The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-12-09
Stain in Report Stresses Peasant Problem

ants. BY this I mean not only in the
sense of reducing illiteracy, but in a
sense of acquiring the capacity for
administering the country-a funda-
mental basis for improving the state
and any other apparatus"
Internal Situation
Summing up the internal political
position, Stain declared: "Soviet
power is the most firmly established
power in the world. This does not
mean, however, that everything is al
right in this sphere. We have an I'M
employment and housing crisis which
must be overcome or at least reduced
to minimum in the coming years.
There is cultural backwardness not
only in the broad but also in the
narrow sense of the term, for the per-
centage of illiteracy in the Soviet
Union is still large.
"These and similar shortcomings
must be liquidated if we are to pro-
gress."
ITO conclude this part of my re-
port" continued Stain, "a few words
must be said about the most charac-
teristic appointments: Lobov, a metal
worker, has been appointed president
of the Supreme Economic Council of
the U. S. S. R.; Ukhanov, metal
worker, was elected chairman of the
Moscow Soviet; Komarov, also a met
al worker, was elected chairman of
the Leningrad Soviet.
eve wish the capitalist countries
would emulate us and at least make
their own metal workers lords and
mayors" Tremendous applause).
Internal Party Question.
In the closing part of his report
Stain dealt with the internal Party
situation, pointing the qualitative i'm
provement of the Party guidance in
politics and economics.
Touching on various shortcomings,
he said: "The struggle is between the
old and the new, between moribund
and birth,-this is the basis of our de-
velopment." Pointing out the neces-
sity for honest and revolutionary self
criticism, Stain said that otherwise
there can be no progress and no de-
-velopment. an this direction we still
suffer-" he said. Moreover, successes
often suffice for US to forget short
comings. There is a danger of our be-
coming conceited, but faults remain,
shortcomings survive, sores are often
concealed with the Party organism.
Another shortcoming consists in
the application Of the method Of ad-
ministration within the Party, substi-
tuting the method of conviction of
such vital Importance in our Party
by the method of administration.
"The third shortcoming consists in
the desire Of many of our comrades
to go with the current, smoothly,
peacefully, so that everything may
seem well.
THAT is the essence of the third
shortening in our Party life, the
basis of our shortcomings our Party
life.
Now allow me to take up the ques-
tions of discussion and our so-called
Opposition. We are told why was II
necessary to flare the discussion
bringing them to the surface @
Discussion Necessary.
This is wrong. Discussion is some
times absolutely indispensable and I'M
conditionally useful If discussion is
carried on in a comradely manner,
within the Party framework, if its
task is honest self-criticism, criticism
of Party shortcomings, it is alright.
Discussion, however, making it's aim
not the improvement of our Party but
it's deterioration, not the strengthen
ing but its weakening - this does
not arm the proletariat, but disarms
them.
When the Opposition demanded the
opening of discussion three months be-
fore the Congress, before the elabor-
alton of the Central Committee theses,
it endeavored to force discussion upon
US which would facilitate matters for
our enemies. Hence the Central Com
mittee opposed the Opposition plans.
We succeeded in placing the discus
sion on the right path, giving it a
basis in the form Of the Central Com
mittee theses of the Congress.
Strength Of Party.
'Now we can say unhesitatingly that
discussion is generally advantageous
We never feared and never shall fear
open self-criticism and criticism fol-
our errors before the entire Party
The present discussion is a sign of
the strength of the Party, sign of
its power.
Poverty TO Opposition.
'In every big party and especially
"a government party containing peas
ants and clerical workers, indifferent
elements develop. Such elements
constitute the swamp of our party
Eventually this swamp must take
sides, partly going to the Opposition
the other part going to the Party
thus ceasing to be a swamp. AS a
result of the present discussion we
have less Of swamp. The results