The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-06-21
FOR WORKINGCLASS POLICY
IN THE COOPERATWES


All these manifestations of opportunisn
have found more or less sharp expression in
all our cooperative fractions and particularly
in the fraction in the Bronx Housing and
Camp Nitgedaiget COops. Class conscious pro-
letarians must be deeply disgusted must con-
denim and fight against. The Party must take
the most drastic steps to uproot every vestige
of this dangerous opportunism which is the
result of the pressure of petty bourgeoise
theology upon the comrades and non-Party
workers in the cooperatves.
On the other hand, we must take note of
definite anarcho-syndicalist tendencies on the
part of many of our comrades in the unions
Especially the Food Workers LUZ whose mem
bers are employed in the cooperative institu~
tons. Tendencies to exploit the cooperatives,
which are organizations that must serve the
class interests of the wOrkingclass, in the in
terest of a few workers who would escape the
effects of unemployment. A tendency to take
advantage of the organization by unwar-
rantedly poor performance of duty. To demand
Of the cooperatives wages and conditions in
excess of those that the union has been able to
enforce in capitalist shops through struggle.
Efforts to supplant the leadership elected by
large numbers of workers cooperators and i'm
pose the will of a small group of workers who
are employed in the institutions. Finally the
unions must guard against the tendency on the
part of some of their members to evade the
need for struggle in the capitalist shops by
locating themselves in cooperative institutions.
Since the Party represents and must deal
with all problems from the viewpoint of the
interests of the workingcass as a whole Since
it is the duty of the Party to coordinate the
activities of all wOrkingcass organizations so
that the class interests of the workers are
served, we must take the most drastic measure
lN1, F. ,I.,r L,
situation in the cOoperatives; to guaranty the
workingclass integrity of the institutions and
to provide for proper relationships between
these and other organizations involved.
l. A thorough discussion should be instituted
in all cooperative organizations where the
Party has fractions This discussion should
serve to make clear the position of coopera-
tives and their role in the present period. The
difference between consumers and housing CO.
operatives and the perspectives of the coopera-
tive movement well as its limitations should
be fully brought out in such discussion. The
relations that must exist between cooperative
and other workingclass organizations and the
revolutionary movement as represented by the
Communist Party and the menace of oppor-
tunism in the cooperative as in the entire work.
ingclass movement should be thoroughly ex-
planned. In this connection the experiences of
our Finnish comrades in the Cooperative Cen
tral Exchange and the role of the Lovestone
renegades afford valuable lessons for us.
2 By means of constructive proetarian
criticism and self criticism, the serious errors
and dangerous tendencies in the cooperatives
must be sharply exposed. Bureaucratic ele-
ments must be eliminated and replaced with
broad proletarian leadership from the ranks
The tendency to rely cooperative "Spets"
and to put paid functionaries into every post
ctp Of 1o,,;,,- Il
workers and committees must be abandoned,
3. The coOperatives must be induced to
make sharp turn in the direction of the un-
and IN conflict with class interests must be
reduced to conform to the means of these work.
ers. Every tendency that restricts the organi-
cations must be replaced with a conscious
policy of drawing in all workers regardless of
nationality and especially the Negro and ma
tive workers.
4. Our financial policy must be directed to-
wards liquidation with the greatest possible
speed OF all Indebtedness to worker creditors.
All elements of personal interest as opposed to
ana IN conflict with class interest must be
eradicated. With this must come elimination
Oh cheap intrigue and gossip, unprincipled fac.
tonalism and bargaining for jobs and priviI-
eyes. The test of the success of our coopera
tlves must be the degree to which they serve ia
support the struggles of the workingclass and
promote understanding of the principles of
proletarlan cooperation and consciousness of
the need for revolutionary class struggle.
D. Only union labor under maximum union
conditions can be employed in proletarian CO.
operative institutions. All workers must be
secured through the respective unions. Anv
management of proletarian institutions
which makes those workers whom it EMPLOYS
regard them as they do capitalist bosses is
manltestly unfit to head proletarian institu-
lions. On the other hand, no class conscious
worker will fail to take serious interest and
to lend utmost support to an institution which
serves the workingcass The members of the
cooperative alone have the right to select
| management and the workers while guarding
| their union conditions cannot expect to enioy
more rights to determine policy and manage
ment than is enjoyed by the worker coopera-
tors.
6. We should direct ourselves to an earIv
Capitalization of the various cooperators. A
federation of proletarian cooperatives will
serve to provide for an exchange of expert
ence, for uniform policy, advantages in buy.
ing, ETC., etc. Such federation should be
formed in the nearest future.
Z. Close cooperation between consumer.
quests, etc. workers and cooperator must be
effected Joint committees of these with con-
| sultative power should be formed in all jnsti-
lions wherever possible
The Party in whom thousands of workers
coopcrators have confidence and to whom we
are responsible must undertake to assist