A Socialist Decla
A Socialist Decla??
Instead of printing the St. Louis i resolution this week, we think it better to print a Declaration of Principles to compare with what it now before the Socialist Party members...
...Its purpose is to secure a majority in Congress and in every state legislature, to win the principle executive and judicial offices, to become the dominant and controlling party, and when <in power to transfer to the ownership by the people of industries, beginning with those of public communication, as well as the trustified industries, and extending the process to all other industries susceptible of collective ownership, as rapidly as their tech-*" nical conditions will permit, i...
...That means doing away with the private ownership of the sources and instruments of wealth production and distribution, abolishing work-less incomes in the form of profits, interest or rents, transforming the whole able-bodied population of the country into useful workers, and securing to all workers the full social value of their work...
...It afflra truth of the An of Independence eminent fails ti...
...The Communist delegates assured that they are instructed to distingttisri between acts which have to do with the plans of common action already agreed to and those thji may arise from political events...
...This declaration was adopted by the convention in 1920...
...Individual members "of these classes...
...When the Conintunist Party of Switzerland invites us to demonstrate before the German Legations, we call upon the Communist Party of Switzerland to demonstrate before the Russian Legations in those countries in which it is still possible for them to do so, forSf any power can release Thalmann from the hands of the executioner it is Soviet Russia, which con set Thalmann free at any time by an exchange of prisoners...
...I which they are the beneficiaries...
...They are staunch upholders of the existing order of social inequalities...
...and organizing...
...the socialisation of all large farming estates and land used for in...
...A Paris correspondent of the Communist "Militant" writes...
...Unity in Switzerland would not add a single iota to the relatively strong political, industrial, economic and cultural strength of Socialist labor...
...they control the markets of the world and fix the prices of farm products ; they own their own homes and fix their rents...
...TheWorkers Abroad...
...Meanwhile the C.G.T...
...During the Reichstag fire trial the Swiss Socialist Party carried on an extensive campaign and demonstrated at imposing meetings in favor of the principle of justice and against the blood justice of the fascists...
...They live in hopes of being lifted into the charmed spheres of the ruling classes...
...Instead of this, the Communists of all countries insulted and reviled the Austrian Socialists when their heroes— Wallisch, Weissel and Miinich*reiter-^-were executed by the hangmen of the bloody Chancellor Dollfuss...
...The Socialist Party is the party of the workers...
...tion of workerj dustrial uniow ganic co-opert* ized worklnJ«P...
...The Swiss Socialist Party will not neglect the cause of justice...
...to day...
...They keep alive the industries but have no say in their management...
...Both were dated the end of May...
...They have made America what it is...
...It is first and foremost the duty of'Soviet Russia to liberate Ernst Thalmann, the 'honorary Cosack.' If the Communist P/Trty of Switzerland does not possess the courage to remind the Communist International of its duty, then we must do so...
...Both, finally, suggest, among other things, lhat the joint "demonstrations should be made outside the German Legation . . . and the German Consulates" when the Thalmanji trial takes place...
...It ¦would only give the numerically small and spiritually corrupt Communist gentry an additional chance to disrupt the labor movement from wfchin...
...but there, in the face of an onemy of superior strength, it does not abandon its treacherous attitude but still continues to oppose the Social Democrats as its chief enemies...
...often join in the struggle against the capitalist order from motives | of personal idealism, but whole classes have never been known to ' abdicate their rule and surrender j their privileges for the mere sake • eT social justice...
...They create the enormous wealth of the country but live in constant dread of poverty...
...Their <W betterment ki tl respective inl™ and reinforce ti of the Socialist general directiol economic power midable weapM the political rip...
...Unity in Prance would increase the strength of Socialist and syndicalist labor by several hundreds of thousands of Communist sympathizers and would be of paramount importance in the life-and-dcath struggle against militant fascism...
...His opposition to the 'corn-fascist" tactics of the Third International is getting the wholehearted supportTof the St...
...The Socialist tend to interfe affairs of ltW always support nomic struggle that such strugj maximum of «¦ the Socialist...
...comes destructi» ness, "It is the< pie to alter or d stitute a new J its foundations...
...but it will not^be able to fight for the sacred cause hi a united front which is not inwardly genuine...
...As remarked, the French reaction to the new Com-munist offer was diametrically different from the reply of the Swiss Socialists...
...Despite the forms of . political equality the workers of the United States are virtually a subject class...
...A short period after its origin, the C.G.T.U...
...An International Review of the Socialist and Labor Movement of the World...
...This decay of membership explains the strange leniency of the Stalinist leadership in dealing with the former party chief, deputy and mayor of St...
...in 1920 the majority of the Socialist Party, 130,000 strong, joined the Comintern...
...workers of America to take the* economic and political power frenr the capitalist class, not that they may establish themselves as a new ruling class, but in order that all class divisions may be abolished forever...
...To perform this supreme social task the workers must be organized as a political party of their own...
...This important point will be clarified at the next meeting, when the Communists expect to receive new instructions...
...In pnislng, let me add, nowever, that the possible harm of a 'united front" with Communists in Switzerland is infinitely smaller than a similar step in the United States...
...The official Communist Party shows progressive decay...
...Conditions in France Are Different...
...They own the people's jobs and determine their wages...
...They sustain America from day...
...IN accepting the May 30 and June 5 offer of the Communist Central Committee, the Administrative Committee- of the French Socialists stressed, however,,, its I wish "to receive j(Ae assurance from \ the Communis^ Party that until the contemplated demonstrations have taken place there will be a j cessation of polemics against our respective organizations and mem-hers...
...C...
...The bulk of the American people is composed of workers...
...Since the leadership of the two parties, the French , and the Swiss, belong to the same "radical" and "revolutionary" wing of the international Socialist' movement, one would be justified in expecting that their answers j will match...
...Oar usual curse—lack of available space—forces me to postpone a long list of extremely interesting news from Austria, Germany, Latvia, Italy, Spain, France, Poland and the Soviet Union...
...If the Communist Party of Switzerland, which is acting on the, instructions of the Communist International, seriously meant its offer, it would have taken care that the Communist International as well would attempt to save the Socialists threatened by the fascist executioners...
...THE Socialist Party of the United States demands that the country and its wealth he re- ' deemed from the control of pri- J vate interests and turned over to , the people to be administered for , the equal benefit of all...
...The SuciftP seek to ltttM...
...they own their food and set its cost...
...The' Socialist Party desires the...
...Their social psychology is that of retainers of the wealthy...
...of the Swiss Socialists wrote...
...today the Stalinites have 12,000 members...
...THE i Socialist parties of two Eujropean countries, * France and Switzerland, have received new "United Front" offers from the Communist parties of their re-apective countries...
...it aroused the public conscience in Switzerland and thereby defended the interests of the accused to the best of its ability...
...Our so-called national wealth is not the wealth j of the nation, but of the privi- 1 leged few...
...United Front Offer Rejected and Accepted...
...cannot be a plished by polit The reorganiu tries upon the 1 ation and co-oj require an fa ciplined workia, only in the pit Work,, but al» problems of n» dispensible trii can best gaini constant effort...
...It strives by means of political methods, including the action of its representatives in the legislatures and other public offices, to force the enactment of such measures as will immediately benefit the workers, raise their standard of life, increase their power and stiffen their resistance to capitalist aggression...
...they own their press and formulate their convictions...
...red union) had 400,000 members while today there remain 70,000...
...It espouses their cause because in the workers lies the hope of the political, economic and social redemption of the coun-' try...
...They consist of farm owners, small merchants and manufacturers, professionals, and better paid employees...
...In this lies the enormous difference in the conditions of present-, day France and the present-day United States...
...The Social...
...Severac for the Socialists, and Torez, Gitton and Fi-anchon for the Communist Party—met on June 11 and signed a detailed agreement that includes the above paragraph with its "non-aggression treaty...
...l few «wre invalid disrupters, but...
...Both are couched in the same phraseology and both contain an identical proposal—an "invitation to joint demonstrations with the object of caving Ernst Thalmann, former chairman of the Communist Party of Germany, from the revenge of the German fascists...
...Nevertheless, this agreement is not filial...
...After a new exchange of letters, the principal leaders of the two parties—Leor» Blum, Jean Gyromsski and J.-d...
...Do two things, build the Socialist Party sod get robe for The New i Leader to help build It...
...If the Communist Party seriously meant its offer, it would take care that at least in Germany the struggle against the Socialists who are working illegally would be stopped...
...Their economic status is often precarious...
...they own the government and make their laws...
...For in this country such a un4on would not only give us...
...The N.E.C...
...They are small in , numbers hut they dominate the , lives and shape the destinies of \ their fellow men...
...The French Communist Party, on the other hand, received 800,000 votes in the latest parliamentary elections, and although this is only 40 per cent of the Socialist vote (2,000,000), it is of sufficient value to be considered in the campaign for a united working class in France...
...When the Thiilmann trial begins its attitude will be the same, and just as it fought for Dimitroff in the only effective manner so Will it make an attempt to save Thalmann...
...These are the ruling classes of America...
...Also a review of the unusually important developments recorded at the last session of the Executive of the Labor and Socialist International, i...
...The Platform Upon W1 Waged Its Nota Eugene V...
...The ruling class and their 1 retainers cannot be expected to ' change the iniquitous system of...
...They feed and clothe the rich, and yet bow to their alleged superiority...
...They must realize that both the Republican and Democratic parties are the political instruments of the master classes, and equally pledged to uphold and perpetuate capitalism...
...The reason lies in the peculiar conditions of grava revolutionary and counterrevolutionary wave* through which France is passing...
...form, as to the likely to affect happiness...
...They must be trained jto use the ballot bo* to vote out the tools of the capitalist and middle class and to vote in representatives of the workers...
...jdustrial and p will as all ini storing, preseri farm products, template intertt vate possession used and cultn The Socialist litical control, pi ize th'e govern] substance so as a tool of represi ment of social i vice...
...Political degeneracy takes its toll...
...Workers on the farm and in the factory, in mines and mills, on ships and railroads, in offices and counting houses,-In schools and in personal service, workers of hand and brain, all men and women who render useful service to the community in the countless ramified ways of modern civilization...
...Louis i resolution this week, we think it better to print a Declaration of Principles to compare with what it now before the Socialist Party members by that name...
...I ent profit system...
...We are dealing here with a periodically recurring united front offer, not one of which wan honestly meant, and all of which were nothing but cunning and cowardly maneuvers intended to discredit the Swiss Socialist Party in the eyes of the masses...
...Our comrades would do well in pondering on this, contrast of objective and subjective forces before aping certain acts of strategy and tactics in the French movement...
...A true political party of labor must be founded upon the uncompromis...
...America is not owned by the ! American people...
...This truce—which we, for > our part, sign in advance—seems to us to be the only way of creating . the atmosphere without which | joint action—however well pre-pared—would neither have the ef-fectivenns nor the significance which you and we together ought to give it...
...reformist unions), headed by the Gompers of France, Jouhaux, has a membership of 1,000,000...
...The rejection came from the Administrative Committee | of the Swiss Socialist Party and was formulated in a way i that renders it, in view of thin week's offer of our own < Communists, singularly interesting to us American So- , dalists...
...They constitute the majority of the | people but have no control in the , government...
...would definitely alienate from us the organized workers sod build an almost insurmountable obstacle to our dream of an enlightened and politically independent mass movement of labor...
...II alone have a direct and com pel 1-l ing interest in abolishing the pres...
...It also proposes to socialize the system of public education and health and all activities and institutions vitally affecting the public needs and welfare, including dwelling houses...
...By Mark Khmoy...
...ing demand for the complete socialization of the industries...
...Denis district and the depleted Communist Party cannot afford to lose its numerically strongest district...
...Denis, Doriot...
...On the other hand, the Swiss Socialist Party definitely rejects cooperation with the Communist Party of Switzerland...
...As a rule they sell their gifts, knowledge and efforts to the capitalist interests...
...Around and about the capitalist class cluster the numerous and varied groups of the population, generally designated as the "middle classes...
...They- bear most of the burdens of life and enjoy but few of its pleasures...
...The Socialist Party is such a political party...
...The workers...
...they own their schooU-dnd mould their minds...
...Well, th'ey do noM" One vigorously rejected t the offer and the other as vigorously seized upon it for , a real united frdtit "from above" (between the parties) , in contrast to the "unity from below (between the masses), on which the Communists have been insisting...
...share in the M tries through and co-operstivi organi*«rJ«M * immediate practi tion...
Vol. 17 • June 1934 • No. 26
