The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-12-27
By Fred Ellis

Of arms, to carry on revolutionary
work in the army and, at the proper
moment, to turn their weapons
against the bourgeoisie.
In the event OF big mass move
ment arising at the moment of the
outbreak of war in favor of refus-
ing military service, the Commu-
nists must join that movement to
give it a revolutionary character;
they must put forward concrete de-
mands and slogans of action in the
direction of revolutionary mass ac-
ton against imperialist war and
utilize the movement as much as
possible for the purpose of revolu-
tionizing the masses. But even in
such an event, the Communists must
combat the boycott theology and the
Ipacifist boycott slogan.
They must speak out quite frankly
about the inadequacy of refusal Of
military service as means of COM
batting war, and make it clear to
the masses that the only correct way
of combating the imperialist war is
to transform it into civil war.
Strenuous propaganda must be con-
Quoted urging the necessity for car
rying on revolutionary work in the
bourgeois armies.
Develop Civil War.
If the general situation is favor
able for it, Communists must utilize
such mass movements for the for
nation of guerilla forces, and for
the immediate development of civil
war. This applies especially to
countries where strong national
revolutionary movements exist. In
such countries the Communists, on
the declaration of war-especially
war against the Soviet Union-or in
the course Of the war, if the situa-
tion is favorable, must issue the slo-
gan of national-revolutionary rebel
lion against the imperialist and for
the immediate formation of national
revolutionary guerilla forces.
Oppose Voluntary Recruiting.
%. In countries where the sys-
tenn of compulsory military service
does not exist, the government, at
the beginning of the war, will launch
a wide recruiting campaign for vol
unteers, and, if it deems it neces-
sary, will introduce compulsory
military service. In such countries,
also, the Communist Parties must
set themselves the aim of trans
forming the imperialist war into
civil war.
But in pursuing this aim the Com
munists must also fight against the
bourgeois recruiting campaign for
volunteers and against the introduce
ton of compulsory military service.
Under no circumstances, however.
must they foster the illusion that the
war can be prevented or stopped by
refusing to Join the army or by OPP
posing the introduction of compul-
sorry military service and that, there
fore, revolutionary work in the army
is superfluous. 1t must be made
clear to the masses that the strug-
gle against CONSUMPTION is only of
secondary Importance compared with
the fight against the imperialist war
itself. Revolutionary work in the
army must be organized and openly
advocated.
Revolutionary Work at Front.
20. An extremely important point
in the matter of Transforming i'm
perialist war into civil war is revo.
lutionary work at the front. In this,
the Communists must not confine
themselves merely to propaganda.
but must issue definite slogans of
action corresponding to the concrete
situation.
(a) In connection with the econ
omic demands and complaints of
! The soldiers, collective refusal, or