The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-16

Tors, especially the War-eXhauStlOn OF I
the masses. So also is it part and
parcel of that delusion that the pathe-
tic condition of the American labor
movement can be attributed to Daniel
DeLeon's duel unionism. 1t is an In
dividualistic non-Marxism conception
of historical movements.
The Task Of Leadership.
In such a situation as the present
we have the real test of leadership.
Are we, as Communists, going to
stand aside and permit the same ele-
ments that led the workers into the
LaFollette movement to maintain con-
troll over them? Shall we surrender
the leadership for class party of la
Dor exclusively to them?
Here the Foster Cannon group
demogogically bellows: "There is al
ready class labor party-the Work
ers (Communist) Party"
OF course, we are a class party. We
are the revolutionary party of the
working class in this country, the par
ty that must eventually secure lead
ership of the masses and lead them
to the final assault against capitalism.
But that does not mean there cannot
also be a labor party composed of
groups of workers that can be stamp
ed as a distinctly class party. On a
local scale the Buffalo labor party was
such party. Can anyone deny that
it was a class party? Also did not our
party function more effectively with
in it than ever before? No honest per-
son can deny that! And our relation
to that party was the same as our
relation ought to be to class farmer
labor party-we were the vanguard.
If the movement to revive the Buff
falo labor-party now exists, can any
one claim that it is not our duty to
try to accelerate it? If the question
comes up again should our comrades
in the central labor council arise and
invite the affiliated unions to join the
Workers Party? To state the ques-
ton is to realize it's absurdity. That
party was based upon trade unions:l
group organization composed of
members of the working class Our
party is a Communist Party based up
on individual membership of those
who accept our principles and pro-
gram.
Turnout the nation there are many
symptoms of breaks within the La
LaFollette movement. Many farmer-la-
Dor groups claim that LaFollette has
hindered rather than helped them and
they are preparing for a break. If
any appreciate number of such or
we, as the vanguard of the working
class, endeavor to galvanize them in
to a class labor party? Must we
not, as matter of Communist STRAIT
egg, help them break.
To claim that just because they
stand for class labor-party they can
also be brought into the Communist
movement is absurd. They still suf-
fer from a blind faith in the efficacy
of parliamentary action; they still be-
lieve the capitalist state an instru-
ment thru which they can achieve
their aims. 1t is our mission to dis
pei these illusions. How are we to
proceed about this task?
In their arguments the majority as
serts that we will achieve this by par
ticipating exclusively in the various
other applications of the united front
and wait for the mass movement of
the workers toward the farmer-labor
party to develop. In plain words we
must wait until such party is &C
tually in process of formation, then
we will take our places at the head
of the procession and solemnly assure
them we are their LEADERSHIP van
guard. Surely we would presume too
much if we expected them to take
our attitude seriously on such an oc-
casion. Should we tell them we were
waiting for them to discover the er5
ror of their way they would laugh at
us. Yet that is the wonderful strategy
of the majority. What a pitiable, a
puerile conception of Communism
The function of MARKHAM, a Lenin-
list, leadership is to carefully analyze
economic conditions and be able to
anticipate the movement of the mass
es in response to these conditions.
Not to wait until the movement has
developed spontaneously, but to under,
stand its direction and endeavor to
develop it along lines favorable to the
revolutionary movement
In the present controversy the mi
nority can rest assured that history
is on our side and that the forces
that are now developing in the womb
Of social forces in this country, will
furnish the final refutation Of the Eos
ter-Cannon illusion. just as surely as/
the comet justified the contentious al
the astronomers against the pope
of Rome.
IID -