The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 22, 1924, Page 10

The Shop By MARTIN ABERN. Why is the Workers Party trying to reorganize itself on the basis of shop nuclei? Many reasons and correct ones have been presented before to the membership, yet there are more and weighty rasons why the Workers Party must become a political party organized at the place of work, in the shops and factories. Shop nuclei organizations or the idea for shep nuclei did not fall from the skies. The idea and the neces sity for the change in the party~ have arisen because of historical and prac- tical necessity. Very briefly we can point out that previous to the world war, the socialist movement thruout the world had been gaining strength rapidly in a comparatively easy man- ner, thru propaganda, agitation meet- ings, press. Especially do we note this development im the party of soc lalkdemocracy in Germany. There, more than anywhere else, social-dem- ceracy was growing stronger in the reichstag and was presumably acquir- ing political power thru making use of the institutions of capitalism, and there developed most strongly the re- visionist theory in economy, on the state and other political matters. It beeame an accepted opinion with the leaders and very largely too, in the ranks of the socialdemocrats that socialism could be achieved thru the parliamentary or electoral machinery of capitalist “democracy.” Holding this view, it is natural that the revo lutionary vitality, that the struggle on other than the parliamentary field was eliminated. The theory of soc- ialism gained easily and brought for- ward organizationally a vast electora! machinery of social-democracy com- peting supposedly, with the capitalist class. Shop Nuclei a Historical and Practical Necessity. Then the world war came and de- stroyed, in the vast millions of the masses, at least, if not in the leaders the illusion that political power could be gained by the workers thru the machinery of the capitalist parlia- ment and institutions. In fact, a story which is now old, but which yet needs te be told many times, the socialist parties thruout the world became the ” third parties of capitalism. The soc ialist parties, instead of being parties of revolution, have become the parties of counter-revolution, last staves of the barrel of capitalism. The Communist movement coming into being during the course of the world catastrophe and the breaking up of the Second International brot forward its own definite ideology prin cipally and tactically. The ideas of Communists and socialists are as far apart as the poles. Briefly, the Com- munists have demonstrated that the primary struggle for power by the workers Hes outside of parliament and congress, which can only be used as mediums for propaganda for the revo- lution. The real struggle lies in par- ticipation in the daily battles of the workers, strikes, etc., in the fighting to revolutionize the trade unions and to organize shop committees. Fur- ther, there is the recognition that the struggle for power finally reaches the EDUCATE YOURSELF FOR THE STRUGGLE THE WORKERS PARTY OPEN FORUM p of'an open struggle between the workers, organized under the leader- ship of the Communist Party and the capitalist class. Political Situation Demands Shop Nuclei. We are living under greatly changed political and economic conditions in the United States too, which is now full-blown as an imperialistic nation. The world is existing in a period of shrieking militarism, battling imper- ialism, struggle, conquest, starvation, war and so on. Soviet Russia ex- cepted. Socialist organizational forms, elee toral machineries with their lifeless. devitalized thought and action - can- not meet the needs of revolution. More virile and dynamic forms of struggle are required. Oddly enough, despite the contrasting aims of the socialist parties and the Communist parties most of the Communist and socialist parties still have the same organiza tional areas. In other words, an or- ganization fitted for carying on ordin- ary election campaigns, etc., and those poorly, but not fitted for swift, mili tant revolutionary struggle and action either in the daily struggle of the workers or for the revolutionary goal By ALFRED V. FRANKENSTEIN Alfred- Wallenstein, first violincell- ist of the Chicago symphony orches- tra, was soloist with it at the reg- ular concerts of last Friday and Saturday, at Orchestra Hall. Walten- stein eclipsed all his previous per- formances. There was an unusually enthusiastic response, and the soloist well deserved it. He played tke Schumann concerto and the variations on a rococo theme by Chaykovski. The first of these is undoubtedly inter- esting to the ‘cellist in the privacy of his studio as he works out its in- Res. 1632 $. Trumbull Ave. Phone Rockwell 5050 MORDECAI SHULMAN ATTORNEY-AT-LAW 701 Association Building _ 19 S. La Salle Street CHICAGO Dearborn 8657 Central 4945-4947 Dust Proof Slip Covers to protect Your Furniture Call or Phone. Ilinois Slip Cover Co. Warwick wide. 50 551 by St., Chicago Telephone Atlantic 0601 Estimates cheerfully given everywhere PITTSBURGH, PA. RKASNI DENTIST Rendering a bn a Service 65 8 ounamics an > 7th A’ $21 CENTER AVI. Cor arte ur Bt In America, the Workers (Commun. ist) Party, yet retains the territorial form of organization, but has decided to begin changing (already has begun) to the shop nuclei basis. To form or organize the Workers Party on the job is to solve the organizational contra- diction. By organizing our party units in the shops, factories, mills—shop nuclei— we get permanent contact with ¢ mass, We carry on the struggle along with them in the shops fn the imme- diate issues, whatever they may be, and also on the larger political prob- lems facing them. The I. W. W. once served in a way as an example of job organization for revolutionary pur- pose. Of cdurse, the I. W. W. has re- fused to face the most important fact of all, that the struggle is a political one and the aim must be, first of all for the conquest of political power by the working class, before control of industry can be established. Historically, therefore, our present organization is antiquated, a relic of socialdemocracy and must pass inte the limbo of the dead. We are meet- militantly, our political problems. But Nuclei--A Need Now| spond to the political necessity of the situation in this period, and that de- mands that the political, the organiz- ation unit, of our party must be in the shops. Experience, everywhere that the shop nuclei have come into being. Proves the soundness of the shop form of organization. i It is not only that the Communist In- | ternational has declared that we must organize a party of shop nuclei, and | that is a very good reason indeed, but : the important thing is that it is meces- ' sary for the very life of the Workers | Party, if it is to go forward with revo- } Iutionary political activity. Even as the Comintern has solved correctly the other political, tactical and other organizational problems before the Communist Parties, the Communist In- ternational arrived at the shop nuclei form of organization thru experience and need. The Communist International has given us the lead once again. We will do well indeed, to follow that lead and organize the Workers Party on a Bol- shevik, Leninist basis. A party or- we must create and build our organiz-|eanized at the place gf work. Forward ational forms so that they will corre-'to shop nuclei! igen oni gem, g a: ipl pala Sialal tricacies, but on the concert platform and from the point of view of the lis- tener it is not very intriguing. There are some good bits in the second movement, but the rest is technical hot air. It was the Chaykovski theme and variations that made the hit. The theme itself is not at all characteris- tic of the composer. It is almost Mozartiam and simple, and the varia- tiens are not the distortions one so frequently finds. This music com- bined with Mr. Wallenstein’s tasteful and refined interpretation made a most delightful combination. Mr. Stock opened the program with the symphony of Ernest Chausson. Chausson was a pupil of Cesar Franck and his symphony is much like Franck’s, which means that it is mel- ody full of pathos and suffering that touches one to the depths, It is a pity this man could not have lived and his genius ripen. But a recalcit- rant bicycle and a stone wall decided differently, and all we have is a few poignant and moving compositions to remember him by. Richard Strauss’ rondo “Till Eulen- spiegel” and a festival march written by Alexander Glazunoff for the Chi cago world’s fair of 1893 rounded oui the program. This march is practical ly unknown, and it is a surprising fine bit of music, considering that i is based on an American tume anc was written by a man who has neve. Amalgamated LNDERAT URE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS 81 East 10th Street, New York, N. Y. THIS IS OUR a 0 WORE BRAMAN: gs come to America. It does sound a little bit American. Glazunoff’s theme is derived from the tune “John Brown’s Body,” and the unaltered tune is also used.. Which sets one to thinking. “John Brown’s Body” is as near to an American folk song as any. There are a lot more like it, such as “Frankie and Johnnie,” “Blow the Man Down,” the cowboy : songs collected by George Lomax, and all the rest of the songs that Carl Sandburg and his guitar sing be- fore literary societies. If Alexander Glazunoff, living in Leningrad, can write a march on an American folk song, why not some ac- tivity om our part to use what folk music we have. je GET AN “AD” FOR THE DAILY WORKER RUBBER STAMPS AND SEALS IN ENGLISH AND IN AL FOREIGN LANGUAGES INK. PADS, DATERS, RUBBER TYPE,Erc. NOBLER STAMP & SEAL CO. 524 Se. Dearborn Street Phone Wabash 6680 CHICAGO MAIL ORDERS PROMPTLY Food Workers EL LRT OLE IE LLANE AIDED LED ALOE LLL LLG IIOP! (Lecture, Questions and Discussion) Every Sunday Night at 8 o’clock, Season 1924-25 SUNDAY, NOV. 23—HARRISON GEORGE Jouthalist, lecturer and representative of the Red International of Labor Unions, will speak on “The |. W. 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