The daily worker., 1927-04-26
Radical Workers
Unifying Norway
Labor Movement

OSLO, Norway, April (By MaiD -
The trade union movement began to
develop in Norway more than 40
years ago, in the early sos. Stimuli
taneously with trade-union organiza-
tions political groupings closely
bound up with the trade unions began
TO form themselves among the work.
ers. In 1887 the Norwegian Labor
Party was formed from all these or
ganizations, circles and groups-a
party in its structure strongly remi-
niscent Of the British Labor Party.
Up till 1920 the Norwegian Labor
Party remained the only one. Not
long before the war Martin Tranmael,
very talented journalist and politi-
cal orator formerly a house-painter),
became very prominent in the Party.
The growth Of the Left spirit with
in the Norwegian Labor Party after
the war, the October Revolution in
Russia and the revolutions in Ger
many, Austria and Hungary, were
taken advantage of by Martin Tran
mael and his sdherents to seize all the
administrative posts in the Norweg-
ian Labor Party in 1918. In 1920
the Party joined the Communist In
ternational. This led to the leaving
of the party by the Right social-dem-
ocrsts, who set up their own party
group.
Had Short Stay
The Norwegian Party, however, re-
mained only for a short time in the
ranks of the Comintern. The revolu-
tionary wave that had swept over
Western Europe subsided, giving
place to the organized counter attack
of capital at the strongholds of the
working-class. Tranmael and many
of his adherents, who were never in
reality professed communists. but
chocolate-soldier revolutionaries, be-
gan to show definite leanings to the
right. In the end of 1923 the Nor
wegian Labor Party broke off rela-
tions with the Comintern, and only
small part Of it, consisting Of work
ers sincerely devoted to the further
ance of communism, formed a Nor
wegian Labor Party as a section Of
the Communist International.
Thus by the end of 1923 there were
as many as three parties in Norway,
instead Of the former single Nor
wegian Labor Party, struggling to
get a hold over the working-class.
These were-the Communists, the
Tranmaelites, and the Right, social
democrats.
For United Program
Considering disruption within the
working class as injurious to its true
interests, the Norwegian Communist
Party in the end of 1925 came for
ward with suggestion for the set
ting up of such a political centre for
the working class which might facili-
tate its every day struggle. The Com
munists brought forward a project
for the creation in Norway of labor
party on the British model. on the
basis Of the autonomous affihation Of
all its sections.
This suggestion Of the Norwegian
Communist Party TO set up political
Federation on the model Of the Brit
ish Labor Party was met by Tranmael
and his adherents with their usual
demagogy. They demanded that all
political parties should be fused un-
conditionally, the Social Democrats
to leave the Second International and
the Communists, the Communist In
ternational.
Obviously the Communists could
not agree to such a counter sugges-
| ton.
That was just what the Tranmael-
ties wanted. They then appealed
solemnly to the Right social demo
Gratis with a proposal to form one
party. The latter, with the blessing
of Friedrich Adler, Secretary of the
Second international, graeiously
agreed to this proposal. The Tran
maelites, social-democrats and re-
formist leaders of the Norwegian
trade unions set up a committee Of
10 persons for the convocation Of a
congress in the end of 1926 TO bring
about the fusion Of the Tranmaelites
and the ocial-democrats.
The congress was fixed for the 30th
January. 1927, and only delegates ae-
cepting in advance the draft-pro-
gramme of the future labor party
were allowed to attend IL Such an
extraordinary Interpretation Of unity
evoked indignation in working-class
circles. Many local trade union and
political organizations resolved not to
submit to this outrageous demand, but
to elect delegates for the coming con-
gress without reference to any pro
grams whatsoever.
RefOrmers Opposed Unity.
When the congress met in Oslo
there turned out to be about 900 dele
gates elected on the principle of sub
mission in advance TO the program,
and about 400 freely elected.
The freely elected delegates ad-
dressed the refoinnist IInificatior Cnn.