The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-12-27
The Struggle Against Imperialist War
and the Tasks of the Communists

counter-measures to prevent it.
They will call the strikers to the
colors, lnilitarize the factories, etc.
Communists, therefore, cannot, in
war time, confine themselves to alb
stract general strike propaganda.
AS in peace time, they must carry
on daily revolutionary work in the
factories and trade unions. They
must champion the economic de-
mands of the workers and link up
these demands with anti-war propa-
ganda; organize revolutionary fac
tory councils; capture the subordin-
ate trade union organizations; elm
mate the social-patriotic elements
from these organizations, and, when
they have been captured, elect new
executives parallel with the reform
list executives, and despite the will
of the latter, organize, lead and ex
tend partial strikes, etc.
The general strike must not be
an abstract watchword. 1t must be
the aim and outcome of our general
practical activity. That being the
case, the revolutionary proletariat
must be ready, in the event of a
general strike, firmly to steer a
course toward transforming the
strike into an armed rebellion, if
conditions are propitious for that.
Oppose Boycott War" Slogan.
81. From the same standpoint of
the transformation of imperialist
war into civil war, the Communists
take their stand with regard to the
slogan of refusal of military service
boycott of wary advocated by GER
tain radical" pacifists and left So
cial democrats. The Communists
fight against this slogan for the
following reasons:
(a) The idea that imperialist
war can be rendered impossible by
a call for the refusal of military
service, by calling upon those liable
for military service to refuse to an
swer the call for mobilization is as
illusory as the idea of replying to
war with general strike" Propa-
ganda in favor of this prescription
merely serves to weaken the genu-
inc revolutionary struggle against
war.
Work in Army Necessary.
(a) Even if a mass boycott"
were at least partially successful,
the result would be that the most
determined and conscious work
ers would remain outside the army.
Systematic revolutionary work in
the army-one of the most vital
tasks in the struggle against war
would then be impossible.
Lenin was absolutely right, there
fore, when in 1922, on the basis of
experience Of the world war, he
wrote: boycott the war is a
stupid phrase. The Communists
must participate in every reaction
ary war"
But Lenin's instructions regard
ing the Communists attitude to-
ward the boycott 1.-THE refusal of
military service) as means of COM
hating war, does not mean that the
Communists must urge the masses
of workers to join the bourgeois
armies. 1t means that the Commu-
nists, while strongly combating the
harmful and illusory boycott slogan,
must agitate for revolutionary work
and organization in the bourgeois
army, for the arming of the prole-
tariat and for the transformation
of imperialist war into civil war.
Turn Weapons Against Bourgeoisie.
Therefore, when the question of
joining the bourgeois army or re-
fusal Of military service (boycott) is
raised, the Communists must advise
the workers and poor peasants to
reject the refusal of the military
service slogan, to avail themselves
Of the opportunity to learn the use