LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY AN EDITO RIAL

Lessons of the New York Elections CHARLES KR U MBE 1N

Unicameral Legislature in Nebraska E. RlCHARDS

Woman's Place in the People's Front MARGARET COWL

Marxism-Leninism for Society and Science V. .J. JEROME

The Akron Municipal Elections .JAMES KELLER

For a Free, Happy, and Prosperous South FRANCIS FRANKLIN

ALEX BITTELMAN on L eninism nnd thr' PeojJle's Fmnt

LENIN MEMORIAL ISSUE

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THE EVE OF OCTOBER, by V. I. Lenin .05 STATE AND REVOLUTION, by V.I. Lenin. .10

LENIN AND SPAIN, by Et~rl Browder . .0 I A LETTER TO AMERICAN WORKERS, by V. I. Lenin .03 "LEFT-WING" COMMUNISM: AN INFANTILE DISORDER by V. I. Lenin . .25 LENIN SPEAKS TO THE YOUTH . .03 LENIN ON THE JEWISH QUESTION • .05 FOUNDATIONS OF LENINISM, by Joseph Stalin . .10

TROTSKYISM AGAINST WORLD PEACE, by Et~rl Browder .01

TROTSKY THE TRAITOR, by Alex Bittelmt~n .03 THE LENIN HERITAGE, by Joseph Stalin . .03 THE FOUNDATION OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL by V. I. Lenin • .10 THE NEW SOVIET CONSTITUTION, complete .10 LENIN, by Joseph Stalin . .10 HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 1.25 Edited by Gorky, Molotov, Voroshilov, Kirov, Zhdanov and Stalin •

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A MAGAZINE OF THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM-LENINISM PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE U.S.A. EDITORS: EARL BROWDER, ALEX BITTELMAN, Y. ]. JEROME

CONTENTS

Review of the Month A. B. 3

Lenin and Collective Security AN EDITORIAL 17

Lessons of the New York Elections CHARLES KRUMBEIN 29

The Akron Municipal Elections JAMES KELLER 40

Woman's Place in the People's Front MARGARET COWL 46

Unicameral Legislature in Nebraska E. RICHARDS • 54

For a Free, Happy and Prosperous South FRANCIS FRANKLIN 62

Marxism-Leninism for Society and Science V. J. JEROME 7.?

Book Reviews GRANVILLE HICKS HSIAO CHEN-KWAN 92

Entered as second class matter November 2, I927, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March :J, z879. Send checks, money orders and correspondence to THE CoMMUNIST, P. 0. Box z48, Sta. D (50 E. I]th St.), New York. Subscription rates: $2.00 a year; $z.oo for six months; foreign and Canada $2.50 a year. Single copies 20 cents. PRIJfTKD Ilf U.s.A. .... 209

V.I. V.I. LENIN LENIN

V. V. LENIN LENIN I. I. REVIEW OF THE MONTH

Lenin Memorial Days Are Here. The Bolshevik JiVay Versus the Social-Demo­ cratic Way. A Balance Sheet of History. Leninism and the People's Front. Our Tactics Serve Our Strategy. Big Business Demands Capitulation. Monopoly Sabotage Precipitates Entry Into New Economic Crisis. People's Ultimatum. Break Monopoly Sabotage and Save Masses From New Eco­ nomic Disaster. Political Strategy of Reaction and the Crisis. A New Reactionary Coalition and Its Program. Liberty League in Different Guise. Systems and Individuals. Timeliness of Communist Proposals. Labor and Farmer Get Together. A Significant Agreement. Build Farmers' Union. Small Farmer Must Become More Articulate. Soviet Elections Demonstrate Higher Type of Democracy. Camp of Peace Strengthened. Dewey Serves Trotsky and Trotsky Serves Hitler. Japanese Aggression and O'Connell's Resolution. Reminders on Recruiting Drive.

T ENIN memorial days are here. "Leninism grew up and assumed definite L It is fourteen years since Lenin form under the conditions of imperialism, at died-January 21, 1924. But Lenin's the time when the contradictions of capi­ talism had reached a most acute stage, when teachings are more alive than ever, the proletarian revolution had become an and the army of Leninism is growing· immediate practical question, when the. old day by day. period of preparation of the working class Leninism, said Stalin, is the Marx­ for the revolution had reached and grown ism of the imperialist era. This meant into a new period of direct onslaught against capitalism." • that Lenin rescued the revolutionary substance of Marxism from all op­ This is how Bolshevism was born. portunist distortions and dilutions at leading to victory over capitalism the the hands of the reactionary leaders of working class and its allies on one­ the Second (Socialist) International. sixth of the earth. This is how the Lenin brought Marxism back to life as class' struggle in all capitalist countries the scientific theory and practice of was given a fresh impetus and a new revolutionary socialism. This meant turn. And particularly since the vic­ further that Lenin continued and de­ tory of the great October Socialist veloped Marxism to explain the na­ Revolution in 1917, this is how the ture of the new period and to meet class-conscious workers of all capital­ the tasks which this period placed ist countries have been set consciouslv before the working class of all coun­ on the path of preparation for the tries Of this new period Stalin said: • Joseph Stalin, Foundation of Leninism, p. 11. International Publishers, New York. 4 THE COMMUNIST

"direct onslaught against capitalism." And what does it total up to? The It is a difficult path and by no means way of Lenin led to the triumph of a straight one. But it is the only one socialism and true democracy. The to the liberation from capitalism-to way of the reactionary leaders of So­ freedom, security and happiness. cial-Democracy led to fascism. Is there In the years immediately following any doubt about that today? None the first world imperialist war, the whatever. The collaboration of these toiling masses of the world were in reactionary leaders of Social-Democ­ a most advantageous position for a racy with the bourgeoisie paved the final and victorious struggle against way for fascism, made possible its vic­ capitalist and imperialist domination. tory, prepared the destruction of the Leninism pointed the way to victory. very bourgeois democracy in whose And victory it ·was in the former em­ name these leaders were suppressing pire of the tsar where the Party of the revolutionary movements of the Lenin and Stalin was leading · the proletariat. working class and with it-all toilers. Surely, the Lenin way was a difficult A victory which was finally crowned one and also a costly one. But what with the completion and triumph of about the cost to the masses of restor­ the socialist system, with the most ing post-war capitalism? What about genuine democracy and only real the cost of fascism? What about the freedom for the people as embodied in cost of the fascist wars against Spain the great Staliri Constitution. and China? And who has measured Had the working class of Germany, fully the cost of the crisis of 1929- Austria and Hungary been successful 1932? And the cost of a new economic in establishing firmly the power of crisis threatening us now? Finally, the the Soviets, which were set up in those cost of a new world war to which im­ countries in 1918 during the months perialism and fascism are driving­ of revolutionary upheaval, Europe to­ who has measured the cost of that to day would he socialist. But the reac­ the toiling masses? tionary leaders of Social-Democracy, The balance sheet of history speaks in whom the masses still had confi­ for itself. It speaks for the truth and dence, joined hands with the bour­ vitality of Leninism, for its eventual geoisie to save capitalism, to debauch triumph everywhere, for the greatness and suppress the revolutionary move­ of the genius of the man Lenin who ment of the masses. This was done by showed the masses the road to free­ means of "reforms," by false prom­ dom and happiness, for the greatness ises, by terroristic attacks upon the of the genius of the man Stalin who advanced sections of the working so wonderfully continues and develops class (remember: Noske and Severing), further the cause and teachings of by frightening the masses with the Lenin. "costliness" and "difficulties" of the It may not be apparent at first Leninist and Bolshevik way. glance how Leninism guides the Now, fourteen years after Lenin's struggle of the masses today against death, the peoples of the world have fascism and war, how the present-day before them a balance sheet of history. fight for the unity of the working class REVIEW OF THE MONTH 5 and for the People's Front bespeaks probed deeply into the fundamentals the vitality and truth of Leninism. of their position, but with results en­ That is why we must study Leninism tirely different from those arrived at and master Bolshevism. We must do by the Social-Democratic movement it for the sake of these very struggles from a re-evaluation of Social­ of today which prepare the basis for Democratic values. Not only did the final struggle of tomorrow. the Communists find the funda­ Only from the position of Lenin­ mentals of their position-Leninism- ism, with the help of its fundamental . valid and correct, but with the help teachings, was it possible to discover of these fundamentals they were able the correct and effective answer to to formulate an effective policy of the menace of fascism and war in the struggle against fascism, the united present world situation. This, too, is and People's Front, which almost al an historic fact. Faced with the com­ once was accepted and put to life by ing of fascism to power in several big large masses in France, Spain and capitalist countries, which the reac­ China with very great success, and tionary leaders of Social-Democracy which has been gaining adherence and helped to bring about, Social-Democ­ support from the masses of the peo­ racy as a whole was floundering and ples all over the world ever since. entered a deep and protracted crisis. The Seventh World Congress of the Some of its leaders openly capitulated CoiJ?.munist International produced a to fascism. Others were standing still, new tactical orientation out of which paralyzed, and marking time. In the followed the new way of struggle for body of the movement, among the the united front and the policy of the mass of the membership and amon3· People's Front. This meant the modi­ the functionaries, there began a deep fication or replacement of old forms process of re-evaluation of values with of struggle by new ones; the replace­ strong tendencies of development to­ ment of old forms of organization by ward united action with the Commu­ new ones, old slogans by new ones, nists. As a movement, therefore, So­ and a different way of combining these cial-Democracy proved totally unable new forms and method,.s of work and to present to the masses an effective struggle. Quite a change, as everyone answer to the situation created by the knows. And the more thorough and victory of fascism. coiTect the change, the more effective In glaring contrast to this stands our new tactical line is pmving to be Dimitroff's historic fight against fas­ in life. On this we have already ac­ cism at the Leipzig trial. There al­ cumulated most precious experiences. ready sounded the call of the out­ But it was a change in tactics dic­ standing Leninist for united struggle tated by serious changes in the world against fascism, a call which subse­ situation, some favorable, some un­ quently took the shape of the policy favorable, a change in tactics designed of the united and People's Front as to promote further the struggle for formulated by the Seventh Congress our correct revolutionary aims, our of the Communist International. At principles, our strategic objectives, for that Congress, the Communists, too, the aims and teachings of Leninism. 6 THE COMMUNIST

\IV orking class power and socialism alliance with all toilers, a situation -the dictatorship of the proletariat­ of transition to the socialist revolu­ is our fundamental revolutionary aim. tion will inevitably be created, as well For this aim we are fighting today as as a new approach to the establish­ consistently as ever. By education and ment of working class power. The by our participation in the daily rapidity with which this . transition struggles of the masses for their bet­ will be carried out will depend of terment, by influencing the character course upon the relationship of class and direction of these struggles, we forces nationally and internationally; seek to win the masses to the accept­ but the new approach will be there ance of this revolutionary aim. But just the same. we are doing it in a new way, by In fact, we can see these new ap­ means of our l'lew tactical line. We proaches, rich in variety of form are doing it by mobilizing the masses emerging, if only in embryo, in all in the united and People's Front places where the united and People's against fascism and war. This is how Front against fascism is making signi­ the masses learn today, on the basis ficant advances. Even in the United of their own experience, the need of States, it is already possible to see revolutionary change and of the dic­ that the further consolidation of the tatorship of the proletariat. forces of the People's Front and the In the struggle for our new tact~cal unity of the working class, and the vic­ line, and in the undoubted successes tory of the people over the camp of which this struggle is registering, we reaction and fascism, will create new are of course learning ~ lot of new and most significant approaches to the things. It would be too bad, if we eventual establishment of working did not1 For example, life has already class power and socialism. shown that the successful struggle There is, of course, nothing in this against fascism through the united that is inconsistent with Leninism. and People's Front creates various Quite the contrary. It was precisely new approaches to the eventual strug­ Lenin and Stalin who taught us the gle for the dictatorship of the pro­ truth that the Communist Party will letariat. Spain is one of the best lead the masses to the struggle tor the examples. The victory of the Spanish dictatorship of the proletariat only on people over fascism, foreign and na­ the basis of their own experience>, tive, will no doubt mark the emer­ proceeding from the lessons and logi<­ gence of a new kind of democratic of these experiences. And this touches republic, one in which there will be the very heart of our tactical prob­ no room for fascism, in which the eco­ lems: to lead the working class and its nomic roots of fascism (reactionary allies in such a way as to bring them landlordism and fascist-minded mo­ to the concrete approaches to the nopoly capitalism) will be thoroughly struggle for power. Our present tacti­ undermined and eliminated. And cal orientation, the united· and Peo­ since this change is bound to be ac­ ple's Front against fascism and war, companied by the strengthening of has solved correctly and successfull} the role of the working class and its this central problem. In fact, this was REVIEW OF THE MONTH 7 precisely how the Seventh World Con­ IG business wants the people to gress, and Comrade Dimitroff, had B capitulate. Far from showing any posed the problem from the begin­ sort .of disposition to meet the Presi­ ning. And in doing so, they proceeded dent's advances even a fraction pf the from this fundamental of Leninism, way, the reactionary monopolies, the that: inspirers of fascism in this country, insist upon a complete "free hand" to " ... the transition from capitalism to com­ do as they please and the devil take munism cannot of course fail to produce a the rest. Is this an exaggerated state­ tremendous. wealth and variety of political ment? Not at all. Read "The Plat­ forms, but their substance will inevitably form for American Industry for be one-the dictatorship of the proletariat." 1938" adopted unanimously by the (Lenin.) National Association of Manufactur­ ers at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, This is how we are fighting today New York, on December 8. Du Pont for our final :revolutionary aims with and Weir had a strong hand in draft­ a new tactical line. ing it. The platform proceeds from Similarly with our strategic objec­ the following: tives. Chief among them are the estab­ lishment of the unity of the working "What this country needs is business con­ fidence. Business will move forward-pro­ class and the building up of its alli­ ducing more goods, and therefore more jobs­ ance with the toiling farmers and if it is permitted to face the future with only, middle classes of the cities, with the the natural hazards of legitimate private proletariat leading in this alliance. competition." These strategic objectives are being It sounds like an ultimatum and is proven more correct every day. Only no doubt intended as such. It means we have been fighting for them, since that the monopolies will continue to the Seventh World Congress, in a new sabotage and make worse a bad eco­ way, with a new tactical line-the new nomic situation if the government will way of struggle for the united front, not capitulate and if the people do for one political party of the prole­ not give up their mandate of 1936. tariat, and for the People's Front. And Read the above quotation carefully. life itself has already shown that this Its brazen arrogance can hardly be new tactical line promotes most ef­ duplicated. It says in so many words fectively our strategic objectives. that the only "restraint" big business This is how Leninism lives in our is willing to tolerate is the one which struggles of today. This is how Lenin­ their own system imposes upon them ism guides our daily struggles against -"the natural hazards of legitimate fascism and war, against capitalism private competition." If this means, and imperialism, for the dictatorship as it does, starvation, insecurity, un­ of the proletariat and socialism. With employment, disease, oppression, ter­ Stalin we can say confidently that ror and murder, for the American "our tactics are part of our strategy, people-this is okay with the monop­ subordinate and subservient to it." olies; nobody m~st interfere with • • • that; nobody must seek to put any 8 THE COMMUNIST restraints upon it; because, if you do, in the hope that this will mollify the big business "loses confidence" and sabotagers and induce them to desist then there are no production and no from aggravating the economic situa­ jobs. tion. Also, as a believer in capitalism, This, mind you, is no academic dis­ the President is naturally inclined to cussion. Big business seeks to drive give "private enterprise" all the bene­ home its point by economic sabotage fits of doubt. and political reaction. It seized upon But what happened? Big business the fact that a new economic crisis continued to sabotage. Word went was maturing but whose outbreak down from Wall Street to the small might have been delayed for a year town bankers and businessmen that or so, and began to aggravate all exist­ the President's housing plan was not ing tendencies , of business recession, enough to re-establish "confidence." thus bringing nearer the outbreak of Result? Nearly everywhere local bank­ the crisis. And because the people ers are discouraging the people from were not united enough behind their making use of the plan. Meanwhile own program of struggle against the the economic situation worsens, bring­ reactionary monopolies, and because ing the country to the opening of a the government failed drastically to new economic crisis. call a halt to the criminal doings of We let Kennedy speak again: the reactionary sabotagers (sweeping "There is nothing the President can do to curtailments of production and mass help matters, so long as some of the business­ lay-offs), the du Ponts and Girdlers men in this country are determined to believe are actually succeeding in turning the that nothing the President does will be business recession into the opening of beneficial. The reaction to the housing plan a new economic crisis. is an example. It's a good plan. It ought to work and it's the kind of plan that should Joseph P. Kennedy is no particular please business. But instead of taking it for enemy of the monopolies. On the con­ what it is, business men are continually trary, he is quite friendly to them and pointing to its defects." (Ibid.) is therefore one of the President's con­ Note the way Kennedy describes the tact men with big business. And even sabotage of big business against the Kennedy had to tell big business to: President's housing plan. This is im­ "Begin to show some sense in your deal­ portant. As to his assertion that the ings with the administration, or expect a government can do nothing without national economic disaster which will be big business, this is all moonshine. worse for you than anyone else." (New York Times, December 14.) Taking the question of housing alone, the government can and should imme­ The President's housing plan is a diately go ahead and initiate work on substantial concession to big business. the plan without and against big It is undisputable that the govern­ business. Plans for that have been ment can carry out the housing pro­ prepared by labor and other progres­ gram, more cheaply and better for the sive groups long ago. And just recent­ people in all respects, without big ly, Philip Murray, chairman of the business. Yet the President chose to C.I.O. steel union, proposed a plan bring big business into it presumably to the government whereby the social REVIEW OF THE MONTH 9

security funds could be borrowed for and upon Roosevelt's New Deal. a most extensive housing program Upon this we commented in these that this country has ever seen. columns last May. It is important to The time for temporizing with the add now that these reactionary specu­ reactionary monopolies (if ever there lations are being put into effect by was such a time), the time for trying the monopolies and, so far, with some to coddle them and mollify them, has success. passed. It is precisely these attempts Congress continues to be paralyzed at mollification that enabled the mo­ by the bi-partisan tools of reaction nopolies to precipitate the bad eco­ within it. Furthermore, at this writ­ nomic developments. The country is ing, fresh efforts are being made by entering the first phase of a new eco­ the monopolies to widen and con­ nomic crisis, and the situation there­ solidate the bi-partisan reactionary fore demands the immediate applica­ combination in Congress, not on one tion of drastic measures to protect the issue alone, as in the case of the Su­ people from the effects of a new eco­ preme Court, but on an entire plat­ nomic disaster. The immediate and form. We can do not better by way emergency program made public by of comment than to quote lengthily the Communist Party in October from an Associated Press dispatch of meets the situation. The trade unions, December 16: the toiling farmers, the Workers·Alli­ " ... Several senators disclose they had been ance and many mid~le class groups urged to sign a public statement advocating and also the National Negro Con­ a ten-point program to stop the business re gress-the people, in short-have al­ cession. ready made known their demands and "The steps suggested were revision of busi­ program. What is acutely lacking is ness taxes, approach towards a balanced organized and united action by the budget, 'just relations between capital and labor,' reliance on profitable investment ot forces of the people in support of private savings, recognition of the profit their demands. Unity of action be­ motive and superiority of the competitive tween the C.I.O. and A. F. of L., unity system, assurance of the safety of collateral, of action between the working class reduction in the general tax burden, main­ and all other toiling classes and pro­ tenance of states' rights, economical and non­ political distribution of relief, and preserva­ gressive groups-this is the imperative tion of the American system of private enter­ mandate of the moment. prise. And remember the slogan: "No one would claim authorship of the Break the sabotage of the mo­ document. Some legislators reported it had nopolies and save the people from a been prepared by a small group including new economic disaster! Senators Vandenberg, Bailey, Byrd and Gerry."

• • • Do you recognize it as the platform EACTION began speculating ·au­ of the Liberty League? Then you are R dibly as early as last spring on making no mistake: it is that and also how to exploit the difficulties of the 1938 platform of the National As­ recovery and the maturing crisis for sociation of Manufacturers on which a fresh onslaught upon the people we commented in the foregoing. 10 THE COMMUNIST

You can see here the working out of the New Deal. In other words, the the political strategy of the reaction­ trouble is the American people. The ary monopolies. Exploiting the open­ President also claims that the system ing economic crisis, which their own is sound (although he should have sabotage has precipitated as the main learned by this time to know better); issue, the fascist pirates of big busi- · the trouble, he says, are some individ­ ness are seeking . to knock together ual big business men. This too holds and consolidate a reactionary coali­ little water, for these "individual big tion in Congress, and in the country business men" happen to be the at large, on a rounded-out program masters of the nation's economy by taken from the Liberty League and virtue of which they are holding the from the Manufacturers Association, people by the throat. And they are blaming Roosevelt's New Deal and masters of the nation's economy by labor for the crisis, for the following virtue of the fact that they own and two main purposes: to blackmail the control all the basic industries and present special session of Congress as the banking system. They do this be­ well as the next regular one assem­ cause the system is capitalism, capi­ bling in January and, second, to lay talism in its most advanced and last the basis for a comeback to power in stage-monopoly capitalism, imperial­ the Congressional elections of zg38 ism. by means of such a reactionary coali­ That is why, following Lenin and tion; this as a stepping stone to the Stalin, we say: the system is rotten, presidential elections of 1940. it is decaying add poisoning the life In the light of these developments, of the people, it is producing fascism the message to the American people and war, it is producing crises and that came out of the November meet­ economic catastrophes, its only real ing of the Political Bureau of the beneficiaries are the monopolies and Communist Party (see Browder's re­ big business. And we say further: the port•) is more than timely. Its pro­ monopolies and big business are by posals for the more rapid consolida­ their very nature sabotagers of the na­ tion of the forces of the People's tion's economy and inspirers of, po­ Front around the Roosevelt-labor al­ litical reaction and, in the course of liance and for the unity of the work­ the last several months, they have pur­ ing class-the realization of these posefully and deliberately worsened proposals is becoming daily more the economic situation, precipitating acutely. urgent. the opening of a maturing crisis in At the same time, there are some order to break labor and the New points that need clearing up in the Deal and come back to power. awful mess that monopoly capital is When therefore the National City making at the present economic situa­ Bank tells us piously that "it is mani­ tion. Big business and its apologists festly incorrect to blame any individ­ say that their system-capitalism-is ual for the situation" (December Bul­ sound; the only trouble is labor and letin), we say: gentlemen, you are lying. The blame lies squarely upon ~ The Communist, December, 1937.-The JI;dztors. the du Ponts, Morgans, Rockefellers, REVIEW OF THE MONTH 11

Girdkrs, Fords and the rest of the significant development is the agree­ noble company. It is their system. It ment for common action arrived at is their criminal doings. among the following three organiza­ When the National Association of tions-the National Farmers' Union, Manufacturers puts a pistol to the the Agricultural and Cannery Work­ head of the American people demand­ ers Union (C.T.O. affiliate) and La­ ing unrestrained rule by the monop­ bor's Non-Partisan League. olies in the economy and politics of The agreement, consummated at the nation or else "no production and conferences in St. Paul and announced no jobs," we say: gentlemen, you are from Washington by Labor's Non­ playing with fire because this is 1937 Partisan League, rests upon the fol­ and not 1929. The American people lowing general understanding: are already demanding both a strug­ "The undersigned representatives of or­ gle against the monopolies, a more ganized labor and otganized agriculture rec­ intensive struggle than heretofore, ognize that labor and farmers have a definite and production, and jobs, and secur­ community of interest with agreement that ity, and stabilized incomes for the we stand on common ground in the follow­ farmers and all toilers, and democracy ing respects: "1. Labor and farmers compose the great and more democracy, and peace-a exploited mass of producers and consumers; struggle "to quarantine" the fascist "2. We can establish our rightful position war-makers. The American people are in society only by unity of action; getting ready to present to the mo­ "3. V\'e can preserve our right of the eco­ nopolies their ultimatum, the people's nomic choice only by common action as op­ posed to those who seek ultimatum, and this ultimatum to deprive us of our to the present liberties; monopolies says: you will either carry "4. \Ve are opposed by the same groups. on under conditions that give us some We are seeking the same social and eco­ protection or else the government will nomic objectives and we are committed to and we will see to it that it does. the same methods of achieving our common aims.'' Such an ultimatum to big business is now maturing in the minds and From this basis, the agreement pro­ hearts of the overwhelming majority vides for a number of specific actions, of our people. We must make it such as the setting up of joint commit­ articulate. We must help organize it. tees for political action in the state And for this, once again: hasten the and national capitals, exploration of consummation of trade union unity, methods for developing consumer extend the field of common actions cooperatives, the holding of state and between the unions of the C.LO. and nat.ional conferences to plan joint ac­ the A. F. of L., consolidate rapidly tion for the promotion of a legislative the forces of the People's Front around program in connection with the 1938 the Roosevelt-labor alliance. Congressional elections. The agree­ ment is signed by John Vesecky for the Farmers' Union, Donald Hender­ T ABOR and farmer collaboration 1s son for the Agricultural Workers L making distinct progress. The Union and E. L. Oliver for Labor's most recent expression of this very Non-Partisan League.

and and confidence confidence the the Farmers' Farmers' Union Union connection, connection, the the need need is is especially especially great great

"bottom "bottom one-third" one-third" whose whose support support ganization ganization among among them. them. And And in in this this

vention vention of of the the special special needs needs of of the the farmers farmers and and of of strengthening strengthening its its or­

consciousness consciousness on on the the part part of of the the con­ ening ening out out its its base base among among the the toiling toiling

demonstrated. demonstrated. the the masses masses a a greater greater to to Farmers' Farmers' Union Union is is in in need need of of broad­

Farmers' Farmers' Union. Union. would would also also have have It It zation zation as as well well as as its its leadership. leadership. The The

more more effective effective in in the the building building of of the the one one for for the the membership membership of of the the organi­

would would have have been been much much stronger stronger and and ·Farmers' ·Farmers' Union. Union. This This is is task task number number

to to give give effect effect these these principles, principles, it it campaign campaign for for to to the the building building up up of of the the

fundamentals fundamentals of of the the specific specific measures measures touch touch especially especially on on the the organizing organizing

ciples, ciples, the the program program had had embodied embodied the the strength strength and and backing. backing. Here Here we we shall shall

But, But, if if on on the the basis basis of of these these prin­ will will give give the the agreement agreement the the necessary necessary

at at the the bottom, bottom, among among the the masses. masses. This This

lief." lief."

strengthening strengthening of of these these organizations organizations

utilization, utilization, rehabilitation rehabilitation and and emergency emergency re­

the the agreement-the agreement-the building building up up and and farm farm tenancy, tenancy, to: to: debt debt adjustment, adjustment, land land

third third of of our our farmers farmers with with particular particular reference reference three three organizations organizations that that are are party party to to

gram gram

to to meet meet

the the needs needs

of of the the bottom bottom one­

most most intensive intensive building building up up of of the the

·· ·· ...... expansion expansion of of the the Farm Farm Security Security Pro­

What What is is necessary necessary in in addition addition is is the the

most most possible possible speed. speed. for for the-

ment ment be be put put into into effect effect with with the the ut­ mands mands of of the the small small farmers. farmers. calls calls It It

the the specific specific provisions provisions of of this this agree­ main main principles principles underlying underlying the the de­

One One can can only only express express the the wish wish that that pers. pers. The The program program does does outline outline the the

to to bring bring about about the the present present agreement. agreement. of of the the small small farmers farmers and and sharecrop­

bor's bor's Non-Partisan Non-Partisan League, League, combined combined more more detail detail on on the the specific specific demand' demand'

gether gether with with the the effective effective work work of of La­ bottom bottom one-third," one-third," if if it it went went into into

of of the the Farmers' Farmers' Union-all Union-all this, this, to­ the the organization organization of of what what it it calls calls "the "the

registered registered by by the the recent recent convention convention a a much much more more effective effective instrument instrument for for

and and the the support support for for such such collaboration collaboration tion tion of of the the Farmers' Farmers' Union Union would would be be

cultural cultural and and Cannery Cannery Workers Workers Union Union program program adopted adopted by by the the last last conven­

by by the the first first convention convention of of the the Agri­ Considered Considered from from this this angle, angle, the the

labor-farmer labor-farmer collaboration collaboration carried carried out out tion tion with with labor~ labor~

ers, ers, the the important important pioneering pioneering work work for for middle middle farmers farmers and and their their collabora­

ing ing the the demands demands of of the the toiling toiling farm­ cementing cementing the the union union of of the the small small and and

C.I.O. C.I.O. national national conference conference support­ for for the the purpose purpose of of building building up up and and

Given Given this this basis, basis, the the action action of of the the the the middle middle farmers. farmers. Not Not at at all. all. But But

a a solid solid foundation foundation of of mass mass support. support. course, course, to to the the exclusion exclusion or or neglect neglect of of

tion. tion. Thus Thus the the agreement agreement rests rests upon upon for for this this particular particular section. section. Not, Not, of of

and and toiling toiling farmers farmers for for common common ac­ Concentration Concentration therefore therefore is is required required

rent rent among among the the masses masses of of workers workers articulate articulate and and the the least least organized. organized.

primarily primarily because because of of the the strong strong cur­ working working class, class, is is thus thus far far the the least least

that that this this agreement agreement became became possible possible section section of of the the farmers, farmers, closest closest to to the the

as as of of first first rate rate importance. importance. It It is is clear clear er, er, as as well well as as the the sharecroppers. sharecroppers. This This

consequences consequences and and should should be be greeted greeted small small farmer farmer whether whether tenant tenant or or own­

est est agreement agreement will will have have far-reaching far-reaching poorer poorer sections sections of of the the farmers, farmers, thr thr

The The realization realization in in life life of of this this mod­ for for reaching reaching and and organizing organizing the the

THE THE COMMUNIST COMMUNIST 12 12 REVIEW OF THE MONTH must have in order to fulfil its impor­ • • • tant mission. It is clear that one of the first . tasks of the national board HE peoples of the Soviet Union of the Farmers' Union is to supple­ T have just concluded the first elec­ ment the general program, and in ac­ tions on the basis of the Stalin Con­ cord with it, with a statement of speci­ stitution-the most democratic elec­ fic measures in the interests of the tions ever held anywhere at any time. small farmers and sharecroppers. The results are truly epoch-making. This needs a bit of emphasis. For it 96.5 per cent of all registered voters is well known that the New Deal (in­ took part in the elections-90,319,346 cluding Secretary Wallace) concerns persons out of 93,639·478. In other itself primarily with the farmer-capi­ words, almost the entire adult nation talist, only secondarily with the mid­ went to the polls to register its choice dle farmer, and as to the small farmer for deputies. But the voters-the peo­ and sharecropper-this group is not ple-did more than that. They have only ignored as a rule but very often demonstrated in no uncertain terms sacrificed. Reaction and its agents their devotion to the socialist system (Coughlin, for example), have already which made them secure and happy, tried to exploit this fact for fascist to the Soviet form of government purposes. which made socialism and democracy From this it does not follow that possible, to the leadership of the Com­ the Farmers' Union should not col­ munist Party and to Comrade Stalin laborate with the New Deal and Sec­ who led them to victory through all retary Wallace. But it does follow difficulties and dangers. that the Farmers' Union especially To us, in the capitalist world, this should, in its collaboration with the is a most encouraging and heartening New Deal, press for a different class demonstration. Not only to Commu­ orientation. First come the small nists who, of course, take special pride farmer and sharecropper who work in the achievement of their brother and struggle shoulder to shoulder Party, who find in this achievement with the middle farmer, and only sec­ fresh proof of the correctness of their ondarily comes the well-to-do farmer; Leninist program; but to all who and by no means should concessions cherish and fight for progress, who to the farmer-capitalist be made at can dream of a new and liberated the expense of the small and middle humanity, who hate fascism and want farmers. The group to pay for such to preserve peace and democracy in concessions are the monopolies and ·the rich. the world-to all these the results of the Soviet elections will be a clarion The collaboration with labor, which call to greater exertions and more self­ the agreement provides for, will en­ sacrificing struggles for these ideals. able the Farmers' Union to fight suc­ cessfully for such a class orientation, And, in the first place, in support to make the sniall farmer more articu­ of the peace policies of the Soviet late politically, to make his demands Union whose peoples have just dem­ heard, listened to, and realized. onstrated such unbreakable unity and THE COMMUNIST

- determination to stand behind and Forward, therefore, to the People's support their government in the strug­ Front and, through it, on the road to gle for peace through collective secur­ genuine socialist democracy! ity. And, secondly, in support of the Another thing demonstrated afresh Spanish republic and of the Chinese in the elections is this: that the people. The camp of peace, progress Trotsky-Bukharin outfit is what we and democracy has become immeas­ said it was-a fascist crew for wrecking urably strengthened by the result of and espionage. Not a semblance of the Soviet elections. support among the Soviet people, for­ A new type of democratic elections, eign and alien to its life and inter­ a higher type, this is what we have ests, a corrupt and degenerate band just seen in operation. With no of spies, wreckers and assassins in the antagonistic and fighting classes, and service of the fascist government­ therefore without competing and Dewey's so-called report, notwith­ fighting parties, the results of the So­ standing. viet elections were determined by a And, by the way, about this "re­ new kind of electoral alliance, a bloc port." It is a huge joke but not an of Communists and non-Communists, innocent one. Every informed person a bloc which embraced all the active knew right along that the so-called and creative forces in Soviet life and Mexican investigation was planned as which secured the endorsement of a whitewash for Trotsky's crimes to virtually all the Soviet peoples. begin with. When the Dewey com­ Let fascism or, for that matter, any mission assembled in Mexico, Trotsky bourgeois democracy, demonstrate the and his lawyer (a known Trotskyite) same thing. They wouldn't, of at once took charge of the proceed­ course, because they couldn't. Such ings, dominating every move, with the a bloc, a united People's Front of so-called , "Commission" (excepting Communists and non-Communists Beals who resigned) sitting in awe which embraces practically the entire and admiration and swallowing every­ nation, cheerfully and happily follow­ thing presented by Trotsky. ing the leadership of the Communist It was evident already then that Party, is possible only in a socialist Dewey was no more than a fifth wheel country governed by true and genuine to the Trotsky wagon; or a show win­ democracy. And this we find reflected dow (and not a very attractive one) in the composition of the elected behind which fascist spies and wreck­ dep.uties. Out of 1,143 elected depu­ ers were carrying on their nefarious ties, according to press reports, 855 business. It might have been assumed are members of the Communist Party then that the show window did not and 288 are non-Party people. Among know what was going on behind its the deputies are 184 women. back. Now, however, such an assump­ True democracy, like socialism, is tion would be no longer valid. It must no dream., It is a reality in the Soviet be assumed, on the contrary, that Socialist Union. It is possible every­ Dewey knows what he is doing. And where by the abolition of capitalism what he is doing places him in the and the establishment of socialism. camp of the Trotskyite fascist gang- REVIEW OF THE MONTH

sters. Through his mouth flows poi­ the "incident," advising calm and de­ sonous hatred of the Soviet peoples, liberation, and obscuring the very of their socialist achievements, of all grave issues involved. To them it is progressive forces all over the world just "an incident" to be liquidated by that stand with the Soviet Union in the regular diplomatic procedure. But its struggle for peace, democracy and the truth is that this incident, grave a~ progress. it is, is only an indication of an entire The Soviet Union, we assume, will situation provoked by fascist aggres­ be very little concerned with what sion, endangering the peace of the Dewey says or does. But ~e, in Amer­ world. This "incident" shows, further­ ica, will have to take pains to make it more, that the peace of the United clear that this man Dewey, who never States and of the world is endangered could work up enough indignation not only by fascist aggression but also against the people's oppressors to step by the failure of the bourgeois demo­ forth actively and with a bit of self­ cratic governments to accept the pol­ sacrifice to champion the rights of the icy of the Soviet Union for collective American workers, farmers and mid­ security. dle classes, who was never known to The position of our own country is have expressed in a convincing way untenable. On the one hand, we his devotion (if he had any) to the have the "Neutrality Act" which is cause of progress and democracy, that encouraging and helping Japan, this man Dewey has now consented which denies the Chinese people the to become the instrument of Trotsky, help they need to defeat the Japanese the fascist agent. No honest person aggressors. On the other hand, we will want to have anything to do with have President Roosevelt's Chicago this man Dewey. speech which calls for concerted ac­ tion to "quarantine the aggressor." • • • Is it not dear that both cannot be ap­ HAT is the answer-the peace an­ plied at the same time, that one ne­ W swer-to the Japanese bombard­ gates the other, that it is absolutely ment of American ships in Chinese imperative at least to revise the waters and the machine-gunning of "Neutrality Act" in such a way as to the survivors of the Panay? It is the begin to give effect to the President's application of the President's Chicago Chicago speech? Is it not clear, fur­ speech. It is the immediate applica­ thermore, that this is the only way tion of such measures as will "quaran­ of meeting Japanese aggression? tine the aggressor." The joint Con­ O'Connell's joint resolution pro­ gressional resolution introduced by poses to do that, and all possible sup­ Representative Jerry J. O'Connell of port must be rallied behind this Montana as an amendment to the resolution. "Neutrality Act" will serve effectively That resolution will not fully meet this purpose of peace. the situation, but it will mark an It is significant that the reactionary important step in the right direction. circles of the country, the jingoes and At the same time the peace forces of fascist sympathizers, are pooh-poohing the country, especially the "League 16 THE COMMUNIST

of Democracy and Peace," must in­ strict check-up of activities, major em­ tensify the work for direct support phasis on recruiting in the industries, and assistance to the Chinese people special attention to recruiting from and to the Spanish Republic. This is national groups, more extensive util­ the most urgent and burning task of ization for educational activities of the moment in the struggle for peace. the Daily Worker and of The Com­ munist, a 100 per cent re-registration of our membership with special em­ usT a reminder to the Party or­ phasis on the increase of the propor­ Jganizations that the recruiting tion of dues payments. drive must be intensified, including The special national recruiting the raising of the proportion of dues drive will come to a close in each payments and more effective assimila­ district with the Lenin Memorial tion of the new members. meetings. The National Party Build­ The Political Bureau proposes ers Delegates Congress will take place close and systematic review of the on February 17, 18, 19 and 20. drive by each Party organization, . A. B. LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY

AN EDITORIAL

HE Lenin Memorial Days this isolationism are rapidly gtvmg way T year come in an atmosphere among the people. Their demand for charged with war. The "peace-times" meeting the situation practically in of capitalism are proving to be noth­ the interests of world peace is the ing but diminishing armistices. Close burning issue of the hour. upon the ravagings of Manchuria, LENIN'S TEACHING ON PEACE AND Jehol, and Ethiopia, new wars of in­ THE SITUATION TODAY vasion are raging in Spain and China, conflagrations that threaten to en­ How shall the fight for peace be velop the whole world. The reper­ waged? How shall the vanguard of cussions here of the sinking of the U.S. the workers, the Party of Lenin-Stalin, gunboat Panay and three Standard advance at this time the program of Vacuum Oil boats; Britain's prepara­ struggle against the war-makers? tions to send units of her Mediter­ Lenin taught, first and foremost, in ranean fleet to Chinese waters; the relation to war, that it is necessary to tension in Britain, France and the approach the problem concretely. In United States in regard to Japan's im­ a lecture delivereo in May, 1917, he minent encroachment upon India, stated: Indo-China, Indonesia, and the Phil­ "We Marxists do not belong to the camp ippine Island; the tension in regard to of unconditional opposition to all wars. We Mussolini's declared program of ex­ say: ·our aim is the attainment of a socialist pansion in the Mediterranean and organization of society, which will do away Mrica, in regard to Nazism's continen­ with the division of hum.anity into classes, tal penetration, .its pressure for co­ will do away with all exploitation of man by man, of one nation by another, and will lonial restitution, and its alarming inevitably do away with all possibilities of penetration of the Western Hemis­ war in general.... There are wars and wars. phere, evidenced most patently in the It is necessary to examine from what his­ foisting of a fascist dictatorship upon torical conditions a given war arises, which the. Brazilian people; and, finally, the classes lead it, and for what objectives. Without determining that, all our discourse sharpening provocations of the J apa­ on war becomes completely empty, purely nese militarists and the Nazis against verbal and fruitless discussion." • the Soviet Union-signalize the gravity of the hour. As with every basic, strategic prin- With rising consciousness of this • Collected Works, Vol. XXX, Russian gravity, the illusions of neutrality and edition. 18 THE COMMUNIST ciple, Lenin's teaching on peace re­ tarian revolution, on November 8, news itself constantly in life, reaffirm­ 1917, the newly established workers' ing, remanifesting its validity through and peasants' government adopted its each new, changing tactic that it en­ famous Decree on Peace, submitted by genders, dialectically, for concrete ap­ Lenin, calling "upon all the belliger­ plication in accordance with the align­ ent nations and their governments to ment of social forces at a given historic start immediate negotiations for a moment. just, democratic peace," which it de· Let us note the concrete conditions, fined as an immediate peace without the new factors that have developed annexations and indemnities. in the years following the World War. Further making clear the just, dem­ ocratic basis upon . which the Soviet THE SOVIET UNION-FORTRESS OF PEACE government was proposing an immedi­ In the first place, the existence of ate armistice, the document declared: . the workers' socialist state, the father­ land of all exploited and oppressed "The government considers it the greatest -the Soviet Union, whose coming crime against humanity to continue this war into being was the birth of a new for the purpose of dividing up among the world, the beginning of the struggle strong and rich nations the feeble nationali· ties they have conquered, and solemnly an· of two worlds. The establishment of nounces its determination immediately to the dictatorship of the proletariat, the sign terms of peace to stop this war on the maintenance of Soviet power, for conditions indicated, which are equally just twenty years, and the victorious in­ for all nationalities without exception." auguration of the socialist society­ in the midst of an encircling world of Consistently and indefatigably­ capitalism-are history's confirmation against all the blockades, provoca­ that this is at once the epoch of decay­ tions, plottings, sabotage, and inter­ ing capitalism and the epoch of pro­ ventions-the Soviet peace policy, letarian revolutions and of socialist symbolizing the indestructible power ascendancy. of a united people, has prevailed, in The kernel of the foreign policy of the interests of the peoples of the en­ the Soviet Union-an organic requisite tire world. It is only thanks to the of its socialist economy-is the pur­ alliances for non-aggression and mu­ pose of peace. The proletariat uses tual assistance that the Soviet govern­ the revolutionary power of its dic­ ment has established with powers and tatorship both for the building of the weaker nations against the fascists, socialist society and for the defense thanks to the international, mass senti­ of world peace everywhere-indivisible ment which it has rallied around its peace. Of all great powers, alone non­ peace policy, that mankind is not en­ imperialist, born through the demoli­ gulfed today in another world~ war. tion of an empire, the Soviet state Outer Mongolia today is not a Man­ rose from the first a veritable fortress chukuo-only because of the. support of peace. It battled its way into being it finds in the Soviet peace policy, with the slogan: Peace! Bread! Land! enunciated so magnificently by Com­ On the very morrow of the prole- rade Stalin: LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY

"Our foreign policy is clear. It is a policy FASCISM IS WAR of preserving peace and strengthening com­ mercial relations with all countries. The A second new factor present in the U.S.S.R. does not think of threatening any­ the advent of fas­ body-let alone attacking anybody. We stand situation today is for peace and champion the cause of peace. cism, which, due to the reformist and But we are not afraid of the threats and are splitting tactics of Social-Democracy, prepared to answer blow for blow against has gained victories in a number of the instigators of war. Those who want peace great and lesser bourgeois states, and and are striving for business intercourse with is pushing its offensive throughout the us will always receive our support. And those who try to attack our country-will receive capitalist world. With a gangster a stunning rebuff to teach them not to poke ferocity unknown before in history, their pig's snout into our Soviet garden it is attempting to foist its power again." upon new lands. Driven on by the desperation of acute domestic insta­ The Soviet Union's consistent, gen­ bility, it makes its encroachments erous solidarity with the epic strug­ with armies of penetration and of gles for democracy have made the open invasion upon the soil of words Lenin, Stalin, and Soviet weaker nations. Banditti, outside of dear to the heart of every Span­ the pale of any form of civiliza­ ish man, woman and child, fighting tion, the fascist marauders violate. the for independence and the democracy integrity of other lands, rain death of their land; dear to the hearts of from planes on civilians and hospitals, scores of millions of Chinese peasants, butcher captive populations, devastate workers, and intellectuals joined in towns and countryside, without even armed resistance to Japanese aggres­ the formality of a declaration of war! sion and for the achievement of an Fascism is war; the war incendiaries independent, free, and happy Chinese today are Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, republic. The Soviet principle of in­ and the fascist-militarists of Japan. divisible peace and isolation of the These are the principal instigators of aggressor through collective security, war and the spearhead of the attack of boldly enunciated over a long period world reaction upon the Soviet Union, of time at the League of Nations and as they have officially proclaimed every international diplomatic con­ themselves in their infamous "Anti­ ference in which the U.S.S.R. partici­ Comintern" Pact. pated, is being adopted increasingly The struggle against war today by the democratic forces in the world, must be conducted as the people's and was embodied in the recent pro­ struggle against fascism, against the nouncements of President Roosevelt chief instigators of war, by isolating, when he raised the slogan: "Quaran­ checking, and decisively defeating the tine the aggressor!" fascist aggressors, the forces of Hitler, The existence of the Soviet Union Mussolini, and the Japanese militar­ gives to the struggle for peace every­ ists, at the same time developing the where an inspiration, a direction, and struggle for democracy, to higher a perspective for victory never before stages, in the direction of socialism; known in history. it must be conducted by mass pressure

coming coming forward forward as as the the powerful, powerful, lead- shevik shevik Party, Party, under under the the leadership leadership of of

mighty mighty strides strides the the working working class class is is when when only only in in Russia Russia was was there there a a Bol­

ful ful forces forces for for world world peace. peace. With With through through capitulation capitulation to to imperialism; imperialism;

letariat letariat constitute constitute the the interests interests the the two two most most of of the the power­ world world proletariat proletariat

movements movements of of the the international international pro­ War, War, when when Social-Democracy Social-Democracy betrayed betrayed

the the Soviet Soviet Union, Union, the the mass mass peace peace compared compared to to the the years years of of the the World World

and and trade trade union union consolidation. consolidation. With With situation situation in in favor favor of of the the masses masses as as

letariat, letariat, as as it it develops develops the the united united front front Leninist Leninist teachings, teachings, alters alters vastly vastly the the

force force in in the the People's People's Front Front is is the the pro­ nist nist International, International, armed armed with with the the

The The initiating initiating and and sustaining sustaining class class munist munist Parties, Parties, sectors sectors of of the the Commu­

history history of of the the past past two two years. years. The The existence existence today today of of powerful powerful Com­

selves, selves, are are writ writ large large in in the the world's world's curity curity against against the the fascist fascist aggressor. aggressor.

rents rents in in the the fascist fascist countries countries them­ launched launched the the slogan slogan for for collective collective se­

manifestations manifestations of of popular popular front front cur­ war war moves moves of of the the reactionaries reactionaries and and

States States and and other other countries, countries, and and the the first first warned warned the the people people against against the the

ment ment of of this this alignment alignment in in the the United United struggle. struggle. The The Party Party of of Lenin-Stalin Lenin-Stalin

France, France, as as well well as as the the rapid rapid develop­ pares pares them them for for higher higher stages stages of of

great great advances advances in in Spain, Spain, China, China, and and strength strength among among the the masses, masses, and and pre­

historic historic factor factor on on the the side side of of peace. peace. Its Its grows grows in in influence influence and and organized organized

sionals, sionals, the the People's People's Front Front is is the the new new cementing cementing the the popular popular front front forces, forces,

ers, ers, small small businessmen, businessmen, and and profes­ letariat, letariat, staunchly staunchly promoting promoting and and

on on the the alliance alliance of of working working class, class, farm­ ple's ple's Front, Front, the the vanguard vanguard of of the the pro­

gressive gressive forces forces in in every every country, country, based based In In the the course course of of the the developing developing Peo­

1934, 1934, in in France. France. Embodying Embodying the the pro­ peace. peace.

world-heartening world-heartening February February days days of of People's People's Front Front for for democracy democracy and and

seizure seizure of of power, power, exemplified exemplified in in the the middle middle class class groups, groups, into into an an effective effective

sion sion of of a a fascist fascist onslaught onslaught for for the the farming farming population population and and the the city city

ences ences of of unified, unified, mass, mass, armed armed repul­ bined bined strength, strength, draw draw around around it it the the

Germany, Germany, Austria, Austria, Spain, Spain, and and experi­ the the magnetic magnetic power power of of labor's labor's com­

of of disunity disunity and and unpreparedness, unpreparedness, as as in in trade trade union union uqity, uqity, and, and, thus, thus, through through

ences ences of of the the working working class-experiences class-experiences tion tion of of labor's labor's forces forces in in progressive progressive

1935, 1935, on on the the basis basis of of specific specific experi­ unorganized unorganized workers, workers, the the consolida­

ternational ternational at at its its Seventh Seventh CongrPss CongrPss in in task, task, along along with with organizing organizing the the still still

-advanced -advanced by by the the Communist Communist In­ gressive gressive industrial industrial unions, unions, has has as as its its

crushing crushing fascism fascism is is the the People's People's Front Front urgent urgent need need for for organization organization in in pro­

The The central central tactic tactic for for checking checking and and the the workers' workers' long-felt long-felt and and increasingly increasingly

giant giant C.I.O. C.I.O. movement, movement, expressive expressive

of of

THE THE FASCIST FASCIST WAR WAR DRIVE DRIVE

In In the the United United States States today, today, the the

THE THE PEOPLE'S PEOPLE'S FRONT FRONT TACTIC TACTIC TO TO DEFEAT DEFEAT

tion tion in in other other lands. lands.

struggle struggle for for democracy. democracy. the the process process of of working working class class unifica­

for for peace peace becomes becomes identical identical with with the the in in France France have have given given an an impetus impetus to to

viet viet Union. Union. In In this this way, way, the the struggle struggle tion tion of of the the working working class class in in Spain Spain and and

tion tion with with the the peace peace policy policy of of the the So­ advances advances toward toward the the complete complete unifica­

democratic democratic states states for for active active collabora­ for for democracy democracy and and peace. peace. The The great great

upon upon the the governments governments in in bourgeois­ ing ing component component of of the the popular popular front front

THE THE COMMUNIST COMMUNIST 20 20 LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY 21

Lenin, to expose and fight the treach­ the superb solidarity of the Soviet erous position of the Second Interna­ Union. tional leadership and the criminal THE STATUS QUO POSITION OF waverings and political jockeyings of BOURGEOIS-DEMOCRATIC POWERS Trotsky and Co. Finally, there are those great bour­ THE COLONIAL PEOPLES AND THE geois-democratic powers-the major SMALLER CAPITALIST STATES victor powers of the World War­ Another important factor in the France, the United States, and, in a fight for peace is the colonial and special way, England, whose capitalist semi-colonial peoples, whose develop­ interests today motivate them, to vary­ ing resistance to imperialist subjuga­ ing extents, against embroilment in tion is magnificent_ly symbolized in war and for the status quo. Not that China today, in the mighty anti-Japa­ these imperialist powers have in any nese national front. The struggle for way altered their essentially predatory peace on the part of the Chinese peo­ character, but that specific reasons in­ ple, the armed resistance to the fascist­ herent in the world situation today militarist invaders, is an integral part actuate these powers for the present of the national revolutionary strug­ to seek time in which to strengthen gles of all colonial and semi-colonial their positions-hence, they do not peoples for complete liberation from make the drive to war their immediate imperialist subjection, an integral part policy. of the struggle for emancipation At present, therefore, these powers waged by all the laboring peoples and represent a factor that, however tem­ the oppressed in the entire capitalist porarily and conditionally, is favor­ world. The outcome of the struggle able for the struggle for peace, ser­ today in China is decisive for the viceable in the defense of peace. This forces of socialism, peace, and progress is fundamentally true, notwithstand­ throughout the world. ing the contradictions and vacillations In the capitalist world proper, there that have· marked the recent foreign are the smaller countries whose sov­ poliCies of these powers, and even in ereignty is threatened by the fascist England's case, notwithstanding the powers, and whose destiny as autono­ subterfuges and double-dealings mous states depends on their popular which, in their result, favor the Ber­ fronts at home, and on their col­ lin-Rome-Tokyo war triangle. These laboration with the Soviet Union. vacillations and subterfuges are, of Czechoslovakia today would not be course, explainable by the inter­ possessed of the fortitude and power imperialist rivalries, of which the to block Nazi penetration, were it not Anglo-American is the deepest-going; for these two factors. Spain would the conflicts which continually bring long ago have been a European the different bourgeois groups in Ethiopia, but for its heroic People's each land to antithetical positions Front, but for the aid it has received in regard to immediate policy; the from the world working class and basic antagonism of the capitalist People's Front movements, but for world to the Soviet Union; the col- 22 THE COMMUNIST lusion of the reactionary monopoly and emboldening the fascists in their capitalists in the status quo lands with war drive. the fascist states, through their com­ It is imperative for the forces of the mon fear of the rising popular fronts, working class and its allies to make and in their common preparation of use of the basically favorable possibili­ war against the Soviet Union. Thus, ties in the camp of the bourgeoisie. we have seen manifested the perfidious Only the naive "purists" and the accommodation to the fascist triple "Left"-disguised betrayers will set war bloc on the part of Britain's Tory themselves against this practical ne­ government; the weaknesses of the cessity. Let us view the needs of today Chautemps government with its re­ in the light of what Lenin wrote: peated yieldings to the pressure of "It is possible to conquer this more power­ British foreign policy and to that of ful enemy only by e;x:erting our efforts to the France's "Two Hundred Families" utmost and by more necessarily, thoroughly, acting in collusion with the British carefully, attentively, and skillfully taking Tories. advantage of every 'fissure,' however small, in the ranks of our enemies, of every an­ In the United States, on the other tagonism of interests among the various hand, the government's blundering groups or types of bourgeoisie in the vari­ "neutrality" policy is now increasingly ous countries; by taking advantage of every giving way, under President Roose­ possibility, however small, of gaining an ally velt) progressive leadership, to recog­ among the masses, even though this ally be temporary, vacillating, unstable, unreliable, nition of the need for collective and conditional. Those who do not under­ s~curity. The Neutrality Act of May, stand this, do not understand even a grain 1937, with its provisions for . an of Marxism and of scientific modern social embargo on the export of muni­ ism in general." • tions to countries at war, but for per­ ISOLATION ABETS WAR-COLLECTIVE mission to export unlimited quantities ACTION WILL SECURE PEACE of raw materials (i.e., materials con­ vertible into munitions) to cash-pay­ Leninism presents the test: What ing belligerents on condition that mode of action on the part of such materials are transported in non­ the working class will best rally the American ships, has proved in prac­ masses to defeat the forces of reaction, tice an act of alliance with the power­ fascism, and war, and will best pro­ ful aggressor states against such as­ mote the proletariat's leading role in saulted peoples as those of Ethiopia, developing the struggle for democ­ Spain, and China. Roosevelt's famous racy .and peace toward the stage of Chicago speech which, by the clearest the struggle for socialism? implication, isolated and branded the The .advance of the working class German-Italian-Japanese fascist-mili­ toward . hegemony can proceed only tarist powers as the aggressors, and when the masses are set in motion called for their quarantining, voiced around issues of vital concern which clearly the growing mass disillusion­ provide a common basis of action for ment with the pseudo-neutrality • "Left-Wing Communism, An Infantile which had resulted in encouraging Disorder. LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY { proletariat, farmers, petty bourgeoisie, "After all we must remember where our and all progressives. At this hour, the enthusiasm for brave little Belgium led us. The great danger in letting our enthusiasm basic struggle for the socialist objec­ for fighting fascism in Europe get the better tive demands the checking of fascist­ of us is that it shows every sign of being the militaristic encroachments, the defeat first trickle of a flood of irrational emotion of the war-makers of today. Do we, that may well end in our fighting another however, give. up or in any way weak­ war for the defense of the British empire and the top-dog capitalist bloc of nations." (Com­ en the Leninist principle? On the con­ mon Sense, December, 1937.) trary, we prepare the masses for the concrete mode and moment of its ap­ Let us examine these and similar plication. contentions in behalf of isolationism. The fascist-linked Trotskyites, with Let us, indeed, take up the argu­ their heritage of pro-imperialist op­ ment about Belgium. Whose , "en­ position to Lenin's anti-war strategy, thusiasm for brave little Belgium" and with their main aim to bring does the word "our" imply? Certainly, about the destruction of the Soviet it can have no reference to those who, Union, today try to block the strategy in the World War, were deserving of of collective security for defeating the the name Socialist. To place the onus fascist war-makers, by demagogically for the World War on "our enthusi­ raising the cry that Communism has asm" for Belgium means to exonerate "abandoned" the Leninist struggle for imperialism from that burden. Per­ socialism. Their "arguments" indeed haps if Dos Passos took his cue more are echoed by Hearst and Liberty from disillusioned American dough­ League spokesmen, who share with boys and less from Trotskyite trick­ them this great "concern" for the 'Pur­ sters, we would not have his "reason­ ity of Communism. Unfortunately, ing" identify him with the outlook of numbers of Socialists and liberals are imperialism. How well it would be caught on this Trotskyite hook, ren­ for such isolationists to bear in mind dering themselves completely ineffec­ what Lenin had to say in regard to tual in the struggle for peace and de­ enthusiasm for Belgium: mocracy, and objectively aiding the fascist war-makers. "The social-chauvinists of·the Triple (now Quadruple) Entente (in Russia, Plekhanov Thus, we find Norman Thomas and Co.), love to refer to the example of . filled with apprehensions in regard to Belgium. This example speaks against them. Roosevelt's slogan for concerted ac­ The German imperialists shamelessly· violated tion to quarantine the aggressors, and Belgian neutrality; this has always and every­ in regard to the "tragic end" which where been the practice of warring nations which, in the case of necessity, trample upon is in store for "Stalin's reversal of all treaties and obligations. Suppose all na­ Lenin's policy on the issue of war and tions interested in maintaining international of alliance with capitalist nations for treaties declared war against Germany, de­ war." (Socialist·Call, Dec. 4, 1937·) manding the liberation and indemnification And Dos Passos, with a Trotskyite of Belgium. In this case the sympathy of the Socialists would naturally be on the side of pushing his pen, writes "in behalf of" Germany's enemies~ The truth, however, is Spain: that the war is being waged by the 'Triple'

/

York. York. New New Publishers, Publishers, tional tional

Union.) Union.) Soviet Soviet the the today, today, world world the the in in

p. p. Interna­ 225, 225, XVIII, XVIII, Vol. Vol. Works, Works, lected lected

p~ace p~ace

force force greatest greatest

the the of of

slander slander in in War," War," Imperialist Imperialist "The "The "V. "V. Col­ Lenin, Lenin, I. I.

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directed directed be be

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war-in­ equally equally powers, powers, ly ly ag~ressor ag~ressor

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were were

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which, which, Span­ and and Chinese Chinese the the with with alliances" alliances"

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all all "entangling "entangling against against isolationists isolationists tain tain

against against directed directed were were

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cer­ brings brings which which "logic" "logic" Trotskyite Trotskyite

Passoses. Passoses.

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the the and and Thomases Thomases the the leading leading are are 1937.) 1937.) 23, 23, ber ber

fascism fascism of of accomplices accomplices Trotskyite Trotskyite

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where where is is

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time time a a Russia Russia Red Red with with alliances alliances "entangling "entangling

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capitalism, capitalism,

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warn­ pacifists, pacifists, fascism, fascism, regards regards as as and, and,

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tional tional isolationists isolationists not-that not-that or or it it know know they they

na­ respective respective

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Belgium­ for for "enthusiastic" "enthusiastic" became became Pact. Pact.

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state. state. weaker weaker a a

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situation situation a a been been had had there there if if forces, forces, interests interests The The fascism. fascism. of of defeat defeat for for

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all all of of

gressor gressor struggle struggle into into imperatively imperatively world world the the

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key key the the us us gives gives Lenin Lenin Here Here capi­ or or semi-capitalist, semi-capitalist, semi-colonial, semi-colonial,

colonial, colonial, is is land land invaded invaded the the whether whether

" " it." it." conceal conceal hypocrites hypocrites

Thus, Thus, dictatorships. dictatorships. fascist fascist

the the

ers, ers,

the the only only and and known known well well is is This This Belgium. Belgium. of of

pow­ imperialist imperialist aggressor aggressor the the against against sake sake the the for for not not Entente Entente Quadruple) Quadruple) (and (and

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY.

Children know that the British AS TO THE ISSUE OF REFERENDUM Empire will endeavor to utilize the An issue fraught with much con­ situation for itself. Bu~ it is precisely "another war for the defense of the fusion and danger is the injection into the situation of the Ludlow Bill, British Empire" that can be obviated which requires a national referendum only by the international People's Front formations in conjunction with before a declaration of war by Con­ the collective action of the bourgeois­ gress, except in the case of invasion by a foreign aggressor. Overnight the democratic states collaborating with the Soviet peace policy, in behalf of isolationists have made this Bill their China and Spain, to check the precipi­ cause celebre. tation of another world war. It must The Ludlow Bill, and similar . be clear that economic and political proposals advanced as measures for sanctions on the part of this alliance, peace, must pass through the acid supported by the people's boycott, test: Will they help to check the could halt Japan's incursions into fascist aggressor, :the incendiary of China as well as the Italo-German in­ today? It would be a mistake· to dis­ vasion of Spain. Such action could cuss such bills as an abstract issue of call the bluff of the fascist dictator­ popular democracy. Undoubtedly, ships and prevent the immediate naive, though well-meaning, pacifists, catastrophe of world war. Only such but much more, demagogues acting in action would, by defeating the war behalf of fascism, will endeavor to policy of fascism, bring eruptions exploit this issue falsely on the basis of the pent-up swelling discon­ of "democracy." But what should be tent within the fascist countries; the answer of all true fighters for would give crucial impetus to the de­ peace, of all true champions of democ­ velopment of the People's Fronts in racy? Not to allow the issue of ref­ those countries, connecting them with erendum to be dragged in the mire in similar movements throughout the the interests of the fascist war-makers, world. Collective security is truly not to allow the public attention to be based on the principle of interna­ distracted from the concrete program tional proletarian solidarity. It brings of securing peace through collective together in a common front against action. the aggressors not only the workers in Such an amendment would prove the socialist fatherland and the bour­ no guarantee whatever against our geois-democratic countries, but also being drawn into war. Armed with the proletarians under the terrorist many powers to manipulate foreign dictatorship of fascism. affairs, the government could precipi­ This is the meaning of the Leninist tate a war before the people could policy on peace and war today. This say "Jack Robinson." What better in­ is the meaning of the historic tactical stance do we need than that of the line advanced for the world working Wilson administration with its man­ class and its allies by the S~venth Con­ ner of waging war in Mexico and with gress of the Communist International. its maneuvering the people into the a6 THE COMMUNIST

World War, after their mandate, as THE PROGRAM OF STRUGGLE FOR PEACE clear as any referendum, "to keep us out of war"? Let us remember· too, The fight against the demagogic that wars nowadays are waged with­ Ludlow Bill must be conducted in a out being declared. Thus, there could positive way, with measures. that will be a Ludlow referendum on the strengthen the people's democratic statute books, and at the same time, .power for control of foreign policy. an undeclared war in progress. If the present interests of the fascist­ Such measures are instruments of minded monopolies are allowed to deception, actually frauds, whethe,r or dominate the government's foreign not their supporters are aware of it. policy, in the direction of "neutral­ Stzipped of its "democracy and peace" ity," then war is on the order of the demagogy, the Ludlow Bill is shown day. If, on the other hand, the people to be anti-democratiC, in that it does press the government to follow the hot give the people real power to policy of collective security embodied check war; and anti-peace, in that it in Roosevelt's Chicago speech, then blocks action for collective security. the war danger is defeated and the The Bill is looked to by the arch­ possibilities for peace are increased. reactionaries of America to create an The present moment requires a atmosphere of division and mistrust program of practical, immediate mass between the people and the Roosevelt action which alone can break the administration precisely at the mo­ tightening grip of war and give the ment when the President has come out death-blow to fascism; which alone four-square for collective security can guarantee the people of Spain the against the fascist aggressors. It is de­ right to maintain their democratically signed, not in the interests of register­ elected Popular Front government, ing the people's voice, but in the and to China its independence as a hopes that a long, drawn-out process free, democratic republic; which alone of referendum will gain time for the can advance and accelerate the strug­ fascist aggressors and their friends on gle for socialism: American soil. The confused liberals in the House and the Senate who lend 1. Immediate measures to check their support to this Bill are pawns fascist aggression. This means nam­ in the game of the plotters and per­ ing, branding, and isolating the Japa­ petrators of war. nese militarists, fascist Italy, and Nazi Let us answer the promoters of this Germany as violators of the Kellogg­ confusion by truly translating the Briand Pact, as aggressor states. peace sentiments and the intrinsic de­ 2. Economic sanctions against mocracy of the American people into these states. This means the employ­ active popular support for the Roose­ ment of embargoes on war supplies, velt collective security policy, for raw materials, loans, and credits-the checking and decisively defeating the cutting off of all trade, b~th export forces of reaction, fascism, and war and import, until all the troops, naval everywhere. and air forces of the aggressors are :LENIN AND COLLECTIVE SECURITY

~ithdrawn from invaded Chinese and This campaign calls for the adop­ Spanish te:r:ritories. tion of boycott resolutions by trade unions and other mass organizations. 3· The breaking off of all diplo­ It calls for the refusal on the part matic and political intercourse with of seamen and longshoremen to load these states until such time when or unload Japanese vessels and the they cease their aggression. vessels of other countries carrying am­ 4· The opening of our markets to munition, or raw material convertible China and Loyalist Spain, to all vic­ into ammunition, to Japan. or rebel tims of aggression. This means maill:­ Spain. taining normal, commercial relations It calls for the setting up of boycott with these countries, supplying am­ committees everywhere, in all organi­ munition to their governments, and zations, in all neighborhoods. extending to them credits and loans. It calls for monster boycott demon­ strations, boycott parades, and in­ 5· To facilitate these measures, the dignation rallies. effective revision, on the basis of Con­ It calls for the collection of funds gressman Jerry O'Connell's Peace Bill, to help the Spanish victims of fascist of the existing Neutrality Act, the in­ invasion and the Chinese refugees and effectuality of which, as an instrument victims of Japanese military aggres­ for pea,ce, has been implicitly admit­ sion. ted in President Roosevelt's Chicago We must make our slogans resound speech and subsequeht declarations. through the land: 6. Joint action by the United States government with the other Drive the Japanese Robbers From democratic states interested in pre­ China! serving peace, and in conjunction with Boycott Japanese Goods! the Soviet peace policy, to promote the Close Down Japan's Sources of Raw universal application of the measures Materials! in the interests of collective security. All Support to the Heroic Chinese People Fighting to Free Their Land 7. Full popular support of the of Barbarian Invaders!. Roosevelt administration in its steps All Support to the Spanish Govern­ to bring about such collective action ment! by all the democratic nations. Every Aid tQ the Spanish People 8. Independent popular action for the Defeat of the Fascist Invaders! against the fascist aggressors and Japan, Italy, and Germany Must Be against their reactionary abettors in Stopped! our land. The extension of the prin­ Full Collaboration of the Demo­ cipal weapon in this campaign-the cratic Countries with the Soviet Peace people's boycott of Japanese goods Policy! and organized labor's prevention oi Keep America Out of War by Keep­ the manufacture and transportation of ing 'Yar Out of the World! war mpplies to Japan and insurgent In applying this program, let us Spain. remember Lenin's words: THE COMMUNIST

"It is much more difficult-and much more ing the necessity for revolutionary methods of useful-to be a revolutionary when the con­ action. The main task of contemporary Com­ ditions for direct, open, really mass and munism in Western Europe and America is really revolutionary struggle have not yet to acquire the ability to seek, to find, to de­ matured, to be able to defend the interests termine correctly the concrete path, or the of the revolution (by propaganda, agitation particular turn of events that will bring the and organization) in non-revolutionary bodies masses right up to the real, decisive, last, and even in reactionary bodies, in non-revo­ and great revolutionary struggle." • lutionary circumstances, among the masses • Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile who are incapable of immediately appreciat- Disorder.

Disorder. Disorder. appreciat- immediately immediately of of incapable incapable are are who who

Infantile Infantile An An Communism: Communism:

"Left-Wing "Left-Wing

masses masses the the among among circumstances, circumstances, lutionary lutionary

" " struggle." struggle." revolutionary revolutionary great great and and non-revo­ in in bodies, bodies, reactionary reactionary in in even even and and

last, last, decisive, decisive, real, real, up up bodies bodies the the to to right right non-revolutionary non-revolutionary in in masses masses organization) organization) and and

bring bring the the will will that that agitation agitation events events of of turn turn propaganda, propaganda, (by (by particular particular revolution revolution the the of of

the the or or path, path, interests interests concrete concrete the the the the defend defend correctly correctly to to able able termine termine be be to to matured, matured,

de­ to to yet yet find, find, not not to to seek, seek, to to have have ability ability the the struggle struggle acquire acquire to to revolutionary revolutionary really really

is is America America and and and and Europe Europe mass mass really really Western Western in in open, open, munism munism direct, direct, for for ditions ditions

Com­ con­ contemporary contemporary of of the the task task when when main main The The revolutionary revolutionary action. action. a a be be useful-to useful-to

of of methods methods more more revolutionary revolutionary much much for for necessity necessity difficult-and difficult-and the the more more ing ing much much is is "It "It

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS *

BY CHARLES KRUMBEIN New York State Secretary of the Communist Party

I "In New York the reactionaries are gath­ ering their forces in an effort to bring re­ HE recent New York city and T action into power this coming fall. They state election campaign is so rich can and must be defeated! This can be with lessons that it can be well said achieved by the progressives uniting their to have been a laboratory where the forces on a common program and going line of the Communist Party for into the election campaign as a united building the People's Front was tested. force .... As such, it deserves the most careful "The New York city election is of national study by our Party and all other forces significance as a test of strength between the interested in building an effective, reactionaries and progressive forces. It may nationwide, labor-progressive move­ determine the 1938 elections and thus heavily ment, an American People's Front. influence the 1940 Presidential elections.... "The possibilitie~ exist to weld the existing Recognizing the national and even progressive sentiment of the city into a solid the international importance of the progressive bloc that can win in the coming New York elections, the State Com­ elections. What we need is a united labor­ mittee of our Party met shortly after progressive front against reaction, a front of the June plenum of our Central Com­ all the common people that will insure vic­ tory over reaction. . . . mittee and worked out a line for the "The Communist Party of New York, see­ city campaign. Our line was, in brief, ing as the main issue for the coming elec­ that reaction, which in New York tions the struggle between progress ancl City means Tammany Hall, supported reaction, will do everything within its means by the Liberty Leaguers, must be de­ to help realize the united labor-progressive feated at all costs. The only way this front against reaction ..We call upon all pro­ gressive elements in New York to do like­ could be done, the State Committee wise. The American Labor Party can play an agreed, was by a broad labor-progres­ especially important part in bringing about sive coalition. this common front of progressives for the This line the State Committee an­ election struggle." nounced in a statement (Daily From everything that has developed Worker, July 9, 1937), from which we quote: since that statement of policy was is­ sued it is clear that the line of our " Ba8ed on a report delivered to a meeting Party in the elections has been proved of the New York State Committee of the Communist Party, Nov. 21, 1937. correct. Today there is a different po- 29 THE COMMUNIST

litical atmosphere in New York. The reaction, of democracy versus fascism. American Labor Party has emerged as Reaction, which had been so over­ the balance-of-power party in the city whelmingly defeated in November, and state. The city administration is 1936, was seeking to stage a comeback literalJy beholden to the A.L.P. for in the city elections as a prelude to a its election-LaGuardia's majority was nationwide al!tempt to cancel the peo­ 452,000; the A.L.P. received a total ple's mandate of the year before. But of 482,000 votes for LaGuardia. A reaction was defeated and therefore solid bloc of six of the 26 city council­ the result of the city elections is a big men are Laborities, four of them trade step forward of the 1936 election union leaders, three C.I.O., and one results. A. F. of L. In the State Assembly there From the very beginning we set will be seven L~borites, including, for ourselves the task of encouraging and the first time, one Puerto Rican As­ helping to build that broad type of semblyman from Harlem, Oscar Gar­ labor-progressive coalition which cia Rivera. could defeat Tammany and all other New York, which had been some­ reactionary forces. Whom did we see thing of a contradiction, with the most as the reactionary forces and whom as progressive and advanced working the progressive forces? In general, it class in the country, with Soo,ooo or­ was our estimate that the same reac­ ganized workers, with the strongest tionary forces who had ganged up on Communist and So<;ialist Parties, with Roosevelt in the 1936 campaign would the strongest and most articulate lib­ be found on the Tammany side in eral middle class, had up to recently the 1937 mayoralty elections. The always been governed by the classic same forces, on the whole, who sup­ symbol of municipal reaction and cor­ ported Roosevelt in 1936, we calcu­ ruption, Tammany Hall. Until the lated, would be on the side of the last elections, no labor representative progressive forces. Among the reac­ had been elected to any city post since tionaries we found the Liberty 1919-20. Today that situation has been League, Hearst, the Republican re­ considerably changed. actionaries and the Tammany ma­ In working out our line for the chine, which, despite occasional lip elections we kept in mind, not only service, is bitterly anti-Roosevelt and the peculiar local circumstances un­ anti-New Deal. On the progressive der which we had to work-the special side were the American Labor Party, factor that the most reactionary ma­ Fusion, progressive Republicans, New chine was the Democratic organiza­ Deal Democrats, the forces of the tion, Tammany, which is just the re­ C.I.O., the A. F. of L. unions, the verse of the national picture-but the Communist Party, and large numbers entire national and international set-· of former Socialist Party supporters. ting in which the city elections were This labor-progressive coalition was placed. The State Committee ap­ formed. We ourselves could .not fore­ proached the election as an integral see that there would be such an all­ part of the whole national and inter­ inclusive coalition. The ticket of the national struggle of progress against A.L.P., which we supported, wa> LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS composed of persons nominally Re­ years it lost its strategic stronghold­ publican, Democratic, Fusion, and the District Attorney's office of Man­ straight A.L.P. It was thus able to hattan County-and to a labor-sup­ group around itself not only the more ported nominee, Thomas E. Dewey. progressive or radical voters but also Tammany also lost the Manhattan masses of traditionally Democratic Borough President's office, also a voters. source of lucrative patronage in the II past. In the City Council, the Demo­ The results of the election can be crats won by a narrow majority, 14 summarized briefly under five chief to 12, principally because the anti­ headings: Tammany forces were not as united as 1. The defeat of reaction and Tam­ they were on the citywide candidates. many. Nevertheless, Tammany still has 2. The growth of the American La­ considerable strength, both from the bor Party and the movement toward point of view of the many offices it a People's Front. still holds (judicial, county, etc.), and 3· The growing strength and im­ of its popular vote. The 889,000 votes portance of the Communist Party it received for its mayoralty candidate within the progressive movement and certainly are nothing to sneeze at, but the city as a whole. even more do its assemblymanicvotes 4· The bankruptcy of the Socialist indicate its strength in the districts. Party's policy. While Tammany lost more than 30o,­ 5· The weakness of the Republican ooo votes for Mayor between 1933 Party. arid 1937, it lost only 91,ooo for the Let us discuss each of these sepa­ various Assembly candidates. In fact, rately: while it lost all three offices in the city­ 1. Not only was the Tammany can­ wide ticket-Mayor, Comptroller and didate defeated at this election-the President of the City Council-it won first time in the city's history that a 50 out of the 63 Assemblymen in the non-Tammany candidate has been re­ city. Large numbers of these voters elected-but Tammany was dealt a are for progressive policies; they voted smashing blow. In· 1933 the Demo­ for Tammany because it was still able cratic organization was split; but the to impress them as being the New two Democratic candidates who ran Deal party of New York. It is there­ against LaGuardia received between fore clear that there is still consider­ them the majority of the votes, total­ able work to be done to win the great ling 1,195·ooo, while LaGuardia re­ mass of Democratic voters away from ceived 868,500. In 1937, with an osten­ Tammany, particularly in Irish Cath­ sibly united organization, Tammany olic districts, where it still shows re­ candidate Jeremiah T. Mahoney got markable strength. 889,ooo votes, a drop of 306,ooo votes. There are a few important lessons Thus, a united Democratic organ­ as regards the vote in Harlem. La­ ization received a stunning setback, Guardia carried every Assembly Dis­ with most of its losses going to the trict in the Harlem territory! In the A.L.P. For the first time in twenty six assembly districts (17th to und THE COMMUNIST

inclusive), he polled 8t,ooo in round vote jumped from 239,000 in 1936 to numbers (about 6o per cent), to 482,000 in •937· a leap of 102 per cent. Mahoney's 48,ooo. In the two pre­ The A.L.P. elected seven Assembly­ dominantly Negro Assembly Districts, men and five Councilmen (one elec­ . the 19th and the 21st, LaGuardia ted 'Fusionist joined after election) . polled 65.5 per cent of the total vote. The city vote and percentages follow: The Negro people show political For LaGuardia alertness, and a knowledge of issues. Votes Cast %of Total They were very much tied to one Republican 672,823" 30.12 party for a long time. Last year they A.L.P. 482,459 21.6 voted overwhelmingly for Roosevelt. Fusion 159,895 7-15 1.29 This year they voted overwhelmingly Progressive 28,839 for LaGuardia, the Labor-Republican­ For Mahoney Fusion candidate, which shows that Democratic 875,942 39-21 the Negro people are no longer tied Trade Union Party 7,163 0.32 to any political party. They are ready Anti-Communist 6-486 0.29 for the People's Front. \Vhile the American Labor Party Several progressive Assemblymen contributed 36 per cent of the total were elected from Harlem territory. LaGuardia vote in the city, in the particularly Oscar Garcia Rivera in Bronx, a predominantly working the 17th A.D. We can say that his class borough, it contributed 50.8 per election is due not only to our Party's cent, and in Kings, also predominant­ initiating a People's Front movement ly working class, over 40 per cent. . in this strong Tammany District, In the Bronx, a Labor Party candi­ made up of a large majority of Span­ date, Isidore Nagler, Vice-President of ish-speaking people, but that his the International Ladies Garment 2,500 majority is little more than the Workers Union, was defeated for the total vote received by the Communist Borough Presidency by only 3o,oo~ candidate a year ago. If we allow for votes, with the reactionary Republi­ increased prestige and strength of the cans running a candidate to split the Communist Party, we can say it was progressive forces, and after. a frantic the Communist vote that elected this campaign by the Democratic county progressive in the 17th A.D. machine, featured by the vilest sort of 2. The growth of the Labor Party is anti-Semitic undercurrents. clearly indicated by the character of 3· The growing strength and im­ its campaign and the results. While portance of the Communist Party_ in 1936 it had only two candidates, within the progressive movement of President Roosevelt and Governor the city as a whole was indicated by Lehman, in 1937 it placed a full slate in the field, being the first to nominate " The relatively large Republican vote is explained in part by the fact that the Re­ Mayor LaGuardia. In most dist:r:icts it publican Party was the fir~t party on ~h~ ran its own Assemblymen, and for machine (Row B) on wh1ch LaG_uard1a s name appeared. Many voters, seekmg La­ the City Council nominated seveu Guardia's name, pulled down the lever for candidates. him on the first line that could be found, which was Row "B." The normal Republican The total American Labor Party strength is closer to 500,000. LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS 33 the Party's vote. The Party, following However, considering only the first its line of support of the A.L.P., choice votes cast for the Party candi­ placed no candidates in the field in dates-and even this is not a fair in­ opposition to A.L.P. nominees. It dication of our strength, ,since many nominated only four councilmen-!. Communist voters who did not under­ Am,ter in Manhattan; Peter V. Cac­ stand P.R. voted No. 1 for an A.L.P. chione in Brooklyn; I. Begun in the candidate-our increase over 1936, Bronx, and Paul Crosbie in Queens. when 64,436 votes were cast for Com­ Under the system of proportional rep­ rade Amter for President of the Board resentation, known familiarly as of Aldermen, is about 15 per cent. "P.R.," and preferential voting, it The percentage rise on a borough was possible for Communist voters to (county) scale follows: express their preference for Commu­ Manhattan ...... 16.5 nists, and give their second choice Brooklyn ...... 18.4 vote to Laborites without in any way Bronx ...... 5·5 weakening the Labor Party. Thus we Queens ...... 36 were able to bring forward the slogan This increase is important. But of "Vote Labor and Communist" in perhaps even more impressive was the an effective and concrete manner. splendid discipline displayed by the This slogan, as the results show, Communist voters. In Manhattan, for was understood by the labor and pro­ example, of Comrade Amter's votes, gressive movements in the city. Our more than 14,000 second choice votes Party vote was approximately 74,ooo, were transferred to Laborite B. Char­ and was divided in the following ney Vladeck, thus insuring his elec­ fashion: tion. This block of votes was about _ Manhattan (Amter) ...... 18,325 75 per cent of Amter's first choice Bronx (Begun) ...... 20,946 votes, showing clearly that the Com­ Brooklyn (Cacchione) ...... 30,235 munist voters cast their ballots in a Queens (Crosbie) ...... 4,6og disciplined and intelligent fashion, en­ This, of course, refers only to the tirely. in line with the Party slogan, first choice votes. Actually, at the "Vote Labor and Communist." In time when our candidates were de­ the Bronx, go per cent' of Comrade clared eliminated, the combined totals Begun's vote was transferred to the of first, second, and third choice votes A.L.P. candidates, Michael J. Quill, rose to more than go,ooo. With the President of the Transport Workers second, third, or other choice votes Union, and Salvatore Ninfo, ViCe­ cast for Communist candidates on the President of the I.L.G.W.U., also ma­ ballots of the A.L.P. candidates who terially helping their election. The were elected (which were therefore same held true in the other boroughs. not counted), as well as of some of the This demonstrated beyond question other progressives, it is estimated that that the Communist Party did not about 13o,ooo voters indicated some play an "opposition" role in the elec­ preference for the Communist candi­ tions, but was a constructive support­ dates, as first, second, third, or other ing force that strengthened the A.L.P. choice. 4· In sharp contrast to the strength

policy policy of of the the Socialist Socialist Party. Party. only only three three City City Councilmen, Councilmen, one one each each

the the fruits fruits of of growth. growth. the the anti-People's anti-People's The The Republican Republican FronL FronL Party Party elected elected

decline decline in in influence. influence. These These are are clearly clearly dicate, dicate, in in actual actual life life there· there· is is no no such such

the the Socialist Socialist Party-steady, Party-steady, systematic systematic examination examination of of the the figures figures might might in­

come come of of the the Trotskyite Trotskyite policy policy within within the the Republican Republican Party, Party, as as a a superficial superficial

This This demonstrates demonstrates 5· 5· Despite Despite clearly clearly the the the the apparent apparent out­ growth growth of of

paign paign to to the the entire entire population. population.

15-4 15-4 alty alty votes votes

6.2 6.2

day day issues issues and and the the taking taking

of of the the cam­

A.L.P. A.L.P. Mayor· Mayor·

campaigning campaigning around around the the local local day-to­ Percentage Percentage of of

3·99 3·99 votes votes ...... 1.6 1.6 factor factor of of the the Brooklyn Brooklyn success success was was tlie tlie

of of total total valid valid

munists munists can can now now be be elected. elected. A A big big

937 937

1

percentage percentage

campaign campaign must must

prove prove to to all all that that Com­

2-25 2-25 1.9 1.9

votes votes

......

now now being being investigated. investigated. The The Brooklyn Brooklyn

of of total total valid valid

that that are are extremely extremely suspicious suspicious and and are are 1936 1936 percentage percentage

1937 1937 74,000 74,000 only only 245 245 votes votes under under circumstances circumstances 30,000 30,000

1936 1936 ...... 64,436 64,436

55,698 55,698 out" out" by by a a Republican Republican candidate candidate by by

Communist Communist Socialist Socialist

Party. Party. As As is is known, known, he he was was "nosed "nosed

1936 1936 and and 1937 1937 fight, fight, shows shows virtually virtually the the following: following: electrifying electrifying the the whole whole

same same determination determination munist munist and and and and courage courage Socialist Socialist and and Party Party votes votes for for

bue bue the the Brooklyn Brooklyn The The comrades comrades comparative comparative with with table table the the for for the the Com­

didate didate for for comptroller. comptroller. the the Council, Council, City and and managed managed to to im­

and and about about 22,500 22,500 possibility possibility for for its its citywide citywide of of electing electing can­ a a Communist Communist to to

for for its its three three councilmanic councilmanic of of the the Party. Party. candidates, candidates, Pete Pete had had faith faith in in the the

Socialist Socialist Party Party tary tary total total of of the the was was Kings Kings under under County County 3o,ooo 3o,ooo Committee Committee

who who closed closed rade rade in in eleventh eleventh Pete Pete Cacchione, Cacchione, place. place. The The Executive Executive Secre­

votes, votes, about about 13,500 13,500 behind behind Amter, Amter, splendid splendid campaign. campaign. I I refer refer Com­ to to

47, 47, with with a a total total of of 4,832 4,832 first first choice choice though though all all the the candidates candidates carried carried on on a a

but but finished finished twenty-fifth twenty-fifth in in a a field field of of because because of of the the lessons lessons it it gives, gives, al­

the the same same endorsements endorsements gled gled out out for for as as did did the the Laidler, Laidler, especially especially good good work, work,

Block, Block, candidate candidate One One for for Councilman, Councilman, of of our our comrades comrades got got must must be be sin­

worse worse for for the the labor labor Socialists. Socialists. and and progressive progressive S. S. John John forces. forces.

In In Manhattan Manhattan improved improved the the our our results results relationship relationship with with all all w~re w~re

the the first first count count the the in in Party Party fifth fifth of of place. place. socialism socialism tremendously tremendously

ooo ooo behind behind Cacchione, Cacchione, our our position position who who openly openly wound wound that that up up our our Party Party is is

18,587 18,587 first first choice choice ness ness and and votes, votes, frankness, frankness, nearly nearly the the 12,­ statement statement of of

first first count count in in twelfth twelfth place, place, with with fluence fluence and and our our vote. vote. Our Our very very boldt boldt

candidate candidate in in A.L.P. A.L.P. Brooklyn, Brooklyn, vote vote finished finished and and to to the the increase increase our our in­

helped helped considerably considerably papers, papers, to to Harry Harry pile pile Laidler, Laidler, up up the the the the Socialist Socialist

New New the the York York Times, Times, gan, gan, "Vote "Vote as as well well Labor Labor as as other other and and Communist!" Communist!"

the the Citizens' Citizens' through through Union, Union, the the 55 55 radio radio A.L.P., A.L.P., broadcasts. broadcasts. and and Our Our slo­

Citizens' Citizens' Non-Partisan Non-Partisan speakers, speakers, shop shop Committee, Committee, papers, papers, and, and, especially, especially,

Despite Despite endorsement endorsement propaganda propaganda by by through through the the Seabury Seabury meetings, meetings, leaflets, leaflets,

ruptcy ruptcy of of the the Socialist Socialist Party Party policy. policy. own own platform platform and and carried carried on on mass mass

demonstration demonstration tion tion of of with with complete complete the the A.L.P., A.L.P., but but we we had had our our bank~ bank~

Our Our Party Party did did demonstrated demonstrated not not run run in in · · by by competi­ our our Party Party was was the the

34 34 COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS 55 in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn. Western Pennsylvania is another It is clear that the Republican Party case in point. Out of 75 labor candi­ strength is considerably lower than dates, 62 were successful. In most that indicatt:!d by its vote for LaGuar­ cases where there was success, the out­ dia, since it cashed in to a consider­ come was predicated upon the unity able degree on his popularity. of the labor and progressive forces of The New York City elections offer the various communities who worked an instructive contrast to another city through the Democratic Party. They election, that of Detroit. In Detroit had put up labor or progressive can­ there was a labor ticket, a narrow didates on a progressive platform in labor ticket, composed almost entirely the primaries. of members of one union, the United Another extremely important rea­ Automobile Workers Union of Amer­ son for the victory in New York was ica. Our Party six months ago called the unity of the labor forces. The attention to this problem, but we labor movement was united around were not able to change the situation. the candidacy of LaGuardia. The Unfortunately, the Lovestoneites and Labor Party had virtually all the Trotskyites, with their anti-People's C.I.O. and many A. F. of L. unions Front line, did have some effect on the supporting it. The Central Trades situation. However, while the labor and Labor Council of the A. F. of L., ticket was defeated in Detroit, there which did not wish to work organ­ was a tremendous victory for labor. izationally with the Labor Party, set No one can gainsay that. In Detroit, up its own Non-Partisan Committee labor polled a bigger percentage-35 to re-elect LaGuardia. All efforts of per cent-of the total vote than did Tammany, and even the use of Sena­ labor in New York City. Had there tor Wagner, failed to divide the labor been more of a People's Front ap­ vote. The so-called "Trade Union proach, the results would have Party," fathered by Joseph P. Ryan, brought victory in Detroit. Whereas availed them nothing. A by-product in New York labor contributed 36 of the election was the ousting of the per cent of the total vote of the labor­ reactionary Tammanyite, Joseph P. progressive coalition, in Detroit labor Ryan, from the presidency of the New could have contributed 6o to 70 per York City Central Trades and Labor cent, had such a coalition been estab­ Council, a position he had held for lished. Imagine how favorably such a fifteen years. result would have effected the strug­ One of the most important results gle between the United Automobile is the discrediting of the Red scare in Workers Union and the Ford drive New York. Mahoney, not able to meet now under way. the real issues of the campaign, These two examples confirm the created another entirely "new" issue correctness of our Party policy. Had -the Red issue. LaGuardia and Hill­ Detroit had a broad labor-progressive man were linked with Lenin by the coalition, as did New York City, the Mahoney brain trust; the Communist labor and progressive forces could Party's endorsement of the A.L.P. today be the city's administration. ticket-for the heads of which we took

munici- York York New New up-state up-state The The state. state. includins- population, population, our our of of majority majority

the the of of rest rest the the from from lessons lessons few few A A vast vast The The banner. banner. Labor-Progressive Labor-Progressive

'Front. 'Front. People's People's the the to to road road the the on on the the to to platform platform progressive progressive a a support support

advance advance we we as as manifest manifest increasingly increasingly who who all all win win to to necessary necessary is is it it tion, tion,

become become will will and and necessary, necessary, absolutely absolutely reac­ over over triumph triumph to to progress progress For For

is is This This issues. issues. day-to-day day-to-day the the with with leadership. leadership. Guard Guard

socialism socialism for for struggle struggle the the for for need need Old Old the the with with clash clash to to continue continue will will

the the up up connect connect not not did did we we which which in in and and clashed clashed already already have have which which rents rents

literature literature of of piece piece or or speech speech radio radio a a cur­ progressive progressive strong strong are are there there where where

hardly hardly was was There There socialism. socialism. of of party party organization, organization, Republican Republican York York New New

the the as as definitely definitely very very forward forward come come the the of of true true is is extent extent certain certain a a to to This This

we we campaign, campaign, the the of of issues issues day-to-day day-to-day Party. Party. Democratic Democratic the the within within place place

the the all all on on position position our our with with forward forward taking taking are are re-groupings re-groupings and and ment ment

coming coming always always while while that, that, fact fact the the to to realign­ that that clear clear is is it it etc., etc., didates, didates,

drawn drawn be be must must attention attention Finally, Finally, can­ borough borough the the ticket, ticket, the the of of head head

Union. Union. Soviet Soviet the the in in play play to to the the regards regards as as but but much; much; very very lose lose not not

attempted attempted they they which which ganizationally ganizationally did did District District Assembly Assembly The The machine~ machine~

or­ and and politically politically role role same same the the here here factor. factor. tremendous tremendous a a still still is is Tammany Tammany

playing playing are are They They up. up. built built have have ooo ooo True, True, previously. previously. as as much much so so mean mean

what what wreck wreck can can person person one one that that not not do do labels labels Party Party that that clear clear is is 10,­ it it

words words Stalin's Stalin's Comrade Comrade of of sight sight lose lose First, First, conclusions: conclusions: other other two two or or One One

not not must must we we connection, connection, this this In In baiting. baiting. great. great. Red Red no no in in

still still are are wrecking wrecking indulged indulged for for and and scare scare Red Red possibilities possibilities the the by by peded peded

their their decreases, decreases, stam­ not not strength strength were were numerical numerical progressives progressives the the and and

their their While While fight. fight. concrete concrete sufficiently sufficiently labor labor enough, enough, Encouragingly Encouragingly past. past. the the

a a on on carried carried not not have have we we that that stated stated of of form form crude crude the the in in not not but but again, again,

be be must must still still it it Lovestoneites, Lovestoneites, and and used used be be not not will will it it that that mean mean not not does does

Trotskyites Trotskyites the the regards regards as as But But defeat. defeat. course, course, Of Of it. it. upon upon discredit discredit ther ther thi~ thi~

after after defeat defeat fur­ met met has has It It brought brought union. union. elections elections trade trade City City York York New New

single single a a in in factor factor real real a a not not is is Party Party ist ist in in results results the the setback, setback, terrific terrific a a ceived ceived

Social­ official official the the City, City, York York New New In In re­ Roosevelt Roosevelt against against election election 1936 1936

declining. declining. are are they they obviously, obviously, fluence, fluence, the the in in issue issue "Red" "Red" the the of of use use the the If If

in­ In In concerned. concerned. is is vote vote the the as as far far as as votes. votes. of of margin margin narrow narrow the the by by 15,000 15,000

themselves, themselves, eliminating eliminating are are they they that that Queens Queens of of President President Borough Borough elected elected

shows shows election election the the line, line, Trotskyite Trotskyite re­ was was Harvey Harvey U. U. George George baiting baiting

their their with with Red­ Socialists Socialists the the anti-labor, anti-labor, regards regards the the As As that that fact fact the the in in

June. June. last last of of Plenum Plenum mittee mittee also also but but scale, scale, citywide citywide a a on on only only not not

Com­ Central Central results, results, Party's Party's the the by by our our of of know know we we cisions cisions effects effects Its Its

de­ the the of of correctness correctness the the people. people. show show They They Catholic Catholic the the among among

done. done. be be can can this this campaign campaign that that vicious vicious show show tions tions particularly particularly a a on on ing ing

elec­ City City York York carry­ New New issue, issue, The The this this it. it. to to on on won won away away hammered hammered

be be must must majority majority this this factor, factor, political political Tammany Tammany out out day day and and in in Day Day forces. forces.

major major immediate immediate an an as as Front Front People's People's Mahoney Mahoney the the by by demagogically demagogically used used

the the achieve achieve To To them-was them-was parties. parties. old old two two choosing choosing in in the the of of voice voice no no had had

other other the the or or we we one one since since either either followed followed responsibility, responsibility, labor, labor, political political no no

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS 37 pal elections generally show that in tionary Republicans came back into this traditionally Republican terri­ power. In Hudson, where the incum­ tory the Republicans were again suc­ bent was a progressive, having been cessful. Nevertheless, in a number of elected on an independent ticket, he important cities progressives, in most was defeated due to the Democrats cases Democrats, were successful. This and Republicans fusing and running was due to a recognition of the main only one candidate against him. issue of reaction versus progress, and These typical examples show that to A.L.P. support. In Buffalo, for­ where the progressives and united la­ merly controlled by a corrupt and bor stood together on a progressive reactionary Democratic machine, a platform and candidates, they were progressive Democrat, who had split successful. with the machine, was victorious in An outstanding shortcoming of the his race for the mayoralty-this, not­ labor and progressive forces in the withstanding the fact that ten of the state as a whole is the fact that no thirteen councilmen elected are Re­ serious efforts have been made as yet publicans. The A.L.P. endorsed his to approach the large number of farm­ candidacy and the Buffalo Commu­ ers in the state on the basis of pro­ nist Party supported the A.L.P. ticket. gressive farm legislation and those In 1936 Norman Thomas polled al­ issues that are common to both the most 4,ooo votes in Buffalo, but a local urban and rural populations. This candidate polled about 9,ooo votes. In question needs serious consideration the municipal election this year the if the labor-progressive forces are to Socialist Party had a mayoralty candi­ be successful in the 1938 state elec­ date who polled 966 votes. In Niagara tions.

Falls, the S.P. vote dropped from III about 1,100 in 1936 to 76 in this year's election. What are the tasks before the Party, In James town, in a three-cornered before the workers and progressives fight, the progressive candidate for of New York as a result of the mayor, running as an independent, elections? was successful. He won by 40 votes, First and foremost, t~ do everything which is considerably less than the possible to help develop labor-progres­ Communist vote, showing that the sive coalition to the point of crystal­ Communists can directly determine lization into a People's Front forma­ results in the struggle 6etween re(j.c­ tion. The immediate need for this tion and progress, since they support­ can be best understood when we see ed this candidate who was also en­ the present attacks of reaction and the dorsed by the A.L.P. In Troy, Utica fact that all reactionaries, irrespective and Yonkers, progressive Democratic of party labels, are rapidly coming to­ candidates, also running on the gether into one political formation. A.L.P. ticket having Communist sup­ Exactly what organizational form port, were elected. a People's Front formation will take In Rochester, due to a split among cannot be predicted in advance; but the progressives and labor, the reac- one thing is certain: the American

be- and and ballot ballot the the on on getting getting of of job job and and "Labor "Labor read read now now must must nist!" nist!"

the the is is That That us. us. of of ahead ahead immediately immediately Commu­ and and Labor Labor "Vote "Vote slogan, slogan,

lies lies task task important important particularly particularly A A Our Our scale. scale. national national a a on on doing doing them them

Party. Party. our our join join see see we we as as administration, administration, city city sive sive

to to thousands thousands for for and and support support for for ask ask progres­ the the on on pressure pressure possible possible all all

can can We We erect. erect. heads heads with with therein therein gle gle exert exert will will reactionaries reactionaries The The program. program.

min­ can can We We movement. movement. progressive progressive its its for for struggle struggle its its in in up up ·let ·let not not will will

labor­ the the of of part part are are We We City. City. York York reaction reaction that that assured assured rest rest may may We We

New New in in standing standing real real won won has has Party Party legislatures. legislatures. state state the the

Our Our before. before. so so and and did did Congress Congress never never S. S. who who U. U. the the of of people people halls halls the the in in

problems­ progress progress political political to to and and answers answers reaction reaction for for us us between between gles gles

to to looking looking strug­ guidance, guidance, the the our our in in felt felt seeking seeking made made are are be be also also must must

people people many many York York New New campaign, campaign, in in the the victory victory during during labor-progressive labor-progressive

work work correct correct our our The The and and done. done. be be Party Party our our should should of of proposals-this proposals-this

policies policies the the of of result result a a individual individual As As even even or or crystallized. crystallized. proposals-all proposals-all

be be not not will will campaign campaign legislative legislative these these excellent excellent our our support support of of to to groups groups

result result a a as as various various movement movement of of progressive progressive conferences conferences and and mass mass hold hold

labor labor the the in in to to won won possible possible have have is is we we it it influence influence Wherever Wherever Party. Party. nist nist

and and prestige prestige the the of of Commu­ and and much much task, task, A.L.P. A.L.P. the the this this of of proposals proposals

perform perform we we Worker. Worker. Unless Unless legislative legislative the the Sunday Sunday for for support support mass mass arouse arouse

help help must must Worker Worker etc., etc., and and Daily Daily groups, groups, the the fratemal fratemal of of circulation circulation

the the and and Party Party the the organizations, organizations, building building farm farm for for need need unions, unions, trade trade in in

the the stress stress to to necessary necessary progressives progressives is is and and it it Here Here Communists Communists A.L.P., A.L.P.,

the the building building with with connection connection In In elsewhere. elsewhere.

detail detail greater greater in in discussed discussed been been have have methods. methods. and and forms forms

democratic democratic of of these these But But development development connection. connection. greater greater this this in in lems lems

prob­ basic basic are are the the is is rights rights such such Negro Negro it it for for make make fight fight to to step step first first A A

the the and and unity unity union union organization. organization. trade trade for for gle gle functioning functioning normally normally

strug­ The The Front. Front. People's People's emerging emerging a a become become yet yet not not has has tasks, tasks, er er

an an of of great­ characteristics characteristics still still the the and and of of many many has has achievements achievements mendous mendous

already already which which tre­ York, York, with with New New party party in in new new a a coalition coalition being being A.L.P., A.L.P.,

labor-progressive labor-progressive The The the the to to form form strengthened. strengthened. be be zational zational must must A.L.P. A.L.P. the the

organi­ some some of of giving giving of of branches branches question question District District whole whole Assemb,ly Assemb,ly The The

the the on on bearing bearing direct direct a a have have A.L.P. A.L.P. that that the the with with nection nection

questions questions other other many many are are There There con­ organizational organizational into into farmers farmers the the

issues. issues. immediate immediate other other for for and and youth, youth, bringing bringing to to directed directed attention attention more more

women, women, the the groups, groups, national national many many the the far far be be must must There There factors. factors. active active and and

people, people, Negro Negro the the of of right right the the for for loyal, loyal, conscious, conscious, as as A.L.P. A.L.P. the the into into

rights, rights, labor's labor's for for lay-offs, lay-offs, against against icy, icy, unions unions more more many many bring bring to to seek seek must must

pol­ financial financial city city progressive progressive a a for for unions unions the the in in progressives progressives and and munists munists

unemployed, unemployed, the the .for .for relief relief and and work work Com­ that that means means That That heretofore. heretofore.

adequate adequate for for program, program, housing housing real real than than rate rate rapid rapid more more much much a a at at built built

a a for for living, living, of of cost cost high high the the against against be be must must Front, Front, People's People's the the of of bone bone

fight fight means means This This Program!" Program!" Your Your back­ the the and and development, development, a a such such

for for Fight Fight the the Continue Continue Communists, Communists, for for agency agency chief chief the the as as Party, Party, Labor Labor

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE LESSONS OF THE NEW YORK ELECTIONS 59 coming a legal party from the point we must, but it will be impossible for of view of the state election law. That us to help give sufficient direction to means that' we must get 200 signatures all progressive movements which have on our petitions in every county of the possibility now of rapid advance­ the state and many times this num­ ment. The Party units and branches ber in the big cities. We will then be must be able to function indepen­ able to place our gubernatorial nomi­ dently much more than ever before. nee on· the ballot in the fall of 1938. Another point in this connection: This, of course, immediately raises as our participation in and responsi­ certain new problems-the question of bilities within the labor and progres­ the relationship of our campaign to sive movement grow, our own under­ that of the Labor Party, etc. How­ standing must grow. Party schools ever, this in no way effects our imme­ must be organized and supported as diate task-that of getting on the never before. The self-study of our ballot, a job which can only be com­ Party functionaries and members must pleted if every branch and unit increase many-fold. If we do not keep throughout the state cooperates.. alert politically, if we do not at least We have clearly become a more read current literature, the Daily powerful factor in the life of the peo­ Worker, The Communist, The Com­ ple of New York City and state. But munist International, and important we should not get dizzy with success. current books, we fall behind ·and Our problems are enormous and we cannot give leadership. must proceed with true Communist The members of the New York modesty to their fulfilment. But be­ district have much to be proud of­ cause we have broadened and deep­ but greater responsibility and tasks lie ened to the extent that we have, we ahead. The importance of building must more than ever give attention to the Party, the importance of educat­ the problem of making every Party ing ourselves more than ever before, organization and every Party member the importance of our personal con- . able, on his own initiative and duct-all these questions, considered through his own leadership, to carry ... small" before, are now decisive ques­ through the work of the Party. Unless tions for the further advancement to­ this is done, not only will it be im­ wards the People's Front and toward possible for us to advance at the rate the struggle for socialism. THE AKRON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

BY JAMES KELLER

"There cannot be a blueprint which will only geographically, but also in terms answer by formula how the People's Front of election strategy. New York is to develop uniformly throughout the country." (Earl Browder, report to the De­ achieved the broadest coalition of cember, 1936, Plenum of the Central Com­ progressive forces of any city in the mittee, C.P.U.S.A.) country. There the American Labor Party did not nominate its chief can­ HIS year's municipal elections didate but supported LaGuardia, to­ T threw a powerful searchlight on gether with its own candidates for the problem of achieving that broad lesser offices. Detroit, on the other unity of progressive forces discussed hand, had a strictly labor slate, select­ in the December and June reports of ed, nominated, and supported by Comrade Browder to the Central labor. The scope of the Detroit cam­ Committee. The experiences of these paign was characterized by the state­ elections fully confirm the line of ment of its chief candidate that "La­ these reports, and furnish · further bor must seize the reins of municipal knowledge for the achievement of a government." People's Front in America. These ex­ An outstanding feature of the periences demonstrate that the unifi­ Akron elections was the fact that cation of progressive forces will take Labor's Non-Partisan League not on varied forms according to the con­ only endorsed candidates, but also se­ crete _situation in every locality, while lected and placed them for nomina­ moving in one common direction to­ tion on the Democratic ticket. Its wards realizing the American People's candidate for Mayor, Judge G. L. Front. Patterson was, however, a typical rep­ The camp of labor and progress in resentative of middle class and pro­ Akron gave a good account of itself fessional groups. This factor, together in the elections, demonstrating its with some others, enabled the League growing strength and consciousness. in Akron to launch a much broader It laid the basis for a fresh and even election campaign than was the case more significant advance of the forces in Detroit or Canton; but the move­ of the People's Front against the of­ ment failed to attain the broad char­ fensive of reaction. acter of the New York campaign. It is interesting to compare the POLITICAL REALIGNM:Il:NTS Akron elections with those of Detroit and New York. Akron occupied a In common with the other ctttes position between these two cities, not the Akron campaign was featured by THE AKRON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS deep-going political realignments. A. F. of L. sponsored an opponent to The day following Patterson's victory the C.I.O.-endorsed candidate, the la­ in the primaries, the defeated Demo­ bor movement in Akron was almost crat, H. B. Bixler, announced his sup­ unanimous in support of the League's port of the Republican Lee D. Schroy. slate. · Proportionately, the C.I.O. The cleavage in party lines extended unions are a predominant force hav­ on a statewide basis when Governor ing under their direct influence about Davey, Democrat and No. 1 strike­ half of the city's voters. Consequently, breaker in the steel situation, an­ the factors which account for Patter­ nounced his support of the Republi­ son's defeat are in many respects dif­ can Schroy, while Democratic Con­ ferent from those in the Detroit situ­ gressman Dow Harter campaigned for ation. Patterson. Thousands of former Re­ Judge Patterson came within reach publican voters threw their support of victory. Forty-five hundred votes behind Labor's Non-Partisan League cast the other way would have elected candidates on the Democratic ticket, the entire L.N.P.L. slate. The reasons breaking Akron's tradition as a solid for Patterson's defeat are not to be Republican town, at least as far as found. in the vacillations of those who municipal elections were concerned. now claim it was a mistake not to have endorsed candidates of both the ELECTION RESULTS Democratic and the Republican par­ Election figures, after a heated cam­ ties. Nor are these reasons to be found paign, transformed arithmetic into a in a host of other theories which living factor. The inter-play of forces, sprouted after the elections, including strategy, advantages and shortcomings the argument that Patterson was de­ find their concentrated expression in feated because the Communist Party the final results. With 44,000 votes endorsed the League slate. The same Mayor Schroy was re-elected by a ma­ policies, which insured an overwhelm­ jority of 8,ooo, while Patterson re­ ing victory for Patterson and the ceived a substantial vote of 36,ooo, League in the August 10 primaries, bringing the total number of votes would have secured his victory in the cast to 8o,ooo-a record high for local final elections. It was· the abandon­ municipal elections. Thirty-six thou­ ment of these policies which resulted sand votes would have insured the vic­ in his defeat. tory of a candidate in any previous municipal election. This feature, to­ ERRORS IN POLICY gether with the election of four The mistaken political line taken L.N.P.L. candidates for City Council, by Patterson and his advisers after the marks the election struggle in Akron primary victory, which in tum led to l as a significant step forward, particu­ a series of strategic and organizational larly so, considering the unlimited re­ mistakes, may be summarized as fol­ sources of men and money which the lows: Davey-Schroy coalition threw in to­ 1. The wrong conclusion that labor wards the defeat of Patterson. support was "in the bag," that no In contrast to Detroit, where the special efforts were necessary to guar- THE COMMUNIST antee the labor vote, and, that, con­ Patterson would have had to carry at sequently, the League should be least three of the working class wards pushed into the background, lest it by a vote of two to one. He failed to frighten the middle-class voters. achieve such a result in any of the 2. The overestimation of and re­ wards. Election results revealed the liance upon the Democratic machine, astounding fact that in Ward 6, where the transfer of ward activities from R. L. Turner, a union rubber worker, the hands of the League to paid Dem­ was elected Councilman, Judge Pat­ ocratic-machine workers under the terson lost to Mayor Schroy. direction of the local chairman of the Patterson failed to rally the labor Democratic Party. vote, not to speak of the small busi­ 3· The evasion of all major issues, ness men, professional, Negro and including the election platform of the other groups. His weakness was best League; the policy of "laying low" expressed in the characterization and taking no chances on "upsetting made of him by Comrade Browder. the apple-cart"; the refusal to cham­ "Judge Patterson, far from being a radical, pion aggressively the interests of la­ is not even as consistent a proFsive as bor and the middle class of the city. Roosevelt. If he were, there would be no 4· The failure to nominate a Negro doubt that he would carry the elections candidate on the Leagues slate and overwhelmingly." the evasion of the special issues in be­ This accounts for the main weak­ hal£ of the Negro people. nesses of Patterson's dunpaign. While 5· The capitulation to the Red he and his campaign advisers refused scare, the mistaken idea that the mid­ to attack Governor Davey's record in dle class vote could only be retained the steel strike, Davey himself came to by out-Red-baiting the Red-baiters. Akron and opened a frontal attack on Patterson. While Patterson refused to LOSS OF OFFENSIVE discuss vital labor issue, the reaction­ The operation of this wrong policy aries launched a campaign· of fear, resulted in the loss of the advantage threatening the workers with decen­ which Patterson had scored with the tralization and loss of jobs, and primary victory and which had left threatening the business men with de­ his opponents and their political ma­ struction of Akron's prosperity if Pat­ chine completely demoralized. Gradu­ terson were elected. While Patterson ally, the reactionaries took heart and attempted to side-step the fact of went over to the offensive. League support in an effort to pacify The effects of the mistaken line the midle class on the issue of "labor were most glaringly reflected in the domination," the reactionaries waged wards. Mayor Schroy receiv~d his a bold offensive on this issue. While 8,ooo majority in two wards, both Patterson endulged in vicious repudi­ wealthy residential districts. Ward 8 ation of Communist endorsement, the alone outvoted Patterson by six to reactionaries took advantage of this one, giving Schroy a majority of over mistake to intensify the Red scare. 5,ooo votes. Ward 2 gave Schroy the It was the Schroy reactionary camp rest. To counteract these two wards, that conducted a far-reaching and un- THE AKRON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 45 urmg campaign among the small the machine workers to knife the property owners, business men, wom­ League slate in part or whole. In en, foreign groups and the Negro some places the machine knifed in­ population, while Patterson trailed dividual candidates, while supporting them with belated efforts to ward off Patterson; in other places sections of their aggressive blows. the machine used their position to The seriousness of this situation knife the entire slate, thus prevent­ was recognized by labor's forces in the ing a unified, city-wide campaign for last days of the campaign. Ten days the entire slate. before election the foremost leaders Nor were the middle class and pro­ of the labor movement took over the fessional groups to be won by loud­ campaign, made speeches over the sounding phrases about the New Deal radio and issued a special newspaper in city government, by apologies on in support of the League slate. These the issues of labor and the League, measures greatly bolstered the situa­ and by repudiation of the Commu­ tion, but did not suffice to turn the nists. The main weakness here was tide of battle which had already the failure to cement an alliance with swung definitely in favor of the re­ the middle class, small property own­ ,actionaries. ers and professionals on the basis of a program of their demands. The en­ THE DEMOCRATIC MACHINE tire campaign strategy after the pri­ The chief error committed in con­ maries failed to take into account the nection with the Democratic Party new currents stirring in the political was not in seeking the cooperation of sea. The Communist Party of Akron those Democrats who were willing to stressed the necessity of appealing to cooperate, but in permiting the ma­ all voters, not on the basis of their chine to assume political and organ­ former party affiliations but on the izational control of the campaign. basis of the excellent election plat­ Equally disastrous was the simultane­ form issued by the League, on the ous elimination of the League as an basis of progress versus reaction. independent factor. Patterson, unfortunately, refused to Before the primaries, the League make this slogan his own, and made had maintained headquarters in the his appeal on the basis of loyalty to wards, which were alive with volun­ the Democratic Party. teer workers and which expanded to the point of including and activizing THE RED SCARE large numbers of people in each ward. Some of Patterson's supporters stated After the primaries, ward activities that the Communist Party should passed into the hands of paid Demo­ not have made any public endorse­ cratic machine workers selected by ment of the League slate, and, in fact, machine politicians. This inactivity of should have remained completely the League as an independent force ~>ilent in the election. Some even said not only prevented drawing addi­ cynically that the Party should have tional unions and ward residents into endorsed Mayor Schroy as a sure the campaign, but enabled some of means of defeating him. This effort to 44 THE COMMUNIST escape the Red scare, and to resort to an editorial of the official organ of smart trickery demonstrates the com­ the Goodyear Local, U.R.W.A. which plete failure to understand the tactics stated: of Red-baiting· reactionaries. But the Party understood the neces­ "As to the charge that these labor can­ sity of taking a clearcut stand on the didates have the backing of the Communist Party, the members of the Communist Party elections and making its position are all laboring people and naturally could known from the outset. Aside from not back any but labor's candidates." refusal to minimize its own role, the Party knew that the Red scare would In the last few days of the cam­ be raised inevitably in one form or paign practically the entire labor another. movement spoke in the vein of this Striking co:qfirmation of the Party's editorial. position came with the appearance of The wisdom of this course is not the notorious pamphlet entitled Vote only demonstrated by the victory in for John L. Lewis and-Communism, New York City, where the Commu­ issued by the so-called "Constitutional nist Party conducted the most inten­ Educational League of Connecticut." sive campaign, but also by the experi­ This pamphlet did not confine it­ ence of Canton, where the League suf­ self to the city limits of Akron, which fered its worst defeat, and where no marked the world outlook of some Party endorsement was made. campaign strategists. The progressive candidates of Detroit and New York ROLE OF THE PARTY came under fire as well. The follow­ This healthy reaction by the labor ing words express the keynote of Red­ movement to the Red scare is, of baiting technique: course, indicative of a growing politi­ "The united Red Front of the C.I.O. and cal understanding in its ranks. But the Communists is a major factor in the this result did not come spontaneous­ political picture at this time, not only in ly. It was due in large measure to the Detroit but also in New York, Akron and activities of the Party, which, in fact, a number of other industrial cities." emerged as a recognized political Clearly the progressive movement force in the city. Through radio, itself is not safe until the Red scare is newspaper statements, and its own eliminated as an effective weapon of literature the Party made its position the reactionaries. Patterson's error in clear before tens of thousands. Its this respect was his failure to follow opinions and activities earned increas­ the example of Mayqr La Guardia. ing respect. Nevertheless, the reaction of the Through its members in the labor movement to the Red scare fea­ League the Party advanced policies tured one of the healthiest develop­ which brought victory in the pri­ ments of the campaign. It marked the maries, and have been confirmed by eleventh-hour effort on the part of the the experience of the entire campaign. labor leadership to undo the damage At all times the Party cautioned­ of previous errors in the campaign. in a friendly, constructive manner­ A typical example is to be found in against harmful errors of policy, hold- THE AKRON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 45 ing uppermost the unity and success come of labor's political campaigns. of the movement. 5· The trade unions are confronted The chief weakness of the Party's with the need of broad political edu­ work was failure sufficiently to activ­ cation in the locals and factories, and ize the branches for independent the organization of women's auxilia­ Party activity in the wards, as a means ries to win the women for effective po­ of building the Party, which largely litical action. accounts for the small figure of 35 6. The Communist Party is in duty new members recruited during the bound to state boldly its position to campaign. the broadest masses and to build its With a larger Party it would have ranks as the surest guarantee of the been possible to correct the shortcom­ success of the progressive movement. ings of the entire campaign much The election of four of its candi­ sooner than was actually done. From dates to the City Council presents the the entire experience, it is necessary League with new problems and re­ to conclude that a strong Communist sponsibilities. The activities of the Party is an indispensable condition League's candidates in the City Coun­ for the successful building of a strong cil during the next two years will de­ progressive movement in Akron. termine in large measure the prestige The main lessons of the Akron elec­ of the movement. Already a series of tions can, therefore, be summarized problems connected with lay-offs, re­ as follows: lief, taxation, civil service and other 1. Victory iii the primaries is no issues confront the incoming City guarante for election victory. A fol­ Council, and place a great responsi­ low-up of the initial victory require& bility upon the League's candidates, tenfold efforts to meet the desperate offering them great opportunities to and redoubled resistance of the re­ work in the interests of the people. actionaries. On a statewide scale the immediate 2. Labor unity is essential both on problem before the L.N.P.L. is to de­ top and among the masses for united feat the Liberty League Democrat, and conscious political action, mobil­ Governor Davey, and to elect the izing the full force of labor. But labor maximum number of progressive cannot win alone. It must achieve Congressmen and Senators from Ohio. united action with the middle class, As the first step in this direction it is professional, farm, Negro, and other urgent to convene a statewide con­ sections of the population. ference of the League in Ohio and to 3· Labor can only secure united ac­ extend its organizations to every lo­ tion with other sections of the popu­ cality in the state. lation by fighting for their interests and finding active expression for all The victory of the progressive front groups in political activities. in New York City and Pittsburgh, 4· The League must not relinquish and the substantial advances by the at any time its independent activity. League throughout Ohio, will fur­ Reliance upon political machines and nish considerable impetus for its ac­ old-time politics is fatal to the out- tivities in the 1938 elections, WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S FRONT

BY MARGARET COWL

HE first organized women's move­ earlier American women's rights T ment in the United States was movement was that its leaders recog­ formed at the' Women's Rights Con­ nized the necessity of linking up the vention at Seneca Falls, New York, in women's movement with other pro­ 1848. A Women's Rights Declaration gressive movements of the day. and resolutions adopted at this con­ In Philadelphia they organized the vention called for the right to vote, Female Anti-Slavery Society which the right to share in all political published an address to women to offices, equality in marriage; equal support the abolition of slavery. rights in property, wages, and custody They memorialized Congress to abol­ of children; the right to make con­ ish slavery of the Negro people which tracts and to testify in the courts of separated Negro families and kept justice. from the Negro mother any legal se­ It required much courage on the curity in the possession of her babe. part of women to take part in this The society organized the first course first organized mass endeavor to break of scientific lectures where Negro and down the barriers that kept them white sat in the same audience. They from equal participation in the public advocated labor unions when these life of the country. It was considered were generally considered illegal. unwomanly and indecent to challenge Leaders of the women's rights the unequal position of women of movement were among the staunchest that day; it was deemed a sacrilege opponents of war. In Philadelphia for women to speak upon a public alone over 3,500 women signed a platform. friendly address to the women of "Women have gone too far," England, as a sign of international shouted many clergymen. They wrung solidarity. At a women's meeting their hands and forecast the doom of in New York, around 188o, leaders of the home. Writers depicted election the Women's Rights Movement pro­ day as a day that "would be a gala posed plans for a world congress of event for the prostitutes," should women in behalf of international women be permitted to vote. Fear­ peace. lessly the women carried on their fight The demands for women's rights to be more than mere political ciphers. were specific and were bound to give An ·outstanding feature of the positive results. Colleges, trades, WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S FRONT 47 and professions gradually opened to Amendment as utopian, as a search women's admission. Laws limiting after formal equality. Trade unions work hours for women were passed generally do not support it because it in a number of states as a result of might invalidate the existing special the women textile workers' efforts. legislation for women in industry, Some states granted women the right which to some degree does improve to vote. the economic status of women and Women in the United States joined helps trade unions to maintain their with women in England and Ireland gains. Under the minimum wage law for woman suffrage and there arose for women in the laundry industry a broad, united, militant, women's in New York state, wages are as much movement for the right to vote. as 50 per cent higher than previously. In 1920 the 19th Amendment to There is no indication to show that the United States Constitution was increased wages for women under such enacted, granting women the vote. laws have generally resulted in a loss The movement for woman suffrage of jobs by women. Women's wage had bearing on the passage of the levels are still very much below those Cable Act by Congress in 1922 recog­ of men, notwithstanding that mini­ nizing independent citizenship for mum wage laws for women in almost married women. twenty states resulted in a raise in Women wage earners, who in the wages for women. meantime increased in numbers, the Unemployed women particularly de­ largest group of women having com­ mand special legislation to maintain mon economic interests and, therefore, the women's projects under the W.P. the most important group, did not A. The "Equal Rights Amendment" become an important part of the would give the courts jurisdiction to woman's rights movement after its decide whether laws that protect first victories were achieved. Un­ women are constitutional. The exist­ doubtedly, that is a chief reason for ing meager "mothers' pensions" could the failure of the woman's movement be invalidated; the "non-support" laws to continue to put forth such all-em­ which impose on the husband a spe­ bracing demands as the right to vote. cial obligation to suJ>Port the wife or The woman's movement lost its fea­ children could be declared illegal. ture of united action. The Amendment could prevent the enactment of laws for protection and THE "EQUAL RIGHTS" AMENDMENT AND welfare of working mothers. The SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOR WOMEN sudden sweeping away of even these meager safeguards for women in in­ The leadership was divided when dustry would mean incalculable hard­ the proposal for equal rights by con­ ship, with no assurance that substi- - stitutional amendment was made. tute measures would be enacted in the The "Equal Rights Amendment," future. sponsored by the Woman's Party, was The powerful force of tradition formulated in 1922. Many women's helps to keep women's wages dowri; organizations correctly estimate this there is still need for special laws to THE COMMUNIST help women attain a better standard attack other rights for which women of living. But the enactment of such have fought with so much effort. Is laws would be hindered if not im­ it an accident that a supporter of the possible under the "Equal Rights Equal Rights Amendment is Senator Amendment." Edward R. Burke of Nebraska, who In the United States, two women to opposed the Wages and Hours Bill every seven men work for an income. for all workers? Or again, is it coin­ Three-tenths of all employed women cidental that representatives of the are in the domestic and personal ser­ Women's Party which sponsors the­ vice industries, where the wages are Amendment find themselves lobbying lower and which are the first to be together with agents of the National affected by spreading unemployment Association of Manufacturers against under a new business recession. Be­ minimum wage laws for women? In sides, working women suffer the same Germany, fascism was successful in effects of spreading unemployment .as divesting women of all rights because do men workers. it first destroyed and stripped from With such an unequal and insecure them whatever economic security they economic status, women cannot but had. intensify their activities for raising Women's social and political rights their standards. More effort by depend upon their economic position. women in the trade unions to increase That is why it is so important to fight their membership, greater activity for hard for the right of women to have special legislation for women will pre­ jobs. Complete equality is possible serve and extend their economic only when women secure economic standards. independence. And that is possible To urge working women, particu­ only in a society wherein the profit larly at this time, to concentrate upon motive is removed, a society in which the passage of the "Equal Rights a basic tenet is the absolute equal Amendment," which jeopardizes pro­ right of the sexes-in the Soviet tective laws for women, is to deliver Union. them into the hands of reaction. It Even in the Soviet Union where is not surprising that reactionary ele­ women are equal with men be­ ments come to the support of that fore the law, the rights of women are Amendment. As it is now formu­ clearly defined in the constitution lated, it is not progressive and not in and not placed in an abstract form. the interests of working women. The right of women to work, to en­ Working women would not oppose joy leisure, and to rest, as well as the an equal rights constitutional amend­ protection of mother and child is ment if it clearly indicated that spe­ definitely stated. cial laws necessary to the needs of women wage earners would be thus THE WOMEN'S CHARTER enhanced. Reactionary forces would not be The Women's Charter is rallying slow to take advantage of the low­ around itself not only women's or­ ered economic standards of women to ganizations, but is gaining the support WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S FRONT 49 of trade unions because it stands for unions, many of whom are becoming the principle of special legislation active in making the objectives of the that fits the needs of women. Laws Women's Charter a reality. It is get­ should be changed to meet new con­ ting the support of Negro women be­ ditions, and the charter expresses con­ cause it stands for the equality of fidence in the ability of working Negro women. It has the support of women with the help of their trade Catholic and Jewish women. The unions to work out such laws for Women's Charter is so important, be­ themselves. The charter recognizes cause it stresses the need for women that the demand for equality is insep­ to unite around the most basic de­ arable from the demand for higher mand concerning women, namely, the standards of living for women, to­ right to work. gether with men and by special effort The Women's Charter therefore is where that is necessary. a valuable contribution to the devel­ Modem life is not organized to oping people's movement in the permit women to achieve full equality United States. It should play an or to make equality sufficient so long effective role in the people's legisla­ as conditions exist which are adverse tive conferences that are developing to the general welfare and particu­ in a number of cities. larly burdensome for workers. Thus, The Communist Party will support the Women's Charter states: the Women's Charter movement and will use its resources to further the "Reactionary forces everywhere manifest a success of the Women's Charter City tendency to deprive women of the gains won Conferences of local trade unions and in the last fifty years through the movements white and Negro women's organiza­ for woman suffrage, for economic indepen­ tions that are being prepared in a dence, and for educational opportunity. To the reactionary forces which would frustrate number of cities, to work out concrete these hopes, women seek to oppose not programs of legislative activity for merely defensive resistance or unwilling ac­ women. ceptance, but toward larger aims than have been achieved in the past. WOMEN'S PEACE WEEK "This forward progressive movement sup­ ported by women throughout the world can be also a powerful force to maintain democ­ While women's organizations in the racy and peace against the oncoming dan­ United States are more alert to gen­ gers of war and the destruction of civiliza­ eral questions of international peace tion." and civil rights, it is the American League for Peace and Democracy that The Women's Charter is the Decla­ raises special peace questions of par­ ration of Women's Rights under new ticular interest to women. Mothers' conditions, when the people are mus­ Day in May has become popular as a tering all progressive forces in the day for peace. Formerly it was used fight against reaction, for democracy for commercial purposes and for mili­ and peace. It is assured successful tary preparedness speeches. On that continuation because of the greater day hundreds of organizations unite organization of women into the trade in peace parades and meetings THE COMMUNIST throughout the land. Broad educa­ WOMEN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST tional work is carried on against the THE HIGH COST OF LIVING militaristic spirit that is promulgated on Decoration Day "in honor" of In a number of large cities, the those who died in the war. popular activities of women against The American League for Peace the high cost of living have brought and Democracy will call upon wo­ into being a huge people's movement men's organizations and local trade against· the trusts. Women's drgani­ unions to inaugurate a Women's zations, A. F. of L. and C.I.O. trade Peace Week during the first week in unions, cooperatives, local labor par­ March in all large cities. International ties, political clubs, white and Negro cooperation for peace will be stressed organizations; neighborhood, relig!­ and anti-war and anti-fascist literature ous, civic, welfare, consumer and widely distributed. Fight, the official fraternal organizations have united organ of the American League for into people's conferences, pressing Peace and Democracy, will appear as upon the government to force the a special women's issue in March. trusts to bring down prices on food, This new determination for a to lower rents, and rates for public united women's peace week to utilities. These conferences are de­ stress international cooperation means manding that the municipal govern­ added support to the. people's struggle ment establish milk stations and elec­ against fascism, particularly at a time tric plants as a stand~rd for prices and when the world fascists are trying to rates. provoke a world war. This stress These conferences are the people's on international cooperation for peace forum where the trusts are indicted will bring more clearly to the masses for their monopolistic practices, and of women in the United States the the government is called upon to need to direct their efforts towards bring the trusts to responsibility. De­ "quarantining the aggressor"- the mands are made upon the trusts to fascists who are making war, the same check their anti-labor policies, their fascists who are depriving women of anti-Semitic and Jim-Crow practices. their rights. It will serve to empha­ The intentional freezing of capital size the peace policy of the Soviet and closing down of factories by big Union. This intensified movement business is effectively exposed by lead­ for peace on the part of women will ing people in civic and social life at further the boycott of Japanese-made these conferences. These gatherings goods which is having such wide­ indicate how far-reaching is the wors­ spread effect and in which masses of ened condition of the middle classes women participate; it will broaden who are looking for a way out. These out the work of women in support of are ready to join hands with the work­ other progressive movements and ers as consumers in the fight against measures, such as aid for Loyalist the trusts. Spain and along various sectors of the Long ago Engels pointed out how strike front in defense of the rights the worker is cheated as a consumer, 9f t~w wqrkf!rs; how this ~xtortioll is enqureQ. in com- WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S FRONT mon with other classes. The consumer cost of living, should have special help problem is not exclusively a working and guidance by the Communist class problem; the weakening· eco­ Party. nomic and social position of the ur­ The year 1937 has witnessed a ban middle class and small farmers very broad participation of working has been made even worse by rising women in strike struggles in the United prices for the city consumer and fall­ States. The wives of workers played ing income for the farmer, with the a very significant part in the strike inevitable growing tendency to unite movements. As a result, unprece­ the workers, farmers, and city .middle dented numbers of women joined the class. This expanding unity move­ trade unions, and the activities of the ment of workers, farmers and city mid­ women's trade union auxiliaries have dle class in the struggle against the gained in popularity throughout the forces of reaction, the trusts, inspired land. Many wives of workers have with the enthusiasm and experience been organized around the trade of the workers, is one of the greatest unions; the A. F. of L. is reviving the bulwarks in the People's Front move­ work of trade union auxiliaries by ment in the United States. This or­ calling a national conference of the ganization of the people to defend auxiliaries. their most vital economic needs is one Not since the days when the fight of the most effective ways to build the for woman suffrage was at its height People's Front against reaction. have such large numbers of women The activities of the women, espe­ joined in action inside the united cially of the women's trade union front movements developing in the auxiliaries, in municipal elections, United States today. These are along stressing the need to fight high prices, three main streams, namely, the work show what a big part the united move­ for peace; the fight against the high ment against high prices will play in cost of living; and the pressure for the 1938 Congressional elections. social and labor legislation, including That is why the Party should give mother and child welfare. Women are even more help to the uniting of the not only active around general ques­ people against the high cost of liv­ tions within these movements, but are ing. We should help in the develop­ carrying on major activities that are ment of such conferences in more of particular interest to women, and cities without delay. Women's organi­ that fit in with the general work on zations, women's trade union auxili­ these three issues. The Women's aries will be the quickest to respond. Charter movement will be instru­ In the neighborhoods, consumers' mental in arousing more activity by committees should be established. women in the trade unions, not only These will assure active life in carry­ on specific women's issues, but for gen­ ing out the decisions of the confer­ eral trade union work. A very signi­ ence. Women's forums in the neigh­ ficant feature is that working women borhoods, backing the progressive and are becoming active in the struggle labor dty councilmen who are pledged for women's rights aro~nd the Wo:rn,­ to support the fight against the high en's Charte:r, THE COMMUNIST

In other countries, there exist in­ resolutions of higher Party commit­ dependent women's movements for tees, keeping posted on the activities peace; in the United States the ten­ of women-these are requirements of dency has been to carry on such work women comrades who are engaged in inside the general peace organiza­ leading women's activities: tions. The women's peace groups, "There should be a check up on the num­ generally, do not carry on activities of ber of women Party members, to see what special interest to women. The broad work they perform in the Party and in the participation of women in the Peo­ trade unions, to see whether these forces ple's Front is preparing the way for are correctly allocated, and then to create special organizations and organs consisting of a united independent women's move­ women Party members (together with the ment for peace and equal rights. The more advanced women sympathizers) for car­ greater infusion of working women rying out work among the widest masses into the activity· around peace ques­ of women." tions and for special legislation for This should not deprive the women women will hasten the development comrades of participation in general of such a united women's movement. Party and trade union work. New What form such a mobilization will Party cadres must be developed among take will depend on the situation at the women who take part in the anti­ the time. Its beginnings are evident fascist movement, in the trade unions, in the joint activities of women's or­ and the other mass organizations. ganizations and trade unions to cele­ Our Party organizations are more brate Mother's Day for peace and in conscious than ever before of the need the decision of the women to hold a for recruiting of women into the woman's peace week in March under Party. About 30 per cent of the new the auspices of many organizations. members in the present recruiting However, these are temporary united drive are women. But there are not activities. But they are first steps. enough women recruited from the industries. This can be rectified as TilE DIRECI'IVES OF TilE C.C. women's activities increase in the The Central Committee of the mass organizations. Party calls upon all Party organiza­ The Party declares: tions to organize a campaign for im­ "It is necessary to popularize in all ways proving mass work among women: and utilize for work among the masses of "Mass work among working class women, women all that the October Revolution has and all working women in general must be given the women of the Soviet Union." regarded as one of the chief tasks of the Communist Party, which it carries on pri­ Throughout the city, in the neigh­ marily with the forces of Communist women. borhoods, and in the women's organi­ For the fulfilment of this task all Party mem­ zations and trade unions there should bers and particularly the Communist women be mass meetings organized by the themselves must show constant initiative and Party and by other organizations, in concern." the month of March, 1938, particular­ The reading and study of more basic ly on International Women's Day, literature, studying the decisions and March 8, when the position of women WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE PEOPLE'S FRONT 53 in the Soviet Union is specifically leaflet aimed to sabotage the special popularized. Special literature should women's activities during the time the be distributed at these meetings on women on W.P.A. projects in New the subject. The Daily Worker and York were demonstrating for the right Sunday Worker should be distributed to work. By exposing the fascist work in large numbers. of the Trotskyites, we can render the The popularization of the position women's movement invincible to any of women under socialism and the such attempts to disrupt its unity. recruiting of more women into the By showing more concern for the Party are espeCially important, now growing women's mass movement, that enemies of the working class and women Communists can help that of the People's Front are trying to movement grow stronger as a very find their way into the women's move­ significant part of the general Peo­ ment. The Trotskyites distributed a ple's Front for peace and democracy. UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE IN NEBRASKA

BY E. RICHARDS

s THE unicameral (one house) form Big business carried through the or­ I of the legislll;ture a success? Is it ganizational change and used it to more progressive than the two-house tighten its stranglehold on the legis­ system? Can it put an end to the lature. evils of party machinations, so evi­ WHAT HAS THE UNICAMERAL TO OFFER? dent in bi-cameral legislatures? These questions, which one hears The problem of representation is a at every turn, cannot be answered burning issue for the masses. There­ with a categorical "yes" or "no." fore, a change in the form of a legis­ What in theory can be quite a pro­ lature raises the questions: gressive step, can, in the hands of Will it give us better and broader reactionary politicians, be made the representation? opposite in practice. The unicameral In Nebraska, representation was cut method, if carried out correctly, is a to the bone-from I33 in the past two­ decided improvement over the two­ houses to 43 in the unicameral. In house system. The unicameral (called the lower house of the past legislature Senate; members are called Senators) ( IOO members), there was a cut of can provide a much more equal rep­ 57 per cent. But this does not mean resentation and can stop a small bloc that a change to the unicameral sys­ in the upper house from overruling tem necessarily will cut down rep­ the large majority. But to do this, resentation. A unicameral can and the change must be carried through should have even broader representa­ under the guidance of men and or­ tion than a two-house legislature. The ganizations that represent the inter­ problem of representation should be ests of the broad masses. embodied in the amendment, with a Although the people of Nebraska specific number set. hopefully voted in I934 for the Will it stop party machinations? change as a progressive step, the large The father and founder of the business interests took it over. This Nebraska unicameral, Senator George was clearly proved in the first session W. Norris, worked to institute it as a of the unicameral which opened on means of stopping party machina­ January I, I937· The state constitu­ tions. For 30 years or more he had tional amendment, ratified in I934· fought the connivings in Washington, became operative on January I, ~937· D. C., and in Lincoln, Nebraska. He

54 UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE IN NEBRASKA 55 envisioned a ·model legislature with Nebraska unicameral. Let us show this evil eliminated. He worked for how the reactionaries, with even a a unicameral on a non-partisan basis. minority in a given district, can put However, the experience to date of in their man through the "non-par­ less than a year has not shown this tisan" elections. No candidate carries evil to have been eliminated. A any party identification: All appear change · in form does not necessarily on the same list in the primaries. The change the content. True, party two highest appear in the final elec­ caucuses are not held openly (al­ tion. In order to "kill" a progressive, though a proposal to do so was made the opposition will place several last winter); they merely take on a "progressives" on the list in order to different form. As long as we have the split the progressive vote six or seven representatives of finance capital in ways. The two reactionaries then re­ the leadership of law-making bodies, ceive the highest number of votes and they will carry through their machina­ appear on the final ballot with no tions, possibly being forced to change other opposition. This can be put form. Our examples in regard to cer­ over, since no one is tied to a party, tain bills will evidence this. to a definite program-only to his Will it prevent a small 1·eactionary promises. This limits the possibilities bloc from stopping the will of the of the progressives, since they are not majority? able to put forward a party program Yes-the Senate as such is abolished, but must support candidates as in­ but the Nebraska experience points dividuals. out that a small clique can still stop This method turns out to be a the will of the majority. weapon in the hands of the group in Instead of sitting in a separate cham­ power to make it difficult for labor ber, they now sit in the same cham­ and progressive groups to place their ber. The unicameral adopted a set men in the Senate. It is necessary that of rules drafted by a committee whose there be party identification in all chairman was played up in the press elections to give us a way of tying a as the "leader of the progressives;" candidate to a permanent and definite He is the dean of the Senate and, in program. This becomes increasingly conjunction with the administration, important as we are able to organize has introduced more vicious bills than independent political action through any other Senator. The stated set of utilizing the realignment of the so­ rules, approved with little discussion cial groupings and the gathering of and with · minor changes because of the forces of labor and progress the absence of a progressive bloc to around definite issues and a definite oppose it, embodies a variety of ways banner. by which a small group can throttle The "storming of the state capitol" the will of themajority. in 1933; the rapid growth of the farm­ Do the non-partisan elections con­ ers' organizations; the penny sales; stitute an improvement? the forcing of the moratorium law; Definitely, no: This issue has turned the struggles of the unemployed; the out to be one of the greatest evils of strikes in Omaha, especially the street THE COMMUNIST car strike, were living proof of the masses and to cloak his real program. mood of the masses. Drought and He represents the railroad, the pack­ hunger, the destruction of cattle, ing, and the sugar interests of N ebras­ hogs, food, and feed only sharpened ka. These three groups, closely knit the situation. Something had to be together through Wall Street, control done. the state. The "state fathers" could not come The governor's opening speech in out openly with their program. They the unicameral was a rewording of had to cloak it in progressive phrases the aims of the financiers of the state and still retain their stranglehold. with sufficient spicing to attract the The opening days of the Senate in masses. He bowed below the knees January clearly showed how they to the "economy program" and the had been preparing the ground to "no new taxes" demand of the large control this new "animal." The interests. By "economy" he meant, of farmers and workers looked to the course, cutting the taxes of the large new legislature for assistance. They owners, giving nothing or very little waited quietly. They did not prepare. for relief, and preparing the ground They had no leadership to guide for further cuts in property taxes by them, to prepare them, due t~ the foisting a state sales tax on the masses. absence of a Labor Party and due alSo This speech was taken as a go-ahead to the fact that the Communist Party signal by the Association of Omaha in Nebraska is still small and weak. Taxpayers (an organization of the Further, the reactionary leaders of Omaha bankers)-so much so, that a the American Federation of Labor month and a half later this organiza­ preached confidence in Governor tion forced the County Commission­ Cochran (whom they are boosting for ers to cut tlie assessed valuation of the Democratic candidate for the presi­ largest owners in Douglas County dency in 1940). The Farmers' Union from 16 per cent to 40 per cent, rob­ did not say anything, since it "could bing the county of nearly $5oo,ooo not participate in politics." The in tax income. This same organiza­ majority were unorganized and wait­ tion, using the Governor's speech as its ing. Today, they are beginning to see "supreme court," has forced the differently. school appropriation down by nearly 50 per cent, thus further slashing the THE UNICAMERAL IN OPERATION children's all too meager education. A picture of the present adminis­ Today the administration is paving tration, i.e., Governor Cochran, "the the way for a state sales tax through second house of the unicameral," will the demagogic "homestead exemp­ help the reader to understand the new tion" movement, under the leadership legislative set-up in Nebraska. Po­ of ex-governor Bryan, but receiving litically Governor Cochran is anoth~r the support of the present governor. Senator Burke, without being the The purpose of this move, as has been clown that Burke is. He is more stated, is not to give exemption to the shrewd in his tactics, often making sorely-pressed small home owners and progressive statements to win the small farmers but to fool them into UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE IN NEBRASKA 57 supporting the sales tax when it is the 550 bills were introduced. Ap­ proposed at the coming session. The proximately all the bills that would deceptive battle cry is: "Tax the apart­ have helped the masses were intro­ ment dwellers who make big salaries duced on that day-or just a day or and pay no taxes." two earlier. But the administration The State Committee of the Com­ forces had not been asleep; they had munist Party, in a recent Open Letter, introduced their bills before. When it exposed this trickery, showing how came to discussing the bills, those of tax revenue can be increased through the administration were at the top a steeply graduated tax on larger of the calendar. Many good bills died properties and through the enactment of suffocation through adjournment, of a state income tax. The Party is speeded up by the administration. supporting small homestead tax A few words on some of the most exemption. important bills: The "economy program" of the "Legislative Council Bill No. 395: This governor received the unanimous en­ bill, introduced by the 'progressive' Norton, dorsement of the Senate (unicameral), was one of the twin pets of the administra­ which went so far as to pass a resolu­ tion and possibly the most reactionary meas­ tion pledging itself not to oppose ure enacted by the 1937 session. The Act Cochran's program. provides for a 'legislative council' of fifteen members to be appointed by the speaker of The first month, January, went by the Senate and approved by the Senate mem­ with the administration forces able to bership. Among the duties of this Council put through everything they proposed. are: It seemed as if the "unanimous sup­ "A. To examine the effects of previously port" resolution was going to prevail. enacted statutes and recommended amend­ ments thereto. The Senate voted a resolution memor­ "B. To prepare a legislative program in ializing Congress to oppose President the form of bills. . . . Roosevelt's Supreme Court Reform "c. To investigate and study the possibili­ Bill. It approved all the administra­ ties for consolidation in state government. ... tion proposals for procedure and "n. To investigate and study the possibili­ ties of reforming the system of local gov­ rules of conduct, thereby setting up a ernment. stumbling block to many of the pro­ "E. To cooperate with the administration posals which senators sought to ad­ m devising means of enforcing the law and vance. improving the effectiveness of administra­ But things began to happen quick­ tion methods." ly. The masses who had so religiously The Legislative Council was set up. waited for this new "animal" to pro­ What has it turned out to be? Who duce something that would alleviate is its chairman? Amos Thomas, the their miserable conditions began to head of the state National Guard and see that the unicameral was only re­ one of the most reactionary men in peating the procedure of the past Nebraska. In practice this law means legislatures. This was expressed in the that the 43 men elected by the citi­ fact that on February 15, the thirtieth zens of Nebraska are virtually rub­ legislative day and the last day for ber stamps to approve the bills pro­ proposing new bills, nearly half of posed by the small group. It boils

for for Senate Senate the the hung hung purposes purposes relief relief places places This This time. time. any any at at Governor Governor the the

for for tax tax gas gas the the from from appropriation appropriation by by recall recall to to and and Senate, Senate, the the by by tion tion

an an of of question question the the where where situation situation confirma­ to to subject subject Governor, Governor, the the by by

a a .about .about bringing bringing in in succeeded succeeded Party Party appointed appointed be be will will officers officers state state other other

Communist Communist the the problems, problems, on on stand stand All All instruction. instruction. public public of of intendent intendent

their their to to according according senators, senators, cratic cratic super­ and and accounts accounts public public of of auditor auditor

Demo­ and and Republican Republican both both on on ing ing ballot­ non-partisan non-partisan a a on on elected elected

Work­ assistance. assistance. for for administration administration be be will will others others Two Two ballot. ballot. partisan partisan

the the by by proposed proposed amount amount the the doubling doubling a a on on Lieutenant-Governor) Lieutenant-Governor) and and ernor ernor

than than more more for for called called which which bills bills of of (Gov­ people people the the by by officers officers state state two two

group group a a Senate Senate the the before before getting getting in in only only of of election election the the for for allows allows Norton, Norton,

succeeded succeeded Party Party relief-our relief-our of of issue issue the the same same the the by by introduced introduced and and 15 15 to to 26 26

farmers­ to to and and workers workers to to both both all, all, of of vote vote by by passed passed law, law, This This 6o. 6o. No. No.

to to vital vital was was that that issue issue the the Selecting Selecting Bill Bill Ballot Ballot Short Short the the was was tra-tion tra-tion

adminis­ the the of of pet pet twin twin other other The The

ALIGNMENT ALIGNMENT NEW NEW A A

masses. masses.

veto. veto. his his overrule overrule to to able able be be not not the the of of needs needs other other or or relief relief for for

should should Senate Senate the the that that idea idea the the with with funds funds no no are are there there state-but state-but the the of of

out out coming coming now now is is Cochran Cochran ernor ernor royalists royalists economic economic the the of of pet pet tatorial tatorial

Gov­ representatives, representatives, elected elected people's people's dic­ non-representative non-representative bureaucratic, bureaucratic,

the the of of powers powers this this the the for for and and money money of of representation representation plenty plenty is is There There

curtailing curtailing for for plans plans further further to to lude lude

Act." Act." this this

pre­ a a only only is is this this that that evidence evidence As As

of of purposes purposes the the of of accomplishment accomplishment the the for for

measure. measure. this this defeating defeating whatsoever whatsoever agency agency any any with with make make may may it it

of of that that task task the the agreement agreement have have forces forces cooperative cooperative any any of of progressive progressive terms terms the the the the

through through it it to to available available made made funds funds any any use use and and Party Party Communist Communist The The 1938. 1938. in in

and and accept accept to to authorized authorized is is council council "The "The

polls polls the the at at ratified ratified be be must must therefore therefore

and and Amendment Amendment Constitutional Constitutional a a states: states: Act Act The The

as as passed passed was was Bill Bill Ballot Ballot Short Short The The funds. funds. more more

states. states. other other in in provide provide to to done done was was something something less less

reactionaries reactionaries by by un­ winter winter carefully carefully coming coming studied studied the the been been through through go go to to

have have and and papers, papers, World-Herald World-Herald and and unable unable be be would would it it that that declared declared tion tion

Hearst Hearst the the of of acclaim acclaim Administra­ loud loud the the Relief Relief ceived ceived State State the the that that fact fact

re­ have have acts acts Both Both administration. administration. the the the the of of spite spite in in This, This, session. session. special special

by by through through carried carried line line the the of of picture picture a a for for need need no no need, need, relief relief mediate mediate

a a give give clearly clearly Acts Acts two two stated stated The The im­ no no was was there there that that stated stated Council Council

vote. vote. two-thirds two-thirds a a required required The The relief. relief. provide provide to to session session special special

which which clause clause emergency emergency an an carried carried bill bill a a demanding demanding are are Nebraska Nebraska of of farmers farmers

The The enactment. enactment. for for vote vote to to senators senators and and workers workers the the Today Today done? done? it it has has

abstaining abstaining three three forcing forcing thus thus minutes, minutes, What What once. once. met met has has Council Council The The

thirty thirty for for call" call" "under "under stood stood house house the the bills. bills. the the prepare prepare

that that opposition opposition such such received received May May They They men. men. rules-eight rules-eight Council Council this this 10, 10,

passed passed bill, bill, The The Governor. Governor. the the of of in in majority majority A A comparison. comparison. by by fat fat are are

mercy mercy the the at at General General Attorney Attorney the the and and chickens chickens prairie prairie starved starved the the even even that that

State State of of Secretary Secretary the the as as officers officers such such thin thin so so something something to to representation representation

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE IN NEBRASKA 59 three weeks. Mass pressure was also Because of these weaknesses, al­ brought on the Senate. Although the though making a good stand, the Chairman of the Labor Committee masses suffered a defeat in the uni­ managed so to arrange the hearings on cameral. The forces of the economic these bills that the unemployed were royalists were able to put through not able to present their position on their program. the most important among them, our No money was appropriated for di­ Party, through hearings on other rect relief in the state budget. This bills dealing with similar problems, question was turned over to the al­ found it possible to present consider­ ready bankrupt counties. Today able material before the committee. Douglas County, which has one-third So much so, that even the chairman of the relief load of the state, has no admitted that those hearings, one of direct relief. Only the sick receive a which was taken over by the workers pittance of from $2.50 to $3.00 a week, (with their own chairman), killed a in trade, at the high-priced county pet relief bill of the administration­ store. Those who are considered "able a very reactionary measure. to work" by the relief heads get The tie on the gas tax question was not,b.ing. finally brok~n by a compromise. But The child labor amendment ratifi­ the outcome proved what could be cation was killed in such a manner done. It brought forward very that even many conservative organiza­ clearly a new alignment among the tions demanded that it be acted upon senators. The old line-up of Republi­ again. This mass protest forced the can vs. Democrat, city vs. farm, was Senate to reconsider and to vote on broken. Republican, Democrat, city the resolution; the first time it came and farm were to be found on both up it was not even voted on, but was sides. This was such a blow to the booed down.. administration that some of its spokes­ Two types of social security bills men demanded new rules to prevent were proposed. The administration the formation of blocs (of course, pro­ bill called for individual accounts of gressive blocs). The press was loud in each employer; the bill introduced by its demand for new rules. Open party Senator John Adams, Jr., called for caucuses were demanded. a pooled fund of all employers' pay­ But that which was lacking on the ments. The latter was supported by part of the progressives gave the ad­ the labor organizations and progres­ ministration its chance. The progres­ sives; the former, which was adopted, sives were not organized. They lacked was supported by the big employers, unity of aim and program. The mass especially the packing houses and rail­ support was not strong enough. The roads. A. F. of L. withheld support. The The Federal Social Security Act ex1stmg farm organizations stood makes allowance for either type being aloof, still heeding the dell¥lgogic adopted by the states. Under the cry of the Governor that relief would pooled fund, all social security pay­ raise taxes. The Communist Party ments are kept in one fund and paid was not yet able to be a mass factor. out of this one fund. Under the type 6o THE COMMUNIST of fund adopted in Nebraska, each cial session. This demand was first employer's account is kept separate, raised by the Communist Party, even and benefits are paid from this ac­ before the unicameral adjourned, count only to his former employees. when it became clear that all the labor Under this system employers pay their bills would be killed or emasculated share of the social security tax only in one manner or another. The until such time as their "reserve" in Workers Alliance raised this demand the fund equals 7 per cent of their at its state conference, immediately payroll. After this is reached, they pay receiving good support. So strong is no tax unless their reserve falls below the sentiment for a special session that the 7 per cent. It is clear that this only lately 300 people, mostly farm­ benefits the large employers who are ers, gathered in Lincoln to voice the able to stabili.ze employment lfJO a demand. These 300 represented about greater extent than the small fellows. go per cent of the counties in the state. The large employers are taking steps A petition of over S,ooo names from to get through seasonal rushes with­ Douglas County alone was recently out hiring any new employees, thus presented to the Governor on this increasing the speed-up. In slack times question. Cochran is definitely op­ they "spread the work" to avoid pay­ posed to a special session, saying that ing any benefits. there is no need for it. It is necessary This is not a state of large indus­ to get 29 of the 43 senators to call a tries, outside of the railroad, meat session over the governor's head. So packing, and sugar beet industries. we see that a mere few can stop some­ The small employer operates on a thing that is a matter of life and death narrow margin, and in the event of to the unemployed and the drought­ his being wiped out his former work­ stricken farmers of the state. ers would receive unemployed bene­ The recent Open Letter of the Com­ fits only to the amount he had already munist Party outlines three tasks for paid into the fund. Further, establish­ such a session: ments of less than eight workers do 1. Provide sufficient money for pay­ not have to pay the tax; and this in­ ing the maximum payments (which cludes a large portion of Nebraska still are inadequate) as prpvided by workers. Agricultural workers were the Assistance Act and sufficient to not included, by terms of the federal provide direct relief for all those who act. are unemployed; The anti-picketing law recall reso­ 2. Adjust the distribution of funds lution was killed in the labor commit­ according to need and not according tee. It never saw the light of day. to population; 3· Provide sufficient money not only THE DEMAND FOR A SPECIAL SESSION to feed the needy farmers and their stock but also seed money and work­ With these and many more experi­ ing funds for the summer. ences the struggle by the workers and In recent months we have noticed farmers to gain something is taking a growing interest in Nebraska from on a new form-the demand for a spe- the outside. Many of the prominent UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE IN NEBRASKA 61 magazines have carried articles about discussed; it must be developed into the "state that has no debt." Many the action stage. Under the guidance articles have been written about the of the Communist Party, the forces unicameral. Why all this interest? which today are only starting to see Why are there representatives from their tasks will soon feel their power every one of the 47 other states in Lin­ through united action. The Commu­ coln? Twelve states have had resolu­ nist Party must recruit hundreds into tions or amendments before their its ranks and link itself through ef­ legislatures this year for unicameral fective action and leadership to Ne­ amendments. Other states are con­ braska's toiling population. sidering the question. Many eyes are The unicameral method can be on the Nebraska experiment, watch­ made to eliminate many of the ob­ ing the baby grow, watching how it stacles in the way of progressive so­ will deal with some of the most burn­ cial legislation-party machinations, ing social problems of the day. These buck passing from one house to an­ eyes are mostly the eyes of the bosses. other, one house standing in the way But we can also see a growing interest of the other, etc. But to make the among labor and farmers. It is a dif­ work of the unicameral effective, the ferent interest. They do not look to forces of progress must see: the "progressive state in the Middle That there be no decrease in rep­ West" in the same light as the eco­ resentation; to work for broader rep­ nomic royalists. The unicameral in resentation; Nebraska is no longer a Nebraska is­ That elections shall not be "non­ sue. It has taken on national aspects. partisan," but that all candidates bear The forces of reaction are seeing in party identification; it a means for furthering their reac­ That the move remain in the hands tionary program and interests. Hearst of the progressives; sees in it the "American way" to pre­ That the unicameral shall not be pare the state for fascism. All, of allowed to become a legislative execu­ course, under the guise of "improving tive for the benefit of the economic the law-making apparatus." royalists But there are others who see differ­ To carry through this change in the ently. The Farmers' Union, in its state best manner we must increase our convention at Omaha, saw a "danger activities for independent political in the present unicameral." action through the building of the A new alignment of forces has be­ C. I. 0., through promoting trade gun, just begun-but the signs are union unity, and through advancing there. The masses are learning that other progressive movements. This, in order to get something from the coupled with the building of a mass unicameral they must use their might Communist Party, will be the only of unity to bring pressure upon it. guarantee of preventing a repetition Independent political action is being of the Nebraska "experiment." FOR A FREE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH

BY FRANCIS FRANKLIN

I. THE . SOUTH AS A REGION of young people. No state outside of the South has as much as 40 per cent OMRADE BROWDER in his report to of its population under 19 years of C the June Plenum of the Central age. Yet no state in the Southeast, ,~ommittee pointed to the fact that with the single exception of Florida, complete national unification of the has as low as 40 per cent of its popu­ United States has never occurred. Re­ lation under 19. The two Carolinas gional antagonisms and differences have respectively 50 per cent and 49 still exist, and it must be the role of per cent of their populations under the American People's Front to 19 years of age. achieve the real unity of all these These figures speak volumes. They regions. indicate the existence of an appalling­ Of all the regions of the United ly high death rate, a high birth rate, States, none stands out more distinctly and also a tremendous and continu­ than does the group of Southern ous migration of adults from the states. If one examines tables or maps South. So great is the latter, so high of comparison of various sections or is the Southern birth rate that the states of the United States, such as are South can be characterized as the to be found in Odum's Southern Re­ breeding ground of the nation. gions of the United States, he will be The high death rate flows from the struck by the fact that, from almost poverty and exploitation of the South­ any standpoint, the group of Southern ern people. The high birth rate flows states stands out as a region. in part from the general ignorance, The South is the most predominant­ including lack of information con­ ly agrarian section. Two-thirds of the cerning birth control, in which the Southern people live in the country, Southern people are held. The exodus whereas in the nation as a whole only of young adults from the South indi­ 45 per cent are in the country. In cates the effort of the Southern masses Mississippi, only 17 per cent of the to escape from poverty, ignorance and population live in cities. Furthermore, exploitation. the Southern countryside is the most The poverty of the Southern mill densely populated of all agrarian sec­ workers and sharecroppers is widely tions in America. known. The sharecropping system, Of all sections of the United States, with its attendant peonage, is a direct the South has the greatest proportion remnant of the economy of slavery. FOR A FREE, HAPPY·AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 6!J

The persistence of this slave-heritage who are the principal exploiters of the has established a standard of cheap nation. labor which has also fastened a "South­ Everyone knows that nearly all the ern differential"in wages upon South­ mills of the South are financed or ern white labor. On the basis of stimu­ owned by Northern capital. Most of lated race prejudice (white chauvin­ the Southern mills have run away ism), the exploiting classes play white from the Northern labor movement labor against black labor and vice to the unorganized South. The indus­ versa, to the detriment of both. Thus, trialists strive to disunite the Ameri­ the exploiters have been able in the can working class and to oppose past to prevent that organization and Southern and Northern workers united action of the Southern toilers against each other. which would have put an end to this Southern differential. James S. Allen has shown in his It must also not be overlooked that, book, The Negro Question in the in comparison with the rest of the United States, that the Southern plan­ country, the South as a whole is held tations, through the banks, are also in relative poverty. Odum gives the dependent on Northern finance following interesting figures. In the capital. entire Southeastern section of the As a result of industrialization of United States, embracing Virginia, the South by Northern capital and North Carolina, South Carolina, the financing of Southern industry Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Missis­ and agriculture by Northern bankers, sippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ken­ wealth is constantly pouring out of tucky, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, there the South into the hands of Northern are only seven millionaires. These capitalists. The large Northern finan­ seven are to be found in only three ciers and industrialists, with the active states-Tennessee, Kentucky, and aid of their landlord semi-feudal Florida. On the other hand, in the agents in the South, utilize the unor­ Northeast alone, there are 513 million­ ganized "backwardness" of the South, aires. Over half of these, 276 to be the remnants of a slave-tradition, and exact, live in New York. 0~ the 15,000 the ability to pit bhick labor against persons in the U.S. with incomes over white labor, in order to drain super­ $wo,ooo, eight states have 12,000. No profits out of the South. Behind the one of these eight is Southern. New Southern exploiters stands Wall York has one-third or 5,538 of them. Street. Northern finance capital is the One-sixth of the states, no one of chief exploiter of the South. It is this which is Southern, possesses five-sixths same Wall Street, which is also the of the large fortunes of the c~mntry. chief enemy of the working class and These figures indicate that, while the people as a whole in the North. the Southern landlords and capital­ The Southern toilers not only find ists are among the most brutal ex­ their chief exploiter in the North, but ploiters in the U.S., they are for the also those with whom they must be most part dependent upon and agents indissolubly united in order to meet of those Northern financial barons the common enemy.

toilers toilers the the frees frees production, production, creases creases South South the the has has only only Not Not development. development.

in­ it it that that in in feudalism feudalism over over advance advance institutional institutional and and technical, technical, dustrial, dustrial,

definite definite a a marked marked always always

has has where where

in­ well-being, well-being, social social as as things things such such

any­ capitalism capitalism of of introduction introduction The The

in in regions regions other other the the all all of of bottom bottom the the

economy. economy. pre-capitalist pre-capitalist a a of of

at at standing standing by by out out stands stands South South the the

remnants remnants possesses possesses still still South South The The

nation, nation, the the of of rest rest the the with with South South the the

originate? originate? living" living" for for sign sign

of of comparisons comparisons all all practically practically In In

"de­ Southern Southern this this did did whence whence But But

dreariness. dreariness.

poor. poor. Southern Southern the the among among but but classes, classes,

surrounding surrounding the the contrast contrast by by tensify tensify

upper upper Southern Southern the the of of arrogance arrogance

in­ to to only only areas-serves areas-serves rural rural the the

aristocratic aristocratic the the in in found found be be to to not not are are

in in rare rare are are these these mansion-even mansion-even white white

form form finest finest their their in in qualities qualities These These

gleaming gleaming occasional occasional An An

landscape. landscape.

culture. culture. virile virile and and native native a a in in rich rich is is

the the of of part part natural natural a a become become having having South South The The myths. myths. means means no no by by are are

age, age, with with earth earth the the to to flat flat mashed mashed and and These These like. like. the the and and charm, charm, social social ity, ity,

bent bent are are churches churches and and cabins cabins The The hospital­ courtesy, courtesy, manners, manners, of of grace grace

black. black. are are and and paint paint known known never never as as things things such such of of called-consisting called-consisting

have have villages villages whole whole and and churches churches been been has has it it as as living" living" for for "design "design a a

the the Even Even windows. windows. for for boards boards life­ of of way way Southern Southern a a about about deal deal

only only are are There There painted. painted. is is house house great great a a hears hears one one people, people, Southern Southern

a a Scarcely Scarcely cabins. cabins. and and fields fields of of miles miles the the of of poverty poverty the the to to contrast contrast In In

the the of of monotony monotony the the breaks breaks

backs, backs,

LIVING" LIVING" FOR FOR "DESIGN "DESIGN SOUTHERN SOUTHERN A A 2. 2.

bent bent of of hosts hosts their their with with filled filled fields, fields,

cotton cotton and and cabins cabins black black of of landscape landscape whole. whole.

a a as as America America this this and and South South through through shot shot entire entire the the village, village, mill mill or or mill mill

but but people, people, Negro Negro the the only only concern concern occasional occasional an an Only Only country. country. colonial colonial

not not does does itself itself in in or or question question semi-feudal semi-feudal a a Negro Negro of of the the one one remind remind but but

However, However, people. people. America, America, Negro Negro the the of of industrial industrial sion sion like like not not are are gions gions

oppres­ re­ special special the the vast vast is is These These problem problem peons. peons. this this to to and and croppers croppers

key key The The America. America. in in movement movement ary ary share­ the the serfs, serfs, modern modern the the of of homes homes

revolution­ the the for for problem problem special special a a the the fields, fields, the the of of midst midst the the in in set set huts huts

constitutes constitutes South South the the unpainted unpainted that that clear clear is is miserable, miserable, of of scores scores are are It It

see, see, States. States. can can eye eye United United the the the the as as in in far far else else as as while while lies, lies,

gul­ amidst'gaping amidst'gaping fields fields anywhere anywhere found found cotton cotton be be only only to to foreign-born foreign-born of of

percentage percentage sees sees smallest smallest one one the the having having distances, distances, stock, stock, interminable interminable For For

Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon Mississippi. Mississippi. homogeneous homogeneous its its and and on on itself itself Alabama, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia,

prides prides furthermore furthermore Carolina, Carolina, and and South South of of belt belt Protestantism, Protestantism, cotton cotton vast vast the the

of of stronghold stronghold the the through through also also is is rides rides one one South South as as the the vividly vividly most most eye eye

the the to to itself itself Yet Yet presents presents rate. rate. poverty poverty murder murder This This Southern Southern the the with with

comparison comparison in in small small seems seems actually actually section. section. other other any any

rate rate murder murder than than Chicago Chicago The The fertilizer for for lynchings. lynchings. money money more more far far by by

of of number number greatest greatest expends expends the the South South and and The The crime crime elsewhere. elsewhere. than than

here here extensive extensive of of more more amount amount erasion, erasion, greatest greatest soil soil the the of of also also but but tion, tion,

exploita­ intense intense form form the the most most in in the the startlingly startlingly norance, norance, itself itself presses presses

ig­ densest densest the the ex­ also also poverty, poverty, South South the the greatest greatest of of the the poverty poverty The The

COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE FOR A FREE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 65

from bondage to the soil, and brings "charm" of the South, its "design for them togetp.er where, even though living," which appeals to those who suffering the most frightful exploita­ are sick of the purely cash relation­ tion, they are able to organize and ships of the industrial North. Yet get­ prepare for the final onslaught against ting rid of this "halo," enabling man exploitation in general. Yet, as The to see the harsh and brutal aspects of Communist Manifesto states, capital­ exploitation, is in itself an advance. ism is merciless in its destruction of There are certain Southerners, like all elements of social charm in per­ the so-called "agrarians," who see sonal relationships, of all ideas of something good in itself in this pre­ noblesse oblige and the like. It tears capitalist "design for living," who away the halo which has shrouded all consequently want to go backward, pre-existing forms of exploitation and away from industry. They do not see substitutes cold and naked cash re­ that this "design" is primarily a lationships. glamorous illusion, obscuring the brutal reality of the remnants of slav­ "The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the ery. They do not see that the only way upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, out of the present confusion is not patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has pitilessly torn asunder the motley feudal ties that backward to feudalism-an impossible bound man to his 'natural superiors,' and movement-but forward from capital­ has left no other bond between man and ism to the substitution of a collective man than naked self-interest, than callous life of "social charm," as it were, not 'cash-payment.' It has drowned the most for a small group of exploiters, but heavenly ecstasies of religious fervor, of chivalrous enthusiasm, of philistine senti­ for all who toil, resting not on slavery mentalism, in the icy waters of egotistical and an agrarian economy, but on in­ calculation. It has resolved personal worth dustry which has been socialized. into exchange value, and in place of the numberless indefeasible chartered freedoms, 3· THE :OOMINANCE OF THE SOUTH has set up that single unconscionable free­ dom-Free Trade. In one word, for exploita­ BY WALL STREET tion, veiled by religious and political illu­ sions, it has substituted naked, shameless, Before the Civil War, the South had direct, brutal exploitation. its own distinct economic system, "The bourgeoisie has stripped of its halo based on slavery. Capitalism was be­ every occupation, hitherto honored and ginning to evolve within the South looked up to with reverent awe. It has con­ and the native Southern capitalists verted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science, into its paid were definitely hostile to the slave wage-laborers. system. However, it was not this native "The bourgeoisie has torn away from the capitalism which destroyed chattel family its sentimental veil, and has reduced slavery. The latter was destro~ed from the family relation to a mere money rela­ tion.'' (The Communist Manifesto.) without by the industrial North, al­ though with the active support of It is this "halo" of a pre-capitalist those in the South who suffered from form of economy which has not yet the slave economy. In fact, preceding been completely destroyed in the the Civil War, there was a rapidly South. This is to a certain extent the growing abolitionist movement in the 66 THE COMMUNIST

South. The Southern mountain peo­ limited in its development by the dis­ ple were always hostile to slavery, and crimination against all classes of many of them fought in the Federal Negroes and by the poverty of its own army. people. The Negro people thus defi­ The bourgeois revolution in the nitely form an oppressed national South, however, was never carried to minority. The Negro people during its logical end. Before the Negro freed­ Reconstruction were fighting for full men obtained land, the Northern in­ national self-determination, viz., for dustrialists, afraid of the revolution­ land and for· social, economic, and ary activity unleashed dJ.Iring Recon­ political equality. These efforts were struction, betrayed the former slaves, completely crushed by the post-Recon­ whom they had used as temporary struction counter-revolution. Thus allies, and ~ompromised with the today, the necessity to win full bour­ Southern landlords. This made pos­ geois-democratic demands still con­ sible that counter-revolution which fronts the Negro people. Their special terminated Reconstruction and rein­ oppression holds down the level of the troduced remnants of slavery in the whole South and casts its shadow over form of sharecropping, peonage, Jim the entire nation. Complete national Crowism, disfranchisement of the unification of the United States can Negro, etc, etc. never occur while a national minority The Negroes who were brought in the United States continues to be over from Africa were from many exploited. The right to self-determina­ widely-divergent tribes, with different tion on the part of the Negro people languages and customs. However, is a necessity for the achievement of slave-dealers deliberately separated thorough-going national unification. those from the same tribe, in order Because of their partial defeat by to make rebellion more difficult. Thus the Northern capitalists, the South­ slavery forced the Negroes to forget em landlords have retained a certain their old languages and customs, and psychology of defeat. The ruling class fused them together, so that today of the South has been able through they form a homogeneous people. its control of the schools, churches, The Negroes today live on a com­ press, etc., to impose this psychology mon territory, the Black Belt, in of defeat to a large extent upon the which they form the majority of the Southern people as a whole. The sec­ population; they live under common tional aspect of the Civil War made economic conditions; share a com­ this easier. Poverty and suffering have mon language and culture; and pos­ afforded a material basis for such sess a common historical tradition. sentiments. This is something which They are, therefore, a distinct na­ we cannot affprd to ignore. Comrade tional minority. However, since they Dimitroff pointed out in his report to are for the most part landless, they the Seventh World Congress of the, are completely denied the material - Communist International that the prerequisite for self-determination. national (or in this case, regional) There is a small, but definite Negro sentiments of a people cannot be bourgeoisie, which, however, is ignored. FOR A FREE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 67

The destruction of chattel slavery Negro and white, who were trying to in the South was a definitely progres­ achieve democracy. sive movement to which the labor The South passed definitely under movement and the international revo­ the control of the Northern bour­ lutionary movement gave complete geoisie, and it is still under the dom­ support. It resulted in greater unifi­ inance of Northern fianance capital. cation of the American nation. But This dominance continuously drains this war, led by the Northern bour­ wealth out of the South, leaving its geoisie, at the same time resembled a people in a state of impoverishment. conquest of the South. It wa-s not only 4· ORGANIZED LABOR AS THE SAVIOR the landlords who felt their vandal­ OF THE SOUTH ism; the masses of Southern poor were also looted. Such events are incidental Throughout the South, antagonism to any progressive war, although es­ toward the North is still strong, and pecially so in bourgeois revolutions. as Marxists, we must reckon with it Nevertheless, we cannot ignore this seriously. aspect of the Civil War and expect Hitherto, the landlords and capital­ Southerners who remember these ists have been able to a certain extent things or who know how their grand­ to direct these anti-Northern senti­ parents suffered to listen to us. ments against the labor movement It is true that there were some and especially against the revolution­ idealists and sincere abolitionists who ary movements. They have branded remained in the South after the Civil the labor and revolutionary move­ War and who tried to aid the South­ ments as something alien, coming into ern people through the establishment the South from the North. They have of schools, etc. However, great num­ branded labor organizers as "racket­ bers of the carpet-baggers were mere eers from the North," as a new variety adventurers. In the midst of Recon­ of carpet-bagger. struction, while the former slaves and To a certain extent, our movement Southern poor in general, with the has made a head-on collision with the support of labor and liberals in the antagonism of Southerners toward North, were sincerely trying to achieve Northerners. There have been too democracy and a better life, many of many statements like the disgraceful slanders of the Southern people made the carpet-baggers from . the North by Leibowitz during the Scottsboro were looting the entire South. When trials. Every true Southerner, and no the time came, they did not hesitate one more than a Southern Commu­ to betray their former allies and to nist, resents slurs cast upon the South­ leave the Negro people and Southern em people, just as Dimitroff resented poor completely to the mercy of the insults heaped upon the. Bulgarian Ku Klux Klan and the reactionary people. and illegal legislatures. The K.K.K. The task which confronts us is to wa-s directed not against the corrupt direct the anti-Northern sentiments, carpet-baggers, who united with it, produced by conquest and exploita­ but against the Southern masses, both tion on the part of Northern indus- 68 THE COMMUNIST

trialists and bankers, not against the These are demands near to the international labor movement, but hearts of the Southern people. against its proper focal point, viz., We must avoid the error of making Northern finance capital and its land­ over-simplified generalizations about lord-capitalist agents in the South. the South. There has been too much Lenin and Stalin have taught us loose talk about the "solid," "reac­ that we must not pull demands and tionary" South. Such talk antagonizes slogans out of the air and try to force many liberal and progressive South­ them down upon the masses. We must erners, of whom there are far more keep close to the people, take up those than is generally realized. Our aim demands which they already have, should be not to lump the whole and, by leading them to struggle for South together as one "s9lid" mass of these demands,, lead them also to ad­ reaction. We ·should rather empha­ vance new and more far-reaching size the existence of Southern liberal­ demands. ism, popularizing the latter, in order Our Party has been close to the to mobilize it against reaction. We Negro people of the South, and has should stress the fact that outstand­ advanced these demands dear to the ing leaders of the American Revolu­ hearts of the Negro people. We must tion-Washington, Jefferson, Henry­ now begin to advance a program were Southerners. Our aim should be which will bring us just as close to to introduce a wedge, still farther than the masses of Southern whites. We at present, into the "solid" South, not will lead the Negro people to realize to help solidify the South in the camp their demands, we will begin to win of reaction. thorough-going liberation for the The Chinese have a vivid eKpres­ Negro people only when we begin sion for their native exploiters who in practice to rally the Southern have sold themselves body and soul whites in unison with the Negro to the Japanese militarists. They call people. them "running dogs of Japanese im­ Are we to scoff at Southern pride? perialism." Everyone is familiar with Under no conditions. We must rally the shameless manner in which South­ that pride for the building up of the ern Chambers of Commerce advertise South. The present poverty, ignor­ for Northern industries, boasting of ance and exploitation of the South their "cheap, contented Southern violently contradict this pride. We labor." Everyone knows how they give must stand for a prosperous and pro­ concessions to these industries, per­ gressive South which will take its mitting them to enter free from taxa­ place in social well-being, educational tion. Too often one gains the impres­ opportunity, etc., on a plane of equal­ sion from articles about the South in ity with the rest of the nation. This our press that such people as these, means putting a stop to the constant lynchers, chain gang bosses, scoun­ draining of wealth out of the South drels, are typically Southern. We must by Northern capital and retain- . put an end to such insinuations. We ing it for the welfare of the Southern must brand these Chambers of Com­ people. merce and all their fellow petty ex- FOR A FREE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 6g ploiters of the South with the name of est section, of the country. The lands treason. It is not they who represent of the Southern coasts and the Missis­ the South. Just as we brand Hearst sippi Delta were once among the most as un-American and subversive, so we fertile in the world. This land has must denounce these people as been wantonly wasted, but can still traitors to the South. They are the · be redeemed. No section is richer in "running dogs of Wall Street." natural resources or scenic beauty. It is not only· the South which is We must demonstrate how a power­ especially oppressed by Northern fi­ ful Southern labor movement can put nance capital. In every imperialist an end to the looting of the South and country today, the agrarian regions begin to make this potential wealth are dominated by the leading finan­ actual. Only organized struggle by the cial interests of that country, which Southern workers can put an end to are always concentrated in a limited the Southern differential in wages and area and which are the real rulers of thus retain in the South the wealth every imperialist country. The agra­ which formerly swelled the super­ rian West, as well as the South, is sub­ profits of the Northern owners of jected to the rule of Wall Street. Southern mills. Westerners also have a considerable The labor movement in the North hatred for what they call the "soft and is anxious to abolish the wretched effeminate East" and especially for conditions in the South which make New York, which many of them tend it possible. for employers to run away to identify with Wall Street, forget­ from unions in the North. The C.I.O. ting its millions of poor. This hatred is spending vast sums to help organ­ on the part of the Westerner springs ize the workers in the South. "Run­ from his whole history. The early set­ away" mills are the worst exploiters tlers of the West were fleeing from of the Southern workers. Therefore, the oppression of the big planters and workers throughout the nation have traders of the East. The "back coun­ one common interest-to organize all try," as a debtor region, has always the workers. The American working ' tended to hate the "creditor" East. class must overcome the division All agrarian regions in present-day which .the industrialists seek to pro­ America feel the dominance of Wall duce between Northern and Southern Street. The populist movements have workers. given expression to this hatred. The We must demand an end to tax­ conflicts in every session of Congress exemptions on industries that come over agricultural legislation reflect the into the South, in order that funds same resentment. In helping to form may be obtained for public works, in a national People's Front, we must the interest of the Southern people. not forget the special demands of all We must demand federal aid for the the vast depressed agrarian regions of South, in the form of legislation to America. This is important in the aid the rural poor, for housing pro­ West as well as in the South. jects, for W.P.A., for construction of Potentially the South is one of the hospitals, schools, libraries and other wealthiest sections, if not the wealthi- needed facilities. Obtaining federal THE COMMUNIST aid for the South will mean merely em people as a whole and to the rural regaining some of that wealth which poor in particular. Also the:; unions since the Civil War has constantly should begin· to advance demands. been drained out by Northern indus­ legislative and otherwise. in the in­ trialists and financiers. aided by their terest of the farmers. Only thus can "Southern" agents. Only organized . the repetition of Hershey episodes on labor can pl\sh such legislation most a big scale be avoided. Only thus can effectively. we begin to move the Southern coun­ With such a program for building tryside along with the proletariat. up the South, we can mobilize the We must never forget that the broadest masses not only among the Southern working class has its roots in working class and Negro people, but the soil. The Southern workers have also among the Southern middle class, come from the soil. Their families are intellectuals and professionals. Re­ still on the land. They return to the cently, Representative Maverick of farms for visits. The mills are scat­ Texas advanced a program for put­ tered in small villages. and many of ting an end to the draining of wealth the workers still live on the farms. from the South, for fighting the "mod­ This cortnection with the land has em carpet-baggers." This indicates tended 'to retard the development of that many Southern Democrats will class-consciousness among Southern rally to such a program. workers. However, just because of it. if we are careful to convey the message 5· THE T.W.O.C. IN THE SOUTH of organized labor to the farms. when The present drive of the Textile the Southern proletariat does begin Workers Organizing Committee of the to move. it should stir the entire C.I.O. promises to be the greatest South. progressive movement in the . South We must spread everywhere the since Reconstruction. Not only are slogan that "Support of Organized textile workers organizing by the Labor will mean the salvation of the thousands, but their example is stim­ South." ulating organization in scores of other If labor is to lead the Southern peo­ industries. Already the agreement ple to real prosperity. it must achieve reached with the Viscose Rayon Cor­ unity ~n its own ranks. This means poration, having factories in both once and for all overcoming the an­ North and South, has abolished the tagonism, produced by the exploiters Southern wage differential in this of the South, between Negro and oqe corporation. employing 2o,ooo white. workers. Real industrial unionism means Taking into consideration the re­ organization of all workers in an in­ lationship between the Southern pro­ dustry. It is the duty of the Commu­ letariat and the predominantly agra­ nists to see to it that this principle is rian economy of the South, it is im­ not slurred over in the case. of Negro portant that the message of the workers. T.w.o:c. be conveyed through the Where white workers will not now radio and other means to the South- organize into the same organization FOR A FREE, HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 71 with Negroes, we must not let their the Democratic Party. The Southern prejudices, inspired by the exploiters. Democratic leaders have been perfect­ stand in che way of organization. We ly willing to betray the South for may temporarily permit separate sec­ Northern capital. Carter Glass of Vir­ tions of a local. But everywhere we ginia has been one of the most out­ must stand for organization of Negro standing spokesmen for the Wall and white workers under the same Street banker, Morgan. charter and for executive councils, For the very reason that the Re­ shop committees, etc., with full Negro publican Party is the typical party of representation. the big bourgeoisie of America, it has Because of the vast youth popula­ been largely through the Democratic tion in the South, we should give a Party that liberal currents, the middle first place to work among the South­ class, etc., have usually tried to ern youth. achieve their ends, although this is Southerners are especially fond of the party in the South of the most social life. This is an aspect of that brutal defenders of the remnants of "design for living," the heritage from slavery and also the party. of many of a pre-capitalist form of economy, in the most corrupt political machines of which there was less "business" and the North. more leisure, thus more joking, merry­ The big bourgeoisie, however, has making, loving, talking, singing. Yet managed to keep its grip on both in spite of this, the general poverty of parties with sufficient firmness to keep the South, together with the puritan­ these currents from being particular­ ism of a great part of Southern Protes­ ly effective until the last election. In tantism, has deprived the majority of that election, the big bourgeoisie, for young Southerners of any healthy out­ the first time, was almost overwhelm­ let for their natural desire to enjoy ingly supporting the Republican life. A special task of the unions in Party; while labor and progressive the South should, therefore, be to take forces began to crystallize definitely it upon themselves to provide for the around the presidential candidate of needs of the young workers for recrea­ the Democratic Party. tion, entertainment, culture, sports. It is fortunate for the development of a progressive, political movement 6. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S in the South that it was precisely into FRONT IN THE SOUTH the Democratic Party of the "solid" South that progressive currents began The native Southern exploiters to flow in the last elections. These na­ have ruled the Southern people al­ tional progressive currents in the most entirely through the Democratic Democratic Party are also having Party; However, the Republican Party their effect on the Democratic Party has been the party preferred by of the "solid" South. Here also cleav­ the dominant Northern bourgeoisie. ages are beginning to take place. Nevertheless, Northern finance capi­ The reactionaries of the Democratic tal, in dominating the South, has been Party in the South sought various perfectly willing to rule there through methods during the last electio~ cam-

ing; ing; outlawing outlawing ern ern scene scene of of as as terrorist terrorist an an independent independent groups groups such such political political

the the boards, boards, appearance appearance etc.; etc.; of of sever6 sever6 labor labor laws laws on on the the against against South­ lynch­

popular popular gressive gressive election election stand stand of of in in the the judges, judges, South South school school will will be be by by

the the fee fee Roosevelt Roosevelt system system Democrats Democrats for for public public to to officials; officials; take take a a pro­

The The of of "rotten "rotten best best method method boroughs"; boroughs"; of of forcing forcing the the abolition abolition the the of of

tricting tricting gro gro of of people. people. Southern Southern states states to to get get rid rid

a a more more progressive progressive all all restrictions restrictions stand stand for for on on the the voting; voting; N N e­ the the redis­

exert exert racy racy pressure pressure by by the the upon upon abolition abolition that that party party of of poll poll to to taxes taxes take take and and

groes groes into into the the Democratic Democratic The The achievement achievement Party Party must must of of real real 1. 1. democ­

port port to to Roosevelt. Roosevelt. This This influx influx of of lowing lowing Ne­ major major headings: headings:

with with labor, labor, which which has has thrown thrown its its may may sup­ summarize summarize them them under under the the fol­

are are seeing seeing that that they they must must join join Front Front forces forces movement movement in in the the South? South? We We

nothing nothing to to hope. hope. Increasing Increasing numbers numbers essential essential demands demands of of a a real real Popular Popular

reaction, reaction, from from which which Negroes Negroes What What would would have have be be some some of of the the most most

Party Party has has long long since since become become a a party party should should of of not not be be overlooked. overlooked.

Negro Negro people people that that the the Republican Republican broad broad Farmer-Labor Farmer-Labor Party Party coalition coalition

creasingly creasingly clear clear to to sections sections large of of position position the the Republican Republican groups groups for for a a

During During the the last last election, election, it it became became in­ possibility possibility of of winning winning even even such such op­

the the latter latter at at the the time time of of the the Civil Civil War. War. dominant dominant Democratic Democratic machines, machines, the the

cause cause of of the the progressive progressive role role played played by by der der to to act act as as opposition opposition groups groups to to the the

porters porters of of the the Republican Republican Party, Party, be­ entered entered the the Republican Republican Party Party in in or­

masses masses were were once once almost almost solidly solidly sup­ South, South, where where progressive progressive currents currents have have

the the Democratic Democratic Party. Party. The The Negro Negro In In certain certain scattered scattered sections sections in in the the

movement movement of of the the Negro Negro people people into into or or else else leaving leaving them them high high and and dry. dry. · ·

progressive progressive Democratic Democratic wing wing is is the the forcing forcing the the reactionaries reactionaries to to split split away away

Another Another aspect aspect of of the the growth growth of of a a Farmer-Labor Farmer-Labor Party Party coalition, coalition, thus thus

torial torial vote vote in in Virginia. Virginia. Southern Southern Democrats Democrats into into a a broad broad

large large Communist Communist and and Socialist Socialist sena­ manner, manner, it it may may be be possible possible to to swing swing

and and the the "Jeffersonians," "Jeffersonians," also also in in the the the the South South in in this this direction. direction. In In this this

vigorous vigorous repudiation repudiation of of Talmadge Talmadge to to influence influence the the Democratic Democratic Party Party in in

Southern Southern people people was was shown shown in in their their We We should should utilize utilize every every opportunity opportunity

Democratic Democratic vote. vote. The The temper temper of of the the such such a a progressive progressive Democratic Democratic Party. Party.

Roosevelt, Roosevelt, fearing fearing to to lose lose their their "solid" "solid" lords, lords, the the Glasses, Glasses, Byrds, Byrds, etc., etc., out out of of

leash, leash, made made no no open open break break with with more more to to force force the the reactionary reactionary land­

Byrd, Byrd, who who were were also also straining straining at at the the stand. stand. This This in in turn turn would would tend tend still still

Other Other reactionaries, reactionaries, such such as as Glass Glass and and Party Party to to take take a a more more progressive progressive

Landon Landon and and the the Liberty Liberty League. League. tendency tendency of of forcing forcing the the Democratic Democratic

Democratic Democratic Party Party gave gave support support to to Party Party in in the the South South would would have have the the

Democrats, Democrats, who who in in the the name name of of the the tion tion of of an an independent independent Farmer-Labor Farmer-Labor

vealed vealed again again in in the the "Jeffersonian" "Jeffersonian" The The formation formation or or threat threat of of forma­

madge, madge, backed backed by by Hearst. Hearst. It It was was re­ South, South, it it must must enter enter politics. politics.

stitutional stitutional Democratic Democratic Party Party of of Tal­ to to become become a a powerful powerful factor factor in in the the

seen seen in in the the case case of of the the abortive abortive Con­ it it can can become become such such a a force, force, and and if if it it is is

Deal-Roosevelt Deal-Roosevelt Democrats. Democrats. This This was was now now rapidly rapidly reaching reaching the the stage stage where where

paign paign of of breaking breaking away away from from the the New New force. force. The The T.W.O.C. T.W.O.C. in in the the South South is is

THE THE COMMUNIST COMMUNIST FOR A FREE, ,HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS SOUTH 73 as the K.K.K.; full rights for the in almost every Southern city, town, Negro people to vote, hold office, sit and village in both Negro and white on juries,. practice any profession, sections. Through programs for civic work on any job, secure relief, or use welfare and opposition to the tyranny public facilities; of the utilities on the part of such or­ 2. Drastic labor legislation, such as ganizations, Popular Front move­ passage of State Labor Relations Acts, ments may be born locally. including guarantees for the right of The People's Front is at present agricultural and domestic workers and the main political form which the state employees, as well as industrial Negro liberation movement must take. workers, to organize; passage of wages Our aim, therefore, must be to win and hours bills, raising Southern every Negro organization for the wages to the level of wages anywhere People's Front. Unity of action be­ and enforcing equal pay for Negro tween Negro and white organizations and white employed on similar jobs; for common specific aims is a transi­ 3· Legislation for small farmers and tional form of organization from the tenants, making adequate grants for present system of segregation to one loans at low interest to all needy of complete unity. Winning of full farmers and tenants for purchase of democratic rights, equal economic land, cows, or other equipment, shift­ and educational opportunities is the ing from sub-marginal to better soil, present stage of the movement for self­ or launching of farm cooperatives; determination. and inaugurating extensive programs The South has been widely known of soil conservation and rural electri­ as the "Bible Belt," and no mass fication; movement in that region can ignore 4· Public welfare measures, such as the churches and other religious or­ building an educational system of ganizations. The majority of South­ equal facilities for Negro and white erners, both Negro and white, are on a scale equal to the best found Baptist and Methodist. It is impor­ anywhere; campaigns to abolish il­ tant to recognize that both denomin­ literacy, eradicate dietary diseases, ations arose historically from ex­ hookworm, tuberculosis and syphilis; ploited groups and are. still regarded construction of publicly owned as churches of the "common people." dairies; establishment of free clinics; We should utilize the role played by extensive housing construction; Anabaptists in the Peasant Wars in T.V.A. projects; abolition of the Europe and by such Baptists as Roger chain-gang system, sales taxes, tax ex­ Williams in America. emptions on corporations, etc. Southern regionalists, such as In addition to the trade unions and Odum, comprise another group which the progressive Democrats, many should be won to the People's Front. other organizations and groupings in In so far as they are prepared to co­ the South must be won to the Peo­ operate in building up the South ple's Front. in the interest of immediate gains Community and civic leagues, Pa­ for the Southern people, we can have rent-Teacher Associations, etc., exist a common minimum program on 74 THE COMMUNIST which we agree. This group represents development of the progressive force10 a widespread sentiment among the in the Democratic Party or through Southern intellectuals and middle an independent Farmer-Labor Party class. coalition, will, by wiping out the Such a program as above outlined, Southern differential in wages, carry­ by recognizing the real cause and the ing forward the liberation movement real nature of Southern regionalism, of the Negro people, winning in­ will by its realization begin to negate creased institutional advantages, and that regionalism. However, this nega­ the like, begin to abolish the eco­ tion will come not by attack from the nomic basis for Southern regionalism. outside, but by development of pro­ In this manner, the American People's gressive forces from within in con­ Front will, to the great advantage of junction with progressive forces every­ the South, take long strides toward where. achieving that national unification A Popular Front program for the which will raise the South to a level South, whether achieved through the of equality with the rest of the nation. MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE

A YEAR OF Science and Society: A CRITIQUE BY V. J. JEROME

OHN DARRELL's "The Economic Con­ nounced but not published, would J sequence of Mr. Keynes" • • is a have dealt with the contradictions polemic against a leading bour­ marking the declining phase of capi­ geois economist who, notwith- talism. As it is, we have no reference, standing his "heresies," is left grop­ either by word or idea, to the struggle ing in regard to such questions as of the two worlds (save for a footnote the business cycle, unemployment, mention of the Soviet Union). Why is and crises, because in his continued this so? Because the author has failed defense of a system that is indefensi­ to take his weapons from the arsenal· ble, he falls back for support on non­ of Leninism. Lenin's name is not once scientific categories (e.g., the subjec­ mentioned in the article (again, save tive theory of value), because "the for a footnote reference)-nor his dead hand of his past guides his pen monumental work Imperialism. In in the present, at the very moment consequence of this detachment from when he thinks he is 1being most the specific operation of the capitalist revolutionary." laws of motion in our time, the au­ The article deals with Keynes' con­ thor says little or nothing in regard tention that the present-day capitalist to present-day problems. Thus, while economy is :·not violently unstable," proceeding to refute Keynes' reliance demonstrating by Marxian argument on psychological laws, Darrell fails to the inefficacy of the conditions launch the positive attack that we ex­ enumerated for stability. It must be pect from a Marxist. said, however, that the author fails Two other articles that can by ex­ to come to close grips with the ques­ tension come under the heading of tion, since he does not place the issue political economy are "The Dilemma in its historic setting-in the epoch of of Puerto Rico," by Earl Hanson* imperialism, the specific period of the and "Agricultural Property and En­ general crisis of capitalism, that in terprise under Italian Fascism," by which Keynes advances his theories. Carl T. Schmidt.** Possibly the concluding article, an- The former presents a valuable ex­ • For the first section of this critique, the position of the flagrant injuries done reader is referred to the December, 1937, issue of The Communist.-The Editors. • Issue No.4 •• Issue, No. 2 •• Issue No.3 75 THE COMMUNIST to Puerto Rico by Wall Street domina­ ize in one particular crop and depend tion. With telling data on the agri­ on the goodwill of the great Powers. cultural economy of the Island and But the fact is that the colonial the ravages of imperialism, it breaks countries are prevented from growing down the legend of beneficent patron­ their own food by regulations im­ age. But, unfortunately the article posed by force, prevented, as Hanson limits itself to criticism, a criticism himself points out, from developing which, because of its non-basic char­ new crops because credit, distribution, acter, would not be out of place in shipping, and banking facilities are any liberal magazine. More than this, in the hands of the imperialists. however, is expected from a Marxian There is no hindrance to Puerto publication. Rican development along any line in­ In the first place, despite its indict­ cluding industrial (light industry), ex­ ment of imperialist oppression, the cept the one obstacle, imperialist con­ article does not clearly set forth the trol. Though limited in natural inseparable relationship of Puerto resources, having few minerals, the Rican well-being and national inde­ Island has a varied soil and a great po­ pendence, thus leaving unrefuted the tential water power supply; oil could enemy contention that the Island come easily and cheaply from Venezu­ needs United States paternalism. ela; coal from Alabama; wood from The weakness of Hanson's whole Haiti and Santo Domingo. Most of the approach emerges in his statement: needs of the Puerto Rican people could be supplied far more cheaply "Nevertheless specialization in cash-export at home than by purchases from the crops is a necessity for a land as crowded as U.S. market, the most expensive in Puerto Rico. An acre of sugar-cane may be worth $200, as compared with a value of per­ the world, and most goods could be haps $30 of an acre of some local food-crop. sold elsewhere more profitably than in The present agricultural economy could sup­ the United States, or at least, the port the population far better than an U.S. could be made to compete for its economy given to the production of food purchases. On the world market, with crops, were the benefits from it distributed more equitably." (P. 504.) all the disadvantages of a. small coun­ try, Puerto Rico would yet be able to That the "present agricultural manage its economy more efficiently economy," imperialist and super-ex­ and more independently than at pres­ ploitative in every aspect, could, ent under the "protection" afforded it under any circumstances, "support the by the United States tariff, selling population far better" is questionable. mainly to the smaller independent The implication of Hanson's state­ countries, but primarily developing ment seems to coincide with the ·its own sources of food and clothing opinions of those who hold that the for its people. Caribbean countries, because of Certainly, from the point of view their limited resources and their of the starving Puerto Rican, season­ struggle to develop independently, ally unemployed in an '"over-popu­ can look only toward a future in lated" country, the growing of food which each will continue to special- crops for immediate use is infinitely MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 77 more valuable than the hope-the It makes weak and wavering his very vain hope-of more equitably dis­ recognition of independence as a de­ tributed henefits from the "present mand. This no doubt accounts for agricultural economy." the title of the article, with its accept­ From the immediate, as well as the ance of a state of dilemma. Thus, im­ ultimate view, the development of mediately after the slight passage de­ food crops in Puerto Rico is part of voted to the national liberation move­ the struggle for independence; giv­ ment, the author states: ing, indeed, a measure of indepen­ "There are many possible kinds of inde­ dence; lessening reliance on company pendence. The question today cannot be: stores; and easing the unemployment 'Would independence be good for Puerto and urban "over-population" prob­ Rico?' The question is meaningless unless lem. the independence involved be defined. The But even. for the present economy, problem is to find the kind that is best suited for the overwhelming needs of a col­ how can "the benefits" be "distributed ony that has begun to disintegrate under more equitably" if not through the its present status." (P. 511.) struggle for national independence? An eight-hour day, social insurance, But the problem is not faced by an adjus ted tax system, limitation of Hanson. The kind of independence the power of the imperialist enter­ needed and attainable remains unde­ prises, can be accomplished only fined-even though he speaks of "the through this movement. organized determination of the Puerto Here, then, is th~ second basic fault, Rican people to liberate themselves from which the first has stemmed; the from their present dilemma." Need­ author does not deal with the Puerto less to say, this is not the way to fight Ricans as an oppressed nation and the demagoguery of the sugar trust with their struggle as a movement for and the bankers who foster the notion, national liberation. He speaks of implicit in the shameful Tydings Bill, Puerto Rico, in a general way, in the which fortunately died in the last limited terms of the "economic im­ Congress, that Puerto Rico is tied to perialist" school. Thus, he speaks of Wall Street merely and solely because "Puerto Rico, as a unit," instead of of its helplessness to wdrk out its own as a nation. He does not posit his independent existence. Or, as Theo­ thesis on the fact that the main issue dore Roosevelt, former Governor of in Puerto Rico is nationhood, and the Island, plainly stated, Puerto Rico that all facts, events, solutions, pro­ needs the United States far more than grams must stem from this position the United States needs Puerto Rico.• that the people of Puerto Rico con­ The author could have avoided his stitute a nation with certain inalien­ inconclusiveness, had he taken cog­ able economic, social, and political nizance of the national aspect. of the rights now trampled upon by North struggle of the Puerto Rican people, American imperialism. the demand for national self-deter~ This non-Leninist approach to the mination. He sees that "terrible stand­ question -leaves the author devoid of ards of living give rise to the demand a program of anti-imperialist action. • Foreign Affairs, January, 1934, p . .ll8o. THE COMMUNIST for independence" (p. 501). But the immediate amelioration and for com­ demand for independence recognizes plete national liberation, makes clear the cause of unbearable living condi­ its position that the full benefits of tions in the super~ploitation insepa­ national liberation will always re­ rable from colonial status, thus taking main unachieved till the establish­ the issue out of any state of dilemma. ment of the democratic dictatorship With this Leninist approach, Hanson of the proletariat and peasantry, So­ would have seen the movement for viet Power, the conditions for which national unity rising from this basic can be prepared by the development need under the slogan of national of the colonial revolution through the revolution: "A national united front ascending stages of the anti-imperial- · for the immediate convocation of a ist People's Front. constituent convention and the Finally, the relationship of the topic proclamation of the Republic!" to the specific audience to which it is This slogan was released by the com­ presented, the American audience, is bined movement of the Communist, barely touched upon, although the Nationalist, and Independent Parties . people of the United States, in con­ -an anti-imperialist People's Front, ducting their struggle against the embracing all groups except the na­ forces of monopoly capital, must see tional traitors in league with impe­ a basic unity and manifest a solidarity rialism. Under this slogan, demonstra­ with the struggle of the Puerto Rican tions have been held in scores of people-a solidarity which must find cities and towns. The author refers its expression in the inclusion of the to the terror against the independence demand for the liberation of Puerto movement; but the essential signifi­ Rico in the program of the develop­ cance of this whole liberation move­ ing American People's Front. The full ment seems to escape him. Would in­ statement of this demand was incor­ dependence be good for Puerto Rico? porated in the Marcantonio Bill intro­ Let the words of Barcelo, President of duced in Congress on May 6, 1936. the national reformist Liberal Party, It is an axiom of Marxism-Leninism be the answer: "Let independence that the revolutionary struggle for come though we die of hunger!" liberation on the part of a colonial But, as Hanson so well demon­ people is integrally connected with strates in his article, it is under the the struggle for emancipation on the imperialist spoliation that Puerto part of the exploited working class in Rico is drained of its substance, dies the "home" country. Inq.llcation of of hunger. And, as he might have con­ this axiom is a basic task of a Marx­ cluded from his own analysis, only ian publication like Science and independence, the elimination of Society. super-exploitation, will assure a more • • • equitable distribution of the benefits In "Agricultural Property and En­ from Puerto Rican economy. terprise Under Italian Fascism," Carl The Communist Party of Puerto T. Schmidt contributes a carefully Rico, participating as a leading factor documented study of fascist measures in the People's Front movement for to strengthen landlordism and finance MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 79

capital at the expense of the poor facts, but lays them open to distortion. peasants . and the agricultural labor­ Can one view the oppression of fas­ ers. With admirable scholarship he cism scientifically and not see-and effectively demonstrates in what man­ not cause the reader to ·see-the im­ ner the Italian peasant masses and minent, actual class resistance to that farm laborers have been deceived by oppression? Can one scientifically Mussolini; how, while playing upon present an exposition of fascist agra­ their land-hunger with such Left-. rian economy without presenting its sounding slogans as "The Land to the vulnerable aspects, its organic failing Peasants!" he has steadily and system­ which is connected with the entire atically directed his agricultural poli­ anti-historical character of fascism? cies in the interests of the landlords, What picture of fascism, indeed, can the rich farmers, and the bankers, the reader of such an article carry whose money and arms had "marched away with him? Certainly, only one on Rome." of omnipotence, of unchallenged The article, however, is greatly power, with not even an indication of weakened by the omission of all refer­ struggle. That fascism, for all its ence to the peasants themselves, ex­ swashbuckling and terror, is basically cept as a supine mass upon which all an expression of weakness, of despera­ of these misfortunes are visited. As a tion' before the historic advance of living, reacting force, as social beings the proletarian revolution in crisis­ registering even slight resistance or ridden, declining capitalism-of this, anger against fascist chicanery and no trace. The author notes the dema­ oppression, they are completely left gogy of Mussolini; but he does not out of the picture. show this demagogy as strong evidence Can the argument be entertained of the temper of the people. He fails 'that the article, as its title denotes, to point out that the deceptive slo­ sets out to dei.tl with the agrarian pol­ gans of fascism rise obviously from its icy of Italian fascism, and as such en­ self-seen weakness, from fear of the compasses only Jacts germane to its social forces over whom it exercises theme? Hardly, in the light of scien­ its terrorist dictatorship; that the tific, Marxian research. Facts, for the workers in the cities and the country­ dialectician, do not exist as isolated side, who but yesterday seized the fac­ phenomena, ar even as isolated groups tories and pressed for the surrender of phenomena. To contribute to of the land-they who could no longer truth, they must be revealed in their be held down by decaying capitalism varied aspects, in the contradictions under bourgeois-democratic rule­ of their processes, in their universal have not overnight become lower than inter-relationship and inter-depen­ the grass and stiller than the water. dence. Scientific v truth is attained Schmidt's survey could, indeed, through the synthesis of facts, a syn­ have become the full, clear picture of thesis that allows us to see the facts the agricultural scene under fascism, as objective processes of material real­ had it brought out the facts that dur­ ity. Scholarship without dialectical ing fifteen years of fascist oppression materialism may succeed in adducing the poor peasantry has continually So THE COMMUNIST fought against the insufferable burden place with the Carabinieri, with dead on of taxation, in a number of instances both sides. In the villages of Gambarra, the peasants resisted confiscations because offail­ (in Sicily and Southern Italy) burn­ ure to pay taxes. The church bells were rung ing down the town halls in order to to call the population together. The peas­ destroy the tax records; that the agri­ ants, armed with their field implements, as­ cultural workers especially have con­ sembled in the squares and forced the ju­ ducted struggles against wage reduc­ dicial officers to flee. "In 1935, in Caltanisetta, in Palermo, in tions, against unemployment, against Trapani, the peasants demonstrated tumultu­ the high cost of living and the flagrant ously against taxes. The fascist militia fra­ violations of contracts. Andrea Mara­ ternized with the masses. Only the inter­ bini, whose articles in Lo Stato vention of the Carabinieri put an end to the demonstrations. Operaio the author cites, presents in a "In 1936, a powerful demonstration took recent work* instance after instance place in Vittoria. The peasants decided to of demonstrations and mass move­ refuse payment of taxes and protested ments in many localities throughout against the requisition of wine for distilla­ Italy, which often assume the propor­ tion which had been ordered by the govern­ ment at ridiculously low prices. The walls of tions of bloody encounters with the Vittoria were inscribed with the slogans: armed forces of fascism. Thus, we 'Down with taxes! Down with fascism! Long read: live the Soviets!' " "In 1930, in Martina Franca, the peasants And the writer adds: rose against the numerous and high taxes. They burned the revenue office and the "These few examples which we record are headquarters of the fascia. The revolt was only a slight summary of hundreds of pro­ crushed in blood. test demonstrations and conflicts that have "In 1931, in Vercelli province, the rice developed in the Italian countryside, espe­ pickers declared a strike against a wage reo cially since 1930 .... Obviously, these mani­ duction and succeeded in gaining partial festations were not coordinated, but were victory. almost always spontaneous, of short duration, "In 1932, in Venezia Giulia, the peasant and rarely organized or directed. This is the women carried their starving children to the reason they did not result in a decisive and City Hall; in the municipality of Bertocclli, consequential movement against fascism. they burned the City Hall, and in Bisturi, Nevertheless, they show the increasing oppo­ they burned in the public square an effigy of sition of the peasants against hunger-giving Mussolini, shouting: 'Viva Lenin. Viva i fascism." Sovietti!' "In 1933, in Fertara province, and in Po­ These struggles have their mani­ lesine, martial law was declared because of festations in the fascist organizations the acuteness of the movements which were themselves, often involving lower spreading throughout practically all the vil­ categories of fascist functionaries as lages. In a village of Salerno, the peasants occupied the City Hall. The Carabinieri fired well as rural priests, who advance the into the crowd, killing eight demonstrators. demands of the peasants, sometimes "In 1934, in Pratola Peligna, in Bari, in as petitions to Mussolini, in a dis­ Taranto, and Sorso, bloody conflicts took torted way, as, for example: "Musso­ •It Fascismo Italiano Afjama i Contadini, lini is good, but those around him are the manuscript of which has just reached us from Italy. Similar instances are given in the not concerned with the peasants." booklet, Proletariato Agricola e Fascismo i Particularly frequent have been the Italia, by the same author, published in 1935, in Brussels. manifestations against the war adven- MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 81

tures of Mussolini in Ethiopia and republicans' which commenced in August Spain. still continues. A number of these accused are to be brought before the Special Court: Marabini, in the cited document, forty-three of them have already been ban­ reports: ished for five years. . . . "The large-scale collection of funds is one "The peasants of Italy have also shown of the most stiiking expressions of the soli­ their opposition to the fascist rape of Abys­ darity movement. In spite of starvation sinia. The first symptoms of ferment and wages, espionage and threats of imprison­ protest against the war policy of fascism from ment, many thousands of lire have been col­ the rural masses took place in Caltanisetta lected. In Bologna alone 3,200 lire had been by the peasants and the sulphur miners, at collected by October 1; here many of the the time when the class of 19u was called contributors were workers who were mem­ to the colors. bers of the fascist party. In one factory in "A general strike was declared, and the the Province of Emilia 120 lire were col­ women went in masses to the railroad station lected among 140 workers; 8o per cent of the to prevent the youths from leaving. workers employed in the factory contributed. "In the fields of Massa (Tuscany), Pa­ In Minai remarkable sums have been raised. lermo, Corleone, Aquasanta, Canossa, prac­ Tradesmen and handicraftsmen collected the tically everywhere, violent demonstrations sum of 1,500 lire, and in two large factories took place against the war. The peasant the collections yielded over 1,000 francs." women were most violent. In some villages attempts were made to attack the City Hall; in others, the headquarters of the fasci were In the issue of May 1, 1937, Carlo burned, and in still others, bloody conflicts Roncoli reports: took place with the police." "In Genoa, Turin, and other towns, in Leaflets and wall inscriptions in which of late leaflets calling for solidarity favor of Loyalist Spain are frequent. for Spain have been distributed and anti­ The government has published de­ fascist slogans with sickle and hammer have nunciations of the anti-fascist radio been painted on the walls, the blackshirts have been mobilized. They have to patrol broadcasts from Spain and France and the streets the whole night through and have the radio broadcasts of the Commu~ orders to beat up or shoot 'Communist nist Party of Italy, forbidding the criminals.' . . . people to listen to them. In many "In the rural districts the fascists are en­ places funds are being collected for deavoring to mobilize the most corrupt and degenerate elements in order to fight against Loyalist Spain. The Garibaldi Briga­ the 'Communist and anti-fascist crew who diers are adored by the Italian people are again raising their heads.' " in town and countryside. G. Camen, writing in International Significant is the fact that in many Press Correspondence for November cases the fascist militia, when called 21, 1936, reports: out to suppress the protest movement "The trial of the workers from the Terni of the peasants, refuses to fir~ or to arms factory ended in five death sentences, make arrests; in some instances the which were carried out at once. Over one militia is known to have joined the thousand workers in the Province of Trieste, demonstrators. especially in the shipyards of the seaport it­ It must certainly be noted as a de­ self, have been arrested. "In Leghorn the police have imprisoned ficiency that so sincere and careful a about forty shipyard workers. In Minai the student as Schmidt should write a series of arrests for 'sympathy for the Spanish lengthy survey of the conditions of 82 THE COMMUNIST the peasants under fascism, without a across Spanish trenches to join with word of these facts, and that Science them for the defeat of fascism. and Society should publish this survey Well might this study of present­ without rejoinder or discussion, • day fascist counter-revolution have when it is the task of Marxism to spur drawn from the utterance of Karl the democratic forces of the world to Marx, directed at the counter-revolu­ call the bluff of the sabre-rattling Duce tion which crushed the Paris Com­ by exposing fascism's crumbling base mune: at home. "The soil out of which [the class struggle] Had the author seen the whole grows is modern society itself. It cannot be picture, instead of half, had he seen stamped out by any amount of carnage. To not only capitalism but its grave­ stamp it out, the government would have to diggers, he would have refuted with stamp out the despotism of capital over la­ facts the contentions of those who re­ bor-the condition of its own parasitical a­ istence." fuse to recognize in the peasantry any capacity for struggle. He would. have helped to break down the libelous de­ The same issue contains the article, pictions of the Italian peasants in "The Supreme Court and Civil writings such as those of the Trotsky­ Rights," by Louis B. Boudin. Apart ite-minded novelist, Ignazio Silone, from its intrinsic worth, the paper whose peasants, caricatured and un­ should be welcomed as the only treat­ real, are made to feel helpless, natural­ ment in the entire year's output of a born objects of duperies and oppres­ topic connected with a central politi­ sion, calling forth in us commisera­ cal issue of the hour. tion but not the conscious need for This scholarly survey of the Su­ rallyi11g them into a popular front preme Court's reactionary role effec­ against the common fascist foe. He tively answers those opponents of Roosevelt's Court Reform Bill who would have recogni~ed the leadership of the underground Communist Party defend the Supreme Court as a citadel in building the Italian People's Front of justice. Boudin states as his thesis: and in cementing the Socialist-Com­ "In fact, it is my contention that the Su­ munist united front, one of whose preme Court in its character of super-legisla­ programmatic plan~ is the destruc­ ture has so deprived itself of the power of tion of rural feudalism. He would protecting civil rights and liberties in its character of Supreme Court of justice that it have shown against the agrarian pol­ is now hopelessly impotent for that purpose. icy of fascist Italy the gathering wrath And one of the ways of restoring its potency of its peasant masses, and would have as a Supreme Court of justice, of making it a seen their aspirations symbolized in real protector of the civil rights and liberties the martyred Matteottis, Gramscis, and of the people of the United States, is to deprive it of its character of super-legisla­ Rosellis; in the Garibaldi Battalion ture." (P. 276.) calling on Mussolini's "volunteers" He proceeds to demonstrate this by • An instance of commendable editorial theory and case instances. He brings procedure is the organized discussions of re­ his investigation to an end with the ligion in the two articles by Joseph Needham and Corliss Lamont. Issue No. 4· words: MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 83

". . . we come to the conclusion that not failed to state this. He declared: "The only has the Supreme Court diminished our Supreme Court, being a law unto it­ civil rights by giving to the Constitution a self, its powers, both positive and narrow interpretation-often flying in the face of established legal principles and the negative, depend upon its own will to clear language of the document-but it has power." li its will the sole, the. deter­ deprived those civil rights which it has left mining one -in society; a metaphysical to our citizenry of any real content by de­ Absolute? Or is there a will that can priving the federal government-the agency be more powerful than the Court's specifically empowered by the Constitution will; a law that can annul the Su­ to protect them-of its power to do so." (P. gog.) preme Court, this "law unto itself"; a power and a law that have time and As a thorough refutation of any and again forced from the Court conces­ all apologies for the Supreme Court sions and even reversals? as a justice-dispensing institution, few Certainly, no one would quarrel writings have ever been so devastating. with Boudin's contention that even Since the author set out to destroy in such favorable decisions as 'the De the contentions of the present Court's Jonge and the earlier Scottsboro defenders, it was to be expected that cases, the Court evaded the main issue the argument would serve to further by resorting to technicalities, leaving Roosevelt's proposal, with whatever the criminal syndicalism and similar criticisms of its insufficiencies had tO' !be legislation untouched. But even in made. But the .expose of the Court is pointing . this out, he belittles and so conducted that at the end of thirty­ even ignores the gains forced by mass six pages of cumulative evidence, one pressure in the course of class strug­ leaves the article feeling that no gle, which these decisions represent­ amount of "unpacking" the Court gains that greatly encourage and facil­ would be worth the effort; that the itate further inroads into the usurped Court's power and the nature of that power of the Court. power make immediate, partial, and True, the Supreme Court's second transitional measures hopeless; that Scottsboro decision-not to deny Ne­ we can accomplish nothing progres­ groes the right to serve as jurors-was sive in regard to the Court until we a formal concession, easily negated in can, in terms of the author's thesis, practice, as was shown in the subse­ completely "deprive it of its character quent third trial, when the Negro of super-legislature." talesman was even Jim-Crowed on a Perhaps Boudin felt that Science chair outside the jury box for ques­ and Society was no place for a pro­ tioning. But that which Boudin sees grammatic statement of immediate, only as a cynical mockery is charged necessarily incomplete, demands on with thousand-fold greater meaning. this issue. But certainly we can expect That decision of the Supreme Court a distinguished student of Marxism (as well as the later Herndon victory to know that we cannot present any -another meaningful technicality) social institution in fixed terms, with­ represents a milestone in the advance­ out the interactions accompanying the ment of the Negro people's struggle process of its functioning. Boudin for complete equality, and strength- THE COMMUNIST ens the self-confidence of the demo­ action, but by confused liberals and cratic forces. as a whole. The Negro progressives, and-be it said-by in­ may sit on a chair outside the jury sufficient forces on the Left. box; but at that moment he is more To neglect the immediate issue and powerful than all his judicial baiters the mass movement forming around in the Southern Court, who fought it, is to leave the road open for de­ their hardest to keep him out of even featism that offers only the absolute that chair! Boudin, the legalist, has but immediately unattainable meas­ prevented Boudin, the Marxian stu­ ure as a solution. At the time when dent, from appreciating these facts. the Supreme Court reversed itself in The article was published in the regard to the Wagner Act (coinciding midst of a constitutional crisis, when roughly with the publication of this all the fascist-mhaded forces rallied to article) Representative Jerry O'Con­ defend the hallowed institution. Con­ nell stated: "The Constitution clearly fused Socialists and liberals opposed depends on how the heat is applied to the Court-reform measure as being in­ the Court." But Boudin presents a adequate, while recommending the Court that is vacuum-packed, un­ "pure" panacea of constitutional reached and unreachable by the heat amendment (involving a drawn-out waves of mass sentiment. process of many years during which That this, however, does not repre­ time all progressive social legislation sent the author's position, can be seen would lie dormant). At such a time from his later article-the now cele­ every forum of progress in this coun­ brated essay published in the New try was called upon to speak out for Masses for September 21, 1937-where­ the Roosevelt proposal-not to reform, in the relationship of immediate de­ in order to preserve, the usurped mands to higher objectives is set forth power of the Court; but, looking be­ correctly, in dealing with recent liberal yond the immediate measure, in order rulings of the Supreme Court: to destroy that power, both by weak­ "The change of heart on the part of the ening its base (precisely through such Supreme Court came as a result of the intro­ "unpacking" as Roosevelt's plan duction of President Roosevelt's Judiciary called for) and by solidifying the mass Reorganization Bill; and it is safe to say, on forces that will bring about its even­ the basis of the previous history of the Court, tual destruction as a super-legislative that it will last only as long as the fight for that bill, or some other attempt to curb the power. judicial power lasts. Permanent struggle Boudin's article ignored a splendid against the Court is the condition of its lib­ opportunity to give weight to the , eralism-such is the lesson of the study of agitation for Court reform. This is, our constitutional history." indeed, a serious shortcoming, in that One wishes that this Marxian posi­ Roosevelt's Bill focused the attention tion, which made Boudin's extraor­ of the people upon the Supreme dinarily thorough and able ~ssay in Court as the institution standing in the New Masses so clarifying, had the way of progressive social legisla­ been manifest in Science and Society. tion. Roosevelt's proposal was de­ feated-not only by the forces of re- • • MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 85

The appearance of the article, and 11 Duce's ideologue, Gentile. "Some Aspects of Literary Criticism" For, together with these anti-intellec­ by William Phillips and Phillip Rahv tualist signori, Messrs. Phillips and in Science and Society,"' brings dis­ Rahv invest the artist's "intuitive concerting feelings, even though at the urge" with "lines of directive force" time of publication (winter, 1937), which "ideology cannot foresee," and these two men had not yet been ex-­ award the medium the animistic posed as Trotskyites. What ends did a powers of shaping the direction of Marxian publication hope to serve by thought. Trotskyism, the handmaiden presenting to its readers-unchal­ of fascism, in literature as in politics! lenged, withal-the insidiously nihilis­ Certainly, the relatedness of form tic attitude toward literary theory and essence in literature is a fitting which the article seeks to promote? theme for a magazine like Science and "Within literature the medium shapes di­ Society. The editors owe it to the rection to its own uses, which means that it readers, who expect a dialectic-mate­ is not necessarily conveyed in terms of cor­ rialist analysis of the subject, to go rect politics. Regardless of his conscious into the question searchingly. We philosophy, the writer may at times prove might suggest, as a starting point for his fidelity to historic direction by creating profound imaginative equivalents that fruitful discussion, the statement from ideology cannot foresee." (Italics ours-V.J.J.) Hegel selected by Lenin for his · Philosophic Miscellany."' This is nothing but a rehash of the long-discredited bourgeois notion "The method is, therefore, not external which Trotsky sought to smuggle into form, but the soul and concept of the con­ the labor movement regarding the au­ tent." tonomous nature of sensation; regard­ It is refreshing to turn, in the en­ ing the non-rational, unconscious suing issue, to Oliver Larkin's mono­ source of artistic creation-a notion graph, "The Daumier Myth," which which was expressed in his words: sets out-with marked success-to re­ "The methods of art are not the meth­ deem the notable French artist from ods of Marxism." the slander of having been a split­ It requires no microscopic lens to personality, whose propaganda had no see that such an autarchic art medium relation to his art. Larkin demon­ represents a denial of theory, isolat­ strates the synthesis which existed be­ ing the writer from the rationality of tween Daumier the social satirist and class-consciousness, the struggle for Daumier the artist, which, perforce, socialism, which alone, in this age, can made him the mighty caricaturist. save him from desiccation. Against those to whom the political The authors' lip-service to Marxism caricatures represent a belittlement of in the earlier paragraphs gives way in Daumier's art, Larkin brings forward the final analysis to reactionary mys­ his subject with bold, convincing de­ ticism and intuitivism, which have as lineation, until you see in him the much in common with Marxism as Voltaire of graphic an. What occurs the muddied thought-streams of Croce • Published in 19119-SO under the Russian • Issue No. 11. title, Leninski Sbornik.

8· 8· No. No. Issue Issue • • concludes: concludes: he he Thus, Thus,

end. end. dead dead liberal's liberal's the the transcend transcend to to

evaluation evaluation Marxian Marxian full full a a to to ysis ysis

disposed disposed himself himself not not he he were were twelfth, twelfth,

anal­ his his out out rounding rounding from from author author

the the of of limbo limbo the the into into back back sink sink

the the halts halts subject subject his his of of "humanity" "humanity"

to to was was century century nineteenth nineteenth the the of of ism ism

the the to to attachment attachment this this tum. tum. Certainly, Certainly,

progressiv­ the the with with forward forward go go to to not not

vanita­ vanitas vanitas uttering uttering Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes

recede: recede: to to is is proceed proceed to to not not history, history,

is is himself himself author author the the that that moments moments

in in juncture juncture certain certain a a at at that, that, lesson lesson

at at feels feels one one discusses, discusses, he he man man the the

the the liberalism, liberalism, of of impasse impasse the the shown shown

of of futility futility of of philosophy philosophy the the roring roring

have have not not could could author author the the Yet, Yet,

mir­ In In tone. tone. the the in in elegiac elegiac something something

fascism. fascism.

indeed, indeed, is, is, There There tenderness. tenderness. with with

of of not, not, or or conscious conscious whether whether support, support,

Adams Adams Henry Henry of of writes writes Johnson Johnson

the the in in results results today today "liberals" "liberals" certain certain

sophiae. sophiae.

of of case case the the in in which which process process grafting grafting

philo­ consolatio consolatio for for century century twelfth twelfth

socialism-a socialism-a toward toward turning turning age age ern ern

the the to to back back turned turned he he Marxism," Marxism," of of

mod­ a a upon upon outlook outlook feudal feudal medieval, medieval,

mutations mutations radical radical "the "the with with

himself himself

a a of of grafting grafting the the as as but but past, past, the the

identify identify to to Unable Unable life-force. life-force. its its ism, ism,

of of tower tower ivory ivory an an into into withdrawal withdrawal a a

liberal­ class, class, the the with with and and end," end," an an

to to

as as merely merely forth forth set set be be not not would would tury tury

come come have have

to to

"seemed "seemed

class class

his his

him him for for

cen­ twelfth twelfth the the to to return return the the Thus, Thus,

affirm"; affirm"; nor nor

renounce renounce

neither neither

"could "could

capital. capital. monopoly monopoly of of route route tionary tionary

individualist, individualist,

Europeanized Europeanized

cultured, cultured,

reac­ the the and and advance, advance, forces forces tending tending

however, however,

Adams, Adams,

Henry Henry

itself. itself.

fies fies

forward­ the the all all with with together together letariat, letariat,

identi­ it it

long, long,

before before

whom, whom,

with with

but but

pro­ the the which which along along path path progressive progressive

caste, caste, upper upper

an an of of scorn scorn

the the

evinces evinces it it

the the path-into path-into its its bifurcating bifurcating ism, ism,

whom whom

for for

bankers, bankers, and and industrialists industrialists

liberal­ as as liberalism liberalism ends ends which which tory tory

of of class class

new new

the the by by

superseded superseded self self

his­ in in moment moment that that as as impasse impasse ism's ism's

it­

finds finds

which which

aristocracy aristocracy professional professional

liberal­ clearly clearly shown shown have have moreover, moreover,

and and

merchant merchant

century century mid-nineteenth mid-nineteenth

would, would, It It culture." culture." a a of of and and class class a a

surrounding-the surrounding-the

socio-economic socio-economic his his

of of life life the the "recapitulates "recapitulates that that type type tive tive

of of out out arise arise to to seen seen is is Adams Adams young young

representa­ the the section, section, cross cross the the as as ly ly

The The figures. figures. transitional transitional representative representative

definite­ more more him him placed placed have have would would

most most America's America's of of one. one. of of estimate estimate

terms terms these these in in Adams Adams Henry Henry of of ment ment

an an is is • • Liberal," Liberal," Last Last The The Adams: Adams:

re-state­ A A family. family. and and class class propertied propertied

"Henry "Henry paper, paper, Johnson's Johnson's Edgar Edgar

a a to to anchorage anchorage economic economic basic basic his his of of

presentation presentation vigorous vigorous the the miss miss we we ter, ter,

mat­ the the to to made made is is reference reference part. part. a a though though is is article article this this

Al­ day. day. his his of of groupings groupings class class upper upper which which of of and and preparing, preparing, is is Larkin Larkin

the the of of which which contradictoriness contradictoriness Daumier Daumier on on intricate intricate work work the the the the in in cussed cussed

of of embodiment embodiment an an as as objectivity objectivity full full dis­ be be will will topic topic this this Perhaps Perhaps lived. lived.

in in Adams Adams see see not not artist artist do do We We militant militant this this socialism. socialism. which which to to in in age age the the of of

path path Adams' Adams' blocked blocked experien_ce experien_ce that that historic historic deterrents deterrents greatest greatest the the tainly tainly

cultural cultural and and inhibitions inhibitions Commune-cer­ Paris Paris subjective subjective the the of of Daumier Daumier

to to given given is is weight weight much much Too Too aura. aura. on on influence influence the the of of treatment treatment ent ent

idealistic idealistic an an discussion discussion his his give give and and insuffici­ the the is is shortcoming shortcoming a a as as us us to to

86 86 COMMUNIST COMMUNIST THE THE MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY ANI) SCIENCE 87

"Thoughtful men, looking at the world analysis of this much-neglected sub­ about them today, make their affirmation by ject. transcending the narrowness, not of New England ·nature, but of restricted loyalties, • • • and breaking through the established We have reached the point in our molds." analysis at which we cah arrive at cer­ tain conclusions. Science and Society But the value of the article as an is definitely established with an audi­ exposition of the dead end of liberal­ ence in progressive university and ism could decidedly have been en­ professional circles, as well as in the hanced had the conclusion stated, revolutionary movement. This maga­ strongly and specifically (what Henry zine can, indeed, be made into a very Adams failed to state), that the loyal­ important institution, gaining for it­ ties to be transcended are the loyalties self authority and prestige as a Marx­ of the old order, that the new affirma­ ist center in the sphere of the sciences tion is the affirmation of Marxism. and philosophy. There are, however, certain deter­ • • • rents and dangers to be noted. Granville Hicks presents us with a One is that the social sciences will competent application of the Marx- not receive adequate attention, the ian method to the literary history of tendency, as the reviewed issues indi­ early nineteenth-century England in cate, being to treat mainly the natural his "Literary Opposition to Utilita- sciences and philosophy. Indeed, po­ rianism." • He presents the two main litical economy is very sparsely rep­ currents in the political philosophy of resented. the time, as articulated in the utili- We are aware, in this connection, tarianism of Bentham and Mill, that the path of Marxist-Leninist which, though rooted in apologetics treatment of economic and political ·for the ruthlessness of a rising hour- topics is, for American university in­ geoisie, represented the progressive structors and professors, rather "up­ trend of its day and a philosophic ad- hill," since it means coming into vance in terms of scientific material- head-on collision with the powers that ism; and in the anti-utilitarianism of be on issues involving the basic Coleridge, Carlyle, and other writers structure of capitalism. Such a condi­ of their period, with its humanitarian tion is in itself a bitter commentary sympathy for the "lower classes," its on the American educational system. idealistic desire to "reform business," Hence, it is not at all fortuitous that. and its essential alliance with the re- in the entire year's output, the maga­ actionary forces of church and state. zine contains a solitary article deal­ Greater emphasis, however, on the ing with basic economic theory, and scientific, progressive qualities of util- only two articles having reference re­ itarianism, as well as on the Chartist spectively to American domestic and movement, would have given added . colonial policies (supplemented, it is value to Hicks' sound and luminous~' true, by occasional book reviews on .. •these topics). A recognition of this • Issue No. 4. 1drawback should lead the editors to 88 THE COMMUNIST establish ideological contact with the But the struggle against Trotskyism various progressive tendencies of eco­ is a central task that falls on the nomic and political thought, in order editors in their work of promoting the to bring forward, with proper edi­ principles of Marxism-Leninism. Pre­ torial guidance, new contributors cisely in the colleges, one of the main from these spherell. stamping grounds of Trotskyism, A serious weakness, in a sense de­ where the Hooks and the Bumhams riving from the foregoing, is the al­ hold court, Science and Society has its most total absence of polemical war­ work to do. Certainly, in American fare against reactionary and counter­ academic spheres, where students and revolutionary camps, whose rational­ faculty members have been trained to ized anti-Marxism manifests itself in look up to John Dewey, it is expected the numerous philosophic trends dis­ of a magazine like Science and Society cussed in the in~roductory section of to counteract the pernicious influence this review. which the aura of his bygone liberal­ In looking over the first year's work ism may exert in behalf of Trotsky­ of Science and Society, we find :rio in­ ism. The magazine could make a spe­ dication of struggle against Trotsky­ cial contribution in this connection by ism; no heed to the serious tasks of showing that it is not accidental that analyzing, exposing, and counteract­ the foremost exponent of instrumen­ ing this embodiment of counter-revo­ talism, with its fundamental renunci­ lution and treachery, with its pseudo­ ation of theory and its denial of the philosophical trappings. And this, class struggle as an objective fact, during a year in which the great So· should branch out in defense of coun­ viet trials and convictions-and that \ ter-revolutionary Trotskyism; in fact, momentous Stalinist document, "Mas- of any violent opposition to the or­ tering Bolshevism" - demonstrated ganizers of the inevitable victory of clearly the need and the method of socialism. directing the attack against such It must be said that Science and masked enemies with vigor and fore­ Society has so far not been able to ful­ sight; a year in which the People's fil this important Marxist task. It has, Front in Spain branded and outlawed in its own specific field, failed to point the Trotskyite P.O.U.M. as a helpmate out the danger signs in connection to Franco behind the lines; a year with pragmatist-instrumentalism, the during which the liberal-intellectual dominant American bourgeois phil­ world, Science and Society's world, osophy, which, precisely because of its was being contaminated with con­ alleged progressivism, offers an oppor­ fusion in regard to these issues. In tunity for philosophic charlatans to connection with the Marxist-Leninist adulterate Marxism for the benefit of struggle against Trotskyism, there the bourgeoisie. reigns an unfortunate silence in What are the principal reasons for Science and Society. Indeed, the so­ this? We can trace them to the maga­ called "Marxist Quarterly," which is zine's basic weakness. By and large, in reality a camp organ, has escaped the contributions evidence a detach­ without a word of criticism. ment from the scene of proletarian MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE Sg practice; from contemporary, eco­ the struggle of Poland for liberation, nomic, social, and political currents. the socialist and trade union move­ This is evidenced by the tendency to a ments, the conditions of the working recession from the present which char­ class, the development of the Party, acterizes the range of topics and, in the struggle against anti-proletarian the main, their treatment. This is not elements as well as their theories. It said in any deprecation of the value would be well if the magazine in its of historical research, but, on the con­ future issues presented Marxism in its trary, in the interests of bringing the living unfoldment. This would result study of the past into a closer dialec­ in a more concrete application of tical relationship with present-day Marx's method to the economic, po­ life. litical, and theoretical phases of the A number of the articles, well-rea­ class struggle in the world today. soned, logical, basically correct, could Such problems as the dialectics of de­ have gained in validity and per­ mocracy; the nature, origin, and de­ suasiveness through integration with velopment of classes in the United the dynamics of current events. One States; the Marxist-Leninist theory of looks at the table of contents in the the state in relation to the govern­ four issues. The subjects, in articles ment of the People's Front; in addi­ and communications, range them­ tion to the problems of modern nat­ selves as follows: ural science in connection with the economic structures and the produc­ Philosophy ...... IS Psychology • ...... 1 tions relations of the world of capital­ Political Economy ll Mathematics . . . . . 1 ism and the world of socialism­ History ...... s Linguistics ...... ll would, if adequately treated, in the Political Theory... s Religion ...... ll Colonial Problems. 1 Literature and Art 4 specialized manner called for by Science and Society, do much to carry Although one welcomes the consid­ out the basic purposes of the maga­ erable inclusion of philosophic arti­ zine, thereby widening its important cles; and while noting, too, that this sphere of influence. table must be read with allowance for It would be interesting to see a overlappings, one must reg,ister un­ dialectic treatment of the entire range easiness at the scarcity of articles of development of the movement for dealing-yes, in the manner behooving independent political action of the Science and Society-with the most American working class. Here is a task vital issues in the world today. Should for some of the contributors who have not such a publication rather demon­ demonstrated by their careful scholar­ strate that Marxism as a philosophy . ship their capacity to make a valuable is at one with life, with moving events; · Marxist contribution in regard to the the theory and the practice-the American scene. theory because of the practice-of the It is the tendency to abstraction working class? Marxism for Marx was which is no doubt responsible for the never a doctrine isolated from the silence of the magazine in regard to movements of his day-from the revo­ the Soviet Union, the touchstone of lutions of 1848, the Paris Commune, all political and theoretical positions

promotion promotion of of Marxism Marxism means means the the But But the the very very emergence emergence of of Science Science

enemies. enemies. The The understanding understanding that that the the one one year year of of the the magazine's magazine's existence. existence.

ism ism are are today today and and how how to to fight fight those those pletely pletely the the objectives objectives in in the the space space of of

fore fore who who the the actual actual enemies enemies of of Marx­ the the impossibility impossibility of of achieving achieving com­

necessity, necessity, immediately immediately bring bring to to the the Marxism; Marxism; not: not: without without awareness awareness of of

worlds. worlds. Such Such emphasis emphasis would, would, of of forward forward as as definitive definitive exponents exponents of of

epoch epoch of of the the struggle struggle of of the the two two contributors, contributors, to to develop develop and and come come

and and rendered rendered concrete concrete in in the the present present who who constitute constitute the the majority majority of of the the

Marx, Marx, Engels Engels and and Lenin, Lenin, developed developed for for academic academic scientists scientists and and scholars, scholars,

embodies embodies the the theory theory and and practice practice of of chological chological factors factors which which make make it it hard hard

the the only only Marxism Marxism today; today; that that Stalin Stalin out out awareness awareness of of the the social social and and psy­

insufficient insufficient emphasis emphasis that that Leninism Leninism is is editing editing of of such such a a magazine; magazine; not not with­

These These serious serious omissions omissions result result from from ness ness of of the the difficulties difficulties surrounding surrounding the the

ment ment of of the the Marxian Marxian objective. objective. and and suggestions, suggestions, not not without without aware­

the the Soviet Soviet Union-the Union-the living living embodi­ We We have have brought brought these these criticisms criticisms

noted) noted) dealing dealing with with the the existence existence of of all all progressives. progressives.

1 1

a a single single article article (but (but for for the the exceptions exceptions port port of of the the Communist Communist Party Party and and of of

ian ian magazine magazine Science Science and and Society Society not not ciety ciety is is deserving deserving of of the the fullest fullest sup­

American American people. people. And, And, in in the the Marx­ realizations realizations to to date, date, Science Science and and So­

all all opponents opponents as as the the program program for for the the it. it. On On the the basis basis of of its its efforts efforts and and of of its its

the the Communists Communists are are advancing advancing against against of of the the purposes purposes the the editors editors have have set set for for

Leninist Leninist theory theory which, which, in in this this land, land, the the hopeful hopeful prospects prospects for for its its realization realization

of of the the correctness correctness of of the the Marxist­ zine, zine, its its auspicious auspicious beginnings, beginnings, and and

power; power; twenty twenty years years of of empirical empirical proof proof siderable siderable achievements achievements of of the the maga­

twenty twenty years years of of victorious victorious Soviet Soviet to to reaffirm reaffirm at at the the conclusion, conclusion, the the con­

psychology, psychology, a a new new social social practice­ We We have have stated stated earlier, earlier, and and we we wish wish

my, my, a a new new culture, culture, new new mores, mores, a a new new socialism. socialism.

new new humanity humanity in in birth, birth, a a new new econo­ toward toward the the victorious victorious climax climax of of

made, made, galvanized, galvanized, under under our our eyes. eyes. A A of of struggle struggle and and class class consciousness consciousness

A A segment segment of of the the world world is is being being re­ through through increasingly increasingly heightened heightened levels levels

Science Science and and Society. Society. of of all all the the exploited exploited and and oppressed, oppressed,

topics topics an! an! worthy worthy of of a a few few pages pages in in as as guardian, guardian, guide, guide, and and rallying rallying force force

icy icy and and struggle struggle for for peace-surely, peace-surely, such such presence presence of of the the Marxist-Leninist Marxist-Leninist Party Party

gressive gressive humanity, humanity, was was made made as as seen seen possible possible in in its its pol­ because because of of the the

the the Soviet Soviet Union Union in in relation relation to to pro­ that that the the victory victory of of Marxism Marxism in in Russia Russia

ist ist democracy; democracy; the the vanguard vanguard role role of of the the historic historic split split with with Menshevi~m; Menshevi~m;

great great Stalinist Stalinist Constitution Constitution of of social­ shevism shevism as as a a Party Party came came into into being being in in

Socialist Socialist Republic, Republic, and and developed developed as as registered registered only only in in there there the the where where Bol­

ciety ciety and and the the individual individual in in the the new new tent tent of of Marx Marx and and Engels Engels was was restored restored

Yet Yet the the visible visible transformation transformation of of so­ nist nist Party; Party; that that the the revolutionary revolutionary con­

achievements achievements Party Party in in the the of of the the Soviet Soviet proletariat-the proletariat-the Union. Union. Commu­

any any phase phase relating relating to to the the socialist socialist plicit plicit in in Marxism Marxism is is the the vanguard vanguard

of of heritage, heritage, not not a a single single treatment treatment of of Party Party nature nature of of philosophy; philosophy; that that im­

guistics guistics and, and, in in a a sense, sense, the the discussion discussion sity, sity, involve involve the the realization realization of of the the

today. today. Outside Outside of of an an article article on on lin­ struggle struggle for for Marxism Marxism would, would, of of neces­

go go THE THE COMMUNIST COMMUNIST MARXISM-LENINISM FOR SOCIETY AND SCIENCE 91 and Society implies a conscious pur­ purposed Soviet periodical, Under the pose to transform science into an in­ Banner of Marxism; that "a magazine strument 'for re-fashioning society. So that desires to be an organ of militant it is fitting to remember Lenin's coun­ materialism must be a militant sel to the editors of the similarly- organ."

is is it it theories; theories; Marxian Marxian of of exposition exposition dried dried powers. powers. creative creative his his played played

cut-and­ mere mere no no is is instance, instance, for for munism, munism, dis­ clearly clearly that that biography biography a a Khan, Khan, Genghis Genghis

Com­ His His critic. critic. and and novelist novelist a a of of nation nation his his in in resulted resulted already already had had l:ast l:ast the the in in

styli~tic styli~tic discrimi­ the the interest interest and and His His vision vision East. East. the the the the on on brought brought West West the the of of impact impact

he he writings writings political political his his To To derestimate. derestimate. the the describing describing stories stories short short other other write write to to

un­ not not must must we we that that benefits benefits had had interests interests and and Mongolia Mongolia revisit revisit to to hoping hoping was was he he and and

his his of of division division the the hand hand other other the the on on But But Lama," Lama," a a with with "Conversation "Conversation story, story, short short

remarkable remarkable a a contributed contributed he he Writing Writing New New energy. energy. and and time time

of of volume volume second second the the I. I. To To Writing, Writing, New New his his on on made made he he that that demands demands tremendous tremendous

in in appeared appeared tantalizing, tantalizing, and and talented talented which, which, the the of of result result the the inaccuracies, inaccuracies, minor minor by by

of of fragment fragment a a novel, novel, a a on on working working been been marred marred sometimes sometimes was was out, out, points points Jackson Jackson

had had he he died died he he before before time time some some For For ture. ture. A. A. T. T. as as moreover, moreover, work, work, His His needs. needs. and and

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REVIEWS REVIEWS BOOK BOOK BOOK REVIEWS 93 warm and passionate. Even his incidental education as creator and critic. He would journalism, such as the pieces on J. H. have done that work, whatever its conse­ Thomas and T. E. Lawrence, show the preci­ quences, because it was his revolutionary sion of a skilled crafstman in words ancl duty; but the consequences were, in the exhibit· the feeling for character that dis­ long run, good. An author writes out of tinguished his two biographies. It cannot what he is, and to be a revolutionary writer surprise us that he wrote for the Communist you have to be a revolutionary. Fox had Review an article called ''"I]hink Before made himself a revolutionary, and that is Writing," an appeal to Communists to shun what one feels in his work. He was ripening heavy, obscure sentences and bewildering rapidly, and if he had lived he would have jargon and to follow the example of the refuted once and for all the silly arguments great teachers of Communism. When he be­ of the bourgeoisie and the pseudo-Marxists. came a political writer, he was wise enough If he had lived.... I suppose these critics to study the craftsmanship of the masters of cannot understand his not living. He should political exposition, and he had earned the have been writing his books, they will say, right to urge others to do likewise. and not fighting in Spain. No one, after If his literary knowledge helped his po­ reading A Writer in Arms, can doubt that litical writing, his political researches and the revolutionary movement suffered a tre­ his long participation in the working class mendous loss when Ralph Fox fell before movement strengthened him as creator and a fascist machine gun near Lopera. But no critic. Since he did not live to finish his one who reads the book understandingly can novel, we can only guess at the strength and fail to see why Fox had to go to Spain. The clarity that would have marked it. In "Con­ qualities that we admire in his work sent versation with a Lama," however, we have him into the Spanish people's army; for evidence of a personal insight into character to write as he did he had to be the kind that was based on a knowledge of the nature of person who would risk death in resisting of society. And The Novel and the People, fascist aggression. marking his maturity as a critic, demon­ GRANVILLE HICKS strated beyond any question that his critical perceptions were integrated with his world­ view. He had, as John Lehmann says and as The Novel and the People makes clear, the ability to give himself sympathetically to every literary experience, and he responded to that experience with the whole of hfs A POPULAR STORY OF THE being. With particular judgments I might quarrel, as any critic might, but his sense of CHINESE REVOLUTION literary values was profoundly Marxist and WHEN CHINA UNITES, by Harry Gannes. therefore profoundly true. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 293pp. Index. Ralph Fox was the kind of person that it $2.50. is quite impossible for critics in the bour­ geois world, and even for certain critics who PAIN and China are the two spots in pretend to have left that world, to under­ Sthe world today where the most im­ stand. They see his weaknesses, which un­ perialistic expansionist policies of the most deniably exist, and can see little else. They reactionary powers have been given their cannot understand his virtues, which are sharpest expression. If not stopped by col­ virtues they will never have. They rebuke lective action of the peace-loving powers, him for meddling with politics, and think he the inevitable tendency is for either or both should have imitated them in making more of the two wars to develop into a worldwide and more minute analyses of less and less conflagration. The worldwide nature of the important authors. They do not see that his issues involved and the impossibility of lo­ political activity-his work in the Commu­ calizing major "local" wars in our epoch nist Party as well as his political research give such wars a world character and in­ and writing-was an essential part of his terest that have no equal.in previous history. 94 THE COMMUNIST

This situation creates an almost unprece­ tion was sown in that period. Despite the dented demand for information on Spain and severest White terror, the partisan movement China that will help us to understand the developed in 1928, later bringing about tile war. establishment of Soviet districts over many Comrade Gannes grasps the importance of provinces in China, and. the organization of the task, and shouid be congratulated for the Chinese Red Army. Meanwhile, in 1931, being so prompt in setting out to satisfy Japan occupied Manchuria. This event the demand for enlightenment in regard to marked the opening of a new period in Far both countries. His book on Spain, written Eastern history and gave a new emphasis in collaboration with Theodore Repard, has to the direction of development of the Chi­ already won recognition as an important nese liberation movement. Soon after the contribution to popularizing the Spanish Japanese occupation of Manchuria, on Sep­ issue for the American public. It is reason­ tember 18, 1931, the Chinese Communist able to expect that his new book, When Party proposed a united front movement China Unites, will also receive widespread against Japan. Since then, the demand for attention. national unity in resistance to Japanese ag­ The book opens with the opium war and gression has become the dominant note in briefly tells the story of the Chinese move­ Chinese politics. ment for national liberation. Imperialist en­ This is, generally speaking, the thesis of croachments, beginning with the opium war the book. It is the Marxist-Leninist interpre­ in 1842, reduced China to a semi-colonial tation of modem Chinese history. Comrade status and retarded her socio-economic· and Gannes gathered his material carefully from political development. The 1911 Revolution documents of the Communist International was China's first successful attempt to re­ and the Chinese Communist Party, as well move the first major obstacle in the way of as from authoritative writings by outstanding her development. Marxist-Leninists. However, although the passing of the Taken as a whole, the general thesis of the Manclm monarchy and the birth of the re­ book is correct. However, in relation to the public represented an important victory for proportion of space given to individual the people, neither the anti-imperialist nor the topics, and the emphasis laid on certain in­ democratic tasks of the revolution were com­ cidents, there remains much to be desired. pletely carried out by the 1911 Revolution. The book would have gained by a more Much remained to be done. The disappoint­ adequate treatment of two of the most out­ ments of the Versailles Conference turned the standing topics with which it deals. people's attention from politics to socio-eco­ First, the entire Soviet period, from 1927 nomic and cultural problems. From 1919 to to 1937, is not adequately treated. The au­ 1922, the literary "revolution," the move­ thor devotes considerable space to detailed ment of sharp criticism of Confucian stand­ reports of the movement of the Red Army on ards of conduct and student "revolt," domi­ its westward march. We are told when it nated the scene. It was commonly designated crossed a certain river and when it occupied as China's period of renaissance. a certain town. But, aside from an occasional The great seamen's strike of 1922 ushered reference, practically nothing is said of the in a period during which the labor move­ socio-economic and cultural program of the ment became a mass force and the driving Soviet districts. power in the Chinese liberation movement. Of course, as a result of the success of the In the Great Revolut~on of 1925-27, the anti­ National Front against Japan, the Soviet dis­ imperialist and anti-feudal character of the tricts have been reorganized into a Special Chinese revolution revealed itself clearly, in Administrative District and their internal the attempt to establish a democratic system policy has been considerably modified. But in China which would guarantee the coun­ this does not change the fact tha~ historical­ try's development along non-capitalist lines. ly, the program for socio-economic and cul­ The movement suffered a severe setback in tural revolution and upbuilding, successfully 1927, but, as subsequent history has shown, carried out by the Chinese Soviet govern­ the seed of a thorough-going social revolu- ment, left an indelible mark on the social BOOK REVIEWS 95 physiognomy of China, and that the success the origin and role of the pro-Japanese of that program is what rendered it impos­ clique in China. In discussing the Tsinan in" sible for the anti-Communist campaign to cident of 1928, when !)4,000 Japanese troops succeed. It cannot be overemphasized that blocked the northward march of the Nan­ the success of the Soviet program in the king armies, it would have been well for the Soviet period made possible the formation author to point out that this was the first of the National Front today. armed intervention in China since the in­ Without the Soviet program, the power­ vasion to suppress the Boxer movement, and ful Communist force could not have been that since the Tsinan incident, Japan has built up in the decade following 1927. And applied military force to China at intervals without the Communist force, the earliest of approximately every two years, and has and most persistent in fighting for the Na­ used the quiet periods for political pressure tional Front against Japan, the united and to attain her ends. strong resistance now manifested by the In discussing Japanese activities during the whole Chinese nation against Japan would critical period of the past two years, the book not have materialized. The book fails to fail& even to mention the entire problem of bring out this point, although it is implied the so-called Sino-Japanese economic cooper­ in its general thesis. By not giving adequate ation, which is of great importance in under­ treatment to the Soviet program, Comrade standing the forces and processes that Gannes fails to impress the reader with the brought about the present war. In the chap­ reasons which made the Soviet period suc­ ter "Japan Is the Enemy," such important cessful and important, thus failing to bring topics as the narcotic traffic, along with out its historical and political significance. smuggling and the Japanese abuse of extra­ Secondly, as to the treatment of Trotsky­ territorial rights; the conditions of the ism in connection with the Chinese Revolu­ Shanghai Truce of 1932; the conditions of tion. Of course, the book as such is, by its the Ho-Umetsu "understanding" and that of Leninist line, a refutation of Trotskyism in the Chin Doihara "agreement" of 1935, have regard to the Chinese Revolution. It con· been omitted from the discussion. On the tains a brief section dealing specifically w'th question of the pro-Japanese clique, the Trotskyism's counter-revolutionary role. But author fails to point out the important fact the treatment of this question is ~ketchy and of how the group was formed and how it incomplete. got into Nanking as a political faction, as For instance, the book fails to bring out well as the multifarious character of its pro- the vicious plot hatched by the Trotskyites, Japanese activities. · together with the organization called Anti­ There are factual errors (some due to Bolshevik&, against the Soviet power in typographical mistakes), which more careful Kiangsi and Fukien in ~931 and 1932. It preparation of the manuscript could have could have gained greatly by showing up avoided. the treacherous Trotskyite role as made pub­ For example, it is incorrect to state that lic in Radek's startling testimony in the Mao Tse-tugn was once "regimental com­ Soviet Court to the effect that the Trotsky­ . mander in the Hunan Army" and that ites decided that "no obstacles must be raised he "deserted the Kuomintang ranks and to the conquest of China by Japanese im­ fled to the mountains with a thousand men" perialism." Another important omission is (p. 127-emphasis mine). The word "de­ the murder of General Wang in February, serted" most inaccurately characterizes the 1937, the significant aftermath of the Sian way Mao Tse-tung parted company wi_th the incident, which illustrates so clearly the Kuomintang in 1927. Trotskyite policy of provocation and assas­ Dr. Sun Yat-sen was in the United States, sination in China. not in Europe (p. 28), when the 19u Revo­ Aside from the inadequate treatment of lution occurred. the stated two topics, which constitutes the Chang Nai-chi, one of the seven leaders basic weakness of the book, there are im­ of the National Salvation Association, who portant omissions in regard to Japanese pol­ was under arrest for a length of time, has icy in China and inadequate treatment of never been editor-in-chief of Life Weekly g6 THE COMMUNIST

(p. 240). Fukien can in no sense be called war in the Far East. It is an inter­ the "native province" of the 19th Route esting, readable, popular, and decidedly Army. (p. 175·) useful Story of the Chinese liberation move­ Among the typographical mistakes the fol­ ment and should be read as such. It deals lowing may be pointed out: Shansi (p. 203) with the relevant problems and contains the should be Shensi; Northwestern Volunteers most essential materials. It is a short-cut to (p. 232) should be Northeastern; Suiyan knowledge on the current developments in (p. 252) should be Sian; the First Congress the Far East, and, as such, can be used as a of the Communist Party of China was held handbook for speakers and organizational in 1921 and not in 1924 (p. 61). In at least workers in the growing movement to support four places (pp. 33, go, 95 and 127), Kwang­ the·Chinese war of defense against Japanese tung, the province in the South of China, invasion. By helping to explain the back­ is spelled Kwantung, the name of Japan's ground of the present war to the English· leased territory in the Southern end of speaking world, it helps the forces of peace Manchuria. and democracy to defeat the forces of war \Ve deem it necessary to point out these and fascism. In this sense, in answer to the errors to help the readers. Despite these mis­ real public demand for such material, the takes, the book is valuable as a popular ex­ book should be appraised and welcomed. planation of the backgroJind of the present HsiAo CHEN-KWAN Read More About MARXISM-LEHIHISM

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