The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-17
Bringing the German Revolution

revolutionary workers. This argument
does not hold good. Were it fact
that but few workers are remaining
in the Social Democratic trade unions,
1t would be all the easier for the firm
kernel organized by the communists
to capture the trade unions from with
in. But the real facts of the case are
that these Social Democratic unions
are not by any means so weak. At
the present time they count double
the number of members possessed by
them before the war. To this must
be added that the slightest improve
ment in Germany's industrial circum-
stances, and it is quite possible that
such temporary Improvement may
take place as passing episode, will
enable the old traditions to be re-
vived and the Social-Democratic trade
unions reconsolidated.
The number of organized workers
has diminished This is true. This
confronts us with fresh tasks. We
must form organizations in the ranks
Of the unorganized. We must work
among them. But it is unbelievable to
desert the trade unions, and to leave
them in the hands Of the Social Demo
Gratis.
There are many practical difficulties.
Moscow cannot foresee all these be-
forehand. In this respect you will
have to depend much upon your own
exertions.
The resistance against the Social
Democratic leaders must be organized
from below in the trade unions. Every
expulsion Of comrade must be re-
sponded by struggle, resistance,
If possible by street demonstration,
a mass declaration of solidarity from
below, etc.
Deserters Not Good Communists.
We are told that the best revolu-
tionary workers are leaving the trade
unions. No, no, a thousand times no!
Those who leave the trade unions
against the instructions of their COM
munist party cannot in any case be
regarded as the best and most revolu-
tionary elements. We Bolsheviki were
frequently told the same during the
years from 1908 till 1914. And we
invariably replied: those who leave
the Menshevist trade unions in DISC
bedience to the instructions of the
Bolshevist party are not the best and
most revolutionary elements, but the
worst disciplined-at best emotional
revolutionists. If our German CP. is
worth anything, it must above all
prove its capability to carry out the
directions issued by the party with
reference to the non-withdrawal from
the reformist trade unions. Remember
what Lenin bequeathed us in his mag
nificent book: "Leftism-the Infantile
Disease Of Communism" Above all
the chapter
"shouId Communists Work in Reac-
tionaTy Trade Unions 2"
Remember the passion and implac-
ability with which he even then COM
batted communists Of the extreme
left" who refused to work in the
reformist trade unions. Had the H.
Congress of the CT, in response to
comrade Lenin's insistent demands,
not decisively and categorically for
hidden the communists to withdraw
from the reformist trade unions, we
should not have had one single COM
munist mass party in Europe today,
and we should have had no influence
on the existing mass organizations.
The leadership of the German CP
is now passing into other hands, into
the hands of the Left. This may prove
of great service to the revolutionary
movement in Germany, but only so
long as the Left takes no steps para
mount to liquidation of the whole
tactics of the CT, that is, of the whole
tactics of Leninian Belshevism. Were
your Party Conference to approve the
so-called new tactics" in the trade
union movement, it would signify a
remuneration of Bolshevism in one of
the most fundamental questions. The
CT. would not in any case undertake
the responsibility for such an altera-
ton in tactics. Were you to come to
such decision, you would place your
selves in absolute opposition to the
fundamental decisions of the CT. The
CT. would then be obliged to combat
your decision, as we are profoundly
convinced that it would involve the
greatest possible harm to the cause of
proletarian revolution in Germany,
and would bring about no less un-
happy results internationally.
The CT. recommends your Party
Conference to confirm the resolution
on the trade union question passed il
Moscow in January of this year,
drawn up by the representatives of
the Left in collaboration with the &c.
of the CT We recommend you to OPP
pose positively and emphatically, and
supported by the full authority Of the
Party Conference, those comrades who
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