THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, August 2nd, 1919. The Left Wing and the Communist Party Statement by the National Council instructed by the Left Wing groups within TH HE purpose of this statement is to set forth the position of the National Left their respective States; 2) co operation with Wing Council in relation to the Socialist Par: mittee, International Delegates and an Interna delegates elected by expelled and suspended tional Secretary.
Left Wing groups, aside from the regular ty; also in relation to the controversy which has arisen within the ranks of the Left Wing. However, there may come a time when party elections; 3) co operation with delegates from groups not within the Socialist Party, by the ready assistance of capitalist courts the existence on June 23rd, 1919, by action of the Right Wing reactionaries will retain legal pos the basis of the Left Wing Manifesto and The National Left Wing Council came into who desire to affiliate themselves with us on National Left Wing Conference held in New session of the party machinery and property.
Program.
Should therefore the National Emergency York June 21st to 24th. Since this Council was created by the National Left Wing ConConvention prove reactionary and in the conFrom the side of the machinery to be used ference, the most exact way of arriving at an trol through the assistance of capitalist police by the National Left Wing Council, the instructions of the Conference cover: understanding of the character and purposes powers, of the moderate and despotic officialI) the of the Council is by reference to the proceed dom of the party; should this Emergency Con Emergency Convention; 2) an August 30th vention rule in favor of the shameful acts of ings of the Conference.
Convention in case the Emergency Convention On June 23rd (fifth session) the Conference the present autocratic National Executive Com is put off; 3) a special conference on SeptemCommittee on Organization reported, among mittee, then the Left Wing Delegates to this ber first with all elements desiring to unite Convention shall immediately organize a new on a Communist basis; 4) the reconvening of other matters, as follows: Communist Party, representing the vast majorthe Left Wing Conference on This Conference shall organize as the Left Septeniber first.
Wing Section of the Socialist Party and shallity of the present Socialist Party, a party which shall speak the will of the rank and file have as its object the capturing of the Socialist Finally, from the angle of the actual tasks to of the more than 50 per cent of the party albe fulfilled there are two clear cut alternatives. Party for revolutionary Socialism. Adopted by vote of 43 to 14; recorded as ready expelled and suspended, a party which 1) control of the Emergency Convention by the will be true to the Communist International Left Wing delegates regularly elected, seating not voting, 14. and revolutionary Socialism.
by them of Left Wing delegates elected by Toward this end the Conference shall elect g) The National Council shall be instruct suffrage of expelled and suspended locals, a National Council of nine members to act ed to call delegates from all branches, locals, States and Federations, and transformation of as the executive of the Left Wing Section.
state and Socialist Federations to meet in the Socialist Party into an organization of The National Council shall elect an executive Chicago or any other place designated to revolutionary Socialism; or 2) formation of secretary.
which the Emergency Convention is suima new party regardless of the Emergency Whereupon the Conference proceeded with moned. In the event that such Convention reConvention, on August 30th, or on September the election of the Council, the following befuses to seat the Left Wing delegates the first, to be called the Communist Party.
ing declared elected: Ruthenberg, Fraina, delegates accepting the Left Wing Manifesto The National Council is now engaged in Ferguson, Ballam, Wolfe, Cohen, Gitlow, Lar the Council shali call such delegates, expell gathering information, mobilizing the Left kin, MacAlpine. Announced as not taking ed to call delegates from all branches locals, Wing forces, and carrying on the propaganda part in this election, 24 delegates. The National Council is authorized to pub party based on the call summoning the Con which will assure a party of revolutionar a vention in Moscow on the initiative of the cialism, by nation wide co operation of the lish one or more educational and propaganda Communist Party in Russia.
Left Wing elements, by September first. Those papers; issue declarations; print literature. Note: this call is incorporated in the Platwho have attempted to raise the contention route speakers and undertake such other actform adopted by the Left Wing Conference. that the National Left Wing Conference did ivity as will place the principles and program h) In the event that the National Emernot sufficiently lay the basis for a Communist of the Left Wing Section before the rank and gency Convention of the Socialist Party is not Party by September first deliberately misstate file of the Socialist Party membership.
called on August 30th, as at present scheduled. the plain facts.
The National Council shall co ordinate all the National Council is instructed to call the There is no part of the Left Wing Confersuspended and expelled branches, locals, state delegates who have already been voted upon, ence program which is open to legitimate organizations and Language Federations, and hold a convention that will organize a attack by any member of the Left Wing. That issue a temporary dues stamp to these organ new party then and there at Chicago on Aug. the National Left Wing Council is acting izations and do all in their power to keep these 30th, the Communist Party. Unanimously upon this program with a view to making the organizations intact until such time as they carried. broadest possible preparation for the launching may again function as sub divisions of a naAt a further stage of the Conference (eighth of a new party of revolutionary Socialism on tional organization.
session) a resolution was adopted that we call August 30th and September first is conclusive The National Council shall direct an agit a conference in Chicago on September first ly shown by the record of our work and stateation to realize the following results and condi of all revolutionary elements desirous of unit ments in The Revolutionary Age.
tions at the National Emergency Convention ing with the revolutionary Socialist Party, or The main argument of the minority group of the Socialist Party: with the Communist Party to be organized by in the Left Wing Conference was that it is a) It shall assist in all ways within its the Left Wing delegates who may secede from impossible to expect the Right Wing to surpower to secure the election of Left Wing the convention of the Socialist Party on Aug. render control at the Emergency Convention.
delegates to the Emergency Convention of the 30th. In explanation of this resolution refer How then can there be any question, under the Socialist Party.
ence was made to a group of expelled members instructions above quoted, of the formation b) It shall call upon all suspended and ex of the who might be desirous of join of a Communist Party outside the Emergency pelled sub divisions of the Socialist Party to ing themselves with a Bolshevik party; also Convention? How could the National Councii, elect delegates to the Emergency Convention it was stated that this provision would include assuming it were so disposed, which is not the of the Socialist Party; shali insist that these such Federation groups as might want to join fact, evade the responsibility for opening a delegates be seated at this convention and that with the Left Wing on September first. convention to start the Communist Party.
the convention organize as if no suspensions The final motion of the Conference was as Also, under these instructions, how could or expulsions had occured.
follows: That all business that may be left a Left Wing Emergency Convention seating c) The National Council shall exert every over, if any, shall be refered to the National all Left Wing delegates fail to establish a influence to the end that the Emergency Con Council, and that we do now adjourn to meet Communist Party?
vention of the Socialist Party may adopt the in Chicago September first.
Obviously there is no sincere argument that Left Wing Manifesto and Program as the From the foregoing it is clear that the Na the Left Wing Conference did not completely basis for the Party platform and policy. tional Council carries over the Left Wing cover the situation.
d) It shall insist that the Emergency Con Conference of June 21 24 to September first. Let those who favor a Communist Party vention of the Socialist Party affiliate the So Meanwhile its central task is to bring together realize once for all, on the face of the Concialist Party with the Communist International at Chicago delegates from all groups desirous ference record itself, that so far as the queswhich affiliation has in fact been decided by of establishing in the United States a party tion of a new party is concerned the minority referendum vote.
of revolutionary Socialism.
group was defeated in the Conference on but e) It shall demand that the Emergency The instructions to the National Council one point: the immediate formation, at New Convention of the Socialist Party shall recog cover. 1) co operation with delegates elected York, of a Communist Party. Such an action nize the validity of the National Referendum to the Emergency Convention under the re would have been without mandate from the elections for a new National Executive Com gular party methods who are recognized and party membership; it would have been without