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78 THE WORKERS COUNCIL JUNE 1, 1921 JUNE 1, 1921 THE WORKERS COUNCIL 79 The Third International in Germany and Italy By ZINOVIEV The first great event that took place after the join the party who afterwards fall away. We know II. Congress was the Congress at Halle. This, un from our own experience that there have been groups doubtedly was a turning point in the history of the of members who, at the beginning of a crisis, for European labor movement. On the eve of the Halle reasons more or less casual, were found in the camp Congress there was in Germany a communist party in which they should not have been. Later on, when consisting of 50, 000 members. After the Congress at the position had become clear these comrades took Halle 450, 000 persons sharing the views of the com their place in the camp to which they belonged by munist party joined the latter. You will agree that ideas, by temperament and their past work. similar a curious situation is created when nearly half a mil thing has happened with Clara Zetkin. Quite recently lion join a party of 50, 000, and of course it would she was in Russia. We found ourselves in complete be too much to expect that such a unification could be solidarity with her in almost all questions. We gave painless and immediate. It was natural to expect a her a mandate to represent the of the Communist certain measure of that wavering and retreat that International at the highly important Congress at existed in the Independent Party from whom we took Tours. She carried out her mission brilliantly. When a half of its membership. Halle represented a a certain grouping to the right was observed within European arena in which we opposed our views against the Central Committee of the United Communist Party the views of opportunism, presented in their most of Germany, she, am sure, for quite accidental complete and perfect form by the Right Wing of the reasons, and not for long, was found in the camp Independents. This Right Wing is crude, narrow which certainly tomorrow or the day after she will menshevism, but also to a certain extent, refined abandon. Her place undoubtedly, is in the camp of the scientific opportunism. This was a decisive battle, Left wing of the German Communist Party, which before the whole of Europe, between our ideas and stands completely on the platform of the Communist the ideas of the old and bespattered opportunism of International. However regrettable the fact that Clara Kautsky and Hilferding. There is not the slightest Zetkin has left the Central Committee of the United doubt that we were the victors in this battle. This was Communist Party of Germany may be, we are conadmitted not only by our friends, but also by our vinced that this is a minor and passing episode in her enemies, who by their wails, complaints, and wild rav life. With regard to the other member who resigned ing, proved that at Halle they had suffered an intellect from membership of the Central Committee of the ual defeat.
United Communist Party of Germany, he has shown What will be the further development of this party by his past that at such a moment he would incline of a half a million members created very largely by to the Right. speak of Paul Levi, who came to the the efforts of the Executive Committee of the Comfront in recent years, after the bourgeoisie had rid munist International? As was to be expected, things Party. We know from the history of Germany how themselves of the heads of the German Communist there is something in the nature of a crisis in Germany. far sighted the plundering policy of the bourgeoisie sometimes is. Of course we as Marxists know that have been asked at this Conference why it is that five members of the Executive Committee of the the role of an individual in history is not decisive when United Communist Party of Germany, including such it is a question of a movement of many millions. But a person like Clara Zetkin, have resigned. The reason from the example of the German Communist Party is as fo ws. You will see from furth we see what decisive importance there was in the fact reports that the Italian question has become very acute. This that the bourgeoisie assassinated its leaders. Comrade Italian question however, does not only affect Italy. broken, when it suffered defeat in the first January Levi had to take the helm of the Party when it was You will see later that our conflict with a certain section of the Italian socialists is really an international revolt. He made his political career in combatting the Left elements who indeed made and still make conflict. In Italy there is a struggle between the Communists and the Centrists headed by Seratti and his many mistakes, but among, whom there are many workers loyal to the revolution. He was all the time group. The Centrists in Italy consider themselves Communists, but as a matter of fact they have one inclined to lead the German Communist Party to the foot in the camp of the Centre. At the moment when Right. We had differences with Comrade Levi at the the Italian question became acute, a certain wavering Second Congress of the Communist International, but in this direction began in the German Party which knowing how few educated leaders remained in the had only just recovered from this sickness. It is underGerman Communist Party, all of us, and particularly standable, of course, that when a certain ferment comcomrade Radek who knew the German conditions betmences in a party, or when a party experiences again ter than any of us, endeavored to support comrade former crises, when new groupings are observed, in Levi, to assist him in his struggle with his opponents, the beginning at all events, numbers of people casually But the more we did so, the more we became convinced that he was inclined towards opportunism. And now From Address on the Progress of the Third Interna.
there is not the slightest doubt among us that an inteltional at the Tenth Congress of the Russian Communist lectual struggle against this comrade is essential. Those Party.
of us like comrade Radek, who for reasons of his closeness to the German labor movement, more than any. suffer from the confusion arising from the crisis exbody endeavored to postpone the break with Levi, in perienced by the international movement in connection the interests of the working class party in Germany, with the war. This was our policy at the Second now think otherwise. On this question there is com Congress of the Cominunist International, and adaptplete solidarity among us. The matter cannot be post ing it to German conditions, we admitted the German poned any forther, and comrade Radek was the first Communist Labor Party which sympathizes with us, to commence this intellectual struggle against Levi in into the International with a consultative vote. This, Germany itself.
to some extent, rendered the position in the United Events developed in the following way: Recently, Communist Party of Germany more acute. Comrade a joint Conference of the Executive and delegates of Levi and his group who took up the struggle precisely the United Communist Party of Germany took place with these elements regarded this falling into sin of the Communist International as support to these eleat which were raised the questions of the Italian event, the relations to the Left elements in Germany and to ments as against himself. This led to the position as the Communist International. On this, as you know, it now exists. At the ensuing Congress we hope to a certain division took place. am glad to say that this put the question bluntly. It is clear that such a situation Conference re elected a Central Committee, elected where one country is represented by two parties, cannot drag on for long. But we will do all that is possible Left elements at its head, and did not waver. There is to transfer the healthier elements of the Communist every reason to suppose that the wavering which we observed at the present moment in Germany is only Party. think that our policy will remain correct.
Labor Party of Germany into the United Communist on the surface. There is not the slightest doubt that The wavering which was revealed on the surface will when this question is placed for discussion before the broad masses, they will, by an overwhelming majority, attitude towards these elements.
not in the slightest degree induce us to change our decide for the irreconciliable policy of the Communist International. The question of the relation to the German Communist Labor Party figured very prominently.
British Communists Meet This is a comparatively small party which split. off The newly formed Communist party which united the from the Spartacist League after the January defeats, several revolutionary organizations in Great Britain held and part of which subsequently rejoined the ranks of a national convention on April 23 and 24 at Manchester.
the Communist Party. One section, however, well constitution was adopted which declared that the objective of the party was the establishment of a Comrganized, remained a separate party. It is a very munist Republic of a socially and economically equal small party. Its programe is extremely confused. It people. It works for the total abolition of the present is strongly influenced by syndicalist and anarchist system of wage slavery through a social revolution, and ideas, but among its members, nevertheless, there are holds this to be pre eminently the task of its existence, It seeks by Education to win the adhesion of the masses to undoubtedly, as all comrades admit, several thousands Communism and by Agitation to spur the workers on toof workers who are intensely loyal to the idea of pro wards the Social Revolution.
letarian revolution, and who split off from the old The convention expressed loyal support to the striking party precisely because of its opportunist wing. Under coal miners and condemned the leaders of the Triple Alsuch conditions the of the Communist Inter liance who were responsible for the debacle of that great national considered it necessary in spite of its partly organization during the crisis. The expulsion of Robert Williams, Secretary of the Transport Workers Federasyndicalist temperament, to do everything possible not tion, from the party by the temporary central committee to lose this small but nevertheless revolutionary ele for his part in the withdrawal of the Triple Alliance supment. Our attitude towards the revolutionary anarchist port to the struggling miners was approved by the dele.
elements on the world arena, should be different from gates. Arthur MacManus was re elected chairman of the that adopted in Soviet Russia. It should be the attitude party for the ensuing year.
that we adopted in 1917 when we more than once With the left wing of the Independent Labor Party fought against the bourgeoisie, against Kerensky and joining the Communists, the only element still out of the united movement is the Socialist Labor Party which bases against the Mensheviks together with definite sections its refusal to join on the ground of the application of the of the Anarchists and Syndicalists. At that time is was a Communist Party for membership in the Labor Party. The question of fighting against the bourgeoisie, and we had fact that such membership was refused by the Labor Party does not matter. The hard shelled although presomething to unite us. Everyone of us who participated in the revolution will remember the many cases when pared to join the Third International, is not willing to forget its ancient animosity toward the Labor Party. In we had to conclude certain agreements with Syn this attitude it recembles its mother party, the American dicalist and Anarchist elements, Parts of these sub in its attitude toward the of The Third sequently joined our ranks. Many of them occupy International approved the policy of the British Communist Party to join the Labor Party. The is responsible positions in the Soviet Republic and have more revolutionary than the Third International. The assimilated themselves with the proletarian revolution. British has still the symptoms of what Lenin aptly Of course, after the conquest of political power by termed Infantile Disorders of Left Wing Communism.
the proletariat when the destructive and disorganizing elements of syndicalism and anarchism became Hardly any of us know what it is to be properly hostile, we had to change our attitude towards them.
educated, and hardly any what it is to be in constant But on the international arena where we are on the eve of a proletarian revolution, we are compelled by general good health. Wells. Under capitalism.
the experience of the Russian revolution to advise our comrades to be more tolerant particularly with Moderate politicians never err on the side of working class groups and labor organizations which moderation. Look at the world which they have do not yet completely understand our tactics and still made.