Session 32 – Tuesday, 5 Various Resolutions; Election of ECCI; Close of Congress

The Norwegian question. Resolution on the terror in Ire- land. Question of the Versailles Peace Treaty. Tactics of the Communist International. The Eastern question. Edu- cational work. France. Resolution on the Russian Revolu- tion. Election of the Executive Committee. Closing speech by Zinoviev. Speakers: Haakon Meyer, Connolly, Hoernle, Bor- diga, Clara Zetkin, Kolarov, Billings, Grün, Torp, Kolarov, Zinoviev Convened: 6:50 p.m. Chairperson: Neurath Haakon Meyer (Norway): The majority of the Nor- wegian delegation states that it is not happy with the proposed resolution. A number of its points do not reflect our views. In some cases, we believe that the Commission has handled specific matters in too abstract and schematic a fashion. This applies, for example, to the cases of Halvard Olsen and Karl Johanssen. As for the latter point, a proposal had been made by the entire delegation to formulate this differ- ently, but it was rejected by the Commission. In other cases, we believe that the resolution is insufficiently objective. That applies to the point concerning Mot Dag, which, in our opinion, is not a closed group, and also for Point 4 [of the resolution], which deserves criticism. 1094 • Session 32 – 5 December 1922

However, after thorough discussion of all the disputed questions in the Commission, we will not initiate further debate in the plenary, but, rather, state that the majority of the delegation will vote for the resolution. Chair: We will now take the vote on the resolution proposed by the Norwegian Commission. Is there anyone opposed to this resolution? Are there any abstentions? That is not the case. The resolution is adopted. Comrades, the American Commission has informed us that some points have not yet been fully clarified. For this reason, the materials must be forwarded to the session of the Expanded Executive. Let us register our agreement. Similar information has been received from the Polish and the Korean Commissions.1 We now come to a resolution concerning the murder of five national revo- lutionaries in Ireland. Comrade Connolly has the floor. Connolly (Ireland): Comrades, on behalf of the Irish Communist Party, I propose the following resolution.

Resolution on the Executions in Ireland The Fourth Congress of the Communist International vigorously protests the execution of five national revolutionaries by the on 25 November.2 It draws the attention of all the world’s workers and peasants to the bestial excesses of pervasive and vile terror in Ireland. Already, more than six thousand brave fighters against British imperialism have been thrown into prison and exposed to dreadful conditions. Many women have been compelled to go on hunger strike. Five months of struggle against the terror have produced examples of horrible atrocities, similar to those of the Black and Tans, the Fascists in Italy, or the thugs used by trusts in the United States. This has claimed 1,800 lives.

1. No resolutions on the United States, Poland, or Korea appeared after the congress in the Comintern’s central publications. However, a US resolution was adopted and is available in Spartacist: English Edition, 40 (Summer 1987), pp. 27–8. It is summarised in Palmer 2007, pp. 163–4. Its central conclusion was codified in a US convention resolution published in Inprecorr, 3, 17 (3 ), p. 317. The resolution on Korea, drafted by the Korean Commission and dated 29 December 1922, appears in Shirinia and Vada 2007, pp. 225–9. 2. The creation in of the Irish Free State, with restricted self-govern- ment, in the southern part of Ireland was followed by a year-long civil war between those who accepted the agreement with Britain partitioning the island and the revo- lutionary wing of the Irish republican movement.