The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-20


can claim no monopoly Of leading the
mass movement. Comrade Salzman
is no closer to the masses than is
Comrade Benjamen Lifshitz; Comrade
Siegel cannot be credited with wider
mass activity than Comrade Costrell;
Comrade London is by no means clos.
er to the masses than Comrade Min
dell, and as to Comrades Sack or
Aronberg, they are certainly no less
intimately bound up with the union
movement than are Comrades Zirlin or
Zimmerman or Ross Wortis. To claim
that I'VE" are the mass movement is
to be deluded by an organizational
patriotism which is without founda-
tion.
d. The united front tactics has be-
come the daily activity of our party,
the meaning and value of which we
all understand. We have all learned
to know that even at the present
time, Notwithstanding numerical weak
ness, our party must be a party of
political struggles, a. party living and
fighting in close connection with the
working class its everyday life and
battles. We have been forced to con
cede that the party must not con-
fine itself to propaganda, that the
road to mass party leads through
manifold class activities at the head
Of the working-class. We have learned
that maneouvering is necessary ele.
ment of Communist tactics and that
propaganda pure and simple would
turn our party into a sect.
a. Mechanical control is no more
an issue. There is no such thing in
our party. We are all under the con-
troll of the party institutions. Every
one of us both controls and is being
controlled.
1t would seem that under such con-
ditions we should have long forgot
ten the old federation with all our
former just and unjust claims. We
live in different time, we are mem
bers of a new party; we work in new
surroundings; we are faced with new
/ problems 1t would seem that we
4 should have assimilated with the par
ty and forgotten all differences in the
process of work. Unfortunately, it
appears that not all comrades have
become one with the Communist PARTY,
that some of the former members OF
the socialist federation still keep
apart in what constitutes separate
camp in opposition to the Party and
to its leading elements. 1t appears
that the prevailing moods of this
camp are reminiscent of the moods
Of the old federation, and that the
arguments it advances are very mbea
akin to the claims of the formpl
Number Two. ~ s.
There is no use arguing with me
leaders of this camp. If three years
of work have not had the effect eoi
weldig them with the Communist Par
ty, there is little hope of their ever
being assimilated But it is to YOU
comrade in the branches, who are
sometimes inclined to listen to those
leaders and sometimes follow ethefti
out of sheer habit, because you are
wont to look upon them as upon re-
spected comrades and because you dc
not take clear account of the sitna
tion,-to you word of warning is urg
cnt at the present juncture. It is tim,
for you to forget the old socialist
federation. Having become mem Der;
of the COMMUNIST Party, your party
allegiance must be your sole consider
alton. To be communists of proven
loyalty to the Party must be your
highest pride. To this end 1t is neces
sary that you be cautioned against
the former leaders of the Jewish so
cialist federation whose propaganda
among you keeps you artifcially from
merging in the Communist Party anc
: the Communist International and thu:
hampers the growth of our Party.
The old division into Number One
and Number Two" is no more. Ye
you are being told that the Part,
treats you like stepchildren. This i.
not true. The Party does not draw
any line of demarkation between it!
members of whatever former group
provided they accept the Communis
outlook and follow the theological anc
tactical lines of the Party. If the Par
ty treats certain comrades with
measure of caution it is because the,
themselves have drawn line between
their little group and the Party, be
cause they keep on denouncing tn,
Party, unwilling or unable to repres
ent its views. Why indeed should tn,
Party recognize such comrades as it,
spokesman? Why should 1t not b.
careful about members who are no