The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-29


same policies effective we brought
into the party 4.65s members. And
then suddenly the le=uiis collapsed
In spite of the fact that we were in
the presidential campaign under our
own name. in spite of the fact that
that was good opportunity for propa-
ganda for Communism, direct appeals
for the Workers Party. During the
next six months period, the figures
were 80 per cent Of the new member
ship taken in and as compared with
the first six months of 1924 and 1925,
we took in 1900 in 1924 and 1000 in
1925.
Comrades, how do we explain that
sharp change in the results for our
party? Why this sudden change in
the number Of members we could win
for our party? Was it objective con-
ditions as between the first half of
1924 and the second half, the first half
Of 1924 and the second half of 1923,
or was it a change in the orientation
Of the line of policy which our party
was pursuing? Comrades, we main
tain that it was a change in the line
Of policy made by the G. q. G. that
is responsible for this failure to secure
results for our party.
am going to tell you now the con-
ception that is fundamental to this
error which was made during the
period in question. Comrades, we do
not always in theses speak our inner
most thoughts, and Comrade Bittel-
man may have written part OF the
main thesis before this convention,
and done it after a c. l. decision and
after bitter struggle in the party
and formulation of the policies cor
rectly after this struggle. But l am
going to submit to you Comrade Bit
lehman speaking spontaneously, his
own ideas, his own conceptions, before
the convention of the Russian section
of our party, in February of this year.
And what did Comrade BitteIman say
then? Here it is: have quoted it
before and l will quote it again to
show what cannot be the policy of
Communist Party. at is becoming
clearly apparent that the only real
opposition that will ever be developed
in the United States against the rule
of big capital in distinction to opposi-
ton to capitalism as a whole, will
come only from the movement that
the Workers Party will be able to
create"
7 SAY, comrades, that is not Com
munism; that is not Marxism; that
is not Leninism; that is something
that is alien to every fundamental con-
ception of our movement, and l say
further, if you have that thought in
your mind you will be opposed to the
labor party policy of our party. If you
have that thought in your mind you
make errors. You abolish united front
women's organizations. If you have
that thought in your mind, Comrade
Bittelman, you bring in report to
make the International Workers Re
, lief openly a part of our, party.
Let us see how it worked out. This
conception that the Workers Party
itself must create the movements
which developed against capitalism,
that our party as party is the basic
condition to the creation of opposi-
ton not against capitalism as a sys-
tenn only but even a movement against
big capital. Comrades, my conception,
and am sure the conception of every
member Of those who sit on the left
OF this convention, is that capitalism
because OF all its contradictions. be-
cause OF its explorations and oppres-
sionsl brings resistance on the part
OF various groups Of the capitalist So
cial order. That It brings revolts. of
the petty bourgeoisie. 1t even brings
struggles between two groups of CAPT
talism of very bitter character. 1t
brings the revolt OF the petty beur-
geoisie against capitalism and is the
basic reason for the revolt of the
working class. Yesl This capitalist