-
WORKERS OF THE WORLD. UNITE! LLETIN
fTHE IV CCKERESS DF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL Moscow. December 2nd, 1922.
Twenty Third Session.
November 25th 1922. (evening).
Chairmen: Comrade Markhlevsky. Contents:
on co-speration. Comrade Meshteriskoff.— Report Draft resolution on report on co-operation.
Speakers: Meshteriskoff, Lauridan, Henriet, Khintchnk.
opened 7. 10 P. Session M. "co-operative sector", but this process devel- oped with extreme slowness. On the other r I G hair m a n M n k h e v s k y : I declare band, parallel with this endosmosis there ssi ii open. 1 call on Comrade Meshte- developed an endosmos, a diffusion in another to report on co operation. direction. The deeply rooted opportunist M c s h t e r i s k o ft: Measured not by the ideas penetrated from the co-operative sector mor and discipline of its organisation but into 'the other part of the working-man's
ic of its , i number members ho co opera- head and contaminated^ it with opportunism. ovemonl represents one of the strong- Up to the present co-operatives were a rm of I ho labour moveinent purely economic organisation, the ywere nev- ll is no exaggeration to slate that the co- er a militant organ of the proletariat. Ther- op-rative organisation has tons of millions of efore, the co-ope atives did not attract the Billion of members throughout the world. attention of the revolutionary members of flic co-operative is not merely a movement the working class who always preferred the posp members comhin • IV >m time to time for militant and exciting work in the political Baking necossary purchases in common, it is parties and in the trade union organisations. I organisation which endeavours to create This was used to the best advantage by ideology, flown to permeate all its work social-traitors of all types and descriptions. l,iV ideology, ami to inculcate it into the Meeting no resistance on the part of the re- ta members The view persistent- volutionary elements, they created for them-
' ! by (he old leaders of the CO- selves extremely powerful positions in the ,lUl ' "' 'vement, i e„ that the co-opera- co operatives and gained an undivided control k| (l bo >"' third form labour over their funds. They also utilised this for- m,, of the !l! " entirely independent from the two tress for poisoning the class consciousness of /'"^d bo Party and Trade Union orga- the proletariat bti the poison gas of their s > t^'dd t () ,,,,,,,, hl th „ mhld f opportunist social-traitorous ideology. They co op 1 . , BULLETIN OF THE JV_CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNIST_JN^ of organisation the development Russian revolution form theses growth and of new staff experience of the rtP of the entire revolutionary The the communist co-operatives ieS in the co-operatives, proletarian what colossal difficulties should irv ideas lovemen has shown clearly %\P of the country. Une feeding communist nu lei which shrndd volu admitted by all the of the most organisation of public lu^M tc unanimously tundainental aSe in the organisations principles of the revolutionary the district and also li the Communist parties of commodities, m case J' J %4 "T« that co-operative and exchange of the entire should be the closest contact of having and that movement a!1 dcieg devoted very little attention power without be ho 1 F Eurotie at tonus proMa at "captures ? of the revolutionary labour the the co-operative section of operative movement and to the move- control over the Coil ment their Preliminarily S^d M^co subordination to one centre, This section was instructed {0 ^ Communists in the co operatives. to con "H of anted action 1 and the co-operatives. ' 6 hegonomy of the First International Conference "'" ff0r reluctantly devoted space to uom- of Cot? f papers munist Party over the proletariat is ntI purty all the various forms of Under such conditions Co-operatives.-opera »% tionSi In many countries the reso- uie this proletarian organisations on the struggle for thcse Congress of the will secure compelled to carry In compliance with this nf the Third Comin- forces should instruction at a time when all its organisation ot communist nu.-lei position first international conference of intoZ-* Ton the owing to the alienation the retention of political has not been of the Party from be concentrated on cooperators conven d in Moscow 1 co operatives carried he Communist so- on Nm?! L the co-operators and vice the organisation of the new have not appointed comra- versa power and 1.1922. At this conference 36 The parties the movement of that the co- delegates! the revolutionary co-opera- it is imperative on work in the co-operati- tivs ciety, when resenting 20 countries wore ?c for carrying is developing per- present. DefeS unsatisfactorily in France, should immediately begin to little has been done by our operatives with voting power repres ntcd Russia, and very ihe Party Ukrjf yes has failed to render us the useful functions at the command gain control over them. The Com- form their ; a, Azerbeidjan, Armenia, s to assistance which con- Georg The e we expected of it",—says proletarian government. The ' did not endeavour to enlist the new r t Parties the report. of Eastern Republic, Germany, i S This is achie- France, nn why our influence has co operatives cannot be quest of the Switzerland, been less than it should during a be. blow. II is impossible ved at one The less attention the clean up Denma party pays to the period of time to thoroughly work brief nia, in the co-operative movement, the more co-operatives. Many swamp of the old diffused it the Angh will be and the more ditlicult remain for a the important co-operatives will it be of the co operative section oi me UoraiiM to co-ordinate it. In this respect, old co-opera- time in the hands of the l( ;'ioralivcs. Hence great confusion France offers Jong Of the coutrios with a larg a sad example. This is what enemies of the proletariat who «-uled among our comrades in the co-ope- we read, tives—the movement Czcehu SI .vakia and Heidi;- Jail-l for instance, in one of the letters organisation of ll1 ,rt uio (>,i a li work, and the l'- >' ltionu obli- oi the .' our sabotage >- ! French comrades. n)not represented. There was also no >v . . ' * , \f" of commodit- , I raHmu' a is members to join the Ceding and of exchange r | eo-opera-c "At the public representative from Lngland co-operative congresses we witnes- inefficiently This arouses , and to work in Hum, lint this ies is carried on resolu- sed the following sad spectacle: as soon as conference runlinued for G masses bnt weakens The lion remained only oii paper. the resentment of 1he According to a communist comrade raised his voice aga- , ,. sess • two tj 1 holdim.' gover- v 1 r I St. — Oth., questionnaire, "the majority the power of the new revolutionary \ of "the inst the report of the reformists, some other day. Bibora Ihe Conmu.ni.si nement of Party are not member of the party got up and demanded the conference ts of the co The i of op.u-alives". "Only the (to the great delight of our Communist International is fully aware opponents) a The mist working lows: men belong to the co- vote of confidence in the leaders of the co- of the importance of the co-operatives. At in's" -is anolher dele fates. answer to the nuostion- operative movement. Thus it happened that . of the Comintern held i Seating the Third Congress of nire. delegates on most of the arguments against the statement during the summer of 1921 the question of 2. Reports by the N hhon again: "The communist party of the from ii communist came of I members OO-operalive in ivome the cooperatives was placed on the agenda Of fche Ullls far failed to a lopl a definite alii- our party. At every opportune moment the theses presen- and on the and the Congress adopted the fcive countries towards I the tendencies arising among reformists, inspired by the desire to split the co o| e al v&s. ted by the speaker on this question, Communists In ^-operators , affiliated to the Party". and weaken the communist party, pointed operation. chiefly dealt with the work which ;>,. and Co ''"''y llil1 These theses Communism I not 'exert any influence upon with glee to the differences of opinion existing carry in the co-opera- communist should on 4. Tactical questions. ^•operatives and did not endoavour to among us". question of tactics and of organi- t(l0 tives. The questions. control of this movement into its The communist parties must everywhere 5. Organisational i|t '- lho sation was dealt with only very g nerally. Communisl Party,- the answer devote the greatest attention to the co-oper- f.le tlons. 6. lt -rondora The theses mainly conveyed the idea that the no aid to the committee ative movement, otherwise the lack of disc- doiega,-ales bl of The reports ol the st co-operatives should cease to he "the third g™ co-operators. had -real dlf- ipline among the communist co-operators' opera Wo thai tl o co ""' form of the labour movement" — entirely the fact beginning to publish a few will become a habit which will be very due (0 tl flj/j a bit crisis failure independent and isolated from the other forms, undergoing | ,;^'M»i.M., ,„„• actions". difficult to combat in the future. The crisis, lho«» i , ( the economic S s time, that the work of the revolution try co-opera- causes: Lj " "I this policy are very detri- to occupy a position at the proper ll "' lion the currency and ' losses. tives should he most closely united with the of ivon & 1>ilrty ov,ncosnevinc ° always results in great The assistance to put listiiM^ offensive.lairw. • II i"«:b come for communists work of the revolutionary political and trade U«e ,fiv,'S , £r;:;:;^ relati ns with the The time has the co-ope.ati^^ the -operatives. union organisations of the proletariat. The. membership by m ho latter retaliate up a serious fight within co functions ::Z; ^ narrow dissatisfaction witu that the old their former iy " inannor. we observe theses emphasied slogan of the Si ! , They do not look for Everywhere Siusory...— ;'"'iw 1]i(i ii ., , ; - '' »'i>m and with the old methods opportunist co-operatives as to the political condif ions THE IV CONGRESS BULLETIN OF -°*1™^OMMUNIS1jntornaT^ conferences. Three such is \v in Germany the question of n0 has ,-innnmwite a Presidium ar "parti- consisting ofnf 7 Snb?s baSlng itSelf on the experiences of S ttefiS , r co- co!opcratr *>* *** the t°l ^T™*Cunfcrem e s and has taken two voting u imnortant ttL* t ? out of a total ot there were 96 representatives, ' energetic campaign for the parti- 16 e,abo- cades had 21 mandates and t^f^ an JZ of^thftLfl,UctlCS ?ff? ^V* questionaires : in ™- of thev formiorra of organisa-oreani to the sajs co-operatives this struggle * . had 51 mandates out that the ^ f of the tion ot in 1921—we ?1 n the 4 000 ,,,r movement. „-n,ilH havehfli'P. beenboon greaterirrnntoi. ?P+i._ ^foUl dP^* ip „ . p. w,+ % cotinnniin il Congress,fldiwrpw in 1922-300 mandates would if the Jf^! the factory On the total, c , of a similar n -y^sstrength1 " ofvl thisLuis work the ad- hag been better organised. the task of the communismmunist co- invTfno'Tu Section 4000... Every day brings us new If thn n*H r it-ilv invites the Plenum out of of the IV Congressigress of the brill- Communist Party will give its consists in drawing the urban con- justified in expecting serio^ -%« Comintern to adopt, .. are tVTd^Ah" herents We 1 op tho Mowfollowing resolution ideration to this movement, ' co-operatives, as well as the rural - future". In some w G gu/ lierS on the question iant results in the near of Co-operation. see brilliant results of this ' into the struggle against Fascism. Holland for instance, there is no work. ^diicers countries, prospects co operators must also carry communists and the The same can be opened ^The communist Draft resolution connection between the u-. i of the Fourh Con- in agitation in connection with section in bpam, the communists Czechoslovakia an energetic gress of the co-operative movement. Our if j % Comintern on Coope- communi t co-operators questions as the growth of militarism Yugo-Slavia. Rumania, Greece, and themselves \%[ suh ration. Portugal the cause of increased taxation, the only of the European co- Sjicb is Latvia (to speak (On the report of Meshteriskoff). the replies received from of new wars, attempts at intervention etc. K notion whatever of what is All various cow*, peril untries) have no of such a struggle „„ow that the IV Congress of the Only by means side by During the last the co-operative movement. Coming years preceding the world going on in 111 1111 xvit 1 thc 01 pa es an d ed the must repeat with great insistance the ic !]' war and especially during the war, it is evident from U ! , war, the Co- k , / On the other hand, .f, , 4 , that wherever commu- sion of the 111 Congress on the duty in reports of the delegates, parties pay even the communists to organise their nude. vast nists and the communist co-operatives, co-operatives. Thc ( ongress must also present iPflst attention to theworkinthe organisations concerning I . fruit very rapidly.In on the party compels this work begins to bear piously with his ~ ,-.---- _ especially the women to ap- Germany takes first place. There selves very respect ^ preciate stille ... ^ more highly the m _ . n n n Y aid rendered experienced comrades have taken from the op » .X a number of J^ ^ ^ by Consumers Cooperatives. Mo no and fr The German communist co- Cooperative n , up this work. ^ ^ ; ^ ^ Tho old social compromisers have long un- on tl within missions v\h ch took 1, < operators have established 112 factions members, is evident thai the 111 long ^ societies of which they are Manag- mintei There are co-operatives in which the on ement consists entirely of communists, altho- From time to fen ugh su'-h societies are few. communist co- i ill r time district conferences of (Three conference* Tin operators are organised. endeavouring t.i discov. r methods ol created a duality of consciousness and of Pan- direction. took place in 1921, and four in 1922). do (o Mm existing conditions conduct even among the revolutionary ele- tactics question ol •-,, ' periods. ally Onym tho"" "' ' In certain countries also . C»-oper,iti\es proletariat. conferences are 'I'"-""" an, I other organs of tho ments of the German at in down very emplwyiraUy kjn? parties, through having organised. A special periodical "The Commu- la«d m^ n ^ ,.,,„„, and the social democratic ,l,, r .nnv.-ni.-n1 must ^ ';*- of cooperative movement Co-operator" is published for the benefit rative This ;,;pi,,s. :„,. u.stane.e, to the tho leadership the nist i '^ M ( questions I( funds from the coope- o( the party organs getically In all )' abolishing the in their hands, derived of the movement. Five P"'!^?^ ,?' of dividends and nsuniers. " co-OM.rati\esHruitMheomsu.|n^- •'J, the support of their parties, while co-operative supph ments. A co- i . His mad- ratives for published i ^i (Jcbusiw , „ they this struggle f|||l(| o; under the flag of political neutrality operative section is attached to the Central eonducl the co-operative society, and the German >nt, some of the old beg'nning i others unwilling, to urast be conditions that have much in tasks of tho coope- ons - says have seen treated by the party as "hitherto |! ' l,;,s for against the attempt , ,, ai" W.,„ '7 «"rawn up the outlines coopera- step child". iv Ul their time-honored if it were a epei, ,,.. "M to ron imce Uio eo {i f work sin? 1a,x important cooperatives or to split them Soviet Russia, etc. The com- the immensely i with management cooperatives for s and the control organs of the tactics would only lead to cliitif tors should endeavor to draw upon them alter the the r pera co-operative tasks which will devolve 'ond^ societies and shall take other power of the cooperatives lin into this struggle alongside the proletariat. and i» Ionizations measures to capture of power by _ toil' r ppvide the communists with the kening of the contact of Keir -° ° munist Parties and Red Trade compells the Communists to the *U Coin knowledge and training The foregoing rcsv.i th0 united necessary for directing wrest- corporators with the broad ptb creating a proletarian the co the most" serious efforts towards massoT?*, tlius operatives. direct nS ' h or Unio , co-operators should de- working class, identical ( ommunist from the hands of the reasons £ » c L a u r i d a n.— ling the cooperatives . The thesis and the resol ut- not endeavour to separate OIll their o ganizations extend aid to lon and the conversion of the natin°fl l "ti at of the Third Congress social compromisers, 0lid terror, to mentioned in the the operative unions from the * of capitalist the wor- motion cooperatives from instruments of Tnterimt,- 4ims before us deals with the co-operative the 3l(v tJl0 lockout, etc. The revolu- operative Union. On the strike or communist question in into the weapon of the contrary on too general a fashion. bourgeoisie that tin' nists should demand the W* should insist co-operatives Critid sm proletariat. admission j? ators should have made our views more tionary . Rural and educational stu- Union of all the national unions - revolu ionary c cieumte: Comrade Congress of the Comintern i n JJ| fn Mestcheriackoff complained The Third d extensive scale and take of communists constitute a majority an this just now that we ^on the work or i on had not done sufficient died and approved the theses aS and which do their own hands. work in cooperatives. The expe- minority, not' as yet fl into the cooperatives, especially in France. the communists in the belo International Cooperative n?ti from energetically participating In his and a half has shown that the Union rS Apart report he deals primarily with the rience < f a year and economic struggle of the 2) The Central Committees noliti'politi al consumers' cooperatives. based on a proper estima- of the Com theL these theses were proletariat, the communist co- nist Parties as well as the Lolutionary I agree fully with the Fourth Congress of the communist _ speaker on the tion of farts. The coj* also carry on purely co ope- urges rators should initiate an energetic RL»n r«! should importance of the consumers'' and : Ptors cooperatives, these theses < Comintern reaffirms P' the the cooperative work in order to imbue co-opera- and I wish that we would Parties, groups and orga- against illusions i Jive give it all the all the Communist principles which the new cooperatives are able, by themselves with those required attention because the cooperatives take an active part in the co- to 1 §es nizations to and tasks ot the proletariat de- present great ot ve the socialist order by means conditions _ danger, that they can be used movement, and instructs the press of,; gr I* operative The amalgamation oi the small consu- by all sides. space for the transitions into socialism without the itt 'maud. the Party to devote sufficient urge organizations 187n, power by the sreiotes into the In when Guesde returned from exile, of cooperation. of political proletariat, or 2 fcs discussion of the questions old pnnnple of repudiation ot the dividends he found such a neutralist spirit among these theses, the by employing the old methods, will achi^ the furtherance of all For the employment ot proiits made tor the cooperatives, that when for instance, he Comintern points out considerable improv. ment in the endit^ *nd Fourth Congress of the ^-operativts demanded help 1 ! for the strikers of Montceau the working class. A similarly energetic cJ "'"^ pgngcialy; F^ ^ T ot a special strikers les ite esial-Hsliment aid Mines at a Cooperative Conference, one necessity for all the ign should be carried on against the p i,„S 1) The imperative of the members of the council, Chabert, earning out the instru- of the Communist Parties opposed him on the ground of pol.tical Party shall Ti ction that all the members of the neutrality. cooperatives foi be members of the consumers Tin's same political neutrality has been of work. In tl, and take an active part in their great use to the employers and the Church the Commu- paign every cooperative organization ! to combat the workers co-operatives. An ti .> openly or se- form of a a theoretical propaganda; nist members should organise pco of shares in the co-operatives, (he employer from Roubaix told Jules Guesde nucleus. These nucle attracting the cooperatives to the w«j cretly— a communist ( muni.sis should demand that such increases who was then carrying on propaganda for and political struggle now bem{ should be united into district organizations ead to the expulsion Irom thecoopera- the cooperative idea in the North and est-. which in their turn should be organized into abJished the first workers co operative in a national organization headed by a special Roubaix, that these co-operatives were ne- cooperative section controlled by the Central ither more nor less than milch cows of the Committee of the Communist Party of the revolutionists. country. The entire work of the Communists We should therefore submit the cooperati- investigation, we would in the cooperatives should be carried on the ves to a thorough r if we be'ievod basis of the most rigid discipline under the he committing a grave err* contain the elements control of the Central Comittee of the Com- that the cooperatives The most important element munist Party. The task of these nuclei con- of a new society. created not by co-operation, but by capit- sists in establishing the closest connection is concentration forms them. with the broad masses of the working class alism, the used to say: "The Communism of cooperators, in criticising not only the prin- Guesde workers''. We the workshop suffices for the ciples, but also the practice of the old co- must therefore carefully study the activities operatives and in organizing the discontented not attribute too great Ol the cooperatives and in the cooperati- masses in order to ceate, make of these importance to them. We must ves, a united front against capitalism and , for the prol tariat and 1 l, v, ' cooperatives a haven "I-" ''"'<",»> T-. s mee- . "'"'-s^ oner,al the capitalist State. AM the national organi- . : to call, In the , V i struggles. ;;; ^; stores ammunition in. its l,0 V its fl ainst ontirol will „of the ' the zations of the Communist cooperators should B . Lk,i» y cooperative has its i r 'P"™ of France every * ^K*'•? North 1 ^hh'h " '"asses. Comintern through against Fascism, '; ^ \\ K, ni ||y it is necessary class be close y allied with the { ^ lf h the working Mlt > du People, for subjecting »;. " co- Maison : y> o ,, communist, in the its cooperative section. everywhere and llh [10l nuslci distribute unemplo- ' ui '' and they , , °l' s organizations, repressions. The » ' ,,ul' \U must secure election of The ( cooperatives should under to cruel f, t the Certain co opera- ommunist ' and strike subsidies. > 1!H yment new < M,lu the. menace of a '''\ including women, to the bo circumstances strive to separate! the revo- COOftat J ^ demand the tfUW lutionary or the opposition elements from the vention, and BULLETIN OF THE IV CONGRESS OF THE COMMU NISTJNTF.P NATTnN ^ L support the Everywhere where groups have been functioning for many directly or indirectly beon which has into discussions about lives, r w the matter during the led from the cooperatives, th ° isolated expressed by simple we must ,% js only an case; in the Congress, Party. This may be This for we were well aware (Seeing their readmission but we ^ ?ealS there are others, cooperative must be the must f §1 regions more that formula: Today, the om 'tated our communist comrades are not much that we may have { devas it must possibility to ) e cooperatives of reconstruction. of the Party, tomorrow, build? S ^ interested in the co-operative movement) uxilliary that in Roubaix numerous* that proletarian rative like after cooperatives of reconstruction, the there the auxiliary of the havi^S! '"flieso would be considerable likelihood of our oeoome possible means of conciliation. have must win all of which we not been able having to This is why Communists hlishment talk to empty benches. power. will suffice for the This consumers have awakened the idea of guilds. Of course over the co-operatives. irevent, we do not congratulate ourselves have : ot the ratives. They been sufficiently are defended by the Us tic a upon the speaking of the traditions ft 5 ?3s fact, but since it is a fact, we [ was report. There of district with in the are other the technicians industry, com- must not and the Pas De Calais. In that C [Unionf&n of ignore it. North cooperatives; especially 1 agriculture). The revolutionary and a co- of the agri 5 anand We also thought are numerous cooperatives cu rce that it would be better there cooperatives. I am not speaking Building Workers is considering that m Belgi- of the CoderStationation of not to trouble the Congress operative movement similar to unif with the matter of agricultural workers who, after of such guilds. It is time that of the Socialist nil 1 creation productive cooperatives. The problem is um. After the split in Tours, [he a wage workers, like the industrial yM Communist Party study this problem and very intricate attempted to expel the Communists worU the one. Moreover, we were almost Party to express its view of I am referring the unions of small the Comintern these unanimous in the view that, co-coperatives. peaj that under capitalism, from the farmers who sometimes their possible result in France Tourcoing, and tenant c, guilds and productive cooperatives engross the workers In certain co-operatives, as in with the small land owners. other places. who belong to them to so absorbing &0,000 inhabitants, in Ilulluin, and an ex- a city of cooperative of reconstruction it Should we oppose the formation of From this tent that they are quite lost as regards Halluin, in Marco en- Barooul, \\§ pos- known as Red to the formation unions? Should we not regard the small only a short step of co- sibilities of revolutionary action. majority; but in Solesmes, in i; is we are in a (for maintaining owner as fulfilin- a double economic fundi operatives of maintenance There are three main requisites for the Communists are in a minority. Roubaix, the good repair), uniting all the small manoeuvres, the that of employer and employee? Should* houses in successful development of a productive co- By a series of underhanded the not rather" try to bring them into proprietors. Thanks to law on cheap operation: managed to expel the Communists dissidents really buying and many workers have become small 1. Adequate capital; have unions which are scliis houses, from the cooperatives. The Communists cooperatives. proprietors; we must win them over to our 2. thoroughly skilled workers and mana- co-operative in competition then built another are not to become our enemies. This is necessary, not because the coop side if they gers; proletarian cooperative of with them. This workers in i all the are interested the 3. a for the products. ratives will le -lp to socialize the land,-i Intact, ready market existed one year, had a Roubaix, which has Very rarely can these three requisites be francs in the first six- turnover of 500.000 fulfilled in the case of a productive coopera- square metres oi months. It possesses 1000 tive organised by the workers under capi- on the canal, property, bakeries, a coal wharf talism. halls, etc. epln a cafe, meeting halls, music propagate the socialization of houses wr e Speaking generally, the first lack is capi- of this cooperative is J The evident success tS P must find a formula to prevent conflict bet- tal. The productive cooperatives have there- method uf e Miration which a of other districts This is a tempting the Communists idea* ween tenant workers and those who possess fore to be subsidised or to borrow from ca- On fomiliAri/ft the ocas nts with the cities of the North to emulate them. moll small pitalists, and are subject to the dominion of and the restitution to d houses. We must show to these to Smnis.n means the principle that we must give no money a« jjprwtors that no pity the bourgeois rulers who have subsidised the w. hum under capitalism will have JI I, ...longs reformists, to the dissidents, the Commu- " *i(li cooperative; or to that of the capitalists who, the in! . them, and that these cooperatives ot M the dissident cooperatives insist upon }" " reconstruction, when the management proves unsatisfactory, nists in ,. ,. tll) ,n- when they become cooperati- "'V , ,.,,,,, s painful lU " of the concern. political neutrality. I know that it is <* maintenance, will easily eiploited will become to owners doe ' be I rr^" n , , S . ' » little or nog , |. cooperative which b S productive for a Communist to give money to the So- , tll0 l)0llrf!U01 , , , llK int0 . The way in which a aKt sU iu 1|u n;um "extCongrc should r matter, in the capi- cial Democratic Party. But to seek a reme- «fs o( these small proprietors who are almost is organised is a vital at once del. at, which is _ all is the constitution of dy in political neutrality is a great, mistake. workers. talist regime. So likely <1,,U Hl , that there are «'»' li "' from '; ft5 to be defective principle oi subven- ' s such bodies We must not attack the ;,V, «U soU evident that the first task of Corn- tell1 in.w^ 'V must , attempting cooperatives, we m , nis|I) against communists tions, but the Party which profits thereby, ^^ strong reasons of this kind. and we must demand that this help be tur- to organise enterprises common defect is a lack of dire- ned over to the real working class Party, Another ability. The mere fact that communists the Communist Party. I call the attention oi' ctive productive cooperative societies isolated Communist coope- have formed the reporter to this they are en- docs not necessarily imply that rative in the North which tomorrow may grow suc- dowed with the qualities necessary for to the importance of a symbol and start a cessful management. secessionist movement in the cooperatives. ready market, Finally, as regards having a Unity!-- that is our slogan. being assured in the capi- this is far from Naturally, the Communists of Roubaix sup- the cooperatives are liable talist regime, for cooperative. However, or port their communist of crises of over-production l to bo victims the anii-p- , ' "}'** utalists or ", .,, ,ts \)^ j and faith, they must make all possible efforts to obtain (1 0llr revolutionary arising from causes (pule ler production rcaliznthn ol s - 1. b ,- '''<'(: con- nm of its c operative into the Coope- 'J'l.o I,' Comrades, at the cooperative tact, productive oo- the admission * beyond their control. In '1 he wo. U held Fourt thai, every ,,-eat danger. j„ Momj ;ax prior to the by rative Union of Prance. I hope ^ ^ 'e'an'only be successful wedding coo ^mu s operatives producers ,,, , ,tional we these , (|l(" U! ; iniornaaun.ru..-, 0I, ia French Communist and ov< ry other Commu- ad on nn-'j 'Uiani,,, communistC l)mmunisL [ n unreservedly to the capitalist re- ^1 llm,l themselves m il^ , is a not enter in to Coing there waving ^ % agreed that we would nist will help our comrades Roubaix " It « a l gain admission into this organization. Glass Solidantx". CONGRESS BULLETIN OF THE IV OF THE COMMmgSTjNTCRT^ II the trade unions had not these crises, the communists who been four prosperous co-operatives «ime. In only of pro- operatives, and oi ^the The , who still them arc totally lost to the re- the defence workers in been those founded by remain in these have formed the have inde- societies as struggle, but only to servere ti,. tion the most ardent defenders of cause. _as nuclei British experience in this volutionary . for? craftsmen. fcicfes theory. of productive er cent It is they who demanded when we are laced, formation -ocieties.societies. ' precisely the same po- In the present epoch, H P has been as French, litical t neutrality, and who wish crises I would ask The first productive co-operatives in her to lull the with ever more serious w Pr Beatrice Webb, work on working between 1840 and rwade diss to sleep. to think twice be- unded 1848. l Movement toy communist comrades n t^A Co-operative has thanks to a He Lauridan: Tu quoques! A moment found a productive coope- ter year, provisional the productive co-operatives of fore attempting to govern™ hUn how ago you were saying tal subsidy, productive that the Party has position is quite different from societies spran one alter ant ther into the hands rative. The Britain fell nothing to look for from the all over France. Throughout co-opera- former days when the capi- the duration's capitalists or completely disappeared, what it was in of the tives, and that or rather, you did not espouse the stable affair. To-day the Second, from 1840 to \%i trail of utter disillusionment for the talist regime seemed a leaving a idea of Gide, and system, that you did not see be careful not to engage the Proudhonist known as «m u' and the class struggle. a communist must u workers how the co-operatives could supply mu- his enthusi- lisin» continued to floursh. Many comrades, will act most anything which might damp thousand Our communist nitions for the Party. in were formed Let us come to his freedom for of societies during this if they enter this path without asm, which might hamper pS unwisely an undei standing about this. activities. but almost all of them have perished. guided by experience. propaganda and for communit |§ being Henriet: I say that the comrades in the survivors are like those which t only of mentioned. I think sole date fret wish to speak m productive old Party Just now guilds were I considered that tl ere was a good Spectacle Makers the euilds are 1848—the Union is onerf co-operatives, but also of the social role of reason for it desirable to point out that joining the co-operatives, "not from the worst of capitalist societies. co-operation. Lauridan (accepting Jules Gue- because simply productive societies, differing they hoped to secure subsidies for con- Here then, we have a strong reasa them-) said that the only social value the Party others only in this, that their rules and des' (though the co-operatives are not distribution against productive co-operative^s. of the co-operatives dependend upen their forbidden to subsidise stitution do-not provide for the the Party), but simply and that At a later date, after a workers' congres being able to provide a certain degree of to get into a cosy of profits among the shareholders, and quiet corner, sheltered * their held in 1879, a central organisation of pn collective social education, or upon their from all the political turmoil which is often the trade unions are drawn into habi disadvan- ductive co-operatives was founded in France. being able to help the party or to assist tual in the Party, and to be able to sit down, orbit. In these circumstances, the in the case It is called the Consultative Chamber 4 evolutitnary imuemcnt. I differ, for day after day at a well- furnished table. tages I have just shown to attach Workers' Productive Associations, and 1 hold that co-operation can exercise an On the other hand, during the war, after of productive societies composed of individual aboui 150 societies. It would ww immense rovolulh nary lorce. I am not tha general treason, those who were in the communists, are greatly multiplied in the seats have survived without a State subsidy W my?olf a co-iperntur; I have not espoused co operatives found them very useful. They case of the guilds by the fact these tend to without the special favours It heoris of Charles Gide. who, in a had a chance of getting hold of all the lea- involve the trade unions (even the most Splendid felt 11 e municip dream, thought that all the capita- ding posts in these organisations. They revolutionary) in the reformist pathway. The granted by some ol ls and all grouped that co-operation could supply considerable The facte are decisive. II the workers might be guilds tend to make their members believe Thi> e*i kra distributive co-op* rativi s. By degrees he subsidies. Under the cloak of political neutra- something durable, something serious., discuss the matter fu ther. that weived, of the subsidies not peculiar to [:M with lhe aid of the capital accu- lity, they quietly made use something useful, can be achieved in the of 70 y< ars is f* 'I bj these societies, the world would given by the co-operatives, and even by Britain, likewise, whore the capitalist regime. 11,1 transformed; which issues communist co-operatives to carry on the- Owen was based upon the. oi the antagonism Laurodan: Why did you not say latter m» lro 'a the policy of the dissentients, the social-democrats, productive cooperatives, these economic c« ntradictions between that in your report? If that was your production and consumption would disappear; the reactionaries! In France the national proved an utter failure. The ^ expressed D short, wlich the cooperators pay » opinion, you ought to have ,-i communist society would come federation to proposed to revive to day, ''; is "to francs, has a news- it. That is what was asked of yon. the existence. subscription of 336,000 advocated by our comrade ..I il11 '' circulation of 150.000. These said in the report that we same pr dream, but (tidy a dream! paper with a Henriet: We based upon precisely the j ° s,lm copies are paid 'or by the co-operative soci- must warn the comrades against productive grounds wlncn "p. the bomgeoisie has adopted Upon theoretical tj,. n neutral, absolutely mot) it eties, which are reformist societies calling themselves guilds. We did comrades, arc because careful study makes them adequate our though the communists have to ,|ail) llli (having to reactionary, for the reasons f have m * l " co-operation not stress the matter in the name J?? pass that a revive the scheme bill.ui... Thus it comes to capitalist possibly fool the*•« -»— - .. . just explained. competition) cannot ; data culled from Germany. gi vr carried on by indirect t|lC Ui« Charles reactionary policy is , r results looked for bv The danger exists. You nover say is»>» advantage of the general Lauridan: But what they 2?°- Inasmucl means, by taking <" , a" ,l„ blory has none the are like an ostrich. You put your head ductive societies organised in tf.cy under your wing. the form ol -mids', though petty d the German Henriet: Lauridau is quite right. There gome service Lo te*j£ solely thanks ::-•'"•- - .j a great danger for him, but there is no bave done so '*::n-:t.;::",;;r:;::;:::::',:t i™» - - .-,., o: [i ,,> ,. , wio uunoutcome „ ' for communist cooperators. circumstances—circumsiances— the ( vlv,V1 (iide. serious danger d *"" n f Charles Gide, .so- b i BULLETIN OF THE IV CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNISTJNTRBMATrnwAT, - of the question. the matter of provisioning the Out this is only one side c for result of this earlier neglect ""* were to get subsidies i s to \ the IF the only object would be inadequate, to-day in N.B.P. This " policf the Party the reason Xm Si re unnecessary if the has its dangers. A general been Bolsheviks had *-****&&&£ for co-operation a s£ Efts *"J „ r;ri r,rt *&*> for communist stood the part that co-operation meeting, after being served could 1 T refo- in social organisation. Of course, pla propaganda, might very well serve for C00n tion is not a final form, it is nothing rmist propaganda. L? work in provisional form. Co-operation La ur dan:-- It is our duty to makes Jf: it is not wtiJuaiiMii, ana ior t capital, but the servant of co- operatives. » the . Kinas ui.w ur ^-^ to extinction, or to only Co -operation is essentially democratic; -o become capitalist joint Ilenriet: Co-operation ior me is ai the Soviet (government do what did stock companies." I will Under capita- who is interested in co-operation can read you only' part another form of social action. haiv achieve this end? It provided the to of the resolution, and you will I have voice in the management, no matter nrder see from it co-operation can never be what how it placed at the lism, % funds and dispo- that wo are acquainted with to do tie or how much capital the paticular necessary the subject. outlining. But when we have co-op,; ,i co-operatives all that could help fast been [\ lG If we have not rators have put in the concern. f mentioned the subject in like Russia, for instance, Consequent At the first session with a country their development, of the resolution presented here, power in ly, from a social point of view, in it is because the proletariat, has political co-operatic the secretary of the Moscow did where our Congress, we not wish to speak at this Congress is of inestimable value, especially if the dictatorship of the pro- j ns^ he was delighted to find some its hands, where Soviet told us on a question which has been insufficiently distributing the profits all quits different. of round (as « letariat is a fact, the matter is communists who were interested in the studied. done in certain societies), these profits revolution is socialisation, at? declared If the aim of question of co-operation. He that if We shall postpone this question to the .voted to the creati >n of indivisable not mean that everything which di collec- possible to organise co-operation V this does it had been International Congress to which we shall capital. Would we not by such expression of com- tive an indi- has been socialised is en such a way that it had been in the hands present a special resolution. Ilenriet was not achieve a system in things which remain rect, method of sociali* the economic policy munism. There are many of the communists, new right in saying that we now have the „NEP* It is tion. individual and cannot be socialised. might not have been necessary. because we did not have co-operation before. we arc Cacti in: Yon arc fal'ing into the rase easy to speak of socialisation when As Lenin said: we have to pass though a The object of „^EP" is to construct State factories ning of Charles Gide. dealing with big estates, or great period of transition. capitalism, and the co-operatives cannot aid that criticism if ilenriet: I could accept whore the workers are already organised, The dictatorship of the proletariat does in this. ta- were meaning a capitalist regime. Uadi -where there exists a special capacity for I not suffice to change the world into a com- Ileft-iet is right when he says that, with co-operation cannot develop king over managerial functions, and when capitalism, $ munist world. At the outset of the revolution communist co-operatives well developed befo- competition. In Itab the workers' councils already exist. But the perly owing to we had so many things to attend to and to rehand, the task of the revolution will be the Fascists have. bun. trade unions are incapable of socialising instance, destroy in order not. to bo destroyed oursel- easier: but „NEP" does not enter into this Hut in a State such as Km small undertakings, agricultural work, petty co-operatives. ^ ves, that there was no time to consider the quest n n. the have the did .torsliip ol period observed that we must preserve crafts, trade, or exchange. Here is our dif- where we of transition. Hut if you [have enough Lauridan operation is Hie only way unity of the co-operative movement. He is ficulty. In the Republic to day we have had tarial, co intelligence to utilise the means that are re- the reg which the old idy in quite right on this point. We are in favor of a bitter experience because we have never the inconveniences your hands, you may avoid the blun- o hinder the ders and have mentioned it in the re- taken much notice of co-operation hitherto. left behind and which which we have 'made—and you may be that unity dictatorship ol the able to be solutions of the III Congress. We did not It was looked upon as useless and. even tion of the pro^Jjj organise communism. Sou may I In' be- ol ior methods. N>lo, under repeat these matters at the IV Congress capable of preventing the revolution. I have There are no the dictatorship of the proleta- peasants v ' l]l does not wish to say the same Russian - to grand cause one of en heard socialists ci!e Basle as an 120 millions of organise production on the thomselv Wdfl and thing over and over again. example. They declare that in Basle, a town be coerced into organising place co-operation as the founda- o • " Russia are brought ;i n VI any rate, at present in we than ctivoly. They must be of your economic system, oven though where co-operation is more developed Co-operative The en »*J Such doing all we can to make the , roots else/ in the world, go'/ds are sold other" means than force. cooperation mi^ht siill have its anywhere scope, and to extend methods. Proud pa capitalist and outlooks. Alliance international in - cheaply in the co-operatives that the wor- achieved by indirect individualist so Bulgaria where it has not said in "'< lm"s is co- it so as to cover _ what is by communist of living has been Ugh I differ from him) meant, king class standard shame- ^ are with you in the idea • entered. Wo MaiMarx: „ operation. as yet fully lowered, because the employers have- his controversy with , ^ coopera- that communists should stay in the Revolution". ** (Applause) made this an excuse for paying low wages, only of the I'^'TpU we must capture the co-operative industries oi • tives, that and no attention was paid to the workers' resented the petty w "ho the labor unions. Chairman: Since no other speaker has societies just as we captured revolution fmo< old "7 - ' light for hotter wages. The iron law kept that the ^ ,n his Khint- right to abandon the power ol name, I call upon comrade have no proletary v J , We at level. litis achieved by the world ^ llk ,n To try and the wages a subsistanco The »* view ol to conclude co-operative to our enemies. should n! ; the agreement, the the proletariat M 1,1,1 movement sian communists, having neglected the co-ope- sed that [U debate establish a separate co-operative Urge scale ^m succeed; ratives, saw these organisations sabotaged by inu, existence on a q v for example would never ot ai J |»int ehuk. This argument between In Egypt establishment . , the menshoviks who had the upper hand in coino of the tttth|s« •«nclan capture them as a whole. and Ilenriet has nothing to do with we must < move- -which l^m ' |ll(ls,|l| the co-operative these concerns. At that, time the co-operati- industrial system importance of o. So far they have not spoken to The Paris. th.ue thoroughly realized by com- ves furnished three fourths of the provisions exist in Question. ment is not yet '!' oudl extremely power- Russia. Farted by the resistance I It is nevertheless an needed in of l Inrftd reproa- munists. tobollovo \tt £*?J3 Bh& « Uuridan was wrong in instrument, We saw n 1919 the co-operatives, the bolsheviks had them- ion lod I U ful and useful ^JZdm wiU "' the produ- P aers I,avin forgotton Government was obliged to selves to destroy these organisations and to b0 brought about by ui*| Rft !„ ! when the Soviet living1> J "^ .... I I) uT11)11. IW""j C .jl i" raU not o-ooUoncd '"udl,.;.., 'ol^tl ««- Wo havo the distribution of commodities reduce them to an instrument of distribution — to Mat I ( ;:r undertake mistaken, ' <**«. in tbo solution bocause * h« 'or the Slate had assumed responsibility in piteJ rogimo, was BULLETIN OF THE IV CONGRESS the aid of the co-operatives and found you must gain control of vith the co n in the hands of the enemies, before you capture the eia these to be political r,n"J H I how instead of distributing products, our time Chairman Markhlevsky ?' in combatting our enemies, session will take place -was taken up on Monday n ^ £ putting them in prison, etc. This greatly at 11 o'clock in the morning. The or^H F °f ham ered the work of co-operation. The dtiy for tomorrow is the „ 0^ ^ Women's Wst people received nothing and w<>re disconten- This Session is now closed. ion\ | difficulties (Session closed ted. It you would avoid similar at 9 : 40 p. m ^ * Published Mosco*. by the Press Bureau of the Fourth Congress of the Comintern. gj rinl0 ' SflYeromcnt Printery ( )icS r nTlio Rod Proletarian"^ Number ol 't>l