The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-17

party poncy.
This opportunist line of thought is
characteristic of the majority. In
their thesis they say, cat the, time
when the farmer-labor movement was
developing mass character, moving
in the direction of an independent
party, it was correct for our
party itself to raise the slogan of a
farmer-labor party and participate ac-
lively in the movement for it. When
as became apparent in July, 1924, and
as it is apparent now, the idea of
farmer-labor party lacks mass support
and appeal among the industrial work
ers and poor farmers, the basic rea-
sons for our support of this move
ment are not in existence"
. Commenting upon this attitude of
following the Masses" Comrade Sta
lin says in his book on "Lenin and
Leninism," "The theory of spontaneity
is a theory of opportunism, the theory
Of bowling before the spontaneity of
the workers movement, the theory of
actual denial of the leading role o.
the vanguard of the working class,
the party of the working class ;.
The theory of spontaneity is the ide.
ology of trade unionism."
This idea of following the masses"
was combatted by Comrade Lenin, and
called "Chvostism," a real menshevist
position.
Mistakes of the Past.
So deep is the respect and worship
Of the majority for the Sentiment" of
the masses, that it has led them to
commit number of grave errors in
the past in the employment of the
united front tactics. Comrade Bittel-
man in his speech at the German cor
vention makes this demand in regard
to the present policy of the party,
Not negotiations with farmer-labor
leaders around the conference table
as was the case in about one-half of
our work for farmer-labor party, but
actual struggle in the unions and
the shops and among the unemplovf
directly against the capitalists and
their servants, the reactionary labor
bureaucrats." This is an admission
that our united front tactics were no
conducted until now in the unions. in
the shops and among the unemployed
therefore, we must state openly that
our c. E. c. and the T. U. e. I. did
not understand the decisions of tbe
Comintern and the Profintern on
tactics OF the united front. But to sit
at the table with farmer-labor leaders
was not such grave mistake. Com.
raoe Losovsky in concluding his r.
port at the Fifth Congress states
do not sit down at the same tabIo
with him (Jouhaux) for the sake
MS beautiful eyes but because tbe
are millions of workers who followed
him and because there are tens of
millions who are neither with nc MOI.
with him." Saturated with the ida-
ology of "Chvostism," our c. r. q
rallied to criticize the leaders. Oike
Fitzpatrick, Hillman, Mahonev. etc !
with whom they sat at the same table,
whom the masses followed. Tins
tney failed to prepare the masses for
the time when these leaders would
oetray the workers, so that instead
Oh winning over these masses thru the
united front tactics, we renamed $50
lated after the June II convention.
For instance, the statement issued
by Mahoney in regard to the St Paul
convention was printed in our official
organ, the DAILY WORKER of Anril
IL without any challenge, or criticism
regardless of the fact that comrades
from New York and other cities de.
manded immediate action. Let us re-
peat few extracts from this state
ment. There will no doubt. be Com.
munlsts as there will be other schools
OF thought represented at the con.
vention, but they will represent sucb
small fraction that even if thew So
DESIRE they would make no impress
sion on the great mass of farmers
and OF workers who are interested IN
practical legislative measures and NOT
sionary uoctrlnes. The
June IL convention has been sponsor.
ed by the farmer-labor movement of
Minnesota, which is in charge of .
committee Of arrangements which 10
not controlled by the Communists
IL VIII be impossible for any one
group to control these proceedings
and the leaders in Minnesota and
the northwest have sufficient practi.
cal political experience to defeat anv
attempt at the capture of the conven-
ton of any element" This statement
was also signed by the secretary Of
the committee for the St. Paul con.
vention, Comrade Hathaway. a men,
Der OF the Workers Party. and an Al.
ternate to the c. e. G. This shows
that Mahoney knew better than orr
=. e. G. how to capitalize the united
'front.', by utilizing our own Official or.
gan as well as the official representa-.
1--WE OF our party, for the purpose of
ulScredtting ua and wfnnino, o,,o. A.