The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-26
Continued from last issue

Continued from last issue.)
We must by no means interpret
Comrade Lenin's instructions to the
Hague Delegation to be a condemna-
ton of the slogans of the general
strike and of instruction as fighting
methods against war danger and war.
The sole correct Interpretation of
Comrade Lenin's instructions is to
realize that they were directed against
the mere phrase, the empty phrase, of
general strike, revolution, and armed
instruction, as "reply" to war, etc.
Lenin said no word against these slo-
gans themselves. All that Lenin did
was to fight with the utmost political
energy against mere phrases, against
the empty phrases of reformism.
We know very we'll that a large
number of Social Democratic Con-
crosses, a large number of Trade
Union Congresses, and a large number
of the leaders of Social Democratic
parties, have repeatedly declared their
intention of replying" to war with a
general strike. In the same manner
a considerable number of the heroes
of the so-called revolutionary" syn
dicalism have preached the general
strike as the salvation from all evil
But all the same there is no sign to
be observed, either in one camp or the
other, of systematic preliminary prep
aration, carried on steadily from day
to day, for the actuality of the fight
against war.
1t need not be emphasized that if
anyone We're to issue the slogan of
revolution and instruction as "reply"
to war, the single and isolated ac-
ton of this proclamation would be the
vainest of boasts, an utter deception
of the masses, unless those issuing
the slogan had previously carried
through systematic course of prepa-
ration for the organization of the gen.
eral strike, the organization of insur-
rection, and the organization of revo-
luton, in accordance with an accurate
MARKHAM analysis of the objective sit
uation.
The point decisive for Lenin-and it
must be decisive for the standpoint
adopted by the Communist Party
was the orientation of our Party in
such manner that our first considera-
ton, our most urgent, important, de-
cisive, and fundamental task, the in
nermost core of our problems to be
the proper preparation for the war
against war.
| This preparation involves the crea-
ton of an illegal organization, it in
wolves work amongst soldiers and
sailors, energetic work in the trade
unions, the systematic exposure of So
cialist and opportunist lies, the sys-
tematic propaganda of Bolshevist
ideas in the struggle against war, and
the exertion of every effort for the
mobilization of every possible agita-
tive and propaganda activity, legal
and illegal, military and civilian, for
the fight against the danger of war.
In this manner the question can and
must be treated. Those who cry for
tllS SSuSIdl SIIlhS as reply 10 war
danger are mere takers, if not actual
betrayers. Those who declare that the
working class will "reply" to war by
revolution, are mere dealers in words.
1t is utter nonsense to imagine revolu-
ton to be one isolated action, a "re-
ply" To promise such "reply,"
without basis of previous work of
the intensest nature, is to deceive the
workers.
This is the purport of the instruc-
tons given by Comrade Lenin to our
delegation. The Hague" instructions
do not contain the slightest contradic-
ton of the Basic instructions. These
two documents must not be. confronted
as if one cancelled the other. On the
contrary, one gives orientation on GER
tain slogans and fighting methods,
whilst the other shows the pivot upon
which the whole struggle turns, in or