The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-06-16
PRE-CONVENTION DISCUSSION
Our Agrarian Tasks: Against Oppor-
tunism in Theory and Practice


He quotes from the Draft Program" as fol-
lows:
obviously, little or no outlet can be found
under capitalism for ever-growing production
except the reactionary outlet of imperialist
war. If, however, the city proletariat by
struggle can compel the employing class to
pay higher wages this would help absorb the
surplus; while if the masses overthrow capt.
taism and sociaze industry, increased de-
mand for food and clothing would take up
all the farm surplus now choking the market,
since we must by no means imagine that the
pIoletarian masses in the cities have either
enough to eat or to wear. 1t is upon this
basis that an alliance between the poor farm
ers and the revolutionary city proletariat
should be built for joint fight against CAPT
talism, the small farmers aiding the pro-
letariat both in wage struggle and the revo-
lutonary overthrowal of capitalism, the es-
Establishment of Soviet Government of work
ers and farmers"
How does Comrade Bert approach this?
Calmly ignoring the remark of "little or no
outlet" and also the ever growing production"
he selects the following:
"If, however, the city proletariat by strug-
gle can compel the employing class to pay
higher wages, this would help to absorb the
surplus"
And divorcing this from all that precedes
and follows it, he takes a wide liberty to de-
clare that it means, according to his inter
pretations:
"The successful fight of the proletariat
for increased wages will help to solve the
agricultural crisis within the capitalist sys-
tenn"
Comrade Bert contends that these two state
ments, the first one from the Draft Program
and the second his own Interpretation of 1t,
have the same political meaning. But we are
quite sure that no Communist will agree with
him. The words "help to absorb the surplus"
even standing by themselves and more espec-
tally taken with their context, by no manner
of means can be stretched into meaning "help
to solve the agricultural crisis" and it seems
rather gratuitous to add within the capitalist
system"
We welcome all Comrade Bert says at length
to prove that any decrease of surplus" would
be only relative. No one has said anything 10
the contrary, certainly not the Draft Pro-
gram But he misses the whole point Of the
programs argument by going off into ahs:rac-
ton over the statement which he reads into the
program but which is not written therein.
The programs statement as quoted, from the
word "obviously', is a unit with all that fol-
lows down to the establishment of Soviet
Government of Workers and Farmers" which
trust Comrade Bert will grant cannot be done
within the capitalist system" The program
comprehends the development of the surplus
yes, but it comprehends also the development
of the crisis it effects the masses of poor
farmers whether the surplus grows much or
little, relatively or absolutely.
Hence Comrade Berts inferential definition
that crisis is at least theoretically impossible
without a surplus, is untenable and genera-
cation which is dangerous because it ignores
the conditions which such situation, hypothet-
cal though it may be, inflicts upon the poorer
farming masses.
". Running Away from Facts.
Comrade Bert, in his quarrel with the Draft
Program" statement that higher wages would
nelp to absorb the surplus, seems dreadfully
afraid of fact. Relatively or absolutely, as
you please, the higher wages wrung by the pro
etariat from the employing class would "help
to absorb the surplus. 1t is not Right Wing
fact, but fact And since Marxism- Leninism
is IN accord with facts, it merely remained for
Comrade Bert to prove that higher wages would
not help to absorb the surplus, in order to have
put the Draft Program" out of court. But he
does nothing of the kind for the good reason
that he cannot.
However, being fearful that in the shadow of
this fact some demon of opportunism is lurking,
he proceeds not only to interpret this fact into
statement (not fact) of his own, which he
ascrlbes to the program but calls on Marx to
bear witness that his misinterpretation is insult
flclent as the basis" of the alliance between
poor farmers and the revolutionary proletariat
1t appears that Comrade Bert is among those
who are opposed to the proletariat winning in
creased wages by struggle, for fear of some
supposed coincident strengthening of capitalist
economy. This bears a close relation to the
left" nonsense of telling the workers that there
is no use striking for higher wages under cap
ltallsm and that, as consequence, trade unions
are rather useless and what is wanted, wanted
right away, is nothing less than revolution
The dynamic development of the struggle it.
self is not mentioned. While a struggle by the
proletariat is, by inference, condemned, because
the higher wages won might help to solve the
agricultural crisis within the capitalist system,
yet Comrade Bert approves "the general forms
Of struggle" of the poor farmers, such as "ten-
ants strikes" tax payers strikes, ETC.
However, if poor farmers could win - and
this, also, is theoretically possible-lower rents
or lower taxes by strike struggles, would we
permit Comrade Bert to quote Lenin against
this on the ground that this would be (Selec-
tons from Lenin, Page $50 "pprotecting their
small properties from the pressure of capital
ISM and "uselessly to retard social develop
ment?" No. We would have to declare that
this quotation from Lenin does not apply to
such action any more than Comrade Berts
quotation from the Communist Manifesto con-
tradicts the Draft Program is not at
all. Because such actions develop the revolu-
tionary struggle to higher stage.
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