Y.C.L. Pre-Convention Discussion
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Y.C.L. PRE-CONVENTION DISCUSSION The Coming Y.C.L. Convention GIL 'GREEN The Student M ovement CELESTE STRACK Economic Situation of Youth JAMES C. CLARK Lenin and Spain EARL BROWDER Hitler Against th e World W 1LHELM PiECK The Washington State Elections MORRIS RAPORT The R oad to Victory- Manifesto of the Communist Party of Spain T \ \'ENTY CENTS • NEW PAMPHLETS ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS AND THE PEOPLE'S FRONT, by Earl Browder .10 Next steps for American labor in the struggle for peace, progress and prosperity. HEROIC CHINA, by P. Miff • .15 Background and perspectives of the national liberation movement in China. TROTSKYISM AND FASCISM, by P. Lang .10 The significance ef Trotskyism as the agent of fascism in the ranks of the working class. THE SPANISH REVOLUTION, by M. Ercoli • .05 The war in Spain analyzed as a bourgenis-democratic revolution and a struggle for national liberation. SONGS OF THE PEOPLE .25 A collection of the most popular labor and revolutionary songs, with music. STALIN ON THE NEW SOVIET CONSTITUTION .02 Brilliant analysis of the meaning of socialist democracy. READY SOON WHAT MEANS A STRIKE IN STEEL, by William Z. Foster .10 TALKS TO AMERICA, by Earl Browder • .05 TO DEFEND ASSASSINS IS TO HELP FASCISM by Georgi Dimitroff • .02 THE NEW SOVIET CONSTITUTION, by V. M. M1Jlotov • .05 Send for a complete catalogue • Order from your bookshop or from WORKERS LIBRARY PUBLISHERS P. 0. Box 148, Sta. D New York, N. Y. VOL. XVI, No. ll FEBRUARY, 19!17 7he ·COMMUNIST A MAGAZINE OF THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM-LENINISM PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE U.S.A. 9th A: 0. RESEARCH LIBRARY 131 WEST 97th ST., N. Y. CONTENTS Review of the Month A. B. 99 Lenin and Spain EARL BROWDER • IU The Coming Convention of the Y .C.L. GIL GREEN. uo The Student Movement in the United States . CELESTE STRACK The Economic Situation of the Youth JAMES C. CLARK Hitler Against the World . WILHELM PIECK The Washington State Elections MORRIS RAPORT The Road to Victory . 180 Manifesto of the Communist Party of Spain Book Reviews . HELEN MARCY • Entered as second class matter November 2, I927, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March J, z879. Send checks, money orders and correspondence to THE CoMMUNIST, P.O. Box z48, Sta. D (5o E. IJth St.), New York. Subscription rates: $liDO a .. f·..· ar; $z.oo for six months; foreign and Cana. da $2.50 a year. Single copies 20 cents. ~209 To Our Readers The new format of The Communist has evoked widespread discussion. We are desir ous, however, of receiving as many comments as possible from our readers, particularly con crete suggestions and ideas for the further im provement of our leading theoretical magazine. On questions of type face, design, character of articles, drawings and illustrations, features, reviews, etc., we shall welcome letters from our readers. Write to the Editors, The Communist. P. 0. Box 148, Sta. D., New York City. \ REVIEW OF THE MONTH Employer Trouble Is a New Phase in Reactionary Conspiracy. Lewis Demands Investigation. Voice of a Sit-In Striker. Time to Fight Economic Royalists. Disarm Moguls of Corporate Industry. Labor Unity, Allies and Plant Strike Committees. Roosevelt's Message and the Strike Movements. Relief Appropriations and Relief Cutting. Fight for a People's Budget. Congress Gets Off on Wrong Foot. Real Issues in Spanish Question. Neutrality Is Not Ne'IJ,tral. Victims of Neutrality Myth. Lift Spanish Embargo. Birth of Progressive Bloc in Congress. Inde pendent Legislative Program, People's Front Policy and Organized Mass Backing. Mexican Labor Wants No Trotsky. Trotskyism Is the Enemy of the People. OHN L. LEWIS, chairman of the know how these same forces had tried J Committee for Industrial Organ to arouse and build up all kinds of ization (C.I.O.), proposes to ask Con fascist movements in the country. It gress to investigate the General Mo is imperative now to throw the full tors Corporation. This request should glare of public examination and atten be supported by the entire labor tion upon the newest phase of these movement and by all progressive reactionary conspiracies. forces in the country. For this is what it is: a new phase It is necessary to investigate the in reactionary conspiracy against the origin and sources of the "employer welfare of the American people. It trouble" in the automotive industry. goes far beyond the automotive in Who are the sinister forces in and be dustry itself, important as that is. hind General Motors that stand in the Congress should investigate without way of collective bargaining, that seem delay what the du Ponts are driving at to be ready to precipitate the country and also, as suggested by John L. into crisis and civil warfare but not Lewis, whether "foreign financiers to allow the workers to secure their should dictate labor policy in Amer legitimate and just demands? We ica". know that General Motors is dom Everybody knows that it is sheer inated by the du Ponts and Morgans fakery for General Motors to main -the founders and backers of the in tain that the United Automobile famous "Liberty League". We know Workers Union is out to get control how these worthies had conspired to of the plants-"to run the industry". foist upon the country a reactionary Yet this is how Sloan and Knudsen are adminstration in the last elections. We trying to misrepresent the issue. And 99 100 THE COMMUNIST the capitalist press is doing it darndest too tired and nervous to sleep. When you go to spread this brazen misrepresenta to bed you shake. When you're forty you are tion. The United Automobile Work a wreck, and you get laid off. And then well, if you're lucky you get a tin cup. That's ers Union stated the issues clearly and why I am on strike." (New York Herald plainly in the eight-point demands of Tribune, Jan. 10.) the striking workers. These demands were restated in the letter of Homer Thus speaks the voice of the "satis Martin, president of the union, to the fied and happy" employees of General General Motors executives under date Motors. It speaks the burning and just of January 4, 1937· There he said: grievance of all workers exploited and oppressed by the rapacious moguls of "These issues, as I indicated, cover the monopoly capital. And what do these recognition of the union by the corporation workers demand? Not the final and for the purpose of collective bargaining, complete account with their exploit recognition of serliority rights for the pur pose of maintaining job security for the ers. Not yet. They only present a few employees, the elimination of the speed-up most elementary demands the grant system, and the establishment of a minimum ing of which would make it possible wage which would assure a decent standard for them to live. But du Pont, Sloan of living to your employees." and Knudsen won't hear of it. It is Can General Motors "afford" to they who are today seeking to create a grant these demands? Just take note crisis, to create economic dislocations, of the fact that in the first nine at the same time blaming the union months of 1936, as compared with the for the consequences. It is they who same period in 1935, its net profits are trying to bring in the courts-their have increased by 53 per cent. Not a own people on the bench-to force small increase, is it? Wages have also the sit-in strikers out of the plants and grown somewhat; but hours have thus to sharpen the situation. It is lengthened, cost of living is continu again they who provoked violence and ally rising, and the damnable speed-up bloodshed in Flint on the evening of system is making life intolerable. January 11. Even the New York Herald Trib Indeed, the country is suffering to une, a paper that is very friendly to day from serious "employer trouble". du Pont, couldn't help but publish a The sharks of monopoly capital are bit of truth. Its reporter managed to reckless and unscrupulous. If allowed interview some of the sit-in strikers in they will go to any length to assert the Fisher Body plant No. 1, in Flint, their dictatorship. These are the eco and here is what he reports: nomic royalists whom President Roose velt was preparing to fight. This is the "A husky man, who came from 'some time to fight them. place in the South', said: 'You want to know what I hate about this place? Well, I'll tell In his New Year's address, John L. you. And I don't give a hoot if you put it Lewis said: in your paper. It's these damn things', and he nodded toward the conveyor line. "The time has passed in America when "'Why, they tear your guts out. After fol the workers can be either clubbed, gassed or lowing that for eight hours you go home and shot down with impunity. I solemnly warn you are too tired to eat. ·why, you are even the leaders of industry tonight that labor REVIEW OF THE MONTH 101 will not tolerate such policies or tactics. La· tics which Comrade Foster has devel bor will expect the protection of the agen oped in his series of articles in the cies of the federal government in the pur Daily Worker.