WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE THE MILITANT Weekly Organ of the Communist League of America Opposition)
129 Published weekly by the Communist League of America (Opposition) at 128 East 16th Street, New York, Entered as second class mall matter, November 28, 1928 at the Pust ofice at New York, under the act of March, 1870 VOLUME VI, NO. (WHOLE NO. 148 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1933 PRICE CENTS LEON TROTSKY MOSCOW LETTER 1969 Bridgeman Red Cases Revived Two Killed in New Open Letter to Supreme Court Ruling Opens Atack on American Commuuist Movement Stalin Banishes Vandervelde Zinoviev Illinois Mine War WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU FOR AID here second to the Left Wing Victory surely at the hub would fail to cum In The Opposition Youth at Chicago Conference concerted attack upon the whole members are also involved, but on Communist movement is presaged by the working class as a whole, which the decision of the Meblgan Supreme the bourgeois seeks to weaken by Court, Just handled down, which rules cutting off and imprisoning Its most that all those Involved in the famous conselous vanguard. When the ar Michigan Communist cases of 1923, Citizen Vandervelde, rests were first male years ago, must stand trial on charges of erim was clear that the cases were directA few years ago you addressed yourThe editorial board of the Bulletin of self to me with an open letter concerninal syndicalism.
ly connected with the numerous Labor the Russian Opposition reports the fol Lewis and Operators Renew Terror Drive Against Miners ing, if am not mistaken, the repres The scores of those arrested or instruggles of that periol. The same lowing important news from Moscow.
helds true today. The fear of the dicted, clate from a convention in On November 24 and 25, 1982, the slon against the Mensheviks and the growing discontentment of the masses Social Revolutionists. Generally and in Brilgeman of the underground comL eople Commissar for Food Supplies of Is Impelling the ruling class to re the tuman Socialist Federated Soviet The Illinois mine struggle, which has Jacks in earnest cooperation with the variably, you stood up against the Bol. munist party some ten years 10.
Yive ancient case in the hope of sheviks in the name of the principles of The first trial, that of William eltbike, Flemont, the director of Soviet been in progress wince the latter part National Guard.
depriving the proletariat of Its lead transportation, Tolmacher, the former of last summer, has flared up new in This latest occurence in Taylorville democracy. It is your right.
If your Foster, resulted in a hung jury. The ership.
criticism old not obtain the intended re second trial that of Ruther eople Commissur for Agriculture, Taylorville. According to press reports in the result of the scab lerding activ.
Against this vielous atack, it is Smirnov, Dosser and various others, were a bloody gun battle much as has it leuities of these discredited funkeys. At sult, it is because we Bolsheviks proceed berg, resulted in a conviction which wats upheld by the State Supreme necessary to mobilize the maximum from the principles of the revolutionary arrested, Smirnov, Elsmont and Tolmaseen since the march to Frantin. Counts the summons of labody they have huntdictatorship.
strength of the whole labor move the four Court. The cleath of comrade Ruthches were accused of allegedly having has taken place in Kinend six miles from out Ntrikebreakers from ment. The communist party, the enberg oreurred during his appeal to formed a trinity with the aim of creat Taylorville. miner wife and a neub corners of the mited States and thrown The Russian Social Revolntionists, your leader of the proletariat, must be deThe ing an organization for the overthrow of lost their lives in the course of this them into the Taylorville mines.
the Supreme Court.
co religionists in democrary, opened 11 fended by every worker! united Stalin. Eismont is supposed to have re conflict. Eleven strikebreakers were sents have worked under the protection in their time, the terrorist struggle The revival of the Bridgman cases front of solidarity must be erected fused a confession and to have proved wounded as a reward for thelr endeavor or an army of armed deputy sheriffs.
against us. They woundeil Lenin and is not merely an attack upon the Con around the militants involved, through that Rykov aud Tomsky knew nothing of to work the mine under the seab ontnt Pleket lines of Progressive miners were sought to blow up my military train.
munist movement, upon the party and which the hourgeoisie, Its pollee and the trinity of Lewis and company.
dispersed, thousands of miners were arTurned over to the Horiet tribunal, they the Left Opposition, several of whose its courts, will be unable to break.
found in you one of their most rabid Another group, Nemtchenko, Ginsburg Taylorville, the scene of the affray. rented and several xhot in cold blood.
and others, were also arrested on the has been the center of the most violent Due to this overwhelming force the ple defenders. The government to which same accusation.
to belonged authorized you not only to struggle of the Progressive Miners Union keters were temporarily forced Kamener has been banished come to Soviet Rusin, but to come before to organizer the couldiggers in a union retreat. This picket line at which the the tribunal as the attorney for those usik (Siberia) Zinoviev to Kustana y controlled ly the rank and file. Similar shooting reurre has been the first ef. in Kuzakatan. Sten to Akmolinekly it has been the focal point of resist fort at renewed activity on the part of who tried to kill the head of the first Sliepkov to Taru. Rutin has been connue by the benen controlled UMW of the Taylorville strikers. The picketers workers state in your plea, which we reproduced in onr press, you invariably fined in the Chellabinsk solitary prison and the victons labor hating Peabody were met at the mine gates by 150 de The danger that we may be com be relled upon to present the Opposi To Smilga, it was proposed that he quit coal Company. The Peabody Coul Compty sheriff who unquestionably openappealed to the principles of democracy. pelled to suspenul the publication of tion standpoint to the most distant Moscow.
ny ban refused to sign up with the ed fire. It appears that the picketers It was your right.
the MILITANT as a weekly, must localities. It is our main educational On December 4, 1932, stopped in new union even though the wage scale bot back in welf defense although the arouse the deepest concem of every center, for its columns teach those transit with my traveling companions in As we learn further, the work of the they offer In no different from the UŃ local Taylorville tyrant of the coal comfriend of the Leit Opposition in this great historical principles of revolu Russian Left Opposition is the port of Anvers. had no intention inerensing of They tear the militancy and many says that the miners were recountry and impel him to prompt se tionary Marxism which have been so and its contacts are growing.
either of propagandizing for the dietaThe re the rebel spirit of the Progressive Minported to have guns.
tion. We have thus far been able to dramatcally verified by the history port above characterizes the internal ers union. They have enlisted gnuinen, In spite of this very rellable testimony, torship of the proletariat or of coming maintain the MILITANT by means of of the last two decades, and it teachforward as the defender of the Communsituation in the CPSU as well as the gangsters, and the National Guard to five companies of the National Guard the most strenuous sacrifices. And ists and strikers arrested by the Reles them not only in the light of the social processes in Soviet Russia. Thelbreak the backbone of the new union. have agin been brought on the scene to that was the only way, because while past, but in connection with the liy next stage of the inner Russian develor, But all their intimidation, tear gas, bay: enforce peace. Enforce peace means glan government who, so far as know, committed no assants upon the members the world crisis has takl bare the ing unfoldment of events week by ment contains great dangers. It is our onets and military terrorism has not to give the coal company and the bankruptey of the present social order werk. Moreover, the MILITANT con task Jo follow the events with of the Brussels government. few of the budget the Taylorville miners a single Lewis union the right to work the mines and given a great impulsion to the stitutes that hub from whleh radiate closest attention and draw upon our reinch.
with Meub Inbor. But if experience my companions, and my wife with them, revolutionary progress of the work the spokes of our other activities and sources to the full for the defense of that proves anything it demonstrates Displaying the wished to visit Anvers. One of them, most intransigeant Ing elass, it has also deprived it of enterprises: the organ of the Opposifor the purposes of his voyage, neeled the line of Lenin and Trotsky, as wellcourage and the most indomitable ter. these funkeys are going to have a hard the finanell means with which to tion youth, YOUNG SPARTACUS; as for the support of the work of the sistence, the Taylorville miners have retime of It so long as the miners preserve to get in touch with a consulate in the sustain it. We are not threatened the organ of the Yiddish speaking Op Russian Left Opposition.
town. All of them were categorically mained on strike through their solidarity these long prohibited from touching the soil of Belwith this retreat Iecause the Left positionists, UNSER KAMF; the or months when narration and brutality glum, even under escort. That part of Opposition is losing ground in the gan of our Greek speaking comrades, has become a normal occurrence. They Unied States. Quite the contrary. KOM Should the hub le the port where our boat was located, bare refused to be driven back to work was carefully encircled. On both sides Our Influence and prestige are great under a union which has betrayed then hanging limply in the air just er at the present time than ever be of the boat stood police sentries. From as every time they have given battle to the deck we were able to pass under refore; our views, stubbornly advocat the starvation program of the operators.
ed for years in the face of countless wheel well view the policemen of democracy, millBy an overwhelming majority, the illspoke obstacles, are veritled by the events tary 18 well as civil. It was an ininois miners dispensed with the Jndas posing spectacle of every new day. The threat connes We have not been derelict in our The thorough victory of the left wing services of Lewis, Walker and their ilk. HICAGOfrom the fact that the ravages of efforts to maintain the weekly at all The number of dicks and copyou in the clections for officers of Local 9, But the defunct and decrepit UMW has some tive to six hundred delegates, unemployment have no drastically af costs, beeause we are aware of the will permit me this familiar designation International Ladies Garment Workers continul its faithful services to the representing colleges and universities fected our own comrades that those heavy blow that our movement would for the sake of conciseness exceeded the Onion (New York. Is of tremendous nig coal larons. Where their ability to from every part of the country, includupon whom we could once rely for be struck by its collapse. We are number of sailors and dockers. The nificance for the movement. The victory persnade the miners to return to their ing representatives from the Students substantial and systematic contribu. confident that the same knowledge boat looked like a temporary prison; was gained not only against the slate of company union has miserably failed, Leanne of Canada Cuba, and South Amtions are far less, or not at all, able and spirit will animate all our the adjncent section of the port, like a to make them today.
frien is to exert themselves to the but also they have resorted to bullets and blackerica. responded to the call of the Nathe reactionry Right wing, prison courtyard. The police chiet took against the joint state of the anarchiat tional Committee for the Student ConThis does not mean for one moment utmost, to contribute generously in cline and the Lovestone group. Loxal 91 Kress against War (initiated through the copy of our papers even though we were not entering Belgium and hail not tlust the situation is hopeless. It only our present drive to save the MILI is the second largest local of the union efforts of the National Students League)
means that the task of preserving TANT. The drive is Point One on been authorized to disembark at Anvers.
in the cutintry, and the triumph of the held at Mandel Hall, University of Chic the weekly MILITANT must be shoul the order of the day until the danger He asked to receive my explanations for Left wing kains Adelitional significance 30 on December 28 and 20. to resolve dered by a much greater number of to the MILITANT is overconie. An the fact that my passport is made out from the fact that two weeks previously, non program of Ntudent struggle ecmirades and friends. When we make early contribution is a double contrito the name of Sedoft. declined to eu.
swept the ruling clique oift of office in against the scourge of war and millthe appeal for sperly assistance, it bution, anul we are anxious not to gage in any discussion with the Belthe largest loenl, Local 1, and sernred tarism. The Congress was made up of gian police, with whom had nothing to should be borne in mind that the protract the campaign. The work the clection of its owl slate. The imthe widest variety of political views MILITANT is our principal mouth that demands doing well will not do.
pendling elections in Dreesmakers Local The military clique in control of the ranging from the socialist, maclists, piece on a national scale, and not permit it. where the left wing is also presenting political fortunes of Japan has embarked liberals, to the Communists (including The police officer tried to act with merely on a national scale, for it has Therefore, every shoulder to the its slate, will most likely show similar, npon the second phase of its military ad the Left wing of the Communist party, threats: he declared that he had the been of signal al to the young and wheel, every comrade to his post. We ir not such decisive, results.
venture of conquest in Northern China. the Left Opposition. Upon such polright to arrest anybody whom the boat sturdy Bolshevik leninist movements are eounting on our friends to carry Under some flimsy pretext the Japanese itical background, dominated by an oversatling route chanced to conduct into in Canada, in England, in South us over the hump, to save the weekly The gratifying results in these elec. army, navy, marines and air force has whelming number of delegates from the Belgian waters. must, however, BC Africa and China. It is our main or MILITANT from collapse!
tions reveal a number of important points laid waste to the city of Shanhaikwan. National Students League, and within knowledge that there were no arrests. ganizer, for where the weakness of MAX SHACHTMAN, Editor. to consider. But its persistent blunders After a ferocious assault the Japanese that representation majority of Com. request you not to find in my words our movenient prevents us from of the third period stripe, the Stalin forces with the use of armored cars, munists, the Congress passed through any complaint. It would be ridiculous sending a suitable comrade for work, Send funds immediately to the ist leadership of the Left wing gave algo bombs thrown from airplanes, cannon stormy sessions, bordering at the close, to complain about such a trifle in the we know that the MILITANT can MILITANT, 126 16th St. Continned on page 2) ndes, and all together paraphenalia that upon split and disruption, and finally arface of what the tolling masses and goes with a boinbardment, the Japanese riving at a working basis.
especially the. Communists are made to succeeded in repeating their raid on Rival Positions Presented undergo throughout the world at the Shanghal a year ago. The whole Chi present time. But the Anvers episode nese garrison of more than 500 lors! The first day of the Congress seems to me to be enough of a pretext and about as many civilians, men, limited entirely to speeches of a genfor returning to your old Open Letter.
The Internal position of the Soviet Un Stalln Bureaucracy to which did not reply at that time. ion is making a new political turn InThe Congress was led As soon as we were seated explain women and children were annihilated, eral character. hope am not mistaken in counting evitable and incrensigly urgent, a turn ed to air. Stalin through the interpreter and the city reduced to smoldering ruins of hy Extmund Stevens, member of and the Belgium among the democracies. The that before we entered into any business by this terrific assault. The Japanese the National Students league and Chairnegotiations wanted to speak to hit entered the city triumphantly. Then man of the National Committee for the war which you carried on was Isn that must be more radient than all those STALIN DENIAL frankly and without offense in regard with the typical Insolence that character student Congress against War. He was that so? the war for democracy. After that preceded it. Everybody feels it.
the war, you were at the head of Rel leadership, standing at the focal point Many see it clearly. The bureaucratie to my trip to Russia and several other Izes the Japanese militarists they defollowed by Joseph Cohen, also a memMonths after the nppearance of Apology from Chang Hsiao her of the NSL and student delegate to glum as minister and even as Prime of the difficulties and the dissatisfaction, matters which were on my mind. He manded the book by Thomas Campbell Minister. What more is necessary to preserves ari obdurate silence. Perhaps which is referred to in the statement immediately agreed to this and with Liang the commander of the garrison. Amsterdam Congress, who made the key.
bring democracy to its complete unfold because it does not yet know what road on it which we reprint here from an one motion of his arm polnted towards presumably because there weren more note address. The election of the concould ference committee were then completed.
ment? On that score, think, there can to tread? Or perhaps because it prefers erlitorial in the latest issue of the the door, upon which his secretary lett residents of Shankaikwan they To coclude the morning sessions the symbe no discussion between us. Why then Bulletin of the Russian Opposition, the room in abont three steps. then slaughter. to keep still about the already trodden does this democracy nevertheless reek road until it has become an Irrevocable The Japanese fnvasion will not stop poslum on Imperialism and War took ald to Mr. Stalin, am very anxious, Stalin has found it advisable to pubTish denial of the interview with alr. Stalin, that you should know that with the capture of this northern city place. The speakers at this symposium Browder. am here without any intent of giving It is but another step in the campaign of were Upton Close and Earl sia? And can one believe that the dem fact?
himself which Campbell prints in To rive the duped, lulled and halfyou any false impressions. am not Japanese imperialists to carve colo The former presented the position of ocracy which experiences such pervous Russia, Market or Menace? After a Communist: am not a disciple of nial empire out of Northern China. pacitisin, Browder followed with an ex convulsions at the chance approach of stifted party, unnoticed, upon a path it the Opposition press in the country RII Haywood or Emma Goldman, and Grave international complications will position of the Communist position. In a Bolshevik, will prove capable of neut does not want to take that is the tacand in Europe had been Alled with ralizing the class struggle and of guartieul method of Stalin. The transition comments on this significant converhear about your government. Neverthe, with the ever present threat of an at tween the Communists and pacifists were anteeing the peaceful transformation of from the dry system to the wet in sation between Stalin and the Amer less, am much interested in your agrl tack on the Soviet Union looming in signally displayed and gave evidence capitalism Into socialism?
alcoholic beverages, was never decided ican bourgeois specialist, Stalin Ancultural development, as am an agricul. the distance. It is the duty of every that the ensuing deliberations would be In reply you will undoubtedly call to by the party: on the quiet, the bureaually found it necessary to make some tural my mind the Ve Cheka, the GPU, the de crney simply continued to raise the alco statement on the matter in order to Mpent most of my life trying to develop outbreak of a new imperialist war and with another mechanical engineer and have worker to stand on guard againnt the characterized by similar sharpness.
The afternoon session was taken up portation of Rakovsky and my own ex holic content of light beverages in the extricate himself from an embarrasmechanized agriculture in the United to protest the horrible slanghter of the symposium Anti war pulsion from the Soviet Union. That Buterests of the state revenues, and in ing waition. The Stalin dental.
Movements. discussed Jointly, although States. We had a poor crop in Montann oppressed Chinese people.
argument beyond the point. The So this way it brought the conntry from which successfully avoids refuting from divergent points of view, by this year, and the work which your govvlet regime does not adorn itself with four to forty percent. The same method the essential page of the interMatthews, secretary of the Fellowship the bedraggled plumes of democracy. It is applied by Stalin in every field. An erument has offered view as published by Campbell, was of Reconciliation, Jane Addams, and the passage to socialism were possible the more necessary is it now to pay made for the theoretical organ of the working agreement with your Govern.
within the state forme created by liber sharp attention to the maneuvers of the Russian prty and cabled to the highlight of the discussion was the ment If It ennnot be done absolutely in alism, the revolutionary dictatorship bureaucracy which is silently preparing Daily Worker several days ago. Ad speech of Jane Addams. In calling atdependently of my politiel beliefs and would not be necessary. For the Soviet a new surprise for the working masswill be seen, the comments made Liebknecht Luxemburg tention to a banner stretched across the regime, the question can and should strictly on a business basis. Whereupon es. The symptoms of a secondary order be upon the whole question in the edithall, Inscribed. Fight Against ImperialStalin rose alertly from his chair, crossput of knowlug if it is en pable of teach must also be checked up attentively and orial of the Russian Bulletin still Memorial ist War. this grandmother of ed to my side of the tale, took my band pure ing the workers the struggle against distrustfully: by taking the whole situaretain their pointedness and effect.
pacifism expressed her sorrow in no in both of his looked me straight in capitalism. But it is absurd to demand tion into consideration, they might conuncertain terms about rash students who the eye, and said. Thank you for that, Speakers: that the proletarlan dictatorship should tribute to cornering the bureaucratic observe the forms and the rites of libera caders long before they have brought lished a book. Russin, Market or Men Mr. Campbell. Now know that can MAX SHACHTMAN JOSEPH CARTER ready woultram here for det inte bath ores en la perialist wars because Great Britain, democracy. The dictatorship has its the new turn, which it may no longer be ace. The high point of this book hellere you. Now know that we can rigorous methods and logic. The blows possible to make good agalu, up to forts, at least politically speaking, is there be friends, respect each other and perhaps we can Friday, January 18, 1933 the last Empire, was already dissolved (Continued on page 4)
sort of an extensive conversntion of the 126 Eust 16 Street, and is now commonwealth of naThe eminent American specialist for nuthor with Stalin. This conversation, He then motioned me to sit down.
tions. We must struggle against other ADMISSION: 15c wars, this snge of pacifism made ure the construction of agricultural mach the anthentle reproduction of which per and asked me to continue. went on HALF YEAR SUB TO THE MILI. Iner, Thomas Campbell, worked for a mits no doubts, as we shall see, deserves to explain that we in the United States Auspices. to point out, and then showed that the TANT IS 1; WITH THREE OTHERS period of time as a technical adviser of not only to be reprinted, but must also resented many things which we had Br. Communist League of America real danger lay in a future of class wari.
ON CLUB PLAN BLANK IT IS ONLY the Soviet Union. After his return to be submitted to an attentive considera heard about the Soviet Goverment, such (Opposition)
Her speech served only to stir the mille the United States of America, be pub tion. Continued on passe 8) SPARTACUS YOUTH CLUB OF NY. Continued on page 2)
Japanese Resume Chinese Offensive ee With Both Hands will not, however. make any kind of OPEN FORUM Scott Sealling. Multere naturally the