The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-14


bacci.
..The French parliamentary fraction con-
sists of 6S deputies, of whom 40 are definitely |
opportunists, 26 delegates from the group OF
the Center, and only 2 revolutionary So
cialsts.
eThe Norwegian party has in its parlla-
ment 10 deputies, of whom II are Klghts'
belong to the group of the Center, and only
2 are Lefts.
"Thus the working class is represented IN
parliaments by opportunists ard reformisls'
and at best by the Center-that is, tire
Center of Socialist Party which is analog-
Gus in it's composition to the German IN
dependent Party.
4And what does this party Of Independents
really represent
Characterization of the Independents.
Comrade Bukharin recalls conversation
with Haase. who, of course, considered r..
self a revolutionary and proudly referred to
his speeches as confirming his opinion on hlm
self. He indicated to Bukharin speech Oh
his in which he pointed out that the sending
of troops to Finland was violation OF pop
ular interests. AS though the sending OF
troors to France CT to Russia, or to any
other country is not the violation OF popular
interests.
Bukharin takes several other facts from
the speeches of Haase, and says that 1t IS
really laughable that Haase and other men,
bers of the party ofIndependents continued to
consider themselves revolutionaries when IN
the very speeches which they believed to be
most revolutionary they appeared oppor-
tunistic in relation to the entire group of the
Independents.
He gives also several citations from a
speech of Oscar Cohn, who speaks OF the
danger of exaggerating ones strength" and
of other things, but does not say word
about Moscow. And Kautsky refers to Mos
COW only when he finds it necessary TO con-
demn terror and violence"
4The Independents wish to decide questions
of actual life by parliamentary methods. They
] introduce projects of law and amendments to
such, as though this can give any result
within the framework of the rule of capital
istic society.
''Comrade Dittmann says that they were
not able to carry out the resolutions OF the
Leipzig party congress on adherence to the
III international, because they were busy
with the elections to parliament 1t is sur
prising that they do not understand the enor
, nous significance for revolution of the de
J cision of the Leipzig party congress? Cal
one be surprised that the Independents d
} not make the decision of this congress OF
e adherence to the III International the fur
s damental watchword of their election can
: paign? They do not understand the signif
:, canoe of present parliamentarism for revolt
tion They do not understand that a parli'
S ment is only tribune, merely weapon (
o revolutionary struggle simply the organic
e tion of broad toiling masses for the inevitab
lie armed struggle between exploters and t!
is exploited.
g Antiparliamentarism of American l. w.
Is This is the character of parliamentary o
ne portunism. We find much more sympathet
r. the Experimentation Of the American
E. dustrasts Q. W. W) who instructive
es feel distrust of, and proper hatred fl
IS, opportunistic parliamentarism. But wht
tie like Comrade Hortwig, they try to build
or theoretic foundation for their negative
a titude toward all parliamentarism, it has
ng quite different significance, and we shot
p condemn absolutely such an attitude. 7
American Industrialists Il. w. W. simply
OF not understand political struggle and W
naive frankness believe that the gene
ew strike, for example, is question of industl
ar struggle and not of political struggle. A
me on the other hand, they think that yell
IN parliamentarism is properly understood
litical struggle. When they oppose the 8
err oral strike to yellow pariameltarisni h
20 quite properly give preference to the +
re- method of struggle. This is coarse empiric
on the part Of American workmen who lI
to very well the character Of the parliamen
ian ism Of yellow Socialists, and Of the Co
ap- ers band. But when Comrade Hortwig