The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-30
DEBATES
WITH COMMUNIST
ON GOVERNMENT
Prates About Democ-
racy; State Jails Workers
BY SYLVAN A. PoLLAcK.
Especial to The Daily Worker)


NEW YORK, Jan. 2S-A debate on
the government ana the new social
order" was held by the league for in
dustrial democracy at the Rand School
between Bertram d. Wolfe, director Of
the Workers School and the Rev.
Norman Thomas, socialist leader, be-
fore a select audience of Snug and
self-satisfied liberals and socialists
Rev. Thomas prated about demo-
cracy as the only salvation for the
world, making one think that they
were in a church. He criticized Com
munism and bemoaned the fact that
counter-revolutionists are today in the
jails of the Soviet Union. In opposi-
ton to this reverend's whining speech,
Wolfe, in concise manner presented
the Communist point of view
democracy for Whom2"
Comrade Wolfe assailed Thomas
and his theories of democracy declar-
ing:
Government means two things, ad-
ministration and the domination of
one class over subject class. When
the classes and the distinction be-
tween them disappears, then the gov
eminent will disappear. The essential
thing in America, where the majority
of the workers still support the repub-
lican and democratic parties, is to have
Observation-Disclosures developed and
show the shams of the old parties, and
view conditions from a class point of
view. Questions such as democracy,
political prisoners, etc., must be view
ed from class point of view"
Wolfe pointed out that during the
war a censorship of the press was
established. Labor leaders like Frank
Little were hung, "And still we talk
about democracy, when today the
American government is the most die
tatorial government on the world, with
its Dawes plan, subsection of Germany,
and penetration into South America.
Are we going to change all this by
talking about democracy"
Dictatorship or Democracy.
Thomas, in speaking for the second
time, said that government is not
control of one class over another, also
that the principal question is, dicta-
torship or democracy.
He continued, IF you think you can
talk about the dictatorship of the pro
letariat and use it against Mellon, yor
will find you will have trouble. Tho
Communists are the chief obstacle Il
make democracy effective. You cannot
expect the support of the American la
DOR movement for you mean not the
proletariat, but only part of it."
Wolfe in answering Thomas declar-
ed that the reverend was under the
impression that western civilization
is superior to that of the rest of the
world. He showed that no ruling
class ever gave up it's power without
a struggle. He pointed out the ridicul-
BUSINESS of the position of expecting to
obtain power by the ballot-taking
power when you have 81 per cent sup
portland giving it back when you
Olly nave ~ per cent.
Daily Worker Not Welcome.
The writer, who was covering the
debate as The DAILY WORKER re-
porter, was very unwelcome intruder
in the midst of the assembled liber-
ais and socialists. From the very mo-
ment he entered the hall, and took
a seat in the front row near the
stage, until the very close of the meet
ing he was continually harassed by the
ushers, who said that The DAILY
WORKER reporters card sis no
good" and you must have police
card if you want to stay here" He
ignored their remarks and continued
to cover the meeting.