The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-08
By ROBERT MINOR.

In the competing theses OF the ma
ioritv and minority groups OF the Cen
trail Executive Committee there are
many differences, some Of which are
verv profouhd. For the purpose OIL
this article we will take only one
point-the question as to whether we
shall continue to use the united front
tactic on the political field, thru the
usa of the slogan "For mass farmer
labor party"
support the minority view: that
we must continue to use the united
front farmer-labor party tactic, more
theoretically now than ever before,
and with a fundamental correction OF
our conception of what the united
front tactic is.
believe that profound miscon-
ception Of the Bolshevik tactic OF the
united front underlies the whole poll
CIV of the majority of the c. E. G. as
carried out in the past eleven months,
and that only their mistaken applica-
ton Of it has brought them to the
mass where now they wish to discard
it as far as the political field is con-
cerned. | will indicate what | think
are these misconceptions Of the ma
jority:
I. Majority group thinks success
Of a farmer-labor party movement
depends upon its not being Com.
munist and not being led by Com
munists.
That the Foster-Cannon group con-
ceiyed of the farmer-labor united front
tactic as one in which the Communists
would be as inconspicuous as possible,
while quietly trying to promote" the
formation Of a farmer-labor party, has
been expressed in many ways, but per-
haps best in Comrade Fosters speech
at the st. Paul convention, when he
said:
an answer to the statement which
was made by Brother Mahoney, |
want to state in behalf Of the Work
ers Party that we have not come here
for the purpose Of capturing this con-
vention.
eve realize that In order for farm
er-labor party to be success It can
not be a Communist Party.
1--WE do not expect to see a Com
munist program come out Of this con-
vention, Communist form Of organ
ization, or Communist candidates nom
mated.
1--WE expect to see platform which
will rally the great mass of farmers
and workers. We expect that type OF
organization and that type of candi-
dates"
It is a curious coincidence that Com
rade Fosters speech was almost a
perfect paraphrase of statement is
sued by the non-Communist Minneso-
ia farmer-labor convention arrange
ments committee some weeks earlier:
There will no doubt be Commu-
nists as there will be other schools of
thought represented at the conven-
ton, but they will represent such a
small fraction that even If they so
desired, they would make no impress
sion on the great mass Of farmers and
workers who are interested in practi-
cal legislative measures and not in
visionary doctrines"
This passage from the farmer-la-
Dor arrangements committees state
ment had been sharply called to the
G. Il. C.'s attention, because Of the fact
that It had appeared in newspapers as
signed by a member Of the Commu-
mist Party, Comrade Hathaway, as
secretary OF the arrangements com.
mittee, as we'll as by the non-Commu-
mist chairman OF the same commit
tee. Comrade Foster had in his peck
ct at the moment he arose to make
his speech, communication from the
Communist International Executive
Committee declaring the apparent
signing OF the statement by Comrade
Hathaway as conduct inadmissible
for a member OF the Communist
Party" and expressing its surprise
that the G. Il. c. did not answer this
statement by removing such a mem.
Der from his post, and did not show
] the party as a whole that the Com