Combined with "The Revolutionary Age" •
All Power To The Workers! '"
Vol.. I, No.3 CHICAGO, ILL, OCTOBER 11, 1919 Price, Sc Pel' Copy
The Capitalists Challenge YOU" Workingmen! Proclamation by the Communist Party of America ARTIAL law has been declared in Gary, In,diana! servants because they were showing their power. Soldiers of the regular army, soldiers who have But capitalism was not done. The Steel Trust M seen service overseas, who have waded through does not only have at its beck and call the power of the the blood of their fellows on the battle fields of Europe, local government, but the national government, the as the capitalist press is gloatingly declaring, are now State, is equally its servants. The workers had won in control. the first skirmish through their mass power. They The army of occupation entered Gary fully must be taught a lesson: They must be cowed and equipped. Automatic rifies, hand grenades, machine thrown back into their former position of abject guns and heavier cannon, cannon that can clear two slaves. miles of a city street in a few minutes, as the officer in The orders went forth.. Soon the long line of charge said, these are ready for use in Gary. And the truck-loads of regular soldiers were on the way to soldiers wear trench helmets made by the workers of Gary. The men who the ,vorkers had been told a Gar\' ! short year ago, were fighting their battle for democ . V'lThy are thesE' soldiers then~. ,vorkingmen of the racy upon the blood-stained fields of Europe, and whom United States? What has happened in the City of they had be~n urged to ~:upport by giving the last of Ste~i that requires this murderous equipment for the their strength to the work of production, these men de;-t.,ruction of human lives? were coming to teach them "democracy." And with The workingmen of Gary are engaged in a strug them came their instruments of murder. their auto gle against the capitalists. They have suffered long. matic rifles. their hand grenades, their machine guns. Low wages, long honrs of E'xhansting work in the heat the cannon that could clear a street two miles long in
()t' r!l~<" ~f':\f)~ (Jv~n~,. l~f('~.""':;ppinb tGjl ,,;;-itl~· E() tiT.lle -C~Jr a 11">\' nJinutt:s, tllldi:llt: helmets that the workers clf hll:~1<' iif,~, this has beell their lot Gary had produced. G.'hich dominates the steel in s'yRtem oiexplnitation and oppression. the State, which dustry. in spite of all it~ democ;'atic pretensions is but the Gary is the City of Steel. It was built by the or phYi:lical exprec;:o;ion (if the Dictatorship of the Capital der of the Steel Trust. The influence and control of ist Class. the Steel Trust extends to every nook and corner of WORKING:\1EN OF THE lTNITED STATES, the life of the city. Us spies are everywhere. The 'THE CAPITALlSTS AHE CHALLENGING YOU!- local ~o"ernment is its tool and expresses its wil1. They are demonstrating before your very eye::; Thi:; Steel Trllst municipal government forbade the that the governmental power ii:l theirs, for use against. workingmen to show their solidarity by parades and you when you clare sh-ikt! against the enslavement public meetings. It hoped by keeping the workers which they force upon ~-ou. apart to break their spirit, to give encouragement to The homes of the v".)rkingmen of GP.l'Y are being the few scabs who were working. raideo, their. meetingf'. forbidden, their literature con For two weeks the workers submitted. They per fiscated by the 1Y1.iJitary regime which control:;; Gary. mitted the Steel Trust government to trample under l\hlltinl law i~ "11 Ill'eHlt', The instruments to destroy foot the democratic rights which they had been ilO t.he lives 1)1 th0 ',\;l; kel'~; drt~ ready. often ~~s,,\1l'ed \\:ere the heritage of the people of this Are you, worJ;:ingmen of this country, going to country. They let the industrial masters demonr;trate submit meekl,\- 10 the \,se of lnilitary inyasion and clE'al'l~' that not "clewocracy" but jJ'on-fistecl autocTacy force to break yOl1!' 'striLes '? Shall the iron heel rule waf;. for the workers, the aftermath of the war. unchallenged '! Then these workers broke into spontaneous pro~ ThiH is the hour to ~'tmse the workers. test. The mayor. the Steel Trust tool, had forbidden GATHER 1:'; c:nE ..IT :\1ASS MEETINGS. BRING them to meet "in public. He had forbidden them to TO THE ATTF::'iTIOX OF THE lJ~ENLIGHTENED parade throllg-h the st.reets. But they would meet and WORKERS TH',: \;L\~< LNG OF iVIARTIAL LAW ~<\T would parade.· GARY. SHOW THEM THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH They formed in line ""ith five hundred uniformed TO STRIKE AGXISST LO'\' 'V AGES AND BAD men. strikers all. at the, head of the ,''1e and marched WOHKING CONDITlOK'S BUT THAT THE STRIKE through the heart of the city. J\IUST BE DJRECTED AGAINST CAPITALISM. This mass action of the workers won. Their THE WORKERS MUST CAPTURE THE POWER mass power conquered. The orders of the mayor be OF THE STATE. THEY MUST WREST FROM THE came mere rags of paper. Ten thousand workers CAPIT ALIST~, THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH marched through the heart of the city and in place of THE CAPITALIST RVLE IS MAINTAINED. upholding the orders of the mayor the militia and The answer to the Dictatorship of the Capitalists police cleared the way for the strikers-became their is the Dictatorship of the Workers. Page Two THE COMMUNIST October 11, 1919 4&!
Nearly half the steel workers (1910) scheduled, one exceeded a dollar an The Communist put in 72 hours, or 6 days of 12 hours, hour. The rate for laborers in the South with extra ,stretches of 20 to 30 hours. ern districts, 36c, and in the Eastern, Naklonal Or... n, Communiat Party In the blast furnace and other depart Central and Pacific districts, 46c. There ments, 209; of the entire force, the .men were 67 rates (over one-third of the list) LOUIS C. FRAINA, Editor put in 84 houi·s or more per week. The under 60c; 137 rates, 70c and under; 1. E. FERGUSON, Associate Editor percentage working the 7 -day week is as and only 39 rates, covering the basic high today as in 1910. '1 idered. For 1917, $478,204,343, an ac in the Monthly Labor Review under to our great. industry and should not in "Changes in Wage Rates", as follows: knowledged rate of 24.9%, a return of this enlightened age be longer tolerated." likely more than ever went into the ~c Nearly a decade has gone by, presum During the period February 15 to March tual corporation investment. After .the 15, 1919, a decrease of 1711z %, affecting: ably adding t(} the world's enlighten 40% of the force, was made in one plant. war tax was paid, there was still $244,- ment. ... and a 17 % decrease was reported by an 738,903 on hand for distribution; or swel During the war about a million\ addi other plant, but no information was given Ung of surplus. About th'e same level of as to the number of employes affected. tional workers came under the 8-houl' Decreases of 1 0 l,~ went into effect in three profits was maintained for 1918. The day standard. Under pressure of the establishments and affected 40% of the total pl'ofits (after deducting war taxes) men in one, 25t~; in another, but the thi.t·d war production, adjustments were made plant failed to give any furthei' data, while since 1902 would now exceed $2,500,- in wages to meet the higher prices, but approximately 68 % % and 40 (X· of the 000,000, which can be estimated safely these adjustments lagged behind the rise employes were decreased about 10cl in two as 600%; on the real investment in 1J other plants. Seven establishments made in prices. As to the propaganda now decreases ranging from 5 t;{-, to 9 fir, affect years, or an annual return of 35%. being carried on about high wages dur ing 37 112 (It of the employe.;, in one plant, ing recent months, the national scale set the tonnage men in another, about 1 % of The "independents" show similar pro the employes in t.he third and 331-3% of fits, especially during the war period. '.by the War Labor Board for the hun the force'in the fourth plant, while the de The Bethlehem profits jumped from lit dreds of thousands of shipyard workers, creases in the remaining establishments affected 20% of the men in one, 50 01r! in tle over $5,000,000 for 1913 to over (awards concluded October 24, 1918), another and 66 2-3 C;.'. of the employes in $60,000,000 for 1917; Republic Iron & will serve as a test, since the same gen the seventh establishment. The tonnage Steel Co. from $3,000,000 (1913) to $15, eral class of labor is involved and about men tn one plant were decreased, but 110 data was given as to the percentage or POO,OOO (1916) ; and so of one steel con the same localities. Out of 189 rates number affected.-(May Monthly Revie,w, cern after another, until the addition of U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, p. 185.) March 15 to April 15: The tonnage men, profits becomes a dizzy process. about 5% of the force, were decreased During the first decade after the 1902 about 8 eX in one establishment. A de READY NOW crease of 6%" affecting the entire force, re-organization, production increased was made by one pJant.-(June Review, with a lesser force and a lesser total of p. 128.) , wages: the output per man went up, the Communist Party Pamplet No. 1. April 15 to May 15: A number of de creases were reported in iron and steel, cost per ton of production was greatly Containing many of which were in accordance with reduced. Wages stood still. the rules of the Amalgamated Association Manifesto, Program, Constitution, of Iron and Steel Workers. The entire The Bureau of Labor made a special and Report to the Communist force in two plants was decreased 25%. study of the iron and steel industry for International 'The rolling mill piece work rates in one plant were reduced 18%. About one-third 1910. Only 1 worker out of 40 was get 40 pages of the employees in one plant and 15% ting over 50c per hour. For a 12-hour Single copies ...... , . , .... 10c the force in another plant were decreased day half the workers were paid from 25 copies .; ...... $2.00 17 % 'It. The 65?, bonus, affecting aU the 50 copies ...... , ...... $3.50 employes in one mill, with the exception $1.68 to $2.16. Few steel workers are of the bar mill piece workers, was reduced steadily employed (one-fourth time off 100 or more ...... ; ...... 6c to 40 CIr. A decrease of approximately is the average). Out of a total of 172,- Carriage charges prepaid. 14%, affecting about 50% of the employes, was reported by one plant. About 45('1c of 000 adult males employed by U. S. Steel Send remittance with order to the employes in Qne plant received a de in 1910, 8% received less than $500 per The Communist Party of America, crease of about 12%; and a reductiQn in annum, 60% less than $750, 85% less rates, averaging 11 ~/;, and affecting 40% 1219 Blue Island Ave .• Chicago, Ill. of the men, was made by another plant, than ,$1000. (Continued, page 8;) October 11, 1919 . THE COMMUNIST Page Three
• Report of Louis C. Fraina1 International Secretary of ithe Communist Party of
.J America; ·to the Executive Committee of the Communist International. As International Secretary, I make application for dustrial 'Vorkers of the World, organized in 1905-an admission of the Communist Party of America to the event of tne greatest revolutionary importance. The Bureau of the Communist International as a major I. W. W. indicted craft unionism as reactionary and not
party. , , '. j in accord with the concentration of industry, which The Communist Party, organized September 1, wipes out differences of skill and craft. The I. W. W. 1919, with appro~imately 55,000 members, issues urged industrial unionism, that is to say, a unionism directly outllf a split in the old Socialist Party. The organized according to industrial division: all workers new party rep'resimts more than half the membership in one industry, regardless of partic,ular crafts, to unite of the old party. in one union; and all industrial unicins to unite in the general organization, thereby paralleling tIle indus 1. Socialist Party, Socialist Labor Party, I. W. W. trial structure of modern Capitalism. Industdal union The Socialist Party was organized in 1901, of a ism was urged not simply ·for the immediate struggle merger of two elements: 1) seceders from the Social of the workers, but as the revolutionary means for the ist Labor Party, like Morris Hillquit, who split away workers to assume control of industry. in 1899 largely because of. the S. L. Po's uncompro mising endeavors to revolutionize the trades un Previous movements of revolutionary unionism, ions; 2) the Social Democratic Party of Wisconsin, such as the Socialist Trades and Labor Alliance and a purely middle-class liberal party tinged with 'So the American Labor Union, united in the I. W. W. The cialism, of which Victor L. Berger was representative. Socialist Labor Party was a vital factor in the organiza The Socialist Labor Party, organized definitely in tion of the I. W. W., Daniel De Leon formulating the 1890, acted on the basis of the uncompromising pro theoretical concepts of industrial unionism. Industrial letarian class struggle. Appearing at a period' when unionism and the conception of overthrowing the parli class relations were still in state of flux, when the ide amentary state, substituting it with an industrial ad ology of independence, created by the free lands of the ministration based upon the industrial unions, was re West, still persisted among the workers, tlie Socialist lated by De Leon to the general theory of Marxism. Labor Party emphasized the' class struggle and the class The Socialist Party repeatedly rejected resolutions character of the proletarian movement. Realizing the endorsing the I. W. W. and industrial unionism, al peculiar problems of the American movement, the So though supporting I. W. W. strikes by money and pub socialist Labor Party initiated a consistent campaign for licity. The Socialist Party supported the A. F. of L. revolutionary unionism and against the dominant craft and craft unionism, rejecting the revolutionary implica unionism of the American Federation of Labor, which, tions of industrial unionism-the necessity of extra representing the skilled workers-"uaristocracy of parliamentary action to conquer the power of the state. labor"-sabotaged every radical impulse of the work After the panic of 1907, there was an awakennig ing class. The S. L. P. was a party of revolutionary So~ of the American proletariat. New and more proletar cialism, against which opportunist elements revolted. ian elements joined the Socialist Party. Industrial un The Spanish-American War was an immature ex ionism 'developed an enormous impetus, and violent pression of American Imperialism, initiated by the re tactical disputes arose in the party, particularly in, the quirements of monopolistic Capitalism. A movement Northwest where the new unionism was a vital factor. of protest developed in the middle class, which, unit These disputes came to a climax at the Socialist Party ing with the previous impulses of petty bourgeois and Convention of 1912. The tactical issue of industrial agrarian radicalism, expressed itself in a campaign of unionism was comprised in the problem of whether anti-Imperialism. There w'as a g.eneral revival of the parliamentarism alone constituted political action. id'eology of liberal democracy. The Socialist Party ex whether parliamentarism alone could accomplish the pressed one phase of this liberal development; it revolution or whether extra-parliamentary means were adopted fundamentally a non-class policy, directing its indispensable for the conquest of political power. The appeal to the middle class, to the farmers, to every Socialist Party Convention, by a large majority, emas temporary sentiment of discontent, for a program of eulated the Marxian conception of political action, lim government ownership of the trusts. The Socialist iting it to parliamentarism; an amendment to the party Party, particularly, discouraged all action for revolu constitution defined political action as "participation in tionary unionism, becoming a bulwark of the Gomper elections for public office and practical legislative and ized A. F. of L. and its reactionary officials, Uthe labor administrative work along the lines of the Socialist lieutenants of the capitalist class." This typical party Party platform." That year the Socialist Party, by of opportunist Socialism considered strikes and unions means of a petty bourgeois liberal campaign, polleo. as of minor and transitory importance, instead of devel more than 900,000 votes for its presidential candidate; oping their revolutionary implications; parliamentarism but thousands of militant proletarians seceded from the was considered the important thing, legislative reforms party in disgust at the rejection of revolutionary indus and the use of the bourgeois state the means equally for trial unionism, while William D. Haywood, representa waging the class struggle and for establishing the So tive of the industrialists in the party, was recalled on cialist Republic. The Socialist Party was essentially refereno.um vote as a member of the National Executive a party of State Captialism, an' expression of the domi Committee. nant moderate Socialism of the old International. The organization of the Progressive Party in 1912 But industrial concentration proceeded feverishly, made "progressivism" a political issue. The Socialist developing monopoly and the typical conditions of Im Party adapted itself to this "progressivism." But this perialism. Congress--parlia'mentarism-assumed an progressivism was the last flickering expression of aspect of futility as Imperialism developed and the radical democracy; Theodore Roosevelt harnessed pro Federal government became a centralized autocracy. gressivism to Imperialism and State Capitalism. A new The industrial proletariat, expropriated of skill by the social alignment arose, requiring new Socialist tactics. machine process and concentrated in the basic industry, 2. The War, the Socialist Party and the Bolshevik initiated new means of struggle. The general condi Revolution. tions of imperialistic Capitalism developed new tac After 1912, the party officially proceeded on itp, tical concepts-mass action in Europe and industrial peaceful petty bourgeois \vay. Then-the war, and the unionism in the United States, the necessity for extra· collapse of the International. The official represent parliamentary means to conquer the power of the state. atives of the Socialist Party either justified the betrayal The old craft unionism was more and more incap of Socialism in Europe, or else were acquiescently silent, able of struggling successfully against concentrated while issuing 1iberal appeals to "humanity." Capitalism. Out of this general situation arose the 111- (Continued next page) Page Four THE COrv'lMUNIST October II, 1919
Report of Louis C. Fraina, International Secretary of the Communist Party of America, to the Executive Committee of the Communist International. (Continucn from Page ;-;) As the war continued and the betrayal of Socialism The Socialist Party carried on an active carnpaign became more apparent, and particularly as the Amer against intervention in' Russia. However, this' cam ican comrades learned of the revolutionary minority paign did not emphasize the revolutionary implications elements in the European movement, there was a -revo of the situation in Russia, as making mandatory the re lutionary awakening in the Socialist Party, strength construction of the Socialist movement. A campaign ened by new accessions of proletarian elements to the against intervention must proceed as a phase of the party, The first organized expression of this awakening general campaign to develop revolutionary proletarian was the formation of the Socialist Propaganda League action. in Boston, in 1916, issuing a weekly organ which after 3. The Left Wing Develops. wards became "The New International," with Louis C. During 1918 the Socialist Party was in ferment. Fraina as Editor and S. J. Rutgers as Associate. The The membership was more and more coming to think League 'emphasized the necessity of new proletarian in revolutionary terms. Then came the armistice and tactics in the epoch of Imperialism. In April, 1917, was the German Revolution. The response was immediate. started "The Class Struggle," a magazine devoted to On November 7, 1918, a Communist Propaganda International Socialism. In the State of Michigan, the League was organized in Chicago. On November 9 anti-reformists captured the Socialist Party, and car Local Boston, Socialist Party. started to issue an agita ried on a non-reformist agitation, part'icularly in "The tional paper, "The Revolutionary Age." This paper Proletarian." immediately issued a call to the party for the adoption The enormous exports of war munitions: the devel of revolutionary Communist tactics, emphasizing that opment of large reserves of surplus capital, and the as the emergence of the proletariat into the epoch of the sumption of a position of world power financially by world revolution made absolutely imperative the re American Capitalism forced the United States into the construction of Socialism. In Ne,,, York City, in Feb war. There was an immediate revolutionary upsurge l'uary l!H9, there was organized the Left Wing Sec tion of the Socialist Party. Its Left Wing Manifesto in the Socialist Party. The St. Louis Convention of the and Program was adopted by local after local of the Party, in April, 1917, adopted a militant declaration Socialist Party, the Left Wing acquiring a definite ex against the war, forced upon a reluctant bureaucracy pression. The Left Wing secured the immediate ad by the revolutionary membership. But' this bureau hesion of the Lettish, Russian, Lithuanian, Polish, cracy sabotaged the declaration. It adopted a policy of Ukrainian, South Slavic, Hungarian and Esthonian Fed petty bourgeois pacifism, uniting with the liberal Peo erations of the party, representing about 25,000 mem ple's Council, which subsequently accepted Presi- bers. The official organs of the Federations did splen dent Wilson's "14 points" as its own program. did work for the Left Wing. Moreover, there was a minority on the National In January, 1919, the. National Executive Com Executive Committee in favor of the war; in August. mittee of the Socialist Party decided to send delegates 1918, the vote in the N. E. C. stood' 4 th 4 on to the Berne Congress of the Great Betrayal. This ac repudiation of the St. Louis Declaration. The Socialist tion was characteristic of the social-patriot and centrist Party's only representatjve in Congress, Meyer London, bent of the party administration. There was an im- openly supported the war and flouted the party's dec mediate protest from the membetship, the Left Wing laration against the war; but he was neither disciplined using the Berne Congress as again emphasizing the ne nor expelled, in fact secured a renomination, Mol" cessity for the revolutionary reconstruction of Social ris Hillquit accepted the declaration against the war, ism. In March we received a copy of the call issued by but converted it into bourgeois pacifism, being a prom inent member of the People's Council. In reply to a the Communist Party of Russia for an international congress to organize a new International. "The Revo question whether, if a member of Congress, he would lutionary Age" was the first to print the call, yielding have voted in favor of war, Hill )UR hundred delegates from the By H. M. Wicks patriotic citizens who would never think of using their industrial organizations for United States and Canada, repre department at Washington asking his im senting various railway shop political purposes. The chairman of the ~ mediate resignation. This idiotic motion resolutions committee recommended the crafts, held a three-day convention in was tabled amid the laughter of the few Pulaski Hall, Chicago, Sept. 25,26 and endorsement of the demands of the ni.en there who undeJ;stood the class Triple Alliance in Britain, and added 27. All the crafts employed In the rail struggle. ;way shops,. consisting of carmen, boiler that "those demands are not the demands makers, machinists, sheet metal work A number of resolutions were intro of this body." The convention finally ers, electrical workers, maintenance of duced, and on Saturday the resolution agreed to send greetings to the strikers way men and even the clerks, were rep committee combined them into one reso of Great Britain. resented by delegates. lution embodying the following de The only other subject that aroused m:tnds: The purpose of the convention was to a great deal of heated discussion was the 1. That the. rank and file be given resolution asking for amnesty fn!' politi devise means of dealing with the re the right to vote on the election of offi actionary officials of their organizations cal and industrial prisoners. A number cers of the American Federation of who had refused to call a strike for wage of reactionaries contended the endorse Labor. increases for journeymen from 65 cents ment of such a resolution would be an to 85 cents an hour and for helpers from 2. The l'ight to decide its policy by insult to the "patriotic Americans who 45 to 65 cents an hour, after over 90 per popular vote. fought in France," and that a real Amer cent of the organized crafts employed in 3. The immediate resignation of all ican labor organization should be in this industry had voted for the strike. labor representatives from government favor of long terms in prison for those The officials of the unions entered into commissions. who "obstructed the operations of the an agreement with the government for 4. The immediate release of all con government during the war." A few mild an increase of four cents per hour for a scientious objectors and political pris mannered radicals secured the floor and period of three months. At the end of oners. spoke in opposition to that sentiment, but that time the proposition was to be again 5. Withdrawal of all military, finan not one of them mentioned the possibili 4 brought before the unions for action. cial and moral support to any faction in ties of using the mass power of the work 'l'he three months' clause was inserted in Russian affairs. ers for the liberation of political pris order to give President Wils'On "suffi 6. Nationalization of all vital indus oners. cient time to reduce the cost of living." tries under the Plumb plan. The convention was a disappointment Many stormy discussions took place 7. The inauguration of a national co to many who expected firm and intelli on the floor, and during the first two operative system of distribution. gent action against the reactionary pol days there was much talk of secession S. A policy of economic group action icy of the A. F. of L., and it was clearly from the craft organizations and the on the political field. apparent that in principles and. tactics formation of a union reprt:senting the 9. The formation of a national po it was absolutely dominated by typical federated crafts. Finally a resolution litical party representative of the two trades unionists, who' were temporarily was presented for the establishment of great economic groups of farmers and dis~runtled at the action of certain a dual organization, which was defeated workers. groups of their officials. by a very narrow margin. The debate ·The representatives· of the labor poli on this resolution brought out the fact ticians who are busily engaged in the that m·ost of the delegates were opposed organization of the Labor Party were. to the reactionary A. F. of L., but when there and secured the endorsement of Steel and Life. it came to any definite solution of the their party. The co-called Socialist dele (Continued from page 5) problem of dealing with that machine gates put up no argument against it, some there was no unanimity of opinion; Al of them even favoring it. more than the greater accumUlation of though the convention was presided over On Saturday morning, after endorsing capital, which means the ever greater by men who had been expelled from the the strike of the steel workers and the demand for tributes of profits! Because organizations affiliated with the A. F. of policemen's strike at Boston, a communi if the greater production were consumed L., the principal argument against a dual cation was read from the Triple Alliance by the workers, without exaction of organization seemed to be that as that of the transport workers, railway work profit, that would be for capital to com... organization had been a shelter for them ers and miners of Great Britain, which mit suicide. There is only one way to in the past, they should not destroy it, offered a wonderful opportunity for revo end the vicious circle, and that way is but endeavor to "repair" it; so it would lutionary propaganda and education had to end the taking of profits. be a more efficient "shelter" in the fu there been anyone on the floor capable An organized working class is' arising, ture. Speeches comparing the A.·F. of of presenting the arguments. The com conscious of its destiny to rule society. L. to a house with a leaky roof, .and sug munication declared that the organized Its demands for the fullness of life must gestions as to how to proceed to repair workers of Great Britain had heretofore quickly become the demand for a work the roof, drew applause from most of .the devoted themselves exclusively "to eco ers' industrialism, freed from the profit the delegates on the floor. nomic and industrial action of the work cancer. After the attempt to put through the ers/' but that ·-their recent experiences had taught them the necessity for po It is out of the immediate strllggles, dual organization resoiution failed the like the steel strike here and the railroad convention became more and more con litical organization against ,the state of the ruling class. They iUustrated their strike in England, that this po wer arid servative, and the speeches, which had understanding of the workers must de been of a mildly radical tinge in the early political activity by calling attention to preparations being made for a mass velop. There is a manhood and. courage sessions, took on the character of any on the part of the strikers which asserts pure and simple craft union convention. strike against intervention in Russia and against conscription. The communica itself against tremendously favot'ed op,. Their one grievance was finally disposed position. of by passing a resolution to call a strike tion conclud~d by expressing the hope for November 1, incase their demands that the workers of this country would The unrest of today is the birth pangs were not granted. not permit America to he the stronghold of the new civilization.. There is yet to Conspicuous among those who assisted of capitalist reaction. be an Age of Steel, when the ru.d.dy ore the convention toward reaction were a The reactionaries were immediately on shall be converted into the bu.ilding of number of Socialist Party workers, under the. floor, and stated that, whlle they en the dwellings of free workmen. the leadership of one John Collins of dorsed such action for .Britain, there was The carriers of the new civilization Chicago, representing the New York no necessity for such action in this land are the "hunkies" who .live in the misell Central Shop. Instead of trying to of democracy. All the speeches on the able shacks, and who work from dark to formulate a progr~m of revolutionary or cohlmunication from Britain emphasized dark, The trut~rwil1 lead them out of ganization, this Socialist intro\luced a the fact that the rSi-ilway shop crafts the darkness into the sunlight, the truth resolution asking that ·ttmessage be sent were not ill opposlti"on to the policy of of their class power and of theie way to to the president of the railway employes' the government, and that they wel'e, all freedom. October 11, 1919 THE COMMUNIST Page Seven ,The Party 0 rgaolza.tloo·· C. .E.Ruthenberg , Executive Secrdary 12'9 Blue Island Avenue, Chicago. . .f .'. A Propaganda Suggestion. The Organization Fund.' The distribution of literature is the most ef The Lettish Branch No.1 01 New York City sent in $100.00 for the Organization Fund of fective form of propaganda. The Communist the Communist Party. That is the kind of response that will bring into existence a strong or Party will rely upon this method of reaching the ganization in the briefest ponibie'·titne. his the m'embership that is now in the Communist Party workers as the major weapon to enlighten and that .in the pad has .hown that it does not consider membership in a revolutionary organization organize the workers for Communist principles. a matter to be taken lightly, &ut wiUingnesll to work and sacrifice. That i·s the spirit which In the past the work of selling papers anlt brought the prompt reilJ;onse from the Lettish Branch· of New York and which brought a remit- pamphlets has been the work of one man, the . tance from the Russian Brand. of Pittsburg wi thin three days from th;' time our subscription literature agent. The entire membership must list was mailed. be mobilized. for this work in the future. The Baltimore.City Central Commiitte reports over $40.00 collected for the fund and the Try this plan in your branch: Buy a hundred South Slavic Branch· of Ziegler has already sent in a remittance of $20.25. Communist Party pamphlets-the Manifesto, Pro An "Organization Fund" of $25,000 will enable the National Organization to immediately gram, Constitution and Report to the Interna launch a propaganda and organizatin campaign that will build up a united organization of a tional is a good pamphlet to start with-gh'e hundred thousand members before the next convention of the party takes place. each member five copies to sell at your next We are living it:! the Revolution.ry Er.. Our work of organizdion must be dIme quickly if meeting. Buy a hundred copies of "The Com we ar,e to play the part that is rightly oun in world revolution. munist" and get them out in the same manner. Every Communist Branch, every Communi'.t party member, must help. Circulate the sub· Every branch member comes in contact with scription lists. Make the "Organization Fund" grow and the party will grow. . workers who will buy literature and should be given the opportunity to assist in selling pam phlets and papers. Organize your branch for l'he Cleveland Test. Philadelphia Lines Up. this work and you will. be carrying on 11 campaigll HE decision of Local Cuyahoga County, This is the word from Philadelphia: "The mem that will bring big results. (Cleveland) to join the Communist Party bership of the expelled Local Philadelphia, So T was a matter of greater moment than the cialist Party, consisting of 30 branches and 2,500 brief note we were able-to insert in last week's members in good standing, hereby applies for The Literature Department. issue indicated. Cleveland furnished a test of a c4artel' as Local Philadelphia, Communist A new pamphlet each week! That will be the the strength of the Communist Party and the Party." The letter goes on to say : ""There are pl'og-ram of the party during the next month 01' Communist Labor Party when the argument on bimdl'eds in this dty who are waiting the op two. The first pamphlet containing the Mani both sides is thoroughly presented. portunity to' Join the Communist Local. The spirit of the membership here is superb. We are festo and Program, Constitution anti RepQrt to' Alfred Wagenknecht, Executive Secretary of the International, is already being shipped out. the Communist Labor Party is a member· of looking forward to the receipt of the charter as the signal for launching QUI' campaign of edu The second is in the hands of the printer. It Local Cuyahoga County, as is A. Bilan, member will be called "Communist Party al~d Socialist of the Exec\ltive Committee of that organization. cation and organization." Cleveland and Philadelphia, two locals with Party" and will contain a discussiQn of the dif Both were delegates to the Chicago conventions ferences between the Socialist Party and the 2,~00 members each, in one week. from that Local. The Cleveland delegation at Communist Party based upon the experience of Chicago split,' four going with the bolting del· * * * The branches of Baltimore have organized the workers in this country. egates into .the Communist Labor Party and one, Other pamphlets will follow quickly. C. E. Ruthenberg, going to the Communist Party. their City Central Committee and applied for a charter as Local Baltimore. 'l'his splendid work in creating a COllln1Unist Four delegates returned to Cleveland to fight literature has been made possible by the Russian for the C. L. P. Branches were visited by these Polish Branches are sending in their applica tions for charters in bunches. comrades of Chicago, who loaned the organiza delegates and literature distributed. At the con tion over $2,000 in order that it might begin vention these four delegates were given an equal The Lithuanian Federation* * * at its conventions publication of its literature at once. There is opportunity to pre~ent their case. The result was the spirit that must be the basis of the Bolshevik an all but unanimous decision against the C. L. in Brooklyn voted solidly. for affiliation with the Communist Party. The Federation decided to movement in this countJ·y. ·P. and for the Communist Party. move its printing plant to Chicago, where it will Watch for the announcement of future pam The delegates in the Cleveland convention had be available for printing the Communist Party phlets and leaflets. all the facts. They heard all the arguments that papers and literature. the advocates of the C. L. P. could present, but '" ,., '" yet only three delegates, ·one of them "Wagen Thirteen former members of Local New Bre- Northwest Side Branch No 1. knecht himself, voted to affiliate with that or men, Ohio, have sent in an application for a Organized in Chicago. ganization. Could there be a more overwhelming charter. At the 28th Ward HeadQuarters, Tuesday eve· repudiation of the C. L. P. '? The Evanston, Ill. branch has joined with fifty ning, September 23, was organized Northwest The convention went further. Wagenknecht, new members. Side Branch No. 1 of the Communist Pal-ty. after being thus badly beaten, offered a resolu The North-Side German Branch of Chicago The 28th Ward Branch of the Socialist Party had tion placing the convention on record as favoring has been organized with fifteen members. already reorganized itself as the Debs Club, and a unity conference between the C. L. P. and the The Connecticut State Convention decided un now the Debs Club has become a branch of the C. E. Ruthenberg offered an amendment urging animously for affiliation with the party. Comrllunist Party. unity of all who are united for Communist prin A Pittsburgh ward branch with seventy-five ciples through their joining the Communist Party. members im good standing asks forinfol'mation It is noteworthy that Comrade Karl F. M. The Communist Labor Party case was so poor about how to obtain a charter. Sandberg, who presided at this meeting, was one that it could not even make a decent showing in The first Italian Branch of the Communist of the delegates in the Communist Labor Party support.of its unity proposal, for the amendment Party has been chartered in Beloit, Wis., and Convention, held at the same time as the Com urging unity in the Communist Party was again another branch is in the process of being organ munist Party Convention. Comrade Sandberg overwhelmingly adopted. ized in Pennsylvania. gave his support to' the moye to join the Com This. practically unanimous repUdiation of the munist Party. Wagenknecht party by his own local is being Milwaukee, Too. Comrade Joseph Van Reet was elected Secre duplicated wherever both sides are presented to tary of the new branch. Meetings are set for locals that are Communist in principle. Milwaukee, the former stronghold of Moderate Tuesday evenings. Applicationf; for membership Socialism is no longer to enjoy that distinction. will be received form all residents of the North The Communists of Milwaukee are building a west Side until a City Central is organized and Erie German Branch. strong organization. A City Central Committee makes other arrangements. The meeting place has been organized and the dubious distinction The revolt against the effort of the Executive is at 2519 W. Fullerton AYe., and the Secretary's enjoyed by that city in the past will' soon be address is 2022 St. Paul Ave. Committee 'of the German Federation to force wiped out by Communist propaganda and organi The action of this meeting is expected to carry the branches of that organization into the Com tion work. munist Labor Party is extending, the latest the endorsement of practically all the 90 mem branch to join the Communist Party being the bers of the old 28th Ward Branc:h. making this Erie, Pa. organization. When the returns are all New Party Branches. the first Ward Branch to come into the Com in the majority of the membership of the Ger Charter applications for new branches are munist Party in Chicago, as it was the first Ward man Federation will be found lined up with the ready for distribution. Seven persons who are Branch to take the Left Wing position as an other revolutionary workers in the Communist in agrement with the constitution and program organization. Party. of the party may form a branch. If" you can The plan is to have this organization serve as A Communist Party central committee has also buiJd an organization in your city write for a a temporary nucleus for the reorganization of been organized at Erie. c11artel' application to the address abo,-e. the old party on the Northwest Side. October 11·, 191 \J .Pf.ge Eight THE COMMUNIST Report of Louis C. Fraina, International Secretary of the Communist Party of America, to ·the Executive Committee of the Communist International. (Continued from Page ~) coming more acute, the national administration of the The N. E. C., after these desperate acts and after party acted. The National Executive Committee met refusing to make public the vote on· the referendum to in May determined to "purge" the party of the Left affiliate with the Communist International,· decided to Wing. The N. E. C. was brutal and direct in its retain office until the convention of August 30, al means: it refused to recognize the results of the elec though constitutionally it should have retired on June tions, declaring them illegal because of "frauds." It issued a call for an emergency national convention on 30. August 30, which was to decide the validity of the The issue was now definite. No compromise was elections, meanwhile appointing an "investigating com conceivable. Events were directly making for a split mittee." But in order to insure that the convention and the organization of a new party. The Old Guard would "act right," the N. E. C. suspended from the was concerned with retaining control of the Socialist Party the Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Hungarian, South Party organization, even if minus the bulk of the mem Slavic, Lettish, and Lithuanian Federations, and the So bership; the Left Wing was concerned with the princi cialist Party of Michigan State. In all, the N. E. C. ples and. tactics. suspended 40,000 members from the party-a delib 5. The National Left Wing Conference and After erate, brazen move to control the election of delegates Just prior to the session of the National Executive to the convention. Committee, Local Boston, Local Cleveland and the Left The charge of "fraud" was an easily detected Wing Section of the Socialist Party of New York City, camouflage. The electi0ns were so overwhelmingly issued a call for a National Left Wing Conference, in favor of the Left Wing candidates as to prove the which met in New Yo·rk City on June 21. The Confer charge of fraud itself a fraud. For international dele- ence was composed of 94 delegates representing 20 gates the vote was (excluding three states, where the states, and coming overwhelmingly from the hlrge in returns were suppressed, but which would not alter the dustrial centers, the heart of the militant proletarian results), Left Wing candidates: John Reed, 17.235; movement. Louis C. Fraina, 14,124; C. E. Ruthenberg, 10,773; A. There was a difference of opinion in the Confer Vlagenknecht, 10,650; 1. E. Ferguson, 6,490-Right ence as to whether a Communist Party should be Ol"gan- Wiilg candidates: Victor L. Berger, 4,871; Seymour ized immediately, or whether the struggle should be Stedman, 4,729; Adolph Germer, 4,622; Oscar Amer: carried on within the Socialist Party until the emer inger, 3,184; J. L. Engdahl, 3,510;. John M. Work, gency convention August 30. The proposal to organ 2,664; A. I. Shiplacoff, 2,346; James Oneal, 1,895; ize a new party immediately was defeated, 55 to 38. Thereupon 31 delegates, consisting mostly of the Fed- Algernon Lee, 1858. Louis B. Boudin, who was pro eration comrades and the delegates of the Socialiflt war and against the Bolshevik Revolution, secured Party of Michigan, determined to withdraw from the 1,537 votes. The Left Wing elected 12 out of 15 mem Conference. The majority in the Conference decided bers of the National Executive Committee. The mod to. participate in the Soeiali::;t Party emergency COll t;rates \"ho had been dominant in the Socialist Party vention, all expelled and suspended locals to send con were overwhelmingly repudiated. Kate Richards testing delegates; but issued a call for a COl1VentlOn September 1 "of all revolutionary elen'lellts" to organ O'Hare (supported by the Left Wing, although not its ize a Communist Party together with delegates seced candidate) defeated Hillquit for International. Secre ing from the Socialist Party convention. tary, 13,262 to 4,775. (Continued next week) THE WORKER IN STEEL \('untintwc! irom Page 2) while a third plant l:eported a decrease of about 11'/,. affecting approximately 50'?1t· of the employes. A 10~';' decrease, which affected three-eights of the employes, was made by one concern, and about 1 % of the International Mass Meeting force in one plant were decreased approxi mately 9'/;. Three plants reported per eentage decreases· of 6, 5 and 3, affecting one-third of the employes, 10% of the force and abo·ut 50% of the ·employes, re Auspices of the Communist Party of America spectively.-(July Monthly Review, p. 187.) . May 15 to June 15: One establishment gave the entire force an increase of 15%. The hot mill tonnage men in one plant re TO PROTEST AGAINST THE MILITARY IN ceived an increase of 3 % (.;;,. One concern granted a small general increase. Respect ive decreases of 10.6% and 11.7(;.;, affect VASION AND MARTIAL LAW AT GARY ing the puddle-mill and the finishing-miH workers, or 45(;';' of the employes, were re ported by one establishment. One plant decreased the tonnage men in the bar and Tuesday, Oct. 14, 8 P. M. £~~~=c~!,,~:~_.!~!! __A-=s,~!~!_~ V~}!~~e~ sheet. departments 171/2 % and 12 % ".~ , re spectively. ·A tlecl'ease of about 6 'i; , affect ing about 3 % 'J~. of the employes. was made by one establishment.-(August Workers, unite against the suppreSSlOn of Strikes by Monthly Review, p. 172.) The steel strike is all the commentary Military Force. Stand by the workers of Gary in their that is needed ·in connection with these struggle against the capitalist class. Come in thousands and facts. Against all the determined and ruthless efforts of the steel exploiters show your solidarity. against unionism, enough progress has finally' been made for the calling of this ADMISSION FREE. strike. The desire for human existence 'i., will carry the workers to the next fight, and then to the next.