The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-10-06
We Can Rally Masses of
Workers to Vote for Com
munism Nov. 4th
Underestimation of Election Campaign Harmful
to the Revolutionary Struggle.
By VIM. q. FOSTER.
Communist Candidate for Governor of
New York State)

Communist Candidate for Governor of
New York State)
In the present election campaign our Party
has an opportunity not only to poll vote sew
eral times larger than ever before but also
to vastly increase its prestige and mass fol-
lowing in every phase of its work. To achieve
this success it is necessary that we keenly
realize the significance of the situation and
thus mobilize all our forces into the most in
tense activity to take advantage of it.
Repetition of March Coming.
The workers under the pressure of the eco
nomc crisis, are ready, to an. unprecedented
degree, for organization and struggle. We
have said this time and again. But many still
underestimate the depth of this rehabilitation.
One of the great surprises in store for the
United States in the near future will be dra-
matte demonstrations of the deep and far
reaching wave of discomfort now sweeping
through the American working class. March s
gave an nkling of this, but events of the
coming months will dwarf that great demon
stration.
In this election the masses of workers, de-
spite their unorganized conditions, will strive
to make great protest and to give vent to
their deep discomfort over unemployment, wage
cuts, and the general worsenng of their con-
ditions. The capitalists, keenly aware of this
great leftward trend of the masses, are seek
ing consciously to emasculate and dissipate it
through such false issues as the liquor ques-
ton, ETC.. And their fascist and social-fascist
A. F. of L. and socialist party lackeys, with
the same objective, strain every nerve to
demoralize the masses and to liquidate their
militant moods with reformist talk.
Mobilize All Forces.
Against this capitalist program our Party
must throw itself with all its force 1t must
with degree of militancy and mobilization Of
its forces previously unknown come forward
as the fighting leader of the working class
Although our Party is relatively small and
the capitalist enemy very powerful, we must
not be dismayed by this. With the workers
in their present militant frame of mind, we
can rally great masses of them to vote for our
Party ticket, notwithstanding all the efforts
of the capitalists and their labor lieutenants of
the A. F. of L. and Socialist" party. March 6
gave us an indication of how these masses
will follow revolutionary leadership.
Do Not Underestimate Campaign Work.
But success in the election campaign re-
quires great intensfication of our work At
present the campaign proceeds too leisurely.
This comes from an underestimation of the
opportunity confronting us and also of the i'm
portance of parliamentary elections for edu-
eating and organizing the workers.
The next weeks must see tenfold activity
our part with every Party member doing
his share, and great increase in our shop
gate meetings, street meetings, circulation of
Party press and literature work in the unions,
among the unemployed, etc. Our efforts must
not be confined merely to securing workers
to vote for Communist candidates That would
be rank opportunism.
The success of our election campaiop is
bound up with the intensification of our work
in every sphere We must drive ahead with
renewed energy in our fight for the Work
ers Unemployment Insurance Bill, for the
seven-hour day, five-day week, for strikes
against wage cuts, etc. The workers are in
fighting mood, and the more militant and
aggressive we are in these struggles the more
the workers. who above all desire decisive pc-
ton, will rally under our leadership. We
must combat all passivity in our ranks; we
must squelch all tendencies to consider the
election campaign as thing apart from our
other campaigns.
Keep Apace With the Rising Struggle.
While the present situation offers our Party