The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-05

H EXPERIENCE and history proves
that the strength of q Co.n-
munist organization lies in the pre-
dominance of the prole.Nr;an u.e.n-
bers within it's ranks. There is
abundant proof Of this. Has not tho
Communist International tirno and
again rcbukcd the weakness ~ tl,s
Italian and Bulgarian CGr4HfuIEEt
Parties because % the pirpondSF-
ance Of peasant clements Z Zinc
view has more than once indicated
the advantage that the Gef1nsn
Communist party has in the Want
number Of proletarians wibkn u
ranks, even tho that party has be-n
criticized for not developing it's shsp
nuclei activities Iao-e rapidly.
The Grave Digger of Capitalism.
But this is no argument agaih>t
the most intensive campaigns ard
activities among the peasant nnE->a
lin the United States the oep-ess-
ed tenant and dirt farmers. ESU-
rade John Pepper and others hsFs
shown the necessity OF. the work al
the American party in the ag=Krfan
sections Of the country. In a cOGr-
try that is half industrial ana half
agrarian in its population, fac,@<
realities, there is no doubt whero
the activities of the Communists mus
be directed. Yet the work among
tho Industrial workers must pre-
dominate.
The grave diggers Of capitalize
society will be the proletariat, the
unskilled workers created by the
capitalist mode Of production. Marx
did not bubble about that. 1. is
true that the peasantry and the
aristocracy Of labor (the skilled
workers) might act as the pail
bearers and the undertaken, hut the
most important function belongs 70
the lowest stratum of exploitaJ
workers, the proletariat, those who
in the United States work N tie
basic industries.
This is nothing new for the Con-
munist movement in the Urtsd
States For more than once has
the slogan been issued, to the masses
of workers! But the party has been
laboring under handicaps imposed
by an Anticipated organizat;onal
structure that has prevented it from
reaching the very section Of tho
working class that must be relie I
upon as the motive force Of r~yp-
hutton. Why? Because Of the IN
herent development OF cayitaIist
society, the massing Of large num-
bers Of workers in industry and the
Acknowledgement Of vast number
Of these workers. Then, too, those
merganized workers have been Cor
hidden the right and the means to
organize in defensive economic or
CARNATIONS, trade and Industrial
unions.
Shop Nuclei Necessary.
John Edwards, In his article on
"Shop Nuclei-The Only Road to q
Mass Communist Organization. 1"
shows how the present structure Of
the party is incapable of enlistinR
the great number of unorganizcd
workers and why the major part OF
our work reaches those organized
into trade unions, for the most part
the better skilled workers.
It would be well to direct our at
tentions to objective conditions in the
United States SO far as shop nuclei
or organization is concerned. Hero
tofore, discussion has been on the
conditions within the party; a MOO
essary discussion.
The problem Of shop nuclei deals
mainly with the basic industries and
the factories. There are according
to the latest census some 12,000,0 900
factory workers linen and women
engaged in manufacture). There Is
a total Of 29O,105 manufacturing
establishments, divided as follows,
outside Of ITO, 1915, which employ
very few OF no workers:
No. Of
No. Of Workers Factories
9 to 20 workers. :. 81, 20S
81 To so workers. :. .26, 1919
81 TO 100 workers. !. ~ ,405
lO1 TO ESQ workers 10 .06S