The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-08
BY JACK HRApoN.

and failed. How could 1t be otherwise
in face of the counthless unforgivable
mistakes that were made? The gray
est mistake was the illusion that, at
one sweep an all-inclusive party
could be created at this early stage
Of revolutionary development in this
country. 1t will quite readily be adj
mitted by anyone informed on the
matter, that only thin sprinkling of
the working class is disillusioned, and
that the great bulk of them are still
under the influence Of American de-
mocracy. Is there another country in
the whole civilized world where the
workers would help sweep into
power a Calvin Coolidge after his
administrator corruptness had been
so clearly shown?
Does not this show the backward.
ness of the American proletariat? Is
1t not clear now, that our temporary
goal should have been and should be
today, the rallying thru the farmer-la,
Dor slogan THAT partly disillusioned
a portion Of the proletariat, so that
from this element we could not only
build our mass Communist Party by
selecting the best of them for our
ranks, but also utilize such farmer
labor party as weapon against the
LaFollettes, whom the majority pro-
poses that we let alone.
MaIorIty's LaFoIIette Communism
in Practice.
Another mistake, a mont Communist
mistake was our united front from the
top. The majority talks much about
the bottom" But what are its acts?
Minnesota offers unique illustration
of the majority's concept of a united
front from the bottom. Here in Min.
nesota, the SO much Dragged" about
united front really consisted of the
Workers (Communist) Party, its orig.
inal sympathizers and followers and a
few labor mis-lealers. This is proven
conclusively by the fact that when we
broke with Mahoney, Cramer, ct. al,
as every good Communist knew we
would have to break, the bottom fell
out of the united front.
Who will deny, that during the So
called maneuvers here in Minnesota,
not move was made by the district
party rulers without consulting those
labor takers? The party here did NOT
own its own soul. To breathe even,
it had to have the permission of these
takers. Last March, the writer pro.
tested vigorously against the tactics
Of subordinating the party to the
whim of thise labor takers. At the
time when the eyes of the workers
and farmers were focused upon oar
party, was the time we praised and
strengthened, not our Communist
stand, but those few labor skates who
are today our bitterest enemies.
AS a matter of fact, not only did
We strengthen our present enemies in
the eyes of the workers and farmers
here, but in the eyes of our sympa.
thizers, potential members and even
our own members. Early last spring
when the writer insisted to the party
here in Minnesota, that we should not
build the fences of the labor takers
any stronger, because, before very
long, it would be our task to break
down those famous fences, Comrades
Of the district committee were so in.
huenced by our boosting of Mahoney
and his candidate for governor, DR.
Schaper (who by the way shortly
afterward repudiated the Commun
ists), that they sneeringly charged
the writer with being ito suspicious
They said that Mahoney, Cramer and
even LaFollette would not break with
us.
Today we are confronted here with
the task of breaking down those
fences which we helped build unneces
sarily. Both Mahoney and CrameI
are our bitterest enemies. In face OF
these facts, the present lip service OF
the majority about united front
kfrom the bottom becomes meaningless
blabber. Anyone can talk. 1t is the
actions Of a Communist that count
c. E. c. Majority Hasn't a Leg to
Stand On.
We have seen, even by the few
crudely put facts, contained herein
First, that the minority started out tc
accomplish the impossible; namely
the alLinclusive farmer-labor party;
second, they could not appraise the
strength and morale of their own
party. Third, that they underestimate
ed the strength Of the enemy-thai
is, the influence of the labor takers
upon the masses. Fourth, that what
ever temporary united front they had
established, was exclusively from the
top. Under these considerations, II
becomes evident that only a miracle
lin which Communists do not believed
could have saved us from all those
mistakes and have given us farmer
labor party. Despite this fact, the
majority does not in a true Commun
'st spirit admit its mistakes, which In