The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 9, 1926, Page 4

Page Four savbugie™ { \ ) THE DAILY WORKER On the Road to Mass Activity By MARTIN ABERN. T the fourth Communist Interna- tional congress, Lenin reported that the theses on organization were accepted, but not understood, except by the Russians, In America the question and impor- tance of the right form of organization was not fully understood for a long time, and not even now. Otherwise the federation form of organization might have disappeared long ago. It is evident that to reach the workers to carry on mass activity, requires an organization which is in and part of the workers. That can be only in the shops, particularly, in the factory nuclei, The Workers (Communist) Party is now pushing swiftly actual reorgan- ization on the shop and street nuclei basis. There has been some confus- ion in the midst of reorganization. The role of the workers’ clubs, for in- stance, has ben confused with the party unit, the street or shop nucleus. There is a tendency, for instance, to continue to hold affairs, entertain- ments, etc. under the auspices of the language branches of the Workers (Communist) Party, that is, as regu- lar party units. The comrades are not fully clear that party language units do not exist and that language activity is conducted, in part, thru the workers’ clubs, fraternal societies, etc, This does not exclude affairs and so forth organized thru. party lan- guage fractions. Workers clubs are the nonpartisan organizations of non-party and party HE AGITPROP DEPARTMENT is What Is the Agitprop Department? entirely new to our party both ‘in its form and functions. It is true that our party has always had its “edu- cational department” which, to a certain extent, supervised and carried out our internal propaganda work. But not only was there really no systematic. guidance and direction for our work of external agitation; there was no con- type of nection, extenal or internal, between our agitation and our propaganda activi- ties. It was only with the recent establishment of the agitprop department of the central executive committee and with the gradual development of an agitprop apparatus thruout the party that a structure co-ordinating upon a systematic basis all the propaganda and agitation work of the party in what- ever field and for whatever purpose was created. Because of the comparative newness of the very conception of an agit- prop department in our party, there still exists some confusion as to ‘the nature and tasks of this department, its funnctions, structure, etc. In order to help liquidate this confusion the national agitprop is publishing a transla- tion of an article appearing in the special supplement to the Parteiarbeiter for November, 1925. German Communist Party). (The Parteiarbeiter is the functionaries’ paper of the We are sure that the following brief explanation of agitprop work will be of great value to many comrades, NATIONAL AGITPROP DEPARTMENT. * * 4 hase agitprop department is the or- gan that directs upon a uniform basis the entire agitation and propa- ganda work of the party, in all its forms and on all fields of work. It is not a “special” or “limited” depart- ment in the bad sense. On the con- trary, its fleld of work extends to all departments; in cooperation with these department it. elaborates the methods and forms of agitation and propaganda. The tasks of the agitprop can be classed under two main heads: (a) Agitation. The entire external agitation work (verbal, written, pictorial, etc.) of the party (of all its organs, of the frac- tions, of the nuclei, local groups, dis- trics, ete.) Here belongs the regular everyday work of winning members in the factories, unions, etc., at meet- ings, at demonstrations, the carrying out of campaigns (including election campaigns), campaigns for the party press, etc. (b) Propaganda. The entire party educational work, the activity in study circles, groups, courses, party schools, issuance of study material. etc. Organization of libraries. Training of comrades to lead discussions, (to give reports) on yarious subjects. All internal party work aiming at acquainting our mem- bership with the fundamentals and methods of Marxism-Leninism. The forms and methods of both of these types of work are numerous. Nevertheless, these two fields of work stand in the closest relations with each other. Without a basic and ex- tensive propaganda of Marxism-Len- inism there can be no effective agi- tation work among the masses. : Agitprop is not “special” work in the ordinary sense. What is “spec- fal” is the elaboration of particular forms and methods of agitation and propaganda. The concrete contents of agitprop are determined by the rela- tions of the factory; for the fractions by the relations in the unions; ete. ‘The whole work must be carried on along the political and tactical lines laid down by the party. The content of the agitation, the points of contact, the slogans, the con- crete aims—all depend upon the field and basis of our work. The methods and forms of work, how we must ag tate, how We must carry on a discus- sion, how we must organize meetings, how we must conduct ourselves in op- ponent meetings, how to issue a nuc- leus paper, how to construct our leaf- lets, throwaways, posters, etc., how to distribute them, how to make the best use of our means of agitation—this is the task of the agitprop. It is here particularly that experiences must be collected and transferred to the whole party. The same relations hold for propaganda work also, Within the nuclei and fractions, within all party organs, we must begin a campaign of elementary education in Marxism- Leninism. Which subjects we must take up first in the particular body, with what we must connect up our propaganda, what we must take up in particular—the point of departure of our whole propaganda and the succes- sion of subjects are determined by the | necessities and the requirements of the particular field of work and by ~~ the stage of maturity of the comrades in question. But the how, the methods of propa- anda, the working out of the plans of teaching, the aid to verbal propa- ganda thru circulars and texts, the propaganda organizations to whether working * * orated and determined by the agit- prop. From this it follows: 1.—-Agitprop may be considered a “specialty” in questions of forms and methods of agitation and propa- ganda. 2—Agitprop reaches all “special” departments in that the bearers of our agitation and the comrades whom we must educate work and carry on their activities in the nuc- lei and fractions, The agitprop apparatus built within the party organization must co-oper- ate closely with all party organs and see to it that the entire agitation and Propaganda activities of the party as- sume such forms as to promise the Breatest success; it must collect all experiences and impart them to the party as a whole, ao The execution of this work demands that in the districts, sub-districts, lo- cal organizations, etc., committees for agitprop work must be established and active agitprop directors start func- tioning in the nuclei, He will like it! Give your unio. brother a sub to The DAILY WORKER. ' (Pioneer Leaders: Leader. These articles will appear book.) Problems of Pioneer Work. 1. Uniformity! System! HERE cna be no doubt that the fundamental question facing us when we consider the Pioneer organ- ization and the activities of the vari- ous groups and group leaders on a broad national scale is the great lack of uniformity and system in function- ing It is sometimes very hard to be- lievéy when we compare the organiz- ation and activities of some group in one part of the country with another in some other part, that they are both supposed to be parts of the same or- genization—so utterly different are they in every respect The Development of the Communist Children’s Movement. The Communist children’s move- ment in this country, as in the rest of the world, has seen quite a funda- nental development in the last few years and has passed thru many dif- ferent stages. Our movement had its our| birth as a varlant of the Socialist Sun- day Schools and Junior Yipsel organ- izations and then passed on to the stage of predominantly internal edu- cational groups and general propagan- da orginizations based, however, on the principle of directed self-activity. That this was a great and definite step forward from the Sunday schools there can be no doubt. But we had no Pioneer League of struggle as yet. lt is only now that our best Pioneer organiations are beginning to ad- vance out of this stage and dévelop in the direction of a real Pioneer League organized on school nuclei, having its roots in the schools, and basing its everyday and regular work upon the school struggle. It is only now that we are beginning to turn in this direction—not merely in “ac- cepting" it as the correct theory, but ( groups,/in making it our practical guide to ia or party schools, is elab-| aetion. he } _ UNIST CHILD For the Pioneer Leaders This is one of a series of articles for the Pioneer members in which party members form a fraction to influence with Com. munist views the non-party members. Work Among Foreign-born to Increase Thru Nuclei: ‘J\HEN, too, there has also been min- gled with confusion some fear on the part of the federations, that with the abolition of language units, mass contact with and influence over-the foreign-born workers in industry would be broken. Quite the contrary, the fusion of all language and English (American) members into either shop or street nuclei has for the first time brot even the party members together. The shop cements them.closely with the other workers on common ties of daily struggle issues. The- basis is laid for discussion on general and specific problems of the American working class. In the language units the problems of each foreign group, pertaining for the most part or very often, to the old country, were paramount. Thru the workers’ clubs, however, thru ac- tivity of the party language fractions in fraternal bodies, with party direc: tion, the important work, therein such as labor defense, protection of foreign- born, etc. in the fraternal bodies is not only preserved, but increased. N the reorganization there has en- tered also the factor of skepticism. ‘It won't work; the membership itself is against it,” was the forbidding wail of some comrades prior to actual: steps toward shop and street nuclei reorganization. Comrades, what does all this skep- ticism, this°doubt and fear, both of the reorganizaton itself and in the membership to respond, mean politic- ally? This is not mere loose talk. | This skepticism is one of the roots | of a Loreist ideology. This is the “can’t be done” view, “the workers | are not ready, the time is not ripe” attitude. This is a lack of belief in the party membership, as well as the mass of workers, to do what is re- quired of them. Opposition and Skepticism Toward Shop Nuclei Disappearing Swiftly. O far as the reorganization is con- cerned, the bucket of skepticism has been tipped over and found to be empty of good drinking water. It was only hot air, trying to be cold water, on a live body. The city of Chicago is completely reorganized—90 per cent of the dues paying membership stayed. So also with Milwuakee, South Bend, Gary, Zeigler, Springfield—the entire dis- trict in fact. The teorganization re- | sults in the other districts, New York, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Detroit, are producing like results. Organization on an insolated scale, | at the beginning of the campaign for | shop organization, worked both good }and bad. When successful, it con- vinced the comrades; where not so successful, the comrades were dobut- ful of the shop and street nuclei plan. However, neither was the best test. /Organization on a large broad scale | is more convincing, as is being shown, even at this early period. The organ- yecoLunn 2 regularly. Clip them for your note The Lack of Uniformity of Our Or- ganization. Our Pioneer organization at present Presents all these stages of develop- ment in pure form in the different parts of the country. In some sections we still find “groups” that are really Socialist Sunday Schools with an ad- mixture of dramatics and singing. This is particularly true in those Places where the influence of na- tionalist foreign-language children’s schools (Workmen's Circle schools, Finnish, Lithuanian, etc. schools) is unusually strong. Then we have groups that repre- sent the various stages of develop- ment from the socialist Sunday school to the group based on directed self- activity but functioning largely as a propaganda (internal and- external) organization, Of this type are un- questionably the vast’ majority of the Pioneer organizations thruout the country. Finally, we have, in a very few of the more advanced districts, cases of organizations definitely on the way towards the Pioneer League—organiz- ed on the strony foundation of school nuclei, basing their regular everyday work on the sehool struggle, closely knit together in a strong centralized organization We all know how really rare such cases are. The Sources of This formity. Now why is there this tremendous contrast in what are really the vari- ous parts of the same organization? Of course, the external objective con- ditions must be considered and their influence appreciated. But there can be no question that the most influ- ential factor must be sought for in the unheard-of lack of centralization that has until recently prevailed in our Pioneer work. It is to this lack of connection between the center (the National Pioneer Department) and the Pioneer groups and leaders that Lack of Uni- | nonunion party members becomes pos- tzation theses of Lenin are beginning o be understood in the United States of Americ RACTICAL phases of the success reorganization are to be a! of the noted, The langugage restrictions and barriers have been -broken. The minds of the comrades have been} turned away from purely internal|{ party or language problems toward the factories, shops ,and mills. A bet- ter organization base for mass con- tact and work is) laid. Connections| with the party umits are more easily maintained. Mote members enter with enthusiasm into party life. Undoubtedly an impetus will be given The DAILY WORKER. Lan- guage members, participating now in the English language jn party work. will subscribe to The;PAILY WORK- ER or read it. Chieagoyreports this already manifesting»; itself. The nuclei, and this is taking place now will order The DAILY, WORKER bun bles to be sent to faetory workers o1 distributed at or in thecfactories, HE membership, especially with the desire for theoretical training and enlightenment ‘growing, with schools and educational @lasses of all kinds increasing, will purchase party pamphlets, literature, Workres Month- lies, etc. in greater numbers, both for themselves and outsiders, Nuclei will insist on each mémben purchasing a minimum amount of. jiterature each month which the party, issues. Agita- tion and propaganda will take on a re- newed energy. 5 With a proper industrial registra- tion, a real drive for trade union ac- tivity and for reorganization of the sible. Organization meetings, trade by trade, industry by industry—this is possible and will be done. Both thru the shop and street nuc- lei a real set of party workers’ corre- spondents for The DAILY WORKER can be set up, and, at the same time, draw non-party workers into the role of workers’ correspondents,—a most important way of deyeloping their class consciousness, __ Build a Leadership in Every Shop. 'N each shop nuclens%,a -miniature DAILY WORKER, a Shop Bulletin, must be issued, relating to the prob- lems in the shops, hearing from the workers, giving the Communist solu- tion to the workers’ problems. The politicalization of the nucleus will be slow but certain. These-are but some of the few things which the Commun- ist International theses on Teorganiza- tion can and are beg to mean in concrete situatio D Thru the shop nucl a groundwork for. unchallenged leader their daily, practical struggles and in the tionary struggle for political power by the working class. Thg/nuclei, street and shop, are technieilly superior, flexible, responsive, alert, awake to the struggles and. problems of the American labor movement. Face to the factori¢ Every shop a Com aunist strong- hold! I hee Pittsburgh Members to Hold Party Meet on Sunday, Jan. 10 PITTSBURGH, Pa., Jan, 7—An im- Portant meeting of all members of the Workers Party of Pittsburgh and vi- einity will be held the Labor Lyceum, 35 Miller street, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2 p. m. All mem- bers of the party must attend, The question of The DAILY WORKER campaign, protection of the foreign- born workers, campaign for recogni- tion of Soviet Russia, will be among the questions to be considered at that meeting. Admission is by mem- bership cards. Saturday Night in Detroit, Vecherinka ‘by ‘Luxemburg’ Club A real Jugo-Slav Vecherinka will be teld in Detroit by the Jugo-Slay Wo- aens’ Educational Club “Rosa Luxem. surg” on Saturday night, Jan. 9th, at the South. Slav Workers’ Home, 134 E. Ferry Ave. at 8 p, m. Home made goodies of every des: eription, and simply delicious are be ing prepared by the Women’s clu which is determined to make ever: one who attends happy. The Youn Red Guard String Orchestra will fur nish the music. There will be singing dancing, good eats and a real jollifica tion. If you live in Detroit, don’t mis, it. Lenin Committee Meets. Chicago Lenin Memorial Commit- tee meets Friday 8 p. m. at The DAILY WORKER office. All Work- ers (Communist) Party nuclei dele- gates should attend. Delegates from other working class organizations are invited. Lenin Memorial meet- ing at the Coliseum Sunday, Jan. 24, 8 p. m. NEWARK WORKERS ARRANGE LIEBKNECHT MEMORIAL MEETING NEWARKK, N. J., Jan. 7—A Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg memorial meeting will be held at the Newark Labor Lyceum, 704 So. Fourteenth street, on Sunday after- noon, Jan. 17, at 2 o'clock, with M. Harrison as the main speaker. This meeting is being arranged under the auspices of the Young Workers (Communist) League. Admission free. Paterson Meets For Reorganization. PATERSON, N. J., Jan..7—-A meet- Tor the reorganization of Pater- son, N. J., into shop nuclei and inter- national branches will be held this coming Sunday afternoon, Jan, 10, 1926, at 2 p. m. at 7 Bridge street, Paterson. At the meeting, registration of all members will be taken and the reor- ganization will proceed immediately. All members of Paterson branches are to attend without fail. Failuré to attend this meeting will result in hindering the work of reorganization. we must trace the dpplorable condi- tion in which we find, ourselves at this time. | ees Liquidate This Lack \pf Uniformity and Syste But the past is only\ important at present in order to lessons for the future. What muft we do now in order to liquidate this very harm- ful lack of system and qniformity that characterizes our orgatiization and to knit it together as clostly as possible in various parts and With the cen- ter. ; As far as the center itself goes the present National eer Depart- ment is determined omit nothing in giving the whole organiza- tion the closest and most unre- mitting supervision and direction, In- deed it may perhaps gp extreme of paying too to the activities of th permit the Pioneer % lapse into its previous Uniformity! But the National ment itself cannot do eyerything. The systematization the development of uniformity in ours k depends even more upon our individual Pio- neer leaders and eer leaders’ committees.’ It is up tp, them to co- operate with the N, P. to establish the organization on a), functioning basis. Here are some,of the things Pioneer leaders must dp immediately in this direction: i 1. Connections. Soi tar the Na- tional Pioneer Departivent has estab- lished direct connections with only a part of the groups in this country. It is absolutely necessary that we get in contact with every single group that exists and is fui ning. Every Pioneer leader. in price of a group or a nucleus should immedately send in his name and address along with the name of the group or nucleus and the to the national office. ‘This to all groups and nuclei and including those in New York ‘ago who work under the di- rect supervision of their District Pio- neer Committees, This should be at- tended to at once, Establish connec- tions, 2 sie ‘ 2. Reports.—All grotfp leaders not directly connected witle’city Pioneer committees (in the cities of Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia,'148 Angeles, etc.) or in districts where, they are under the direct supervis! District Pioneer Committ rict Two, New York, and District ight, Chicago, only) @houlfl send in regular, detailed reports every two weeks to the National Pioneer Depart- ment. The New York and Chicago District Pioneer Committees and the various city Pioneer committees will send in reports for the groups and nuclei under their supervision. . This also should be initiated at once. Send regular reports, 3. Uniformity and system in group meetings. To liquidate the startling diversity in the forms and methods used in conducting Pioneer group meetings, the N. P. D. has issued a bulletin giving in concrete form an outline for the routine of the ordi- nary group meeting. This bulletin gives in brief form the principles on which the group meeting is based and the generalized form for carry- ing out these principles into actual lifé. . Every Pioneer leader should have a copy of this bulletin. If you Haven't a copy write for it. This bul- letin should be studied by the Pioneer leaders’ committee where such exist and definite plans made t6 base their practice on them. Uniformity in Our Group Meetings! 4. Uniformity and system in the work of the organization. The N. P. D. is now uing another bulletin giving in condensed form a practical summary of the principles and prac- tice of the Pioneer movement, Write for this bulletin so as to make sure of getting it. Uniformity in the work of our organization. 5. Leaders’ committees and lead- ers’ classes. Wherever there are more than two leaders in any one town or city, leaders’ committees should be immediately organized. These committees should get in touch with the national office and we will supply you with the information as to your functions and activities. Form leade committees! As soon as leaders’ committees are organized, there should be set up side by side Pioneer leaders’ cli . Set up these classes! Notify us. We will help you and supply you with all in- formation, Form leaders’ classes. Comrades! There is no use talk- ing any more about what we .must do, Fewer words! More Action! The immediate tasks before the Pio- neer leaders are few and simple. The etxent to which these are carried out will point to what co-operation the National Pioneer Department may ex- pect in the future in building a strong centralized Pioneer League in this country, yay | HELP SAVE T paicy WonKER! in Pittsburgh at, WIT THE Y CONDUCTED - BY THI PLAY AND MASS MEETING ARRANGED BY MOTHERS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN United Council of Working Class Housewives Helps Mothers of School Children in the Struggle for Better and More Schools HAT is the matter with the public schools in New York City? parents protesting to the board of education? Why are Why are small children transferred trom one school to another where they are com- pelled to cross streets busy with traffic, endangering their lives thru being run over and maimed or killed? All these questions will be discussed at a mass meeting Friday evening, January 8, at 1347 Boston Road, Bronx. Prominent speakers in Jewish and English will address the meeting. Among the speakers is Ella Reeve Bloor, a welle known woman speaker from the west. A committee of mothers of children of P. S,.148 will téll of their six-weeks’ struggle against transferring smaller chil- dren to other schools, At this mass meeting a play will be presented by the Young Pioneers. The play is called “The Public School,” and is both interesting and amusing. The United Council of Working Housewives appeal to all workers, especially to women, also to working class women’s organizations of the Bronx to send representatives to this meeting. Only thru united efforts can we compel the authorities to answer gur demands. set us all together fight for the interests of our children, Watch out for other mass meetings now being arranged by the united council, The United Council of Working Class Housewives is also mobilizing for better and cheaper houses for the workers and to do away with fire-trap tene- ments. A report by members of the delegation of the council to the hearing of the state housing commission in city hall will be given at this meeting. This meeting is arranged by the Neighborhood Council of Working Class Housewives of the Bronx. “ OVER 200 BOYS WALK OUT ON STRIKE AT IMPERIAL GLASS PLANT, BELLAIRE Youth Strike on Scene of Young Workers’ Conference BELLAIRE, Ohio.—Unwilling to accept an approximate 10 per cent reduction in wages more than 200 boys employed by the Imperial Glass plant here walked out on a strike. As a result many of the departments in the plant which were to resume operations are shut down. The local press is trying to make believe that the strike is not effective. But the strikers are full of spirit and are full of determination to win the strike. The company announced the wage reduction December 25, after which the young workers held a mass meeting where the strike decision was made. All the young workers including the car- rying boys, snappers and vase swingers are af- no fected by the cut. The reduction would affect the wages as follows: carrying boys, . omr$4 a day to $3.50; snappers from $4.80 a day to $4.30 vase swingers from $5.50 a day to $4.90. This strike movement of the young glass workers is taking place right in the seat of the Young Workers’ Conference which has been scheduled for Bellaire for Feb. 28th. The-militant young glass workers are being urged to line up with their fellow young workers, the young miners and steel workers in a joint struggle against the miserable conditions that the bosses dish out to us. The Imperial Glass plant must be represented at the confer- ence with a substantial representative delegation of th militant workers of that plant. 6 Pane A Monument to Marx |titerature Agents, New York once i LONDON, England, — The editor- yn la jal board of Trade Union Unity On Saturday, aus ; pie * v8 Sa Pea o'clock sharp there will be’a meeting Edo Fimmen, of all the literature directors of the and George|2°™!Y °rganized concentration groups Hicks, have|'" the Young Workers League. The issued a state- pide” will be held at 108 East 14th ment regard- x the the tomp-| , 7 final arrangements for the spe- stone of Karl| ©! Young Worker campaign will be Marx, in|‘*ke" up. It is absolutely necessary, that every literature dit Hieheet« rector be pres- Genelere ent and on time, London, New York Leaguers which is a most inade- quate memorial to the great revolu-} A general membership meeting of the league will be held on Sunday, January 10th, 6 p, m., 105 Eldridge tionist. They desire to open a fund for the erection of a more fitting mon- street. This meeting is called for the purpose of taking up the general ac- ument, tivities of the league and especially The board-announced that it is start- ing an International Million Penny factory campaigns and the youth con- ference, Fund which will be devoted for the erection of.this monument. The Young Workers (Communist) League whole-| Be sure to come with your shop- mates to the Liebknecht mem 1 meeting which will be held Friday heartedly endorses this project and calls upon league members to ning, January 15th, at Cen‘ House. ? Pat Ohare start penny drives in their local- ities and to rush the funds collected into the national office of the league from where it will be forwarded to London. : “sehi Eats’n Everything at Young Worker Dance YONKERS, N, Y.—Alt abo: the rescue of the YOUNG WORKER: That is the slogan of the Rescue Party and Dance given for the benefit of the YOUNG WORKER by the Yonkers, Young Workers (Commu HELP SAVE THE DAILY WORKER! LIEBKNECHT-LUXEMBURG MEETING AT NORTHWEST | HALL, CHIGAGO, TONIGHT é nist The Liebknecht-Luxemburg me- diy aia 5 dour on Sature morial meeting. will be held tonight | por Lyceum, 20 Wastin: The Las at Northwest Hall, corner North and | There will be peers oh Avenue, Western Aves. i refreshments 'n > savers, Max Shachtman, Earl R. Browder bitin: and John Williamson will be the- speakers of the evening. An inter. esting program has also been ar- ranged, consisting of songs and re- eitations, The doors will open at 7:30 p, m. Admission will be 25¢, Max man will be chairman, Get a sub and make munist, eavirok supe Subscribe to The Young Comrade