SOCIALISTPublished Weekly as the Organ of the Socialist Party of New APPEAL York, Left Wing Branches. V ol. I. - No. 17. 401 Saturday, . December 4, 1937 5 Cents per Copy Labor Aroused By Midwest Murder Economic Crisis Grows Rejects G .P.U. With More Lay-Offs And Rising Cost O f Living Plans to Smear
By James Casey Union Leaders The new capitalist crisis has definitely arrived. Wall Street and its press are calling it a “business recession,” while New Dealers, MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 28. — While organized labor Stalinists and other faithful healers of the decaying “democracy” are frantically look here closed ranks to fight for a thorough investigation to ing .about for panaceas^ find Pat Corcoran’s murderers, the boss press and the Meanwhile, American work Stalinists joined hands to smear the labor movement with ers and farmers are being charges of union gangsterism as the source of Cor oran’a lashed, buffeted and over death. whelmed by this latest econ WHO KILLED PATRICK The capitalist press of tne twin omic typhoon. Thousands Pay cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, have attempted to raise ‘a lynch Here is a condensed word pic spirit against unionism. Their ture of the situation: CORCORAN -- WHY? Last Tribute To animus is clear. Minneapolis driv (1) Industrial activity has de ers are 95 per cent organized and clined for the thirteenth conse have inspired sim ilar organization cutive week, according to the By James P. Cannon in other industries. Under the New York Times business index, Minneapolis — The atro gently only on the basis of P. J. Corcoran lead of the Minneapolis locals, a and there are no signs of any im cious murder of Pat Corco the main facts standing in North Central District Drivers mediate upward trends. ran, Secretary-Treasurer of the back-ground of the mur Ten thousand union workers Council was set up a year ago to (2) Retail prices have soared th e powerful Teamster’s der. These can be establish paid their last tribute to Patrick push the union in five states. A 42.8 per cent as compared with Joint Council, has once again ed approximately as follows: Corcoran on Saturday, November few months ago, the St. Paul th e fig ures o f A p ril, 1933. brought the turbulent labor 20, in funeral services acknow locals joined this powerful (fi) Clothing costs have jumped council, and thus spelled the end movement o f Minneapolis 1. Advance of the Unions: ledged by the daily press to have 80 per cent for the same period. of employer domination in St. into the center of national Minneapolis, once the been the largest ever held in this (4) Rents have risen 40 per part of the country. Paul too. Twenty-jfive thousand cent over the housing costs in attention. Once again the open-shop colony of the C iti drivers are united in the council. January, 1934. keenest interest and concern zens’ Alliance, is today the In an unprecedented move, the Minneapolis Teamsters Joint of progressive labor circles best organized city in the Boss Press Leads Attack Council called a Holiday during Jobs Drop from coast to coast have entire country. One must go the time of the funeral, and from The St. Paul Daily News, al (5) Factory employment has been aroused in this stormy to San Francisco for a near- 9 A. M. to noon no trucks or outpost of labor in the ways an unrelenting foe of labor, dropped 5 per cent during Oct. comparison. The famous slo cabs moved in the city. is leading the pack in vicious Northwest, the pace-setter in New York State, according to gan of the 1934 strike, Delegations were present at the ness. Under the hypocritical slo the State Department of Labor for the country. The forces “Make Minneapolis a Union services from General Drivers gan .of “That is terrorism, not figures, while many Federal of organized labor cried out Town”, has been realized in Locals affiliated with the five- unionism," it is daily linking Pat projects heve been eliminated, with one voice for the ap action. state North Central District Corcoran’s death to "gangster Ulus adding to the number of job prehension o f Corcoran’s And these unions are not Drivers Councils, of which Cor ism” in the labor movement. less. Federal data on the num assassins. A t the same time fly-by-night paper organiz coran was chairman. Among the Columns are devoted to references ber of unemployed are not avail the dark forces of reaction, ations. The Minneapolis cities represented with drivers’ to "labor czars, levying tribute able, but the government census and their dubious agents unions are real delegates were Duluth, St. Paul, through violence,” as the back now being completed w ill provide and stooges, couldn’t wait unions, tested in struggle, W !i llm a r , Austin, .Rochester ground out of which cama Cor •a approximate, though not an coran's murder. for the body of the martyr militant in their methods Brainard, S t Cloud, etc.. accurate figure. The real interest of the D aily to be lowered into the grave and capable of enforcing In issuing the call for the stop (6) Relief fegcpenditures have page of work, the Joint Council News is unconsciously revealed £een cut by 3152,416,000 for the before they began to sing in their demands. The “team chorus, with a suspicious stated that "no member of the in a passing reference, in an Hast nine months of the year, as sters” who drive trucks and e d ito ria l o f November 19, to the unanimity and enthusiasm other automotive vehicles in Teamsters Joint Council jeopard compared with the. 1936 total. izes either his job or his standing power of the drivers: "Jt is ap Payments for all types of public —as though the song h!ad this great distribution center parent that the truck drivers* been rehearsed and the parts in the union by observing the assistance from Federal, State and of the Northwest are the holiday.” The membership of the union is strategically the most local funds, wages under the assigned beforehand—for a dominating and inspiring driving crafts responded to a man effective labor weapon in this or Works program and subsistence police investigation of the force in the movement. From to the call. any other community. It can pa grants under the Farm Security ralyze almost any business.” For trade union movement of a membership of a few hun Over a hundred local labor Administration totaled $1,685,- this reason, this organ of the Minneapolis. dred men, four years ago, officials acted as honorary pall 491,000. This is a woefully in- bosses tries to smear the drivers* Por everything there is a the driving trades in Min bearers at the funeral. The dequate sum, many members of unions. ass having adm itted the reason. Here, on the ground neapolis now embrace twelve chureh was packed to the doors half an hour before the ceremonies of two-and-a-half to six in Minneapolis, the facts and thousand organized men. Stalinists Follow Suit [lion dollars to meet the nation- the reason are clear for all The same leadership directs began, and thousands of workers Repeating word for word the emergency. to see. Who killed P at Cor a total of twenty-five thou stood outside on the steps during the services. Active pallbearers (7) Stock market prices, which coran, and why? And who sand men in a joint coun slanderous charges of the boss press, the Stalinists here have as one of the many baro- wants to cover up the crime cil extending out into all the and ushers were drawn from the of general trade trends, and shield the criminals, and arteries of commerce over ranks of the various driving called a meeting which is des cribed, in their leaflet, as a again toppling as in the pe- why? The search for the five North Central states tri crafts. The procession to the ce metery tied up traffic for over “ mass public hearing on gangster^ directly after the October, truth in reply to these ques butary to the Twin Cities. (Continued on page 6) tions, can proceed intelli (Continued on page 4) an hour. (Continued on page 2) t SOCIALIST APPEAL December 4, 1937 Organized Labor and the Corcoran Case Answers Slanders of Boss Press and *- C. P. With Counter Attack Union Militants Meet To Map
(Continued from page 1) 1 The Stalinists lie, and they' mies of labor to assassinate other know they lie. Not a single A. labor leaders and blame it on Campaign For Investigation Ism in the Minneapolis labor move F. of L. leader here has ever labor! The clumsy stupidity with ment which resulted in the murder made that charge. But before which the Stalinists have moved, A few hours after Pat Corco-1 Dissatisfied with the reaction of Patrick J. Corcoran.” Incre Corcoran’s body was even in the in their desperate determination ran was found murdered, the la -' of the authorities to the assassi dible as it may seem, this is a earth, the Stalinists had run to to frame-up the militants who bor unions of Minneapolis launch nation, on Monday evening, Nov. literal quotation of the Stalinist Mayor Leach: not to demand a lead the Minneapolis labor move ed a most vigorous campaign to 29, a special meeting of all of leaflet! Despairing of getting any search for Corcoran’s murders, ment is simply an indication that gejt Pat’s murderers. ficers and business agents of a ll attention by further parading but to declare that Corcoran’s they rush to obey their G.P.U. The first action of the Minnea AFL local unions in Minneapolis under the name of the paper slaying was the work of gangs bosses at the crack o f the whip, polis Teamsters Joint Council,! w ill be held a t the Pioneer H all, '€.1.0. office here, which they ters imported by the AFL and to without daring to take the time meeting on Thursday morning, | where the present status of the control, the Stalinists issued this Call upon Leach to investigate even to make a good job of it. November 18, twelve hours after I investigation w ill be reviewed and leaflet over the name of a "Vo the “gangster and Racketeering That servile obedience to their Corcoran’s death, was to post a plans laid to bring further pres lunteer Committee for driving elements in the Minneapolis la masters is the root of many of cash reward of ten thousand | sure to bear to intensify the gangsterism from Minneapolis.” bor movement.” the blunders of the G.P.U. dollars for information leading search for the murderers. Like the boss press propaganda, The most notorious of all re to the arrest and conviction of its Stalinist echo serves to ex Labor Indignant at actionary American papers, the In its issue of November 25, his slayers. onerate in advance all enemies of Chicago Tribune, seizes upon the the Northwest Organizer, weekly Tactics The special edition of the North the labor movement and to brand Stalinist charge of racketeering organ of the Teamsters Joint west Organizer, organ of the the labor movement as Pat Cor Who is Mayor Leach! In a re in the labor movement to draw Council, reiterated its demand teamsters’ council, which now has coran’s murders. Like the boss solution of the Minnesota C.P. the conclusion, in an editorial, that a Special Investigator from a paid circulation of twenty-five -press, the Stalinists are slander of July 10,1937, Leach is charact "The Trouble with Minnesota," the Attorney-General’s office be thousand, on November 18 called ing a prominet leader of the trade erized as "this ambitious Repub on November 27, that the "un assigned to the Corcoran case. In jpon the Farmer-Laborite State union movement and shielding lican faker and fascist-minded principled racketeers " in the labor calling for a Coroner’s Jury, the Attorney General, Ervin, to ap his assassins! The» Stalinists are general, who is the agent of (hb movement who “caused Corco Northwest Organizer said: "Every point immediately a Special In giving a blank check to all ene trike-breaking Citizens Alliance. ” ran’s death” flourished because agency which can throw addition vestigator to be assigned to un mies of labor. If the Stalinist It is to this man and his police “Minnesota became the field of al light on the cowardly and. cover Corcoran’s murder. Hne prevails, any labor leader that the Stalinists run "to clean radicalism”! The Tribune conc brutal murder of Patrick C. Cor lulled w ill not only be killed with gangsterism out of the Minnea ludes: coran must be made to function impunity by labor’s enemies, but polis labor movement.” While the Offer $10,000 Reward immediately so that all facts may dishonored in death! bona fide labor movement is de Reactionary “Tribune” In radio speeches delivered the be obtained... There must be no manding of all governmental Gloats same day, Miles Dunne and other delay. No possible agency must be Bosses U tilize C. P . agencies that they concentrate on drivers’ officials, in announcing permitted to withhold its powers... Slander finding Pat Corcoran’s murder, “The radical government of plans for the city-wide cessation Labor demands an inquest bjr the Stalinists provide the bosses Minnesota has set up the prin of work during the morning of Coroner’s Jury into Pat Corcoran’* The Minneapolis Star, less bold and the “fascist-minded general” ciple that lawlessness used in Corcoran’s funeral, broadcast to m urde r.” in its anti-labor moves than the vith a way to shield Pat’s murder disputes of employer and em the country the offer of the ten other sheets here, found in the ers. ployes is a proper method of thousand dollars reward. Benson Asks U. S. Help Stalinist charges a heaven-sent Local trade unionists are re adjustment, and from that Daily since then, General Driv -opportunity to stab labor unionism Governor Benson, reacting to coiling with bitter indignation established principle it would ers Union Local 544, the Minnea in the back. Concentrating its the union pressure to draw the against the attempt of the Stalin follow that in any dispute crime polis Teamsters Joint Council, stories about the Corcoran murder state Attorney-General’s office ists to link up alleged union may be the easiest and most the Minneapolis Board of Union -around the Stalinist frame-up into the investigation, called upon gangsterism w ith the foul murder conclusive method of gaining Business Agents, and the Central charges of racketeering in the the Federal Bureau of Criminal of Pat Corcoran, and their appeal success. Of course, all other Labor Union, have demanded of tthions, the Star puffs up the Investigation for aid in the to Mayor Leach for a police as forms of lawlessness and vice, the authorities that they activise "“charges made by union leaders” search. After stalling for a few sault on the labor movement. including kidnapping, take en all possible agencies in the search —meaning the Stalinists—as the days, Attorney General Homer What the boss press is really couragement from such condi for the assassins. S. Cummings announced that the issue of most importance. after is revealed by the alleged tions, and Minnesota is a dis As a result of labor’s rising U. S. Department of Justice would acts, which the St. Paul Daily tressed state.” Spur Coroner to Act indignation at the way in which not enter the case “unless evi News lists under the slogan, The strike weapon, say these dence is produced that a federal tike Stalinists are joining the "terrorism, not unionism.” One On Tuesday, November 23, bosses in linking Oorcoran to Bourbons, leads to crime. There crime was committed.” As it is of these is: “The Daily News Miles Dunne presented to the gangsterism in the unions, the fore ? The remedy proposed by not a federal crime to assassinate knows of dozens of cases where County Coroner a resolution pass Stalinists are trying now to get the Tribune on other occasions is: progressive labor leaders, there out-of town truckers were stop ed by the executive boards of Oat from under, by claiming that outlaw strikes. The absurd lengths seems but a slight chance that ped at the city lim its, threatened, Local 544 and the Teamsters it was the A.F. of L. here, and to which the Tribune goes would the G-men w ill be brought into forced to return to the town from Joint Council, demanding that tiot the Stalinists, who first sug be laughable—wedq it not for the the case. which they had started.” What protective-oollabodation provided Coroner Gilbert Seashore summon gested the possibility that Corco immediately a coroner’s jury and From day to day, the Minnea are the facts? The North Central it by the identical Stalinist asser ran’s murder was the result of proceed with an inquest into polis police, according to the em District Drivers Council is con tion that Pat Corcoran’s death inter-union warfare. Corcoran’s murder. The resolu ployer-press, anticipate a “ break” ducting a unionization campaign. was caused by union gangsterim. in the case, only to confess at the In its only editorial so far on Unorganized drivers are constant tion was adopted unanimously tile Corcoran case, the only by the Board of Business Agents end of each day that they are ly hailed on the highways and Has International Source right back where the case started. Stalinist-controlled labor paper in urged to cease playing the game also, and as a result Seashore the state, Midwest Labor of Only a clear understanding of has announced that the jury w ill WHqreas local authorities and of the bosses. This is the most the boss papers are showing an Duluth, now tries to accuse the elementary, most traditional, and the international plight of the be called and the inquest gotten A .F. of L. here of first intimat Stalinists helps one understand under way, on Tuesday, Nov. 30. increasing disposition to drop most fundamental method of the case and shunt it aside, the ing “that the murder was an out building unions. To stop this, as what mad desperation drives General D rive rs Local 544 and growth of friction between .the them to such moves. The Moscow the Joint Council continued press progressive labor movement is the Daily News demands, would determined to press with the ut AFL and CIO.” mean the end of the unions. And trials are universally discredited; ing the Attorney-General to ap their attempted Trotskyist frame- point a Special Investigator, who most energy until the murderers that is just what the capitalist are discovered. The Teamsters press want. It is positively re ups in Spain have not materializ would have the confidence of or ed; four G.P.U. agents seized ganized labor. On Tuesday a Joint Council, and General Driv Hunter College Bronx volting to read these attacks on ers Local 544 are determined to the North Central District Driv red-handed are soon to be tried Council representative introduced in Switzerland for the murder of a resolution to this effect before leave no stone uncovered until Y P S L ers Council, brazenly “linked up” the brutal and cowardly murder by the kept press to the murder Ignace Reiss; their attempt to the Board of Business Agents, PARTY frame up Grylewicz in Czecho which unanimously approved it. of the martyred union, leader is of Pat Corcoran, who was chair solved. Everything possible is man of that Drivers Council! slovakia as a Nazi agent was Finally, the state’s Attorney tit 7 W. Burnside Ave. General, Ervin, granted an inter being done to make the coroner’s Thus the prostitute press seeks quickly exposed; the whole Eu December 11th ropean labor movement charges view to a delegation from Drivers inquest a serious investigating to make its own filthy capital body, to uncover new angles to Rc€reshin|ents - Entertainment out of the death of a union man. them with having kidnapped and Local 544. transported from Spain to Russia, the case. Every worker in the labor move Press For Special Admission 20c ment must help to combat this Mark Rein, son of a leader of the It is hoped and anticipated that poison by pointing out to his Socialist International. Investigation the special meeting of all AFL union officials and business agents shop-mates, to his neighbors, to The police minds of the G .P.U . all oppressed by the bosses, how can think of only one kind of so Pleading lack of funds, at the to be held Monday evening, Novi Friday, Dec. 3rd the kept press does the work of lution for their plight: try some interview on November 24, Er 29, w ill give new impetus to the search for the slayers. at 8:45 P. M. the enemies of labor. more frame-ups. Europe hasn’t vin refused to appoint a Special QUINCY HOWE been so good, let’s try America. Investigator. Instead, Ervin re o f Editorial Dept. Simon A Executing G.P.U. Orders And in America, they are con ferred the drivers’ committee to SeM ster w ill talk about his stantly plagued by the fact that the chief of the State Bureau of STALINISM Criminal Investigation, Melvin C. book “ England Expects every But to do that job thoroughly, “ Trotskyist-Fascist assassins ” and American to da his duty! every decent union man must are the acknowledged leaders of Passolt, a former member of the Question and Discussion. point out, too, how the Stalinists m ilitant Minneapolis labor union Minneapolis police force. Passolt BOLSHEVISM play the game of the bosses. ism. Orders go out from the assured the delegation that his office was active in seeking a oy Thomas Paine Society Blind to all aims except the task G.P.U. The local flunkies rush dictated to them by the G.P.U. to obey. Clumsily, stupidly, in solution to the crime, as part of IOC Leon 88 Seventh Avenue South the bureau’s regular activities. Greenwich Village, N . Y . C. —get the Trotskyists by hook or sanely, but obey they must. An TROTSKY crook!—the Stalinists have tarr The drivers’ unions, however, (7 th Avq. Subway) other bungled job of the G.P.U. ed the Minneapolis trade unions, But we must make every worker continue to press the need for Pioneer Publishers Christopher Street) Admission with this Adv. have slandered a fallen leader, understand the frame-up methods a special staff which could under 100 F ifth Avenue heve seconded the boss propagan of. the G .P.U ., now exposed to take to concentrate on finding — Only *5 cmris — New York, N. Y. da, have made it possible fo r ene sight in Minneapolis. Corcoran’s slayers. December, 4, 1937 SOCIALIST APPEAL 3
strikes”, Martin declared in another speech to Lansing work ers, that same day, preventing the Lansing Auto workers, with Akron General Strike Planned PONTIAC WORKERS his usual demagogy, from follow ing the Pontiac example. Calls for G.E.B. Support Against Nat’l Guard Tactics FORCED TO QUIT BY Yet M artin fe lt none too certain in his treacherous position. The By B. J. Widick next morning, Sunday, all mem bers of the International Execu AKRON, Ohio.—Behind the press reports of the MARTIN MACHINE tive Board were summoned to “settlement” of the Goodyear sit-down by the acceptance Detroit to act on the Pontiac si of a betrayal compromise, are some facts which deserve tuation. It was clear that Martin and need wide-spread publication. B y C lark refused to take sole responsibility —the Executive Board was also The hope of Goodyear and of®------;------;------the official union leadership that contempt with which they were PONTIAC.— The evacuation of the Fisher Body plant to be put on record. The mem the difficulties in the plants over being treated. Convicts in a state marks the beginning of the most critical period in the bers of the Fisher Body bargain prison never went to work with ing committee were called to this lay-offs and other grievances history of the United Automobile Workers. were settled by the eight-point such a huge armed force watch meeting to explain their actions in g them . The eyes of the automobile ®—, before the Executive Board. Fac agreement received a rude shat workers wore turned to Pontiac. That same night Fred Pieper, tering last week. To top the insults, the bourge member of the GEB and one of ing these workers with their just ois press carried pictures of the General Motors was beginning its grievances, no one of the officers A group of unionists circulated M artin’s chief lieutenants, appear armed cops w ith the headline over new offensive against the union. dared to express open opposition petitions in the plants calling on Faced with the repudiation of its ed before a meeting of the entire ths executive board of Goodyear the photos saying. “They were ’ontiac local—consisting of Fisher to their strike action. It is even not needed!” But the implication agreement by the rank and file reported that W alter Reuther and Local Union to hold a special Body, Pontiac Motor and Yellow was clear. Brute force is the 02! y conference o f G. M. w orker«, Wyndham Mortimer were in favor union meeting to take a strike the corporation decided on a test Coach—and exhorted the men to vote. The response to the petitions language which the rubber barons return to work.His chief argument of authorizing the strike. Once are going to speak. case: to test the militancy of the again the committee returned to was good and indicated that the men and the mettle of the consisted of the specious economic rank and file won’t take any more Neither the bourgeois press nor analysis that the present slump Pontiac without a decision from the Daily Worker printed the very leadership. blows from Goodyear without is a conspiracy of big business their International leadership. An significant action of the CIO in W ith thousands of Pontiac men answer had been promised them striking back. to break the unions. Therefore, The petitions were a “feeler” dustrial union council during the already tramping the streets as he concluded, the workers must that same evening. Meanwhile, a Sunday when the National Guards a result of restricted production meeting of 600 shop stewards in of the mood of the rank and file wait until the conspiracy peters and were hailed as such by ge were preparing to march into and the transference of work to out before it is time to strike. As the Westside local, Detroit, ans A kron. Lindon, N. J., and Southgate. wered an appeal of a Pontiac mi nuine progressiye militants and for the discharged committee revolutionary socialists, who Under progressive leadership, a California, the layoff of hundreds men? Give their cases to the litant, with a promise of support. eneral strike was planned against of men on Monday, November 15, At five o’clock the entire In pointed out, however, that a strike Labor Relations Board and cross over lay-offs already consummat the use of the National Guard was the straw that broke the your fingers. His remarks were ternational Executive Board was or any armed force in the Good camel’s back. The night shift sat transported from Detroit to the ed would be incorrect and bring seconded by Dorr Mitchell, reac defeat. New issues w ill arise year sit-down. The C .I.O . council down. For months they had suf tionary Pi esident of the local, Hildenbrand Hotel in Pontiac met to plan this action. fered indignities at the hands of where they went into executive shortly that can pose the question who gave them emphasis by re- of strike action. Workers throughout the city the plant manager. E. R. Leedei. fusjng turn over local strike session in order to prepare a de anxiously.awaited the decision of Speed-up, constant abuses by | fuml maintaining that the sit- cision for the membership meet Role of Stalinists Goodyear Local at the Sunday foremen and sabotaging of the down was unauthorized. The ans ing of the Pontiac local to be meeting when they were voting agreement finally drove the des wer of the 2000 workers present held that night. No reports were Thq Daily Worker is striving to on the proposals sponsored by the perate Fisher Body men to re was quite unambiguous. They available at the time on the paint the betrayal in glowing federal conciliator and the union sistance. Their local was being turned in an overwhelming vote threats M artin used to intimidate terms of victory: "They (the leadership. The signal for begin pounded to pieces. No other road of confidence in their brothers the strike leaders present. But rubber workers) went back grin ning the general strike would was open. sitting down in the plant. on the next day, Monday, the n in g as the company had been have been the announcement of Despite the hostility of Pieper New York Times carried the story forced to compromise on the Goodyear Local’s vote to strike. Committeemen Fired and Madden, Pontiac GEB mem under a Pontiac dateline by its union’s demands protesting last The National Guard would not well-i n fo tm e d coi-respondent, 2500 men sitting in the Fisher ber, the local militants refused Thursday’s lay-offs of 1,600 work be facing inexperienced and lead Louis Stark, that uncovered part plant constituted a threat to the to believe that Martin would not ers.” (D. W. Nov. 23.) erless workers as they did in the of the secret. Under the headline: entire peace fabric in the industry. authorize tho strike. The for Unfortunately, 1,600 workers “Little Steel" strike last spring. mula circulating among the m ili “Murphy Threatens to End GM didn’t go back grinning. They Three years of m ilitant strike Immediately upon notification by Strike with State Troops; Govern the local, the International office tants was something on the follw - didn’t go back to work at all. The struggle, three years of develop or and Washington Urge Auto of the UAW dispatched two of ing order: “Wait ’til Martin is betrayal agreement sent them ing class-consciousness; three Union to Stop Outlaw Sit-Down its representatives to Pontiac.' fully acquainted with the facts into the army of unemployed. years of a growing m ilitant and After they had promised the! of our sit-down, then there can at Pontiac” the article read: And the circumstances under progressive leadership among tlje which the other workers returned workers to resume negotiations be no question but he w ill author Act Under Government rank and file would have made with the corporation on their ize it." As a result, great un- to the shop were without prece Akron quite a different story grievanees, the men left the plant. ! certainty prevailed. Th reat dent here. Although the entire than Youngstown. city knew that the sit-down was Machinery and plans for a Members of the plant's bargain "That Governor Murphy may Aid From Detroit called off, the city police force general strike have been develop ing committee left for Detroit for have to take drastic action and and Goodyear’s thugs made a ed by a perm anent com m ittee discussions with the management. On Saturday, members of the order out the m ilitia to oust the show of force that rankled in the elected in the Central Labor On Wednesday morning, just as Detroit Auto Workers Educational sit-downers in the Fisher Body heart of every worker punching Union. Although the labor split negotiations were to begin, the League, a group of UAW mem- plant was the message sent by his clock card that morning. has ended this committee formal company announced the firing of ^ers organized for the purpose the chief Executive to Mr. Martin. Over 150 cops, armed with tear ly, its members are still active foui committeemen: Geoige promoting class straggle po- “ A t the same time a represent gas and rio t guns, stood lined up in the CIO council and the CLU. Method, chairman of the bargain licies and rank and file demo ative of the Administration at as the Goodyear workers march A new chapter in labor history ing committee, Otto Rollins, ste Washington indicated to the union cracy in the union, arrived in ed into the plant. It was the most appears in the offing as com ward, Lester Cizmas, committee Pontiac. They met with the lead its extreme interest in the si flagrant attempt to terrorize and pany plans to announce more lay man, and Tom Welch, steward. ing committeemen and shop tuation and said that, in view intimidate the workers Akron has offs w ill again pose the question The committee had no alternative of the economic recession, a stewards of the striice-bound ever seen. of a strike, the use of the Nation!- but to break off negotiations, plant, organized them into a further uncertain element in the And the rubber workers were al Guard, and the workers’ de rejecting the reprisals against the business picture would be embar strike committee, setting into boiling mad at this insolence and fense against m ilitary terror. leading m ilitants. On Wednesday motion the machinery for pub ra ssin g ” . night the plant was re-occupied licity, relief, etc., and hammering The Executive board outlawed shop steward was in jeopardy er of the Unity Group: and the sit-down was on in earn out a policy. The A.W .E.L. the strike with the following and vigilantes would take hold of “ Pointing out that the decision est. The Pontiac plant, using was the only group which came statem ent: Pontiac. But the shop worker was of the board was unanimous in Fisher bodies, closed down, rais to Pontiac to offer the strikers “ ...we unhesitatingly declare no match for the trained orator. d e cla rin g that unauthorized ing the total of strike-idle to al its assistance and advice. None that the strike in Fisher Body And when Martin interrupted strikes must be stopped, Wynd m ost 17,000. of the leaders of the Unity Group, plant is unauthorized and unsanc him, spreading the oily promise ham Mortimer, vice president of The issue of the strike was a neither Walter Reuther, Wynd- tioned and is therefore contray of protection for the stewards, the International, declared, ‘We crucial one for the entire Inter ham Mortimer nor any of the to the constitution and by-laws Souter could not regain the thread are faced with an exceptionally national. If General Motors could other self-appointed champions of of the international union and is of his opening remarks. A weak difficult problem. But we were fire stewards and committeemen the rank and file even put in an destructive of the best interests speech by George Method and one in deciding for the only pos in Pontiac and get away with it, appearance. The issue was en of the union. This illegal and un then another hammer blow by sible solution.’ ’’ then they could repeat the per tirely too hot for them. sanctioned strike jeopardizes the Martin brought the meeting to Rumors were rife that the vote formance in Flint, in Detroit, in That same afternoon, word position of the international of the Executive Board was split an end. The workers left the hall Lansing, in all of their plants in | canle through that Martin would u n io n .” on authorizing the strike. But the country. Chrysler, Hudson be in Pontiac at 5 P. M. to consult With this statement in his disillusioned and beaten. For all whatever the vote was, Mortimer’s and Packard would follow suit. with the strike committee. The pocket, Martin proceeded to the practical purposes the strike was statement makes it clear that he And the drive to organize Ford committee waited in vain for the Pontiac local meeting to bludgeon over. takes full responsibility for the would be endangered. The Pontiac President in an appointed hotel the workers into submission. But action of the Board. Moreover workers were fighting the battle for over four hours. Martin had the task was not an easy one. Those Responsible either Mortimer or Reuther or of every worker in the union. been in Pontiac, but in his brazen Before he was through he had both had it in their power- to From the very beginning, the bureaucratic manner had consult run the gamut of all the dema For the first time since the stay the hand of Martin even question mark hung over the ed with the reactionary local gogue’s tricks in which he is so Milwaukee convention last Aug., after the vote had been taken in strikers: would the' Executive officialdom while the strike com adept. He threatened, he cajoled, the lines were sharply drawn. the Board. If instead of hiding Board • authorize the strike ? mittee cooled its heels in the he pleaded, he denounced. Sitting on the fence had become in the hotel room they had gone Martin had already given indica hotel. As the strike committee re The workers were stunned. The impossible. It should be clear to the local meeting and spoken tions of a hostile attitude. On turned to the plant, enervated by sentiment of the unionists was Martin alone does not bear res in favor of the strike, there is no Thursday, he issued a «statement doubt and anxiety, an ominous I unmistakeable. A plea from Mar- ponsibility for the smashing of doubt that Martin would have to the press promising General - press statement of M artin’s came |tin for a vote to sustain the ac the Fisher Body sit-down. The received a crushing defeat and Motors "continuity of production’’ lover the radio to the effect that tio n of the GEB brought Charles Pontiac Auto Workers (Nov. 24th) the sit-down continued. But they and "amicable relationships" and-UAW would show the corpora- ISoutor, one of the strike leaders, reporting the speeches of mem too were concerned w ith “ respect denouncing unauthorized strikes, tion that the union could discip- to his feet demanding discussion. bers of the Executive Board, at ability" before the capitalist class ^Fithout mentioning the Pontiac ' line recalcitrant workers and He got the floor. Souter declared a meeting of Fisher Body men and the good-will of John L. strike^ the implication was all , unauthorized strikers unassisted that if the International refused after the evacuation of the plant, Lewis, an old hand at ourlawinjj !.. too clear. There must be no unauthorized to back the strike th.e job of every quotes Wyndham Mortimer, lead strikes. 4 SOCIALIST APPEAL December 4, 1937
The A. F. of L. unions, that is, the bona-fide ' SOCIALIST APPEAL labor movement as far as this section of the country is concerned, reacted m ilitantly to the V ol. L - No. 17. Saturday. Dec., 4, 1937 assassination of Corcoran. A flood of statements, C.P. Faking of Signatures Published every week by the letters and telegrams poured into the office of the SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASS'N. Teamsters Joint Council and all struck the same Published at 116 University Place, N. Y. note: sympathy and solidarity with the driver's unions, denunciation of the murder as a blow in Hit by Mpls. Unionists Subscriptions: $2.00 per year; $1.00 for 6 months. Foreign: $2.60 per year. Bundle order spired by labor’s enemies, esteem for the martyr. 3 cents per copy. Single copies 5 cents. The honorary pall bearers at the funeral were a MINNEAPOLIS. — That agents of the Communist party at A ll checks and money orders should be made virtual roster of the officials of the trade union tached the names of Minneapolis labor union officials to a leaflet, movement. The rank and file turned out ten out to the Socialist Appeal. without the knowledge or consent of the union officials listed, was thousand strong to honor the memory of the assas revealed at the Wednesday morning session of Coroner Seashore’s Entered as second-class matter September 1, sinated leader. Grief and rage and the militant inquest jury’s investigation. 1987 at the post office at New York, New York, w ill to carry on—these were and remain the sen One after another, officers of local unions took the stand and under the Act of March 3, 1879. timents of the Minneapolis labor movement as testified that the vicious leaflet, issued by an anonymous “ volunteer >. ------' a whole, and of all that is honest, genuine and decent in it. committee", had listed their names as “A. F. of L. sponsors" with WHO KILLED PATRICK out their- evey having been approached for authorization. CORCORAN, AND WHY? 4. The Bosses and Th eir Press: Among those testifying to this were Lewis Benecke, carpenters; Herman Osland, carpenters; W, H. Hackett, electricians; Ray Stef Who killed Pat Corcoran and why? Well, at (Continued from page 1) fens, sign writers; Peter Murck, sheet metal worker; Carl Hagland, any rat'e, you can say the bosses didn’t shed any Wages: the great truck strike of July 1934 was Building Trades Council; D. F. Desmond, floor layers local; F. J. settled on the basis of 42% cents per hour min tears about the killing. They—or rather, their dirty tools—killed Henry Ness and John Belor in Spitz’enberger, cabinet makers; J. O Johnson, carpenters; Ture imum and 52% cents maximum. Today the stand Hendrickson, cement workers. ard scale for drivers in the Twin Cities is 70 cents the 1934 strike and another union man’s blood per hour, with time and one-half for over-time, wouldn’t make their union record any blacker. Beaten by the drivers in every test of strength and paid vacations! These figures—of membership and wages—tell since 1934, obliged to witness—and pay for—the the repl. story. Call it ‘-Trotskyism" or what you consistent spread of unionism to other industries, discredited before the public and obliged to resort Meeting of Business Agents w ill—with its ruthless militancy and its unceasing pressure for more wages and better conditions, to various disguises and subterfuges—on the it has cost the once-arrogant bosses tens of m il order of the Communist Party “innocent clubs" lions of dollars since 1934 and driven the once —the black gang of the Citizens Alliance sought Denounces Daily Worker Lies all-powerful Citizens Alliance underground! No to utilize the killing of Corcoran to cast discredit on the trade union movement. They began to moan wonder they holler blue murder and denounce the MINNEAUOLIS. — More than 150 officials of the Minneapolis Minneapolis union system as a ‘‘racket”! But in and sigh about “racketeers” and “gangsters”. If labor movement assembled Monday night at the call of the Min truth cleaner, more democi-atic and more scrupul they displayed not the slightest interest in the ously honest unions do not exist anywhere. That apprehension of the murderers, they were ready neapolis Board of Union Agents voted almost unanimously to adopt is no small part of the secret of their power and to join a movement to start an “investigation” of a resolution on the murder of Patrick J. Corcoran which is a slash of the unchallenged authority of the leadership. the trade unions, out of which might come—who ing condemnation of the fake “anti-gangsterism” meeting called knows?—a “purge" of the movement and, per by the Stalinists and their stooges and an excoriation of the foul 2. Pat Corcoran: haps, also a neat frame-up of its most authentic The martyred labor leader was a representative slander campaign conducted against the best elements of the Min leaders. of the old school of trade unionism who, like not neapolis labor movement by the Daily Worker. a few others, adapted himself to the spirit and Here, like a troupe) of actors getting the cues, The stinging blow at the pro-® ------:------method:- of the great organizing campaigns in the agentry of the G.P.U., the American con fessional liars of the American the Daily Worker published by G.P.U. organ, voted against by a augurated in 1934. and played a significant part tingent of the international frame-up and murder the Communist Party have join tiny minority of the union offi in their further development. In the bitter inter machine, otherwise known as the Communist par ed in a campaign to smear and ty, and sometimes in Minneapolis as the "C .I.O .”, cials led by the Stalinist Harold discredit the martyred Corcoran union struggle which followed the revocation of Bean, reads as follows: the ch arter o f Local 574 in the summer o f 1935, took a hand in the game. and the trade union movement, “WHEREAS, The brutal mur with the charge: that his assas and lasting for one year, Corcoran, then head of der of Patrick J. Corcoran. Sec sination was caused by “ racketee the milk drivers, stood on the side of the A. F. 5. Enter the G.P.U.: retary-Treasure of the Team ring and gangsterism" in the of L. group and was bitterly and justly assailed Who killed Pat Corcoran and why ? . Well, you sters Joint Council, was a blow trade unions, and by the leaders of Local 674 for his part in that can say one thing without fear of going wrong. at the labor movement of Min “ WHEREAS, a public meeting reactionary jurisdictional war. But it was Cor The G.P.U. gang was ready—too ready!— to neapolis, obviously inspired by has been called for Wednesday, coran who initiated th'ei peace negotiations which the enemies of organized labor, point the accusing finger at the unions repre December 1, at Eagles Hall, by and led to the truce, then to the reinstatement of the sented by Corcoran and to his co-workers in the an anonymous “Volunteer com “WHEREAS, The Teamsters “outlaw " union, and to the union of forces which leadership. They didn’t need any evidence and mittee” under the announced slo Joint Council has offered $10, 0- led to the past year and a half. A Farmer-La- they didn’t wait for any investigation. As for gan, “ gangsterism in the Minnea 00 reward for information lead borite in politics, a Catholic and a man with a evidence they havq a ready formula employed with polis labor movement resulted in ing to the arrest and conviction background of traditional, conservative unionism, such proficiency in Russia, Spain, Czecho-Slova- the murder of Patrick J. Corco of the assassins, and Pat Corcoran nevertheless made a real peace with kia, China and other places: frame it up! As for ra n ,” “WHEREAS, In order to pro the terrible “Dunne brothers" and other leaders investigation, they have already finished it be-, tect the labor movement and its “THEREFORE BE IT RE of Local 574 (now Local 544), found a common forehand and have the verdict ready. chosen officers from a terroris SOLVED;______line with them in union policy and in building up Nevertheless, Minneapolis is not Moscow. One tic murder campaign, the most The assembled official repre the unions and making the bosses pay more wages. must proceed more cautiously and deviously here. relentless efforts must be made sentatives of the A. F. of L. un A ll hands testify to the admirable personal colla The adopted formula is: first smear the unions, to bring the assassins to deser ions of Minneapolis hereby call boration in the new set-up after the peace. How slanders, and discredit the leaders, malign the ved punishment, and for the full concentration of all else account for the great gains, the expansion of dead man’s memory and then—who knows?'— “WHEREAS, Every attempt to efforts in an unrelenting cam union organization to St. Paul, Duluth and all something can be cooked up in the way of a legal attribute the murder of Corcoran paign to bring the murderers to points in the North Central District, the solid fram e-up. to forces inside the, labor move ju stice , strength of thq expanding unions, the firm unity, The Minneapolis “C .I.O ."—no relation to the ment, and to besmirch the trade “AND BE IT FURTHER RE discipline and morale? national C .I.O .— bobs up with a statement bat unions with the accusation that SOLVED: Pat, a stalwart figure, a distinctive human per “ gangsterism and racketeering” ted out in the Communist party office to the ef We condemn the mass meeting inside labor’s ranks is respon sonality and a m ilitant unionist, won the confi fect that labor “gangsterism" is behind the as sible for the murder, constitutes announced for Wednesday, De dence and esteem of the rank and file. He was sassination. The daily press and the, press associa cember 1, at Eagles Hall, as in elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Teamsters a foul slander on the bona-fide tions grab that up—it is right down their alley labor movement and its martyred no way representative of the at Joint Council of Minneapolis, and Chairman of the titude of organized labor, as be and turns attention and suspicion away from the officer, and shields the real mur North Central D istrict Drivers Council. Denounced ing an aid to the mortal enemies forces which killed Henry Ness and John Belor. derers and the dark forces be habitually by the Stalinist wrecking crew as a of organized labor, and further The Daily Worker manufactures “news” about hind then, and “Trotskyite,” he made no denials or apologies. evidence of an unscrupulous cam the rising popular indignation against “gangster HIT “DAILY WORKER” When he was assassinated in the line of duty, ten ism" which is “linked,” of course, to the omni paign by irresponsible elements “WHEREAS, the daily press to discredit and split the labor thousand workers turned out to his funeral, stop scient, omnipotent and omnipresent “ Dunne bro controlled by the employers, and movement of Minneapolis.” ping all trucks for the occasion. That silent tes thers"—the Stalinist name for militancy, courage timony of the rank and file is a powerful answer and incorruptibility in the Minneapolis labor move to the, slanderers of Corcoran, to the blackguars ment. who defam'q his memory. The G.P.U. agentry are past masters at the. 3. Attitude of the Labor Movement: art of frame-up and other dark and bloody devices, and I don’t for one minute wish to underrate their Christmas Eve Dance The labor movement of Minneapolis does not resourceis in this respect. At first glance it may follow the national pattern. The bona-fide labor appear that they have a good set-up here. They Friday, December 24th, at 9 P. M. movement here consists of a powerful group of have the natural interest of the bosses to diVegt A. F. of L. unions, revitalized by the organizing suspicion from themselves and deal another blow IRVING PLAZA campaigns of the recent years and generally pro .at their hated enemies—the leaders of the team gressive in their policies. The C .I.O . movement sters’ unions. They have “church, social and civic 15th STREET AND IRVING PLACE here—socallegd— outside the te x tile and c lo th in g organizations,” to say nothing of “ leading persons unions, consists, for the most part of Stalinist of the community" and “public spirited persons" Tickets: In Advance 55 cents — At the door 75 Cents paper organizations and split-offs from progres in general, to whom they are now appealing in sive A. F. of L. unions—split-offs criminally public statements and circulars and who can al engineered by these buzzards of the labor move ways be relied upon when an opportunity presents For Sale at: Labor Book Shop, 28 East 12th St. ment. The C.I.O. as a national movement itself to stooge for the bosses and stab Labor in speaks in the name of millions of organized the back. The Stalinists have money in unlimited workers, but in Minneapolis it is only the Charlie amounts, vast agencies for slanderous publicity, McCarthy of the Communist party, the stooge and a retinue ■ of conscienceless scoundrels ready AUSPICES: Convention Arrangements Committee fo r its crooked maneuvers and the scapegoat for for any infamy. They „have what is known here Socialist Party (Left Wing) its crimes. (Continued on page 8) December, 4,1937 SOCIALIST APPEAL 5 THE SOVIET ELECTIONS By Cario
Bertram Wolfe On The Moscow Trials HIS SINCERE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MISTAKEN JUDGEMENT MAKES NECESSARY, ON HIS PART, A REEVALUATION OF THE PROBLEM OF THE SOVIET REVOLUTION — ...... - . . ... By Leon Trotsky , Bertram Wolfe writes the following in regard to the stenographic transcript has long since ceased to exist. called party, have no channels and of the hearings in Coyoacan (The Neiv Republic, November 24, 1937): Only the completion of the Bo- levers through which they can napartist regime can overcome influence the politics of the t t ' ------“The writer owns that book The Staliu School of Falsi that... we re-examine our out the centrifugal forces within the country. The present trials, ar his previous positionwas fication, bear partial witness to look. Unbelievable as this sounds, bureaucracy. The new constitution rests, exiles, judicial and extra to give credence rather that. Neither can one be silent that is, nevertheless, what he prepares this completion. After judicial shootings, represent a the elections there w ill follow, in form of preventive civil. war to Stalin than to Trots about the fact that the group demands. The Moscow trials and of Brandler-Lovestone, to which the subsequent development plac one form or another, the “ corona which the bureaucracy as a ky, but a rereading of Bertram Wolfe belongs, has been ed me—don’t you see?—before a tion” of Stalin. Philistines will whole leads against' the toiling the Moscow confessions iteared in this school of falsifica “new dilemma.” I pointed out to reduce all this to love of perso masses and which the more con nal power. In reality, the Thermi*- together with the pre tion, and Lovestone himself, by the Commission and to the press sistent Bonapartist wing of the no means a model of conscient that Stalin consciously brought dorian regime has no perspective bureaucracy leads against the sent w ork (“The Case iousness, has done his bit in the several dozen former revolution other than that of a Bonapartist other less firm or less reliable of Leon Trotsky"), or preparation of the Moscow trials. ists to moral prostration and coronation. But it is exactly now elements. If the ruling clique ma rather its closing speech physical ruin with but one aim: when our prognosis receives an nifestly approaches completed Source of the Frame-Ups that with their corpses he might irrefutable confirmation that Bonapartism, then it is clear that carried literally over- deal a blow to the Fourth Inter Bertram Wolfe makes his comp every serious Left Oppositionist whelming conviction This judicial frame-up, unpre national and to me in particular. letely unexpected demand — that movement cannot help taking the cedented in human history, is a that Trotsky could not “Now it is becoming clear that we re-examine our views. road of a new revolution. But result of the historically unpre he (Trotsky) has been made into “■What then happens,” he Wlolfe concludes that inasmuch as have done the things cedented reaction against the first a devil largely to make a case writes, “to Trotsky’s central Stalin is shooting many people, proletarian revolution. Falsifica charged against him in against others—leaders of a new theory that the entire m ili that shows the possibility. .. of a tion — philosophical, historical, the Zinoviev-Kamenev opposition which has grown up tary
"Partisan Review:" A Revolt A g a in s t Stalinism Among The Intellectuals | With The Party
This week we salute the appearance of a new literary collaboration in a common work. Kansas City Local Endorses Chicago Rank magazine of the left under an old name: the Partisan Is it not strange that the two and File Convention should be considered mutually Review. Originally an off spring of the John Reed Clubs incompatible and hostile? For The Kansas City, Missouri, disregarded by the N.B.C. and under the bureaucratic despotism of the Communist this misconception, as for many local of the Socialist Party has Whereas: the result of this has Party apparatus, the Partisan» Review has undergone a others- prevalent among the ra come out solidly for the Left been to. split the party and to metamorphosis. It has declared its independence of the dical (and ultra-radical) intellect Wing and w ill send delegates to allow it to leave the path cl the uals, the corrupting influence of the Chicago convention on Dec. class struggle (as in the recent Stalinists and their literary^ Stalinist authoritarianism is res 31. In a letter sent to us, the New York election disgrace) and have another end in view. They ponsible. The forms of this colla Kansas C ity comrades enclose the Whereas: the rank and Me of policies and struck out upon propose to remain independent, boration do not matter so much following resolution for publica the party, has the inalienable its own. Since to break open i.e. neutral and indifferent, not as its real content. Once the tio n : right and duty to determine its toward politics in general, but ly, clearly, cleanly with necessity of joint work is re own and the party’s destiny, only toward the revolutionary Stalinism is the primary cognized, it w ill be easy enough to Resolution of Kansas City Local Therefore Be It Resolve»!: that politics of the labor movement. find the most fruitful conditions condition of progress in any Is it not exceedingly anomalous Of the Socialist Party we endorse a convention of the for collaboration. rank and file to be opened in sphere of the radical move for a revolutionary Marxist ma Whereas: the National Execu gazine to proclaim above all its Chicago on December 31, 1037 to ment and requires not a little Cannot Be Indifferent tive Committee has separated it determine the future policies of backbone, we can only con independence... of revolutionary self from the members of the the p a rty . In any case, the editors of the Marxist politics? Socialist Party by disregarding (Signed) Socialist Party, gratulate the editors of the Partisan Review cannot remain the dictates of the rank and file Kansas City, Mo. But, the editors may protest, true to their revolutionary Marx new venture upon their bold and by expelling party members C. O’Hara, Secretary. we wish to be independent, not ist aspirations and remain indif decision and wish them for expressing differences of The resolution was adopted at in regard to revolutionary politics, ferent to living politics. Politics opinion within the party, and the last meeting of the focal with w ell. but only in regard to its “ organiz ominates everything in our world, Whereas: repeated demands to all votes .of those present, except ed political expressions.” Unfor including literature. In order to cease these expulsions and this one. Funds are being raised for Significant Step tunately, in real life, the two are survive, progress, and become a “gagging” of the party have been the delegates. inseparable. Revolutionary politics real force in literature, no less This divorce of a talented group does not exist in vacuo, but among of radical intellectuals from than in politics, it is necessary living groups of people, bound not to turn one’s back upon po Stalinism signifies anew that the together by common ideas and Attempt to Split Rochester Party Fails most sensitive and searching mem litical questions, but to define organized into political parties. clearly one’s attitude toward con bers of the younger generation Moreover, revolutionary Marxist ROCHESTER, N. Y.—The at-' sultedin a complete flop. tending ideas and forces. Not in can no longer live in the poisoned politics did not begin yesterday. tempt of the LaGuardia "Social A t its last meeting, Local Ro atmosphere arising from the de difference but intelligence; not ists” James Lipsig and Hans chester upheld t(je expelled of Ac-, It has almost a. century of deve anti-politics but correct politics: cay of that once virile move lopment behind it. Peters to split the Monroe County ers almost unanimously. The such is the Marxist approach to (Rochester) Local of the Social ment. They must break out of Which one among the tendencies Right Wing “reorganizers” scoop the problem. ist Party has failed miserably. ed up all of two stalwarts for that prison house of the Dead to struggling for supremacy within The Partisan Review exper After announcing in the capi their “lipe” in the whole of Mont- breathe fresh air and to make the ranks of the American work for themselves a place where ienced the impossibility of ignor talist press the expulsion of B. C. roe County. ing class most clearly and consis ing politics even before the ap Bennem, County Chairman, and Local. Rochester is continuing creative and independent revolu tently expresses and fights for pearance of its first issue. No other leading officers, Lipsig and with regular party activity as tionary thinking and w riting can the ideas, interests, and aims of sooner was its publication an Peters issued boastful press re before. Preparations aré being flourish without* police regula Socialism and most faithfully nounced than the Stalinist press leases about their "reorganiza made to send delegates te the tions and restrictions. In the carries, on the best traditions of launched a formidable lynch tion” plans. Actually, their "re Chicago. Convention ef the Left etruggle that has raged around Marxism? Which must be con campaign against the magazine organization” activities have re- Wing a t the end of the month. the Moscow Trials in the past sidered the vanguard of the re- ÿeàr a distinguished contingent voluti movement? This ques- and its editors. The Stalinists advanced American intellect- tion confronts the editors of the fear the consequences of this de fection from the ranks of their tula proved to be more alert to Partisan Review, and not them Greetings From India intellectual sympathizers; they the issues involved and more firm alone. They wish, however, to have already suffered heavily in Greetings to the First Conven the First Revolutionary Party of their determination to fight evade a direct answer to it. tS SfcUfnist rule of lies and ter the past year. No longer able to tion of the Revolutionary Social India under the Banner of the ror than their less fortunately Two Wrong Views allow a hand’s breadth of inde ist Party of the U. S. Fourth” Internationa!. situated colleagues across the pendence to their followers, their May the independent workers Paul Schwalbe, Atlantic. The stand of the Parti The Partisan Review was grip upon the most critical and party in the United States be the C alcutta, In d ia , Nov. HI, 1937. san Reviewers is a fresh mani founded, they say, “precisely to honest among them is visibly true organizer of the working festation of the same healthy fight the tendency to confuse lite weakening. They must quaran :lass. May it become the stim ulat NEW “CHALLENGE ©OT tre n d . rature and party polities.” Not tine dissidents at all cost, and in ing force that w ill awake the The December anti-war issue, sleeping masses in colonial According to its editorial ma all the confusion on this pointy every quarter. Thus the whole ¡of the .Challenge of Youth is just countries. May it help to create nifesto, the Partisan Review however, is on the side of their frame-up technique has been un [off the press. Buy it now. aspires to be revolutionary in antagonist. If the Stalinist sect limbered against the Partisan arians are guilty of identifying Reviewers. neffective "riposte” of the editors ary and^. artistic tendencies and tendency and Marxist in charact belong "to the petty-bourgeoise literature and politics, the Parti The answer of the editors to their iputual influence, we believe er. The indispensable foundation tradition of gentility,” that editor for any kind of revolutionary san Reviewers are likewise culp these abominable and outrageous that a revolutionary literary M acDonald sees as ch a ra cte ristic organ should be open to the best Marxist organ, political, or trade able of ignoring, and thus denying attacks is, to say the least, woe >f the New Yorker, rather than productions of living literature, union, is a clear and correct po in practice, the close bonds bet fully weak. The Daily Worker, to the polemical, m ilitant charact- regardless of the special poKtieal licy. One of the principal ques ween them. Their error consists among other things, assails them 2r of Marxism? ideas of their authors. A sect tions confronting the editors of in mistaking sectarian politics as “of the same ilk that murder arian policy in this sphere is ab a revolutionary review is the re for politics in general. In reality, ed Kirov, that turned the guns Fills a Need lation between literature and,no suc^ thing exists as "non- on the backs of Loyalist civi solutely, fatal. poftfics, or, in this concrete case, | partisan politics. ’ Politics^ may lians in Spain and betrayed the The best critical and creative In avowing itself hospitable, the” relationship between the j 8°°d or bad, correct or incor- i Army’s front line, that have been spirits among the younger ge- experimental, democratic, the Paritisan Review and the existing rec*> proletarian, non-proletarian, caught red-handed in plots with leration, imbued with revolution Partisan Review has set its foot revolutionary tendencies. What or antiproletarian, but never “non- the Gestapo and Japanese m ili ary ideas and emotions and dis on the right road. But it is not answer do they give to this prob p a rtis a n .” tarists to dismember the Soviet gusted with Stalinism, have long enough to have a broad circum lem ? . Both the Stalinist conception of Union.” In a word as "Trotsky wanted such a medium of expres ference ;■ it is equally necessary to have an ideological and poli The editors counterpose two the absolute subordination of lite ists.” A ll this merely proves, ac- sion as the Partisan Review pro tical center from which ntt the policies to each other. One is the rature to politics and the Partisan [ cording to the editors, “the de- poses to provide. This growing re st lo g ic a lly radiates. .Such a Stalinist conception which “ equa Reviewers’ conception of its ab generative effect of imposing a company of writers and artists center is requited for the tes the interests of literature solute independence are one-sided Party Line on Literature” and, has hitherto lacked an organ free orientation of the magazine with those of faetional politics”; and false. But there is a third what “it is painful to us, as ra of the intolerable grip of the amongst the ideas and forces of imposes a party line on litera conception which bases itself upon dicals, to realize, the intellectual Stalinist Inquisition, whose fingers our time. It alone can give -cha ture; and sets up a bureaucratic the interdependence of the two. bankruptcy of the Communist reach out in all directions to racter, strength, and direction to board of censors, armed with According to this conception, Party leadership. ” One is irresist- strangle their talents. The new police powers, to enforce that which is, in our opinion, the cor ! ibly reminded of that brave review comes to fill a gaping hole its editorial policy and emfMe it hue. They categorically reject rect Marxist position, there need husbandman, who shouted after in the radical cultural movement. to become a genuine ioice among this “totalitarian trend” of the be no discord between revolution a gang of bandits and assassins: Together w ith the editors of the the intellectuals of the rising re Stalinist commissars of culture, ary politics and revolutionary “You have killed my wife, raped Partisan Review we oppose a volutionary generation. Ruinous to the development of literature, but on the contrary, a my daughter, robbed my money, politically managed art and In breaking with Stalinism and living art and science. So far, so profound harmony between them. and burned down my house, but science. We believe that there launching upon a new career, good. A ll depends upon establishing a don’t you dare touch my garden, should be the widest latitude for great opportunities and perspect correct working relationship bet or I w ill get mad!” 'But, in their revulsion against experimentation and a complete ives are opened up to the Partisan the vieious ideas and practices of ween them and their organized If an honest but misguided autonomy within their own field Review. Let it continue to clarify Stalinism, the Partisan Reviewers expressions. worker or intellectual voices such ?or the workers in the arts and ts ideas along Marxist lines, and have swung over to thé opposite What should be the nature of accusations, it is necessary to sciences. To allow free scope for these opportunities can be richly extreme. They aspire “to inde this relationship? Not one of des explain how false and vile they ..the struggle of contending liter- realized. pendence in politics ' as well as potism and servile dependence, as are. But when a pack of cons hr art.” What precisely is meant the Stalinists demand, nor one of cienceless scoundrels in the ser by tikis? Obviously, they do not toplofty indifference, and aliena vice of the great corrupter and VILLAGE DANCE AND SOCIAL intend to ignore the influence of tion, as the Partisan Reviewers destroyer of the Socialist revolu tion contrives a frame-up, it is at 5 Washington Square North (Dr. Lnttinger's) fis t or present politics upon think necessary. The normal and natural relationship between a [imperative to defend oneself with Dancing—Dining—Drinking d M tu ra l productions. See the a r- revolutionary Marxist cultural ,the utmost vigor and to expose Entertainment on a Large Scare tiefes on Flaubert’s politics and organ and a genuinely Marxist the motives and real roots of this Saturday Dee. 4th, Admission $.25 Picasso’s contributions. They party should be one of fraternal villainy. Does not the timid and L ------* 8 SOCIALIST APPEAL December 4, 1937 Progressives Win in Are You Ready for War? Akron CI 0 Council Left A Discussion on Imperialist War, Past and Present, on the Presidential Wilmer Tate, ex-CLU Chairman, Is Chosen J abs “Peace-Lovers” and How They Prepare the Minds of the Masses in As New President Support of a New World-Wide W ar for Plunder and Exploitation. AKRON, Ohio. — Progressive Stalin Stages forces in the labor movement an Election The Second Principle of the War- “but in a war against the fascists I would join here won a decisive victory re President Kalinin speaking on the armies of the Unitqd States.” (Boston Herald, cently when their slate of candi the Soviet elections said, “But if M akers Oct. 1, 1937.) dates for offices in the CIO in in our country, in a number of dustrial union council was elected. The second principle of the war-makers is to Just as clear were the replies of Dave Grant places, candidates withdraw their, Wilmer Tate, well-known Akron who testified as the representative« of the Y.C.L.: names for the benefit of some split the working class opposition to war, winning labor leader, was chosen president Sen. Burke: Do you belieye in teaching boys candidate, it is a result of their over sections of the workers. No army ever goes' of the council. He had been oust social kinship and common poli they shouldn’t be connected with the National into battle against the foe in front when its rear ed as president of the A.F. of L. tical purpose."—Of course, of Defence of the country? is threatened by another army. And no capitalist Central Labor Union by direct course, but isn’t it just possible government goes to war against the foreign foe Grant: I have never said anything of the orders of W illiam Green because that the rattle of the firing when its rear (at home) is menaced by a hostile sort. I don’t believe it. Tate strongly advocated indus squads was a contributing fac working class. It must first assure the support Burke: Do you bqlieve in doing away with trial unionism and condemned to r? of the workers. To split thlq working-class opposi the National Guard, the CMTC, the ROTC and publically the splitting policies tion to war is a life-and-death question for it. turning any war into civil war according to of the A.F. of L. executive Back to '76! The greatest deterrent to im perialist war, there the resolution of the 8th Congress of the CP? council. Among the many persistent The vice president of the council rumors of a patched up peace fore, is the threat by the workers that the out G ra n t: No. is Charles Collins, president of in Spain the most amazing was break of war means class struggle, strikes, in- Burke: Do you support the resolution of General Local, URWA. He is the one that proposed a “ Monar tleniial disturbances,. the threat of revolution be the 8th Congress of the Communist Party calling for the abolition of the ROTC? recognized as the most m ilitant chy under the Constitution of hind the lines—a threat expresed not alone in words and progressive rubber workers 1876.” That this proposal can be G ra n t: No. but mainly in daily class struggle now against union president in this area. seriously put forward is indica Burke«: The resolution calling for the aboli the government. This is how to postpone the war The post of corresponding tive of the success of the Peo tion of the National Guard and the CMTC? which is inevitable as long as world capitalism secretary was won by Redmond ple's Front Government and its lasts. G ra n t: No. Greer, Goodrich Local. He had Stalinist hatchet-men in destroy Burke: Do you believe in defending your And conversely, when the workers’ organiza been floor leader o f the progress ing the Revolution. country in case of war, would you fight? tions announce voluntarily, in advance, that they ive caucus in the CLU during Grant: Yes! are behind the govemntqnt’s war policy, or that the past two years. Financial “Seeing Things” Groves: Do you know what the Oxford secretary elected was A. L. Cal The Socialist Call reports H. in any event they w ill support war when it comes Pledge is ? houn, of the Bus drivers union, Zam speaking to the tattered —that is a greater encouragement to the outbreak Grant: Yes! and recording secretary is Ann remnants in Reading, “I see a‘ of war than all the Hearst editorials and big-navy Groves: Do you know the Young Commun Tahensky, of the CIO office work particularly bright future for the propaganda put together. It is the green light Party.”—Boy, that’s optimism ists support thq Pledge which urges students ers union. which signals to Engineer Roosevelt of the war- for you!!! The brightness of the to refuse to support the government in war? The temporary officers who had machine: “The way is clear. Full speed ahead.” been chosen w ith the approval of future pictured by Zam officially Grant: No, we don’t. is only surpassed by the gloomy Groves: Do members of the YCL take the the leadership of the internation Jumping on the Bandwagon for War al officers of the United Rubber darkness of his internal docu pledge in the American Studept Union? Workers did not run against the ments. And Roosevelt opened up the throttle in Chi Grant: No, they don’t. cago on October 5: “ Quarantine the aggressor— progressive slate since defeat Holmes: Do you differentiate, as did your was impending. The Murder of organize the peace-loving -democratic nations leader Lenin, between “imperialist democracy Andres Nin! against the aggressors—against Japan.” A ll the and soviet democracy” as quoted by another Anyone wishing to see the forces of American imperialism hitched themselves member ¿rf the Commission? Frisco WPA Workers squirmings of a poisonous rat behind him and loudly applauded his policy: Col. Grant: 'No, we don’t differentiate. should read George Soria’s ar Knox, Landon’s running mate in 1936; Stimson, (Conclqded in next issue) Face Mass Dismissals ticle in the Daily Worker attemp Hoove’s Secretary of State; Sen. Borah, a lead ting to explain away the Stalin ing Republican and (hitherto) isolationist; the SAN FRANCISCO.—More than ist murder of Nin. The frame-up N. Y. Herald-Tribune, organ of reactionary Re WHO KILLED PATRICK 300 WPA workers employed in rtists are getting panicky. Soria’s publicanism; these Republicans found no difficulty the Area Statistical and Research attempt will convince nobody QORCORAN, AND WHY? Office here are faced with im agreeing with the unanimous chorus of approval (Continued from page 4) as the “C.I.O. outside the circle of 20th Century mediate dismissal according to an Morons. that rose from the) Democratic ranks. (It is inter But with all that, in my opinion, they haven’t announcement made by WPA esting to note also the favorable reaction of Fas- g ot enough in M inneapolis. T h e ir intended vie*- Director of Research Emerson Unity in the oist Austria and Poland and of the reactionary tims are too closely integrated in the labor move Ross. This slash into the work National Government of England.) ment here. It is too clear that the frame-up gang, relief program is in line with the Opium Trade! “ Unity between Catholics and The labor agents of imperialism also came in striking at the hated Trotskyites, the “Dunne nation-wide “ economy” drive now Communists is necessary, is pos through. W illiam Green of the American Federa brothers”, are trying to smear and discredit the being conducted by the Roosevelt Administration. sible, is on the way to accom tion of Labor backed Roosevelt in an enthusiastic great trade union movement they represent. The plishment.”—Thorez, French Sta apcfaph. And there is no doubt o f John L . Lew is’s labor movement of Minneapolis is on guard against Ross’s announcement, which linist leader as quoted in the attitude on the question. These rivals on the trade the frame-up gang. The elementary class interest declared that the research office Daily Worker. With the “dictum union field, the one conservative, the other “pro of the national labor movement—C .I.O . as well would be discontinued, came on of Saint Paul” the “Pope’s En gressive”, -both unite on the basis of American as A. F. of L .—is against them. The truth, the the heels of reports that similar cyclicals” and Stalin’s speeches action had already been taken -in imperialism. And not to be left out of this Peo evidence, the circumstances, the motivation for for theory and the murder of rev the Area offices in New York, ple’s Front of American imperialism, the Com olutionists for practice, we can the murder of Pat Corcoran are all against them. Philadelphia and Chicago. munist Party rushed to join the bandwagon, en But, abovq all, against them stands the record of see a re a l basis fo r u riity . Cer Very weak resistance is being dorsing Roosevelt’s speech 150%, without reserva the Stalinists, on an international scale, a bloody tainly, no questions of principle put up against the cuts by the tions. But tbq war position of the Communist divide them. and teiTible record of frame-up, of murder, or United Federal Workers of Ame Party and Young Communist League (the Stalin character-assassination, of corruption—which has rica, a CIO affiliate which is ists) may be seen most clearly in its latest ex Ludendorff and Hitler! revolted the conscience of the world and warned pledged not to strike. Delegates General Ludendorff who, after pression—the replies given by their leaders to the enlightened workers everywhere to be on guard. are being sent to Washington a pbriod of antagonism, again inquiry by the Massachusetts Legislative Com The labor movement o f Minneapolis is on guard. where they w ill be given a ride joined Hitler last March, is re mittee investigating “subversive propaganda.” The frame-up gang has to operate in the fu ll light on the famous merry-go-round, ported to be near death. Turn of publicity here. The attempt to stage a Min and protests (!) are being sent about being fair-play, let’s hope The “Communists” Pledge Allegiance neapolis version of the; Moscow trials has already to state, local and federal officials. that the German workers see to Queried by the Committee with regard to his become, instead, a tria l of the Stalinist frame-up That the workers involved want it that Hitler rejoins the Gen action is to be seen in the fact patriotism, Earl Browder, leader of the C. P., re gang, and w ill result in their exposure and their eral at an early date. that joint committees of union plied clearly and vigorously. “In 1917 I tried to conviction before the public opinion of the work and non-union workers have “The Great Democrat”. in g class! prevent war and I went to prison,” said Browder, been set up to campaign for corf- That hoary old wagd-cutting tinuation of the projects. These slogan “ Lower wages and steady drive for subscriptions and con non-union workers w ill support work”, is trotted out by “o a r tributions. The subscription total a joint committee while refusing great democratic president” in w ill be a good barometer of the to join a union that has already his housing proposal. “Labor'* Growing Pains growth of our party. tied its own hands. candidate” is certainly handing out “labor’s reward!” Over three months have elaps its period of growing pains. But ' ” - V ed since the new Appeal appear it has come to the point where Socialist Appeal THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ed on the revolutionary horizon. the pains must be eliminated and 116 University Place Date ...... A t times that horizon has seem our income stabilized. The first number of the re New York City ed dark—so dark that we found it Through this column in the vived NEW INTERNATIONAL near future, unless there is re magazine is now on the press, necessary to resort to an emerg I enclose $ ...... for which please send me the ency appeal to prevent suspen sponse from the lagging locals, and can be obtained in another sion of publication. At other we shall report the progress—or Socialist Appeal. One year— ($2.00); Six Months— day or two. rimes, when locals like Minnea lack of progress being made in ($1.00). The Subscription rate is $2.00 polis came through in the nick various sections of the country, I enclose $ ...... as my contribution toward pqr year. Bundle Rates are 14 of time and contributions came We shall report the failure of cents per copy in bundles of five in from unexpected sources, the some locals to pay for bundle or building the Socialist Appeal. or more. Canadian and Foreign ders. There is no reason why Rates: Subscriptions: $2.50 per horizon brightened. Nam e ...... The fluctuating financial con one or two locals should bear the year: Bundle rate: 16 cents per copy. dition of the Socialist Appeal is burden of financing the Appeal. Address ...... not an unusual one. Without ex From now until the convention THE NEW INTERNATIONAL, ception, every organ of a revolu of the Socialist Party (Left C ity ...... 116, UNIVERSITY PLACE, tionary party in the past has ha’d Wing) let us make a concerted ^ ------;------t NEW YORK, N. Y.