The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-10-09

ference and the handling of the !. L.
G. w. u. settlement to a great extent
in New York-a very difficult prob
lem-and / tried to put that into good
shape and my policies were endorsed
by the Gee almost completely. This
indicates that they never took any
stock in Cannon's argument that
was seeking to avoid responsibility in
the Party.
1t was not with a desire to Shirk
responsibility that we made our propo-
sition, nor could it possibly be given
the sinister twist Of being in oppos-
ton to the Comintern. On the con-
trary it was, we feel, the other sec
ton of the group, that were Sinking
responsibility of the Party in spite of
their proposal. Why? Because these
comrades, Notwithstanding all their
talk about sharing responsibility
come forth with proposition to send
all the leaders of their group off to
the school in Moscow-Cannon, Dun.
ne, Abern, Bell, Hathaway, Schacht
man and Williamson. We argued un-
ayailingly against this policy of theirs.
Comrade Bedacht in the committee al
so impressed upon them that it was
impossible for all these leading com
rades to go away at this particular
time-that they had to stay and help
do the work of the Party. If anybody
was Sinking it was these very COM
rades who have tried to create the i'm
preston that we were avoiding Party
responsibility, and to make such o
desperate issue of this matter. !
don't say that they shirked RESPONSE
bility Intentionally, but the Gee I'M.
derstood it as avoiding responsibility
and refused to let them go to Mos
COW.
Comrade Cannon said that after the
decision came refused to participate
in the Gee. Altho that charge re-
lates to my personal attitude | must
answer 1t. His statement is correct
and fact. can assure you that
when read that decision | was not
bit pleased. When / saw the state.
ment that the Ruthenberg group is
more loyal to the decisions of the
Comintern" than our group, it went
straight to my heart, because want
to be loyal to the Comintern and as
far as | understand its decisions am
loyal to them. When the decision
came | said to myself What value am
! In the movement II am not loyal
II the position is taken that am not
loyal to the Comintern? If that is the
case, OF what value am In the CEC?"
II took me only an hour to get over
this wrong, but excusable conclusion
think / recovered rapidly from that
subjective reaction.
Comrade Bedacht said much about
the army. / noticed that he used the
illustration Of the army and general
staff constantly. In trying to picture
Party discipline, he said when the ar.
my STAFF gives the instructions the
soldiers must obey. In a sense that's
true in our Party as it's true in an
army. But there is one important
difference not mentioned by Comrade
Bedacht. In our Party the discipline
Is self-imposed The decisions are ar.
rived at by a COMMON discussion OF
policy with our higher Officers. and
the decisions. wien they come, are
not forced upon us like in an army.
They are the result OF copmon un.
derstanding ADA intelligent co.opera.
ton in the var tous phases OF the Par.
ty. Like soldiers we must obey the
q. The higher degree Of discipline
AsrsHs ir Ne Communist stntsrns.