The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 14, 1925, Page 4

‘age Four (Continued from last issue) Lenin criticized severely those com- rades (including me) who had not ob- served that the revolution had already passed from one phase to another. He feared most that progress would be hindered by the party’s falling into the rut of Trotsky’s abstract theory, and again he accuses it of wanting to spring over the peasants’ movement before this was in our hands. There was no need for Lenin to change his equipment. The old Lenin- ist theory, the old Leninist, Bolshe- vist conception of the character of the Russian revolution, and of the rela- tions between proletariat and peas- antry, were seen by Lenin to have proved fully correct. And now we had to advance further on the same lines. But the greatest care must be taken, in the advance, not to fall into Trot- sky’s mistaken footsteps. Twelve years before 1917 Lenin had prophe- sied that, after the revolutionary dem- ocratic dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry had been realized, we should have to advance to the dicta- torship of the proletariat, and must ereate conditions under which the peasantry co-operate with the prole- tariat, without simply ignoring the peasantry as Trotsky proposes. Bol- shevism does not need to borrow weapons from the arsenal of Trotsky- ism. At the same time, there were some Bolsheviki who did not advance so rapidly from stage to stage required by the tremendous acceleration of the revolution caused by the enormous pressure of the war. But this does. not in the least signify that Bolshevism was on the wrong track, that it lead into a bog instead of to victory or that it had to be altered during the revolution. And this is just what Trotsky is trying to prove. Trotsky has never grasped the es- sentials of the Leninist theory on the relations between the working class and the peasantry in the Russian revo- lution. Even after October he did not grasp it, and he did not grasp it when our party successfully manoeuvred for the realization of the dictatorship of the proletariat without separation from the peasantry. His own theory, which in his opinion has proved en- tirely right, has prevented him from grasping the Bolshevist position. If Trotsky’s theory had proved correct, this would signify that the Spviet power would long since have ceased to exist. This theory of “permanent revolution,” which does not trouble about the peasantry or provide any solution for the question of the al- liance between the proletariat and the peasantry, renders the labor govern- ment in Russia absolutely dependent upon the immediate proletarian revo- lution in the West. According to the theory the proletariat, after having taken over power, is plunged into the most hopeless contradictions. Its power is limited by objective social difficulties : “Their solution is prevented by the | economic backwardness of the coun- try. Within the confines of a national olution there is no means of es cape from this contradiction.” (Trot- sky, “1905,” Russian edition, p. 286.) Under such conditions a delay or postponement of the proletarian world revolution would have inevitably caus- ed the immediate collapse of the work- ers’ dictatorship in Russia. Thus the adherents of the “permanent revolu- tion” are bound to pass through stages of despair and profoundest pessimism to attempts at overcoming the econ- omic backwardness of the country by torce, with the aid of military com- mands. Real Bolshevist pol as pursued by Lenin from Februa to October, has nothing in common with either this policy or this psychology How did matters really stand in October and immediately afterwards? Seen from the standpoint of Marxism, from the standpoint of the analysis of the class forces of the revolution, was not the acceptance of the social revo- lutionary decree on landed property, the suplementation of the Sovet gov- ernment by the left S. R., the designa- tion of the government created by the October revolution as “Workers’ and Peasants’ government,” all proposals of Lenin, was all this not a growing development of the dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry into a sy tem whose actual essence was already the dictatorship of the proletariat? It is possible to omit some of these facts of the October revolution; but thén we do not arrive at any scien- tifle analysis of Lenin’s policy. And what about the transition from the war communism to the new economic policy, from the committees for the ‘impoverished peasantry to Lenin's speech on the “medium farmers’? How can this be brought into harmony with that theory of permanent revo- lution which has proved so “perfectly correct?” In 1916 Lenin wrote that life was al- ready a decade ahead of Trotsky’s magnificant theory. Now we can add another eight years. Does the circum- stance that life has passed Trotsky's theory by for eighteen years justify Trotsky in claiming to be able to cor- rect Leninism by Trotskyism? Since life has passed Trotsky’s theory by, Trotsky attempts in his books to not only corfect Leninism, + but life as well, and to prove by every art of which he is master that life fol- lows Trotsky after all. It is incumbent on the party to show precisely the contrary, and to prove to not only Trotsky but every new member the necessity of “Bolsheviz- mg Trotsky.” How far has the party Succeeded in this? IIL. Trotsky in the Party. Our Errors, October According to Trotsky We must differentiate between two aspects of Trotsky’s activity, The one aspect in Comrade Trotsky as he car- | 64-PAGE PAMPHLET ON LENINISM OR TROTSKYISM NOW IN PREPARATION This Installment is part of a pam- phlet“Leninism or Trotzkylsm” now in preparation. It includes articles by three outstanding figures in the Russian Communist Party: G. Zinoviev, I. Stalin and C., Kamen- ev, to form a most timely and im- portant contribution to a discussion of world interest. The pamphiet will be of 64 ‘pages, selling at 20 cents and will be ready at the con- clusion of this serial publication. ed out the instructions of the party strictly and accurately, leaning with the other members ‘of the party on the totality of common political exper- ience in the party and on the whole party mass organization, and carrying but this or that task or command of the party. At this time Comrade Trot- sks deeds were splendid, and added many brilliant pages to his own his- tory and that of the party. But since Comrade Trotsky has come forward as individualist, believing that he and not the party is in the right in the fun- damental questions of revolution, and that Leninism must be improved by Trotskyism, we are obliged to see that other aspect of Comrade Trotsky which shows him to be no Bolshevik. Four Attempts Made by Comrade Trotsky at Improving the Party The party remembers four occasions upon which Comrade Trotsky has tried to instruct the party, and to force upon it his own Trotskyist de- viations. The first occasion was a few months after Comrade Trotsky en- tered the party. It was at the time of Brest Litovsk. The party is ade- quately and accurately informed as to Comrade Trotsky’s attitude at that time. He underestimated the role played by the peasantry, and covered this over by revolutionary phrase- ology. This was theroad to the defeat of the proletariat and the revolution. If we recollect the evidence brought jat this time against Comrade Trotsky | by Comrade Lenin, we see that Com- |rade Lenin brought no other evidence than the substantiation with which he had rejected Comrade Trotsky’s gen- eral-attitude during the course of the preceding decade. | Comrade Lenin reproached him with | two political sins: Lack.of comprehen- | sion for the relations between prole- tariat_ and peasantry, and liability to be carried away by apparently left, apparently revolutionary phrases. These two errors, typical of Comrade Trotsky whilst outside of our party, were repeated by him within it. Then came the civil war, the epoch of war communism. Comrade Trotsky executed the task alloted to him. His participation in the direction of the igeneral policy of the party was less han before. But now the revolution ‘eached a fresh turning point. The elations between the classes shifted. rhe party anticipated, in the form of a liscussion on trade unions, the ques- ion submitted a few weeks later at Kronstadt; the question of the tran- sition from war communism to the new economic policy. What was Com- rade Lenin seeking for at that time? He was seeking new forms for an al- liance between the proletariat and the peasantry, new forms for leading the working masses by means of gaining their convinced adherence rather than by force. To what did comrade Trot- sky look for salvation at that time? He advised us to tighten the screws of war communism. This was again and and again an underestimate of the antry, the liability to be carried by externals, by methods of “pressure” and “administration from above.” And Comrade Trotsky’s further at- tempts—even during Comrade Lenin’s lifetime—the question of the “plan” according to his peculiar conception, his “formula” on the “dictatorship of industry,” were not these again at- temps to force petty bourgeois elemen- tarity upon us from above with bonds of iron, did they not once more show that lack of comprehension of those concrete conditions under which it is alone possible to realize a dictator- ship in an agrarian country with un- dermined industries at a time when the international revolution is retar- ded? Beneath Comrade Trotsky’s effective formula we can here easily distin- guish the feelings inevitably involved by his original theory: On the one hand despair, pessimism, disbelief, and on the other hand exaggerated hopes in the methods of supreme ad- ministration (a term of Lenin's), in the competent subjection of economic difficulties from above. The last discussion is still fresh in our memories, It gave the party a graphic survey of the totality of Com- rade Trotsky’s errors, as dealt with above. But it also showed with spe- cial clearness another error, another feature of Trotskyism, and one far from being new. This is the attempt to undermine and weaken the main frame work of the dictatorship, the party. The same object was aimed at by the discrediting of the “cadres” of the party, by the resurrected menshev- ist conception of the party as a col- lection of “groups and currents,” and the essentially liquidatory undermin- ing of the authority of the leading in- stitutions (“they are leading the country to destruction.”) And has it not been under Comrade Trotsky’s banner that the idea of greater free- dom from party influence for extra- party organizations has flourished? Has not at all this, taken together, led to a weakening of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and has it not all been based upon an underestimation of the conditions under which we—in an agrarian country—have to realize vere Leninism or Trotskyism the dictatorship? Is it not a petty- bourgeois deviation? So long as the party is perfectly sound and everything goes well, Com- rade Trotsky quietly performs every task which falls to him; but as soon the party encounters any obstacle, as son as it has,to adjust its rudder, then Comrade Trotsky at once springs forward in the role of savior and teacher of the party, but invariably points out the wrong way, since he has not absorbed the principles of Bol- shevism. Our Errors Comrade Trotsky has another trump in his hand against Bolshevism. This trump consists of certain errors com- mitted by some few Bolsheviki (above all by me and Zinoviev, then those of Rykov and Nogin) in October, 1917. The errors of the Bolsheviki are natur- ally invariably exploited by our enemies. Comrade Trotsky did not resort to his trump so long as he hop- ed to induce the party to deviate’to the path of Trotskyism by means of the discussion of this or that practical question. But after four attempts— 7 ALBIA, IOWA, IS FORCED T0 KNEEL TO “KING COAL" Miners Seek an Escape from Economic Ills (Continued from page 1) neither city water, gas, sewers nor sidewalks, except before a few houses where prosperity had smiled for over a month at some time in the distant past. Many of the ;‘homes” seem to have been put together on the install- ment plan, others show resourceful- ness and ingenuity in making much out of little, i From the outsid® the miners’ shacks, in the large majority of cases? look like the town’’of “Lost Hope.” Inside, however, the women folks con- trive to bring comfort’ and cleanliness that seems unbelievable. In Hiteman they ‘have a pre-high school as well a8 a grade school. Brest, trade unions, discussion on the|There are six churéhes, at one time economic plan, and the last discussion|there were 13, and every fraternal —had shown that he cannot persuade | society in the land’ seems to have a the Bolsheviki Party to deviate from | lodge’ there. its path, after he had learned from the party at the XIII party conference that we, the Leninists, do not require our theory to be corrected by Trotsky- ism, then he brought forward this last trump. There’ are so many knights and ladies, Kings’ daughters, worshipful masters, noble grands and kleagles in that small village that no knight-errant of St. George could ever hope to keep track of them. Nothing He is of course not the first to do| Short of six emblems, including the this. ed often enough already by our ene- mies, but both errors and exploitation were simply buried beneath the thun- ders of the proletarian revolution. At the time neither the errors them- selves nor their being made use of by hostile quarters resulted in any practical consequences. It is only since then that these errors have been raked up again maliciously by those who had deserted communism: Levi, Frossard, Balabanova. Levi and Fros- sard are now being followed by Trot- sky. Vacillations were unallowable. Lenin armed himself against them with all the power and passion of a leader who sees that his co-workers are liable to carry confusion into their own ranks by vacillation at decisive moments. He exposed every vacillation relentlessly, and in critical and decisive moments he did not shrink from the severest words or propositions. And he was right, right to the end, without reser- vation. But when the moment for calm dis- cussion arrived, the moment for the avoidance of the repetition of similar errors in other Communist Parties, then Lenin characterized these errors very accurately. When Serrati at- tempted to cloak his withdrawal from communism by these errors of Zinov- iev.and Kamenev, Comrade ‘Lenin wrote: “Before the October revolution in Russia, and immediately after it, a number of excellent communists com- mitted errors which we do not like to remember now. Why do we not like to remember them? Because it is wrong to call to mind errors which have been made perfectly good, unless theré™is more special reason for do- ing so.” Special attention must be accorded to the manner m which Lenin formul- ated our errors: “In the period of which I speak they vacillated, fearing that the Bolsheviki were isolating themselves, were rushing too reck- lessly into a rising, were too unwill- ing to meet the advances of a certain section of the ‘mensheviki’ and ‘so- cial revolutionists.’ The conflict went so far that the comrades named re- signed demonstratively from all re- sponsible positions both in the party and in the Soviet work, to the great joy of the enemies of the Soviet revo- lution. The affair culminated in a very severe criticism in the press, on the part of the C. C. of our party, agamist the resigning comrades. And after a few weeks, at latest after a few months, all these comrades re- cognized their error and returned to their responsible party and Soviet positions.” These errors have been exploit-|™asonic or columbus | knights will ever get you anywhere in Hiteman and that often Méans a job. Miners’ Union a Shadow Now. The terrible struggles that the mine workers have gone thru in the past to build up and preserve their union, which in the camps was the sociaj and educational .center of activity, filling their lives with dignity, resolu- tion, fraternity and culture develop- ment. Now the union has become a sort of necessary burden upon them, empty when they would fill their lives with pleasant association; dry when they would drink from the fountain of music and mirth. Their union that was so much to them has now become a shadow. The church cannot fill the void in their lives and so they join not one but many fraternal societies that are supposed to be somewltat ex» clusive. These give him dignity, so- ciability, fraternity, music and mirth. The women become “king’s daugh- ters” or join some other order with a “high” sounding name, but they still tend to the comforts of the “king” and the chief attraction at all gath- erings, as in the times when the un- ion was the social center; when John was simply John and not king kleagle. When struggle “tomes the union once more takes on substance and is the center of activity in the camps. Titles are laid on the shelf and John is once more brother and comrade in the fight for all. Discouraged—Not Yet Rebellious. The long drawn out struggle against oppression, unemployment and pov- erty has dampened the splendid fight- ing spirit of the coal diggers. Danger and hardship continues without res- pite. Part time keeps him in poverty and unemployment, like death, stalks him at all times. “There are “too many mines and two hundred thous- and surplus miners” it has been said, therefore, the coal digger is without hope and so the union becomes a shadow, the six-hour day a dream and the miners, together with every mem- ber of the working class in America is weakened and discouraged. One mine employed 300 miners dur- ing the war, now but 20 are employed. All thru this territory are deserted homes and some camps with 50 or 100 houses have been abandoned. Coal is being shipped into this ter- ritory from other flelds. The railroad - Is, this description of Lenin in any | “brotherhoods” at Ft. Dodge have a way similar to the malicious attempt] large coal depot, their members are made by Trotsky—ridiculous in active salesmen for coal from their malice—to twist this “right” wing into | non-union fields in West Virginia. an actually “menshevist” wing in the Bolshevist Party? But this appears to be Comrade Trotsky’s fate: In order More coal sold, more dividends on their investment if the Brotherhood 0 attain his objects he is invariably Bank. Mephostophelian brothers who obliged to “overcome” Lenin, Lenin- |!" dollars and cents ism, and the Leninists. (To be continued.) SALZMAN TOUR IN DIST, 5 Feb. 11 to 18—Cannonsburg, Hous- ton, Midland, Meadowlands. Feb. 21—Pittsburgh, general mem- bership meeting. Feb, 25-26—Wheeling, W. Va. Feb, 27—Bellaire, Ohio. Feb. 28—Powhatan Point, Ohio. March 1—Neffs, Ohio, March 2—Yorkville, Ohio. March 3—Martin’s Ferry, Ohio. March 4-5—Dillonvale. March 8—Pittsburgh, ganizational conference. District or- condemn the soul of the miner#®to the damned. Bolsheviks’ Message of Hope. A series of meetfigs have been ar- ranged by the Workers Party in this territory starting with Albia on Wed- nesday, Feb. 25, at. the Woodman Hall; Centerville on Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Labor Hall, over Brody's Store or north side of square, and meetings at Mystig, Cincinnnati and Brazil yet to be ged. Speakers will David Coutts, ac- tive member of ha Stone Cutters’ Union, and J. EB. Snyder, district or ganizer of the Workers Party, Admis- sion will be free the subject of va speakers will unemployment, hild labor, “Open Shop Drive,” and a Workers’ and Farmers’ Govern- ment. HAVE A HEART! Come to The JUNIORS’ DANCE Chicago, Please Help NOW! FEB, 14, 1925 Patronize our advertisers, Fifty, thousand letters to be mailed out from 19 South Lincoln St. (phone Seeley 3563) for the labor Defense Council. ‘ Help us fight the reaction in Michigan! . . Volunteer! Contribute your services, at least. : CONCERT AND DANCE BIG PARTY EVENT IN DETROIT ON FEB. 22 DETROIT, Mich, Feb. 12.—On Sunday, Feb. 22, the Workers Party of Detroit, will stage the big event of the season, in the form of a con- cert and dance, which will be held in the auditorium of the House of the Masses, 2646 St. Aubin. Delegates from the party branch- es on the arrangements committee report considerable enthusiasm for this event in their units, and every- thing indicates that the Feb. 22 af- fair will go over big. The program includes vocal and instrumental numbers of execption- al merit, and the Russian dancers promise to score another triumph. The concert will last till 9 o'clock, after-which the floor will be cleared for dancing. \ Admission is 50 cents. Trachtenberg Is Next Harlem Forum Speaker NEW YORK, Feb.-12.— Alexander Trachtenberg will be the speaker Sun- day evening, Feb. 15, at the next ses- sion of the Sunday evening Harlem open forum conducted by the Harlem section of the Workers Party, local New York, at. the Harlem headquar- ters 64 East 104th St. The subject is “American Imperialism.” So far the forum has been a suc- cess, with highly interesting discus- sions on various important subjects and with Benjamin Gitlow, Juliet Poyntz and William Weinstone as speakers. a The remaining program as announc- ed will be Sunday evening, Feb. 22, Joseph Manley on a subject to be an- nounced; Sunday, March 1, Literature and Art, and the Revolution, a Sympo- sium—led by Simon Felshin, Louis Lo- zowick and a third speaker. Branch Educational Directors in New York Hold Meeting Monday Monday, Feb. 16, at 8 p. m., at 208 E. 12th §t., New York, there will be a meeting of Branch Educational Di- rectors. A special order of business will be reports by Branch Education al Directors. Comrades are requested to be at this meeting. Rebecca Grecht, Sec’y, Workers’ School. * Patronize our advertisers. Lerner Lectures in Milwaukee Tonight On Trade Unions MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 12.—Max Lerner, district educational director, will lecture on “The History of the Trade Union Movement,” tomorrow night at Miller Hall, 8th and State St. Every comrade is vitally concerned about the American trade union move- ment. So don’t miss this meeting! Red Revel Masquerade Ball, 37 South Ashland Avenue Corner of Monroe and Ashland Blvd. February 28. CLEAR TRACK FOR MARCH 15! VERY daily and weekly paper connected with fhe Workers Party and every federation and branch of the party and the Young Workers League will co-operate in one tremendous effort for the benefit of the Communist press in Madison Square on Sunday, March 15. In order to assure that this affair will have a clear track, the New York district executive committee at its meeting on Feb. 9, unanimously adopted the following resolution: “Whereas, the cooperation of every party unit is essential to make @ Success of the Paris Commune pageant, concert and ball that is being arranged under the auspices of the Workers Party and the Young Work. ers League for the benefit of the Communist press, and that will take place in Madison Square Garden on Sunday, March 15, therefore be it “Besolved, by the district execuive committee of district 2: first, that all branches and party institutions shall refrain from arranging any con- flicting affairs; second, that party members shall sell no other tickete than the subscription tickets for the March 15 affair during the first two weeks of March; third, that competent comrades are called upon to volun- teer for the work for visiting all branches as quickly as possible to enlist their full strength in this work.” The DAILY WORKER calls upon all its readers to aid in. carrying out the purpose of this resolution so that the Madison Square Garden celebration of March 15 may be a tremendous demonstration of Com- munist strength. BABY REDS WILL PLAY HOST TO ELDERS SATURDAY They Only Charge Two Bits For the Honor This happy little Junior is appeal- ing to you from the very heart of the Chicago Junior Section. She’s danc- ing in anticipation of the good time she and all the other comrades are going to have on Saturday, Feb. 14, the evening when all Communists will pause in struggle and turn aside to revel with and help the Communist children’s section. All the Chicago comrades realize the importance of the children’s sec- tion of the Communist movement. The Juniors are the ones who are car- rying the. message of Communism to the children of the working class, who are working hard day after day in the school rooms of Chicago counteract- ing the vicious capitalist propaganda of the public schools. Their work is a real and vital and important one. They need your help, your active sup- port. Happy and Serious. They are busy now making plans for your -entertainment. and _ theirs. They promise to give you a good time at their party. Four hundred children are counting on your coming and tak- ing part in the “grown-up” dancing and gates that they have planned for you. Four hundred little hearts will be happy fie day after if you come. Four hundred little , Communists will start again in their battle for the working class with renewed hope and vigor if you show your interest in their struggle for our cause. Look again at the little social direc- tor of the Juniors of Chicago? Can you afford to disappoint them? By all means “No!” Show them your support! Feb. 14, 1925. W. Division St. ers’ Lyceum.) Build the DAILY WORKER! Come! Juniors’ Dance, 1902 (Changed from Work- ne | BRONX PARTY NOTES | Lecture Postponed. Due to the fact that Thursday, Feb, 12, is Lincoln’s birthday, the lectura of Dr. I. Stamler at the Bronx Dng- lish branch, Workers Party, on Mus sollini and the State, scheduled for that date, at the Bronx headquarters, 1347 Boston Road, will not take place, This lecture will be given at a later date. Classes. The class in A. B. C. of Communism will be continued on Tuesday nights, as_heretofore, Dr. I. Stamler, instruc tor; at 1347 Boston Road, 8 p. m, Classes in elementary English on Monday nights, at 523 East 178rd St, and in advanced English, Saturdays, between 2 and 4 at 523 E. 173rd St. Lectures. Lecture every Sunday at 8 p. m, at 1347 Boston Road, Sunday, Feb. 15. Joseph Manley will lecture on-the American labor movement. * Affair. Section affair Sat., Feb. 28, at 1847 Boston Road; plenty of good eats and good dancing; a good time is assured. Come en masse. r Stamford, Conn., Notes | STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 12.— An enthusiastic and spirited Lenin Mem- orial meeting was held here at the Workmen’s Circle Center. Altho weather conditions were such that traversing the streets was almost an impossibility, the number was ex- ceptionally good. Comrade Sadie Am- ter spoke in English and Comrade Holtmann; in Yiddish. All Roads Leading to the Harlem Dance NEW YORK, Feb. 12.— All roads lead to Harlem on Saturday evening, March 21, when the Harlem English branch of the Workers Party will give its spring festival and dance at the Harlem Casino, 116th street and Lenox avenue. March 21 is the first day of Spring, and therefore a good time for celebrating Saturday evening is a good time to stay out late as the nexi day is Sunday and no work, a Jol PRIZES wit oe G Saturday Night—Grand Finale GRAND COSTUME BALL International Workers’ Aid be F (VEN at the NT BAZAAR LYCEUM, 86th and 3rd Avenue All New York will be there. You too! You musn't miss 208 East 12th Street. New York City this event of the season! Saturday Afternoon, 2°P. M.—Junior Day Children's Orchestra — Young Dancers — Revolutionary Tableaux — Child Actors Labor Defense Council