The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-09
THE BALANCE SHEET OF THE
PARTY CONTROVERSY TO DATE

not least, the Foster-Burman group
actually stole the livery Of Loreism in
order to present some sort of poll
teal face to the membership in the
discussion.
Foster-Lore Strength at Peak.
No one can deny that the total vote
polled by the Foster-Lore group repre-
sents its maximum strength. Like
wise, no one can deny the fact that
the c. E. G. minority strength was
not fully modified. The G. E. C. ma
jority had at its disposal for winning
over the membership and mobilizing
its adherents of all stripes the COM
plete state power-the party machin-
cry. Its speakers had the tremendous
advantage of speaking first and last
in the debates. The Foster-Lore
group had its articles placed in the
best section of the space allotted to
the discussion of party tasks. Ger
tain minority articles were held up in
publication for sundry strategic rea-
sons"
Then Comrade Burman, against the
protest Of considerable portion of
the rank and file, made outrageous
use of the official machinery of the
Finnish federation in misrepresenting
the issues before the party. Certain
organizers of the Young Workers
League displayed their youthful en-
ergy in working overtime for the G.
E. c. majority while on tour building
up the young Communist movement.
Nor were the DAILY WORKER ma
chinery and other party agencies me-
elected. In short, the C. E. c. ma
iority of today, unlike the majority
Of the G. E. c. of last year, more than
utilized the party state power" in
its widest ramifications. In paran-
thesis, the extraordinary energy of
our educational" department which
was temporarily moved to New York
might also be mentioned.
The Role of State Power.
OF course, we are not swearing vol
legs against the G. E. G. majority for
its use of the party state power in
the controversy. We are charitable
enough not even to condemn its re-
peated fragrant misuse OF this state
power. We do not deny that the C.
E. G. majority-the Foster-Lore group
-nosed out the MARKHAM group of
Comrade Ruthenberg by 230 votes.
We do not begrudge the Foster-Lore
group this paltry majority of $50. 1t
certainly was well-earned, consider
ing the efforts invested and the re-
sources at the command of the Eos
ter-Lore group. In fact, we marvel
at the fact that Foster-Lore majority
was so slim after the eleventh hour
change of rules DISTINGUISHING hun
dreds of comrades at these member
ship meetings and in view of the. lack
of facilities at the command of the C.
E. c. minority to mobilize its real,
full strength in the party.
A Redeemlng Feature.
1t is plain that the party expression
to date is nearly evenly divided. In
every big city where the C. e. c. ma
iority position was Endorsed, it was
done so only thru an organic merger
and complete unity of the Foster
Burman group with the Lore follow
ers. In New York, Boston, and Chi
cago, the solid block of Lore adher-
ents alone gave the majority of the
membership meetings to the G. E. G.
majority. Consequently, no matter
what damage the party controversy
might have brought, it at least has
brought one inestimable gain to the
party. We have in mind me fact that
this discussion has once and for all
established in the eyes of the mem
bership the unity between the Foster
Burman group and the Lore Two-and-
a-Half International group in our
party. The growing awareness on the
part of our membership of the menace
to the party in such an alliance-an
alliance in fragrant violation of the
last G. I. decision on the American
question-can only prove a source of
greatest strength towards speedy
galvanizing and complete unification
of our Communist ranks for intensi-
fed struggles against the exploiters
their government, and the reactionary
trade union bureaucracy.
Considering all the obstacles, consi-
dering the level Of the discussion
maintained by the Foster-Lore group
the Workers (Communist) Party
should feel highly gratifed at the
splendid response given by the mem.
bership to the Communist policies
proposed by the Ruthenberg group.
Our Workers (Communist) Party can
well face the future, its rapidly grow
ng difficult future, with so firm, with
so adamant Communist backbone in
its ranks.