The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-27

unnecessary TO conduct propaganda
work on a broad scale, in order to
provide every worker with the oppor-
tunity of becoming acquainted with
Communism. On the contrary, it is
impossible to determine mechanically
who or where are those who will re-
cruits to the Communist movement,
who are where are those who will re-
spond to the Communist message; it
is therefore necessary to conduct pro-
paganda on the broadcast scale pos
sible; there is mass" characteris-
tic to propaganda, consisting not in
the possible response, but in the lat
itude of the work.
Activity in the Class Struggle.
Another error on this point consists
in the belief that efforts to get the
workers to take progressive and mill
tant steps are sufficient that specific
Communist propaganda is unneces-
sary; if the workers can just be stirred
up to fight the bosses, that is suffi-
cient.
Such practical" work of course is
absolutely essential providing abso-
lutely necessary experience for the
masses and the mass leadership but
of itself it will never build the Com
munist movement or produce the pro-
letarian revolution. Progress and mill
fancy in the class struggle are not
necessarily REVOLUTIONARY. The
MARKHAM theology must be injected or
all the Inilitancy possible to be de-
veloped has only temporary value
and is bound to degenerate into apa-
thy or reformism. The masses must
be continually instructed in the
LIMITATIONS Of the most militant
fight possible to make under the capi-
talist system, and their fight against
specific and immediate evils must be
given a more extended horizon in or
der to display as much as possible a
fight for more general and ultimate
aims.
Is Successful Propaganda Work
Possible?
Due to the special difficulties met
with, some appear to incline to mega
tive answer. It is correct that under
existing American conditions a high
degree OF response to propaganda
work is not to be expected. But the
conditions of American capitalism and
the world situation provide a sufficient
situation for winning a certain num-
Der of the more thoughtful and class
conscious elements but the trouble is
that the Party does not properly util-
lze 1t as opportunities in this respect.
We Need More and Better Literature
The standard works of Marx-Lenin
and other authorities need to be given
specific adaptation to American con-
dltlons IN order to make the principles
more readily grasped as well as the
understanding of American capitalism
and the tasks of the revolutionary
movement here more easy and certain
For instance, the general characters
Tics OF imperialism pointed out by
Lenln need to be specifically described
as displayed by American. imperial
ism. Such terms as relative surplus
value" very important for an under
standing of such period as the pres
ent when the efficiency of produc-
ton" is being rapidly increased.
ought to be explained in the light of
American capitalist practice.
Much better use should also he
made of the modern developments in
the arts of journalism, illustration.
Typography. The expense required
for this would be compensated for bv
the increased saleability and effect
lveness of the literature.
Propaganda and Building the Party.
In the Eleventh Congress of the Ger
man Communist Party recently held.
Comrade Thaelman declared. e'Opr
task must be to create new cadres.
to train new functionaries, to fill our
Party with fresh and vigorous blood
so as to strengthen our vanguard.
for we can in no way carry out our
great tasks with those sections of
the workers which at present belong
to u.s."
II such is the task of the German
Party, with membership relatively
very much higher, so much the more
Is 1t the task of the w. P. Propaganda
alone of course cannot accomplish
this task, but without effective pro-
paganda it is equally impossible. The
Party cannot be built simply by de-
monstrating to the workers courage.
wisdom, loyalty, in the immediate
struggle; by attacking and exposing
the reactionary leadership and the
capitalists themselves. 1t is abso-
lutely necessary to explain clearly
just what Communism means; in or
der to turn the contacts made in
mass work into permanent and cap
able members of the Party.
One of the greatest difficulties in
the United States is the almost COM
plete lack of theological foundation
within the working class not only for
developing the revolutionary move
ment, but even for the simplest sort
Of firht fo,