting the final constitute the present Socialist Party ammuhood of labor and capital. Thus the spirit of struggle.
nition in its attack on militarism. The Left independent class action by the proletariat is An analysis of the immediate problems conWing does intend take hand in settling dampened. Reflect for a moment over the fronting the American working class will help the immediate issue of militarism. But it effect of the Welfare Bureaus, of profit us clarify this matter. Let us analyze the attidoes not intend to fight militarism by means of sharing, and other immediate reforms on tudes of revolutionary and petty bourgeoispetty bourgeois, eighteenth century phraseothe employees. The extensive social reform Socialism towards them. First, let us take logy. The Left Wing will expose the class program of Germany played no small part in the unemployment problem. The tide of unnature of militarism and thus enlighten the cementing the proletariat loyalty to the kai employment is rising. Shall we say to the proletariat as to its dangers.
ser. The heralded constructive reforms capitalist class Get out and presto there As to political prisoners a Communist Party fought for by the Social Democratic Party are will be no unemployment?
would agitate continually for their release.
to a great extent responsible for the bloodThe Left Wing holds that unemploymentNo appeal would be made to bourgeois demoshed in Germany today. Moderate Socialism rather disemployment is an inherent characcrats and idealists. There would be no coin Germany, as everywhere, ascribed to bu teristic of Capitalism. As long as Capitalism operation with all sorts of radicals in order reaucratic petty bourgeois reforms a creative exists there will be disemployment. The pro to save the peoples conscience and indivirevolutionary value. The effect of these re blem cannot be solved as long as Capitalism duality. Mass demonstrations and political form campaigns has been to dupe the prole is intact. Unlike the petty bourgeois Right strikes would be urged. Continuous propatariat as to the class nature of the state and Wing Socialism, the Left Wing believes that ganda would be made among factory workers bourgeois democracy. The German proletariat not even the capitalist state, that miracle or in order to show them the class nature of capwas misinformed as to the nature of the Comgan, that God of Right Wing Social pitalist law, justice, and order.
An appeal munist order. And today Germany is not a ism, can solve this problem. Therefore the would be made solely to the working class to land of Soviets but a bloody bourgeois re Left Wing disdains petitioning the President, show, its power and compel the bourgeoisie public!
as the official organ of Right Wingism, The to release all class war prisoners. Only when There is another reason for the capitalists Call, has done. We will not petition even a the proletariat will be strong enough to force granting improvements in the workers confourteen point capitalist champion for the es the bourgeoisie to release the champions of ditions. The only use the capitalist has for tablishment of Government Employment Bu labor will the class war prisoners be freed.
the proletariat, is exploitation. But to be reaus. What more dangerous weapon against To rely on capitalist mercy or appeal iv the capable of exploitation a laborer must exist. the proletariat could be given the bourgeois fairness and justice of bourgeois democracies He must do more than that. He must live. government than control of employment.
is to be criminally negligent towards proletarian broken down worker is inefficient.
What chance would a labor spokesman, a interests. But to endeavor to promote classOn the whole, the bourgeoisie are not as hounded agitator, have of getting a job? consciousness and class power by means of stupid as some of our twentieth century uto Perhaps this accounts for Morgan genthis immediate demand is to be preparing pian Socialists believe. Their investigators have erosity in contributing thousands of dollars the working class for the revolution.
made extensive studies proving that efficiency for the maintenance of these public employ We must now ask ourselves whether these can be increased by shorter hours, and im ment bureaus! Again to solve this pro reforms sanctioned by the capitalist State provements in working conditions. The im blem of Capitalism; reactionary, utopian So and sanctified by moderate Socialism are really proved methods of production and business cialism agitates for unemployment insurance. efficacious. First of all, assume that there is organization intensify the degree of exploit Has insurance ever done away with unemploy certain social legislation which if carried out ation. Hence, Capitalism can well stand re ment anywhere? No! Not even in Germany would be of benefit to the working class. Many form. or change of tactics in its exploitation where the Socialists now have a majority! States, either because of labor unrest or exof the working class.
But cannot anything at all be done to com cessive physical deteriotation of the laborer. Shall we fight for or against these imme bat the immediate distress of unemployment? have put on their Statute books certain laws diate improvements. asks the moderate Yes. The Left Wing has a plan of action in aimed at alleviating the distress among the Socialist. From this we are led straight to meeting this immediate demand. And in this workers. But how many of these are enthe object of a revolutionary Socialist political struggle the Left Wing sees a means of pro forced by the State authorities representing party. What is the purpose of a class consci moting the final struggle. Suppose there are all the people? What more, to what exous proletarian party? object should be today two million unemployed in America. tent will these be enforced unless the workers, none other than to always hold before the work Shall we invest our energy in several tons of in the industries concerned, take matters into ing masses the ideal of revolution, the ideal paper (petitions. Shall we appeal for the their own hands and strike for their enforceof a new society a Communist society. votes of all liberty loving citizens and pro ment? This is social legislation in the factSocialist party should broaden the activity of mise them a solution by insurance? No! The ory and by the factory hands themselves. The