ftoMlaltrt by sfc* Comprodauy Rud.. ,m ¥ i ou; „iey, at »o East SUBSCRIPTION RATJtS: lltb St., New York City. AUuiiguiu N. Y. Teleohone 4-7ast>. Cable "DAIWORK.” By ererywhsre: year, »«; months, $8: months, II; exeeptin* Botoaehs Address and mall all cheeks as».il oa« six two to the Dally Worker. SO East lSth Street, New York. N. X. Daily. Worker ot Manhattan and Bronx. New York City. Fcraien: one year. 18: six montha 54.50' Central Party U-SA COMMUNISM AND THE NEGRO By JAMES W. FORD ¦ tHW 1 i-. ... capitalists, accumulated sufficient experience; What is the explanation for the growing re- ponent part of that movement. Precisely this example of the freedom won by the oppressed 11. had not at that time reached the stage of devel- sponse of the Negro masses to the Communist growth of a Negro working class is a most im- people in the Soviet Union, has gained a power- 1 first article I will deal with in the so- opment in which it was able to throw up from movement at the present time? This explana- portant phenomenon of recent years. This work- ful impetus in recent years. A THEcalled Symposium in the April “Crisis" on its midst an advanced detachment, capable of tion is to be found, on the one hand, in the ing class, In the crucible of sharpening class All of these developments are being rapidly Communism is that of Mr. William H. Kelley, Proposed Candidate understanding the aims of that struggle and lead- growth of the revolutionary labor movement in struggles, is rapidly liberating itself from the re- hastened at the preset by the sharpening editor of the Amsterdam News, leading Negro ing the masses of toilers, Negro and white, in the United States, and, on the other hand, in actionary influences of the Negro rr.isleaders as crisis of dying world capitalism the growth of bourgeois paper in New York. This article is of the C ommunist -W struggle against the ruling class oppressors the maturing of a Negro working class as a com- represented by Mr. Kelley, and, together with terror against the Negro masses, the increase of particular interest because of the theoretical i the white workers, is embracing Communism as in lynchings, etc. It is this fact that Mr. Kelley speaks ( weapon against wish, pretensions of its author. The gentleman Party for Vice-President ¦ ; its in the struggle American and other misleaders cannot, or do not to with an air of authority on the question of Com- imperialism. Thus, there has at last appeared understand. But it is this very fact that force* munism, seeking, undoubtedly, to convey the “THAT’STHE WAY TO DO IT, HERB.” among Negroes that class which, as an organic Mr. Kelley and other editors of bourgeois Negro readers he is thoroughly part working class, only force papers to Communism, misrepre- imorrssion to his that JAMES W. of the whole is the write about to the subject. of and oppressed is a challenge to the traitor- familiar with FORD capable rallying leadin gthe sent it, because it Mr. Kelley attempts to make an analogy be- Negro masses in the struggle’for national libera- ous leadership of the Negro bourgeoisie. tween Communism and Christianity, to the ef- tion—a struggle which, inspired largely by the (To Be Continued Tomorrow) fect that Christianity orders the "distribution country in the world as the only force fighting against oppression. unto every man according as he had need.” He thereby attempts to show that there is nothing Mr. Kelley undoubtedly conceives of Commu- new in Communism, “that the idea back of the nism as a system of ideas invented or discovered Communistic movement is by no means a new by some would-be universal reformer, whereas CARRY THE PLENUM RESO- one." the theory of Communism “merely expresses in Cut Mr. Kelley, instead of proving his conten- general terms actual relations springing from tion, proves instead his complete ignorance of existing class struggles going on before our eyes.” (Communism Manifesto.) The understanding LUTION INTO THE MEM- the class essence of both Communism and Christ- of Communist theory by a section (Negro and Christiaruty, almost from its inception, has white) of the working class fits this section for been used as a weapon in the hands of the vari- the task of organizing and leading the working BESHIP OF THE PARTY ous ruling classes —the slave-owners, the feudal class struggles against the bourgeoisie. It Is no wonder that Kelley, failing lords, and the capitalists—for the suppression of Mr. to By SAM DON the membership if we, in addition to the gen- / class essence Communism, ex- •** the masses. This fact was expressed by Karl understand the of 14th Plenum Resolution places the Party era! discussions also use the method of “solid Men; in his classic statement; “Religion (of presses surprise that “America’s twelve million (also THEbefore a practical test. The very opening personal contacts” with the new members v which a form) the of Negro population, so largely identified Christianity is is opium with the paragraph of the resolution gives the key note as a means of establishing solid persona! con- working . oppressed every . the people.” class on hand of the line and decisions of the last Plenum. tacts with non Party workers), in explaining of can did not embrace the doctrine en long The falseness Mr. Kelley’s comparison masse It states "... our Party lias not yet made the the meaning of the resolution. But not only years ago.” be shown by the fact that 2,000 of Christ- essential change in its work necessary for the mere explaining. The new members, every mem- and misery What is surprising is that Mr. Kelley, who pro- ianity has resulted in the poverty carrying out of its chief immediate task. This ber w'ho is in contact with workers, can and while the hand, Com- fesses acquaintance with the Communist Mani- of the masses, on other task is to overcome the isolation of the Party must become the source of learning to know how revolutionary festo, fails to the elementary munism the theory of the work- understand fact from the decisive masses of the American Pro- the workers think and how we must improva that the growth of Communism, as the ing class in its struggle against the bourgeoisie theory letariat as their vanguard in the struggle against our methods of coming in contact with them. and has to of working class, only as expounded by Marx Engels), led the international could the offensive of the bourgeoisie and against the This means that the broadest, discussion must take place in proportion development the establishment of the Soviet Union, the eman- to the imperialist war, and to firmly root itself in the be developed in the Party. cipation of the population of one-sixth of the of the working class. The Negro masses did not decisive industries by means of solid persona) In the past, we followed the practice of set- clobe ii-om oppression, the liberation of one- embrace Communism, say fifty years ago, for contacts with the workers.” ting a certain time limit for the discussion of of the population of China from the yoke the simple reason that the American working fifth What is one of the first conditions for "over- the Plenum resolutions. This is absolutely of imperialist slavery and in the development class in general and the Negro workers in par- coming the isolation of the Party from the de- wrong. The discussion must be continuous. In of a Communist movement in every important ticular, had not, in the struggle against the cisive masses of> the American proletariat”? The the sense, that we must consult the resolution entire Party, every individual member, must un- for every phase of important mass activities. derstand the reasons for the serious situation Only such a method is the best guaranty, against facing the Party, the possibilities that exist for formal abstract discussions. overcoming the weaknesses and shortcomings 1 Delegates--1,000 Workers! The ideological struggle against opportunism 000 and the methods for bringing about the essen- tia! change in the mars work of the Party. Thus in practice has been neglected. As against the old factional habit of deviation hunting, we the looming menace of imperialist war, unem- the Party can be mobilized for carrying out the £;. ELIZABETH LAWSON went other extreme, of rotten liberalism, ployment and social insurance; police terror Resolution. to the The national political conventions of three Both are wrong. The struggle against opportun- and the suppression of civil rights; the bitter The Party must not merely read but study parties, will be held this summer. All three will ism must be taken up as means of mobilization persecution of the Negroes. the resolution of the Plenum. What db we mean take place in Chicago. All three will present for mass activities. Such a struggle raises the platform of the capitalist parties is flung when we say the Party must study the reso- y.l: .'o:.' .. and nominate candidates. The political level of the membership. It creates the out from their conventions, in take-it-or-leave lutions, how shall they be studied? Self-criti- But conventions of the Republican lays prac- * between the cism is the method for the study and under- interests for theoretical problems, a and the national no- it fashion. But the Communist Party has print- ar.J Democratic parties, standing of the Resolutions. ticai basis for theoretical studies and is a guar- called Communist ed its draft patform prior to the convention, r.im ring convention by the Every phase of work, “the anty against a scholastic approach.