Socialists Debate the Declaration
Socialists Debate the Declaration Hold Detroit Declaration Is Best for the Party 'AN ADMIRAILE DOCUMENT' By Harry Robinaon The Declaration of Principles ia a recognition of the tragic...
...Socialists Debate the Declaration Hold Detroit Declaration Is Best for the Party 'AN ADMIRAILE DOCUMENT' By Harry Robinaon The Declaration of Principles ia a recognition of the tragic experience suffered by our comrades across the seas and an acknowledgement of new forces unlcased by a decaying capitalist order...
...Harrassed by attacks of the Nation, New Republic etc...
...These are Socialist statements...
...In January, 1933, there m., turned over to them by the cur going treasurer $495 in cash ai* due stamps...
...S. J. Rappoport, New York City...
...I thi^k t) NRA statement the heat piece ( work of the convention...
...Those who still speak of "traditional socialism" set them.selves down as unwilling to profit by experience dearly won...
...Do we not owe it to ourselves and to the masses to put an end to the misery and sufferingf Oh...
...Even Norman Thomas admits that the Declaration should be read in the light of "the declaration of the German Socialists from Prague, of the Austrian Socialists through Bauer, of the New Beginning Group in Germany, etc...
...or are they taking the Socialist Party for a ride...
...Such a stand deprives t ^ party and its members of fmP speech and freedom of assenjy clauses of the Constitution ofV United States and of the ttIV under which we do what SociiW {work we now do...
...Further, the adoption of the Declaration would undoubtedly mean the loss of the few political offices which the party has so far been able to win...
...Let i carry on with loyalty to our hi| principles and to those who ha given their lives to them...
...It is astounding to hear that it is illegal...
...Boston, MasSi GREATLY DISAPPOINTED By M. E. Edson I went to the convention feeling that I was one of the militants...
...Not a militant or Communist nclined but an old Austrian S(xflil__^gemocrat who remembers the Linzer Program accepted by entire membership, including Old Guard...
...Supporters of the provisional committee have voiced considerable criticism of the State Committee for instructing Virginia's delegate to the National Convention "contrary to the frequently expressed views of the membership...
...I do npt saTM yrith th« dir« predictiona Declaraticn...
...Syracuae, N. Y. .m...
...Former State Secretaries Annabel R. Ricks and David G. George are serving as vice-chairman, as well as Mrs...
...In the meantime the Sociali Party must be preserved...
...Solomon did so move...
...a general strike of labor unions and professional groups," (farmers are for gome reason omitted) the entire background becomes clear...
...Hit Report Was Correct By Sidney Hertzberg In my report on the Detroit convention printed in Tht New Leader of June 9th, I wrote that Charles Solomon, at the outset of the debate on the Declaration of Principles, moved that the Declaration be debated and voted upon as a whole rather than section by section...
...Let i not get excited about the "Dedar tion of Principles...
...The Declaration takes for granted a wide knowledge of world conditions far beyond the range of the average American, at least 90 per cent of whopi do not yet understand what Socialism is...
...While the liberals the world over claimed the Weimar constitution as the greatpst democratic document ever penned by the hand of man, Socialists became restless for the collectivism vhich was to be...
...one is not bo foolhardy as to expect that we with our small numbers in the very near future will r^lly forth arraved in armor...
...Gene Debs went to prison for reiterating a- speech of the humanitarian Wilson...
...to condemn them as Communist, anarchist, illegal, and too revolutionary is to employ the redbaiting emotionalism of the yellow capitalist press...
...Yet McLevy was defeated for the NBC—by a college professor...
...Quite a reading assignment for the American people...
...Do you propose that we sc/- back patiently until our masters regain their seats again...
...If we are to ignore the lessons taught by the German Social Democrats, «nd the Austrian and Spalnish comrades in lesser degrees, then they have sacrificed their all in vain...
...Making a fetish of democracy (bogus parliamentarianism) they forgot that this was not the end in view but rather a means to a desired end...
...Legality is a child of circumstance and under a fascist dictatorship or in time of war our most innocuous^ pronouncements will be construed as illegal...
...The following week, Herman Kobbe will bring conclusions from two years' residence in Germany and Austria...
...as unwilling to ^er a course les.s likely to lead to shipwreck...
...It is rot dar-croq it is simply ridiculously childisl An expression of the braggadoc school boy spirit of the militan who have recently discovered tl Socialist Party and think that special revolution can be brougl about by bold words...
...It seems to me that we spent our tme flkthting hobgoblins and tilting at vHndmills...
...Is exploitation of the many by the few illegal T Is the labor injunction and muzzling the press illegal...
...or the prese status of the Communist Party...
...How can a revolutionary party, schooled in the class character of the capitalist state, refrain from thus pledging itself to the cause of the working class...
...I cannot see how a true Socialist can make a less definite stand regarding the two great menaces which threaten the working class—war and fascism...
...It has been much maligned and misrepresented...
...Why tear our hair over the fact that we, as a minority, well attempt to seize power in event of a collapse of our industrial order...
...Two years ago our intellectuals were all het up over "Americanizing" the Socialist Party...
...In March, 1934, the memberaW* based on stamps sent the Locm during the year previous was 61.1 In April its financial secreta^ said there were 31 tnembers in gM« standing when delegates to th® "w tional Convention were elccfed...
...Manhattan Beach, Calif...
...upon various Socialist parties our intellectuals have produced a document whose chief purpose seems to be a naive, even though noble, attempt to win over such journals and their readers to the Socialist Party...
...MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIYII By Fred Sander K > Regarding the drop in momlNW ship or activity charged agahKj the so-called old guard, you ml| S cite the situation regarding L« Syracuse as an example of militt rule...
...The Declaration says that we will fight war by means of massed resistance and that we will champion our comrades who come into conflict with the capitalist courts...
...I am less concerned with its legality than with its Socialism...
...the call for a general strike of organized labor being perhaps merely a concession to tradition...
...Further it serves I useful purpose...
...g. » At the Local's election of officB in December, 1932, the militu ; secured complete control of aUl fices and committees...
...Such a clause will make party illegal and mcmbersh therein a cause for prosecution ai conviction, especially in states 111 California which has criminal syi dicalist laws...
...A YOUNG SOCIALIST By Charles Orson Gorham As a young Socialist, a party member less than two years, I approve the Declaration of Principles...
...vote against the sentiments « pressed in it and there was no om portunity-satisfactorily to revise i Maybe we will be sufficiently »< bered up from our emotional ja two years hence to get down I practical measures...
...Have we not suffered enough...
...It seems to me a good one because it is Soc',-\list...
...By Januarl 1, 1934, they were compelled it move, owing two months rent, ing what furniture had not dWj appeared and (wing the LID-on a lecture coursr and f30 KM literature...
...The party of 'Gene Debs can say no less than this...
...Those who set to think it will make the party i tractive to the masses of the woi ing people have only to look at tl history of the IWW...
...The Madison String Trio gives weekly concerts Thursday evening of each week and the Tamiment Theatre Sroup a full play Wednesday . Friday evening a floor show andlkSaturday evening a brillihnt reVua with an outdoor concert every Sunday evening completes the program...
...Can it be that the refusal to debate this Declaration on its merits indicates that there is no Socialist case against it...
...Program might have given the government and capitalists ground to declare the party "seditious" but the party was not destroyed by adopting it...
...Angle M. Norris, frequently a candidate on the Socialist ticket...
...The Congressional P 1 a t f o r i seems to me a weak inanity bi the Agricultural Platform marks real advance toward the solution« a serious probl(|m...
...I was greatly disappointed to find that the militant groups were absorbed in making prententious plans for hypothetital future possible contingencies instead of practical militant plans and program for present activitiep...
...On the whole, it is an admirable document...
...It is the duty of the Sociali press to inform the members of tl meaning and sure consequences i the law when they vote on tl referendum...
...Those to whom the above may seem far-fetched should reexamine the document and decide just what percentage of the American people can understand wfcat the Declaration really means...
...Tamiment to Give Fine Lecture Courses •f - The Kand School lecture series at Camp Tamiment, Pa., will open Monday, July 9, with a course of five by Dr...
...The provisional committee claims that a big majority of Virginia Socialists are opposed to the new declarations...
...Recently, when the Socialists of Boston held a banquet in.honor of Mayor McLevy, the Central Labor Union (which, incidentally, has more members than there are union mm in the entire state of Montana) sent a delegation of unionists'as a mark of appreciation of McLevy's Work for organized labor...
...All comrades who are in general agreement in behalf of Social Democratic principles are invited...
...They iT headquarters and equipmenttMg paid for and a membership in good standing and others injk, rears...
...I voted to adopt the Declaratio because I could not conscientious...
...I shal vote for the Declaration because I am a Socialist and because I wish to see my party go forward under the banner of fearless, intelligent, revolutionary Socialism, not to stagnate in the mire of reformist indecision and perish silently under the lash of fascist terrorism...
...If afraid to show what we stand for, let's sail under the New Dealers or the party of the LaFollettes...
...A provisional committee has been organized, headed by Richard L. iohnson as Chairman...
...Vote down the D claration in its present form...
...even though we, as Socialists, be content that they read only one side of the case...
...U not • liDcere Soclal&t - Virginia Conference Against Declaration By David George RICHMOND, Va.—A State Conference for the "Preservation of Social-Democratic Principles and Unity" will be held in the Richmond Hotel here, Sunday, July 8th, starting at 10 A. M. The conference has been arranged by a group of opponents of the Detroit Declaration of Principles, to perfect an organization and give all like-minded comrades a chance to arrive at a common agreement...
...The stenographic report of the conven--tion is now available, and by reference to the minutes it can be seen that my report was correct...
...Richard Daly, Newark, N. J. Declaration is a proclamation of a dasB -conscious element and a masterpiece of proletarian intelligence...
...My profound impression of the convention it' like tqat of Gertrude Well Klein, one of disappointment and futility...
...If Declaration is a stumbling block to harmony we might drop it till the next convention...
...As educational director of a YPSL branch I can testify that the members realize that our present democrficy, bsd as it is, is far preferable to fascism, that the opportunity which it gives them for_ proppaganda and organization must not be disparaged...
...I am sure that Oomrade Oneal does not for a moment believe that we arc going to wage war again.st the little democracy that we have...
...The Declaration says that should capitalism collapse in chaos we shall rally the workers to our banner and assume power without benefit of parliament...
...State Secretary of Florida...
...Abraham Edel and May Mandelbaum Edel on the subject, "Glimpses at Strange Contemporary Customs," In the course of which they will discuss Sex, Marriage, Property, Religion and Strife...
...Today they have dropped thts noble purpose and l)ave written d document, ostensibly for the United States, but really an outline of the tactics that they think the German Socialists should have adopted two or more years ago...
...1^ FEARS SUPPRESSION [] By Agnes H. Downing I am opposed to that section wi the Declaration which states th j] the Socialist Party will suppo ,] persons who conie into conflict wi the law...
...To refuse to admit that opportunities to build socialism were put aside while liberalism was in.sti-tuted is to fly in the face of truth...
...The picture of our highly individualistic lawyers, doctors and college professors offering mass resistance is really too ridiculous to anybody except intellectuals swept off their feet by a sense of their own self- j importance...
...i Indeed from the general temper of the convention one can almost infer that this epoch-making strike of the professional groups was to be the chief factor in bringing about the final victory...
...The declaration as a whole should be approved...
...Note: The limited space does not )>ermit of an extended analysis ot our over-indulgence in democracy, opportunism and class collaboration to a ruinous extent...
...Dolour intellec-tualf know where they are going...
...When the Declaration talks of "massed war resistance...
...yet^ aside fronj restatements of prmciples with'which all Socialists will agree, it was obviously written by and for the intelligentsia rather than for the great mass of the American people...
...Surely, men who have situdied socialism are somewhat hasty and overstrung mentally when they pronounce the document as pseudo communistic...
...During 1933 th*j claimed a membership of over iO<?| I believe it was 120...
...Thus placing democracy on a pedestal surrounded by theoretical draoings of independence and distinctiveness, they were soon to find that siich attriibutes vanished in the hands of dictators...
...Edel has recently returned from a year among tribes in Central Africa...
...In ao far as the wording is concerned, our declaration might have been a bit clearer in several places...
...It \nU give'tftc forces of reaction the weapon l?, like for suppression...
...Claim iProponents Did II Service to the Cause THE INTELLIGENTSIA By A. Kalish The Declaration has been called < a left-wing document...
...A person who does not believe In mass resistance against war and that the transition from capttallim to Socialism can onlv be achieved by a workeri-controlled go?«rBiMnt...
...Several comrades have questioned the accuracy of that statement, asserting that Comrade Solomon merelV suggested that course without moving to that effect...
Vol. 17 • July 1934 • No. 27
