Socialist Appeal World Congress Official Weekly Organ of the Socialist Workers Party, Section of the Fourth International

In Two Sections See Section 2 ior Documents of Section 1 Socialist Appeal World Congress Official Weekly Organ of the Socialist Workers Party, Section of the Fourth International

VOt. II—No. 46 Saturday, October 22, 1938 Five Cents per Copy WORLD CONGRESS FOUNDS FOURTH INTERNATIONAL Congress Climaxes Thirty Delegates From Eleven 15 Years’ Struggle Countries Raise New Banner Fourth International Emerges From Fight Against Degeneration in the New International Created in Midst of European War Third International Crisis Gives Voice to Revolutionary

By MAX SHACHTMAN diga, also solldarized itself sub­ Opposition to Imperialist W ar stantially with the Russian Op­ Just as the main body of the position, and met the usual fate Communist International came at the hands of the Kremlin ma­ out of the Second International, chine. Virtually the entire party YOUTH INTERNATIONAL FORMED so the roots of the Fourth Inter­ leadership in Belgium was arbit­ national are to be traced to the rarily ousted for the same reason. beginnings of the crisis In the The same occurred in varying de­ The Fourth International has been founded. T h ird . grees In all the parties of the Fifteen years have elapsed Meeting in the midst of the threatening war crisis in Europe, 30 delegates from International. Blnce the movement now organ­ eleven countries proclaimed the new W orld Party of the Socialist Revolution. A ized under the banner of the Subsequent Struggles Youth International was simultaneously created. Fourth International first took In the course of the inner The delegates represented organizations in the United States, France, Great B rit­ shape. It arose in the form of the struggle which followed in the Opposition in the Russian Com­ International, centering mainly ain, Germany, the Soviet Union, Italy, Latin America, Poland, Belgium, Holland, munist Party, variously called the around the question of the cap­ and Greece. "Moscow” or "1923” or "Trotsky­ itulation of the Stalinists to the ist” Opposition. Uniting the best British labor Bureaucracy, cul­ I.nable to send dele->tes be.ause of conditions of distance, illegality, and o th e r elements of the Old Guard and minating in the fiasco of the 1926 adverse factors, were organizations affiliated to the Fourth International in S paift, of the youth of the Party, and led General Strike and the notorious Czechoslovakia. Austria, Indo-China, China, French Morocco, the Union of South by Leon Trotsky, it was the first Anglo-Russian Trade Union U- to sound the alarm against the nity Committee; of the Chinese Africa, Canada, a number of Latin American countries, Australia, New Z ealand, growing menace of degeneration Revolution, in which Stalin re­ Denmark, Norway, Lithuania, Palestine, Rumania, and several other countries. These in the ruling party and the revo­ duced the communist, the work­ organizations had already signified in advance their adherence to the new banner. lution itself. ing class and peasant m ove­ The world congress that raised the new internationalist banner met in s tric te s t Against Bureaucratism ments to so many serfs of the perfidious national bourgeoisie; illegality "somewhere in Switzerland” on September 3, 1938. Because of the e xtrem ely Significantly enough, the first of the domestic policy of the blows dealt the ruling clique by difficult conditions engendered by the war crisis, observers elected to the Congress Soviet Union, which brought the the Opposition centered around France and country to the brink of catas­ fb y the Workers and Peasants Socialist Party of the struggle against bureaucrat­ trophe by favoring the well-to-do the P.O.U.M. of Spain were unable to attend the aettud ism and for party and proletarian kulak and the labor aristocrat as NINE COUNTRIES democracy. These questions were, sessions of the Congress. A special commission, m et la te r against aj~poMey, advocated by however, inseparably'"associated,' the Opposition, of a broad indus­ with representatives of the former organization. in the views of the Opposition, REPRESENTED AT trialization plan and the collect­ with the questions of the rhythm N o conference o f revolutionists ever met^ under cir­ ivization of agriculture; and of industrialization of the coun­ cumstances more tense and ominous or faced tasks o f above all, of the generalized the­ try and the relationships to the YOUTH CONGRESS oretical expression of Stalinist re­ such supreme historical gravity than did this one. Soviet peasantry, questions which action contained in its national­ were to play such an overwhelm­ More than five years have passed since the nucleus at istic concept of "socialism in a Delegates Gather ingly decisive part in the further single country"—the original work for the reconstruction of the revolutionary In te rn a ­ evolution of the Soviet Union. Despite Many Moscow Opposition gained new The Opposition was supported Ten Years of the Fight To Build tional drew up a courageous balance sheet of the h u m ili­ support in a second layer of ad­ Obstacles by an unmistakable majority of versaries of Stalin. the party and youth members in ating defeat of the German proletariat which brought in Led by Zinoviev, Kamenev, By NATHAN GOULD Moscow and numerous other im­ its train so many other murderous blows against the working class Krupskaya and other former op­ In September 1938 the historic portant centers. But the almighty A Revolutionary Party in the US of the world, and of Europe in particular. ponents of an alleged “Trotsky­ apparatus was in the hands of World Congress in Switzerland ism," the Leningrad party organ­ Following the wretched capitulation to fascism of the only party the notorious "trium virate"—Zino­ launched the Fourth International ization joined with the Moscow in Germany which laid official claims to the traditions of the Russian viev, Kamenev and Stalin. They By JAMES P. CANNON split; disruptive and unassimil- pretended to be more than we (World Party of the Socialist Re­ re v o lu tio n is ts to fo rm , in 1926- volution). One week later youth Revolution— the Communist Party— and the cynically wholehearted proceeded to invent the bogey­ The foundation congress of the able elements, who periodically are—but a plain statement of 1927, th e U n ite d O p p o sitio n B loc. representatives from two conti­ man of "Trotskyism," to befuddle Fourth International coincided, threatened our unity, were iso­ fact, which we can permit our­ endorsement of this capitulation by the entire Stalinist International, It was crushed even more sav­ nents gathered in the same city the minds of those they cpuld not within the span of a few weeks, lated and crushed every time. Be­ selves on this glorious tenth an­ the Bolshevik-Leninists of that time, organized as the International agely by the Stalin-Bukharin bloc and convened the World Youth intimidate, and by the crassest with the tenth anniversary of ginning as the tiniest and poor­ niversary. Our party, at the end Left Opposition, boldly proclaimed the need o f organizing a new, th a n th e 1923 O p p o sitio n had Conference of the Fourth Inter­ manipulation of the party ma­ our struggle for bolshevism in the est and most derided of all the of the ten years’ fight, has come been. But not before significant n a tio n a l. Fourth International, true heir and continuator of the great traditions chinery they not only succeeded U n ite d States. On O cto b er 27, 1928 radical labor groupings outside to represent the revolutionary international repercussions were This conference culminated two in voting down the Opposition we raised the banner of the Rus­ the camp of Stalinism, we have political movement in the United of the Internationals that had preceded it and implacable foe o f the heard. A whole section of the months of intense preliminary but In accelerating the trend to­ sian Opposition (the Bolshevik- outstripped them all. By timely States and to be synonymous official traducers of the working-class movement. Comintern leadership which had work. Eight special commissions wards bureaucratic degeneration. Leninists) in the Central Com­ and successful fusions with all with it. We are not yet a mass Joined in 1933 in the famous Pact of Four for the new Inter1 been forced into power by Zin- labored during these two months Rallied to the Opposition mittee of the Communist Party. the genuinely revolutionary party but we will become such. natiohal by the Socialist Workers Party of Germany, and the ovievist appointment, broke away groupings and by shouldering the The foundations have been laid in the examination of facts re­ It Is Interesting to note that Therewith we broke all ties with Independent Socialist Party and^ from the Stalinists and came pretenders aside, we have gained deep and strong. garding the situation of the from the very beginning, many Stalinism and we never once Revolutionary Socialist Party of exposure of what still goes by closer to the Opposition. the central position in the radical world youth, investigated records, of the most solid and ablest looked back. These events — the Holland, the Bolshevik-Leninists, the name of the Second ’’Inter» Other Breaks labor field. Revolutionary Realities toured the national youth sec­ elements In the Communist In­ formation of the American “Left the International Com m unist national.” Confronted by the These included the new Ger­ In looking back through the tions in Europe, drafted political ternational took a position either Opposition" and the World Con­ Outside the Stalinist Party, League gathering strength and danger of a new world imperi­ man leadership of Maslow-Fisch- ton-year period, which has been documents and resolutions. D ili­ outrightly in favor of the Trots­ gress — mark two steps in which has been completely trans­ influence in one country after alist holocaust, the leaders of the er-Urbans-Scholem; the French so rich in experience, we can gently, the commissions and the kyist Opposition or conciliatory one and the same uninterrupted formed into a cynical agency of another, alone and consistently biggest remaining section of that party leadership of Trelnt-Gi- easily distinguish three distinct congress worked to meet the re­ to it. The leadership of the Polish struggle on an international as imperialism in the labor move­ remained loyal to the principles “International." the British Labor rault; the Neurath-Michalec stages in the development of our quirements of a great historical party protested vigorously a- well as on a national scale. Their ment, there are no cadres, no and promise enunciated in the Party, found nothing more appro­ group in Czechoslovakia; the movement as the authentic suc­ responsibility — to mobilize the gatnst the disloyal and dishonest joint celebration in this issue of press, that can be compared to P act. priate to do than to shriek at the Frey group in Austria. In the cessor of the once-revolutlonary youth of the world behind the assaults against the Opposition; our paper is appropriate. ours. This is not boasting—we top of their voices fot a speeding course of the next few years, new (Continued on page 4) Fourth International in the strug­ The best elements in the van­ It was answered—the reply soon Our participation in tho world have never b^en braggarts, never up of British imperialism’s war- forces developed in the direc­ gle for the Socialist emancipation guard of the groups that had became standardized!—by having congress which signalized the armamonts program. tion of the Opposition—Nin, An­ of mankind. broken from the corrupt and in­ its leadership arbitrarily re­ formal organization of the Fourth drade and others in Spain, Chen The Pioneer Contingent 19 D elegates A tte n d corrigible Third International, as Almost simultaneous with our moved, Its leader Domsky called International was the logical out­ Tu-hslu in China, the Italian well as the determined and assembly, Sir W alter Citrine and to Moscow from which, years come of our consistent adherence Nineteen delegates, from our party leaders Ferocl, Blasco and serious elements from various cen­ associates met with the leaders Of later, he was exiled, then impris­ to the program we adopted as our sections in Poland, Austria, Bel­ Santini, Spector and MacDonald trist groups and even sections of the French Social Democracy to oned and, according to more re­ own ten years ago. We have con­ gium, England, France, Holland, In Canada, Diego Rivera in Mex­ the Second International, rallied discuss the war crisis. Like their cent reports, shot. tributed something to the organi­ and the U. S. A. participated. In ico, Juan Antonio Mella in Cuba, to the movement for the Fourth imperialist masters, they never The founders and outstanding zation of the world movement. addition, delegates from Italy, the Abern, Cannon and Shachtman International, despite the histor­ bothered to consult the represen­ leaders of the French party took The Fourth International, in turn, U. S. A. and Greece were present in the United States and similar ically unprecedented hailstorm of tatives of theii- Czech “sister” the position of the Trotskyists, now gives us a mighty impulse as representatives of the Inter­ groups of active and leading m il­ abuse, misrepresentation, calum­ pat ties, to say nothing of their and such figures as Rosiper, Lo- for further advances toward tho national Bureau of the Fourth itants, many of them founders of ny and persecution to which it German and Austrian “Com- riot, Souvarlne, Louzon, Dunois, American revolution. International. Meeting at the the International, in other lands. was subjected on all sides by its ra-les.” As for the Labor and Monatte, Chambelland, and a- Ten Years Strong height of the European war crisis Almost everywhere, their places official adversaries. Socialist International itself, its mong the younger elements, Tho- We are profoundly convinced accompanied as it was by a rising were taken by unknown up­ Executive never met during the rez (yes, the present Thorez!) that our ten years’ struggle has wave of nationalism in the coun­ The five years of unlntermit- starts, young (and old) servile crisis, or if it did, it did ‘not let ranged themselves alongside the prepared us for great things in tries of Europe, and by blatant tent struggle for the ideas of the bureaucrats, people without ideas itself be heard from by so much Opposition, with early expulsion the future and we face it with social-patriotic utterances by all Fourth International enabled the or character or principle, who ns a syllable or a whisper. In from the Comintern as their re­ confidence. We have gained stead­ Communist and Social-Democrat­ movement representing these ide­ were appointed today and as like the gravest moments of the cri­ w a rd . ily, if all too slowly, from year ic parties, the very representation as to gather at its founding con­ as not demoted tomorrow as sis, in other words, the Second The German party leadership to year. The basic program of at the conference itself symbol­ ference without having to face scapegoats for Stalin's cata­ International did not even pre­ of the time—Brandler-Thalhelm- ten years ago remains unchanged. ized the internationalism of a any serious claimant to the name strophic policies. tend to counsel, much less to er—only "dissociated” itself from The leadership, with important Martin Abeni, James P. Cannon, and Max Shachtman, pioneers in movement of world revolution. or position of leadership of the lead, the labor movement of the the Russian Opposition under the Process of Selection individual accretions and no sig­ the Communist movement in the United States who were the first, That both conferences (adult revolutionary internationalist v.-orld. most severe pressure and threats Not all . those who associated nificant defections, has main­ ten years ago, to raise the banner of revolt against the degenera­ and youth) were held despite m ovem ent. of retaliation. The leadership of themselves at one time or anoth- tained a ten-year continuity. We tion of the Communist International and who today stand in the countless obstacles—hounded by Our conference met at a mo­ Just as significantly silent was the Italian party, headed by Bor. (Contlnued on page 3) never suffered a single serious front ranks of the Fourth International. (Continued on page 3) ment of the most revolting self­ (Continued on page 3)

by electrical transcription to our GRAND CELEBRATION MASS MEETING, heralding the foundation of the Fourth International and the Tenth Anniversary of our struggle for a revo­ lutionary workers party in this country. Hear JAMES P. CANNON, MAX SHACHTMAN, JAMES BURNHAM, ANTOINETTE KONIKOW, and others, at the Center Hotel, 108 West Trotsky Will Speak 43rd Street, New York City, Friday, October 28,1938, at 8 P. M. 2 SOCIALIST APPEAL OCTOBER 22, 1938

From Left Socialism THE REVOLUTIONARY MARXIST PRESS SOCIALIST APPEAL Ten Year Record of Struggle and Progress V ol. I I — No. 46 S a tu rd a y, O cto b er 22, 1938 To Bolshevism P u b lish e d cvex-y w eek by the By MARTIN A BERN SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION sulted in suspension of tho New SELLING THE SOCIALIST APPEAL at 116 Univei-sity Place, New York, N.Y. By ERNEST EKBER ciples, particularly the discussion On O cto b er 27, 1928, Jam es P. M ilitant; but soon the x-evolution- National Chairman, Y.P.S.L. on the "road to power.” Cannon, Martin Abern and Max ists found a press to express T elephone: N a tio n a l O ffice : A L g o n q u in 4-8547 B y th e end o f 1935 th e “ M ilit ­ Shachtman were expelled from their views. Utilizing the Socialist The revolutionary party must ants" had gone a long way in the Communist Party of the Unit­ Appeal, a printed organ is­ Subscriptions: be attracting to itself all the best political development. Only a fool ed States, by the latter’s Cen­ sued in the S. P. by A lb e r t $2.00 per y e a r; SI.00 fo r s ix m onths. F oi-eign: S2.50 pci- year. in the movements around it. Len­ could fail to sec that their cohab­ tral Executive Committee at a Goldman, the left wing fox-ccs B u n d le ox-del-, 3 cents p e r copy. S in g le copies 5 cents. in pointed out to the foreign itation under one roof with the Plenary Session, for espousing the soon developed the Appeal into a All checks and money ordex-s should be made out to the communists at the time of the "Old Guard” was no longer pos­ platform of the then Russian Op­ monthly magazine. A year ago Socialist Appeal founding of the Communist In­ sible. Marxists were forced to ask position led by L. 'D. Trotsky. the Appeal was converted into a ternational that Bolshevism did themselves where this potentially Simultaneously, Maurice Spector weekly newspaper and as the of­ Entered as second-class matter September 1, 1937, at the post not only develop by disagree­ revolutionary force in the S.P. was expelled by the Canadian ficial oxgan of the S.W.P. it con­ office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. ments and splits but that "Bol­ would go. W ith the Seventh Con­ C. P. tinues the i-evolutlonai-y tradi- shevism had proved a unit, it gress of the C.I. in the summer Anticipating the bureaucratic tions of the Militant an* Hew MAX SHACHTMAN, Editor had drawn to itself all that was of 1935 and the shedding of the action of the Foster-Browder- M ilita n t. HAROLD ROBERTS .GEORGE CLARKE best among the currents of so­ Lovestone Communist Party lead­ "third period” idiocies, there was Events of a Decade Associate Editox-s cialist thought close to it.” a possibility that the Stalinists ership, we made swift prepara­ Our pxess has recorded through S. STANLEY, Business Manager The Bolshevik. core that would intervene in the revolu­ tions to present our case to the th is h is to ric decade o f 1928-1938 emerged from the corrupted body tionary development of the S.P. Communist Party ranks and to all the significant events of the of the Communist Party of the and draw off the bulk of the left the working class, and two weeks period and has truly offei'cd guid­ U.S. to found the Left Opposition w in g . la te r, on N o ve m b e r 15, 1928, th e re ance to the i-cvolutionaxy foxces had its share of conflicts in appeared The M ilitant, published and the labor movement gcncx-- the last ten years. Its break Entry of Workers Party as the organ of the Opposition Appeal Army ally in all fields. A few of these with ‘'fellow-travellers" of the Group in the Communist Party. The leadership of the Workers major events—which, by the way, moment like Ludwig Lore and 5,000 copies w ere p rin te d and d is­ Party, sensitive to the changing also d e fin ite ly x-ecox-d stages in Louis Budenz and with die-hard tributed widely in New York and Best. Issue of Appeal Yet.! K ansas ...... 2 currents about them, reacted to development and attitude of our throughout the United States. F ro m evex-y v ie w p o in t th is issue St. L o u is ...... 2 sectarians like Oehler and Field this new situation by proposing own ox-ganization—wex-e: the de­ of the Appeal, celebrating the C hicago ...... 2 are described elsewhere. But like the entry of the "Trotskyites” in­ Only a Handful cline of Bolshevism and the rise a Bolshevik tendency that knows 10th anniversary of our move­ Minneapolis ...... 2 to the Socialist Party. This bold Hard labor, as never before or of Stalinism in Russia; the how to swim against the current ment in America and the found­ Washington, D. C...... 1 step was taken in the spring of since, went into the publication events in Germany—the develop­ without bowing its head, the ing of the Fourth International, Texas ...... 1 1936 and, not accidentally, coin­ of the semi-monthly Militant. ment of German Fascism; the "Trotskyite" movement drew "to is the best we have published! In Connecticut ...... 1 cided with the departure of the There were at the beginning but struggles in France; the rise and itself all that was best in the size, content and significance it New York State ...... 1 "Old Guard" at the national con­ a handful of comrades to publish, fall of Popular Frontism; the de­ current of socialist thought close surpasses all others and is some­ N e w a rk ...... 1 vention in May. distribute and sell the paper. Re­ velopments in Spain before and to it.” munist League to rally. But, as bloody pux-ges of Stalinism can thing our movement will long be Even before the final split with sources were slim, but the com­ during the civil war; “prosper­ evidence, too, of our continuing ever wipe out or destroy. They proud of. Thousands of extra cop­ T o ta l ...... 46 Merger with A.W.P. the "Old Guard,” political differ­ rades rallying to the Opposition ity” and the economic and social close ties to the official Commu­ belong to us, to history and hu­ ies wex-e p rin te d and a re being & * * entiations were taking place in Group in the various cities were crisis in the United States; labor nist Party, we began the publica­ manity’s future forever. There­ circulated all over the country on We want to report that we're The merger with the American the “Militant" group. A right intensely devoted to its cause struggles; the C.I.O. movement; tion in The M ilitant of the thesis by, to quote a phrase of Trotsky’s the basis of orders sent in ad­ now getting a much higher per- Workers Party not only strength­ wing under Altman played the the growth and foundation of the of the former Minority (Cannon- “gieat vistas for Marxism” wex-e vance. We urge comrades and centage of x-encwals on subscrip­ ened the movement by adding ex­ role of obscuring the political na­ Fourth International, and so Foster bloc) in the Communist opened. friends to send in their comments tions that have expix-ed than ever perienced cadres of m ilitants who ture of the struggle and re-echo­ forth at gxeat length. All this Party, entitled “The Crisis in the The New International on this issue—we’ll print a cross- before. Bx-anchcs must be sux-e to had proven their mettle in the ing the political line of the Stal­ forms part of the record of our Communist Party of the United From the preparations and section of these remarks next use the lists that we send to struggle, but also gave the move­ inists, even to opposing the entry press. States,” directed against the fox-egoing achievements (weekly week and the week aftex-. them once a month. ment some valuable lessons in of the Workers Party. The group­ One must mention, too, if only Lovestone-Wolfe majority. Militant; our printing plant; Pio­ One matter, however, having Hex-e's the list of new and in- the realm of' working with and ing opposed to Altman was com­ in a word, that the youth move­ But more important, The Mil­ neer Publisher's) flowed later and to do with the evei--pi-esent mat­ cx-eased b u n dle oxdex-s: assimilating elements who were posed of Party groups in New ment managed to issue Young itant began publication in serial naturally another achievement ter of finances. This issue was, it (1) Lyric News Shop, Indiana, approaching a revolutionary po­ York and Chicago and the major­ Spartacus and now the Challenge, form of the now famous and his­ and necessity for our movement; goes without saying, a heavy Ind.— taking 5 per week. sition through the experiences of ity of the Y.P.S.L. The publica­ thereby laying a sound founda­ toric “Criticism of the Draft Pro­ namely, the publication of The di-ain on our exchequer! Only the (2) John Murphy of Los Angel­ life in another tendency. These tion of the Socialist Appeal in tion for the mass movement of gram of the Communist. Interna­ New International magazine, our additional sacrifice of comx-ades es, w h o is in c re a s in g h is ox-der lessons proved invaluable during Chicago under the editorship of youth which our Youth ox-ganiza- tional" by L. D. Txotsky, a copy theoretical organ, regai’ded today in New York City enabled us to fiom week to week and really the next great strategic turn un­ Albert Goldman resulted in a tion must and can build. of which had been smuggled out as px-e-eminent in the field of go through with it. At the end of doing a splendid Appeal job is dertaken by the movement. clarification among the left wing Building the Press of Russia after the Sixth Con­ Marxism thx-oughout the wox-ld. this week, we ai-c sending out to now taking 185 copies. This turn, the entry into the “Militants” and thé beginning of gress of the Communist Interna­ Hexe too skeptics wex-c con­ It is not necessary to dilate in all blanches and agents the reg­ (3) T. Leonard of Boston is Socialist Party, was necessitated a separation between those genu­ tional through Comxadcs Cannon founded. A monthly 36-page mag­ florid and many woxds the simple ular financial statement of their back in the running again and by the whole course of develop­ inely concerned with the build­ and Spcctoi-. azine, with a two-color cover, at fact: The press is our major or­ debt to the Appeal. We must have has added LJ to Boston’s older. ment that followed the bank­ ing of a revolutionary party and W ith its publication, along wit'h such a low price 1 Can’t be done. ganizer. By now this should be especially quick replies this time! (4) New Haven, Conn, is now ruptcy of the Communist Inter­ the centrists who followed the dissemination of the contents of You'll bi-eak your necks. But the ABC to every member of our W e ’x-e d o in g o u r shax-e b y pxo- taking 10 copies and promising to national under Stalin and the leadership of Herbert Zam and the "Real Situation in Russia" will found the way, and in July, oxganization, and each member viding you with numerous and add many more in the near fu­ task of merging the principles of Gus T y le r. (the progiam of the Bolshevik- 1934, th e fir s t issue o f T h e N ew should put as a fli-st task the e xce lle n t issues o f the papex-. Tx-y tu re . the small Bolshevik vanguard Revolutionists Unite Leninists in Russia and contain­ International appeared, first as a need to build and spread widely to cleax- up the e n tire b a ck b ill, if (5) A new literature-agent out with the leftward moving -So­ ing also the sections on the falsif­ monthly, then as a bi-monthly. It the cix-culation of all our px-css: possible, and we guarantee even in C olum bus, Ohio. Charles cialist militants around them. As a result of the preparatory ication of the histox-y of the Rus­ was discontinued two yeai-s later Socialist Appeal, The New Inter­ g re a te r successes in the vex-y Raven, has trebled the former work of the Socialist Appeal, a That the appearance of a left sian Revolution) the eyes of a fte r June, 1936, w h ile th e B o l- national, Challenge, Pioneer Pub­ near futux-e. ox-der and n o w ta k in g 20 pet revolutionary nucleus was devel­ Wing in Social Democracy in the members of the C.P. and Y.C.L. shevik-Leninists endeavored to lisher’s pamphlets and books. Subscriptions: week. v oped that readily merged with post-war era could only come as began to open and the Opposition function for a period in the So­ In this connection it may be The splendid pick-up in new * * * the Bolshevik current from the a result of the bankruptcy of the Group made headway very slowly cialist Party. With the formation well to point out that on each and renewed subs lately has R e m in d e r No. 1: former Workers Party. These Communist parties was nowhere but steadily. Oux- fox-ward march of the Socialist Wox-kers Party. occasion when a special effort sh o w n th a t it is x-eally vex-y easy Send in payments for the "native" Socialists proved the better illustrating th a n in the MARTIN ABERN was also made easier by the pub­ The New International recom­ was made with oux- 1.icss; when to gel subs for the Appeal. Look World-Congress issue right now! link by means of which increas­ U. S.. Beginning with 1919 and Business Mgr., New International lication of documents showing menced publication in Januaxy, issues and emexgencies of gx-eat at New Yoxk City's l-ecoi-d for the N o tic e : ing numbers of left wing Social­ c o n tin u in g u n til 1923, the S ocial­ the extx-eme Right Swing the 1938, and has appeax-ed re g u la rly significance arose and oux- move past few weeks! This has been Because of the heavy costs ists were drawn to the Fourth and displayed tremendous energy, ist Party passed through a scries Russian Party was then making each month ' for ten months ment endeavored to x-eact in done solely on the basis of fob Incurred in printing this issue Internationalist current until the and also pledged heavily of their of splits that drew from it vir­ (x-ise o f K u la k in flu e n ce s; slo w ­ straight. Its circulation is above stronger and bettex- organized lowing-up the special, anti-war we are forced to cancel the or­ alarmed bureaucracy took steps financial resources to get out the tually every single member who ing down of industrialization, 4,000 (4,300 in O cto b e r), vei-y fashion to them, our movement issues and getting subs fi-om in- iginally announced costs. ALL to expel the revolutionists from paper. Communist Party gang­ stood to the left of Morris Hill- etc.). high for a theoretical organ and made big gains—in px-estige, and tei-ested readers. We’d like to be copier (Including extras) will the party. The dead hulk of the sterism arose to prevent the sale quit, including 95 percent of the over twice the avexage circula­ politically and organizationally averaging about 50 per week cost branches and literature- S. P. today is visual evidence of and distribution of the Militant, Campaign For the Weekly youth movement. The S.P. strug­ tion in the first period of the On three occasions in past yeaxs within a short time and thex-e is agents 8c per copy. This cancels but this did not stop the growth On F e b ru a ry 15, 1929, T he M il­ gled along as a slightly-living the ability of the Bolshevik cur­ the weekly Militant or Ajxpeal no reason why not. It's easy to itant published the ncwly-dxaftcd m agazine. the former price of 4c for reg­ corpse from 1924 until 1929. It rent to draw the revolutionary and spread of the paper. was transformed for brief periods get subs for the Appeal! Platform of the Opposition The Socialist Appeal ular bundle-order copies and lc consisted of grossly opportunist elements to itself. In New York, Max Shachtman, into a tri-weekly. Those wex-c on Here's the list of subs that Group. Discussions began. On A few woids, also, to fill in for extra copies. Remember! 3c municipal machines in Milwaukee Common principles and com­ Joe Carter, the present writer, the occasions of the rise to power caxpc in last week: M ay 17-19, 1929, th e C hicago con­ briefly the coui-sc of the paper. each copy of the 12-page issue. and Reading, national language mon experiences have long ago and very soon more comrades, in­ of Hitler; the time of the ’hotel NEW YORK CITY .... 18 vention of oux- foxces convened, Fusion of the A.W.P. and the groups held together on a cult­ obliterated all differences be­ cluding Italian and Hungarian strike in New York, and only a Massachusetts ...... 4 and the histoi'ic Communist C.L.A. into the Workexs Party Send all contributions and subs ural and social, rather than a po­ tween former S.P.crs, and the groups which joined us, distribu­ few weeks ago the events in Illin o is ...... 3 I to : League of America was formed— mcxcly bxought a change in the litical basis, and the Jewish Daily original "Trotskyite" core. Like ted the paper to newsstands, sold Czechoslovakia. O hio ...... 3 another gi-cat milepost of our name of the paper from the SOCIALIST APPEAL Forward with a treasury and the Bolshevik Party, we have ce­ them on the street corners and in Those achievements show the Detx-oit ...... 3 116 U n iv e rs ity Place progress. But with the oxganiza- weekly Militant to the New M il­ considerable influence in the New mented the revolutionary elem­ front of the Daily Worker office road the press must travel. For a Pennsylvania ...... 2 tion of our foxces nationally, itant, continuing pi'evious x-cvolu- New Yoxk, N. Y. York labor movement. ents from diverse currents into and the "Coop" restaurant. M il­ p e rm a n e nt, lax-ger and mOi-e fre ­ thci-e came grcatei- ambitions and tionaxy policies. This was in Dc- itant salesmen were slugged but quent Socialist Appeal; for a one unit, prepared for ideological immediate goals. The semi­ cem ber, 1934. E n ti-y in to the So­ Move Left with Depression sales went on just the same. greater New International. SOCIALIST APPEAL and NEW INTERNATIONAL struggle against our enemies on monthly M ilitant was being issued cialist Party later, in July, 1936, In Philadelphia, Chicago, Min­ BUILD THE PRESS! T he c ris is th a t began in 1929 xc g u la rly , b u t wus a lre a d y px-ov- by the Woxkers Party forces i-e- Can be Obtained at the Following Newsstands a greater scale—the struggle for neapolis, Boston and other points, and the mass unemployment that ing insufficient for our needs. ROCHESTER, N. Y. ROXBURY, MASS. the leadership of the American comrades Leon Goodman, Sol spread Over the country during After thoxough deliberation, es­ 433 N. Clinton St. Friendly Variety, Wax-ren St. Lankin, B. Morganstern, Arne the succeeding months, turned working class. pecially a consideration of our ANNOUNCEMENTS 257 N. Clinton St. (Grove Hall) Swabcck, Albert Glotzcr, Oscar Insertions in this column are Cor. Cumberland & Clinton Sts. the attention of thousands, par­ small numerical forces and the Fascism " INDIANAPOLIS, Indixma Coover, Louis Roscland, C. Skog- 25 cents for five lines. Copy must Cor. East Ave. & Chestnut St. ticularly young workers and stu­ financial strain it would mean, it Lyric News Shop Y.P.S.L. Convention lund, V. Dunne, Charlotte She- be in at the APPEAL office be­ S.E. cor. Main & Clinton Sts. dents without a future under cap­ was decided nevertheless to con­ and Big Business 115 N. Illin o is Stx-eet chet, A. Konikow, L. SchlosSberg fore 6 o’clock Monday evening. S.W. Cor. Main & South Ave. italism, toward the political Greetings for $1 duct a campaign to xaise a fund NEWARK, N. J. MINNEAPOLIS and others there and elsewhere By D a n iu l G u k r in movements on the left. The hys­ for a weekly Militant. The sum Reitman's, cor. Broad & W illiam Labox- B o o k Stox-e, 919 M a rq u e tte joined in the ‘Jimmie Higgins’ la­ NEW YORK, N. Y. S h in d e r’s, S ix th & H e n n e p in ; teria of “third period" Commu­ Readers of the Socialist Ap­ set was $1,500— an amount which L ittm a n ’s, peal will be glad to learn that bor, and The Militant went T ric e on P u b lic a tio n : $2.00 cox-. Hawthorne Ave. & Reeves PI. Kroman’s, Fourth & Nicollet. nism, with its almost daily ad­ w o u ld seem lik e a $25,000 ca m ­ "VECHERINKA” Saturday, Oct. they can send $1 personal greet­ marching on, despite all obsta­ ST. LOUIS MO. venturistic demonstrations, its paign now, considering the rela­ 29, 9 P. M „ a t th e hom e o f P. A d va n ce O rde rs: $1.50 PATERSON, N. J. ings to the Tenth National Con­ cles. Foster Book Company disruptive role in the mass organ­ tive number of members and Ncsson, 321 Second Avc., ax-- A. Guabello’s Stationery Store vention of the Young People's M ail your order today. 410 Washington Blvd. C irc u la tio n o f 3,000 ranged by the "Friends of the 317 S tra ig h t St. izations, its theory of social-fas­ Socialist League, which is being sympathizers then and today. Russian Bulletin.” Antoinette NEW HAVEN, Conn. CLAYTON ,MO. cism and “united front from be­ held in Chicago during the Circulation varied during the Moicover, the campaign for a Konikow of Boston will be the Nodelman’s Newsstand, The Book Nook, 24A Meranxac low," repulsed thousands of sin­ Thanksgiving weekend. This early months, but, if memory weekly M ilitant was linked to the Pioneer Publishers guest of the evening. W e'll sing, Chux-ch St., bet. Chapel & Center cere young rebels and forced convention, designed to trans­ serves r ig h tly , a t le a st 3,000 aim of purchasing our own print­ YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio dance, eat and drink. Bring CHICAGO form the Y.P.S.L. into a light­ copies were regularly printed. 100 Fifth Avenue Nick's, W ick St. and Commerce them to look elsewhere for a ing equipment—first, a linotype— your friends. S.W .P., 160 N. W ells, R m . 308 means of expressing their revolt ing mass revolutionary youth Since the printing was done by a in ordex- to ensuxe the weekly's New York Cor. 57th & Blackstone SAN FRANCISCO against the chaos and misery organization, needs and de­ commercial printer, the cost was appeaxancc. Despite initial doubts Cor. 12th & K edzie MacDonald's Bookstore, 65 6th St. serves the support of the read­ a b o u t them . B e g in n in g w ith 1930 very high; but the development and hesitation, the organization D E A R G 1‘jRT: Meet me at the P. O. News, 37 W. Monroe Fillmore Bookstore ers of the Socialist Appeal. of a pledge fund to sustain the Upjxer West Side Party, Satur­ Ceshinsky Bookshop Sutter & Fillmore Sts. these young people began flow­ Our sole means of financing as a whole swung into the cam­ day, O ct. 22, 9 P. M „ a t 916 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. ALLENTOWN, PA. ing into the Socialist Party and o u r C o n v e n tio n will be the Tho Militant carried the paper paign with high moxalc and con­ LOS ANGELES Ninth Avc. (59th St.). Wc have R. Zettlemeyer, 637 Hamilton St. the Young People's Socialist magnificent two-color printed through precarious weeks. fidence. Six months later we had 233 S. Bx-oadway, R oom 312 the latest x-ecoi-dings, the best TWO STUDY COURSES: O tto Y o st, 383 H a m ilto n St. 1541 N . E ch o P a rk Ave. League in increasing numbers. program book, dedicated to the Our Press unquestionably has our linotype machine. On Nov. PHILADELPHIA drinks, and the most intcrcst- "Fundamentals of Socialism” Smith News, 5th & Main Sts. heroic martyrs of the Fourth been the chief instrument, above 30, 1929 the flx-st issue o f the 1806 N o rth F ra n k lin St. The “Old Guard” of Social De­ ing games. Admission is only —6 Lessons M od e rn B o o k Shop, 509 W . 5 th St. International (Element, Sedoff, any other human or physical weekly Militant appealed. Not Cox-. 13th and M arket Sts. (N.W.) mocracy first welcomed these 25 cents—Joe. W. W. Norris, Instructor Shoe S hine Shop, 2307 B i-o o klyn Wolf, Reiss, Moulin and the medium, in the, creation, main­ Cor. 11th and Market Sts. (N.W.) new recruits, naively believing long afterwaxd we ■ seeuxed a D e a r Joe: Y o u bet I ’ll be thex-c. “Histoi-y of American Labor C andy Stox-e, 2231 Bx-ooklyn Ave. hundreds of others who have M o v e m e n t"—6 Lessons 40th St. & Girard Avc. them to be material for a rebirth tenance and development of printing pxess and with the dc-' —G e rt. C andy Store, 2141 B ro o k ly n Ave. laid down their lives in the 8th St. & Arch St. what is now the Socialist Work­ voted aid of comrades and sym­ Felix Morrow, Instructor of a reformist Socialist Party. struggle for the socialist eman­ SAN DIEGO, Calif. ers Party and the Fourth Inter­ pathizers, the weekly continued Classes held evex-y M on d a y eve­ QUAKERTOWN, Peniux. They soon discovered, however, cipation of mankind). The dedi­ ning beginning-Sept. 26, 8 P. M. U n iv e rs a l N ew s Co., 242 B ’w a y national movement. It started as to suxmount x-epeated crises and BIG Y.P.S.L. CONVENTION af­ Essex-’s N ew sstand that these people had not reject­ cation article is written by Max Fi’ont & West Broad Sts. Sweet Shop, 2526 B ro o k ly n A vc. Shachtman. Outstanding among an expression of the left wing op­ to appeal- x'cgularly. fair sponsored by the Hunter, ed revolutionary views when they AKRON, Ohio the other features of the pro­ position movement in the official C.C.N.Y. Day and Washington BOSTON, MASS. passed up the C.P. but had mere­ Pioneer Publishers SOCIALIST FORUM gram book arc greetings from Heights Cix-cles. Admission 20 Andelman's, Tremont St. (opp. News Exchange, 51 S. Main St. ly turned to the S.P. as a mo­ Communist Party and Commu­ But the achievement of a Every Sunday at 3 P.M. begin­ Leon Trotsky, in the form of cents. Cards—Games—Refresh­ Hotel Bradford) Cigai- Stoxe, next cox-. Bartges & nist International, but events dic­ weekly Militant and our own ning Sept. 25. Dealing w.th cur­ mentarily more convenient ve­ an article entitled, “The Role ments—Dancing. Oct. 22, 9 P.M. CAMBRIDGE, MASS. S. M ain St. tated far-reaching and deep-going printing plant, small and crudely rent subjects of local, national hicle for the free expression of of Revolutionary Youth," and E p ste in , 63 W a d s w o rth T e rra ce Felix’s, Massachusetts Ave. at OAKLAND, California changes to the point today of ir- and international interest. Good these views. greetings from our various sec­ equipped as it was, both mechan­ Ave., B’way-7th AVc. to 191 St. Harvard Square 7th and Washington Speakers. tions in Europe now engaged x-cconcilable opposition to all the ically and in labor power, meant LYNN, Mass. 12lh, bet. B’way & Washington Socialist Workers Party Hall, Conflict. Takes Form in th e d a ily life-and-death political and organizational de­ even moi-c for our oxganization S.W.P., 54 Central Sq„ Rm. 12 Andrew Williams Market 919 M a rq u e tte Ave. struggle against fascism and generation of the Stalinist Par­ and movement. It made possible SOCIAL AND DANCE w ith Sam’s Corner, Olympia Square Broadway, near 19th ’ B y 1932 the c o n flic t had taken Swing Band, this Sat. night, Admission Free. imperialist war. ties. The important and decisive the creation of Pioneer Publish­ somewhat definite forms, dividing O ctober 22, a t 301 W . 29th St. You will want to own a copy shifts and changes in the labor ers. Thcx-e com m enced a pex-iod the party into two more or less (nr. 8th Ave.). Tcndex-cd by Lo­ of our program book. You can and revolutionary movement are of publication of pamphlets and R U S S IA N B U L L E T IN No. 68-69. amorphous groups that went un- guarantee yourself a copy and, cal 4, U nem ployed and P ro je c t featuring several important ax-- clearly and better indicated in books, small and lai-ge. by the der the name of "Old Guard" and at the same time, do your bit W ox-kers U nion. A d m issio n 15c. ticlcs by Leon Trotsky. Single our Press than in that of any Communist League of America, “Militants." The “Militants" be­ in assuring the success of our copy 20c; 1 yeax- $2. S u b scrip ­ olher labor or revolutionary or­ and later Pioneer Publishcxs, tions and single copies on sale Proletarian Qreetings gan, as their name indicates, as all-important Convention, by sending in your personal greet­ gan, and that applies fi-om the which bxought stxength and pxes- a t Labox- B o o k Shop, 28 E a st primarily opponents of the do- PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ings NOW. We are still taking p e riod o f N ov. 1928, th e begin- tige to the x-evolutionai'y move­ 12xli St.. N .Y.C . nothing-ism of the Old Guard hum (lie ads: full page. $10; half page, i ing of The Militant, to the pres­ ment in the United States and rather than as political oppo­ MAX SHACHTMAN will speak $5; quarter page, $3. But we are ent day, ten years latex-, in the also thioughout the world, par­ nents. The conflict, however, soon on “Ten Yeaxs of the Left Op­ W A N T ADS making a drive for $1 personal Socialist Appeal and New Inter­ ticularly in the English-speaking found its proper channel. This de­ greetings, which will entitle you position" and in commemora- LARGE, NICELY furnished New York Downtown Branch n a tio n a l. natio ns. velopment was given a great im­ to a free copy of the program tion of the October Revolution, i-oom. Two closets, xadio, sepa- I In the Early Issues A list of the pamphlets and petus when history, for the bene­ book and the inclusion of your on Fx-iday, N ov. 11th a t 1035 arate entx-ance. Use of good books issued would fill a few After ten years, forward with fit of the new Socialist genera­ name amongst the supporters The first number of The. M ilit­ Spruce St., 8:30 P. M. revolutionary library and good pages alone. Suffice it that in set o f x-ccordings. B ro o k ly n . See tion, once again exposed Social of the revolutionary movement. ant contained the declai'ation. the Fourth International Send all greetings to: National this way the litexature of the ON FRIDAY, Nov 5th, James P. S. Stanley, Appeal office. Democracy during the German “For the Russian Opposition" by Convention Arrangements Com­ x-evolutionary wings in Russia, Cannon will speak on “’The to the victory of Socialism! events in all its revolting corrup­ the thx'ee expelled comrades, a- m itte e , 160 N . W e lls St.. K m . Europe. Asia and North America Present Situation ixx Europe.” tion, aggravated by senility. The i-ouxid which declaration they ASK BOR THE APPEAL 308. Chicago, Illin o is . became widely known, which Same add re ss and tixxxe as Austrian revolt of 1934 accelerat- The National Convention called upon members of the Com­ not aU the machinations and above. AT YOUR NEWSSTAND 6d titB discussion on M arxist prin­ Arrangement Committee. munist Party and Young Com­ OCTOBER 22, 1938 SOCIALIST APPEAL Fourth International Founded At World Congress

Affiliated Sections of the Thirty Delegates From Eleven Fourth International Nine Countries Represented Following is a list of the organizations throughout the world adhering to the Fourth ¡international and of their official organs-. UNITED STATES: Socialist Workers Party. Official organs: The Socialist Appeal, The New International, Challenge of Countries Raise New Banner Y o u th , At World Youth Conference MEXICO: Bolshevik-Leninists. Official organs: Cuarta Interna- cional, Clave. (Continued from page I) tion of the Youth International. tio” al character, forms and meth­ (Continued from page 1) social democratic bureaucrats the continuation of discussion on CUBA: Partido Bolchevique Lenlnista. Official organ: DIvlBa. the G.P.U. and by the bourgeois The statutes moreover outlined ods of our national sections. Our the "Communist International,” have judiciously turned to other the program’s formulations with PUERTO RICO: Partido Communlsta Independlente. Official or­ police, with delegates especially the conditions of membership and National sections are to be con­ self-avowed champion of the butts for their humor, especially regard to the relationships bet­ gan: Chlspa. from the fascist and semi-fascist the rights of national sections verted into fighting, militant, struggle for peace and against since their policies contributed so ween the resurgent Soviets and BRAZIL: Partido Bolchevique Lenlnista. Illegal publications. countries risking their lives to at­ and indivdual members of these youth organizations; spirited, bold fascism—as silent as the Kremlin demonstratively in one country the Stalinist bureaucracy and la­ COLOMBIA: Boshevlk-Leninlsts. tend—is a further tribute to our sections. and colorful. They are to become itself. Its French and British after another towards the anni bor aristocracy; the formulations ARGENTINA: Bolshevik-Leninists of the Argentine. Organs: movement and testifies to the un Elect Delegates anti-fascist, anti-capitalist fight­ branches alone were active and hilation of their "big organiza­ were, however, adopted by the Nuevo Curso, Inlcial. ' bounded vitality and determina­ The resolution on relations be­ ing units—adapting themselves to vocal, chasing about in each tions” and their conversion into conference as the position of the URUGUAY: Bolshevik-Leninists. Organ: El Piquete. tion of our International. Absent tween the youth and adult inter­ the spirit of youth, and leading PERU: Bolshevik-Leninists. Esparjaco. (Illegal organ). country for agreements with he impotent emigre sects. International. from the youth conference were nationals accepted the classical youth in their struggles. CHILE: Revolutionary W’orkers Party. Official organ: Allianza arch-nationalist bourgeois politi­ Stalinist Impotence Discussion also occurred on the only delegates from our Spanish Leninist concept of these rela­ O b re ra . On National Sections cians and raising a furious clam­ As for the Communist "parties1 question of applying the line of our Canadian, and several of our tions. The Youth International CHINA: Communist League of China. Official organ: The Struggle. Resolutions on the national sec­ or for a holy war against fascism — which are no longer parties the program with regard to fac­ South American sections. which accepts the program and to be directed by the notorious to ry o c c u p a tio n (sit-down INDO-CIHNA: Bolshevlk-Leninlst. group. Official organ: La Lutte. tions adopted are briefly sum­ properly speaking, but mecha­ Tribute to Heroes leadership of its adult body is to democrats of the English banks strikes) and shop councils, to the UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA: Lenin Club. Workers Party of S. m a rize d : nisms operated by the Soviet The Youth Conference opened be politically subordinated to and the French steel trust—a concrete situation in the various Africa. Official organ: The Spark. a) France: It hailed the heroic Foreign Office—their doom was with a tribute to the fallen he and organizationally autonomous clamor to which the working countries, and also on the part AUSTRALIA: Communist League of Australia. Official organ: work of the J.S.R. (Revolution­ long ago pronounced. It was roes of the Fourth International, of the 4th International. Recip­ class fortunately paid not the of the program which deals with The Militant. ary Socialist Youth) in its anti­ another impressive symbol of many of them youth. To those rocal representation is provided the question of pacifism and pa­ GREAT BRITAIN: Revolutionary Socialist League. Official or­ m ilitarist struggles. It took note slightest attention. our conference that we met im­ who died fighting fascism in between youth and adult bodies It was in this atmosphere cre­ triotism as manifested among the gan: Workers Fight. of a growth in the organization-, mediately after Stalin had of­ Spain, Germany, Austria and from the highest international ated by the imperialists on the masses themselves. On the last- FRANCE: Internationalist Workers Party. Official organs: La the improvement of its organiza­ fered the ruling Polish Colonels Italy, to the comrades murdered committees to the lowest units of named point, an editorial re­ Lutte Ouvrière, La Quatrième Internationale, Die Rote Fahne tional efficiency, employed and one side, and their servants in another token of capitulation in or imprisoned in the above coun­ both organizations. In the spirit formulation of the program-draft (in Alsace Lorraine), Revolution (Youth). unemployed and among students. the official leadership of the la­ the form of the official dissolu­ tries and in Greece, Poland, Rou- of this resolution the congress was decided upon in order to BELGIUM: Revolutionary Socialist Party. Official organs: La The regular appearance of “Rev­ bor movement on the other, that tion of the Communist Party of mania, France, Belgium, Brazil elected (by request of the adult eliminate all possibilities of mis­ - Lutte Ouvrière, Revolution (Youth). olution” organ of the French .the conference of the Fourth In­ Poland. He could scarcely have C h in a and Indo-China, and congress) two regular delegates interpretation or misunderstand HOLLAND: Bolshevik-Leninists of Holland. Official organ: De youth organization despite re­ ternational came together. underlined more strikingly the throughout the capitalist world, to the International Bureau, one ing of the position of the Fourth E n lg e W eg. peated confiscation by the Dala­ The G. P. U. kidnapping and obsolescence of the Third Inter to our victims of the G.P.U. ter delegate to the International Sec International. SPAIN: Bolshevik-Leninists of Spain. Official organ: La Voz Le- dier police was especially greet­ brutal murder of comrade Rudolf national and the fact that our ror in Russia and throughout the retariat, and one delegate to the On the Internationa! n in is ta . ed. Negotiations for the fusion of Klement, noble and devoted m ill International is unchallenged in­ world—to these our comrades we Pan-American bureau of the 4th The longest debate took place GERMANY: International Communists of Germany. Official or­ the J.S.R. and 200 members of tant who had served us so long heritor of its heroic traditions. paid the greatest revolutionary International. In turn the Bureau on the question of the so-called gan: Unser Wort. the Aisne Youth Federation and capably as administrative Although the Stalinists planned tribute as we saluted our martyrs of the 4th International elected “proclamation" of the Fourth In­ NORWAY: Marxist Workers Group. Official organ: Oktober. (split off from the Socialist secretary of the Bureau for the to deliver a heavy blow at our and pledged to carry on their one delegate to the International ternational, in which the dele­ AUSTRIA: Revolutionary Communists. Official organ: Junius- Party) were in progress and the Fourth International, had im­ conference by eliminating com­ heroic work. Bureau and one delegate to the gates of the Polish section advo­ b rie fe . conference greeted this great step pressed every delegate with the rade Klement—and it was and Following a report on the work International Secretariat of the cated that our movement con­ CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Bolshevlk-Leninlst group (German-speak­ fo rw a rd . extremely great responsibilty he remains a heavy blow—the dele­ of the world conference of the Youth International. tinue as before under the name ing). Official organ: Banner. Bolshevlk-Leninlst group (Czech­ bore; and it will therefore be un­ gates managed to dispose of all 4tli International in which many The resolution on the applica­ b. ) Belgium: The conference of movement “for the Fourth In­ speaking). Official organ: Proletarske Noviny. derstood that our conference the points on the agenda in a of the youth delegates had also tion of the Thesis of the 4th took cognizance of a slackening ternational.” They argued that DENMARK: LeninistIsk Arbejdsgruppe. Official organ: 4e Inter­ found itself compelled and well- business-like manner. Against a participated, a resolution was in­ International to the world of of the work of the Belgian youth the labor movement was in a n a tio n a le . advised to meet under such pre­ background of firmly acquired troduced and carried hailing the youth analyzed the condition of organization and advised the im ­ trough between two rising waves CANADA: Bolshevlk-Leninlst group. cautionary and illegal conditions agreement in fundamental prin­ wo"k of the International Confer­ world youth today. It observed mediate extension of youth work and that no large parties having POLAND: Bolshevik-Leninists of Poland. Official organ: (illegal as even made it impossible to ciple, the conference was able to ence (adult) and greeting its de- the intensification of the exploita­ especially in the Borinage mining yet declared for the new Inter­ publications). conclude its sessions with the adopt the thesis in the "Pro­ < !slon to launch the 4th Interna­ tion of youth; the curtailment of regions. The Belgians responded national our movement was still SOVIET UNION: Russian Bolshevik-Leninists. Official organ: singing of the traditional battle gram of Transitional Demands” tional. The same resolution after educational, cultural, and general to this decision by laying plans to too small .to call itself the Inter­ Bulletin of the Opposition. hymn of the movement, "The (printed elsewhere in this issue) full discussion, endorsed the pro­ opportunities for youth; their renew publication of “Revolu­ national and assume the func­ SWITZERLAND: Marxist Action group. Official review: (Jointly International.” with only few minor modifica­ gram of the 4th International exclusion from industry resulting tion,” the organ of the Belgian tions devolving upon it. The with Austrian and Sudeten groups): Der Einzlge Weg. not only in the tremendous In spite of the difficulties cre­ tions. This was made easier by (Thesis on the Death Agony of y o u th . rest of the conference was, how­ In addition there are several smaller groups, some not yet es­ growth of unemployment among ated by our enemies—the bour­ virtue of the fact that a wide­ Capitalism) which declares an c. ) The Conference ordered the ever, unanimously in favor of tablished as regular sections, which, mainly because of reasons of youth but also from the denial geois police and their allies of spread international discussion of uncompromising struggle against official constitution of a Youth altering the equivocal name of illegality, are unable to publish a regular press: Lithuania, Ruma­ of youth to participation in pro the G. P. U.—the sessions and this program had already taken world capitalism in time of war section in England. This sectiop our world movement, which had nia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Deland, duction and industry. The resolu­ the work of the conference were place throughout the membership or peace and points the way to will begin with a fairly large been adopted two years earlier Palestine, etc. tion observed that the develop­ successfully and efficiently con­ of the International, enabling the proletarian victory. membership composed of mem­ on the grounds of facilitating ment of capitalist technology had cluded in one full day, with the delegates to come before the con­ Pledged to Anti-W ar Struggle bers of the unified Revolutionary possible collaboration with eliminated substantially the eco­ attendance of thirty delegates, re­ ference with concrete opinions. The conference called upon the Socialist League, who were al­ centrist groups then still moving nomic distinctions between youth presenting eleven countries, the World Congress Climaxes youth, the greatest victims in im­ ready engaged exclusively in In many respects, the program in our direction. end adult but had intensified the former International Secretariat, perialist war to struggle under youth work. The prospects of our of transitional demands of the It was pointed out that partic­ social distinctions; that capital­ and a delegation from the Youth the revolutionary leadership of English Youth section are re­ Fourth International is the most ularly in this critical period, it Fifteen Years of Struggle ism had “locked youth out of in­ Bureau for the Fourth Interna­ the 4th International against war, m a rka b le . important single document ever was imperative that the move­ dustry" and was supplementing tio n a l. and in its manifesto to the youth d. ) To all other sections ës- to be produced in the fifteen long ment be centralized into a func­ (Continued from page 1) time the truth about the pro­ this crime by regimenting the In addition, the secretary was of the world declared that the pecially Germany, Poland, Spain years of the history of our move­ tioning world party capable of er with the Opposition, remained found historical disputes that had yo u th . able to report that the Workers pat)* to peace and to the defense and Austria, where our comrades ment. What a contrast it offers guiding the development of the in its ranks. Far from it. Many shaken the Russian party and and Peasants Socialist Party of of the Soviet Union lies only The Rights of Youth have been working with unex­ to the vague generalizations and only current which today stands of them, driven to extremes by the International, but which had France, as well as the P. O. U. M. through the world revolution. Following this it outlined a se­ ampled heroism—the Conference deceptive abstractions which the for the Fourth International; the brutal provocations of Stal­ hitherto reached us in distorted of Spain, had accepted our invi­ This call it implemented by ries of demands for youth of the extended greetings. It recorded official leaderships of the work­ that our movement was already inism, went off on wild political scraps—when it reached abroad tation to attend the conference as a special resolution on world flowing from and subordin­ special satisfaction with the ing class offer as guides to action generally referred to as the tangents or retired from politics at all. Literally years of activ­ observers— a mandate which the anti-m ilitarist work, a re so lu ­ ated to the demands of the thesis progress of the American organ­ in the present tumultuous world Fourth International without the altogether. Others proved to have ity had to be devoted to sweeping exceptional physical conditions tion which instructed all of our on the Death Agony of Capital­ ization which sets the example situation! It is not, or rather it now meaningless qualifying term insufficient stamina and endur­ away the muck of misrepresenta­ national sections to carry out ism (Workers Control of Indus­ for all our youth sections. under which we met unfortu­ is not so much, the basic program ‘fo r." ance, and capitulated under the tion and the ideological cobwebs nately prevented these two par­ work in the armed forces and try, etc.). These it listed under e. ) In countries where sections of the Fourth International, as its After the vote, the Polish dele­ terrific pressure of the Stalinist with which the Stalinist machine ties from exercising. outlined in concrete terms the the titles: The right to work; of the 4th International function program of action for the imme­ gates presented a statement de­ machine and the defeats and had muddled and muddled up methods of carrying out this the right to learn a trade; the and where youth sections do not Organizational Report- diate period in which we live. claring their continued affiliation world-wide reaction it engen­ the issues involved and the minds work. A special sub-bureau was right to education; the right to exist, the conference recommend­ When it is borne in mind that Fruit of a quarter of a century with the International in the dered. Still others were broken in of the revolutionist abroad. elected to organize, carry out and vote. The resolution also con­ ed that special attention be given few social movements in history name of the Polish section. In character, and collapsed under It is in the course of these of social history, it presents to direct the anti-militarist work in tained special sections on de­ to youth work by these sections have ever been subject to the accordance with the new deci­ bribes. years that a small but inestim­ every worker and peasant the our International. mands for young women, the and that youth committees de­ fierce and all-sided persecutions sion, statutes were adopted for But in the course of fifteen ably precious nucleus of the re­ concrete replies which the Fourth The conference then affiliated farming and peasant youth and voted to preparing the base for and repressions which have been the Fourth International, declar­ years of struggle for the prin­ constructed world movement was International gives to all the to the 4th International, thereby for colonial youth. The need for youth organizations be estab­ our lot, it w ill be understood how ing its purpose, its organizational ciples and methods of Bolshev­ welded together in one country pressing, immediate problems becoming the official youth sec­ a special youth organization was lished. gratifying was the organizational structure, providing for disci­ ism, of revolutionary internation­ after another, more genuinely facing the exploited and op­ tion of the 4th-International—the established to meet these prob­ report given to the conference. It plined and centralized operation alism, a process of selection was united and more homogeneous, Grow While Reformist« Decay pressed. It is not only a criti­ political instrument of the 4th In­ lems as well as to meet the spe­ showed that the banner of the and international party democ­ constantly at work. This process more qualified to assemble the cism of that which is, but a ternational among the youth. A cial psychological problems that Comrade M. reporting on the Fourth International now flies on racy, and providing for a reg­ was enormously speeded up and forces of the coming mass move­ guide to what must be if the resolution launching the Fourth distinguish youth from adult past work of the Secretariat for every continent of the globe. If ularly functioning, representative assisted in a thousand ways by ment than any revolutionary working class is not to be bes­ Youth International was then w o rke rs. the 4 th Youth International the numerous sections of the In­ International Executive Commit­ that most colossal of all of Stal­ Marxist movement before it had tially annihilated by virulent re­ adopted, followed by statutes es­ The resolution finally called for brought to the attention of the ternational were not all repre­ tee and International Secretariat, in's factional blunders: the de­ been. action and modern civilization a reorientation in the organiza- delegates the fact that while sented at the conference, it was H is to r y ’s Lessons tablishing the purpose and func- itself hurled back for generations plus sub-scretariats which may portation to Turkey in 1929 of progress (numerical and politic­ due either to conditions of ille­ to come. be established under different comrade Leon Trotsky. It is impossible in so brief a al) could be recorded for prac­ gality in some lands or to finan­ circumstances and in different Trotsky’s Role tional movement, at the world Where the Bolshevik-Leninists space to do more than indicate German catastrophe demonstra­ tically all sections of the 4th cial difficulties—we are not fi­ The relative freedom he there­ conference, to defend his line of have been armed in the past parts of the world. the great events and issues ted the complete unfeasability of Youth International — the youth nanced by bourgeois govern­ upon enjoyed, as compared with continuing along that line. We action as he was invited to do. mainly with a profound analysis The conference found time to around which the International organizations of the 2nd and 3rd ments, like the French social the isolation and almost insuper­ therefore took the initiative in The same holds true of Ver- of the present social order and, discuss and decide upon the Left Opposition—established at Internationals have suffered se­ democracy, or by the Stalinist able restrictions imposed upon calling for the organization of eecken, who withdrew from the in general, with the knowledge problems which had arisen in va­ the first world conference in vere losses, especially their Eu­ bureaucracy, like the Comintern him in Stalinist exile at Alma- new communist parties every­ Belgian party on the very eve of of the principles and methods rious national sections. Reference P a ris in 1930, on th e in itia tiv e o f ropean sections. The Conference as a whole—or both. Ata, made it possible for the in­ where and a new communist, a the conference, taking with him by which the new society may has already been made to the our American organization—de­ joined with the conference of the ternational oppositional move­ Fourth, International. less than a baker's dozen of in­ The conference opened under be attained, they are now ad­ welcome progress achieved in the veloped in the past nine or ten adults in condemning the treach­ unification of the movement in ment to benefit for the first time years, for that would require nar­ In that period, while the Com­ dividuals, and thereby evading two auspicious signs: the unifica­ ditionally equipped with the in­ ery of the 2nd and 3rd Interna­ on such a grand scale by the the­ intern remained virtually un­ attendance at a meeting which tion of the Bolshcvik-Leninist dispensable program of action Great Britain and Greece. In rating the history of a decade of tionals and their youth sections addition, there were reports of oretical, literary and organiza­ the class struggle. moved because of the bureaucrat­ would have drawn up a balance- groups in Great Britain into the which can enable them to defend and declaring the struggle a- tional activity of its keenest and Suffice it to remind the reader ic vise in which it was held, sheet of the sectarian sterility he Revolutionary Socialist League, not only the tomorrow of the contacts already established or gainst reformism and Stalinism. in the offing with significant re­ boldest thinker. Thousands upon of the notorious “Third Period” there occurred unmistakable exemplified. It is significant that embracing a new affiliate to our proletariat, but also its today. The Conference established a volutionary groups in the colonial thousands of communist m ilit­ policy of the Stalintei*n and the shifts to the left in the camp of not one of the other groups movement (the militant group The program of transitional de­ commission to elaborate a reso­ countries and, for the first time, ants began to learn for the first Incessant struggle fought against the social democracy. In several which in their time broke from of revolutionary Marxists of mands contains the guiding lines lution on the work in fascist in Ireland. Resolutions also it by our movement. "Social-Fas- countries therefore, almost coin­ the Fourth International—Oehler, Scotland)—a unification a.lready for the day-to-day struggle. It countries, another commission to aid the fighters and refugees i.’t-rr" and allied dogmas of Stal­ cidental with the turn of the Eiffel, Bauer, Lasterade and sim­ reported in detail in the Appeal— is not merely the program for were adopted on the situation in draft a program, and elected an the French Party, in connection who have been left in the lurch inism have, it is true, given way Stalinists to the fatal policy of ilars—has even been able to and the fusion of the two Fourth the convinced revolutionary International Bureau and an In­ with which a delegation of the by the Stalinist and social-demo­ to rew but not better dogmas, yet “People’s Frontism” and the for­ emerge out of a vegetable exist­ Internationalist groups in Greece, worker, for the vanguard, but ternational Secretariat. The Con­ International had been elected to cratic organizations, a resolution not without leaving murderous mal abandonment of even a pre­ ence. • the one which had emerged from for the working class as a whole; ference adjourned with the will, deal with the letter of the Moli- on the youth question which out­ scars not only upon the Third In­ tence to the basic revolutionary Centrist Decline the former “Spartakos” group not merely for the struggle the determination and the confid­ nier group asking admission into lined the policy to be followed at ternational but, alas, on the body principles upon which the Comin­ In the other field, that of the and the other from the former against capitalism itself, but for ence, that the 4th International, the movement (the results of its the International Youth Con­ of the world working class. tern had been founded, the small centrists of all varieties, the pic­ "Archio-Marxists”. In both cases, the struggle against the daily wtich its historic sessions had negotiations are referred to else­ ference that took place after­ The lamentable tragedy of the revoutionary internationalist ture of stagnation or decline is delegations of the International effects of the gnawing capitalist launched, will win the youth of where in this issue). wards, and resolutions on the German and then the Austrian, groups entered the sections of the no less striking. The right-wing Secretariat had contributed deci­ crisis—permanent unemployment, the world to the program and Other Problems Considered war in the Far East and on the the Saar and the Czech proleta­ Second International for the pur­ Brandler groups have, with the sively to the accomplished fascism and the horrors of im­ struggles of the 4 th International The situation in Poland, where position of American imperialism riat can be traced to the criminal pose of fusing into a solid Marx­ exception of the Lovestone group re su lts. perialist war. which will usher in the world Integration of Movement the Bolshevik-Leninists have in the world today. capitulation of Stalinism to H it­ ian bloc with the leftward-mov­ in this country, disappeared to all It is not an exaggeration to revolution and socialism. These two steps symbolized for been working in the Bund and Before closing, the conference le r in 1933, in w h ic h i t o u td id ing socialist workers. In coun­ intents and purposes. Gone is say that now, more than ever be­ conference the growing integra­ in the Socialist Party, was also adopted a letter of cordial greet­ the long-ago bankrupt social de­ tries like France, Belgium, Eng­ their Indian champion Roy, who fore, there is not a single group tion of our international move­ treated in detail, especially in ings to the absent—and yet not mocracy in cowardice and treach­ land and the United States, this has become a 99% Stalinist, i. e., or tendency' in the working class ment, made possible by our whole light of the vast prospects now absent!—leader of present-day ery. Under guise of the thrice- tactic yielded significant results, has remained what he was. Gone to present an answer to the burn­ past course which was based not opened to us by the dissolution revolutionary Marxian thought stupid policy of "united front and brought new forces on to the are the German and Austrian and ing questions of the day in so S i t i a l on the concept of superficial and of the Stalinist party. The re­ and action, Leon Trotsky. only from below,” the Stalinists road of the Fourth International. Czech contingents. Gone is the complete, so realistic, so compre­ temporary and deceptive ad­ solution of the preliminary All- Without bombast or fanfare, condemned the German prolet­ In the same period, there oc­ Alsatian group of Hueber, the PRINTING CO.. Inc. hensible and so concrete a man­ vances but on the concept of the America Conference on the re­ the international conference met ariat to a state of division curred the decisive test of pol­ Schaffhausen group in Switzer­ ner as is done by the Fourth 316 E.6i STREET, N. Y. C. process of revolutionary selection organization of the Mexican sec­ and accomplished its task to the through which fascism marched icies and strength between the land. The pitiable remnants of International in its program of Phone RE gent 7*0690 which alone leads to the creation tion was reviewed by the Inter­ full. Basing itself on the rich ex­ unmolestedly to power. The in­ genuine Marxists of the Fourth the Brandler group have just re­ transitional demands. and victory of the tempered re­ national Conference, which dealt periences of recent times and the terests of the German proletariat International, on the one side, cently joined hands with the not volutionary party. On the Soviet Union with the appeal of the Galicia unpostponable needs of the situ­ were sacrificed by the Comintern and the ultra-left sectarians and much more imposing London How our enemies and oppo­ The debate at the conference group, and the original decision ation, standing firmly on the for the sake of preserving the the centrists on the other side. Bureau, which is now but a New Polish Pamphlet nents sought to amuse them­ occured essentially over indivi­ was substantially endorsed. ground of internationalism, it Soviet bureaucracy and its posi­ Of the sectarian currents, that shadow of its never very sub­ selves at our expense in the past dual sections of the program. Among the other important de­ launched the Fourth Internation­ tions in a state of not very per­ of Sneevliet in Holland—more op­ stantia] self. "Proletariat by cavalier references to our al­ The conference thereupon en­ cisions of the conference, besides al, not without difficulties, not manent tranquillity during which portunist than radical—came to The only current that remains Zdradzony" leged sectarianism and insignifi­ dorsed the line of the program the Manifesto printed elsewhere lightmindedly, and not in the presumably a national-socialist its inevitable and inglorious end. as an effective, consolidating rev­ cance! As to the latter, they on the Soviet Union, often on the burning issue of the war calmest social sea-but profoundly utopia might be constructed in Starting out with a “left” crit­ olutionary internationalist cur­ Dzleje Ruchu Rewolucyjnego really dulled the edge of their enough discussed in our ranks, danger, the greetings to the re­ aware that it is sufficiently fort­ Russia unaffected by “disruptive” icism of our movement, he has rent that successfully resisted the By T. Z. KONARSKI cutting remarks by their perma­ and rejected the standpoint of volutionary fighters against fa­ ified by the past against what­ social clashes abroad. ended recently in a state of com­ backwash of the reaction, is that ♦ nent and increasing preoccupa­ the minority in some sections scism in Spain, and the resolution ever storms lie ahead, sufficiently A Sharp Turn plete demoralization and disinte­ which is today rallied under the O rd e r F ro m tion with our existence, our criti­ which affirmed the capitalist na­ on our fallen martyrs and class- confident in its chart, to go for­ The International Communist gration as the tail end of the no banner of the Fourth Interna­ Liga Robotnikow Polsklch less demoralized and disintegrat­ cisms and our activities. As to ture of the Soviet state. At the war prisoners, was the adoption ward with the conviction that the League, as our movement was tional. It alone feels the surefoot­ P. O. Station D ing London Bureau. He did not the small numbers in our move­ same time, on the request of the of a document outlining the nec­ final victory, the freeing of man­ then named, had pursued up to edness that w ill guide the move­ New York, N. Y. even have the courage to appear ment which were the theme of American Party committee, ar­ essity of an international de­ kind from slavery, lies ahead and then a policy based upon reform­ ment to the triumphant future 102 pages 25 C ents on the tribune of our; interna­ - ....- -4ML so many feeble witticisms, the rangements were made to permit fense and relief organisation to w ill be attained. ing the Third International: The which belong» to ltl 4 SOCIALIST APPEAL OCTOBER 22,1938

Ten Years of Struggle Revolutionary Tasks and W ork in THE EARLY DAYS For a Workers’ Party By MAX SHACHTMAN THE "DOCUMENT” with save the “document." But (Continued from page 1) the Trade Union Movement it px-oved to be more than enough. American section of the Third In­ a great historic task in organiz-the country, and to stabilize it- The First Reaction ternational. Aided by our interna­ By V. R. DUNNE theories of "socialism in one There are vex-y few examples of self when the newly ox-ganized I was the fix-st or second com­ tional organization, with which A Marxist understanding of the counti-y,” of “social fascism,” etc., ing the heavy industries, a task the power and influence that can unions faced the ravages of the rade in this country to have it we always maintained close ties, state and of the role of the rev­ but in the struggle against the that the craft unions could never be exerted on the movement by have accomplished. The new depression. presented to me to read—out of a we went through these stages of olutionary party as the vanguard thcoi-y of dual "red” unionism forceful ideas than the "docu­ C. I. O. unions succeeded, not hidden corner in one of Cannon's development with a conscious un­ of the class, without which the fostered by the Communist Inter­ Despite the Greens, the Wolls m e n t,” as w e called i t ten yeax-s only because they were industrial cupboards at home!—and I shall derstanding of the objective cir­ class cannot raise itself to power, n a tio n a l u n til 1935. L e n in in 1920 and Tracys and Fx-eys —incura­ ago. I refer to comrade Trotsky’s in form but because they utilized always remember the excitement cumstances which made them un­ results in our having a different had demonstrated theoretically, bly naiTow-minded, selfish, jeal­ criticism of the draft program of in his “Left C o m m u n is m ,” m ilitant and revolutionary tactics the Communist International with which I x-ead it through for avoidable. attitude towards work in the ous, divorced from the ranks— (sit-down strikes etc.) to gain the first time, and then a second Our record is by no means free trade unions than that held by that for communists to turn the A. F. L. finds itself, after and third time, and the stunning from mistakes and omissions in any other organization claiming their backs on i-eactionary their goal. Had the C. I. O. three years of the C. I. O., with continued its original policy of effect with which all my pi-econ- carrying out our tasks. But, by to represent the American work­ unions and invent new "revolu­ a membership appi-oaching the organizing the unorganized, of ceptions and prejudices were ex­ and large, we knew what the ers. tionary” unions was to render a ll-tim e peak flgux-es o f 1919. To concentrating on the basic in- ploded out of my mind. And the tasks of the moment were and Alone of all pax-ties in the Uni­ "the gx-eatest service to the be sure, the A. F. L., in the strug­ dusti-ies, of avoiding raids on shame I felt to think that in the allowed no one to swerve us from ted States, the Socialist Workers boux-geoisie.” gle to maintain itself, has used established A. F. L. unions, thei-e five years of the dispute this was them. Most of the internal strug­ Party advocates that only a The Reactionary Stalinists the organizational forms and But the Communist Parties is little doubt but that, despite the only important writing of gles, in which our cadres were Woxkers and Farmei'S govern­ even, at times, the m ilitant tac­ the blows of the depression, it Trotsky that I had read. How unified and tempered, occured ment, basing itself upon nation­ throughout the world had long tics, which it officially con­ would today be in a far better frightfully provincial we had around questions of this type. wide councils of elected repre- since turned their backs on Len­ demned in the C. I. O. This has position in the American labor been all this time; how cruelly we The individuals and cliques who JAMES P. CANNON sentatives of the woikers and inism. When the "Communists” a special meaning for us. m ovem ent. had been victimized into ignor­ left our ranks for oblivion came National Sec'y, S.W.P. fax-mexs, can solve the economic i-e-enteied the trade unions fol­ The A.F.L. convention x-ecently Desperate for organizers, Lewis ance, into going with the official to grief in almost every case be­ and social pi’oblems facing the lowing 1934 they continued to ended in Houston was marked by committed a tx-agic erxor in open­ line, by the Kremlin machine cause of their refusal to recognize was all organized and directed in masses. It flows from this con­ wear the leading strings of the the fight which Tobin led against ing wide the dooi-s to the Stali­ which was to accentuate its the political realities which dic­ the first six months by Lovestone cept that our party must extend couutei-x-evolutionai-y Stalinist the executive council for unifica­ nists in return for their uncon­ course in the yeaxs to come to tated the tactics they opposed. & Co., who controlled the C. P. at its influence to all sections of buieauciacy in Russia. W ith the tio n o f th e A . F . L . a n d C. I. O. ditional support. the point of unprecedented mon­ Hermits may forsake the world that time. Then they were also the economic organizations of the drift to the right of Soviet policy, Tobin today finds himself and his strosity—a point which we simply expelled and given a dose of their workex-s and farmers—particu­ Weakened by the defeat of International Union in a com­ of reality, revolutionary politici­ could n o t conceive o f te n yeax-s own medicine. That converted larly of the workers, because it "Little Steel” and the hammer- manding position in the Ameri­ ans never. ago. them to "democracy” ; at least, so is the working class that w ill lead blows of the new depx-ession, the can labor movement. The Broth­ A Tough Start I cannot think of any single th e y said. all the oppressed in the onslaught C. I. O. oxganism could not shake erhood of Teamstex-s is the; document that sex-ved its purpose It would be hard to find any­ on capitalism and the fight for a off the Stalinist poison. On the largest national body in the Fed-; Firm Line of Principle better. Marty Abex-n, Jim Cannon where in the history of the labor socialist America and a socialist West Coast and elsewhere the ex-ation and has an almost un-j and I—members or alternates of movement a struggle that began During the first years of our w o rld . Communist-contx-olled C. I. O. has limited field for expansion. W ith under more unfavorable auspices the party Central Committee— struggle the reaction in the Com­ O u r T ask followed a bx-utal and callous the strategic position of the for immediate practical success intern coincided with a general MAX SHACHTMAN and our first associates, Rose The task of our pai-ty consists anti-wox-king class policy of x-aid- drivers in Amex-ican industry, the than ours. The Communist Inter­ reaction and passivity in the Karsner and the late Tom of gaining influence over the ing the A. F. L„ of violating the I.B.T. can play an important x-ole Editor, Socialist Appeal national, representing and sym­ American labor movement. The O’Flahexty, did not need many trade unions—more, of winning, picket lines of unions under the in unifying the movement. bolizing the great Russian revo­ left wing of the workers' move­ discussions among ourselves to through the trade unions, influ­ control of the progx-essives. In The Road Ahead lution in the public mind, domi­ ment was completely dominated decide, after a thorough reading ence* over the majority of the Minneapolis, the Stabilized sec­ On the road ahead, it is not written by Stalin and Bukharin nated all radical labor thought by Stalinism basking in the light of the "document” to carry on working class. tion of the C. I. O. has not'hesi impossible that a third national for the Sixth Congress in Moscow and activity; and Stalinism, its of the first five-year plan. Under the fight for our newly-acquired We can only succceed in this tated to connive with the bosses u n io n gx-oupirjg m ay ax-ise. The in the summer of 1928. real face not yet exposed in prac­ these conditions there was noth­ convictions regardless of the im­ if the methods used by our party against the A. F. L., even to ap­ history of unionism in other in­ In this countx-y we had only a tice, reigned triumphant in the ing to do but direct our message mediate outcome. Of the final in the trade unions help to build peal to the courts for an injunc­ dustrial countries indicates that vex-y fa in t idea o f the fu n d a m e n ­ Comintern and all its sections. to the Stalinist workers, to main­ outcome we have never had any the unions, to strengthen them, to tion against the latter. such a formation is not out of tal issues involved in the struggle Moreover, the Comintern was tain our position as a faction of doubts. incxease their influence aixiong O n N o ve m b e r 14 in P itts b u rg h the question. Fox-ces that might o f th e T r o t s k y is t Opposition then swinging into the frenzied the Comintern fighting for its re­ TH E T R IA L the unemployed, the farmers, the the C. I. O. w ill hold its first na go to make up such a body ax-e against the ruling clique in the radicalism of the “third period” formation and to concentrate our oppressed minorities and the tional convention, at which will Dubinsky’s I. L. G. W. U.; the Russian party and the Comintern It was a serious enough affair, and beating the drums for the extremely limited forces on fun­ small people of the city. That be decided the question of who is Printers; the Teamsters; the — and that idea was a very care­ all things considered, but at the first five-year plan and its dazz­ damental critical and propagan­ the trade union work of our to control that body: the Sailox-s; the Auto Workers and fully distorted and misrepresent­ same time, if ever there was a ling records of industrial progress dists work. party, limited in scope as it has workcx-s or the Stalinists in a Rubber Workers, etc. Should ed one. Overwhelmingly pxcoccu- funnier one, I have not heax-d of in the Soviet Union. This was the task in hand, im­ been up to now, has been based bloc with Lewis or other C. I., O. such a formidable gxoup arise, it pied by what we thought were it. The Comintern delegation had In these circums lances wc had posed upon us by all the circum­ on a con-ect policy is verified by lcadexs. It can be said bluntly would have the power to bring hardly returned to the U.S., and to begin our agitation about the VINCENT DUNNE the all-important issues in the stances. We tenaciously adhered the truly remarkable way in that only to the extent to which great pressux-e to bear upon the factional fight that raged inces­ we had scarcely begun our pru­ theory of "socialism in one coun­ Minnesota Organizer, S.W.P. to this line and repulsed every which unions in which our mem­ the C. I. O. rids itself of Stalinism top leadership of both the A. santly in the American Commu­ dent agitation—we wanted to try” and the problem of the Chi­ attempt to divert it in favor of bers are active and influential the tiade union work of Brow­ can it. reco ve r its lo st gx-ound and F. L . and C. I. O. nist Party, the comrades of what gain as much time as possible in nese revolution. A more "imprac­ It is evident ihat unless labor rainbow-chasing expeditions. Su­ have thi-ived. der's party has developed to the develop. was then generally called the order to reach our friends inside tical” venture could hardly be per-radical people demanded "in­ Because the Socialist L a b o r point where today this group is The Strength of the A.F.L. succeeds in itself unifying its Cannon group paid very little at­ the party—than we were con­ imagined. Nobody wanted to lis­ dependence” from the Comintern armies, Roosevelt, acting for fronted with chai-ges of conduct­ Party .and the I.W.W. answered the most reactionary foxce in the A phenomenon not sufficiently tention to the truly wox ld-shaking ten to the "hair-splitters.” We and concentration on "mass American capitalism, w ill inter- ing 'Trotskyist agitation” in the “ n o ” to th e q u e stio n : s h a ll x-evo- labor movement. Whei-eas the appreciated by the students of problems that weie being debated appeared to be waging a Quixotic work.” That would simply have cede to bring about unity from party, with expulsion awaiting lutionists woi-k in i-eactionai-y fortunes of the Gi-eens and the the labor movement—not by in the Soviet Union. war about theoretical refinements meant a futile exercise in trying outside and above, in a way that if wc were found guilty. Our trial ti-ade unions? they doomed them­ Hillmans ai-e, after all, bound up Stolbeig and not even by certain Our one consolation was that and far-away places while the to jump over our own heads. The can only have disastx-ous conse­ lasted for several days befoi-e an selves to sterility. with the fortunes of the move­ of our own comrades-—is the we were always somewhat uneasy Stalinists were "doing things.” tactics of a political grouping, its quences for the independence of enlarged meeting of the Political Because the Socialist Party and ments which they head, the fox- manner in which the A. F. L about the savage fux-y with which We were cruelly isolated and ap­ methods of work and the tasks the trade unions. Committee of the party. the Lovesfone group have de- tunes of the Stalinist unionists has not only withstood the ef­ the organizer of the October Rev­ peared to be hermetically sealed it sets for itself at the moment, The prosecutor-in-chief was gi'aded socialist politics to the derive from Stalin and his clique. fects of the depx-ession and the The Unemployed olution and his comrades weie in our isolation. Our ostracism and even the form and conditions none other than John Pepper, one level of tiade union politics, their Unlike the Communist Party competition of the C. I. O., but O f th e 35,000,000 workex-s, a l­ assailed and the extreme meas­ was complete. Even social af­ of its existence, must all be deter­ of the hangmen of the Hungarian work in the mass movement has which up until the spx-ing of 1937! has even managed to gain a most half are today unemployed. ures that were taken against fairs, such as are common now mined by time and circumstance. revolution, aided by the then sec­ not l-csultcd in diverting the labor favored the A. F. L. over the million new members. The A. Any tx-ade union policy that does them; as a x-csult, we allowed the for virtually every branch of our The fear of isolation and the at­ retary of the party, Jay Love- movement from subsex-vience to C. I. O. only to swing overnight F. L„ having an expexienced or­ not provide for these unemployed Lovcstoneites and Fostcrites, es­ party, were impossible for us in tempt to circumvent it in periods stone. As nowadays, Earl Brow­ the capitalists. to the other extieme, the Socialist ganizing staff and great sums of w ill bring disaster to the working pecially the formel-, to distinguish those days. We had very few of reaction by artificial means der was the principal party no­ The movement for the Fourth Workers Party has no fetishism money at its disposal, was better class. themselves in the notorious cam­ frie n d s . only brings a disintegration of body, with only this difference, Intei-national took shape in Ame­ for either set of initials. able than the C. I. O. to take 1 The A. F. L. nationally has dis- paign of Trotsky-baiting, and we The Power of Program i:,'‘ the Marxist forces where it docs that ten yeaxs ago he had not rica and throughout the world, M is ta k e s o f th e C. I. O. advantage of the ground-swell of x-egarded the problem. confined oux-selves to a passive But we knew the truth and not lead to their opportunistic yet been appointed party Führer. not only in the fight against the The C. I. O. has accomplished organization which swept across The C. I. O. under the pressure acceptance of what was being were never daunted. We had read diffusion. Such pundits as Weis- of the depx-ession, which hit the done without joining in, either in Which doesn’t mean that the Fos- Trotsky’s "Criticism of the Draft bord and Field, who attempted mass industries harder than the writing or in speeches, with the terites weie in the least friendly. new p a r ty on a revolutionary Program of the Comintern,” and these miracles on their own ac­ izational forms to political aims. sectarians who challenge us fxom the skilled trades, has after too attacks upon our Russian com­ On the contrary, led by Bittelman basis. we knew that the program de­ count after wc finished the de­ W ithout these turns in the sphere the "left,” they only succeed in much delay tackled the problem rades. they vied with the Lovestoneites cides everything. We arc often bate with them, a c h ie v e d a of ox-ganization wc would have combining an increase in the in driving for our expulsion. It Into the Mass Movement in many localities. On the initia­ How It Came to America asked if we were taken by sur­ unique combination of these un­ been left on the sidelines. The number of their oi-ganizations was at once amusing and revolt­ The fix-st stage of the develop­ tive of progressives, many C. I. O. prise by our expulsion from the happy consequences. unification of the revolutionary with a decrease in their total Our general dissatisfaction ing to watch them, like hounds ment of our movement had pre- unions have unemployed sections, party and the gangster campaign fox-cos of different origins — the membership. with the "American decisions” of on a leash, waiting to jump in It was necessary to carry out pared us for the second and be­ thereby binding the jobless to against us; and if we had not prerequisite for the g re a t ad­ the Comintern, which were, to ahead of Pepper and Lovestone the struggle in the Comintern to gan to give way to it. The energy The Socialist Workers Party, their working brothers. In areas counted on a quick victory. No, vances which lie just ahead of us, so utterly and perversely with a motion for our expulsion, the end, until the fallacy of its of our cadres was turned out­ having become the single rallying like Detroit, these unemployed we understood the situation pret­ us—would have been impossible. wrong and "incomprehensible,1 so as to be able to cable Stalin dogmas would be confirmed in ward, towax-d a bigger movement center of the revolutionary work sections have achieved tx-emen- ty well and were prepared for a T h e S ta lin is ts wex-e r ig h t in px-o- fox-med the background for the the news of their zeal in servil­ great actions before the eyes of and a w id e r influence. O u r repx-e- ers, can regax-d the preliminary dous proportions and have been long struggle. This long view was testing every time we gave up attendance of our delegate, com ity . the masses. In the period of the sentatives began to appear at task of reassembling the scat­ a major factor in maintaining instilled into the minds of all our our formal "independence” in or­ rade Cannon, at the Sixth Con­ greatest ideological confusion and confcxeftces of trade unions and te re d fox-ces o f th e va n g u a rd as the union’s hold on the workers. Tile Real Accusers comrades from the start. It was der to increase our real strength Both bodies or the new united gress. It was there that Trotsky’s demoralization it was necessary unemployed organizations. In the completed. It has no need of ne­ The stenographic record of the a decisive factor in their stub­ anp influence. movement will have to intervene masterful criticism of the Stalin to concentrate on fundamental great Minneapolis strikes "Trots­ gotiations or maneuvers with the trial makes good reading even born endurance which astounded These tu rn s wex-e n o t effected much more vigorously on behalf Bukharin program, written in his theoretical criticism, to reassem­ kyism” x-evcaled itself, in the various pseudo-radical groups now, and some day it ought to be all our enemies. without internal disturbances and of the unemployed if the jobless Alma-Ata exile, was carefully cir­ ble the forces of the vanguard most dramatic fashion, as no which offer no xcal competition printed in full as a murderously We never had a single capitu conflicts. Wc had not chosen iso­ millions are to be saved fi-om culated among picked delegates— man by man, to rearm them with bookman’s dogma but a guide to Our appioach to the American telling portrait of our prosecutors lator in our leading cadre, and lation. It had been imposed upon fascism . members of the program commis­ a correct program and thus pre­ the most militant and most ef­ Workers party and the left wing and judges. We defendants, who extremely few in the ranks when sion and heads of the delegations. pare the future work among the fective action. On the field of po­ us #as the price of holding firmly of the S.P. was a necessity. A . Political Action the enormous pressure put upon There is no doubt of the tremend­ perversely acted more like accu­ masses. If wc had not stuck reso­ litical organization the' "sectari­ to principle in a time of reaction. similar appioach to any or all of sers, did not yet know too much them is considered. Malkin turned No sooner had the C.I.O. oi- ous effect which the "document” lutely to this conception at that an" Tx-otskyites displayed an ini­ As is always the case with small the sterile c liq u e s mentioned ganized the gieat basic industries about the great disputes; at all rat after awhile and Gerry Al­ and a p p a r e n tly "new" move­ had on all the delegates. But only time, if we had listened to the tiative and flexibility which soon above would be an absurdity. The when the new economic crisis events, we did not know as much lard, who is a professional capi­ Cannon, and Maurice Spector demagogues and "mass work” placed th e m in the vex-y ce n te r o f ments, wc also had attracted a Amex-ican section of the Fourth posed px-oblems which the unions as' we might or should have tulator, went back to the Stalin­ who was delegated fxonx the Can­ quacks, we would not be celebrat­ all political developments of a ‘lunatic fxinge” which, when the In te i-n a tio n a l is the o n ly x-evolu- could not solve. The C. I. O. was known. But we already knew a ists after they had squeezed him adian party, decided to nxakc the ing our tenth anniversary today. revolutionax-y tx-end. time came for sharp turns and tionax-y party. As a complete in fox-cod to take steps toward inde­ thousand times as much as our a bit. That’s about all; there may expanded action, had to be shak­ convictions which the unassail There would be nothing to cele­ dependent and self-sufficient ox- pendent political action of the opponents in the Political Com­ have been four or five others, A fusion was quickly effected able logic of the criticism ax-oused b ra te . en off. The fight with the secta­ g a n iz a tio n o f th e vaxxguax-d, it with the American Woikeis Par­ working class. These fiist moves in them, the basis for their fu mittee, who knew nothing but a b u t I c a n n o t remember their rians had to be fought out to the can and must now concentrate its ty (formerly C.P.L.A.). W ithin a have been timid and bureau­ tuie revolutionary activity. They few catch-phrases from the of­ names. Our ranks were never The German Events end. Sectarianism, no matter how full energy on a direct appioach cratic. Nevextheless, they repre­ ficial filth in the “Inprccorr.” We once shaken or disturbed by de­ year and one-half the Workers decided to bring the "document” The German catastrophe of "radical” its formulas and its to the workers’ mass movement, sent an advance over the already knew enough and moi-e sertions. From this an important Party, which resulted from this back to America and use it as the 1933— th e c a p itu la tio n to fascism phraseology is at bottom nothing than enough to answer the stand­ fruitful fusion, joined the Social­ The Party Re-Arms Gompcxs tradition, and it is the basis for organizing the struggle lesson may be derived: in order without a battle—signalized the more than a substitution of dis- ist Party en bloc in order to es­ duty of progressives to encourage at home in solidarity with the ardized slandex-s and falsehoods to hold out in a hard fight it is downfall of the Comintern as a ordcred petty-bourgeois emotions The recent months have been tablish closer contact with the de­ this process and to give to the Russian Bolshevik Opposition. which served as arguments a- best to weigh everything and revolutionary factor and simul­ for the tactics imposed upon rev­ veloping left wing, especially the devoted—along with daily work— gxowing movement a bold gainst the Opposition and its count the cost before you start. taneously induced a shake-up in olutionists by the i-eal condition^ to intei-national adjustment for More easily said than done. For youth, and px-ovide the most fa­ p ro g ra m . view s. The First Persecution all other workers’ organizations. of the class struggle. We can rc- this gigantic enterprise. In the not only was each copy num­ vorable ox-ganizational conditions H is to ric R o le o f S. W . P. Some of the questions put to us The left wing in the . Socialist coxd the progress of the past few bered, but the stx-ictest instruc It was a hard fight, especially for fusion. This fusion of the light of the x-apidly advancing so If the Socialist Workei-s Party, were exceeded in pricelessness Party, especially in the youth yeax-s o n ly because we overcam e cial crisis the party has success tions had been issued for the re in the first days. We had no mo­ x-cvolutionary fox-ces within the the American section of the only by some of the charges and movement, began to take shape. sectarianism in a ruthless stx-ug- fully carried through a great turn of all copies to the Comin ney, no connections and very few S. P. and the Y.P.S.L. Was also Fourth International, is to xise to "evidence” presented against us. The Conference for Progressive glc and expelled the incorrigible work of reorientation and re tern Secretariat. What an elo­ members. At our first convention, quickly realized. When the ex­ its historic tasks, it must re­ The manager of the party book­ Labor Action (C.P.L.A.), a hete­ sectarians from our ranks. W ith­ quent commentary on the state of about six months after the expul­ pulsion campaign of the terrified armament in prepax-ation for rev double its wox-k in the union shop was solemnly ushered in to rogenous body of trade unionists, out that not . one step forward olutionary tasks which the social affaix-s in the Comintern as early sions, a b o u t 100 c o m ra d e s party bureaucrats bxought things movement. Th'e last year has testify that “only recently” I had began to crystallize out a m ilitant would have been possible. crisis poses befox-e us. In the as 1928 th a t responsible dele­ throughout the country were rep­ to a split, the union of the revolu­ seen us making great strides come in to the shop. to ask fox- political tendency. W ithin a year gates to its Congress decided to resented. We were also subjected tionary forces in the new Social­ Our “Rivals” course of the party discussion forward in both the A. F. L. and some literature on China; and, he the upturn of the economic cycle seven thick internal bulletins steal and smuggle out of the to persecution by the Stalinists. ist Workers Party followed as a With the fusion of the old C. I. O. But we axe progressing added, giving deadly weight to in the United States and the in- have been published and a scox-e country one of the most precious The campaign of slander depict­ matter of course. “Trotskyists” and the left-wing much too slowly. Time is short. every word, "everybody knows documents of Marxian thought! ing us as "counter revolutionists,” tr o d u c t io n of the N.R.A. un­ Socialists and the launching of of membership meetings have It is truer than ever that our that China is a Trotskyist ques­ The Amex-ican section of the They found it necessary to pur familiar to all now, was some­ leashed the first great wave of the Socialist Workers Party wc weighed and considex-ed the new most important field in the com­ tion"! ! To read books was bad Fourth International emerged loin a document which, from any thing rather new then and more strikes. New times; new condi­ have manifestly entexed into a situation and the new proposals, ing period w ill x emain the tx-ade enough, but to read books ön from this series of flexible and point of view, was rightfully effective. Organized bands of tions. It became a life and death new stage in the progressive de­ Oux- party has a real workers union movement. 1 China—“a Trotskyist question”— daring “maneuvex-s" on the field theirs, and which they had a duty hoodlums were sent to break up necessity for the Bolsheviks to velopment of American Bolshe­ democracy, the like of which has No one claims that our party was px-etty damning. of ox-ganization with a multiplied to communicate to those xevolu our public meetings by force. reorient themselves, to seize upon vism. Rival organizations making never been seen before. Its mem has said the last word on the numerical strength and superb tionists in their own party (not to The Great Heresy Sometimes they succeeded and the new possibilities to break out an appeal to anti-Stalinist work­ bci-ship collectively goes deeply problem of the relationships bet­ mox-ale. In addition, by gaining say all parties) who had dele­ sometimes they got the worst of of their isolation and find the ers have moi-e or less cleared into every new question, considers ween the revolutionax-y party and Characteristic of that trial, and the overwhelming majority in the gated them to Moscow. road to the masses. from the road. Thus one gx-eat and discusses it over an ample the trade unions, or that wc those which followed, was the the fight. Comrades selling the Young People’s Socialist League clement of confusion has been pei-iod of time, and comes to a have achieved the final pat fox-- It. was through these two com dialogue between Lovestone axxd "M ilitant” were attacked; individ­ Our organization reacted to the i t had e stablished fo r the fix-st eliminated. free decision. Just because of mulas which will guide us in all xadcs, aided by an old Bolshevik Elis Sulkkanen, head of a group ual comrades were waylaid and German events with magnificent tim e the basis fo r a bx-oad y o u th T he S o c ia lis t Party, which that the paxty can be Aim in its the twists and turns of an Ameri­ m ilitant then resident in Moscow of Finnish party members who beaten up. Our homes were burg- energy like a tightly-coiled spring m ovem ent. larizod and, a few days later, in release. The M ilitant, published stood as an insuperable barrier discipline and ruthlessly intolcx-- can union movement that is be­ that the first copy of Trotsky’s were tried for heresy after us: stolen letters and "documents'’ three times a week during the Turns and Sectarians three yeaxs ago is a pitiful heap ant of anything less than 100 pei- coming increasingly complex. But magnificent cx-itique was bxought “LOVESTONE: You are pre­ pared to help the party to fight w ere p u b lis h e d in the Daily acute crisis following Hitler’s ap­ Such sharp and dx-astic turns, of ruins, disregarded and de­ cent loyalty on the pax-t of each our policies ai-e Bolshevik pol­ out of Russia and made available Worker. All this availed nothing. pointment as Chancellor, electri­ never befox-e seen or even heard spised. By the mass expulsion of and every individual member. icies and represent the accumu­ to the vanguard revolutionists against Cannon? . . . "SULKKANEN: I have to We stood our g ro u n d and fied the movement. Our influence of in the history of the Amex-ican the left wing the two-by-four bu- On the tenth annivex-sary we lated experience of decades in the who laid the fix-st solid stones in find out and study what Can­ fought. We were armed with con­ began to grow visibly day by day. movement, bxought good results xeaucrats of Norman Thomas’ can look back, not without pride, world union movement. this country of the movement non luts to say. W hat program fidence in our program and its In common with our internation­ every time as we have seen. But private family only prepared on the consistent struggle which Armed with these policies, oux- now united in the Fourth Intei- he has and what information future; that is the best prescrip­ al movement we made a sharp they coxxld be carried thx-ough their own political demise. The will indubitably be recorded in cadres can attract all that is n a tio n a l. he has. tion for sustained courage in a and definitive break with the only by Bolsheviks who are sure Lovestoneite ox-ganization, which history as the rebirth, the real healthy in the movement, can ex­ Apart fxoxn our general back "LOVESTONE: But you are political fight. The movement of bankrupt Comintern and began of themselves and their pi-ogram, makes big pretensions, is in re­ new beginning, of American Bol pand into proletarian ax-mies that ground in the principles of com officially informed that Can­ tjnfalsified bolshevism grew, slow­ to steer a course toward a new who disregarded organizational a lity n o th in g mox-e th a n an un- shevism. It enabled us, in collab w ill lead behind them the Ameri­ munism, and our x-epugnance for non, Ahern and Slxachtnian ly arid painfully, but it grew. party and a new international. fetishism, and who recognized fortunate hybrid: a sect without oration with our international can masses in the x-evolutiouaxy bureaucratism, chicanery and op were expelled from the party. The cadres became hardened in Contacts were established and ne­ the necessity, in a fermenting the saving merit of serious prin­ movement, to forge the program onslaught against the cruel portunism which we had up to Do you, as a party member, the struggle. The whole campaign gotiations initiated with various situation wherein the revolution- ciples and a "mass movement” of victory and to assemble the system which is preparing only then considered to be mainly a think that your first duty is to against us—the slander, the hood- fo rce s in o th e r organizations ary forces were not yet lully sadly weak in membership, na­ first basic cadres of the prolet­ greater misery, and against the phenomenon of tlxe American lum violence and the burglaries— looking toward unification in a crystallized, to subordinate organ­ tional scope and press. As for the arian army which w ill achieve it. insanities of imperialist war. party, we had nothing to start (Continued on page 6) OCTOBER 22,1938 SOCIALIST APPEAL 5 The First Trotskyist Progressives Merge With The Struggle for Marxism Fourth International In the Socialist Party Group in New England By JAMES BURNHAM p&nded. Thè problems posed day by day within the trade union Co-Editor, New International and unemployed movements were By A N lO iN E i z L F. .vOiiIKOW and threw a shadow of coming ielt I could submit no longer. The The Conference for Progressive seen to be, in the last analysis, By GLEN TRIMBLE reformist position. Milwaukee, latter were to be slaughtered at events. Letters of introduction occasion was the demand to vote Labor Action came together in Detroit and Cleveland conven­ once, the former in due time. Ten years ago in Boston in the political problems, and to de­ Member, N at'l Comm., S.W.P. and old pre-revoiutionary tics for the expulsion of Comrade 1928 p rim a r ily as th e re s u lt o f th e tions wound up in shameless “Clarity” Delivers first week of November, six of mand precise and unequivocal threw many doors open to me. Trotsky. Lovestone addressed our then existing situation in the On this the tenth anniversary horse trading for National com­ Again the party gave its an­ us decided to organize “The In­ political answers. The existing To one of the prominent com­ Boston membership of ¿200 or American labor movement. The of the organization of our move­ mittee posts. Yet each time the swer. The convention delegates dependent Communist League.'' political parties not being able to rades I posed leading questions more, for one-and-a-half hours, trade unions, cramped in the cor­ ment in the United States, I have results proved the emptiness of were so overwhelmingly against A month later we published the give such answers, the issue pre­ like this: "W ith Zinoviev gone, trying to prove that comrade sets of the craft form and a pas­ been asked to review the devel­ power without principle and expulsion that thc expulsionists first and only number of the Bul­ sented was realized to be nothing will we have more democracy in Trotsky had forfeited the rights sive and entrenched bureaucracy, opment of one of the tendencies more of us learned the lesson. from Tyler to Porter indignant­ letin of the independent Commu­ else and nothing less than the Soviet Russia?” (We knew very of membership in the party. were lethargic. No direction was now united in the Socialist W ork­ T he steady h a m m e rin g o f A1 ly denied that they had ever nist League. While the Bulletin building of a new political party little about Stalin then.) The Several comrades had told me being given to the growing mil­ ers Party and the Fourth Inter­ Goldman's Socialist Appeal had thought of such a thing. The ex­ was already in the hands of the of the working class. comrade went on tip-toe to the before the meeting they would lions of unemployed. The Com­ national. The tendency toward a very large share in the educa­ istence for the first time in a na­ printer, a mimeographed copy of This realization was expressed door, opened it, looked right and never vote for Trotsky's expul­ munist Party, by its insane Red revolutionary Marxism within the tion of a revolutionary core in tional convention of a large, a statement made by Comrades at and by the Convention held at left, then returned and with sion. But I saw some of them Union tactics dictated by the American Socialist Party covered, th is p e rio d . T he ye a r 1936 saw clear cut and uncompromising C annon, S h a ch tm a n -and A b e rn th e end o f 1933. T he re so lu tio n s averted eyes said, "perhaps." The grabbing hat and coat to leave strategy of the "Third Period," for some of its members, a span this work culminate in the cre­ revolutionary delegation forced reached us. We succeeded in pla­ adopted at the Convention stated running to the door was repeated the hall; one even spoke up a- had succeeded in isolating itself of many years, but in organized ation of a widespread organized the passage of resolutions which cing a part of this document .in the need for a new party of the several times but the answers I gainst Lovestone but later voted and the many militant workers form it dates from about 1931. group determined to fight for rev­ more than recovered the losses of our own Bulletin. The joy of re­ workers, divorced from the So­ received were utterly non-com­ with the crowd. In my ten-minute under its influence from the main Throughout the post-war era olutionary principles. Cleveland. But "Clarity” had ful­ ceiving this statement of our cialist and Communist Parties; mittal. This gave me the first rebuttal, I pointed out that we stream of the labor movement. of “prosperity" the Socialist Party Tho Cleveland Convention filled its role—the left wing was New York comrades is difficult declared the period of the C. P. idea of the fear of being spied never had a chance to read Trot­ The Communist League of Amer­ existed only as a social club for But following the Cleveland split. The center, as always in now to describe. L.A. finished; and elected a Pro­ upon prevalent even among sky’s speeches or documents; ica, not yet emerged from its a handful of aged social demo­ convention in the spring of that a crisis, combined with the right iWe had no connections with visional Organizing Committee prominent officials. I soon caught that we could not come to cor­ stage of functioning as an op­ for the American Workers Party. cratic reformists. Stripped of its year, many of the "M ilitants’’ and to elect a National Executive other cities; we did not know if their allies decided quite differ­ Committee for which Zam took the infection myself and learned rect conclusions without hearing position faction to the Commu­ Choice of the A. W. P. revolutionary elements and es­ any one else had taken up this ently. The Old Guard was out. full responsibility” and of which to look around and speak in a the other side. About Comrade nist International, was active This great step, however, could p e cia lly o f its y o u th b y the 1919 fight against Stalinism in the Thomas, who had spurred on the Thomas and Hoan took full con­ lo w voice. Trotsky's speech to the crowd go­ only to a negligible degree in not conclude the evolution of the turn to the Communist Interna­ Communist party. We felt abso­ Militants and even broadcast a tro l. “How much do you Arn a ing to the Red Square, which trade union situations. C. P. L. A. Once having shaken tional, wrecked and demoralized lutely alone, isolated; and sud­ by its own brankruptcy in the call to all “unattached radicals" Their task was the expulsion week?”, I asked a girl in a candy Lovestone stressed to be a special There was thus no center for loose of the social-democracy and denly we found prominent, well- face of the Palmer terror, the to come in and help rid him of of thc party in the name of the factory, which I was visiting with act of betrayal, I was glad I the development of progressive of Stalinism, once having recog­ known comrades with us. *' I t influence within the trade union S.P. played no role whatever in the Waldmanitcs, now hoped that party. Convention resolutions many other comrades. "Eighteen made the remark; "The speech nized and asserted the need for seemed almost ridiculous that six movement itself. The conception of the decade that followed. they would "quietly disperse” and were discarded for endorsements Roubles." "Per week, naturally,” of Comrade Trotsky, the man the new party, it was faced posi rank and file workers should dare the founders of the C.P.L.A. was, leave him in charge. The Wiscon­ of Spanish Negrins and American I inquired. "No, per month," she who was the right hand of Len­ tively and inescapably with the New Elements to throw down the gauntlet to at first, that of such a center: sin municipal "socialists” had re­ LaGuardias. Protests were rep lied . in, may well be considered by us central fact of the new epoch W ith the depression the organ­ the mighty organization — the luctantly voted for the expulsion answered with "warnings,’’ and as an S.O.S. to the comrades of an organized group of militants then beginning: with the Fourth Communist party. Soon I learned that girls ization took a new lease on life. the world warning of the great who would promote progressive of their discredited political appeals to democratic procedure walked miles to work or to meet­ International. The sole comple­ A new and very different type of The First Comrades disaster Soviet Russia is facing." trade union policies, by propa­ brothers on the assurance of by discarding the constitution ings, as they could not afford car­ tion to its progressive evolution recruit began to turn to the So­ The most energetic among us Expelled from C.P. ganda, but in particular through Thomas, Altman and Co., that no along with the decisions of the fare. Had wages increased since? meant: fusion with the move­ cialist Party. The crisis was forc­ was comrade L. Schlossberg. His Soon I received a letter dic­ direct participation in the mass revolutionary embarrassments' convention. Since this swelled Not real wages, for prices had ment for the Fourth International. ing a leftward trend. The Com­ optimism and energy, no doubt, action of the unions, in strikes, would result for Wisconsin or the and broadened the protest, the tated by Lovestone ordering me Failing this, the embryonic Amer­ munist Party was embarked on helped us go forward. Schloss­ gone way up. demonstrations, organizing cam­ national party. The Cleveland res­ infamous gag rule was passed to appear the next day in New ican Workers Party could only its third period adventure and berg is an old Bolshevik. He had "What shall I say to the dele­ paigns, and in building up the or­ olutions bore them out on every in closed session. It ordered at York. I demanded that a local reverse direction, and fall back was antagonizing many serious p a rtic ip a te d in th e 1905 R e vo lu gates inspecting the factory?" ganization of the unemployed. important question, they marked moratorium on socialism within committee take up my case (later into the blind alleys of reformism revolutionists in the process. tion in Russia and was so en asked the girl interpreter of the Not A Party a retreat from positions previ­ the Socialist Party on penalty of I i..und that the City Committee ment of the 4th International Many of those who were without thusiastic about Bolshevism that manager, in my presence. The It was believed that for such ously held. The Old Guard was expulsion. That moratorium is could not get a majority to ex­ movement altogether. This was contact with the Left Opposition he had decided to return to Sov­ manager looked angrily at her; a task no specific party forma­ dead, long live reformism! still in force—as a tombstone on pel me.) I refused to appear be­ the choice for the group as a turned to the Socialist Party. For iet Russia and remain there for he knew I was only a visitor. tion and no specific party alle­ Entry of the W.P. the grave of the "Socialist” party. fore the political committee. In whole and for every individual several years the membership good. He went to Soviet Rudsia “Why, you know what to say." giance were necessary. The C.P. But the top leaders reckoned But it buries only the dead. The a few days I had my expulsion one of its members. steadily increased and in many in 1926, spent a ye a r th e re and L.A. did not regard itself as a without the party. The “home revolutionary membership re­ Workers in the factory spoke notice. Fortunately, the greater part of sections the left wing elements returned disillusioned and heart­ grown” revolutionists were now fused to be gagged and continued about the party-managers with I review the story of my grow­ party. At the beginning its mem­ the membership both of the A. predominated. sick. The ruling bureaucracy and bership included a number of strengthened, not only by their its fight for socialism. There fol­ distrust. "Who are these men go­ ing into Trotskyism in detail to W. P. and of the Communist The almost total lack of dis­ the corrupt leaders made work members of the Socialist Party, own experience, but by strong re­ lowed a series of "charges,’' ing through the factory?” one acquaint the comrades of today League understood the need for cipline in the S.P., consequent on there impossible. He was not re­ as well as many without any inforcements from the Workers "trials” and expulsions worthy of asked. “They say they are work­ with our experiences ten years the bringing together of all avail­ reformist anxiety to coddle labor- admitted into the party, which party affiliations. It was soon Party who brought with them the a Vishinsky. The Appeal group ers.” “Oh, they are bluffing us; ago. able forces into the movement for faker "members" who carried probably had been notified about apparent, however, that its path whole arsenal of Marxism. While maintained unshakeablc solidar­ look how they arc dressed. W ork­ Our Bulletin was widely dis­ the new party. And fortunately, party cards and did as they his activities in Soviet Russia. led necessarily away from the the “Call” beat a retreat to the ity and rallied hundreds of new ers could not dress like that.” tributed and aroused consterna­ also, there were those in both or­ pleased, made it possible for the Comrade Chiplovitz and Wei existing parties, and within a light, the Appeal and Labor Ac­ supporters from thc ranks of Russian is my native language, tion and savage anger. Our com­ ganizations who saw clearly just left wing to maintain itself for ner, prominent members of the brief time the Socialists had tion rallied all the best worker "Clarity,” which had gone clearly so I could learn much more than rades were insulted and threat­ what steps this need called for. a time within the "all-inclusive needle trades Union, had noticed dropped out. elements to the revolutionary and irrevocably reformist. The others. While many accomplish­ ened with actual physical vio­ Negotiations, discussions and un­ boundaries. The Old Guard was the wrong trend of the party The task which the C. P. L. A. banner. Hoan and Altman joined, amalgam of "native” revolution? ments impressed me, while the lence. Looking back to the years ited activities reached their fruit­ by habit, inclination, and senility long before. They left it in com­ of our first steps, I realize that had set for itself was beyond its or rather, tail-ended, a well-ft- ary socialists and of their corti- sincerity and self sacrifice of ful conclusion in the fusion of the incapable of aggresive action. The nanced Stalinist hue and cry for pany with comrade Cooperstein, we were not well supplied with powers; but in spite of the rades from the Workers Party workers with whom I came in tw o g ro u p s in D ecem ber, 1934, work and a considerable part of thc expulsion of ^ -Trotsky- a prominent worker in the shoe was forged and solidified in joint contact was inspiring—the above information, our forces were smallness of its numbers and re­ under the banner of the Fourth the4 V\ a local1 /\i\n 1 leadership1 An/t Alton I n fellTam into1 n r the4 n A industry. Comrade Shechet be­ ites,” that is to say, of course, of battles for principle and in and other incidents made me weak, but with all that I think sources, its mark was definitely International. hands of thc younger members. came our first new convert and. all revolutionary socialists. shoulder-to-shoulder cooperation leave Soviet Russia perturbed there is no need to be ashamed and in a number of instances Obstacles Met proved to be an energetic, con­ The “M ilitant” Group B y th e 1937 C h ica g o conven­ in thc field of mass action. It wqs and depressed. of our little Bulletin which we splendidly felt within the Amer­ All was not, of course, smooth scientious worker in the league. But this left wing or "M ilitant" tion, Norman Thomas had decid­ given organizational expression worked out without documents or ican labor movement. The mili­ sailing. W ithin the C. P. L. A .— I was the only one who was rreparcs For Break group was itself very nearly all ed that "all-inclusiveness" was all in the founding convention of the even adequate knowledge of our tant and determined work of its A. W. P. there were those who still connected with the party. inclusive. It embraced everyone right so long as it was to the Socialist Workers Party. The' struggle between Stalin theories. We were going in the members in a series of notable were at heart bitter enemies of the For years I had been under sus­ 'agin' the Old Guard and, since right and not the left. Zam and Now on this tenth anniversary and Trotsky was not clear to me right direction. All six comrades strikes was climaxed at the great new perspective, who made nom­ picion because of my frank crit­ the Old Guard simply proposed Tyler who had never figured as and with thc tremendous impetus but I felt something was deeply arc still with us. A lively crowd Auto-Lite strike of 1934 at Toledo. inal declaration for a new party icism of Zinoviev. When I left for that the party be preserved as an national leaders in the left wing, of the first World Congress of wrong. Did I report this when I of young men and women joined T he National Unemployed in 1933 o n ly u n d e r th e co m p u lsio n Russia at the same time as inanimate memorial to Kautsky, had appointed themselves spokes­ the Fourth International we returned? No. I tried to defend us, so that we kept up headquar­ Leagues, organized under its of events too strong for them to Schlossberg (1926) I had no sanc­ that left a wide field for unprin­ men for a "Clarity” caucus which march forward as a single, united these conditions by the reasoning ters, ran successful lectures and leadership, played no small part withstand; and there were others tion from the party, but got cipled “outs" that wanted to be preached peace while operating movement dedicated to the revo­ that Russia was still in the tran a small school. in forcing the federal government whose backbones, adequate for there through the personal in­ in," non-Marxist and openly anti-.to separate the “native” sheep lutionary tasks that loom at the sition state; and I knew too I The Stalinists, the “Twentieth to accept some measure of re­ the earlier tasks, were not strong fluence of important comrades. Marxist liberals who thought I from the former W.P. goats. The top of our world's agenda. would be expelled at once, if I Century Americans," had much sponsibility for relief, and gave enough for the stern jobs that lay This made it harder for me later Norman Thomas a fine man, re-1 ______were frank. So, I kept officially larger meetings than we; so had an example of class struggle me­ ahead. to be too outspoken about my ex­ formers and crackpots of every, quiet and tried to find more facts the Democrats and Republicans. thods which has not yet been Their resistance, treacherous periences in Soviet Russia be conceivable stripe, plants for the! and explanations to strengthen We were not afraid to start our equalled in the unemployed move­ and disloyal from some, confused cause of the fear of exposing Stalinists and Lovcstoneites, half- myself for the final break. I am work when there were only six m ent. or weak-kneed from others, could A Life-or-Death Appeal! these comrades to persecution. baked collegiate romanticists. Yet sure hundreds of visitors to Rus­ isolated from everybody (as we The experiences of the C.P.L.A. not alter the outcome. Their own there was a core of serious, Trip to Russia sia acted the same way as I did. thought)! We still swim against in the class struggle were not fate — bought off for a few con­ though inexperienced and some­ HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO ACT I would like to sketch a few But I came at last to the right the current, but so did Lenin. long in proving to its member­ temptible dollars by Stalinism, or times muddled, revolutionists. pictures from Soviet life—which conclusion. Such is the pioneer work of all ship that the scope of its per­ sliding back to an evangelical For thq past two months the American Fund for Political Thc healthiest of these were the impressed me deeply at the time It took me two years 'til revolutionary forces. spective would have to be ex- God, or pulling up the stakes Prisoners and Refugees has been making arrangements to rescue young worker elements repelled from the labor movement as a three men and one woman, all anti-fascist militants, who have by the frenzied futility of the whole — points in its own way to been under the surveillance of the Gestapo for their work In the Stalinites, yet seeking a genuine that great lesson from the history labor movement in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. Three class solution to their problems. of the A. W. P.: that today there are Germans, one a young Austrian worker. All have devoted their Left Wing Development is no neutral gound. There is only lives to the labor movement and have continued their work in one way to cast off the dregs of As the crisis and the leftward emigration, under the most difficult and dangerous conditions. THE MARXIST SCHOOL reformism and Stalinism, of im­ trend within the S.P. continued Their homes had been broken into and their belongings searched perialism which finally these more and more of such comrades several times by agents of the German police. 116 University Place, New York City serve: by taking the road of the joined. Their lives were a daily While arrangements were being concluded for their transpor­ Fourth International. part of the class struggle and tation to another country, Hitler's troops marched into the Su­ A Foreshadowing they brought into thc conferences deten area and the Czech government, under Nazi influence, The A. W. P. found the road. of thc left wing a constant in­ clamped down its dictatorship upon the rest of Czechoslovakia, FALL TERM ANNOUNCEMENT It was this that proved its own sistence on disciplined mass proceeding to persecute all suspected foreigners within their basic health and vitality. Its own work. W ith this, inevitably, came realm. Newspapers report that the Czech police are holding all Classes Begin Nov. 9. accomplishments, and all that is a growing demand for a clear cut anti-Nazi refugees within the Sudeten region and handing many finest in its traditions have be­ revolutionary program. of them over to the Gestapo from their own territory. Unfortunately, all of us had to I. THE AMERICAN TRADE UNIONS B. J. Widick by illusions, false leadership and false policies. The prob­ come incorporated organically in Despite the enormous difficulties in reaching people in the Su­ learn the hard way. We were al to the young but sturdily growing deten area, the American Fund has unexpectedly been presented An indispensable course for understanding the driving lem of the practical revolutionist is how to bridge this most totally cut off from the body of the new International. with a mans of extricating these refugees from the clutches of the forces in the trade union movement today. An analysis gap. The Fourth International offers its solution—The main streams of revolutionary ex­ Just how or by what stages the te rro r. Transition Program, a program of action for mobilizing perience. The greater part of of the rise of industrial unionism, the new techniques Fourth International will com­ Every hour makes it Increasingly difficult to do this. Every the masses. Marxist literature was for most in strike strategy and the key question of C.I.O.-A.F. plete its development we cannot day the iron ring of reaction tightens around them. The avenues of us an unopened book. Wc had of L. unity. Labor politics—the Stalinist, Lovestone, S.P. Tuesdays, 8:45 P.M.— 10:15 P.M. 6 sessions, $1.00 know in advance. The fusion of now open from us to them w ill probably be closed within the next no ’Old Bolsheviks’ to provide lines; New Dealism, the A.L.P.; Labor and the White the A. W. P. is, however, in many few weeks, or even days. Not a moment must be lost-' Any delay living channels for class under­ essentials a correct foreshadow­ sentences these people to death. They can expect aid from no other House. V. LABOR JOURNALISM James Casey standing and revolutionary fore­ ing. The Fourth International is quarter than from us in the United States. Mondays, 7:00 P.M.— 8:30 P.M. 6 lectures, $1.00 sight. Wc learned slowly and A course in both theory and practice. Such matters as projected into the historical arena A minimum of S500 must be raised within one wee^. Show this painfully by trial and error in labor reporting, editorial writing, book reviewing, etc., as a political magnet. Its func­ appeal to your friends, your fellow trade unionists, your fellow II. AFTER THE MUNICH CONFERENCE Jack Weber thc struggle itself. We shed illu­ will be considered. Students will be given practical as­ tion and its destiny arc to draw students. Set yourself a quota to raise w ithin one week. sions and acquired principled po­ A t Munich the representatives of four imperialist pow­ signments. to itself all those, from whatever IT IS A QUESTION OF OUR MONEY OR THEIR LIVES! quarter, who resolve to break sitions piece-meal along the road. ers made far-reaching decisions upon which hinge not This course will be continued the next semester. Send all funds to the Amerlan Fund for Political Prisoners only Czechoslovakia's existence but the fate of the Soviet from the old world and its refuse, At first we were all too likely and Refugees, 100 F ifth Avenue, New York City. Wednesday, 7:00 P.M.— 8:30 P.M. 4 sessions, $0.75 and who set for themselves the Union, all of Europe and modern civilization itself. What to value power above principles, goal of the new world of inter­ and to rate "strategic maneuvers lies ahead? Why did collective security and the People's VI. THE THREE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS national socialism. ahead of a head-on attack on the Fronts collapse? How long has war been po'stponed? George Novack Will Stalin turn to an alliance with Hitler? Will fascism overrun Europe or can the workers' revolution still save A study of American backgrounds. A Marxist inter­ SPECTACULAR SALE it? The lectures will provide a Marxist analysis of these pretation of social forces in America analyzing the class THE MARXIST SCHOOL vital questions. struggle in this'country from the colonial period, through To reduce our stock and raise cash for new publications we the Civil War, to the present day. Mondays, 8:45 P.M— 10:15 P.M. 6 lectures, $1.00 announces have drastically reduced the prices on our publications for Wednesday, 8:45 P.M.— 10:15 P.M. 6 sessions, $1.00 immediate clearance— FOR L IM IT E D TIM E O N LY. III. LIVING MARXISM—A COURSE IN FIRST PRIN­ WEEKLY FORUMS CIPLES John G. Wright VII. CAPITALIST ECONOMY IN CRISIS David Cowles By LEON TROTSKY This course is intended to provide an elementa.y These lectures will stress the underlying economic fac­ on Sunday evenings at 8:00 knowledge of Marxism. Following a discussion of the tors which determine present political practices in the 3. Price Sale Price basic approach to history-—the materialist interpretation United States. Among the topics to tie covered are: The Third International After Lenin $2.00 $1.00 of history— the lectures will cover a consideration of the the economics of the New Deal, the declining standard material roots of society— productive forces and rela­ of living, the economics of war preparations, the struggle October 23rd— DEMOCRACY, FASCISM end WAR The Stalin School of Falsification $2.50 $1.50 tions—continuing with the study of the role of the class of the great monopolies for domination in contracting Speaker: Max Shachtman struggle. The last two sessions will deal with the historic markets, the financial system and the depression, etc. Lessons of October (Cloth) .75 .50 mission of the working class— the road to power. Fridays, 7:00 P.M.— 8:30 P.M. 6 sessions $1.00 October 30th— HOW TO FIGHT WAR — Collective Whither France (Cloth) .75 .50 Tuesdays, 7:00 P.M.— 8:30 P.M. 6 sessions, $1.00 ♦ REGISTRATION Security, Isolation or Revolutionary Defeatism IV. THE BRIDGE TO REVOLUTIONARY ACTION Registration may be made either at the school office, ♦ World Revolution by C. L. R. James $3.50 $2.00 James P. Cannon James P. Burnham I 16 University Place, N. Y. C., between 8 P. M. and Russia Twenty Years After, Victor Serge $2.50 $1.00 Max Shachtman .10 P. M., or at the. Labor Bookshop, 28 E- 12th Street, Irving Plaza — Irv in g Place at 15th St. Postage Free The concrete application of revolutionary Marxism to N. Y. C., -between I P. M. and 8 P. M. Registrations our time. The crying contradiction of our epoch: a world can also be made by mail or by calling STuyvesant economically ripe for Socialism—the masses disoriented 9-0567. The school term will begin on November 9th. PIONEER PUBLISHERS Watch for Further Announcements 100 FIFTH AVENUE • NEW YORK CITY 6 SOCIALIST APPEAL OCTOBER 22,1938 ■t t f a g rfs c -\ti Internationalism Pages from the History of Our Banner the Youth Movement f By MAURICE SPECTOR fascism became more rapid and Co-Editor, New International more powerful. Fascism is today By NATHAN GOULD Y.C.L. (no longer a revolutionary the first to denounce the machin­ on the offensive. The Munich pact National Organizer, Y.P.S.L. youth organization) and on the ations of the centrist dominated If there was one pillar of the signals the complete bankruptcy When the Communist League Y.P.S.L. It became the official Stockholm Youth Bureau and early Comintern that seemed of the whole edifice of collective of America (Opposition) was youth section of the Workers finally broke with it after its Im­ more unshakable than Gibraltar, security. The Popular Front i3 a formed, its membership was com­ Party, newly formed from a fu­ potence as a force for a 4th it was its Intransigent internation­ sham bles. posed of a large number of youth sion of the C.L.A. and the Ameri­ youth international was exposed). alism, its basic policy of world The Stalinists sold out the in expelled from the Young Commu­ can Workers Party. It endorsed The branches of the S.Y.L. were revolution. The Communist In­ terests of the French working nist League. Yet there were not a call for the formation of the active in unemployed struggles ternational was conceived during class for the sake of "the defense sufficient forces in this small or­ Fourth International and the and in strikes. For the first time the world war in the course of of the Soviet Union." Their “real­ ganization to permit the launch­ Fourth Youth International and members of the S.Y.L. led strikes the revolutionary struggle against ism" has left the Soviet Union in ing of a separate youth section. it affiliated to the youth section of young workers in Chicago, in social patriotism. a position of the greatest isola­ All forces were necessarily con­ of the Committee of Four calling Philadelphia and in Southern The collapse of the Second In­ tion. After absorbing Czechoslov­ centrated in the effort to build for the Fourth International. It Illinois. 'New branches were ternationa) was due to its oppor­ akia, as he had absorbed Ger­ a strong Communist League or­ endorsed the decisions of the In­ formed in Boston, State College, tunistic adaptation to the capit­ many before that, thanks to the ganization. ternational Youth conference Pa., Philadelphia, Columbus, New alist legality of the national state. cowardly passivity of the Com­ Early in 1931 the National Com­ (Stockholm Youth Bureau) at Haven, San Francisco, San Diego, To pillory the social patriotism of intern, Hitler is now proceeding mittee of the C.L.A. took steps H o lla n d held in Feb. 1933, and the Akron, Allentown, Minneapolis the Social Democracy, to attack with plans for the political and to prepare for the organization of work of the representative of the and Detroit. The Spartacus Youth its policy of coalition government, economic hegemony of Europe a youth section. A sub-committee National Youth Committee at League became a national organ­ to denounce its fetishistic support and the future partition of the of the National Committee of the that conference—comrade Glot- iza tio n . of bourgeois democracy, its vot­ Soviet Union. C.L.A was elected. It was the Na­ :r. Merge with Revolutionary ing of military credits, all this There Is No Substitute tional Youth Committee of the The First National Convention Y.P.S.L. was part of everyday communist It has been proved that the rev­ C.L.A. and was instructed to or­ of the S.Y.L. also adopted a vig­ agitation and propaganda. When­ olutionary aid of the Western ganize and conduct work in the orous plan'of action aimed at in­ The Second National Conven­ ever the international situation workers cannot be replaced by youth field. The original commit­ creasing the membership of the tion of the S.Y.L. held in March sharpened, the air resounded with Imperialist alliances without cat tee was composed of the follow­ organization and making the 1936 decided to d isb a n d th e S .Y .L. Comintern pledges to work for astrophic results for the October ing comrades: Herbert Capellis, S.Y.L. a factoç in the struggles of and to enter the Y.P.S.L., which the transformation of any imper­ revolution. The Permanent Revo­ Joe Carter, George Clarke, the American youth. The Conven­ was moving very rapidly to the ialist war into a civil war. lution, the special object of Stal­ Charles Curtiss, A1 Glotzer, tion elected comrade Gould the le ft. A p p ro x im a te ly 500 m em bers George Ray, Max Sterling, Hank National Secretary and comrade of the S.Y.L. throughout the Lenin’s Teachings inist hatred, has been replaced by permanent executions. Na Slone, and Martin Abern repre­ Garrett as editor of the "Young country entered the Y.P.S.L. in Every communist knew that tional socialism in Russia has de senting the National Committee Spartacus.” In addition it elect­ A p r il o f 1936. T he S p a rtacu s te n ­ Lenin had drawn two decisive stroyed the soviet super-structure, of the C.L.A. ed a national bureau composed dency in the Y.P.S.L. merged with conclusions from the law of the replacing it with a totalitarian­ Publish “Young Spartacus” of Reva Crane, B ill Streeter, Jane the revolutionary left wing in that irregularity of capitalist political ism as complete as Hitlers. The On the initiative of this com­ Ogden, M. Garrett and N. Gould. organization. Eighteen months and economic development: (1) "socialist accumulation" of the mittee “Young Spartacus" the or­ after the entry of the S.Y.L. into that, contrary to the opinion of Organization Grows five-year plans under Stalin riv­ gan of the National Youth Com­ the Y.P.S.L., the revolutionary Kautsky, it was possible to begin alled the infamies of early cap mittee, was published as a month­ The year following the conven­ elements by an overwhelming the revolution in a single country, italist accumulation. ly. The first issue of "Young tion was one of vigorous work majority took over the conven­ without waiting for the rest of Twenty years after the October Spartacus” appeared in Decem­ and growth. There was a great tion and the organization of the the world, -ut (2) that it was revolution and the "complete vic­ ber of 1931 under the direction of deal of work in united fronts, in Y.P.S.L. The “new" revolutionary impossible for a single country to tory of socialism," Denny of the an editorial committee of Abern, anti-fascist and anti-war work; Y.P.S.L. (endorsing the policy of achieve the victory of socialism New York Times reports that Carter and Ray. The paper (chief work in the C.C.C. camps among the Socialist Appeal group in the without the advance of the fron­ the coming winter in the U.S.S.R, work of the National Youth Com­ the youth in the armed forces be­ S.P.) began its career after the tiers of the revolution In the In­ is expected to be one of the hard mittee in the first period) was gan very modestly. Mass meet­ S eptem ber 1937 c o n v e n tio n w ith dustrial West. There was no am­ est. The old familiar queues published only through great sac­ ings, tours, student and industrial a p p ro x im a te ly 1,000 m em bers. In biguity about this. stretch for blocks, Twenty years rifices. Appearing first as a 4- work, defense work especially the Y.P.S.L. were embodied the Again and again he repeated after, the masses still wait for a page tabloid it was enlarged to around the Scottsboro case, act­ spirit and the great revolutionary that the existence of the Soviet pair of boots, an overcoat, a dress an 8-pager in Septem ber, 1932, ive participation in the Interna­ tradition of the old “Spartacus republic alongside the imperialist a bottle of milk, a poUnd of but­ and remained so until the begin­ tional movement (The S.Y.L. was Youth League.’’ states was in the long run Im­ te r. n in g o f 1936 w hen th e S.Y.L. en­ possible. One or the other would Undermine the Only Force tered the Young Peoples Socialist triumph. The big historical prob­ The one force that could solve League. lem of the October revolution the Soviet Union’s "international Also, under the supervision of as he saw it, and as the entire problem” was the working class the National Youth Committee, Comintern appeared to agree, lay The Early Days and this Is the force that the Sov­ youth committees of various in resolving the international iet Union has consistently under branches of the C.L.A. were es­ problem by means of stimulating mined. The policy of Soviet na­ tablished with the object of car­ (Continued from page 4) Eastman who, as Trotsky’s trans­ and organizing the world revolu­ lator, had given us a letter of tional socialism has been to use rying on youth work on a local find out or is not the mere fact tio n . introduction to the publishers of th e w o rk e rs abroad m e re ly as scale. that they were expelled unan­ So long as the post-Leninist “The Real Situation in Russia” diplomatic cannon fodder. Arma­ It was not until November 8, imously by the Polcom suffi­ struggle inside the Russian Com­ asking that we be allowed to see ments are greater than ever, the First Youth Conference Was Held 1931 that the efforts of these cient for you as a guarantee to munist party proceeded on such the press clippings. This pur­ power of Hitlerism has expand­ committees bore fruit in the ac­ treat him as an enemy of the apparently separate questions, as loined evidence of our cynical ed,—and the workers have been tual launching of a youth organ party today? workers democracy, the lessons counter-revolutionary a ctivity filled with the virus of social pa­ In Chicago In November, 1929 ization in N. Y., the Marxian “SULKKANKN: You put the of the German communist failure was duly reproduced in the Daily trio tis m . Youth Club. The Marxian Youth question in a very incorrect o f 1923, the experiences o f the W o rk e r. The masses deep down are a Club was however not officially a way. One has to find out things Anglo-Russian committee, and By ALBERT GATES tion in the world movement. The The youth conference, attended Another reproduced letter- re­ gainst imperialist war. They are part of the Trotskyist movement before one can fight anybody.” economic planning, many cq{nr degeneration of the Young Com-j by about fifteen regular delegates vealed the existence of a M r!‘Sard ready to struggle for peace. The Our movement has traveled a although its sympathies were munists of the West, increasingly munist International was traced and alternates, held a long and Instructive dialogue! A few who seems to have been interest­ task is to show them that peaoe great distance in the ten years w ith it. On Feb. 7, 1932, th e M a rx restive over the turn of events serious discussion of its tasks months later, Lovestone, himself is attainable only by a struggle to the invasion of the Stalin bu­ ian Youth Club changed its name ed in the movement. Interested that have passed since comrades expelled, was compelled to plead and the character of the Russian reaucracy which transformed the We decided that our main task to "Spartacus Youth Club,” also in music, and director in this for power. But the Stalinist par Cannon, Abern and Shachtman in vain with the party members discussions, were still uncertain. youth movement into a factional Was the building of the Com adopted “Young Spartacus" as its country of "Schubert Week," he tics join with the most extrerne presented their declaration to the “to find out" what he stood for In many cases it still seemed pos­ instrument in the spurious strug­ munist League. A separate official organ and thereby be­ had apparently visited President reactionaries arid nationalists in C entral Committee of the Com­ before they decided to “treat him sible to reconcile the conflicting gle against Trotskyism. It youth organization was out of came the first Trotskyist youth Coolldge in order, with the aid their agitation afid incitement for munist Party of the United as an enemy of the party.” In views within the framework of showed how the American youth question. H o w ever, w h e re ve r organization in America. This of the Vienna government, to fa­ w a r. States announcing adherence to our case, the mere fact of our ex­ the same party and International. organization was deteriorating as forces permitted and the situa Club set as its tasks the educa­ cilitate putting over the com­ The Stalinists, like Browder in the Russian Opposition. Prior pulsion was considered enough, Loyalty to .the Communist Inter­ a result of conditions in the tion was favorable, the younger tion of its membership in the memoration of the great compo­ the United States, no longer even to that, the great problems of the and God help any party member national permeated such m ilit­ Party and closed with a ringing comrades Were to conduct special "teachings of Marx, Engels, Len ser. The Dally Worker did its talk of the “defense of the Soviet World movement and the sharp who, before condemning us, had ants to the core, and decisions call for support of the Left Oppo­ activity among the Communist in and Trotsky” and “to build a very best to argue that, barely Union.” They proclaim’their read- disputes inside the Stalintern the impudence to want to find out would involve a rupture with sition. This first dodument was youth as well as detached and un fraction in the official Young started, we had already joined in iness to go to the defence of their never greatly concerned the C. P. what we stood for. In the sub­ what they had been accustomed signed by three members of the organized revolutionary youth. Communist League and win its a sinister plot with American im ­ own capitalist “fatherlands: Its decisions relating to these sequent “trials,” Lovestone-Foster to regard as “the General Staff National Executive Committee ranks for the opposition.” perialism and the Austrian gov­ They urge their own capitalist questions were formally taken in Since that conference a good and Co. did us many a good serv­ of the World Revolution" were of the Y. C. L. and thirty leading New Clubs Organize ernment (but why the Austrian, classes to protect and further response to requests of the ruling deal of progress has been re­ ice by expelling out of hand any not taken lightly. youth functionaries, representing The Second “Spartacus Youth or only the Austrian?) to over­ their investments in colonies and bureaucracy in the Soviet Union. corded. W ithin a year, the ques­ party member who wanted “to The Final Straw six districts. New layers of sup­ Club" to be formed in America throw the Soviet Union. markets abroad, so that the “de The struggle of the Russian Op­ tion of a youth organization be­ find out things,” for in every What shook their faith in the porters arose and the expulsions was organized in Chicago in Au­ mocracies” can checkmate the position was regarded as a “Rus­ came a practical one. We began case, once the expelled comrade In a Couple of days, the “sen­ post-Leninist Moscow leadership continued from coast to coast. g u s t 1932. I t was th e p ro d u c t o f sational exposure” petered out. fascists in South America or sian affair" which was a bother­ in New York with the organiza­ did "find out," he entered enthu­ to the point where “loyal’’ ac­ At the first conference of the months of effort on the part of C h in a ! some interference with the inane tion of a Marxian Youth Club siastically into our ranks. But we never got back our docu­ ceptance of the majority thesis Left Opposition, held on May 17, comrades N. Satir, C. Curtiss and The sole repository of. the rev and permanent factional disputes Similar organizations were set up ments and letters; we never got was no longer possible, was the 18, and 19, 1929, T he C o m m u n is t N. Gould. It began with a mem­ olutionary internationalism of the in the American C. P. in other cities. In November back the petty cash and money Anal emergence of the Stalinist League of America was formed. "BURGLARY early Comintern is now the 1931, Y O U N G S P A R T A C U S , the b e rsh ip o f 8, g re w to 15 w ith in 2 orders that had been stolen; and theory of “socialism in one coun­ The Stalinist movement was The conference was held on the Fourth International. The small first Left Opposition youth paper months and continued to flourish BOLSHEVISM” Marty Abern never got back his try.” The stand that the Russian struck with consternation to find far west side of Chicago, a city in activities and influence during groups of the new International made its appearance. W ith the five beautifully-bound volumes ol Opposition made against this re­ that Trotskyism had found its which has given birth to so many the existence of the S.Y.L. The' Our present headquarters may in all countries have courageous paper as a base our youth move the Inprecorr, which probably re­ vision of Leninism proved to be way into the ranks of the Party. workers organizations. It was not be very sumptuous, but they ly struggled against the current ment continued to grow and in Chicago organization composed pose to this day on the shelves a stand against the Stalinist How could it be? It was already the first time that many of the almost entirely of expelled YC. are certainly less modest than of social-patriotism and uncom­ 1932 the S partacus Y o u th League of Mr. Jack Stachel, noted con­ counter-revolution. There were declared to have been irrevocably comrades had met each other. L.’ers, endorsed “Young Sparta­ those wo started with. For many promisingly exposed the sources was formed. temporary advocate of democracy friends of the Opposition who defeated and destroyed in a dozen Of the thirty-one delegates and cus’’ as its official organ and af­ months after our expulsion, our of Stalinist corruption. The and law and order. thought that Trotsky was unduly different revolutions and in a thirteen alternates present, a Looking back over the past filiated to the Chicago local of “office" was one of the rooms Fourth International can have no magnifying the issue and allow­ dozen conferences, not least of large proportion were youth. years, it is extremely heartening the C.L.A. thus becoming its of­ in Jim Cannon’s home on East T h e Sequel illusions that it has the present ing himself to be outsmarted. The which was the 6th World Con­ They came by automobile, rode and gratifying to note that, with ficial youth section. 19th Street, New York; then— There is a very Interesting se­ strength to deter the imperialists Brandler-Thalheimer group at­ gress. Yet, when the suppressed the rods, and hitch-hiked to Chi­ but few exceptions, all the young In the next two years (1933 and progress!—one desk in a room of quel to this burglary, which in­ in their war-provocations, or save tempted to minimize the issue as documents of the Russian Op­ cago. They were tired, hungry comrades who participated in the 1934) S.Y.I. clubs were formed in my home on the next street. On augurated a large-scale campaign the U.S.S.R. from inner degener academic. Even close sympathi­ position and the writings of Leon and broke. But these difficul­ first conference and who aided Minneapolis, Youngstown1, Los D ecem ber 23, tw o m o n th s a fte r of meeting-disruption gangster­ ation or outside attack. This zers of Trotsky, reading his Crit­ Trotsky were made known to the ties in no way effected the spirit in the founding of YOUNG Angeles, Newark, Kansas City, our expulsion from the party, our ism and violence against our strength must come from the ique of. the D raft Program of the revolutionary workers in the of enthusiasm of the comrades SPARTACUS and the Spartacus and San Francisco. These clubs “office” was raided in its occu­ movement first by Lovestone and masses and the successful penet Comintern during the Sixth Con­ United States, the Left Opposi­ who understood that they were Youth League are still with us however did not exist or func­ pants’ absence, raided not by the the Stalinists, and then by the ration of the masses by the revo­ gress (1928) wondered if its tion was born and began to at­ engaged in the great task of re­ They arc no longer engaged in tion as a national organization. police but by Messrs. Lovestone, Stalinists. The sequel occurred lutionary Marxists. author was not anticipating too tract around it a wide circle of vitalizing and rebuilding the re­ youth work. But they are active They were actually autonomous Stachel . . . and the G.P.U.— a jo b some eight months later, shortly much and too readily. sympathizers. volutionary movement and leading Party workers. An bodies or, more acurately, under just as thorough, we dare say, as after the expulsion of Lovestone It became possible then to un­ the one recently accomplished on Experience itself has estab­ The spirit of the young com­ entirely new layer of young re the direction and guidance of the from the party. He was charged derstand the reasons for the the private residence of the same lished that the official adoption Amaze Your Friends! rades was contagious to all the volutionists have taken thei respective local branches of the with having burglarized the Na­ great defeats suffered by the Jay Lovestone, by the same G.P. of the theory of socialism in a comrades who came from dif­ place. Our early youth organiza C.L.A. The activities of these tional Office of the Party and Communist International, the U., in connection with the fight in single country, a product of the Confuse Your Enemies! ferent'parts of the country with tion carried out its basic task clubs were prim arily educational, lifting a lot of documents for his stagnation of that once great the auto workers union. Times ebb of the revolution in Europe, a variety of experiences and with It trained politically and organi and fraction work in the Y.C.L. ousted faction. The moral Indig­ ♦ body, the paralysis that invaded change . . . and the defeats administered to years of service in the movement. zationally experienced revolution This naturally obtained from the nation of the remaining party the working class, has become the whole international as a re­ arios for Party work. This fact perspective to reform the Y.C.L. Everything in sight was taken, leaders may well be imagined. Come in costume to the These young comrades took an the fully rounded out formula of sult of the stranglehold of the active part in the conference de­ alone testifies to the tremendous The early period was devoted to once the door was jimmied open One of them, William Abrams, Stalin bureaucracy, and also, the Stalinist social-patriotism and the liberations and were destined to vitality of the revolutionary ideas laying the basis for a national by the experts. Four days later, in wrote a comment on the affair in degeneration of the Comintern. HARVEST nature of the factional impasse play a key role in the future of our movement. organization by building “Clubs” Lovestone’s Daily Worker, there the F re ih e it o f Septem ber 1, 1929, in the C. P. of the U. S. development of our organization. in new territories and strengthen­ began a really hair-raising expo­ which merits perpetuation as a Renunciation of Revolution Our youth movement of the MASQUERADE Nation-wide Expulsions The presence of a large number ing those that already existed. It sure of the "American Trotsky­ d o cu m e n t: The tactics of the Leninist present is fortunate in many In all the leading centers of the of youth delegates and alternates was not until the summer of 1934 ists,” in good Hearst style, based "And it is to you, former com­ Comintern in a period of cap­ at ways. It enjoys the heritage of C. P., organizers, functionaries, (in some cities our organization that the S.Y.C.’s were joined to­ on what had been stolen from rades—again, not to those who italist stabilization were neces­ ten years of long struggle. It i active rank-and-file communists, was composed entirely of youth) gether into a National League our "office." A subscription to ran after a Lore, a Salutsky and sarily different than in a period a revitalized revolutionary theory, Irving Plaza and above all, the youth, rallied made necesssary the holding of and not until after their first na­ our paper, The M ilitant, had been other pestilences—that I come of stormy assault on the capital­ the theory of Marxism. The past around the banner of the Inter, a sub-conference to discuss the tional convention in December of sent in for Amos Pinchot, show­ with the question: Don’t you ist fortress during a revolution­ 15th Street end Irving Place two decades form a tremendous national Left Opposition. Expul tasks of the youth. 1934, th a t th e y re a lly began to ing, according to the Dally W ork­ think that the same tactic that is ary crisis. But the policy of Stal­ school of revolutionary ex slons followed declarations of The Youth Meet function as such. er, our connections with “out and applied against Cannon is crim­ inist national socialism involved perience which is theirs. And it out bourgeois individuals." The November 5th solidarity with the afore-men­ Thus, our first youth confer­ First Convention inal when applied to the Commu­ a renunciation of the proletarian is permeated with the glorious Freiheit embellished the story by tioned three comrades. Physical ence was really in the nature of By the time the First National nist Party? Don’t you think that revolution itself. Since the adop­ spirit of revolutionary interna­ 8:30 P. M. an adjunct gathering of the for­ Convention convened in N. Y. in w riting of “a series of documents breaking into the offices of the tion of that policy the consequen­ violence, intellectual terrorism, tio n a lis m . mation conference of the Com­ December of 1934, the S.Y.L. had about the American Trotskyists Central Committee and of Sec­ ces for both the Soviet Union and Swing Band • Entertainment political and moral bribery failed munist League. We were con­ But above all, our youth or­ grown under the leadership of which demonstrate that they are tion One, the taking away of the international proletariat have to stem the growth of our move­ Competitions • Elegant Prizes cerned primarily with the man­ ganization is fortunate in that comrades Glotzer and Carter allied with big capitalists who documents and lists from there, been increasingly tragic. What ment The most heartening as­ ner in which youth work could is associated with a Party which from the Marxian Youth Club of give them money to carry on is an act that must be con­ happened, objectively speaking, is pect in the whole situation was ♦ be carried on under conditions understands its problems and 30 members in N. Y. (1931) to an their propaganda against the dem ned?” that Stalin joined Hitler in crush­ the manner in which the young prepared to lend genuine aid o rg a n iz a tio n o f a b o u t 150 m em ­ Communist Party.” (Among the These two plaintive sentences ing out the revolutionary spirit Admission: 50g with Costume revolutionaries resisted the pres­ where the main task was to their solution. The Y. P. S. L, bers with branches in New York Dally Worker’s subscribers at say everything that is necessary of the working class vanguard. sure of the bureaucratic machine. firmly root the League and popu­ 65g without larize the program and platform can count upon the intimate (5), Chicago (4), Newark, that time were the National As­ —about Burglary-Bolshevism, a- Even their methods became indis­ The first public declaration of of the Left Opposition. At that comradeship of the Party and its Youngstown and Los Angeles. sociation of Manufacturers, W ar­ bout W illiam Abrams, about the tinguishable. our youth appeared in the Auspices: leading cadre, so large a number The Convention marked a great ner Brothers and the Command­ man he called his “former lead­ With every retreat from the M IL IT A N T o f A p r il 11, 1929. I t time we still conducted ourselves of whom have themselves step forward. It acted upon all er-In-Chief of the U.S. Fleet!) er,” Jay Lovestone, about the policy of world revolution, with Socialist Workers Party was a document addressed to the as an expelled faction of the emerged from the revolutionary important problems before the No less damning was proof of whole poisonous mire of Stalin­ every new improvisation of pop­ Young Communist League and it Communist Party, as a propagan­ youth movement. S.Y.L., adopted resolutions on the our illicit relations with Max ism . ular frontism, the advance of recited the nature of the situa- da organization. Documents of the World Congress of the Fourth International

Workers Of The Section 2 Socialist Appeal World Unite! OFFICIAL WEEKLY ORGAN OF THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY

VOL. II—No. 46 Saturday, October 22, 1938 The Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International conquest of power by the proletariat for the purpose of expropri­ Following is the fu ll text of the central thesis ating the bourgeoisie. However, the achievement of this strategic adopted by the World Congress of the Fourth World Congress Greetings to Leon Trotsky task is unthinkable without the most considered attention to all, even small and partial questions of tactics. A ll sections of the International which met in Switzerland in Sep­ proletariat, all its layers, professions and groups should be drawn tember, 1938. Dear Comrade: into the revolutionary movement. The present epoch is distin­ guished not for the fact that it frees the revolutionary party from The Conference of the Fourth International sends you day-to-day work but because it permits this work to be carried on its warmest greetings. indissolubly with the actual tasks of the revolution. The Objective Prerequisites for a The barbarous repression which rabidly attacks our movement in general and you in particular prevented you The Fourth International does not discard the program of Socialist Revolution from being with us to bring to our debates the contributions the old "m inim al” demands to the degree to which these have of the former founder of the Red Army, the organizer of preserved at least part of their vital forcefulness. Indefatigably, the October insurrection, the theoretician of the permanent it defends the democratic rights and social conquests of the work­ The world political situation as a whole is chiefly character­ revolution, and the direct successor of Lenin. ers. But it carries on this day-to-day work within the frame-work ized by a historical crisis of the leadership of the proletariat. of the correct actual, that is, revolutionary perspective. Insofar The Stalinist, the fascist, and the imperialist enemies as the old, partial "m inim al" demands of the masses clash with The economic prerequisite for the proletarian revolution Iws have subjected you to severe trials. Leon Sedoff, Erwin Wolf, already in general achieved the highest point of fruition that can the destructive and degrading tendencies of decadent capitalism Rudolf Klement are dead, fallen victims to the Stalinist — and this occurs at each step— the Fourth International advances be reached under capitalism. Mankind's productive forces stag­ counter-revolution. Ta-Thu Thau lies suffering in the prisons nate. Already, new inventions and improvements fail to raise the a system of transitional demands, the essence of which is con­ of French imperialism. Numerous German and Greek com­ tained in the fact that ever more openly and decisively they w ill level of material wealth. Conjunctural crises under the weight of rades are being tortured in fascist prisons. You are the ob­ the social crisis affecting the whole capitalist system weigh ever be directed against the very bases of the bourgeois regime. The ject of constant attempts at assassination. But all these per­ old "minimal program” is superseded by the transitional program, heavier deprivations and sufferings upon the masses. Growing secutions, though they rain painful blows upon us, have as unemployment, in its turn, deepens the financial crisis of the State the task of which lies in systematic mobilization of the masses their final result only the definite strengthening of our con­ for the proletarian revolution. and undermines the unstable monetary systems. Democratic re­ viction of the value of the Marxist program, of which you gimes, as well as fascist, stagger on from one bankruptcy to an­ are in our opinion, since the death of Lenin, the principal other. interpreter. The bourgeoisie itself sees no way out. In countries where it Sliding Scale of Wages and Sliding has already been forced to stake its last upon the card of fascism, That is why our greeting contains more than just affec­ it now toboggans with closed eyes toward an economic and m ili­ tion for the great present-day theoretician of revolutionary Scale of Hours tary catastrophe. In the historically-privileged countries, i.e., in Marxism. There is also the certainty that the enemy's blows, those where the bourgeoisie can still for a certain period permit however heavy, will not prevent the doctrine of the socialist Under the conditions of disintegrating capitalism, the masses continue to live the meagerized life of the oppressed, itself the luxury of democracy at the expense of national accumu­ revolution from becoming the living reality of tomorrow. threatened now more than at any other time with the danger of be­ lations (Great Britain, France, United States, etc.) all of capital’s The Conference of the Fourth International marks a new ing cast to the pit of pauperism. They must defend their mouth­ traditional parties are in a state of perplexity, bordering on a spring forward of our movement along the road of unifica­ paralysis of w ill. The "New Deal," despite its first period pre­ tion, of organizational reinforcement, and of the perfecting ful of bread, if they cannot increase or better it. There is nteither tentious resoluteness, represents but a special form of political of its propaganda by the adoption of the transitional pro­ the need nor the opportunity to enumerate here those separate, perplexity, possible only in a country where the bourgeoisie suc­ gram. We express the strong hope that you will long share partial demands which time and again arise on the basis of con­ ceeded in accumulating incalculable wealth. The present crisis, in its successes as you have shared in its vicissitudes. crete circumstances-—national, local, professional. But two basic far from having run its fu ll course, has already succeeded in show­ economic afflictions, in which is summarized the increasing ab­ ing that "New Deal" politics, like Popular Front politics in surdity of the capitalist system: that is unemployment and high France, opens no new exit from the economic blind-alley. prices, demand generalized slogans and methods of struggle. rthese are the'last’ political resources of imperialism in the struggle its vanguard (the confusion Snd disappointment-of the older The Fourth International declares uncompromising war on International relations- present? no better picture. Under the against the proletarian revolution. From the historical point of generation; the inexperience of the younger generation). It is the politics of the capitalists which, to a considerable degree, like increasing tension of capitalist disintegration, imperialist anta­ view, however, both these resources are stop-gaps. The decay of necessary to help the masses in the process of the daily struggle the politics of their agents, the reformists, aims to place the whole gonisms reach an impasse at the height of which separate clashes capitalism continues under the sign of the Phrygian cap in France to find the bridge between present demands and the socialist pro­ burden of militarism, the crisis, the disorganization of the mone­ and bloody local disturbances (Ethiopia, Spain, the Far East, as under the sign of the swastika in Germany. Nothing short of gram of the revolution. This bridge should include a system of tary system and all other scourges stemming from , capitalism’s Central Europe) must inevitably coalesce into a conflagration of the overthrow of the bourgeoisie can open a road out. transitional demands, stemming from today’s conditions and from d£ath agony upon the backs of the toilers. The Fourth Interna­ world dimensions. The bourgeoisie, of course, is aware of the today’s consciousness of wide layers of the working class and in- The orientation of the masses is determined first by the ob­ tional demands employment and decent living conditions for all. mortal danger to its domination represented by a new war. But jective conditions of decaying capitalism, and second, by the alterably leading to one final conclusion: the conquest of power that class is now immeasurably less capable of averting war than treacherous politics of the old workers’ organizations. O f these by the proletariat. Neither monetary inflation nor stabilization can serve as slo­ on the eve of 1914. factors, the first, of course, is the decisive one: the laws of history gans for the proletariat because these are but two ends of the Classical Social Democracy, functioning in an epoch of pro­ A ll talk to the effect that historical conditions have not yet are stronger than the bureaucratic apparatus. No matter how the same stick. Against a bounding rise in prices, which with the ap­ gressive capitalism, divided its program into two parts, independ­ "ripened" for socialism is the product of ignorance or conscious methods of the social-betrayers differ— from the "social" legis­ proach of war w ill assume an ever more unbridled character, one ent of one another; the minimum program which limited itself deception. The objective prerequisites for the proletarian revolu­ lation of Blum to the judicial frame-ups of Stalin— they w ill never can fight only under the slogan of a sliding scale of wages. This to reforms within the framework of bourgeois society, and the tion have not only "ripened"; they have begun to get somewhat succeed in breaking the revolutionary w ill of the proletariat. As means that collective agreements should assure an automatic rise maximum program which promised substitution of socialism for rotten. W ithout a socialist revolution, in the next historical period, time goes on, their desperate efforts to hold back the wheel of in wages in relation to the increase in prices of consumer goods. capitalism in the indefinite future. Between the minimum and the at that— a catastrophe threatens the whole culture of mankind. history w ill demonstrate more clearly to the masses that the crisis maximum program no bridge existed. And indeed Social De­ Under the menace of its own disintegration, the proletariat The turn is now to the proletariat, i.e., chiefly to its revolutionary of the proletarian leadership, having become the crisis in man­ mocracy has no need of such a bridge, since the word Socialism cannot permit the transformation of an increasing section of the vanguard. The historical crisis of mankind is reduced to the crisis kind’s culture, can be resolved only by the Fourth International. is used only for holiday speechifying. The Comintern has set out workers into chronically unemployed paupers, living off the slops of the revolutionary leadership. to follow the path of Social Democracy in an epoch of decaying of a crumbling society. The right to employment is the only se­ capitalism; when, in general, there can be no discussion of syste­ rious right left to the worker in a society based upon exploitation. The Minimum Program and a matic social reforms and the raising of the masses’ living stand­ This right today is being shorn from him at every step. Against The Proletariat and Its Leadership ards; when every serious demand of the proletariat and even ev­ unemployment, "structural” as well as "conjunctural,” the time is The economy, the state, the politics of the bourgeoisie and Transitional Program ery serious demand of the petty-bourgeoisie inevitably reaches ripe to advance along with the slogan of public works, the slo­ beyond the limits of capitalist property relations and of the gan of a sliding scale of working hours. Trade unions and other its international relations are completely blighted by a social The strategic task of the next period— a pre-revolutionary bourgeois state. mass organizations should bind the workers and the unemployed crisis, characteristic of a pre-revolutionary state of society. The period of agitation, propaganda and organization— consists in together in the solidarity of mutual responsibility. On this basis, chief obstacle in the path of transforming the pre-revolutionary overcoming the contradiction between the maturity of the objective The strategical task of the Fourth International lies not in all the work on hand would then be divided among all existing into a revolutionary state is the opportunist character of prole­ revolutionary conditions and the immaturity of the proletariat and reforming capitalism but in its overthrow. The political aim: the tarian leadership; its petty bourgeois cowardice before the big workers in accordance with how the extent of the working week bourgeoisie and its perfidious connection with it even in its death is defined. The average wage of every worker remains the same agony. as it was under the old working week. Wages, under a strictly In all countries the proletariat is wracked by a deep disquiet. Manifesto of the Congress guaranteed minimum, would follow the movement of prices. It In millions, the masses again and again move onto the road of is impossible to accept any other program for the present cata­ the revolutionary outbreaks. But each time they are blocked by strophic period. their own conservative bureaucratic apparatus. Property owners and their lawyers w ill prove the "unrealiza­ The Spanish proletariat has made a series of heroic attempts Against Imperialist War! bility” of these demands. Smaller, especially ruined capitalists, in since April, 1931, to take power in its hands and guide the fate addition w ill refer to their account ledgers. The workers cate­ of society. However, its own parties (Social Democrats, Stalinists, The following: manifesto was Issued by the conference during cruel falsehood in which Czechoslovakia is playing the same gorically denounce suqh conclusions and references. The question the height, of the war crisis over the issue of Czechoslovakia. Anarchists, POUMists)— each in its own way— acted as a brake role as "poor Belgium” in 1914. is not one of a "normal" collision between opposed material in­ and thus prepared Franco’s triumphs. The Anglo-French imperialists, who mercilessly beat down terests. The question is one of guarding the proletariat from de­ In France, the great wave of "sit-down" strikes, particularly Unite against exploitation, oppression, war and fascism! the fighters for independance in India, Syria, Tunisia, Algeria, cay, demoralization and ruin. The question is one of life or death during June, 1936, revealed the whole-hearted readiness of the Forward for the class struggle, international socialism, and Palestine, and everywhere, recognize nothing but their "inde-- of the only creative and progressive class, and by that token of proletariat to overthrow the capitalist system. However, the lead­ freedom! pendent right" to exploit millions of slaves, black, brown and the future of mankind. If capitalism is incapable of satisfying ing organizations (Socialists, Stalinists, Syndicalists) under the Workers, exploited, and colonial peoples of all countries! white, throughout the world. the demands, inevitably arising from the' calamities generated by label of the Popular Front succeeded in canalizing and damning, The founding conference of the Fourth International— the itself, then let it perish. "Realizability" or "unrealizability” are at least temporarily, the revolutionary stream. The capitalist world is mortally wounded. In its agony it W orld Party of the Socialist Revolution— meeting in September, in the given instance a question of the relationship of forces, The unprecedented wave of sit-down strikes and the amaz­ exhales the poisons of fascism and totalitarian war, which threat­ 1938, issues this appeal at a time when the greatest peril threatens which can be decided only by the struggle. By means of this ingly rapid 'growth of industrial unionism in the United States ens to subject the workers and farmers everywhere once more to struggle, no matter what its immediate practical successes may be, the masses of the entire world and the cause of their emancipa­ a new and horrible servitude, and to unleash the forces of de­ (the C IO ) is most indisputable expression of the instinctive striv­ the workers w ill best come to understand the necessity o f liqui-: tion from modern slavery. struction which w ill shatter modern civilization. ing of the American workers to raise themselves to the level of dating capitalist slavery. the tasks imposed on them by history. But here, too, the leading We are confronted with the horrors of a new imperialist In the midst of abundance, with a productive apparatus political organizations, including the newly-created CIO, do ev­ world war. It is a monstrous lie that the war w ill take place which could, well organized and directed, cover more than all the erything possible to keep in check and paralyze the revolutionary between "peaceful” and "warlike" nations, because war is in ­ present requirements of humanity, capitalism dooms millions pressure of the masses. herent in capitalism itself, and every capitalist nation is engaged of men to unemployment, miserables doles, or to starvation. Trade Unions in the Transitional The definite passing over of the Comintern to the side of the in the mad armaments race. The ruling class which long ago broke the chains of feu- bourgeois order, its cynically counter-revolutionary role through­ It is a monstrous lie to say that the war w ill be between lism in the name of democracy and equality, brings together Epoch "democratic" and "dictatorial" countries, because the "democra­ out the world, particularly in Spain, France, the United States and the darkest elements of reaction and the most debased of the In the struggle for partial and transitional demands, the cies" are already allied with many dictatorships and when war other "democratic" countries, created exceptional supplementary d if­ lower depths of society to abolish all the democratic rights con­ workers, now more than ever before, need mass organizations; does break out the first victims w ill be the democratic rights ficulties for the world proletariat. Under the banner of the October quered by the people. It wants, with the dagger and fascist principally, trade unions. The powerful growth of trade unionism and institutions already largely undermined in the "peaceful" Revolution, the conciliatory politics practiced by the "People’s knout, to preserve the sovereignty it would lose through the in France and the United States is the best refutation to the preach­ countries. Front” dooms the working class to impotence and clears the road inexorable victory of socialism. ments of those ultra-left doctrinaires, who have been teaching for fascism. It is a lie to say that the war w ill take place for the natio­ Capitalism is utterly incapable of assuring the well-being that trade unions have "outlived their usefulness.” "People's Fronts” on the one hand— fascism on the other; nal indépendance or freedom of Czechoslowakia. That is a ( Continued on page 10) The Bolshevik-Leninist stands in the front-line trenches of 8 SOCIALIST-'APPEAL OCTOBER 22,1938 rawwto,' Transitional Demands W ill Mobilize the Masses ♦- through several countries. New waves of this type w ill be inevi­ control becomes a school for planned economy. On the basis of Program W ill Lay Basis For table in the immediate future. It is necessary to begin a campaign the experience of control, the proletariat w ill prepare itself for Provides for Active Defense in favor of factory committees in time in order not to be caught direct management of nationalized industry when the hour for Regime of Dual Power unawares. that eventuality w ill strike. of Working Class Rights To those capitalists, mainly of the lower and middle strata, who of their own accord sometimes offer to throw open their "Business Secrets" and Workers' cning of the methods of counter-attack on the part of capital. books to the workers— usually to demonstrate the necessity of New waves of sit-down strikes can call forth and undoubtedly all kinds of struggles, even when they involve only the most lowering wages— the workers answer that they are not inter­ Control of Industry w ill call forth resolute counter-measures on the part of the bour­ modest material interests or democratic rights of the working ested in the bookkeeping of individual bankrupts or semi-bank­ geoisie. Preparatory work is already being done by the confiden­ class. He takes active part in mass trade union for the purpose of Liberal capitalism, based upon competition and free trade, rupts but in the account ledgers of all exploiters as a whole. The tial staffs of big trusts. Woe to the revolutionary organizations, strengthening them and raising their spirit of militancy. He fights has completely receded into the past. Its successor, monopolistic workers cannot and do not wish to accommodate the level of woe to the proletariat if it is again caught unawares! uncompromisingly against any attempt to subordinate the unions capitalism not only does not mitigate the anarchy of the market their living conditions to the exigencies of individual capitalists, to the bourgeois state and bind the proletariat to "compulsory but on the contrary imparts to it a particularly convulsive char­ themselves victims of their own regime. The task is one of re­ The bourgeoisie is nowhere satisfied with official police and arbitration" and every other form of police guardianship— not acter. The necessity of "controlling" economy, of placing state organizing the whole system of production and distribution on a army. In the United States, even during "peaceful" times, the only fascist but also "democratic." Only on the basis of such work "guidance" over industry and of "planning" is today recognized more dignified and workable basis. If the abolition of business bourgeosie maintains militarized battalions of scabs and privately- within the trade unions is successful struggle possible against the — at least in words— by almost all current bourgeois and petty secrets be a necessary condition to workers’ control, then control armed thugs in factories. To this must now be added the various reformists, including those of the Stalinist bureaucracy. Sectarian bourgeois tendencies, from fascist to social-democratic. W ith the is the first step along the road to the socialist guidance of economy. groups of American Nazis. The French bourgeosie at the first attempts to build or preserve small "revolutionary" unions, as a fascists, it is mainly a question of "planned” plundering of the approach of danger mobilized semi-legal and illegal fascist de­ second edition of the party, signify in actuality the renouncing people for military purposes. The social-democrats prepare to drain tachments, including such as arc in the army. No sooner does the of the struggle for leadership of the working class. It is necessary the ocean of anarchy with spoonfuls of bureaucratic "planning." Expropriation of Separate Groups pressure of the English workers once again become stronger than to establish this firm rule; self-isolation of the capitulationist va­ Engineers and professors write articles about "technocracy." In immediately the fascist bands are doubled, trebled, increased ten­ riety from mass trade unions, which is tantamount to a betrayal their cowardly experiments in "regulation," democratic govern­ of Capita ists fold to come out in bloody march against the workers. The bour­ of the revolution, is incompatible with adherence to the Fourth ments run head into the invincible sabotage of big capital. geoisie keeps itself most accurately informed about the fact that International. The actual relationship existing between the exploiters and The socialist program of expropriation, i.e., of political over­ its the present epoch the class struggle irresistibly tends to trans­ the democratic "controllers” is best characterized by the fact that throw of the bourgeoisie and liquidation of its economic domi­ form itself into civil war. The examples of Italy, Germany, Au­ the gentlemen "reformers" stop short in pious trepidation before nation, should in no case during the present transitional period stria, Spain and other countries taught considerably more to the At the same time, the Fourth International resolutely rejects the threshold of the trusts and their business "secrets.” Here the hinder uS from advancing, when the occasion warrants, the de- magnates and lackeys of capital than to the official leaders of the and condemns trade union fetishism, equally characteristic of trade proletariat. unionists and syndicalists. The politicians of the Second and Third Internationals, as (a) Trade unions do not offer, and in line with their task, well as the bureaucrats of the trade unions, consciously close their composition, and manner of recruiting membership, cannot offer a eyes to the bourgeosie's private army; otherwise, they could not finished revolutionary program; in consequence, they cannot re­ Greetings to the Fighters in Spain preserve their alliance with it for even twenty-four hours. The place the parly. The building of national revolutionary parties as reformists systematically implant in the minds of the workers the sections of the Fourth International is the central task of the tran­ The Conference of the Fourth International proclaims its Free the best fighters! Free the members of the P.O.U.M., . notion that the sacredness of democracy is best guaranteed when the bourgeoisie is armed to the teeth and the workers are un­ sitional epoch. complete solidarity with the fighters in Spain, whatever their of the F.A.I.i Free Munis and Carlini, former militiamen, mem­ parties, who with arms in hand are struggling against the crim­ bers of the Fourth International! All they ask is to go back to armed. (b ) Trade unions, even the most powerful, embrace no more inal gangs of Franco-Hitler-Mussolini. their posts at the front, in the vanguard of the republican The duty of the Fourth International is to put an end to than 20 to 25 per cent of the working class, and at that, predomi­ It proclaims its firm will to set to work in every way to armies. Working-class fighters, force Negrin-Stalin to put an such slavish politics once and for all. The petty-bourgeois demo­ nantly the more skilled and better paid layers. The more oppressed break the blockade established on August 6, 1936, by the end to their frame-ups and persecutions, direct importations crats— including socia I-democrats, Stalinists and Anarchists—yell majority of the working class is drawn only episodically into the French Popular Front Government, the English Government, and from Moscow! louder about the struggle against fascism flic more cravcnly they struggle, during a period of exceptional upsurges in the labor the Russian Government. All the time that they are slandering and persecuting revo­ capitulate to it in actuality. Only armed workers' detachments, who movement. During such moments it is necessary to create organi­ It recalls with pride that the first effective practical aid in lutionaries throughout the entire world, the leaders of the Pop­ feel the support of tens of millions of toilers behind themi can zations, a

The Main Enemy Is Still SALUTE TO OUR LIVING MARTYRS Our Only War Is The War Our Own Capitalist Class AND OUR HEROIC DEAD For A Workers’ Revolution A t the moment when representatives of the Bolshevik- simply abandon them to the paid agents of Stalin. side of the government apparatus. The internationalists w ill have prices into a wedge to be driven between the workers and farmers To the heroic Spanish Bolshevik-Leninists who in the repub­ Leninists of all countries, gathered together in an international to swim against the stream. However, the devastation and misery and between the workers and the petty bourgeoisie of the cities. conference, are formally constituting the Fourth International lican lines fight against the fascist bandits, >or who in the prisons brought about by the new war, which in the first months w ill The peasant, artisan, small merchant, unlike the industrial worker, (World Party of the Socialist Revolution), their thoughts and their of Negrin and the G.P.U. hold unflinchingly to the program of far outstrip the bloody horrors of 1914-1918, w ill quickly prove office and civil service employee, cannot demand a wage increase socialist revolution—the sole guarantee of victory over Franco! revolutionary greetings go first of all to their comrades who sobering. The discontent of the masses and their revolt w ill grow corresponding to the increase in prices. The official struggle of —to Grandiso and his companions, greetings from the first inter­ everywhere in the world are victims of the repressions of capit­ by leaps and bounds. The sections of the Fourth International the government with high prices is only a deception of the masses. alism and of totalitarian dictatorships. national conference of the Fourth International! .But the farmers, artisans, merchants, in their capacity of con­ w ill be found at the head of the revolutionary tide. The pro­ Our cadres are as yet few and young; but already numer­ In China, the situation is the same as in Spain: our com­ sumers, can step into the politics of price-fixing shoulder to gram of transitional demands w ill gain burning actuality, The ous are those of our comrades who lie in prisons or concentra­ rades, even while in the first ranks of the Chinese armies facing shoulder with the workers. To the capitalist’s lamentations about problem of the conquest of power by the proletariat w ill loom in tion camps established throughout the world by rotting bour­ the Japanese invader, are stabbed in the back by the agents of costs of production, of transport and trade, the consumers an­ fu ll stature. geois regimes and reactionary governments. From an Indo-China Chiang Kai-shek and Stalin who thus prepare the ground for a 5ji J*t swer: "Show us your books; we demand control over the fixing oppressed by French imperialism, through the bars of his prison, treacherous compromise with the Japanese imperialist bandits. of prices." The organs of this control should be the committees Before exhausting or drowning mankind in blood, capitalism there comes to us the unconquerable voice of Ta-TuThau, weak, The Fourth International dips its stainless flag in salute over on prices, made up of delegates from the factories, trade unions, befouls the world atmosphere with the poisonous Vapors of na­ paralyzed, but as intransigent and loyal as ever. the still fresh graves of our heroic comrades who during the cooperatives, farmers organizations, the "little man” of the city, last two years have fallen under the bullets of Franco in Spain; tional and race hatred. Anti-semilism today is one of the more In Brazil, a young worker and militant Bolshevik-Leninist, house-wives, etc. By this means the workers w ill be able to prove under the axe or in the concentration camps of Hitler, in Ger­ malignant convulsions of capitalism’s death agony. Hilcar Leite, sick, tortured, already sentenced to four and a half to the farmers that the real reason for high prices is not high many and in Austria; in the prisons and prison-islands of Meta­ years of prison and threatened with an even more ferocious An uncompromising disclosure of the roots of race prejudices wages but the exorbitant profits of the capitalists and the over­ xas and Vargas, in Greece and Brazil; under the blows of the additional sentence, far from weakening, reaffirms, together with and all forms and shades of national arrogance and chauvinism, head expenses of capitalist anarchy. Bonapartist dictatorships in Poland, in China, etc.; under the his prison-comrades, his unshakable faith in the victory of our particularly anti-semitism, should become part of the daily work Stalinist bullets and tortures in the U.S.S.R., in Spain, in China, * * * cause, and expects his freedom only as a result of the triumphs of of all sections of the Fourth International, as the most important Switzerland and in France. The program for the nationalization of the land and collec- the Fourth International. part of the struggle against imperialism and war. Our basic tivazation of agriculture should be so drawn that from its very Fauconnet, Pasque, Medeiros, Scalaios, Hans Freund, Isidor slogan remains: workers of the world unite! Our heroic Greek comrades, dozens and dozens of whom Fassner, Erwin Wolf, Reiss, Rossini, Sedoff, Klement! Your names basis it should exclude the possibility of expropriation of small languish on the prison-islands of Metaxas, hold aloft with mag­ farmers and their compulsory collectivization. The farmer w ill are written across our banner! We salute also those young un­ nificent valor the banner of the Socialist Revolution, ranged known revolutionaries who in Russia fall under the executions of remain owner of his plot of land as long he himself believes it around Stinas, sentenced to five years of prison and perpetual possible necessary. In order to rehabilitate the program of social­ the G.P.U. still crying "Vive Trotsky!" Workers and Farmers Government exile, and Polioupoulos, whose fate is unknown, and swear to None of these repressions, these tortures, these assassina­ ism in the eyes of the farmer, it is necessary to expose mercilessly This formula, "Workers and Farmers Government,” first ap­ evenge their comrade Scalaios, who died in the concentration tions, shall stop us, for our task is laid out for us by history, and the Stalinist methods of collectivization, which are dictated not by peared in the agitation of the Bolsheviks in 1917 and was def­ camp of Acronauplia. not by the activities of police or of state terror-machines, no the interests of the farmers or workers but by the interests of the initely accepted after the October Insurrection. In the final in­ The concentration-camps of Germany and Austria are full matter how powerful and totalitarian. bureaucracy. stance it represented nothing more than the popular designation of devoted militants, implacable "Trotskyite" revolutionaries, who The first international conference of the World Party of the for the already established dictatorship of the proletariat. The sig­ The expropriation of the expropriators likewise does not are standing up against the executioners unleashed by Hitler. Socialist Revolution sends its greetings and its solidarity to all nificance of this designation comes mainly' from the fact that it signify forcible confiscation of the property of artisans and shop­ The Polish Bolshevik-Leninists are not spared by the Bona- revolutionary militants thrown into bourgeois prisons, fascist pris­ underscored the idea of an alliance between the proletariat and keepers. On the contrary, workers’ control of banks and trusts— partist dictatorship there, but in the jails of Poland continue the ons, and Stalinist prisons. It calls on all comrades, sympathizers, the peasantry lodged in the base of the Soviet power. even more, the nationalization of these concerns, can create for fight for the cause of Socialism. and conscious proletarians to put into practice their feelings of the urban petty bourgeoisie incomparably more favorable condi­ But it is not only to the fascist and Bonapartist dictatorships solidarity with all militants who have fallen victim to capitalist When the Comintern of the epigones tried to revive the tions of credit, purchase, and sale than is possible under the un­ that the Trotskyites fall victim. The so-called democratic govern­ oppression and fascist and Stalinist terror. The very salvation of formula buried by history of the "democratic dictatorship of the checked domination of the monopolies. Dependence upon private ments also rabidly attack our movement and our comrades: in the socialist revolution requires that those militants who are being proletariat and peasantry,” it gave to the formula of the "workers capital w ill be replaced by dependence upon the State, which w ill Morocco, in China, in Latin-America, In France, in the United so sorely tried should feel that they are supported by an inter­ and peasants government” 'a completely different, purely "demo­ be the more attentive to the needs of its small co-workers and States, everywhere, our comrades are the object of persecution national solidarity which is active and effective. cratic,” i. e., bourgeois content, counterposing it to the dicta­ agents the stronger the toilers themselves w ill keep control of the by the police. In Spain, while the mercenary gangs of Franco Today's sacrifice is tomorrow's guarantee of triumph. The torship of the proletariat. The Bolshevik-Leninists resolutely re­ State in their hands. murder, without distinction of party, the best fighters in the proletarian revolution, victorious under the banner of the Fourth jected the slogan of the "workers and peasants government” in The practical participation of the exploited farmers in the republican trenches, the Negrin government hunts down the most International, will avenge the comrades who have fallen, and the bourgeois-democratic version. They affirmed then and affirm control of different fields of economy w ill allow them to decide militant and tested revolutionaries— when, indeed, it does not snatch from their prisons those who languish there. now that when the party of the proletariat refuses to step beyond for themselves whether or not it would be profitable for them bourgeois-democratic limits, its alliance with the peasantry is to go over to collective working of the land— at what date and simply turned into a support for capital, as was the case with on what scale. Industrial workers should consider themselves duty- hinder them from attacking foreign fatherlands; if the workers N ot an armaments program but a program of useful public the Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries in 1917, with the bound to show farmers every cooperation in traveling this road: and the farmers of our country become its real masters; if the works! Chinese Communist party in 1925-1927, and as is now the through the trade unions, factory committees, and, most import­ wealth of the country be transferred from the hands of a tiny Complete independence of -workers’ organizations from m il­ case with the "People's Front" in Spain, France and other coun­ antly, through a workers’ and farmers’ government. minority to the hands of the people; if the army becomes a itary-police control/! tries. weapon of the exploited instead of the exploiters. The alliance proposed by the proletariat, not to the "middle Once and for all we must tear from the hands of the greedy THE RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE classes’’ in general but to the exploited layers of the urban and It is necessary to interpret these fundamental ideas by break­ and merciless imperialist clique, scheming behind the backs of rural petty-bourgeoisie, against all exploiters, including those of ing them up into more concrete and partial ones, dependent upon the people, the disposition of the people's fate. From A p ril to September, 1917, the Bolsheviks demanded the Vfiniddle classes,” — can be based not on compulsion but the course of events and the •orientation of the thought of the In accordance with this we demands ' ./that the S.R.’s and Mensheviks breakuwith the liberal bourgeoisie only on free consent, which should be consolidated in a special masses. In addition, it is necessary to differentiate strictly between Complete abolition of secret diplomacy; all treaties and and take power into their own hands. Under this .provision the "contract.” This "contract” is the program of transitional de­ the pacifism of the diplomat, professor, journalist and the pacif­ agreements to be made accessible to all workers and farmers; Bolshevik Party promised the Mensheviks and the S.R.’s, as the mands voluntarily accepted by both sides. ism of the carpenter, agricultural worker, and charwoman. In M ilitary training and arming of workers and farmers under petty bourgeois representatives of the workers and peasants, its one case, pacifism is a screen for imperialism; in the other, it is direct control of workers and farmers committees; revolutionary aid against the bourgeoisie; categorically refusing, the confused expression of distrust in imperialism. When the however, either to enter into the government of the Mensheviks Creation of military schools for the training of commanders small farmer or worker speaks about the defense of the father- and S.R.’s or to carry political responsibility for it. I f the Men­ The Struggle Against Imperialism among the toilers, chosen by workers’ organizations; land, he means defense of his home, his families and other sheviks and the S.R.’s had actually broken with the Cadets (lib ­ Substitution for the standing army of a people’s m ilitia, indis­ and War similar families from invasion, bombs and poisonous gas. The erals) and with foreign imperialism, then the "workers and peas­ capitalist and his journalist understand by the defense of the solubly linked up with factories, mines, farms, etc. ants government” created by them could only have hastened tfc ij: # The whole world outlook, and consequently also the inner fatherland the seizure of colonies and markets, the predatory in­ and facilitated the establishment of the dictatorship of the prole­ political life of individual countries, is overcast by the threat crease of the "national” share of world income. Bourgeois pacifism Imperialist war is the continuation and sharpening of the tariat. But it was exactly because of this that the leadership of of world war. Already the imminent ci'.rstiophe sards violent and patriotism are shot through with deceit. In the pacifism and predatory politics of the bourgeoisie. The struggle of the pro­ petty bourgeois democracy resisted with all possible strength the ripples of apprehension through the very broadest masses of even patriotism of the oppressed there are elements which re­ letariat against war is the continuation and sharpening of its establishment of its own government. The experience of Russia mankind. flect on the one hand a hatred of destructive war and on the class struggle. The beginning of war alters the situation and demonstrated and the experience of Spain and France once other a clinging to what they believe to be their own good— partially the means of struggle between the classes, but not the again confirm that even under very favorable conditions the The Second International repeats its infamous politics of elements which we must know how to seize upon in order to aim and basic course. parties of petty bourgeois democracy (S.R.’s, Social-Democrats, 1914 with all the greater assurance since today it is the Comin­ draw the requisite conclusions. The imperialist bourgeoisie dominates the world. In its basic Stalinists, Anarchists) are incapable of creating a government of tern which plays first fiddle in chauvinism. As quickly as the character the approaching war w ill therefore be an imperialist workers and peasants, that is, a government independent of the danger of war assumed concrete outline, the Stalinists, outstrip­ Using these considerations as its point of departure, the war. The fundamental content of the politics of the international bourgeoisie. ping the bourgeois and petty bourgeois pacifists by far, became Fourth International supports every, even if insufficient, demand, proletariat w ill consequently be a struggle against imperialism and blatant haranguers for so-called "national defense.” The revolu­ if it can draw the masses to a certain extent into active politics, Nevertheless, the demand of the Bolsheviks, addressed to the its war. In this struggle the basic principle is: "the chief enemy tionary struggle against war thus rests fully on the shoulders awaken their criticism and strengthen their control over the Mensheviks and the S.R.’s: "Break with the bourgeoisie, take is in your own country,” or "the defeat of your own (imperialist) of the Fourth International. machinations of the bourgeoisie. the power into your own hands!” had for the masses tremendous government is the lesser evil.” educational significance. The obstinate unwillingness of the Men­ The Bolshevik-Leninist policy regarding this question, form­ sheviks and S.R.’s to take power, so dramatically exposed during ulated in the thesis of the International Secretariat (W ar and the A REFERENDUM ON WAR AIDING NON-IMPERIALIST COUNTRIES the July days, definitely doomed them before mass opinion and Fourth International, 1934) preserves all of its force today. In the From this point of view, our American section, for ex­ prepared the victory of the Bolsheviks. next period a revolutionary party w ill depend for success pri­ ample, critically supports the proposal for establishing a ref­ But not all countries of the world are imperialist countries. marily on its policy on the question of war. A correct policy is erendum on the question of declaring war. No democratic reform On the contrary the majority are victims of imperialism. Some The central task of the Fourth International consists in composed of two elements: an uncompromising attitude on im ­ it is understood, can by itself prevent the rulers from provoking of the colonial or semi-colonial countries w ill undoubtedly attempt freeing the proletariat from the old leadership, whose conserva­ perialism and its wars and the ability to base one’s program on war when they wish it. It is necessary to give frank warning of this. to utilize the war in order to cast off the^ yoke of slavery. Their tism is in complete contradiction to the catastrophic eruptions of the experience of the masses themselves. But notwithstanding the illusions of the masses in regard to war will be not imperialist but liberating. It will be the duty disintegrating capitalism and represents the chief obstacle to his­ the proposed referendum, their support of it reflects the dis­ of the international proletariat to aid the oppressed countries in torical progress. The chief accusation which the Fourth Inter­ The bourgeoisie and its agents use the war question, more trust felt by workers and farmers for bourgeois government and war against oppressors. The same duty applies in regard to national advances against the traditional organizations of the pro­ than any other, to deceive the people by means of abstractions, congress. Without supporting and without sparing illusions, it aiding the U.S.S.R., or whatever other workers’ government might letariat is the fact that they do not wish to tear themselves away general formulas, lame phraseology: "neutrality,” "collective is necessary to support with all possible strength the progressive arise before the war or during the war. The defeat of every from the political semi-corpse of the bourgeoisie. Under these security,” "arming for the defense of peace," "national defense,” distrust of the exploited toward the exploiters. The more wide­ imperialist government in the struggle with the workers’ state conditions the demand, systematically addressed to the old leader­ "struggle against fascism,” and so on. A ll such formulas reduce spread the movement for the referendum becomes, the sooner or with a colonial country is the lesser evil. ship: "Break with the bourgeoisie, take the power!" is an ex­ themselves in the end to the fact that the war question, i. e., the w ill the bourgeois pacifists move away from it; the more com­ The workers of imperialist countries, however, cannot help tremely important weapon for exposing the treacherous character fate of the people, is left in the hands o f the imperialists, their pletely w ill the betrayers of the Comintern be compromised; the an anti-imperialist country through their own government, no of the parties and organizations of the Second, Third and Am ­ governing staffs, their diplomacy, their generals, with all their more acute w ill distrust of the imperialists become. matter what might be the diplomatic and military relations be­ sterdam Internationals. The slogan "Workers and Farmers Gov­ intrigues and plots against the people. ernments,” is thus acceptable to us only in the sense that it had From this viewpoint, it is necessary to advance the demand: tween the two countries at a given moment. If the governments in 1917 with the Bolsheviks, i. e., as an anti-bourgeois and anti­ electoral rights for men and women beginning with the age find themselves in temporary and, by very essence of the matter, CONCRETIZING A FEW ABSTRACTIONS capitalist slogan, but in no case in that "democratic” sense which of 18. Those who w ill be called upon to die for the fatherland unreliable alliance, then the proletariat of the imperialist country later the epigones gave it, transforming it from a bridge to so­ The Fourth International rejects with abhorrence all such ab­ tomorrow should have the right to vote today. The struggle continues to remain in class opposition to its own government and cialist revolution into the chief barrier upon its path. stractions which play the same role in the democratic camp as against war must first of all begin with the revolutionary mobil­ supports the non-imperialist "ally” through its own methods, in the fascist: "H onor," "blood,” "race.” But abhorrence is ization of the youth. i. e., through the methods of the international class struggle not enough. It is imperative to help the masses discern, by (agitation not only against their perfidious allies but also in PERSPECTIVES OF THE SLOGAN Light must be shed upon the problem of war from all means of verifying criteria, slogans, and demands, the concrete favor of a workers state in a colonial country; boycott, strikes, angles, hinging upon the side from which it w ill confront the O f all parties and organizations which base themselves on the essence of these fraudulent abstractions. in one case; rejection of boycott and strikes in another case, etc.) masses at a given moment. workers and peasants and speak in their name we demand that In supporting the colonial country or the U.S.S.R. in a war, they break politically from the bourgeoisie and enter upon the "Disarmament?"-—But the entire question revolves around War is a gigantic commercial enterprise, especially for the proletariat does not in the slightest degree solidarize either road o f struggle for the workers and farmers government. On this who w ill disarm whom. The only disarmament which can avert the war industry. The "6o Families” are therefore first-line patriots with the bourgeois government of the colonial country or with road we promise them fu ll support against capitalist reaction. or end war is the disarmament of the bourgeoisie by the work­ and the chief provocateurs of war. Workers control of war in­ ers. But to disarm the bourgeoisie the workers must arm them­ the Thermidorian bureaucracy of the U.S.S.R. On the contrary A t the same time, we indefatigably develop agitation around dustries is the first step in the struggle against the "manufac­ it maintains fu ll political indepedence from the one as from the those transitional demands which should in our opinion form selves. turers” of war. other. Giving aid in a just and progressive war, the revolutionary the program of the "Workers and Farmers Government.” "Neutrality?” — But the proletariat is nothing like neutral To the slogan of the reformists: a tax on military profit, proletariat wins the sympathy of the workers in the colonies and Is the creation of such a government by the traditional work­ in the war between Japan and China, or a war between Germany we counterpose the slogans: confiscation of military pro ft and in the U.S.S.R., strengthens there the authority and influence of ers organizations possible? Past experience shows, as has already and the U.S.S.R. "Then what is meant is the defense of China expropriation of the traffickers in war industries. Where milit­ the Fourth- International, and increases its ability to help overthrow been stated, that this is to say the least highly improbable. H ow­ and the U.S.S.R.?” O f course! But not by the imperialists who w ill ary industry is "nationalized,” as in France, the slogan of workers’ the bourgeois government in the colonial country, the reactionary ever, one cannot categorically deny in advance the theoretical pos­ strangle both China and the U.S.S.R. control preserves its fu ll strength. The proletariat has as little bureaucracy in the U.S.S.R. sibility that, under the influence of completely exceptional cir­ confidence in the government of the bourgeoisie as in individual * * * "Defense of the Fatherland?” — But by this abstraction, cumstances (war, defeat, financial crash, mass revolutionary pres­ bourgeois. the bourgeoisie understands the defense of its profits and plunder. A t the beginning of the war the sections of the Fourth In ­ sure, etc.) the petty bourgeois parties, including the Stalinists may We stand ready to defend the fatherland from foreign capital­ N ot one man and not one penny for the bourgeois govern­ ternational w ill inevitably feel 'themselves isolated: every war go further than they themselves wish along the road to a break ists, if we first bind our own (capitalists) hand and foot and ment! takes the national masses unawares and impels them to the with the bourgeoisie. In any case one thing is not to be doubted: 10 ______S O ei’AIjS T A F p E A l______OCTOBER1938 Toward a Workers’ and Farmers’ Government even if this highly improbably variant somewhere at some time seriously gripped the workers. Those layers of the population becomes a reality and the "Workers and Farmers Government,” which at one time were intoxicated with fascism, i. e., chiefly in the above mentioned sense, is established in fact, it would rep­ Militant Action By Workers In Advanced Countries the middle classes, have had enough time in which to sober resent merely a short episode on the road to the actual dictatorship up. The fact that a somewhat perceptible opposition is limited of the proletariat. to Protestant and Catholic church circles is not explained by W ill Arouse Colonial Masses the might of the semi-delirious and semi-charlatan theories of However, there is no need to indulge in guess-work. The "race” and "blood,” but by the terrific collapse of the ideologies agitation around the slogan of a workers-farmers government, pre­ enters into an openly revolutionary stage. From the first moment the democratic revolution to a conclusion and likewise opening of democracy, social-democracy and the Comintern. serves under all conditions a tremendous educational value. And of their appearance, the soviets, acting as a pivot around which an era of socialist revolution. The collapse of the Paris Commune paralyzed the French not accidentally. This generalized slogan proceeds entirely along millions of toilers are united in their struggle against the ex­ The relative weight of the individual democratic and transi­ workers for nearly eight years. After the defeat of the 1905 Rus­ the line of the political development of our epoch (the bankruptcy ploiters become competitors and opponents of local authorities tional demands in the proletariat’s struggle, their mutual ties and sian revolution, the toiling masses remained in a stupor for al­ and decomposition of the old bourgeois parties, the downfall of and then of the central government. If the factory committee their order of presentation, is determined by the peculiarities and most as long a period. But in both instances the phenomenon was democracy, the growth of fascism, the accelerated drive of the creates a dual power in the factory, then the soviets initiate a specific conditions of each backward country and to a considerable only one of physical defeat, conditioned by the relationship of workers toward more active and aggressive politics). Each of period of dual power in the country. extent— by the degree of its backwardness. Nevertheless, the gen­ forces. In Russia, in addition, it concerned an almost virgin the transitional demands should, therefore, lead to one and the Dual power in its turn is the culminating point of the eral trend of revolutionary development in all backward countries proletariat. The Bolshevik fraction had at that time not cele­ same political conclusion: the workers need to break with all transitional period. Two regimes, the bourgeois and the prolet­ can be determined by the formula of the permanent revolution brated even its third birthday. It is completely otherwise in Ger­ traditional parties of the bourgeoisie in order, jointly with the arian are irreconcilably opposed to each other. Conflict between in the sense definitely imparted to it by the three revolutions in many where the leadership came from powerful parties, one of farmers, to establish their own power. them is inevitable. The' fate of society depends on the outcome. Russia (1905, February 1917, October 1917). which had existed for seventy years, the other— almost fifteen. It is impossible in advance to foresee what w ill be the Should the revolution be defeated-—the fascist dictatorship of the Both these parties, with millions of voters behind them, were The Comintern has provided backward countries with a concrete stages of the revolutionary mobilization of the masses. bourgeoisie w ill follow. In case of victory— the power of the morally paralyzed before the battle and capitulated without a classic example of how it is possible to ruin a powerful and prom­ The sections of the Fourth International should critically orient soviets, that is the dictatorship of the proletariat and the socialist battle. (History has recorded no parallel catastrophe. The Ger­ ising revolution. During the stormy mass upsurge in China in themselves at each new' stage and advance such slogans as w ill aid reconstruction of society, w ill arise. man proletariat was not smashed by the enemy in battle.) It was 1925-27, the Comintern failed to advance the slogan for a the striving of the workers for independent politics, deepen the crushed by the cowardice, baseness, perfidy of its own parties. National Assembly, and at the same time, forbade the creation class character of these politics, destroy reformist and pacifist Small wonder then that it has lost faith in everything in which of soviets. (The bourgeois party, the Kuomintang, was to re­ illusions, strengthen the connection of the vanguard with the it had been accustomed to believe for almost three generations. place, according to Stalin's plan, both the National Assembly and masses, and prepare the revolutionary conquest of power. Backward Countries and the Hitler's victory in turn strengthened Mussolini. soviets.) After the masses had been smashed by the Kuomintang, the Comintern organized a caricature of a soviet in Canton. Fol­ Program of Transitional Demands lowing the inevitable collapse of the Canton uprising, the FRESH FORCES ARE NEEDED Soviets Colonial and semi-colonial countries are backward countries Comintern took the road of guerrilla warfare and peasant soviets The protracted failure of revolutionary work in Spain or Factory committees, as already stated, are elements of dual by their very essence. But backward countries are part of a world with complete passivity on the part of the industrial proletariat. Germany is but the reward for the criminal politics of Social-De­ Landing thus in a blind alley, the Comintern took advantage of the power inside the factory. Consequently, their existence is possible dominated by imperialism. Their development, therefore, has a mocracy and the Comintern. Illegal work needs not only the sym­ only under condition of increasing pressure by the masses. This combined character: the most primitive economic forms are com­ Sino-Japanese war to liquidate "Soviet China” with a stroke pathy of the masses but the conscious enthusiasm of its advanced is likewise true of special mass groupings for the struggle against bined with the last word in capitalist technique and culture. of the pen, subordinating not only the peasant "Red Army” but strata. But can enthusiasm possibly be expected for historically war, of the committee on prices and all other new centers of the In like manner are defined the political strivings of the proletariat also the so-called "Communist” Party to the identical Kuomin­ bankrupt organizations? The majority of those who come forth as movement, the very appearance of which bears witness to the fact of backward countries: the struggle for the most elementary tang, i. e., the bourgeoisie. emigre leaders are either demoralized to the very marrow of their that the class struggle has overflowed the limits of the traditional achievements of national independence and bourgeois democracy The betrayal of the international proletarian revolution by bones, agents of the Kremlin and the G.F.U., or social-Democratic organizations of the proletariat. is combined with the socialist struggle against world imperialism. the Comintern for the sake of friendship with the "democratic” ex-ministers, who dream that the workers by some sort o f miracle Democratic slogans, transitional demands and the problems of w ill return them to their lost posts. Is it possible to imagine These new organs and centers, however, w ill soon begin to slave masters, could not but help it betray simultaneously also the socialist revolution are not divided into separate historical even for a minute these gentlemen in the role of future leaders feel their lack of cohesion and their insufficiency. Not one of the the struggle for the liberation of the colonial masses, and, indeed, epochs in this struggle, but stem directly from one another. The of the "anti-fascist” revolution? transitional demands can be fully met under the conditions of with even greater cynicism than practiced by the Second Inter­ Chinese proletariat had barely begun to organize trade unions preserving the bourgeois regime. A t the same time, the deepening national before it. One of the tasks of People's Front and "na­ And events on the world arena— the smashing of the before it had to provide for soviets. In this sense, the present of the social crisis w ill increase not only the sufferings of the tional defense” politics is to turn hundreds of millions of the Austrian workers, the defeat of the Spanish revolution, the de­ program is completely applicable to colonial and semi-colonial masses but also their impatience, persistence, and pressure. Ever colonial population into cannon fodder for "democratic” im ­ generation of the Soviet State— could.not give aid to a revo­ countries, at least to those where the proletariat has become new layers of the oppressed w ill raise up their heads and come perialism. The banner on which is emblazoned the struggle lutionary upsurge in Italy and Germany. Since for political in­ capable of carrying on independent politics. forward with their demands. Millions of toil-worn "little men," for the liberation of the colonial and semi-colonial peoples, i. e., formation the German and Italian workers depend in great to whom the reformist leaders never gave a thought, w ill begin The central task of the colonial and semi-colonial countries a good half of mankind, has definitely passed into the hands of measure upon the radio, it is possible to say with assurance that to pound insistently on the doors of workers’ organizations. The is the agrarian revolution, i. e., liquidation of feudal heritages, the Fourth International. the Moscow radio station, combining Thermidorian lies with unemployed w ill join the movement. The agricultural workers, and national independence, i.e., the overthrow of the imperialist stupidity and insolence, has become the most powerful factor in the ruined and semi-ruined farmers, the oppressed of the cities, yoke. Both tasks are closely linked with one another. the demoralization of the workers in the totalitarian states. In the women-workers, housewives, proletarianized layers of the The Program of Transitional this respect, as in others Stalin acts merely as Goebbels' assistant. intelligentsia— all of these w ill seek unity and leadership. It is impossible merely to reject the democratic program: it is imperative that in the struggle the masses outgrow it. The A t the same time, the class antagonisms which brought about How are the different demands and forms of struggle to be slogan for a National (or Constituent) Assembly preserves its Demands in Fascist Countries the victory of fascism, continuing their work under fascism, too, harmonized, even if only within the limits of one city? History has fu ll force for such countries as China or India. This slogan must are gradually undermining it. The masses are more dissatisfied It is a far cry today from the time when the strategists of already answered this question: through soviets. These w ill unite be indissolubly tied up with the problem of national liberation and than ever. Hundreds and thousands of self-sacrificing workers, in the Comintern announced the victory of Hitler as being merely the representatives of all the fighting groups. For this purpose, no agrarian reform. As a primary step, the workers must be armed spite of everything, continue to carry on revolutionary mole-work. a step toward the victory of Thaelmann. Thaelmann has been one has yet proposed a different form of organization; indeed, it with this democratic program. Only they w ill be able to sum­ A new generation, which has not directly experienced the shat­ in Hitler's prisons now for more than five years. Mussolini has would hardly be possible to think up a better one. Soviets are mon and unite the farmers. On the basis of the revolutionary tering of old traditions and high hopes, has come to the fore. held Italy enchained by fascism for more than sixteen years. not limited to an a priori party program. They throw open their democratic program, it is necessary to oppose the workers to the Irresistibly, the molecular preparation of the proletarian revolu­ Throughout this time, the parties of the Second and Third In­ doors to all the exploited, th ro u g h these doors pass represent­ "national” bourgeoisie. Then at a certain stage in the mobiliza­ tion proceeds beneath the iipavy totalitarian tombstone. But for ternationals have been impotent not only to conduct a mass atives of all strata, drawn into the general current of the struggle. tion of the masses under the slogans of revolutionary democracy, concealed energy to flare into open revolt, it is necessary that movement but even to create a serious illegal organization, even The organization, broadening out together with the movement, soviets can and should arise. Their historical role in each given the vanguard of the proletariat find new perspectives, a new pro­ to some extent comparable to the Russian revolutionary parties is renewed again and again in its womb. A ll political currents period, particularly their relation to the National Assembly, w ill gram and a new unblemished banner. of the proletariat can struggle for leadership of the soviets on during the epoch of Czarism. be determined by tire political level of the proletariat, the bond Herein, lies the chief handicap. It is extremely difficult for soviets, the basis of the widest democracy. The slogan of there­ between them and the peasantry and the character of the pro­ Not the least reason exists for explaining these failures by workers in fascist countries to make a choice o f a new program. fore, crowns the program of transitional demands. letarian party policies. Sooner or later, the soviets should over­ reference to the power of fascist ideology. (Essentially, Mussolini A program is verified by experience. And it is precisely experience Soviets can arise only at the time when the mass movement throw bourgeois democracy. Only they are capable of bringing never advanced any sort of ideology.) Hitler's "ideology” never in mass movements which is lacking in countries of totalitarian World Congress Manifesto Against Imperialist War

( Continued jrom page 7) menaces it only under the leadership of the revolutionary work­ ically than the Second International before the last war— when Marxism, by breaking with class collaboration, social patriotism, ing class, historic champion and ally of the landless and debt- it at least formally took an anti-war position—the two Interna­ of the masses and equally incapable of assuring peace. Less and the priests of submission in the labor movement, and by tak­ ridden farmres, and of the millions of black, brown and yellow tionals now demand for themselves the responsibility of leading than a generation has passed since the last "war to end war" ing the road of resolutely aggressive class struggle, by storming the colonial slaves. the masses to the butchery. and we already find ourselves on the threshold of a new world fortress of the bourgeoisie, armed with the invincible weapons forged by our great masters, Marx and Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, war, infinitely more horrible than the last one. But the great tragedy of lire proletariat resides today in the They have neither the desire nor the possibility of organizing that the exploited of the world w ill be able to escape stagnation fact that paralyzing fetters prevent it from realizing its mission the struggle against the coming imperialist war. On the contrary, Once more the exploited are called upon to destroy each and defeat and march forward like a solid phalanx toward the of emancipation, fetters less powerful than those of capitalism completely corrupted by social patriotism and flying the pirate other fo r their respective imperialist masters. Once more the socialist future. itself, but more subtly and insidiously devised. W ith these flag of "democratic" imperialism, the social patriots are already mothers of the people are called upon to become brood soivs. fetters the traditional parties of labor, the Second and Third In ­ acting as recruiting sergeants of imperialism. Once more fields w ill be transformed into blood soaked trenches That is the road of the Fourth International! It rests upon the ternationals, have bound it hand and foot. unshakeable foundations of the principles of revolutionary Marx­ and cities into devasted tombs— so that the imperialists may pre­ The role that they play in the defense of the Soviet Union is ism-Leninism. It proudly proclaims itself the heir and perpetuator serve their profits and their colonies, or acquire new ones. The leaders of the Second International act as direct agents equally perfidious. They do not defend the great Russian Revolu­ of the First International of Marx, of the Russian Revolution, of "democratic” imperialism, helping it to soften the shocks of tion, but the reactionary, usurping bureaucracy. They do not lay and of the Communist International of Lenin. A Bandit War the class struggle, and hoping thus to preserve their position in the bases of socialist society but sap the foundations laid 20 years declining capitalist democracy. The leaders of the Third Inter­ ago by the Russian masses under the leadership of the Bolsheviks. A ll the ruling classes of the capitalist countries are bandits. national, betraying all their traditional principles and ideals, The Fourth International Their war, whatever the pretentions and hypocritical slogans, have been converted into instruments of the Soviet bureaucracy. We Are Loyal to U.S.S.R. The Fourth International does not hide its aims. Its program w ill be a war between bandits. It w ill not be a workers' w'ar, The two old Internationals differ now primarily in the degree to is known to the working class. It is the program of irreconcil­ but on the contrary, the workers, and the exploited in general, which differences exist between the Anglo-French bourgeoisie We, the Fourth International, loyal defenders of the U. S. S. R. able opposition and of class struggle against injustice, against ex­ w ill be its victims. It w ilt not be a war for democracy, since and the ruling Stalinist clique. against all its enemies, w ithin and without, accuse Stalinism of ploitation, and against oppression. true democracy for the masses can be w'on only in the struggle having subjected the economic life of the country to the interests against capitalist domination. Even the democratic rights which Instead of hastening the dispatch of the putrified corpse of of the bureaucratic clique at the top. Partisans of real proletarian Above all, in the present crucial period — a period of crisis the masses still enjoy cannot be preserved or extended, as the capitalism into the limbo of history, social democracy and Stal­ democracy, we accuse Stalinism of having deprived the Soviet vital to the working class and all humanity — the Fourth Inter­ example of the Spanish civil war has shown, except by methods inism unite to patch it up and preserve it. They have long masses of all the great liberties they won arms in hand. national issues an appeal to the workers and oppressed people of militant, revolutionary class struggle for socialism. since abandoned the class struggle. They concentrate all their of the entire world. efforts tow-ard bringing the working class into the service of The reactionary bureaucracy has established an odious totalit­ It w ill not be a war in the interests of the workers, since capitalism in the name of a falsified "democracy" or a "People's arian regime by means of a regime of continuous bloody terror To the French and German workers especially, who are men­ the attacks on the social conquests of the French workers of Front" instead of destroying the monster. They support the supplemented by gangster attacks against revolutionists abroad aced with mutual destruction in the interest of imperialism, we June, 1936, especially the 40-hour week, show' that the defense domination of colonial peoples by their respective imperialists and the corruption of the workers' and intellectuals’ movements. say: like the proletariat everywhere you hate the hangman Hitler. of the most elementary economic and social interests of the and offer their military aid to the same end. This regime discredits the name of socialism. The so-called Com­ Like you, we arc determined to destroy Fascism and all oppres­ masses— their daily bread and their freedom—is incompatible munist Parties are nothing but the hired agencies of- this total­ sive rule. with the defense of the fatherland of the bourgeoisie. Impotent Against Fascism itarian regime, whose only world aim is the maintainance of the But fascism cannot and w ill not be destroyed by the bayonets Hitler, who destroyed all social gains of the German and imperialist status quo. The Second International differs from Neither of the old Internationals were capable of organizing of French imperialism. Only the independent class action of the Austrian working class, is leading the struggle in the name of Stalinism only in its purely verbal and superficial criticism. Bona- proletariat w ill put an end to the hideous rule of fascism. capitalism against the interests of the peoples of Europe. In proletarian resistance to fascism in Germany or in Austria. Even • partism is undermining the Bolshevik revolution. midst of war threats we emphasize again that the main enemy Spain, where the proletariat— by whose side we stand firmly Unite in the unremitting class struggle against fascism and is in one's own country. The working class has no fatherland and cnthusistically— has displayed its capacity to struggle ef­ * ❖ $ imperialist war. to defend except where it conquers and rules. No support to fectively against the fascist beasts, the old parties sapped its re­ Unite for the freedom of colonial peoples and against the the war makers and to imperialist war— we say— but continuation sistance and brutally exterminated the revolutionary forces behind Break the Chains! tyranny of imperialist rule. of the class struggle in cvefy'situation and utilization of the war their own front, acting as agents of Anglo-French imperialism and of the Moscow bureaucracy. crisis for the overthrow of capitalist rule, i. c., the overthrow of The world proletariat cannot advance without breaking the Unite in the only just and sacred war — the war against the chains that bind it to the old Internationals and their policies. the war and of capitalism itself! In reality, by abandoning the vigilance of the working class, oppressors, the exploiters, against their perfidious agents in the Anarchism, which has shown itself, particularly in Spain, to be abandoning the independence of the workers’ movement and sub­ working class. the prisoner of its own doctrines, and which capitulated to the Betrayers of the Toilers ordinating it to the "democratic” bourgeoisie, the old parties facili­ bourgoisie in the name of the People's Front, cannot make this Long live the Fourth International! tated the victory of fascism, whose aim— to smash the proletariat Capitalism is bankrupt. Its social relations, its national break. Equally futile are the small centrist groups united in the as an independent movement and as a class— is partially carried Long live the International Socialist Revolution! boundaries, are strangling the economic and social development London Bureau which refuse to break clearly with the old Inter­ out in advance by the two old internationals. of man . It is more than ripe for socialist reorganization. Its nationals and take the road of class struggle toward international­ —The Executive Committee of the Fourth International prolonged existence can only add to unending horror and misery. No less traitorous is the role played by tile social democracy ist revolutionary socialism. (W orld Party of the Socialist Revolution.) Humanity can be saved from the new barbarism that and Stalinism in the face of the imminent war danger. More cyn­ It is only by restoring the great traditions of revolutionary Sept. 15, 1938 OCTOBER 22,1938 SOCIALIST APPEAL II The Fourth International Defends the Soviet Union despotism. It is very likely that a genuine proletarian success in for partial and transitional demands, i. e., for the elementary one of the "democratic” countries w ill be necessary to give' im ­ interests and needs of the working masses, as they ate today. petus to the revolutionary movement on fascist territory. A sim­ Preservation of the Conquests of 1917 Depends on the Preparing for the revolution means to the sectarians the convincing ilar effect is possible by means of a financial or military catas­ of themselves of the superiority of socialism. They propose turn­ trophe. A t present, it is imperative that primarily propagandists, Overthrow of Stalinist Dictatorship ing their backs to the "old” trade unions, i. e., to tens of m il­ preparatory work be carried on which w ill yield large scale re­ lions of organized workers, as if the masses could somehow live sults only in the future. One thing can be stated with conviction Outside of the conditions of the actual class struggle! They re­ day reduced mainly to Stalin's Bonapartist clique, hangs on by ter­ The complete diplomatic correspondence of the Kremlin to be even at this point: once it breaks through, the revolutionary main indifferent to the innbr struggle within reformist organiza­ roristic methods. The latest judicial frame-ups were aimed as a published. Down with secret diplomacy! wave in fascist countries w ill immediately be a grandiose sweep tions— as if one could win the masses without intervening in their blow against the left. This is true also of the mopping up of the and under no circumstances w ill stop short at the experiment of A ll political trials, staged by the Thermidorian bureaucracy, daily strife! They refuse to draw a distinction between bourgeois leaders of the Right Opposition, because the right group of the resuscitating some sort of Weimar corpse. to be reviewed in the light of complete publicity and contro­ democracy and fascism— as if the masses could help but feel old Bolshevik Party, seen from the viewpoint of the bureaucracy’s versial openness and integrity. Only the victorious revolutionary the difference on every hand! It is from this point onward that an uncompromising d i­ interests and tendencies, represented a left danger. The fact that uprising of the oppressed masses can revive the Soviet regime vergence begins between the Fourth International and the old the Bonapartist clique, likewise in fear of its own right allies of Sectarians are capable of differentiating between but two and guarantee its further development toward socialism. There parties, which outlive their bankruptcy. The emigre "People’s the type of Butenko, is forced in the interests of self-preservation colors: red and black. So as not to tempt themselves, they simplify is but one party capable of leading the Soviet masses to insur­ Front” is the most malignant and perfidious variety of all pos­ to execute the generation of Old Bolsheviks almost to a man, reality. They refuse to draw a distinction between the fighting rection— the party of the Fourth International! sible People’s Fronts. Essentially, it signifies the impotent longing offers indisputable testimony of the vitality of revolutionary tra­ camps in Spain for the reason that both camps have a bourgeois for coalition with a non-existent liberal bourgeoisie. Had it met ditions among the masses as well as of their growing discon­ Down with the bureaucratic gang of Cain-Stalin! character. For the same reason they consider it necessary to pre­ with success, it would simply have prepared a series of new de­ tent. Long live Soviet Democracy! serve "neutrality” in the war between Japan and China. They deny the principled difference between the U.S.S.R. and the feats of the Spanish type for the proletariat. A merciless exposure Long live the international socialist revolution! of the theory and practice of the "People’s Front" is therefore "TROTSKYISM” IN THE U.S.S.R. imperialist countries, and because of the reactionary policies of the- the first condition for a revolutionary struggle against fascism. Soviet bureaucracy, they reject defense of the new forms of prop­ Petty-bourgeois democrats of the West, having but yesterday Against Opportunism and erty created by the October Revolution against the onslaughts of TASKS OF THE FOURTH IN TER N ATIO N AL assayed the Moscow trials as unalloyed gold, today repeat in­ imperialism. Incapable of finding access to the masses, they there­ sistently that there is "neither Trotskyism nor Trotskyists within fore zealously accuse the masses of inability to raise themselves to O f course, this does not mean that the Fourth International the U.S.S.R.” They fail to explain, however, why all the purges Unprincipled Revisionism revolutionary ideas. rejects democratic slogans as a means of mobilizing the masses are conducted under the banner of a struggle with precisely this against fascism. On the contrary, such slogans at certain moments danger. If we are to examine "Trotskyism" as a finished pro­ The politics of Leon Blum’s party in France demonstrate These sterile politicians generally have no need of a bridge can play a serious role. But the formulas of democracy (freedom gram, and, even more to the point, as an organization, then un­ anew that reformists are incapable of learning anything from in the form of transitional demands because they do not intend of press, the right to unionize, etc.) mean for us only incidental questionably "Trotskyism” is extremely weak in the U.S.S.R. H ow­ even the most tragic lessons of history. French Social-Democracy to cross over to the other shore. They simply dawdle in one place, or episodic slogans in the independent movement of the prolet­ ever, its indestructable force stems from the fact that it ex­ slavishly copies the politics of German Social-Democracy and satisfying themselves with a repetition of the self-same meager ariat and not a democratic noose fastened to the neck of the presses not only revolutionary tradition but also today's actual goes to meet the same end. W ithin a few decades the Second In­ abstractions. Political events are for them an occasion for com­ proletariat by the bourgeoisie’s agents (Spain!). As soon as opposition of the Russian working class. The social hatred stored ternational intertwined itself with the bourgeois democratic re­ ment but not for action. Since sectarians, as in general every the movement assumes something of a mass character, the demo­ up by the workers against the bureaucracy— this is precisely what gime, became, in fact, a part of it, and is rotting away together kind of blunderer and miracle-man, are toppled by reality at each cratic slogans w ill be intertwined with the transitional ones; from the viewpoint of the Kremlin clique constitutes "Trotsky­ with it. step, they live in a state of perpetual exasperation, complaining factory committees, it may be supposed, w ill appear before the ism." It fears with a deathly and thoroughly well-grounded fear The Third International has taken to the road of reformism about the "regime" and "the methods" and ceaselessly wallow^ old routinists rush from their chancelleries to organize trade un­ the bond between the deep but inarticulate indignation of the at a time when the crisis of capitalism definitely placed the ing in small intrigues. In their own circles they customarily carry ions; soviets w ill cover Germany before a new Constitutional As­ workers and the organization of the Fourth International. proletarian revolution on the order of the day. The Comintern’s on a regime of despotism. The political prostration of sectarian­ sembly w ill gather in Weimar. The same w ill be true of Italy ism serves to complement shadow-like the prostration of opporr The execution of the generation of Old Bolsheviks and of policy in Spain and China today— the policy of cringing be­ and the rest of the totalitarian and semi-totalitarian countries. tunism, revqaling no revolutionary vistas. In practical politics, sec­ the revolutionary representatives of the middle and young gen­ fore the "democratic" and "national" bourgeoisie— demonstrates tarians unite with opportunists, particularly with centrists, every Fascism plunged these countries into political barbarism. erations has yet more swung the political pendulum to the side that the Comintern is likewise incapable of learning anything time in the struggle against Marxism. But it did not change their social structure. Fascism is a tool in of the right, the bourgeois wing of the bureaucracy and its allies further or of changing. The bureaucracy which became a re­ the hands of finance capital and not of feudal landowners. A throughout the land. From them, i. e., from the right, we can actionary force in the U.S.S.R. cannot play a revolutionary role Most of the sectarian groups and cliques, nourished on ac­ revolutionary program should base itself on the dialectics of the expect ever more determined attempts in the next period to re­ on the world arena. cidental crumbs from the taYde of the Fourth International, lead an class struggle, obligatory also to fascist countries, and not on the vise the socialist character of the U.S.S.R. and bring it closer in Anarcho-syndicalism, in general has passed through the "independent" organizational existence, with great pretensions psychology of terrified bankrupts. The Fourth International re­ pattern to "Western civilization” in its fascist form. same kind of evolution. In France, the syndicalist bureaucracy of but without the least chance for success. Bolshevik-Leninists, jects with disgust the ways of political masquerade, which im ­ without waste of time, calmly leave these groups to their own From this perspective, impelling concreteness is imparted Leon Jouhaux has long since become a bourgeois agency in pelled the Stalinists, the former heroes of the "Third Period," to fate. However, sectarian tendencies are to be found also in our to the question of the "defense of the U.S.S.R." If tomorrow the the working class. In Spain, anarcho-syndicalism shook off its appear in turn behind the masks of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, otvn ranks and display a ruinous influence on the work of the bourgeois-fascist grouping, the "fraction of Butenko," so to ostensible revolutionism and became the fifth wheel in the chariot German nationalists, liberals— only in order to hide their own individual sections. It is impossible to make any further com­ speak, should attempt the conquest of power, the "fraction of of bourgeois democracy. unattractive face. The Fourth International always and every­ promise with them even for a single day. A correct policy re­ Reiss” inevitably would align itself on the opposite side of the where appears under its own banner. It proposes its own pro­ Intermediate centrist organizations centered about the Lon­ barricades. Although it would find itself temporarily the ally of garding trade unions is a basic condition for adherence to the gram openly to the proletariat in fascist countries. The advanced don Bureau, represent merely "le ft" appendages of Social Democ­ Fourth International. He who does not seek and does not find the Stalin, it would nevertheless defend not the Bonapartist clique but workers of all the world are already firmly convinced that the racy or of the Comintern. They have displayed a complete in­ road to the masses is not a fighter but a dead weight to the the social base of the U.S.S.R., i. e., the property wrenched away overthrow of Mussolini, Hitler arid their agents and imitators ability to make head or tail of the political situation and draw party. A program is formulated not for the editorial board or for from the capitalists and transformed into State property. Should w ill occur only under the leadership of the Fourth Interna­ revolutionary conclusions from it. Their highest point was the the "fraction of Butenko" prove to be in alliance with Hitler, then the leaders of discussion clubs but for the revolutionary action tional. Spanish P.O.U.M., which under revolutionary conditions proved of millions. The cleansing of the ranks of the Fourth Interna­ the "fraction of Reiss” would defend the U.S.S.R. from military completely incapable of following a revolutionary line. tional of sectarianism and incurable sectarians is a primary con­ intervention, inside the country as well as on the world arena. * * * dition for revolutionary success. Any other course would be a betrayal. The U.S.S.R. and Problems of the The tragic defeats suffered by the world proletariat over a THÉ c h ie f t a s k long period of years doomed' the' official organizations to get Transitional Epoch greater conservatism and simultaneously sent disillusioned petty The Road to the Woman-worker Although it is thus impermissible to deny in advance the bourgeois 'revolutionists" in pursuit of "new ways." As always The Soviet Union emerged from the October Revolution as possibility, in strictly defined instances, of a "united front" with during epochs of reaction and decay, quacks and charlatans appear a workers' state. State ownership of the means of production, The Road to the Youth the Thermidorian section of the bureaucracy against open attack on all sides, desirous of revising the whole course of revolu­ a necessary prerequisite to socialist development, opened up the by capitalist counter-revolution, tire chief political task in the tionary thought. Instead of learning from the past, they "reject” possibility of rapid growth of the productive forces. But the The defeat of the Spanish revolution, engineered by its U.S.S.R. still remains the overthrow of this same Thermidorian it. Some discover the inconsistency of Marxism, others announce apparatus of the workers’ state underwent a complete degenera­ "leaders;" the shameful bankruptcy of the People’s Front in bureaucracy. Each day added to its domination helps rot the the downfall of Bolshevism. There are those who put responsib­ tion at the same time; it was transformed from a weapon of the France and the exposure of the Moscow juridical swindles— foundations of the socialist elements of economy and increases the ility upon revolutionary doctrine for the mistakes and crimes of working class into a weapon of bureaucratic violence against the chances for capitalist restoration. It is in precisely this direction these three facts in their aggregate deal an irreparable blow to those who betrayed it; others who curse the medicine because it working class and more and more a weapon for the sabotage of the Comintern and, incidentally, grave wounds to its allies: the that the Comintern moves as the agent and accomplice of the does not guarantee an instantaneous and miraculous cure. The the country’s economy. The bureaucratization of a backward and Social-Democrats and Anarcho-Syndicalists. This does not mean, Stalinist clique in strangling the Spanish revolution and demoral­ more daring promise to discover a panacea and, in anticipation, isolated workers' state and the transformation of the bureaucracy izing the international proletariat. of course, that the members of these organization w ill immediately recommend the halting of the class struggle. A good many prophets into an all-powerful privileged caste is the most convincing turn to the Fourth International. The older generation, having of "new morals” are preparing to regenerate the labor movement refutation—not only theoretically but this time practically—of As in fascist countries, the chief strength of the bureaucracy suffered terrible defeats, w ill leave the movement in significant with the help of ethical homeopathy. The majority of these the theory of socialism in one country. lies not in itself but in the disillusionment of the masses, in their numbers. In addition, the Fourth International is certainly not apostles have succeeded in becoming themselves moral invalids lack of a new perspective. As in fascist countries, from which striving to become an asylum for revolutionary invalids, dis­ The U.S.S.R. thus embodies terrific contradictions. But it still before arriving on the field of battle. Thus, under the aspect of Stalin's political apparatus does not differ save in more unbridled illusioned bureaucrats and careerists. On the contrary, against a remains a degenerated workers' state. Such is the social diagnosis. "new ways” old recipes, long since buried in the archives of pre- rough-shoddedness, only preparatory propagandistic work is pos­ possible influx into our party of petty bourgeois elements, now The political prognosis has an alternative character: either the Marxian socialism, are offered to the proletariat. sible today in the U.S.S.R. As in fascist countries, the impetus reigning in the apparatus of the old organizations, strict pre­ bureaucracy, becoming ever more the organ of the world bour­ to the Soviet workers' revolutionary upsurge w ill probably be giv­ The Fourth International declares uncompromising war on ventive measures arc necessary: a prolonged probationary period geoisie in the workers’ state, w ill overthrow the new forms of en by events outside the country. The struggle against the Com­ the bureaucracies of the Second, Third, Amsterdam and Anarcho- for those candidates who are not workers, especially former property and plunge the country back to capitalism; or the intern on the world arena is the most important part today of syndicalist Internationals, as on their centrist satellites; on re­ party bureaucrats; prevention from holding any responsible post working class w ill crush the bureaucracy and open the way to the struggle against the Stalinist dictatorship. There are many signs formism without reforms; democracy in alliance with the G.P.U.; for the first three years, etc. There is not and there w ill not socialism. that the Comintern’s downfall, because it does not have a direct pacifism without peace; anarchism in the service of the bourgeo- be any place for careerism, the ulcer of the old Internationals, in base in the G.P.U., w ill precede the downfall of the Bona- To the sections of the Fourth International, the Moscow oisie; on "revolutionists" who live in deathly fear of revolution. the Fourth International. Only those who wish to live for the partist clique and of the entire Thermidorian bureaucracy in trials came not as a surprise and not as a result of the personal A ll of these organizations ’ are not pledges for the future but movement, and not at the expense of the movement, w ill find general. madness of the Kremlin dictator, but as the legitimate off-spring [ decayed survivals of the past. The epoch of wars and revolu­ access to us. The revolutionary workers should feel themselves of the Thermidor. They grew out of the unbearable conflicts with- i * * * tions w ill raze them to the ground. to be tire masters. The doors of our organization are wide open to in the Soviet bureaucracy itself, which, in turn, m irror the con­ them. A fresh upsurge of the revolution in the U.S.S.R. w ill un­ The Fourth International does not search affer and does tradictions between the bureaucracy and the people, as well as doubtedly begin under the banner of the struggle against social not invent panaceas. It takes its stand completely on Marxism as O f course, even among the workers who had at one time the deepening antagonisms among the "people" themselves. The inequality and political oppression. Down with the privileges of the only revolutionary -doctrine that enables one to understand risen to the first ranks, there are not a few tired and disillusioned bloody "fantastic" nature of the trials gives the measure of the the bureaucracy! Down with Stakhanovism! Down with the reality; unearth the cause behind the defeats and consciously pre­ ones. They w ill remain, at least for the next period, as by­ intensity of the contradictions and by the same token predicts Soviet aristocracy and its ranks and orders! Greater equality of pare for victory. The Fourth International continues the tradition standers. When a program or an organization wears out, the the approach of the denouement. wages for all forms of labor! of Bolshevism which first showed the proletariat how to con­ generation which carried it on its shoulders wears out with it. The public utterances of former foreign representatives of quer power. The Fourth International sweeps away the quacks, The movement is revitalized by the youth who are free of respon­ The struggle for the freedom of the trade unions and the the Kremlin, who refused to return to Moscow, irrefutably confirm charlatans and unsolicited teachers of morals. In a society based sibility for the past. The Fourth International pays particular atten­ factory committees, for the right of assembly and freedom of the in their own way that all shades of political thought are to be upon exploitation, the highest moral is that of the social revolu­ tion to the young generation of the proletariat. A ll of its policies press w ill unfold in the struggle for the regeneration and develop­ found among the bureaucracy: from genuine Bolshevism (Ignacc tion. A ll methods are good which raise the class consciousness of strive to inspire the youth with belief in its own strength and in ment of Soviet democracy. Reiss) to complete fascism (F. Butenko). The revolutionary ele­ the workers, their trust in their own forces, their readiness for the future. Only die fresh enthusiasm and aggressive spirit of ments within the bureaucracy, only a small minority, reflect, pas­ The bureaucracy replaced the soviets as class organs with self-sacrifice in the struggle. The impermissible methods are those the youth can guarantee the preliminary successes in the struggle; sively it is true, the socialist interests of the proletariat. The fas­ the fiction of universal electoral rights— in the style of Hitler- which implant fear and submissiveness in the oppressed before only these successes can return the best elements of the older cist, counter-revolutionary elements, growing uninterruptedly, ex­ Goebbels.Tt is necessary to return to the soviets not only their free their oppressors, which crush the spirit of protest and indignation generation to the road of revolution. Thus it was, thus it w ill be. democratic form but also their class content. As once the bour­ or substitute for the w ill of the masses the w ill of the leaders; press with ever greater consistency the interests of world im­ Opportunist organizations by their very nature concentrate for conviction-—compulsion; for an analysis of reality^-dcmagogy perialism. These candidates for the role of compradores consider, geoisie and kulaks were not permitted to enter the soviets, so now their chief attention on the top layers of the working class and frame-up. That is why Social Democracy, prostituting Marx­ not without reason, that the new ruling layer can insure their it is necessary to drive the bureaucracy and the new aristocracy and therefore ignore both the youth and the woman-worker. out of the soviets. In the soviets there is room only for representa­ ism, and Stalinism— the antithesis of Bolshevism— are both mortal positions of privilege only through rejection of nationalization, The decay of capitalism, however, deals its heaviest blows to the enemies of the proletarian revolution and its morals. collectivization and monopoly of foreign trade in the name of tives of the workers, rank and file kolkhozists, peasants and Red woman as a wage-earner and as a housewife. The sections of the Army men. the assimilation of "Western civilization,” i- e., capitalism. Be­ To face reality squarely; not to seek the line of least resist­ Fourth International should seek bases of support among the most- tween these two poles, there are intermediate, diffused Menshevik- Democratization of the soviets is impossible without legal­ ance; to call things by their right names; to speak the truth exploited layers of the working class; consequently, among the S.R.-liberal tendencies which gravitate toward bourgeois democ­ ization of soviet parties. The workers and peasants themselves by to the masses— no matter how bitter it may be; not to fear ob­ women-workers. Here they w ill find inexhaustible stores of racy. their own free vote w ill indicate what parties they recognize as stacles; to be true in little things as in big ones; to base one’s devotion, selflessness and readiness to sacrifice. W ithin the very ranks of that so-called "classless” society, soviet parties. program on the logic of the class struggle; to be bold when the Down with the bureaucracy and careerism! Open the road to there unquestionably exist groupings exactly similar to those in hour for action arrives— these are the rules of the Fourth Inter­ A revision of planned economy from top to bottom in the the bureaucracy, only less sharply expressed and in inverse pro­ national. It has shown that it could swim against the stream. The the youth! Turn to the woman-worker! These slogans are em­ interests of producers and consumers! Factory committees should portions: conscious capitalist tendencies distinguish mainly the approaching historical wave w ill raise it on its crest. blazoned on the banner of the Fourth International. Under be returned the right to control production. A democratically or­ prosperous part of the kolkhozes and arc characteristic of only a ganized consumers’ cooperative should control the quality and the banner of the Fourth International! small minority of the population. But this layer provides itself price of products. with a wide base for petty bourgeois tendencies of accumulating Against Sectarianism THE ROOTS OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL personal wealth at the expense of general poverty, and are con­ Reorganization of tire kolkhozes in accordance with the w ill Under the influence of the betrayal by the historic or­ sciously encouraged by the bureaucracy. and in the interests of fhe workers there engaged! Sceptics ask: but has the moment for the creation of the ganizations of the proletariat, certain sectarian moods and group­ Fourth International yet arrived? It is impossible, they say, to Atop this system of mounting antagonisms, trespassing ever The reactionary international policy of the bureaucracy ings of various kinds arise or are regenerated at tire periphery of create an International "artificially;" it can only arise out of more on the social equilibrium, tile Thermidorian oligarchy, to- should be replaced by the policy of proletarian internationalism. the Fourth International. A t their base lies a refusal to struggle great events, etc., etc. A ll of these objections merely show that SOCIALIST APPEAL OCTOBER 22,1938

the sceptics are not good for the building of a new International. They are good for scarcely anything at all. On the Mexican Question The Fourth International has already arisen out of great On Organizing Defense and Relief The International Conference, having read the documents events: the greatest defeats of the proletariat in history. The cause for these defeats is to be found in the degeneration and and statements of the former l.C.L. (Galicia group), and the de­ perfidy of the old leadership. The class struggle does not tol­ cision of the Pan-American Pre-Conference at New York, and erate an interruption. The Third International, following the For Persecuted Revolutionists having heard the report of the U S. delegation to Mexico, de­ Second, is dead for purposes of revolution. Long live the Fourth clares: The advance of Fascism in many countries, the international unpostponable, and an energetic and devoted committee, even of International! That it endorses the recommendation of the All-American Stalinist campaign of persecution, frame-up, and assassination, modest size and composed in the main or altogether of the ad­ Conference regarding the reorganization of the group formerly But has the time yet arrived to proclaim its creation? . . . and the increasing encroachments on the rights of the workers in vanced revolutionary elements is infinitely better than none at all led by Galicia and Fernandez (l.C .L. of Mexico) and takes no the sceptics are not quieted down. The Fourth International, we the countries of démocratie capitalism— the world-sweep of re­ or an "imposing” facade of many organizations and "big names” responsibility for the previous policy and attitude of this group. answer, has no need of being 'proclaimed." It exists and it action in various forms raises the question of relief and defense that does little or nothing and gives no real assistance to the vic­ fights. Is it weak? Yes, its ranks are not numerous because it is for persecuted revolutionists in the most imperative manner. Never tims in most desperate and immediate cases. The Conference is obliged to adopt this resolution in view still young. They are as yet chiefly cadres. But these cadres are in modern history have revolutionary workers faced such perse­ of the false policy of the leadership of the former l.C.L. of It is necessary for all sections of the Fourth International to 'pledges for the future. Outside of these cadres there does not cution, and never have they stood upon such a narrow ground of Mexico. This policy, for which the principal responsibility falls take up this question with the utmost seriousness and to begin exist a single revolutionary current on this planet really meriting democratic and legal rights. on Comrades Galicia and Fernandez, brought the greatest dis­ the name. If our International be still weak in numbers, it is work at once. Qualified comrades should devote themselves to this In addition to the heavy blows of the outright bourgeois and credit upon the Fourth International in Mexico and prevented strong in doctrine, program, tradition, in the incomparable tem­ work and specialize in it. Legal assistance must be arranged for. Stalinist reaction, the revolutionists— who are always the most a healthy development. pering of its cadres. Who does not perceive this today, let him The most effective methods of raising funds must be worked out. persecuted— face systematic exclusion and discrimination by the in the meantime stand aside. Tomorrow it w ill Become more A ll the laws and regulations relating to immigration in the various Under the guidance of its former leaders, the organization various Stalinist, Social-Democratic, and liberal-bourgeois relief evident. countries must be studied by comrades specializing in this field pursued a "third-period” policy in the trade-union field, which and defense agencies. In order to provide a minimum of aid and of work. In short, the adherents of the Fourth International, es­ resulted in the split in the building-trades union movement, and The Fourth International, already today, is deservedly hated protection to the persecuted revolutionary fighters— and especially pecially in the democratic countries which offer the greatest facili­ the creation of an "independent” and "red" trade union com­ by the Stalinists, Social-democrats, bourgeois liberals and fascists. to the refugees from totalitarian states— it is necessary for all sec­ ties, must concentrate their attention on the task of developing the posed merely of League members isolated from the masses. There is not and there cannot be a place for it in any of the tions of the Fourth International to bestir themselves. They must most effective relief and defense mechanism possible in the short­ People’s Fronts. It uncompromisingly gives battle to all political take the initiative all along the line for the creation of relief and In the struggle against the high cost of living, the League est posiblc- time. groupings tied to the apron-strings of the bourgeoisie. Its task-— defense organizations which can be relied upon to give timely issued irresponsible and adventuristic slogans, not only calling the abolition of capitalism's domination. Its aim— socialism. moral, financial, and legal aid to those who need it most. An international committee, composed of responsible and for a "general strike” but also for "sabotage” and "direct ac­ Its method— the proletarian revolution. It is permissible to cooperate in this work with sincere known people of the greatest moral authority should eventually tion.” elements of other political tendencies, but in no case should the coordinate and direct the work of the various national defense or­ W ithout inner democracy— no revolutionary education. In the struggle against foreign imperialism in Mexico, the formation of national defense and relief bodies be deferred or put ganizations, provide a center for the assistance to refugees, and ar­ W ithout discipline— no revolutionary action. The inner structure leadership of the l.C.L. (Galicia group), instead of empha­ aside because of the inability to secure the cooperation of this or range for the exchange of information and experience between the of the Fourth International is based on the principles of demo­ sizing above all in its agitation the struggle against the American cratic centralism; fu ll freedom in discussion, complete unity in that organization or individual. The need is absolutely urgent and various national bodies. and British bandits, emphasized rather the bourgeois-nationalist action. Cardenas régime, attacking it in a way that was one-sided, sec­ The present crisis in human culture is the crisis in the pro­ tarian, and, in the given circumstances, objectively reactionary. letarian leadership. The advanced workers, united in the Fourth International, show their class the way of exit out of the crisis. The clinching proof of the irresponsibility of the Galicia They offer a program based on international experience in the On Unification of the British Section leadership was given several days prior to the arrival of the U.S. struggle of the proletariat and of all the oppressed of the world delegation in Mexico, when this leadership induced the members of the organization to vote the dissolution of the League, thus for liberation. They offer a spotless banner. For a long time the adherents of the Fourth International in The conference notes with great satisfaction that the leaders liquidating the Mexican section of the International. The subse­ Workers— men and women— of all countries, place your­ Great Britain have been divided into small separate groups. The of a new group of revolutionary workers in Scotland, not pre­ quent decision— no less frivolous than the first— to reconstitute selves under the banner of the Fourth International. It is the importance and necessity of organizational unity of all militants viously connected with our international organization— the Revo­ the League, can be regarded not as a responsible decision, but banner of your approaching victory! standing on a common platform of principle were sadly under­ lutionary Socialist Party—have signed the unification agreement rather as a maneuver aimed at preventing criticism and serious estimated. This light-minded attitude on the organizational ques­ and the R.S.P. has been represented at the world conference by efforts to reconstruct the movement of the Fourth International tion led not only to ill-considered splits over- tactical differences its own delegate. The approach of this organization to the Fourth International is a matter of great and symptomatic significance. in Mexico on a healthy and solid basis. Statement of the I. S. but even to splits over purely personal disputes having no dis­ cernible political basis (the Lee group). In this latter manifesta­ Serious workers who seek the truth and want to fight for Social­ W ith the above-indicated purpose in mind, the International tion the warning signals of political degeneration were clearly to ism cannot and w ill not find any other way than the way of Conference mandates Comrades C— to continue his efforts, under On the Molinier Group be seen. If the International Secretariat erred in delaying too long Bolshevism, nor any other organization than the Fourth Interna­ the direct supervision of the International Sub-Secretariat, to facil­ before calling a halt to this untenable situation, its decisive inter­ tional. The world conference extends a hearty welcome to the itate the reorganization of the Mexican Section of the Fourth 1. Negotiations have recently been conducted by a special vention on the eve of the world conference became all the more Revolutionary Socialist Party and expresses the confidence that International. imperatively necessary. the recommendation of its leading committee for organizational commission of the I.S. with a delegation from the P.C.I. (M olinier The International Conference cordially invites all former Group) on the basis of a formal letter from this group requesting fusion with* the British Section of the Fourth International w ill It must be quite obvious to all genuine adherents of the and present comrades of the l.C.L. to tighten up their ranks in admission to the Fourth International. These negotiations have be adopted in the pending party referendum. Fourth International in all parts of the world that the present rep­ the Fourth International and its reorganized Mexican section, on been broken off because of the refusal of the P.C.I. to give a cate­ resentative world conference, summoned together in spite of the As far as the Lee group is concerned, it is necessary to point the basis of accepting the decisions of the Conference and the gorical answer to the specific propositions submitted to them by greatest and most unprecedented difficulties and obstacles, and out: discipline of the Fourth International. the I.S., in particular to the most important and unalterable prop­ participated in by delegates from many countries and from osition—the unconditional elimination of R. Molinier from any (1 ) This group came into existence some months ago as the The International Conference further declares that, regarding great distances, must be the occasion for a definite roll-call participation in the French section of the Fourth International. result of purely personal grievances which impelled Lee and his the factional struggle, devoid of principle and of political signif­ of our forces. This roll-call puts an end to all ambiguity of rela­ friends to an organizational split. There was not then and there is icance—-carried on between Comrades Galicia and O. Fernandez, 2. It must be recalled that the said R. Molinier was ex­ tions between our international organization and those who hither­ not now any justifiable political basis for the separate maintenance these two comrades may be admitted to membership in the ranks to have maintained, or professed to maintain, a loyalty to its prin­ pelled by the International Conference of 1936 for conduct com­ of this group. of the reorganized section only on condition that for a period pletely incompatible with membership in a proletarian revolution­ ciples, its methods, and its discipline. of one year they shall not occupy any leading post in the organ­ ary organization, namely, for attempting to use money obtained by (2 ) The leaders of this group resisted all attempts of the dele­ The present conference signifies a conclusive delimitation ization. The new executive committee of the organization should dubious means to impose his pêfSonal control over the organ­ gation of the Internatiorfal Secretariat to include it in the general between those who are really in the Fourth International and be composed, above all, of serious and experienced proletarian ization. unification. fighting every day under its revolutionary banner, and those who elements. 3. When, in connection with the recently concluded world are merely "fo r” the Fourth International, i. e., the dubious ele­ (3 ) The invitation of the I.S. delegation to this group to be Concerning the case of Comrade Diego Rivera, the Inter­ conference, the P.C.I. again approached the Fourth International ments who have sought to keep one foot in our camp and one represented and present its point of view at the world confer­ national Conference further declares that in view of the diffic­ and formulated a request for admission, it was decided by the foot in the camp of our enemies. ence, either by delegate or letter, was disregarded; all we have is ulties that have arisen in the past with this comrade in the in­ responsible bodies of the Fourth International to clarify this a statement, apparently addressed to the world at large, rejecting The unification of the British groups (as that of the hitherto ternal relationships of the Mexican section, he shall not form question once and for all, bringing to its solution a clear and loyal in advance any decision of the world conference not in accord divided Greek groups) of the Fourth International ori the part of the reconstituted organization, but that his work and desire to bring the matter to a positive conclusion. In order to with their untenable demands. eve of the W orld Conference coincides with the final departure activity for the Fourth International shall remain under the direct carry out the necessary negotiations and prevent any dilatory I of such alien elements as Sneevliet and Vereeken. Both these control of the International Sub-Secretariat. maneuvers, the I.S. decided to present a precise seven-point reso­ Under these circumstances it is necessary to warn the com­ occurrences, each in its own way, are equally symbolic of a great lution containing the conditions for the fusion of the two organ­ rades associated with the Lee group that they are being led on a progressive step forward in the reorganization of the revolution­ izations. path of unprincipled clique politics which can only land them in ary vanguard on the tested foundations of Bolshevism. They sig­ the mire. It is possible to maintain and develop a revolutionary 4. Preliminary attempts of the Molinier group to engage nify at one and the same time the unification of the genuine and political grouping of serious importance only on the basis of great On the Greek Question the International Secretariat in a "general discussion" were re­ sincere adherents of the Fourth International and their organiza­ principles. The Fourth International alone embodies and repre­ pulsed by the demand for a precise statement of their attitude to tional separation from pretenders, sabotagers, and hidden enemies. sents these principles. It is possible for a national group to main­ On the basis of the December, 1937, resolution of the I.S. the Fourth International and to the decisions of its conferences The British and Greek groups came to the conference with tain a constant revolutionary course only if it is firmly con­ and its discipline. Thereupon the delegation of the P.C.I. handed and of previous resolutions concerning the movement of the unification programs drawn up with the assistance of the Inter­ nected in one organization with co-thinkers throughout the world in a formal letter asking admission and declaring readiness to ob­ Fourth International in Greece, the International Conference national Secretariat because they had a firm determination to be and maintains a constant political and theoretical collaboration serve discipline. states: enrolled under the banner of the Fourth International. Sneevliet with them. The Fourth International alone is such an organiza­ 5. The International Secretariat replied to this letter in a and Vereeken, who over too long a period of time utilized their tion. A ll purely national groupings, all those who reject inter­ 1. That the unification of the United Internationalist Com­ special resolution as follows: formal membership in the movement of the Fourth International national organization, control, and discipline, are in their essence munist Organization with the International Communist League is reactionary. to flout its principles, sabotage its discipline, and give aid and necessary because the divergences which at present separate these The X.S., having received the P.C.I.'a letter dated September comfort to its enemies, lacked the courage at the last moment 14, requesting its admission into the ranks of the Fourth Inter­ A ll adherents of the Fourth International in a single country two groups (the present situation in Greece, the question of even to appear at the International Conference. That is only be­ national, proposes that the question be solved in the following must be united in a single section of the Fourth International. Archiomarxism), while they require a serious discussion before w a y : cause they realized that the time had arrived for a showdown. Those who reject this elementary organizational rule of the Fourth They feared to give an account of their policies and actions be­ the international organization, do not justify continuing the (1) The members of the PjC.I. shall be immediately admitted International put themselves in the position of irresponsible split­ fore an international tribunal. separation. into the P.O.I. (French section of the Fourth International), ters and clique-fighters. without any delay. The world conference considers the unity agreement entered 2. The unification should be brought about on the basis of (2) The members of the P.C.I. shall receive adequate repre­ into between the three previously separated British groups as an The members of the Lee group are invited by the W orld sentation in the Central Committee and the Political Bu­ acceptance of the Transitional Program of the Fourth International, adequate basis for the development of the work of the united Conference to reconsider their decisions, to come into the unified reau of the P.O.I. before the Congress. and of its statutes. British organization in the ensuing period. It endorses the unity British Section and consequently into the Fourth International, (3) The basis for unification is provided by the decisions of the 3. The two groups shall fuse immediately, combining them­ International Conference, which are obligatory for all agreement and recognizes the organization based on it as the and to take their place in the common work, with fair representa­ only British section of the Fourth International. A ll Bolshevik- members of the Fourth International. tion in its leading bodies and without reprisals of any kind. The selves in a new organization under the name "Revolutionary So­ Leninists, all revolutionary workers in Great Britain who desire (4) The personal case of R. Molinier having been decided by Unified British Section is assured by the Conference of the full cialist Organization (Greek Section of the Fourth International).” the International Conference in 1936, decisions which have to be enrolled under the banner of the Fourth International, are not been changed or modified by the Conference of 1938, invited and urged to join the British Section— the Revolutionary support and collaboration of the international organization in its 4. The new organization w ill have a new newspaper under he remains completely outside the unified French section. Socialist League. historic revolutionary task. a new title. (5) As affiliated members of the P.O.I., the present members ( ( 5. A provisional leadership, on a basis of parity, shall be o f th e P jC.I. shall have full right to participation in the coming Convention of the P.O.I. and in the preparation formed, its composition to be sanctioned by the I.S. and discussions which precede it. at issue. A request was made by the P.C.I. delegation for official discussion.” Thereupon negotiations, which manifestly offered (6) The organizational details of the fusion should be arranged 6. Those members of the two groups who are abroad shall assurances regarding his possible future re-admission. This was no prospects of fruitful results, were broken off. It is clearer by the enlarged Central Committee of the P.O.I. (including categorically refused on the ground that the I.S. is without power constitute a commission whose role shall be to aid the Greek the representation of the present members of the P.C.I.), than ever that the whole question of the P.C.I. and the journal to alter a decision of the International Conference, and that the section politically and materially. under the control of the International Secretariat. "La Commune” has no political significance, but is purely and exclusion of R. Molinier is unconditional. (7) All other questions of political or organizational diverg­ 7. This commission, together with the leadership in Greece, ences should be solved within the framework of the unified simply the personal question of R. M olinier and his financial shall prepare, with the least possible delay, a convention o f the French section, in accordance with the normal rules which (American comrades of the I.S. delegation stated on their affairs. Now as before, the door of the Fourth International re­ apply therein. own responsibility that if R. Molinier loyally accepted the de­ mains open, with fu ll assurance of normal democratic rights, to new organization, preceded by a discussion before the interna­ (Resolution adopted by the I.S. at the session of cision in his case, withdrew himself from all participation, the rank and file members of the P.C.I. who are ready to accept tional organization. This convention will draw up the political Septem ber 16, 1938) directly or indirectly, in the affairs of the French Section and the resolutions and decisions of its international conference and line of the organization within the framework of the principles of 6. In the first formal meeting of the delegation of the I.S. made a radical change In his personal activities and conduct— accept discipline. The door is closed to R. Molinier. the Fourth International, and shall elect the new leadership on a with representatives of the P.C.I., the latter expressed fears of under these conditions they would personally support a future proportional basis. reprisals against their members in the unified French section. To re-examination of his personal case by the International organ­ provide assurances on this question the delegation of the I.S. ization and personally aid his eventual rehabilitation. It was 8. U ntil the National Convention, in case of divergences expressed in writing its readiness to add an eighth point to the emphasized by the American comrades that their declaration OTHER CONGRESS DOCUMENTS about what policy to support, the I.S. shall decide. resolution, as follows: expressed a personal sentiment which they would ordinarily Because of their length, it was Impossible to Include here 9. An International Bulletin on the Greek question shall display toward any comrade sincerely striving to rectify his other theses and resolutions of the World Congress Including (8) Once the resolution of the I.S. is accepted by the P.C.I., conduct, but that their declaration had and could have no the Thesis on the W ar In the Far East, Thesis on American be brought out by the Greek Commission abroad, with all the the I.S. declares itself opposed to the taking of disciplinary Imperialism, Resolution on the Situation in France and the measures against any comrade on the basis of past dis­ official character.) documents of both tendencies. Tasks of the P.O.I. (French section of the Fourth Internation­ putes. al), Resolution on the Youth Movement, and the Statutes of Trent, Legrand, Lebrun, Busson. tlie Fourth International. This resolution, presented by the representatives of the two Sept. 18, 1938. 8. The negotiations foundered on this point. The delegation These will all be Included In a pamphlet shortly to be Is­ organizations after a preliminary agreement between them, and 7. In the subsequent discussion it became perfectly clear that of the P.C.I. refused to give a categorical answer to the resolu­ sued containing all the documents of the World Congress. after the labors of the Greek Commission, was unanimously point 4 (the elimination of R. Molinier) was the only real point | tion of the I.S. and proposed merely to accept it as a "basis for adopted by the International Conference.