The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-20
(comrade Trotzky's Book: "1s17".)
Review continued from last week.
The Lessons Of the Revolution of the
Year 1917, and the Struggle
Within the Party


Within the Party.
Shall silence be maintained regard
ing October and its prologue, the Feb
ruary revolution? Certainly not That
would show either lack of conscien-
tiousness or stupidity. But, quite in
vain, Comrade Trotsky, with his hints
and illusions as we'll as with open
appeals, wishes to create the impress
sion that the history of October is
being dealt with in a "step-motherly"
fashion, because in this respect some
sort of mental reservations Ca false,
''half-conscious estimate'') play a role.
Such statements as: "Still more mad
missable would it be to main
tain silence, out of considerations of
a personal character, which are of
quite secondary Importance, regard
ing extremely important problems of
the October upheaval, which have in
ternational significance" page KID,
are scarcely in place.
This statement is certainly correct.
But in the first place, Comrade Trot-
sky conceals the fact that no less
has been written over October than
over any other period. Lenin's writ
ings contain a brilliant estimate of
this period, from which the party will
be able for long time to draw all
the essential teachings of October.
Secondly, Comrade Trotsky fails to
mention that the persons in question
have repeatedly admitted their errors
as is well known to the whole party.
Comrade Zinoviev, in his History
Of the Russian Communist Party and
In earlier publications, has spoken
with all clearness regarding them, and
has declared the same before the
party and before the Communist In
ternational; Comrade Lenin also
spoke concerning this, but at no time
did he connect this error with the
later. after October. activity of these
comrades who took the wrong course
in October.s
Comrade Trotsky now seeks to
make use Of these errors in order TO
revise the whole party policy and to
correctly expound" the whole history
of the party. Therein lies the kernel
of the statements Of Comrade Trotsky
The whole analysis of the events from
April to October is so stated as if the
differences of opinion, which "tore
the party to pieces" had become more
and more acute until they finally
cit is necessary in this connection
to refer to certain facts. In spite of
differences of opinion, Kamenev, on
the proposal Of Lenin, was elected at
the April conference to the central
committee of the party, and in the
moment Of the insurrection, on be-
half of the central committee, took
the chair at the Second Soviet Con
gress. Already in November, 1917,
Zinoviev, whose disagreements with
the central committee only lasted a
few days, on behalf of the central com
mittee Of the party delivered a report
to the All-Russian Central Executive
Committee advocating the dissolution
of the constituent assembly. At the
seventh party conference beginning
OF March. 1919. zinoviev. on behalf
OF the central committee. spoke for
the Lenin policy against Trotsky and
the 'lefts." From this it is to be
seen that the whole party regarded
the October errors Of these comrades
as nothing else than a temporary
difference of opinion. On the contrary
they entrusted them with tasks of the
greatest Importance. I'm spite of the
fact that they did not for a moment
approve Of the errors of these COM
rades.