The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-06-25

The C.P. delegates made only one
demand, to reopen the convention. 1t
was for the other side to make the
next ynove...
There is nothing in the official re-
cord which suggests under what sort
of surroundings all these things hapen-
ed. AS a matter of fact the physical
surrounding had very important part
in the struggle for unity;-which is not
at all illuminating to the reader who
is asked to wait few years for a
description Of these surroundings.
Besides, how is one to visualize one
group of delegates in heated argument,
while the other group is engaged in the
singing Of revolutionary songs, mostly
Russian,-how is one to iamigne all
this without something in the way of
special dimensionss The singing group
marches halfway toward the arguing
group-a challenge to unity, the song
of the Internationale-and reluctantly
marches back to its own meeting place.
There is committee conference. Be-
fore the report comes back the lines
are formed for a new march, this time
to go all the way. Agreement is re-
ported a G. E. G. of ten members,
the five CLIP. candidates to stand
elected, five C.P. members now to be
chosen. The march proceeds; it is the
only report to the anxious CLIP.
delegates;-the two groups merge into
one another, all singing the Interna-
tionale. There is the grasping of hands,
the embrace of comradeship; nothing
is said-there is too much feeling for
speech. Unity is achieved.
Recapitulating, the C. E. G. stands:
Damon, Scott, Reinhart, Delion, Cax-
ton; Brown, Dawson, Klein, Flynn,
Meyer. Alternates, in the following
order, zemlin (C.P. } Dubner (C.L.P),
Stone OPP, Jones (C.L.P.), Kerker
(C.P.), Malcolm (C.L.P.), Kazbeck
Opp, Logan (C.L.P.)
For international Secretary, Caxton
replaces Brown; Damon and Meyer
stand as international Delegates; Scott,
alternate for Damon, Barry, alternate
for Meyer.
An American convention of Com
munists. Yet there was, more likely
than not, a majority of "foreigners
though the division was fairly even.
But these were Communists who were
vitally concerned about the class
struggle in America, men and women
who really expected to take part in
this struggle; not those who toyed
| ,x,,th +ba rnyp ot have
method Of ingratiating themselves in
Moscow.
1t was one Of the most inspiring
things about this convention to hear
delegates painfully struggling with
the English language, no longer de-
pending for expression on the artificial
foreign-language caucuses of prior
conventions, but making themselves
one with all the other delegates in
defiance Of barriers of language or
nationality.
Perhaps this was the greater "un-
ity" achievement of this convention.
Again and again the sentence was
heard: 1--WE have crossed the Rubi-f
con-" Every delegate was in the hands
of his fellows; all subject to imprison-
ment, deportation, social and economic
displacement. Yet most of the time
not without thanks to the irrepres-
sible wit of the convention secretary,
Smyth, the whole affair seemed like
a jollification. Or perhaps it was the
grim seriousness of it all that chal-
Hanged relief in playfulness'...
A revolutionary movement driven
Underground" is apt to be driven
away at the same time from its own
petty animosities and bubbles. Forced
to face the life and death character of
the combat, it is likely to discard pre-
lenses, evasions, purposeless quarrels
about persons. Confusion gives way
to clarity; hesitation yields to stern
| determination.
A convention of revolutionists--
convention which relentlessly search
ed the truth of its every word and
J the heart of its every delegate.