The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 7, 1925, Page 13

@ The New York Workers’ School @ By REBECCA GRECHT. EH WORKERS SCHOOL marks the first serious attempt of the Workers Party’ to set up ‘a perma- nent educational institution in the New York district. Organized orig- inally as a private undertaking by a group of comrades not directly re- sponsible for the work to the party, the school became an instrument for Communist training and the spread- ing of Communist ideology when, about a year ago, it was brot under the direct control and supervision first of the district executive com- mittee and later of the national exe- cutive committee of the Workers Party. The school is a Communist educa- tional institution. It purposes to give workers that knowledge of labor his- tory, of the principles and tactics of Communism, which is indespensible for militant action in the struggle against capitalism. HE importance of this work can- not: be exaggerated. © Practical activity of our comrades in the strug- gles of labor, ‘the crystallization and organization of the left wing, both in- dustrially and ‘politically, requires a knowledge of facts, an understanding of revolutionary theory and tactics. The Fifth Congress of the Communist International issued a thesis on agi- tation and propaganda which -calls upon all Communist parties to intesi- fy their educational efforts so as to make their organizations real parties of Lenin, and extend Communist in- fluence amongst the masses. In the spirit of this call, the Workers School aims to spread the teachings of Marx and Lenin so as to develop a Bolshe- vist ideology, and strives to train comrades to take active leadership ‘both in the various units of the party and in the shops and trade unions. TH this in view, a program of activity was formulated for the district in the spring of last year pro- viding for the training of our party membership and the extension of edu- cational work to the trade union ele- ments. In accordance with this plan, the school opened last summer with a@ party training course covering a The left wing, however, has not merely a program for immediate struggles in the industries. It has a vision of the entire labor movement, a definite goal—the workers’ republic. Effective leadership therefore de- mands a knowledge of labor history and revolutionary theory and tactics. The trade union couise given at the Workers School consists of three study classes in Communism, Ameri- can trade union history, and public speaking. The classes are open to all workers. Already considerable inter- est has been aroused in the courses, and the classes are being attended by militants active in different indus- tries. General Courses. N addition to these study classes, the school is offering two lecture courses, one on the Russian Revolu- tion, conducted by Moissaye J. Olgin, another on Current Events, given by Ludwig Lore. These give workers who have no time for study an op- portunity to hear the Communist point of view explained and analyzed by leading Communists. ~ Finally, a general course in Public Speaking and classes in Elementary and Advanced English complete the list of activities at the central school. Workers’ Educational Centers. OST of the educational activities of the school, as has been stated, are carried on at the central head- quarters. In order to reach wider masses of workers, however, workers’ educational centers have been estab- lished in the Bronx, Harlem and Brownsville districts under the super- vision of the Workers School and the section committees of the party. These offer classes in the Elements of Communism, and English and also conduct open forums, The educational centers are but the beginnings of what we hope to de- velop into branches of the Workers School. More classes will be organ- ized as the work continues and in- terest grows. Classes in Elements of Communism. NE of the main purposes of the Workers School is to make our party more truly a Bolshevik party by period of ten weeks and consisting |5PTeading the teachings of Marx and of several classes in history and Communist theory. The course met with considerable success and prepar- ed the ground for the succeeding work of the school. d The school began its winter season on Dec, 1. The main part of its ac- tivities were concentrated at the cen- tral school headquarters now at 108 East 14th street, where party and trade union training courses, in addi- tion to general lecture courses, were offered. Classes and forums were also started in verious parts of the city and in various towns of the dis- trict. «. o> Party Training Courses. -}| HE party training course was plan- ‘ned to afford members of. the Workers Party the long-desired op- portunity of studying the principles and tactics of the Communist move ment. It consists of fotif classes in Communist theory and tactics, Marx- ism, and American Economic History. These are not lecture courses, but si classes, each of which is open to all party members who wish to} learn and are ready to devote some time to serious study. The course as a whole takes up the fundamental aspects of Marxism and Leninism, and also the basic factors in American economic and social de- velopment. It embodies our efforts to give party members that under- standing of our movement which is of prime necessity for effective serv- ice in the party, from the lowest to the highest units, Trade, Union Training Course. ‘HIS course was designed primarily for workers active in the trade unions. The growth of the left wing movement in the different industries] . has made it imperative that we de- velop a body of militants capable of |’ ‘ directing this movement. Practical activity in the shops and trade’ un- ions is all fundamentally necessary. feet ee ee meets every Trusday, 8 P. M. Marxism; instructor, Jacob Mindel. Inrtenational Communist Movement; instructor, William Weinstone. Class meets every Tuesday, 8 P. M. American Economic and Social History; instructor, Alexander Trach- tenberg. Class meets every Monday, 8 P. M ; TRADE UNION TRAINING COURSE History of American Trade Unionism; Instructor, Solon DeLeon. Class meets every Wednesday, 8 P. Fundamentals of Communism; meets every Friday, 8 P. M. day, 2 P. M. ; “> GENERAL alternate Tuesdays, 8 P. M. 8 P. M. Tuesday, 8 P. M. English. Elementary; Monday, 8 P. M. Monday, 8 P. M. Robins, 999 Freeman Street. WORKERS SCHOOL COURSES PARTY TRAINING COURSE Principles of Cummunism; instructor, William Weinstone. Class Public Speaking; instructor, Carl Brodsky. English, Advanced, instructor, Eli Lenin amongst our membership. To this end, classes in the Elements of Communism are being given in the workers’ educational centers as well as in other parts of the city. At present five, such classes are in prog: ress and a sixth one is being organ. ized for lower Manhattan, All party members who have joined during the last year, and who have had no instruction in Communist theory, are expected. to attend the classes. We hope that soon it will be possible to make such a course a requirement for admission into the party in this district. The clases are open to non-party members, The first term deals with the general theory of Communism, The second term will study the prin- ciples and tactics of the Communist International. Open Forums. ESE are Being conducted every Sunday evening, 8 p. m., at the workers’ educational centers, with prominent Communists as speakers; among them, Ludwig Lore, Joseph Manley, Oliver Carlson, William Wein- stone, Juliet Stuart Poyntz and oth- ers, The forum will continue thru May. : District Activities. HE activities of the Workers School are not confined to New York. The school is a district in- stitution of the party ,and has in charge all educational work in the territory of District 2, During the winter, classes in the Elements of Communism were started in Union Hill and Newark, New Jersey, and also in Yonkers, New York. These classes follow the same course of study as in the city, Open forums are also being held in Union Hill and Passaic, New Jersey A class in Communism will be or- ganized in the coming term. Our Tasks. ‘HE above is a very brief account of the activities. of the Workers School since its organization as a Workers Party institution. In the short period of its existence, we have not, of course, been able to realize all our aims. But a definite beginning Class meets every Friday, 8 instructor, Oliver Carison. Class Public Speaking; instructor, Carl Brodsky. Class meets every ‘Satur- COURSES The Russian Revolution; Instructor, Moissaye J. Oigin. Class meets Current Events; instructor, Ludwig Lore. Class meet every Friday, Class meets every instructor, Simon Felshin. Class meets every B. Jacobson. Class meets every WORKERS EDUCATIONAL CENTERS rs BRONX CENTER—1347 Boston Road. Educational Director, Belle HARLEM CENTER—64 East 104th Street. Educational Director, Sonya Ginsburg, 935 East 179 Street, BROWNSVILLE CENTER — 1701 Pitkin Ave., “Mark Rosenberg, 669 Ralph Ave., Brooklyn. Bklyn. Director, Courses in the Elements of Communism, Principles and Tactics of the Communist International, and English are given at these centers. You ean obtain information from the directors, the sec’y of the Workers School, or thru party branches. | Other classes in the’ Elements of Communism are given as follows: West Side Headquarters, 8345 W. 39th Street;. instructor, Joseph Brahdy. Class meets every Wednesday, 8°P. M. ‘day. 7 Lower Manhattan, 106 East 14th street. Class will meet every Thurs- has been made in systematic, educa tional work. We have succeeded in rousing &@ more serious interest in education within our ranks. We have begun to develop an appreciation of the importance of training in revolu- tionary history and theory for our po- litical and industrial work. UR tasks, however, are just com- mencing. Much pioneer work has yet to be done. The Workers School can be built up only thru the combined efforts of the party mem- bership and sympathizers. We are now completing the first term. The spring term starts March 16. Our im- mediate task is, to increase the reg- istration for all the classes, to urge comrades to enroll in the party and trade union-training courses, to give the school publicity among all the workers we meet, and wherever we congregate, Tho most of the courses started in December and January, they have been so arranged that they can be taken very profitably in the second terms as well, The foundation has been laid. Now we must bufld. Every member and sympathizer giving his co-operation, we will establish a Communist school which will become the center for rev- olutionary working class education in this city. Comrades should enroll at once. For information and registration inquire | any day or evening at office of Work- | ers School, Room 34, 108 Hast 14th street. Telephone Stuyvesant 8100. WOMEN INTHECLASS STRUGGLE (Continued from page 3) the Communist Party of Russia, stands out as the shining light to the women of the entire world. International Women’s Day was started by American women socialists in 1909 and adopted on an internation- al scale by the Socialist Women’s Con- gress at Copenhagen, in 1910. In the year 1911, on March 8, in Vienna, 30,- 000 women celebrated, demanding pol- , itical rights ‘and the protection of their labor. In 1914, when the shadow of the great war lay across the path, great demonstrations were held on March 8. In 1917, of all European countries, the Russian women alone dared to celebrate Marcn 8, demand- ing bread and peace. It is now offi- cially designated by the Communist International as Women’s way. The women of Russia have thrown off their yoke. We too, must know that only by united action of the en- tire working class — both men and women—can the burden of capitalist exploitation be lifted from our should- ers and then only dare we hope to live a nobler life. : ‘ On this International Communist Women’s Day let us join in with the women of other countries in one great cry: “The exploitation of the peoples of the world shall be ended! Let us arise and unite in our strength, work- ing men and women of all countries in the Communist International and replace the capitalist state by the workers’ government!” GREED—AN AMERICAN FILM (Continued from page 6.) your money and live and die in hell” proves “Greed.” No worthy human sentiment can withstand the corros- ive qualities of the gold won on a raf- fle ticket. Love, industry, friendship, honor, all are tarnished in the course of the very thought processes that are basic to capitalist success. From every angle the film is per- fect. No hint of the star system mars it, the director chose his cast deliberately from among artists who had distinguished themselves chiefly in pie-throwing and slap-stick com- edy. Yet here they give us flawless high tragedy. The camera work is marvelous in its daring, new tricks of perspective and focus are employed without end. For a good story, perfect direction, flawless acting, and technical preemi- nence, “Greed” will live as long as films are shown. .