The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 27, 1928, Page 3

iI a A ay wT a ~ DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, THU FOR COMINTERN DECISIONS WITH NO 9C. E. C. Plenum Rejects Attitude of Reservations to the Decisions of the Comintern | refused to endorse the decision of the Politica! Statement of the Central Executive Committee of the Work- ers (Communist) Party. In view of the inéreasing war danger and the growing attacks on our Party by all its enemies, it becomes especially imperative for our Party to be an organic section of the World Communist Party—The Communist International—jn every sense of the word. The World Party of Communism will be able to fight the im- perialist war and: transform it into a civil war only if there is one common analysis, one common estimation of the world situation, one common line and perspective for the Communist International and all its sections, On this basis, the Central Executive Committee Plenum discussed the relations of the Party to the Comintern, the necessity for unre- served acceptance and. full execution of all Communist International decisions, to fight against the Right danger and Trotskyism and for the mobilization of the Party to combat the war danger. Question of Reservations. The question of certain comrades continuing to maintain reserva- tions towards Comintern decisions was given considerable attention by the Plenum. The policy of the Political’ Committee that all Communist International deciticns and especially:the theses of the Sixth World Congress of the Comintern should be accepted and endorsed by the Party without reservations, received overwhelming endorsement by the. Plenum, " The basic policies of the Communist International have been laid down in the Theses on the International Situation, which was adopted by the Werld Congress unanimously, Only one small sector of the Congress, the Minority of the. American Delegation, registered its disagreement on fundamental questions in the Theses. Comrade John- stone introduced, in the name of Dunne, Gomez, Siskind, Shachno Ep- stein, Bittelman and Jehnstone (Comrade Foster later expressing his full agreement with the declaration), the following declaration: “The. Minority of the Delegation of the C. P. of U. S. A. agrees with and has voted for the theses of Comrade Bukharin but registers its disagreement vith the section on the U. S. A— paragraph 49—for the following reasons: a) The section fails'to emphasize sufficiently the growing ‘contradictions confronting American imperialism, the increasing radicalization of the masses and the increasing prospects for mass struggles and the failure of the Majority of the Central Committee to see these new developments and adopt policies in waccord with them.” ~ 1 The problems of the. contradictions and perspectives of American imperialism, ‘the questions of the prospects for mass struggles in the United States: and “local” American issues, are fundamental issues for the whole Communist International. . If the Sixth World Congress Theses on the International Situation fail to maintain the correct analysis and: give the correct perspective on these problems, then the main line of the theses cannot be correct, then the World Congress of the Comintern failed to give the proper guidance to the various sec- ‘tidtis, and‘ especially tothe American Section of the Cemintern. Despite many efforts of the Central Executive Committee since the World Congress, the Foster-Bittelman Opposition refused to drop its reservations to these. basic decisions of the Comintern Congress. Quite the contrary, it grasped every opportunity to reiterate its reser- ‘vations and express its disagreement with the unanimously adopted ‘Theses of the World Congress.. The Foster-Bittelman Opposition dis- agrees with some’ of the most important features of the analyses ‘of the Comintern. Small- wonder, ‘therefere, that the Foster- Bittelman group has mianeuvered itgelf into the dubious position of be- ing unable to ‘accept any decisions of: the Communist Internaticnal since the World Congress without expressing seme disagreement on ‘certain points, without registering ‘some. reservations, The Foster- Bittelman Opposition maintains reservations towards the Theses on the International Situation 6f the Werld Congress, refused to accept the September.7th decision of the Political. Secretariat of the Comin- “ern, which ‘in a¢cordance with the Congress. decisions rejected the charge of the Central Executive Committee being 2 Right wing, and Secretariat against complete prcportional representation anc refused to vote for a mo- # tion to acept the last letter of the Political Secretaria: of the Comin- tern of November £1, without any reservations, In order to enable the entire Party membership to secure a proper understanding of the policy of the Central Executive Committee in its :orrect attitude towards the Party’s relations with the Communist International, which is based en a full agreement with the analysis of the Comintern on the World Situatic d the whole system of the policies of reservations towards the decisions of the Communist Inter- national by the Foster-Bittelman Uppcsition, which is based on a dis- agreement on essential points of the Comintern analysis on the Inter- national Situation, we herewith publish the various moticns proposed on these questions at the last Plenum, held December 15--19, 1928, MOTIONS MADE AT PLENUM. The following motion proposed by Comrade Gitlow, and adopted, raised the issue of reservations, calling for an unconditional accep- tance of the Comintern Statutes: “That we call to the attention of the Party membership the following paragraph from the constitution and the rules of the Communist International: “Party questions may be discussed by the membership of the Party organizations until such time as the decision is taken upon them by competent Party committees. After the decision has been taken by the Congress of the Communist International and by the Congress of the respective sections or by leading com- mittees of the Comintern and ef its various sections, these de- cisions must be unreservedly carried out even if a section of the Party membership or its local Party organizations are in disa- greement with it. “That we call upon the Party membership in line with this clause of the Comintern rules to accept unreservedly the decisions of the Sixth Congress and carry them out.” This was adopted by a majority vote. Comrade Foster for the Opposition proposed the fellowing counter motion: “The statutes of the Communist International are obligatory upon any member without eny reservations. We are carrying out the decisions of the C.I. Congress and we understand that all dis- puted questions in the American Party are referred by the E. C. C. I. to the Party cunventioy.” sued the detailed Sixth National Convention Call. All ar- rangements included therein were adopted unanimously. There was a disagreement over the question of propor- tional representation. The C. E. C. had decided that the fol- lowing shall be the basis of minority representation: in every District Convention where a minority secures 40 per cent or more of the District delegation, such minorities shall receive one-third of the total delegation of the district to the National Convention. The Opposition protested against this and demanded that there shall be complete proportional representation in every shop and street nucleus, in every section, subdistrict and district convention exactly along the lines of the pro- Fifth National Convention of August, 1927. The Opposition appealed to the Communist International against the de- cision of the Central Executive Committee. In reply, the Communist International decided: “Political Secretariat considers complete proportional On November 28 the Central Executive Committee is- | representation to the convention inadmissible. portional representation accorded in the elections to the | SDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1928 Page Three The full session of the Central Executive Committee further adopted the following motion: “That the Plenum of the Central Executive Commitiee ac- cepts all decisions of the Sixth World Congress of the Comintern | without reservations,” The Opposition refused to vote for thi ction and instead merely reiterated it: pport of their own motion cited above. In regard to the last letter of the Commuis International and the subsequent cabled decision of the Communist International rejecting the appeal of the Foster-Bittelman Opposition for complete propor- tional representation, the Plenun: cecided vpon a motion presented by Comrade Lovestone: “.,. The Central Executive Committee accepts and endorses | the letter in its entirety without reservations. The criticism of the Central Executive Committee's Oct. 2 statement is correct as well as the Comintern’s reiteration of its rejection of the Opposition’s charge that the Central Executive Committee is a Right Wing Central Executive Committee. “2—The Central Executive Committee instructs the Political Committee to publish the letter of the Comintern in the Party press with a declaration of endorsement on the basis of the Cen- tral cutive Committee decision, immediately upon receipt of an 0! ial copy of the letter. “3—The Central Executive Committee further declares that it also accepts and endorses without reservations the subsequent dacision of the Communist Liternational rejecting the Opposi- tion’s appeal for complete proportional representation, declaring that ‘complete proportional representation is inadmissable.’ At the same time the Central Executive Committee declares to the Comintern and the Party that it has been its position and that it is entirely in agreement with the Comintern proposal to give con- sideration to representation for minorities in the district and na- tional conventions as we'l as in the leading bodies of the Party.” Against this proposal the Cpposition put forth the following motion: “Motion by Foster: 1. That we accept the Communist Interna- tional letter. It corrects the misinterpretation of the decision of the Sixth World Congress contained in the Central Commit- tee Majority’s statement of Oct. 2. 3. It emphasizes that ‘the Right danger is the main danger for the American Party.’ It states that ‘the Workers (Communist) Party Congress must in- Comintern Decision on Proportional ‘Representation The Central Executive Committee should consider minorities in the dis- triets and in the National Convention in the selection of dele- gates and the leading Party bodies.” The Comintern has rejected the appeal of the Opposi- tion. The Plenum of the Central Executive Committee has accepted this decision of the Communist International with- out reservations. The Foster-Bittelman Opposition, however, refused to vote for this motion to endorse this decision of the Communist International without reservations. The Central Executive Committee herewith reaffirms its previous decision regarding minority representation and calls upon the membership to take into consideration minor'- ties in the election of delegates to the District conventions and in the selection of delegates to the National Convention, as well as in the selection members of of leading bodies after the convention, CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. WORKERS (COMMUNIST) PARTY OF AMERICA. vestigate the objective sources of the Right danger and the struggle against it, discussing all Party proposals from the stand- point of the Right danger inside the Party and the social re- formist influence among the workers.’” The Foster-Bittelman Opposition thus failed to propose an in- dorsement of the Comintern decision on proportional representation, More than that, the Foster-Bittelman Opposition refused to include in its motion, refused to vote for the following amendments to the above motions of Comrade Foster: “Amendment by Weinstone to Foster's series of motions: That the part of the letter which declares that the charge that the Central Executive Committee is a Right wing is unfounded be included in the acceptance. “Amendment by Minor: To the first sentence of Foster's motion which says ‘we necept the C. I. letter,’ we add the words: ‘without reservations’ and that we vote upon that sentence sep- arately.” _ From the above it is obvious that the Foster-Bittelman Opposi- tion still have reservations towards the decisions of the Communist International on the American question. __ In view of the growing resentment of the membership towards the Opposition’s policy of permanent reservations towards Comintern decisions, the Opposition was compelled to resort to the following motions: “Motions by Foster: “We reiterate our endorsement of the Sixth Congress. “2. We greet the efforts uf the E. C. C. I. to urge our Party to discuss and clarify at its coming convention the disputed ques- tions which we have brought forward at the Sixth World Con- gress.” Comrade Foster's motion, “we reiterate our endorsement of the Sixth Congress,” means the reiteration of the endorsement of the World Congress Theses with reservations, means the reiteration of that peculiar endursement which was expressed in Johnstone’s state- ment made in the name of the whole Minority at the World Con- gress, and which expressed the Oppposition’s endorsement of the Communist International line by reiterating its disagreement. The Opposition’s policy of continuing to maintain reservations toward Comintern decisions was clearly revealed in its refusal to vote for the following straight-forward and and unequivocal motions: “That the Central Committee endorse without reservations the decisions of the Political Secreteriat of the E. C. C. I. on Sep- tember 7, 1928. “2. That the Plenum rejects the reservations made to the Sixth World Congress resolution by Johnstone, in behalf of John- ston, Foster, Bittelman, Dunne, Siskind, Gomez and Sachno Ep- stein. “3. That the Plenum endorse unreservedly the theses of the Sixth World Congress: which estimate® the world position of American imperialism, the perspectives the class struggle in sen of the masses, and the United States. the degree of radicaliz: the possibilities of mass struggles.” a Comrades, the Foster-Bittelman Opposition pclicy of maintain- ing reservations toward Comintern decisions is wrong, and is against the best interests of the Comintern: and the Party. The Central Com- mittee accepts without reservations all decisions of the Comintern. Such poliey of unreserved acceptance of the Comintern decisions which were reached after thorough examination of all viewpcints ond with the participation of all sections of the Comintern, is a pre- cquisite for a successful fight aga‘net the Right derger, for a vie- sorious struggle against Trotskyism, for the building of a mass Bolshevik Party in the United States. The Central Executive Com- rittee feels confident that the membership of the Party will de- cisively reject the wrong and harmful line of the Opposition in main- taining reservations towards Comintern decisions. ‘The Central Ex- ecutive Committee is sure that the overwhelming majority of the Party’s membership will render unqualifiec support to the correct, to the Communist policy of the Party’s present leadership in accept- ing and‘ endorsing all Comintern decisions without. the slightest reser- vations, CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORKERS (COMMUNIST) PARTY OF AMERICA. PEASANT SLAVE SALE Knock Off Farm Hands to High Bidder . E, France, Dec. 26.) shortage, all sorts of extra induce | a PUN ee exists today in| ments have been made. The bidders aa today -shouted offers of extra holi- | France . where. farm laborers are| days, meat twice a day instead of sold’ off:to the highest bidder, Lit-) once, an extra liter of wine a week, | tle girl and “boy shepherds and/an extra dress or suit of clothes or | farm.hands were brought to the auc-| even a share in the farm profits. tion block here today to be knocked BEATS AN WORKER was held here in accordance with Strikes Man Suspected | ancient. custom. A dozen farm la- borers and shepherds. were put on the block. There were eight bidders for every one offered.» Girl shep- herds, hardly mor than 13, brought 3,000 francs ($117) each for a year’s labor, plus two new dresses. Adult farm hands brought from 4,000: to 6,800 ‘francs; with extra . induce- ments, . Excited landlords bid vigorously against ‘each ‘other, sending’ prices skyward. The auction presented the usual colorful». scene, mixed. with peasant misery. From the highland pastures and farms of the Auvergne, herders “and bearded farm hands came to step on the block. Mediéval tradition brings this ‘scene every year, on the day after Christmas Older than, the. abolished slave markets, of the southern United ates, the auction normally differs te from the scenes at the Amer- ican. slave markets. Excited land- lords, little bags of coins in their hands, stand around, talking ex- citedly, pinching the biteps of the farm hands ‘as they size up the quality, fo the offerings. ‘ “The farmers buy the services. of the laborer for one year, and pay in, advance. The money is held.by year, when it is turned over to the er, minus a commission to. the mer, : In recent. years, since the labor Detroit Workers Party Plans Member. Meet “DETROIT, Mich.’ Dec. .26.—The city membership meeting of the Workers (Communist) Party, which Will be held here on Saturday night, Dec. 29, will be held at the Finnish troit district office of the Party akers representing the Central cutive Committee aa the Minor. on tha prée-convention fijos to bila the young sherpherdesses, boy cattle’ the auctioneer until the end of’ the}. ~~ ! di A “interferit i - This Sat ay Ev ening |i} was “interfering with prog: Il, 14th St..and McGraw Ave, the| “of Class Struggle A man giving his name as “James Campbell,” of 161st St. and River Ave., yesterday at 6:30 p. m. assault- and beat up a worker, Thos. Fin- h-of 301 W. 115th St., whom he suspected of talking about the work- ing ¢lass organization to the I. R. T. attendant in charge of the ticket selling at the 161st St. station of the-I. R. T. Finnigan bought his ticket at the slot’ machine with the intention of riding down town to the Workers Center. He conversed quietly a few minutes with the I. R. T. employe} there, and started up the staircase. The thug, presumably an I. R. T. “spotter” or detective, who calls him- self Campbell, suddenly, appeared from, somewhere about the station, and without provocation beat Fin- nigan’ unmercifully, so that all of his teeth were loosened, and much blood’ ran down from his nose and cut lips over his clothing. "= Police For Company Three or four policemen attracted by the struggle or called before- hand ‘by the detective pounced upon Finnigan. When he demanded that Campbell be arrested for assault and battery, they refused, and instead \told Finnigan that he was drunk, Finnigan insisted th:.. he was en. titled to say “Good morning,” “Mer- ry Christmas” or speak on any sub- ject, as long as he was not insult- ing, even with I. R. T. employees, but the police couldn't see it, and forced him to take the next train out of the station, Finnigan appeared in the office of the Daily Worker, half an hour af- WORKERS LIBRARY PAMPHLETS Stalin’s Interview with the First American Trade Union “Wrelbea tion 328 siccon-.csss tah iesisitenoos ee. 1928: The Presidential Elections and the American Workers—Jay Lovestome oo..c.ccccccssecceccesssesseeee The Trotsky Opposition and the Right Danger— $ .25 Bertram D. Wolfe ..... east aes Why Every Miner Should Be a Communist— PORN SPE Wper sc tase ths tty acre The Communist Nucleus—M. Jenks Why Cooperation—George Halonen .. American Negro Problems—John Pepper America Prepares for War—Jay Lovestone. . Wrecking the Labor Banks—William Z. Foster...... Total price........$1.45 Full set at a special price of only $1.00 If you have some of these pamphlets already, give them away and order a full set at this special price. One year’s subscription to THz Communist ($2.00) and full set of above enumerated up-to-date pamphlets for $2.50. Order from WORKERS LIBRARY PUBLISHERS 35 EAST 125TH STREET toi NEW YORK CITY Help Greet _ DAILY WORKER ON ITS FIFTH BIRTHDAY SEND IN A DONATION SEND IN A GREETING Daily Sais Worker 26-28 UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY. ter the assault, covered with blood, Atak Today 3®° Red Poets anh N ite and Dance Revolutionary Poets Will Read from Their Own Works Mike Gold Jos. Freeman Robert Wolf James Rorty Martin Russak Herman Spector Henry Reich, Jr. Langton Hughes (NEGRO POET) Admission 75 Cents A. B. Magil Moishe Nadir Lola Ridge H. T. Tsiang Arturo Giovannitti H. Leivick Edwin Rolfe William Weinberg Adolf Wolff John C. Smiths Negro Band TICKETS Now on Sale at the Business Office of The Daily Worker, 26-28 Union Square. ONE FLIGHT UP Friday Eve., Dec. 28th at MANHATTAN LYCEUM, 66 East 4th Street RESERVATIONS: rs v