The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-11
Fire from the Red Volcano

party theology the weapon of mass
terror, administered by the hand OF
an organized proletarian state, that
was destined to break the resistance
Of defeated bourgeoisie and to save
proletarian revolution.
"Hegemony Of the ProIetariat."
So, too. was early developed the
key question of the "Hegemony of the
Proletariat. "-the question on which
the petty bourgeois socialist fractions
were sure to break and show their
real class in'ards, as soon as they
struck it. Here. in the question as
to which class would take the hege-
mony the dominance over the
revolutionary period, Of course the
leader Lenin rose to the height of his
greatness; here. the raising Of this
question aided Bolshevism to crystal
lie itself. The many petty bour-
geoise currents Of socialism, form
ing in fact one consistent stream,
beat in vain against the rock of
Lenin. Legal Marxism another
question, or another phase of the
same question Of petty bourgeois
conception of proletarian revolution,
came in turn into conflict with the
revolutionary Marxism of Lenin.
In rather reminiscent style, Zinc
view describes the development OF
Peter Struve-the evolution Of trail
tor. This and other recitals con-
nected with the names of famous his
torical figures, gives the book GER
! tain biographical color that is en-
trancing. The early role Of the Jew
ish comrades, in laying the corner
stone Of the party, and the story OF
the "Bund" are there.
Those of us who remember the
period Of dispute in the American so
cialist party about direct action" win
get peculiar thrill out Of the ac-
count Of the discussion and disputes
about the more accurately phrased
Russian party questions Of the "gen-
eral strike" armed Instruction"
and "arming Of the workers"
Closely related to the question of
the Role of the ProIetariat in the
Revolution" and that of the "Hege-
mony of the Proletariat'' and Legal
Marxism" came the question of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. phase under
which the petty bourgeois theology
arose to battle. The leading of the
revolution by the proletariat, the TAX
ing over Of power by the proletariat.
the dictatorship Of the proletariat, be-
ing barred from correct procedure
Of course the rest followed logically.
This 'Economism" was a movement,
historically Of a breed with mensheV-
ism, to confine the demands Of the
revolutionary proletarian movement
to economic" demands-demands for
economic betterment-a movement
which attempted to take upon itself
the glory Of getting closer to the
masses, and which went so far as to
raise the question OF abstaining from
the slogan Down with the Autoc-
racy." to avoid frightening the work
ing masses. Against # the Leninites
gave successful battle.
professional RevoIutionIsts."
Also the question of professional
|revolutionists" played in its turn a
significant part in the welding Of the
Bolshevik party. Professional revo-
lutionists"f II sounds like a scorn-
full epithet, and it was, at first. But
lit was challenge accepted by the
Leninists. With the fearlessness in
facing facts which characterized him,
Lenin showed that exactly that-the
Organization Of professional revolu-
tionists" was required. Many Ameri-
cans need to read this.
A singular appreciation of just
what political party program means
to revolutionary party is obtained
here, and it is particularly timely at
this time when the Communist Inter
national is expanding large energies