BolshevismSocialismSocialist PartyStrikeSyndicalismWorking Class

206 THE CLASS STRUGGLE BANKRUPTCY OR REVOLUTION 207 cial circumstances. The paper will probably appear twice a week, beginning with next month, and it will do good work. We have done all that is necessary to insure its distribution amongst the workers in the urban and industrial centers. To this effect, we have adopted the methods used by our Russian Bolshevik comrades for the preparation of the revolutionary movement in Petrograd, in November 1917, and feel quite sure that in the very near future the criminal French government will be called to account for its actions by the proletariat. Comrade Péricat has sent me a copy of the program of the Congress to be held at Saint Etienne under the auspices of the Committee of Syndicalist Defense. He has received the funds necessary for the conference and he heartily thanks the Russian comrades of the International Bureau for their fraternal support. Meerheim, of the Federation of metal workers, is hesitating, not willing to follow Péricat, but if our movement gives promise of success he will eventually rally to our cause. Bourderon has given us his tacit support, as did Henri Fabre, of the Journal du Peuple, who is sure of his paper stamina. So far, the situation looks favorable in all its aspects and revolves around the workers centers, reaching the toilers on whom we depend exclusively. The politicians of the socialist party, and most of the parliamentary socialist group will, in the end, be forced to follow the movement which we will have started. The above mentioned program is as follows. 1st Secession movement to begin in the Confederal Committee of the Party and from there to spread to the General Confederation of Labor. The secretary of the Confederation, Leon Jouhaux, sees his authority swiftly dwindling away in favor of Merrheim, secretary of the Federation of Metal Workers. Because of his official position the latter still maintains a certain reserve towards the Committee of Syndicalist Defense and towards its secretary, Raymont Péricat, but have the positive assurance that we will have his support as soon as our revolutionary action takes definite form. have received from the German social democratic delegate information regarding the movement which is being prepared at Essen and at Cologne, but from the content of his long letter there would seem to be great difficulties in the practical organization of the movement during the German offensive in France. The International Bureau would have to use all its authority and its secret propagandists in order to lay out the simplest plan of a general strike in the German industrial centers of metal works. The announcement of such a movement, forwarded into France as rapidly as possible, would help us immensely and will precipitate the coming events. 2nd Intense agitation among the French workers and promote strikes that our propaganda will intensify into clear revolutionary understanding. The following deputies have tentatively pledged their support. Brizon, Alexandre Blanc and RaffinDugens. Support of several socialist, revolutionary and Zimnerwaldian newspapers, such as La Vague, le Journal du Peuple, le Droit du Peuple, etc. We have men worthy of our full confidence, and comrades devoted wholeheartedly to the cause in the unions everywhere and Bourses du Travail (Labor Exchanges) of Paris, Lyon, SaintEtienne, Bourges and Grenoble, are ready to take part in our action at the first signal. All other necessary measures are being taken such as the organizing of transport workers, mine workers and metal workers, in order that, when the Committee of Synissues its orders for a General Strike, work should cease instantly. We have dependable agents in the Parisian telegraphic centrals who will insure the transmission of the General Strike orders, and will inform the cities of the interior of the course taken by the revolutionary events in Paris. On the whole the situation promises the full success of our revolutionary action and, from an international point of view, the events actually in the way of preparation will have incalculable consequences if, as we sincerely hope, our German and Austrian comrades firmly support us in our class struggle, in our faithful execution of the immortal principles of Zimmerwald. will keep you in touch with events, the funds necessary for propaganda may still be addressed to that formerly indicated, using the same means of communication, in order to thwart the efforts of the numerous agents of the Clemenceau government, of whom we have a large number here. Do not send anything to my place, comrades of the International Bureau of Bolshevist propaganda, for am under constant surveillance. It would be preferable to arrange special appointments in cases of urgent and secret communications.