The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-09-27


the development of the American
class struggle, when petty bourgeois
liberalism and progressivism is max
ing bid for political power, and, in
order to achieve this end, is attempt
ing to sweep the labor movement and
the poor farmers into supporting this
middle class LaFollette movement, it
becomes supremely necessary that
every worker understand clearly the
nature of the petty bourgeoise, the
significance of it's political ambitions
and the correct working class attitude
toward them.
The following Address to the Com
munist League" by Karl Marx, altho
it dates back to 1850 and is dealing
primarily with the petty bourgeois lib
.eral movement in Germany at that
time, yet there is whole world of
truth for the American workers of
today to be used to great advantage
in the solution of their immediate
problems.
What is it that every politically
conscious American worker wants to
know now?I He wants to know
whether the workers should support
the LaFollette movement, whether
the workers can derive any benefits
for themselves from uniting polite
ally with the so-called progressive"
middle classes, and generally what is
the best way for the workers to par
ticipate in politics.
These are the supreme questions of
the moment. And to these questions
the Workers Party of America has
given its answer. 1t said: No alli-
ance with the movement of small capt.
tai. No support for LaFollette. In
dependent politicalA action by labor.
An independent class party of work
ers and the poorest sections of the
farmers, These answers are based on
the accumulated experiences of the
workers thruout the world, on the
history of our own American class
struggle, and on the burning needs of
the American working class of today,
Karl Marx is dealing in the follow
and problems that are in many re-
spects similar to the ones confronting
the American workers at present. A
careful study of this document will
open the eyes of many a deluded
worker to the real proletarian class
position to be taken by the workers
in this campaign.
We have told you, brethren, as far
back as in 184S, that German Liberal
ism would soon come to power and
would at once use it against the
working class. You have seen how
this has been fulfilled. 1t was the
bourgeoisie who after the victorious
movement of March, 1S4S,. took the
reins of government, and the first use
they made of their power was to force
back the workingman, their allies in
the fight against absolutism, to their
former oppressed condition. They
could not achieve their purpose with
out the assistance of the defeated
aristocracy, to whom they even
transferred governmental power, Sc
curing however for themselves the
ultimate control of the government
thru the budget.
The part which the liberals played
in 1913, this treacherous role will al
the next revolution be played by the
democratic petty bourgeoisie, who
among the parties opposing the gov
eminent, are now occupying the
same position which the liberals oc
cupied prior to the March revolution
This democratic party, which is more
dangerous to the workingmen thar
the liberal party was, consists of the
following three elements:
(i) The more progressive mem