International Plans Battle For Socialist Work
Panke, Jacob
International Plans Battle For Socialist Work 0, «f solution | p p eiinf to itm* wer* m/0 sever L Mfe« and ML for in Umn deprive E t t a d batter H Iread and L„i0 t of pracHDC...
...The Disarmament Conference can neither come to an end nor fail, so as to leave the road open to re-armament, to a new competition in armed peace and to a world catastrophe...
...Others followed in the same vein, and others again insisted upon pessimism, at least pessimism insofar as the efficacy of any conduct other than of revolution...
...declare that the general strike remains the supreme weapon ef working-class action against war, after all means of political and parliamentary prendre have been tried and proved anavailing...
...No commissions would be appointed and possibly no statements would come as a result of the conference...
...l».T.U...
...Of the latter, I should say there were about 10% at the beginning of the conference, but their numbers dwindled...
...The spirit changed as the days passed...
...but they, too, went the way of all tyrants and dictators, and in a horrible bath of blood...
...Albert Einstein, however, wrote a book which only twelve people could understand and still millions of people know his name...
...Samuel Untermyer says he is sure Hitlerism will collapse before winter...
...and the L.S.I, address an urgent appeal to the members of all working-class organizations to provide their help in establishing this system of supervision and enabling it to function...
...But the time came that the people regained some rights, and within the structure of near democracy they began their onward march...
...I asked...
...It is a Bourgeois republic, and under it men suffer and hunger, but under it men and women arc free citizens...
...And when Socialists speak of practicality they must give a thought to the fact that it is very impractical for anyone in America to be a Socialist and that when we try to convert someone to Socialism it means that we're telling him to be an impractical piison...
...I was told on pretty good authority that •very city in Germany has a fine underground organization functioning and doing its work in such heroic fashion that even those who have had Jieir blood quickened by the deeds of the revolutionists in Ciarlst Russia feel that the Russians were not the real sacrificing revolutionaries) heartened the millions of comrades, young and old, Within the prison walls of what is *»* Germany by a clear statement that the fight now on Hitlerism or Fascism Is a fight on capitalism •nd not a fight for a re-establish*ent of the Weimar constitution or •bourgeois republic, but a fight I f establishment of Socialism without any intermediary steps...
...So I therefore ask of you again and again: What is practicality...
...The I.F.T.U...
...re*J•Wtade in *ef rights and J *» equali aider as essential, and which are made even more necessary because of the secret armaments and because there are countries where there are no rights of political and trade union organization, no freedom of press and of opinion, the I.F.T.U...
...On the other hand, there were .ose committed for many years to the use of the democratic method as the only or the main weapon in obtaining Socialism, who, because of the force of circumstances, changed their viewpoint...
...Lessons from History y^ND how long do you think Nazismus is going to last...
...I'll feat espies, and doUsrs a. copy...
...Maybe They're Wrong J J U T without being as optimistic as Mr...
...Bauer said in his introduction in moving adoption that he was not entirely satisfied...
...In this manner the authority of international institutions is diminished and day by day the possibility grows of a return to the international anarchy which provoked the war of 1914 and which has already and very recently permitted a war of conquest in the Far East by the nonapplication of the new international treaties...
...But the day broke at last, at long last, and the Republic was proclaimed...
...Many Battles T i l l ' " people of Italy battled for liberty in '33 and in '48, in '61 and 7 1 ; the people of Austria and Hungary, of Turkey and of Belgium battled again and again, always to be thrown back, always finally to gain the human liberties for which they battled...
...On the continued ownant of the a and of the the growth of I through the Her movement •any and the 1Mb in secret Rl" German tattf mankind •M time with •maments, to H v teem to resigned m the possi• wake the peo•«ts, and par*>» class, con•»of the cituajsHa particular j*«f a state, Plstt all demPstUw, decides P violence as I I violence at P* •yth of a •expansion...
...I m ***»ent Con•j» of Nations "a without furdetermination • J u n c t i o n of *** la capable *"isn of war...
...And maybe a little excursion into history will help a bit...
...I felt, as did most of the delegates from every party in the world, that the conference would devote much of its time to a discussion of the situation in Germany, the possibilities of the future, and particularly the reasons for the rise of Fascism and the fall of the Social Democracy...
...It was to be a frank discussion of the situation by the delegates and an interchange of opinion...
...And so dictator* ship, tyranny, fascism must die...
...I imagine that the directors of the Metropolitan Opera know that Luna Park in Coney Island has a greater number of visitors than the opera...
...How about popularity and immortality...
...After a four-day debate an agreement was arrived at...
...A final word must be said with relation to the question of a "United Front...
...There were some very fine speeches, some contributions to theoretic Socialism, and the ground prepared for a re-statement of the Socialist position because of new developments in the life of the world...
...Hamilton Fish Armstrong, in "Hitler's Reich," a briefer but no less illuminating book, comes to about the same conclusion...
...and then followed despotism and brutality...
...So this means that the executives of die Metropolitan Opera and of Columbia University arc not practical people...
...There must be a will to win, and with that will we shall move forward now to build out of the chaos which is capitalism today lie Socialism of tomorrow...
...Some even thought a merger between the Communist and the Socialist is possible...
...I t is an accepted fact that poets aren't practical people, but I believe that as regards this attitude which my young poet expressed there's a lot of practicality in it...
...Democracy under capitalism, however, is not an ideal bat an instrumentality...
...Silcs, Irigoycn, Ibancz, Sanchez-Cerro and now Gcrardo the Assassin- all, all have gone and those that still live (in exile) can tell Adolf what it means to rule a people by force and to destroy their liberties...
...When they came face to face with facts and the possibilities even they had to pull in their horns...
...Professor Calvin H. Hoover, in his sad and illuminating book, "Germany Enters the Third Reich," makes no secret of bis detestation of Hitler and everything he stands for, and still predicts that the Nazi regime will last for a long time...
...Fighting for political democracy in such nations where republics hav* been overthrown and political democracy trampled upon and destroyed is not the sole objective of Socialists...
...It was a long and bloody business, his Empire, and it was overthrown from without, not within, and so there came reaction and after awhile again revolution, and a Citizen King...
...They were wrong...
...In far South America there ruled Rosas, the bloody tyrant of Buenos Ayres, and he went...
...It must be concluded...
...For a few days the atmosphere was thick with pessimism...
...In a single century Europe saw revolution after revot* lotion, each seeming to end in defeat, each seeming to enthrone a tyrant . . . and the tyrants are all gone...
...but while they were still deliriously singing and dancing La Carmagnogle in the streets, one dictator after another battled for supremacy-Robespierre "the incorruptible," Barras, Fouche— and then came the Usurper...
...That dignity did not exist in the time of Caesar or of Charlemagne...
...Most of us felt that the Third International is much more concerned with fighting the Socialists than fighting Fascism or war or even capitalism...
...Whatever you think about it, Hitlerism simply is, and the Brown monsters quile calmly announce that ihey intend to stay where they are...
...I know that practicality in the Metropolitan Opera House means that operas should be played there and not stunts like those in Luna 1'ark...
...From that moment it is the duty of the organised workers to organise the general strike in that country...
...Across the great river in Paraguay there ruled the savage dictator Lopez, and be went, and he was followed by the two bloody Francias, father and son, and they ruled long and in a manner to rejoice the heart of a Goring...
...Hut does such a practicality suit you ? I know that practicality in Columbia University means that mathematics should be taught in the faculty of mathematics and not dancing...
...The two Internationale call the attention of the world to the dangers residing in the repeated and tolerated violations of general covenants and treaties...
...A substantial disarmament convention under rigorous supervision is a guarantee of universal security...
...The International and the conference in Paris (and there is a German Social Democracy...
...and then there came revolution again, and again another Usurper and again he reigned as Emperor...
...and the L.S.I, underline the necessity for the complete aboaf armaments and the creation of a lyatem of auperviaSon exerciaea permanently and on the spot in regard to ail countries by international organa of investigation...
...and from Peru has fled Leguia, the Macbado of the Country of the Incas...
...It was called because of the extraordinary developments on the European continent...
...The people of Paris rose up in their fury and tore down the Bastille...
...The first optimistic note was struck by Hugh Dalton of the British Labor Party, and it elicited a fine response and created an entirely new atmosphere—one of optimism, a fighting spirit...
...Circulation doesn't make for popularity nor for immortality," he answered...
...I cannot conclude without saying that l,here was a conviction that capitalism is on the defensive now, that the proletariat is on the offensive, that Socialism has compelled concession after concession from capitalism to labor, that it had already changed the complexion Of our social structure...
...I „ Ifo, at the Egg weren't btjr ire today, ibont publishnnted to select kt said to me: L uy poems in pti sages...
...The important results of the conference are: 1. A re-statement of tactical policies...
...I don't believe in circulation for circulation's sake," he replied...
...Everybody believed that it should be striven for...
...No statement of poller c a n be satisfactory to the representatives of < ve.-y one of 38 countries that participated...
...That, of course, did not satisfy anybody...
...ai there are a America who'd ? enly because t that it costs P ••• M| four million lea must be a I interested to t of a hundred l dollars the ease," the iNttome "why i; book in an td copies and ir s copy, and Itostomers and «by, when for • I could sell id nuke a good injures were KM "Wouldn't lit S thousand four book inks...
...Is it so...
...So I must therefore think that practicality in the Socialist movement means perhaps more Socialism and all the more consistent Socialism...
...But it was a conference seeking to find the reasons for failures when success should have been ours...
...Yet the Metropolitan Opera House even to this day refuses to be converted into a Luna Park and the faculty of mathematics of Columbia University still declines to be converted to a dancing school...
...Many of the comrades spoke of selfcriticism as a great need and immediately proceeded to criticise others and themselves very little...
...At a time when the Fascist gov« inun-ills are creating uneasiness and mistrust, it is the imperative duty of the democratic governments to show no accommodating spirit in regard to these vtalalions of international agreements and to refrain from associating themselves with any weakaeaa in the task of disarmament...
...Not a unanimous agreement, not even an agreement satisfactory to all those who accepted it, but in agreement which expressed the viewpoint of the Socialist movement of the world and the collective opinion of its representatives In the conference By a vote of 291 to 18 the Comatission's resolutions were adopted...
...International Plans Battle For Socialist Work i By Jacob Panken ••" Dean of the American delegation at the Paris International Conferen I WENT to the conference of the Labor and Socialist International with trepidation...
...No definite policy could be agreed upon which would be applicable in each country or in any given country under all circumstan :es as they may develop...
...P> The fight on war has begun, J * 1 Hne of conduct in action has ; § P Planned In conjunction with the I.F.T.U...
...When the conference met in Paris on August 21st there was much tenseness...
...It admitted shortcomings...
...And sooner or later they all fell . . . some of them ushered out quietly, like Primo de Rivera, others washed away in oceans of blood, like Nicholas the Damned...
...Millions of people have seen 'Abie's Irish Rose' but very few of them know the name of the author...
...In our own day we have seen two dictators Diaz driven away—Porlirio of Mexico and Adolfo of Nicaragua, We have seen the people of Venezuela drive away a Castro (only to gain a Gomez, alas...
...Now millions, harassed, vexed, bedeviled by a collapsing world that enslaves them, surrender that dignity to a Duce or a Ftihrtr...
...That also was, I think, the result of .he conference...
...There were no instruction given to the Executive as to how it is or should approach the question of unity of action with the Communist, but because of the position taken by the Swedish Party It became quite apparent that the Executive has full power to act In the matter...
...and the L.S.I, that it is indispensable in view of the grave nature of international events...
...Reports had found their way out of the rooms of the Executive of the discussions on the German situation...
...Circulation is not a goal per se Circulation is for the sake of profits and if greater profit can be made from a smaller circulation a small circulation is better than a large one...
...The Socialist party would surely be more "successful" if it would renounce Socialism and would ac cept the program of the Democratic party...
...Where the democratic weapon is available to labor it most be used and its retention must be defended...
...It developed into self-criticism...
...The fight on Fascism should be by a nited working class...
...In i"H agreement with the International Trade Union < longreee acid at Brussels in 1933, the L.8.I...
...But tens and scores of millions will not surrender that dignity...
...But if that is practical, I can't see how I can be inspired by Roosevelt...
...It is the duty of the organizations in the other countries to support this movement and to declare a boycott of the aggressor country...
...It is at best imperfect, but it il real...
...It was born with the Renaissance and the Elizabethan age...
...It is a weapon in the hands of the proletariat...
...Within the framework of present international treaties the moment for th* final intervention of the working class is determined by the recourse to arbitration, either as a result of the j ction of the President of the League Council in calling for arbitration in virtue of Article 11 of the Covenant, or of an appeal to arbitration made by aay government acting on the basis of the Covenant of the league or of the Pact of Paris, or, failing this, by a decision of the I.F.T.U...
...Mr...
...and the I.F.T.U...
...The Governments must therefore take note of the fact that Socialism and the working-class organizations will hold hem responsible if they do not pursue a more courageous and vigorous international policy...
...THE BRAY of THE WEEK is to give Jawn F. (lurry, Tammany boss, "unlimited sway," and then we'll see how things will hum, according to the New York Democrat, Tammany club house organ: "John P. Curry purposes to make the local Democracy responsive to the people of New York and if permitted unlimited sway, he will govern on the theory 'he serves his country most who serves his party most.' " How Long...
...I t was in this tense situation that the conference met...
...Human Dignity Q N E thing the human race has won for itself, the dignity of individual human beings, to live and love and enjoy life for themselves and not to he pawns and chattels for the head of a state to use for his selfish purposes...
...Armstrong...
...Every country which refuses to accept this procedure must be considered as the aggressor by the international labor movement...
...The delegates spoke frankly, sometimes brutally, sometimes with no warrant for what they said...
...The conference started on a note of pessimism...
...Will Hitlerism Last a Year or 40,000 Years...
...My own personal position was that as a condition to a- r.nited action between us and the Communist there must be an abandonment on their part of the fratricidal war in which hey are engaged...
...Untermyer it is not necessary to accept the predictions of Professor Hoover and Mr...
...And on the other hand, a young Nazi quoted by an American newspaper correspondent said Hitlerism will last "from 35,000 to 40,000 years...
...They had become convinced that to depend upon democracy in a country where dictatorship has displaced the possibility of its use is to live in a fool's paradise...
...The people of the German cities and states rose up in '48, and were mowed down in the streets...
...That conclusion has resalted from the German debacle...
...There is a definite cleavage in principle between us and the Communist...
...Untermyer, at any rate, has a better chance than the young Nazj of finding out bow good a prophet he is...
...And may it be soon, and with as little human anguish ae may be...
...For Adolf is not the first dictator, nor the first man to overthrow liberty, nor the first to attempt to rule dictatorially as a "little father" without consulting his subjects...
...I imagine that the administrators of Columbia University know that every dancing school in New York has more visitors than the faculty of mathematics of ('olumhia...
...Hut practical people, and among them also those who consider themselves Socialists, tell me that one should be enthusiastic...
...It was attacked from within as weak and inefficient...
...That has been clearly defiled, and as such it must be used and defended...
...itionals Call ss War on War nnament...
...International Plans Battle For Socialist Work 0, «f solution | p p eiinf to itm* wer* m/0 sever L Mfe« and ML for in Umn deprive E t t a d batter H Iread and L„i0 t of pracHDC today...
Vol. 16 • September 1933 • No. 12
