The Daily Worker Newspaper, October 13, 1925, Page 4

CHICAGO MEMBERSHIP MEETING— \.” RUTHENBERG’S SPEECH DISCUSSION / The Chitago membership meeting of the Workers (Communist) Party held Wednesday evening at Northwest Hall to discuss the reorganization and bolshevization of the party, after four hours of discussion, voted unanimous- ly for a resolution offered by Comrade Ruthenberg on behalf of the Central Executive Committee. The resolution pledges full support of a united mem- bership to the C. E..C. for the cam-| paign to reorganize the party on “the shop nucleus basis and for the Bolshe- vization of the party and the liqnida- tion of Loreism, and declares that the | latest decision’ pf the Communist In- | approach the masses of the workers, During this period and as a result of coming into the open we absorbed into our party a number of elements Which had not gone thru the earlier phase of storm and stress and devel- opment. Thru this fact has come a situation in which our party has met | a crisis. But it is another crisis in the process of Bolshevization. The crisis has come, said Comrade Ruth- enberg, on the question of the road |p follow in order | that our party must to become a mass Communist Party. Some comrades bemoan the fact that ternational on the question of, the groups within the party leadership | lays the basis fer the unification and | development of the party. | An amendment which raised the question of alleged removals and re-| placements, offered by Comrade Arne Swabeck as an addition to the C. E. C. Fesolution, and which Comrade Foster | Asked to be passed together with the | fesolution, was voted down by a vote | 5 to 1 after. which the C. E, C./ resolytion was passed unanimously. | Ruthenberg Speaks | Comrade C. E. Ruthenberg, general | secretary of the party, in reporting on | behalf of Central Executive Commit: | tee, stated that the whole question to | be considered could be summed up with a single word: “Bolshevization.” The process of Bolshevizing out party, he said, is a part of the life of ‘the party in the past. The Bolshe- ‘vizing of a Communist Party is not accomplished merely by a number of measures taken at a certain time, but is a long process which goes on »from the time of birth of the party. Jn Russia he had observed that altho our Russian comrades had been carry- ing on the work of Bolshevizing their party for twenty-five years, neverthe- | less they still found it important..to | Bolshevize their party. | Every step toward clarifying the} minds of the members and developing within the party a Communist leader- ship,—all of this is a part of the pro- cess of Bolshevization. | This process, said Comrade Ruthen-| berg, extends in our party thruout its! history during the past six years, and | particularly during the past year and a half or two years. Our purpose in| coming here is to prepare for greater steps. The goal for which the present leadership of the party will strive, is a tremendous acceleration of thé pro- cess at this time. Three Phases of Development. Qur party, which was six years old at the time of our recent convention, said Comrade Ruthenberg, has gone thru in that six-year period three phases of development. In 1919 there had™been organized a group of mem- bers of the socialist party who had been influenced by the event of the Russian revolution to break with the opportunist leaders. This group was organized on the basis of the differ- ences between the socialists and the Communists, between those who did and those who did not understand “that the aims could be attained only by revolutionary methods, thru armed insurrection and the overthrow of the capitalist state. But the Communist Party in 1919 did not understand how to connect its revolutionary ideas and propaganda with the eyeryday strug- gles of the masses. In other words, we were a sectarian propaganda soc- iety teaching the workers the necess- ity of armed insurrection in the final stage. This period was about two years, during the underground life of the party, and the underground exist- ence increased this tendency. The second phase can be said to be- gin with the organization of the Work- ers Party at the beginning of the year 1922. In this phase we not only became a Communist Party as distin- guished from a propaganda sect, but we were beginning the work of Bol- shevizing the party thru learning the way to eonnect out activities with the struggles of the masses, learning to apply Communist principles to the struggle; we found the way to we have had to endure this crisis for the past year and a half; but it was a part of the process of Bolsheviza- tion thru which it was necessary for | the party to go. There is no way thru which the party can come to correct | policies except thru a struggle against wrong policies. We have now turned away from the road that leads back toward sectarianism. ‘What was the struggle in the party conventon at the end of 1923, asked Comrade Ruthenberg. We had brot into the organization of the Workers Party large elements which had not gone thru the process of the earlier steps of Bolshevization. The Finnish Federation which had not gone thru this process became the largest por- tion of the party with 7,000 members, the greater part of whom had no understanding of Communist princi- ples and were carrying on their activities solely as a social organiza- tion. Great- numbers of these com- rades had absolutely no polifjcal con- ceptions, not even of a socialist party, let alone of a Communist Party. We had brot into the party the Jewish, German, Scandanavian, Czecho-Sloy- ak and Finnish federations from the socialist party, who had not been thru the process of the earlier period; and | naturally the conception of the role and duties of a Communist Party was not as clear for them as it was for those groups in the party which had gone thru the fire of the previous years of struggle toward forming a Bolshevist party. And so we found that there was a certain crystalliz- ation of these newer elements under the leadership of the group which came into power in the party conven- tion at the end of 1923. It is not often that one can show sufficiently clearly at the beginning one kind or another kind of grouping in a party; but that this was the situation the develép” ment of the past year and a half have shown. The errors of the party in the year 1924were not chance errors, but ‘ér-' rors that sprang out of the nature of the elements which formed the bdsi¥ of the majority of the convention of 1923. If we have a leadership based upon a right wing, that leadership will inevitably make concessions to the gfoup that it represents, and we will find a consolidation between the rank and file of that group and that leadership. That ig what happened in. 1924. Instead of continuing aur development instead of continuing the process of Bolshevization, we went on the back track, we began to deviate in the direction of sectarianism, to become once more a propaganda society rather than a Communist Party, to say nothing of a Bolshevized Commun- ist Party. This was shown in the er- ror on the labor party question, which was a sectarian error; and again on the question of women’s work, and still again in the rejecting of propos- als for the formation of other non- party organizations. We had been de- veloping a right-wing sectarianism rather than making the gains that should have been made toward becom- ing a Bolshevik party. Other evidences of the trend during that year, continued Comrade Ruth- enberg, were shown in the issue of Trotskyism and of Loreism, which showed that the leadership of the; party were taking an orientation to- ward the right* wing, toward that group which he had described as the HEAR! of the Official Body THE. AM NEW YORK FRIDAY, OCT. 16 PITTSBURGH - SATURDAY, OCT. 17 CLEVELAND SUNDAY, OCT. 18 Nii tabot J. LOUIS ENGDAHL Editor of the DAILY WORKER With «First Hand Reports on the Decisions Speak on “THE A. F. OF L. CONVENTION AND ERICAN COMMUNIST MOVEMENT” MANHATTAN LYCEUM, INSURANCE EXCHANGE, Hall, 11th and Walnut Street CC“ CC ‘PCSCstFN' ALL MEETINGS AT 8 P. M. SHARP! SI as ae of American Labor— 66 East 44th Street. LABOR LYCEUM, 805 James Street. CLEVELAND, ' TAKE NOTICE! The District Executive Committee of District 6 is organizing party fractions in all the unions in the district. It is proceedng first with Cleveland. The | following meetings are to be held. All |Party members . belonging, to the unions and all others working in the trades are under ipline obliged to | attend the meetings: I. L. G. W. U.—Monday, Oct. 12, 5:30 p.m A. C. W. A. and Journeymen Tai- lors—Monday, Oct, 12, 7 p. m. Food Workers—Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8 m. Printing Trades—Wednesday, Oct. | 14, 8 p.m. | Metal Trades—Thursday, Oct. 15, |8 p.m. | Miscellaneous | Oct, 15, 8 p. m. All the meetings will be held at \the district office, 5927 Euclid Ave. | On Satuday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m, a meeting of all comrades working in shops and factories will be held at the | South Slavic Hall, 5607 St. Clair Ave. All shop workers afe obliged to at- | tend this very important meeting. No excuse will be accepted. Fraternally yours, 1, AMTER, District Secretar: workers—Thursday, Jeast Communist in the party From this development, said Com- rade Ruthenberg, we were saved to a certain degree by the decisions of the ‘ommunist International. The pur- pose of the’ decision of the Comintern was to precipitate in our party a crisis which would lead to another stage of its Bolshevization. Those who have studied the decisions of the C. I. will observe that the C. I. saw in the relationships of the groups of the party the fact that the Foster group had been in alHance with the right wing. The C. I. wanted to cut apart that alliance, not only in rela- tion to Lore but to the right wing in our party. The C. L, in addition to declaring that Lore’s connection with the party must come to a conclusion, saw that it was impossible to toler- ate any further alliance based upon the right wing. The C. I. had desired to unite with- in the party all Communist elements, declared Comrade Ruthenberg, and that was the political purpose of the decisions that were made prior to the convention. The crisis in the conven- tion was the enlarged result of the failure to carry out the decisions of the Comintern by the group which had the majority of the C. E. ©. In what did that failure ‘consist, asked Ruthenberg. At the time of the return of the delegations from Mos- cow, instead of uniting against Lore and the right wing, instead of attacks against Lore and efforts to free the vank and file from the influence of the right wing, we found attacks direct- ed against the minority group. We found the “needle trades” statement, and the statement attempting to con- nect the minority group with Juliet Poyntz, and a statement on the “nine points.” Instead of the political ques- tions which should have been the major issue discussed, we found a thousand petty questions and scandals raised inorder toevade the important matters which really faced the party. This situation culminated in the con- vention which showed the same char- acter as the convention of 1923—that is, the same leadership based upon the same right wing, carrying on a bitter factional warfare against the Com- munists in. the party—that’is against the left wing. This situation created the basis of the decision of the’C. I. which came during the convention and which stated that “it has finally be- come clear that the Ruthenberg group is more loyal to decisions of the C, I and stands closer to its views,” and which provided certain guarantees for this group in the party. It was be- cause we,represented in the party the willingness and power to fight against sectarianism, against Loreism, against the tendencies in our party which led away from Bolshevism, because we represented the xyetus <oward naking our par Communist, a 3olshevist Party, Cannon- r Disagreement. And the ac cy of the judgement of the Comintern, Comrade Ruthen- berg continued, js shown by the latest developments in the party which are reflected in the speeches of Comrade Cannon and Foster to the Y, W. L. convention, published in the DAILY WORKER. These speeches, said Comrade Ruthenberg, show a cleavage between two sections of the former group led by Foster and Cannon, a cleavage on the question of the at- titude toward the Communist Inter- * i! is of Bolshevization, ~Ruthenberg t of the pro- | former majority to sal Chicago Reorganization Meeting. The meeting of ali branch and shop nuclei, city and distriet func- Local Chicago, Workers (Communist) Party, to take up the question of shop nuclei organization, will be held Wednesday, October * 44, 1925, 8 p. m., at Northwest Hall, North and Western Aves. All functionaries have been notified to be present thru individual let- ters, but are here again reminded to make certain of Wttendance. Representatives of the C, E. C, reorganization commissitn in the Chicago district will be present to outline the immediate) tasks for shop nuclei organization, prior to the holding of the section member- ship meetings, at which actual reorganization will start. Functionaries, be on hand Wednesday, boda? 14, at Northwest Hall, THE DAILY WORKER of Bolshevization whigh amfist succeec in bringing into the léadéfship of the party all of the.solid, an elements continued. It is a rg proces: of the party. We mifst Bay that we did not expect to see this develop- ment come as asl as fit did. This is a development towgrd the creation of a new alignment, and to have it come as quickly as it did come is an indication of the growth of our party —a growth of the process of Bolshevi- zation This growth will bring about a clarification of views and policies, and new groupings on the basis of clarified views, There will be forms of leadership based upon the various views, and we can expect a continua- tion of this until there is crystalized out of it a party leadership which in- cludes all elements which ean perform their task inthe Bolshévization of the party, And this protess will take place in the party itself, § New Organizational Forms Comrade Ruthenberg then took up extensively the new organizational forms to be achieved in the reorgan- ization of the party. The reorganiza- tion, he said, must not be viewed as a mere formation of a new machinery for organizational efficiency, but as a thing to be attained ‘Because it will give us a political basis such as a party must haye in order to become a Bolshevik party, Our seattered form of organizajion in language and terri torial branches ig a thing separat: and apart from the mass of workers and which therefore cannot influence the workers ‘in the shops and factor- ies who must be the backbone of the revolutionary movement. It is exact- ly those workers who are massed to- gether in the large industries who, thru the experience of tlfeir collect- ive relationship in large scale indus- try, become the portion of the work- ing class which*can first be won for the revolutionary movement. With shop nuclei organized as proposed we can become a party imbedded in the working class. The basic units of our party constituted of shop units of our be closely connected with our trade uflion fractions. The shop nucleus form is a part of the basic principle of organizing .our party within the masses and within the mass organiza- tions of the workers. Some Dangers of Misapplication The reorganization on the basis of shop nuclei, said Comrade Ruthen- berg, is not without its. dangers to the party—dangers of misapplication. Some of our party members. have al- ready shown their misunderstanding in expressing the idea that this means the “industrialization of the party.’ This is a mistake, said Ruthenberg Rather it means the greater politicali- zation of the party. No one shoul¢ think that because the shop nucle becomes the basic unit of the panty therefore we are betoming some sort of a new industrial ‘Organization. This is an entirely wrong idea, The truth is that thra’the factory muélet we can reach out to the mas management, the r of our propaganda. rades make thé mis! at that and do,not tions further so as \to connect the small and isolated struggles in the factories with the wider political pro- blems of the working class, they will not succeed in carrying on the work for which the new form of organiza- tion is created. : Centralized Apparatus ‘ Comrade Ruthenberg then spoke of the centralization of the party ap- paratus, which will overcome the dit- ficulties which arise fromthe incon- ceivably clumsy form we now haye by which party instructions are sifted down to the membership thru seven- xen separate language sections of the yarty. The party is to become a single solid block with an apparatus reaching down direct to the basic units of the party in the workshops and factories. He “described the new form of organization by shop nuclei, street nuclei (also called internation- al branches), and the subdividing of each, city organization into sub-sec- tions and sections as provided in the new party constitution. ° Some of the comrades might feel skeptical about the success of the reorganization plan in which the old federation forms disappear, doubting the smooth working of international branches and shop nuclei containing members speaking several edifferent languages. Comrade Ruthenberg said that these difficulties will be over- come; that the party is going thru a process in this reorganization which will bring it new health and new life new ability to carry on its werk. In concluding Comrade Ruthenberg said that sometimes struggles and crises are necessary to create a heal- thy situation; storms are sometimes necessary to clear the atmosphere, and he believed the party has now been passing thru such a storm which is already creating an atmosphere of Communist understanding and con- scious policy, in which the rank and file is learning to fight determinedly against deviations from the line of the Communist International. We are reaching the stage of development where the membership will no longer tolerate the building of oppositions to the policies and decisions of the Com- munist International, said Comrade Ruthenberg. It is that party which goes thru such storms and stress, that reaches its goal. During this period of painful strife we have really attained something on the way to- ward Bolshevization, We are learn- ing that there is only one basis for a grouping in the party, he concluded, and that is a grouping together on the basis of the decisions of the Com- munist International. Other Speakers Comrade Martin Abern, district or- ganizer, was the second speaker, deal- ing with several features of the appli- cation of the reorganization plan, A long discussion from the floor was participated in by Comrades Nat Kaplan, Jack Johnstone, B. Borisoff, Arne Swabeck, John Anderson, Har- rison George, Gus Shklar, Robert Minor, Tom Bell, Joseph Kowalsky and Steve Rubiki. Comrade Ruthenberg in closing read the resolution offered by the C. E. C., (published in last Saturday’s magazine section of the DAILY WORKER). Comrade Swabeck Offers Amendment Comrade Arne Swabeck offered an ymendment which, in addition to dealing with some of the details of. reorganization, raised the question of supposed discriminations and replace- ments of party functionaries holding the views of the former majority. Comrade William Z. Foster then made a statement, saying that he hoped that both the resolution and the amendment would’ be passed un- animously. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 150 to 225. The resolution offered by Comrade Ruthenberg was then carried unanimously. Philadelphia Opens Russian School. A Russian school for children and adults was opened by the Russian branch of the Workers’ Party of Phila- delphia on Monday, Oct. 5. Good teachers have been engaged. For the beginning the school will be open twice a week, Monday and Wednes- day, from 8 to 9:30 p. m., at the Peo- ples’ Home, 521 York Ave., near 5th St. All who wish to learn the Rus- sian language are invited to join. OHIO SOUTH SLAV CONVENTION PLEDGES LOY AL SUPPORT TOC. E. C. CLEVELAND, Ohio, Oct. 11—Jugo-Slav (South Slay) section of Workers Party District No. 6 held its convention, Sunday, Oct. 4, at Cleveland. Six- -een branches from the state of Ohio were represented at this convention. Upon invitation of the convention and the D. BH. C. of the South Slav section, Comrade Boich spoke as representative of the D. E. C., reporting on the convention of the party to which #— he was a delegate and on future tasks of our party. Comrade Boich’s speech was enthusiastically received after many important questions ‘were an- swered to the satisfaction of all the members. Motion to accept Comrade Boich's report was carried unanimous- ly. Then Comrade Boich introduced the following resolution which was also carried unanimously: We the delegates to District No. 6 convention of Yugo-Slay section of the Workers Party assembled at Cleveland October 4, 1 5, do hereby gledge our whole-hearted, support and cooperation and declare our full con- fidence in our present C, B. C. We promise to loyally carry out its decisions and most energetically sup- port its policy. We most bitterly condemn any at- tempt on the part ofc¢omr: of party de- cision thru their refusal to serve on important party committees and de- mand that strict discipline be enfor- ced in such cases without hesitatton. We also fully indorse the Commun- ist International decision, Another resolution introduced by former supporters of Fisher group that only those who supported the Ruthenberg group in the past party controversy be elected to incoming federation bureau was also carried, This was a direct slap in the face of Fisher not only by his former sup- porters but also by one of the most powerful Yugo-Slav districts in the federation, The lone Fisher supporter from Farrell made no show worthy of consideration at the convention, The following comrades were elect- ed delegates to federation conven- tion: Sepich and Buksa, from Bel- laire; Roncevich, from Cleveland; Levnaich, from Canton; and Grosa, from Stubenville, Ohio. Comrades Sabljak and Celovich, were electe: alternates, ey D. Sabijak, sec’y. ; calling a special meeting to review the case of has been rearrested and thrust back behind pr will be the speaker of the evening. All workers interested in the case of the prosecution of these workers are urged to come to 3118 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, at 8 p. m., Monday night; Special Ford Defense Meeting. The Ford and Suhr Branch of the International Labor Defense is _HOW NOT TO MAKE ee THE UNITED FRONT © The Central Executive Committee published in the DAILY WORKER last week a 8' tement with reference to the open letter sent by Local Toledo of the Workers Party to Tomis Devine, the socialist candidate for mayor, criticising ‘this letter and pointing out the error of the Toledo comrades in applying the united front tactic. The Central Executive Committee is now in receipt of the following letter from the secretary of Local Toledo, Ohio. \ To the Comrades of the C, E. C. of Comrade Ruthenberg, Gen, Secy., Dear Comrades: Toledo, Ohio, Oct, 1, 1925 the Workers (Communist) Party, Chicago, Ill, * After reading the letter of the C. BE. C, that appeared in our daily paper under the date of September 29, on Ho as secretary of Local Toledo will give you some past history on the munici- pal campaign in Toledo. The mistake of How to Apply the United Front Tactic is not the mistake of all the comrades of, Toledo, we as as Com- munists accepted the decision of our next higher unit, the district organiz- er. Comrade. Wagenknecht. At the Cc. C. C. meeting, of Local Toledo of June 2, a motion was carried after a lengthy discussion that the Workers Party of Toledo do not participate in the municipal election. Comrades Willnecker and Stephenson speaking for the motion, Comrade Buehler fight- ing against the motion. At the D. B. C. meeting of June-7, a motion was pass- ed that the district organizer be in- structed to go to Toledo and demand shat Local’ Toledo partitipate in the municipal campaign and same was done on June 17 at a general member- ship meeting. At the C..C. C. meeting of June 18 we placed Communist can- didates in the field including the may- or, vice-mayor and five candidates for council. Then proceeded to get the required number of signatures till July 12. The next fight in the C. C. C. was over a local platform for the primary election. You will find en- closed same“of which we distributed 20,000 the day before election on Au- gust 11, “ At the election of August 11 we won the election of Vice-Mayor Comrade Smith and one councilman, Comrade w to Apply the United Front Tactic, I, — et | even tho we agree to support him at the polls. > 5. However, even if Devine refuses to enter into an election united front, éven if he refuses to give the support of the socialist forces to our candi- dates, we should not refuse to support him jf his teply to our questions are at all favorable, 6. If the négotiations with Devine result favorable, then an immediate attempt must be made to enlarge the united front campaign committee by securing the participation of the unions. 7. A campaign committee composed of representative from all organiza- tions éntering into the election united front should be created, and in this committee our Workers Party repre- sentatives must be very active. Together with the above, not sepa- rate from it, must go the propaganda for the need of a labor party as the eventual force which will oppose the capitalist parties at the polls in Toledo. Note: Even of Devine refuses to support our candidates, even if he refuses to answer our letter to him, or in answering disagrees with all our immediate demands, we would have to announce our support of Devine at the polls, but in so support- ing him, would have to oppose him as the handmaiden of capitalism. Comment. Buehler for the 20th ward to run as candidate for the final elections. * At the C. G. C. meeting of Augusi 28 we took up the ‘question of what action to take: regarding the united front of labor jn'the final election to be held on November 3. Comrade Topping and Buehler brot in a recommendation for the calling: of a conference ‘of labor to have a united front in the election. Comrade Stephenson and Willnecker recommended ‘the sending a letter to Tomis Devine, the socialist candidate for mayor, ‘with ‘the result that the CCC committee was deadlocked. Whereupon a»miotion was passed that the secretary’of C. C, C. draw up a letter on the’ political situation in local Toledo»and send same to the district. organizer, Wageknecht, and let him givecus the correct guidance on policy to ‘pursue. Same was done by the secretary and on Sept. 11th I received a reply from the district organizer headed: Policy | for the Toledo. Blections. You will find copy of same enclosed. We com- plied with thedistrict organizer's in- structions on Sept. 23rd and up to date have received no answer from Tomis Devine. Hoping these few lines will give you some light*on the political situa- tion regardingthe municipal cam- paign, Yours for the cause, . (signed) Buehler, sec’y. The instructions received by the Toledo comrades from the district or- ganizer, Comrade Alfred Wagenknecht read as follows: Policy for the Toledo Elections. In general the policy for our party in Toledo should be to bring about an election united front between the labor unions, the socialist party forces, other workers’ organizations and the Workers Party. A conference should be called and before such a conference should be placed the im- mediate problems for. the workers in Toledo as they appear in the party (Toledo) platform. But to make such a conference more successful and to make it possible to have a united front with the socialist torces, even if the unions do not enter into it you should at once: 1. Address a letter to Devine ques- tioning him regarding his agreement with the immediate “demands in our program. Make an attempt to secure his agreement with as many points as possible. 2. Make the letter to Devine public in the press, labor ‘and daily, and among the labor unions. 3. Introduce resolutions in the trade unions calling for a united front of all workers for all the labor candidat- es running for election and calling upon Devine to make clear his posi- tion on the immediate needs of the workers, 4, Whether Deviné agrees with the major demands or only 4 few of the immediate demands as they appear in our program, we should enter int negotiations tor a united campaign. But in the letter to Devine and in our united front campaign we must make it clear at all times that we disagreé fundamentally with the socialists in principles and that we reserve the right to criticise Devine Comrade Ford, who ‘walls. Fred Mann ir 12, In order to understand the situa- ‘ion in Toledo it is necessary to be iequainted with the election methods in that city. The Toledo municipal elections are non-partisan. Combinations are made by petitions and all the candidates nominated are submitted in ‘the elec- tors in a primary held in this instance on August 11th. At the primary three candidates are selected for each office and submitted to the voters at the final eléction in November. As pointed out by Comrade Buehler in his letter the Workers Party candidates for vice-mayor and the candidate for coun- efl in the 20th ward of Toledo” ‘were among the three receiving the highest votes at these primaries and thus go before the voters in the November elections. The socialist candidate for Mayor Tomis Devine was among the three highest of. the candidates for mayor and is a candi- . date in the final election together with @ number of other socialist candidates. * The instructions sent to the Toledo comrades by the district organizer lay down correctly in paragraph one a proposal to call a united front con- ference of delegates of the labor unions, socialist party, other work- etfs’ organizations and the Workers Party for the purpose of supporting a common labor candidate in the final election. % The error, however, in these instruc: tions is the proposal that in case the ‘ovement for such a united front con- ference fail it is desirable “to make it” possible to have a united front with the socialist forces.” This proposal is not a proposal for a genuine united front but a proposal that our party should en- ‘er into an election alliance with the socialis: rty in Toledo. The ground for the objection of the Central Exe- cutive Committee to such a proposal have already been stated in a previ- ous letter to the Toledo comrades. The tactics of addressing an open letter to Devine demanding that he support the calling of the conference of delegates from labor unions, the socialist party afd the Workers Par- ty to support a common labor candi+ date and laying down a program on which the candidate would carry on the election fight would have been correct, but to address to the social- ist candidate a proposal that the Workers Party and the socialist party form an election alliance tends to con- fuse the minds of the workers to the Communist and socialist position and to cover up the gulf which divides the Communists from the socialists. It was permissible, if the efforts to form a united front body in support ( pf the united front ticket failed for the Toledo comrades to call upon the workers to vote for the socialist candi- dates for the office for which the Workers Party had no candidates in the final election. But such support of the socialist party would have to be coupled with the severést criticism of its program. ‘This policy would have been something quite different from the! policy proposed in the in- structions of the district organizer which were to the effect that if the united front body to support a united front labor ticket could not be or- ganized it was desirable to have “a united front” with the socialist forces, We could ask the voters to vote for the socialist candidates while criticiz- ing them, but we could not enter into - an election deal giving ‘our support to the socialist candidates in return for their support for our candidates, Such a united front could only dis- redit our party in the eyes of th workers, vO ‘