The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-02
Speech by Nikolai Bukharin.

AOOuIluuCu
Finally, two further proposals"
were made by the Opposition in con-
nection with the war danger. Both
of these proposals are simply ridic-
ulous. One of them was brought for
ward by Comrade Vuyovitch, with
Trotzky'ss approval, the other by both
Vuyovitch and Trotzky, and is re-
peated in their speeches, proclama-
tions, etc. The first proposal is that
under the given circumstances, and
in view of the war danger, our orien-
tation should be in the direction of
the neutrality-suspicious. workers. The
second proposal is that the group
around Maslow, Ruth Fischer, should
be readmitted into the Comintern and
into the German Party.
A few words must first be devoted
to the present anarcho-syndicalists.
The anarcho-syndicalist count to-
tai of 21a. For the most part these
are "leaders" without an army. No
great anarcho-syndicalist organiza-
ton exists anywhere, with the ex-
ception of the American 1. W. w. 1t
is characteristic that all anarcho-
syndicalist organizations still exist
ing in Europe are violently opposed
to the Soviet Union, their theology
not differing in the very slightest de-
gree from the Menshevist social re-
volutionary theology. They hold the
standpoint that the Bolsheviki have
been guilty of threefold treason
against international revolution, that
our dictatorship is an oligarchy, that
our dictatorship is not of the prole-
tariat; they agitate against the So
wet Union with. the most despicable
methods, etc. And these are the al
lies to whom Trotzky and Vuyovitch
would have US apply, that they may
defend" US. Complete and abso-
Lutte nonsense!
We have not the slightest leaning
towards an "orientation" in the di-
rection of that counter-revolution
petty bourgeoisie which is doing is
utmost, from day to day, to compete
with the leaders of the Social Demo-
Gratis in the choice of the dirtiest
weapons to be used against US. 1t
must be remembered that these ele-
ments are not backed up by the mass
es. This is the rub. In 1914 Trotzky
ran accidentally against a few anar-
cho-syndicalists, and stuck there for
a time. But now it is no longer 1914.
Comrades, the idea is perfectly RI
diculous, complete nonsense. And it
is especially ridiculous at the present
moment, when our chief task is to
win over the average worker, espe-
cially the European average worker,
who is, regrettably enough, still in
the clutches of the Social Democrat
ic parties and of the Amsterdam In
ternational. The problem of winning
over the average worker was first
raised at the time of the III. Com
gress of the Comintern, held with the
aid of Lenin's authority, and this
problem still confronts US today,
more urgently than ever. To create
diversion with respect to this pro-
blem would mean substituting Lee
Minis slogan, demanding the conquest
of the masses, by a slogan calling
for the conquest" of a few counter
revolutionary leaders.
AS to Maslow, the proposal with
regard to him and his group has
aroused extreme indignation among
the members of the Executive Com
mittee. You will no doubt recollect
that the declaration of repentance
made by the Opposition on 6. Octo-
Der, and expressly stated by Com
rade Zinoviev to be meant seri-
ously," one point was the assurance
that the Opposition entirely gives up
every connection with the group ex-
PEELED from the Comintern, the names
of Urbahns, Maslow, and others be-
ing given. 1 must here relate a few
details of the position Of these ex-
cluded members. They have their
own newspaper, they have already
converted this paper into weekly,
and are taking steps towards issuing
it daily; they are taking steps to-