The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-12

the tares at this time were the eco
nomists."
Plekhanov Martov, Axelrod and
others were on the 'Iskra" editorial
committee. But "Iskra" was essential
ly Lenin's paper. OF all these, Lenin
alone had clear, impelling ideas as to
what the movement needed. He put
forward the celebrated idea of an
Organization of professional revolu-
tionaries." He had seen group after
group broken up by the police, every
forward movement thwarted by whole
sale arrests because of what Lenin
called a "tinkering" view of the in
credibly difficult task of counteracting
the political police. A broken up
having no link with central organ
ization, left no trace whereby its ac-
tivities could be speedily revived.
Lenin demanded a centrally directed
organization Of comrades as scienti-
fically equipped as the police in the
art of conspiracy" professional revo-
lutionaries" the ironsides of an ALL
Russian Party, of the Proletariat.
"Iskra" also elaborated in detail the
plan of such party, and not only
proposed this, but proceeded to carry
its ideas into practice, gathers>g
round itself group after group of adj
herents in the various industrial CEN
ters of Russia.
In 1902, year after starting
'Iskra," Lenin issued hi epoch-mak-
ing brochure, entitled, What Must We
| Do?" This he describes as a synopsis
Of the 'Iskra" tactics and methods of
organization. The book became a
veritable storm center in Russian So
cial Democracy, not only because Of
its campaign against "economism'
but also because it laid down prin-
ciples of party organization which
went much further than the fight
against "economism." What Must
We Do?" cleared "economism" off the
field, but it raised new issues, new
conflict on a higher plane, which a
year later crystallized in the division
of the movement into Menshevism and
Bolshevism.
Meanwhile "economism," degrading
the political role of the proletariat,
found its kindred expression in Bern
STEMS revisionism. At first glance the
latter had little in common with the
slogans of opportunism. The eco
nomists" chafed at the rigorous of
orthodox" Marxism, and demanded.
like Dleir German comfort character
istic of the uncompromising revolu-
tionary: People who are really con-
WINGED that they carry science step
forward would demand, not equal
freedom for the new theory along
with the old one, but the substitution
of the old by the new" and, in the
first chapter of "What Must We Dor"
he adds: "Oh, yes, messieurs, you are
free to invite, and, not only to invite,
but to go where you please, even to
the morass; we even think that the
bog is your proper place, and we are
prepared to lend you every support
for your migration thereto" Lenin
believed in giving the confirmed OPP
portunist push to the right!
At this time, using the terminology
of the French revolution, "Iskra" de-
clared the existence of the Mountain
and the Gironde in the Russian prole-
tartan movement. Indeed, Plekhanov,
some time before Lenin's arrival in
the emigration" had broken with
the Union for the Emancipation of
Labor" because of its "economism"
and had formed the League of Social
! Democrats" But Lenin does not seem
to have suspected Tor else deemed it
unwise to reveal his suspicions), that
the final cleavage should take place on
a line between him and his. 'Tskra"
colleagues, Plekhanov, Martov, Axel-
rod, and others. But this amazing
"right-about.face" to opportunism.
constituting one of the most striking