The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-08
BY JAMES P. CANNON.

brought out into the open, and the
more the minority is compelled to de-
fend its position, the more does the
shallow opportunism of both the mi
nority position and of its advocates
become revealed. In my previous ar
ticle, l showed how the false policy
Of the minority had already led them,
in seven concrete instances, to nom
Communist attitude toward our cleo.
ton campaign.
/ can now add another example,
more clear, more obvious, and more
damning than the others The latest
and worst example is given to the
party by Comrade Lovestone in his ar
ticle in the DAILY WORKER Of Dec.
3. This is only natural, since the poll
cy Of the minority is the policy Of
Lovestone, and is the logical outcome
Of his opposition to the Workers Party
entering the election campaign under
its own name in the July meeting Of
the G. e. G.
IF you give a finger to opportun-
ISM" said zinoviev, in speaking of
Serrati, you will soon have to give
your whole hand" Comrade Love
stone has not given his whole hand as
yet. But, in his article in the DAILY
WORKER of Dec. 3, he adds another
finger to the one he gave last July.
At the rate he is travelling to the
right, and If the more stable elements
Of the minority do not call him to or.
der, we may expect that he will soon
give bis whole hand-and his head,
too.
From the very beginning of the dis
cussion, the G. E. c., placing itself
on the ground Of reality, has put one
insistent question to the advocates of
IAN intensified campaign for class
farmer-labor party" That question
is: Where is the sentiment amongst
the working masses for this so-called
"class" party? Time and again we
have begged them to tell us in what
trade unions, in what cities, states or
localities this sentiment exists and
how it is manifesting itself.
Up till Dec. 3, the minority made no
answer. Oh, yes, Comrade Ruthen-
berg answered. His answer was g
formula. He told us, in effect: 1.-THE
contradictions Of capitalism will in
tensify the class antagonisms. The
capitalist state power will be used
against the workers and the latter will
be driven to Independent political ac-
ton. Therefore, we must build a
class farmer-labor party This is a
fundamental of Marxism. Please do
not press the question any further"
But it soon became evident that the
sophmOric essays of Comrade Ruthen.
berg we're not satisfying the party
The party wanted facts, and not mere.
ly formulas. In the ranks of the mi.
nority itself voices began to be rails
ed: Give us some facts about the ac-
tual sentiment for a class farmer-la-
Dor party so that we can at least
answer the merciless attacks of those
comrades who say there is no mass
sentiment for it."
comrade Lovestone Takes the Stand
and Introduces Mahoneys Edi-
toriaI as Exhibit A."
At this juncture Comrade Love.
stone stepped into the breach. The
question Of facts was no problem for
him, for is he not an expert research
worker" and "fact-finder" as well as
an expert and experienced witness
He took the witness stand, so to speak
In his article of Dec. 3, to "give evil
dence." He had run down" the elu.
sive sentiment for "class farmer-la,
Dor party" captured it, and brought
it into court with him.
What is this evidence? First and
foremost, it is a quotation from the
Minnesota Trade Union Advocate, edit
ed by William Mahoney.
Think of til
After all our experience with this
renegade and faker, after his treach.
erous performances at the st. Paul
convention and since, Comrade Love
stone still wants US to put faith in
him and rely on him as an ally in
the fight for "class" movement.
Basing his conclusions solely on the
quotations from Mahoney, Comrade
Lovestone says: ut is only natural
that the first tangible capitalization
Of disillusionment with LaFolletteism
should manifest itself in Minnesota
1t is only a matter Of time
when similar manifestations will be
displayed in other sections of the
farmer-labor movement"
Let us examine the black record of
this ALLY" whom Comrade Lovestone
has found Let us see how much the
party can depend on this first tan
gible establishment with LaFollette-
ism"
The whole story cannot be told here.
Mahoney's treachery multiples daily
and only a resident OF st. Paul can
keep track of it. But we all--includ.
ing Comrade Lovestone-know enough
facts TO take his measure and estimate