The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-01-21
Discipline in Leninisn

ton of revolutionary party is party
gagged in revolutionary action, leading the work
ers in action, organizing and modifying the
workers for action, and adapting the organiza-
tional forms of the Party to the needs of these
tasks This conception makes OF Bolshevik
party an army in action. This army IS COM
PEELED constantly to maneuver, to shift its
forces to maintain it's fighting ability aud
mobility, even under adverse circumstances and
to utilize all of its energies in the most effect
i've way. This prcsupposes that the Bolshevik
party must centralize the powers of leadership
and must maintain an iron discipline. Only
the application of all of the energies of the
Party one direction makes success possible,
Any opposition or condensation within the
Party to the actions of the Party becomes
treachery The Party member, who, after the
nature and the form of the contemplated ac-
ton is once decided upon. continues his oppo-
sition to suc; action by agitation or by counter
action, becomes an agent of the eu1my in the
ranks of the Party. He may himself be TN
conscious of the role he plays but that does
not change the matter.
To be sure there must be method of dicus-
sion and elaboration preceding final decisions.
As long as this stage of discussion and delib-
Grafton lasts divergent opinions may agitate.
educate, throw new light on the subject, make
proselytes; but when the Party settles
troversy must be ended and the unhindered
mobilization of the forces of the Party must
megn. Those who are DESTROYS to continue
the debating stage forever are simply oppon-
ents of action who want to turn the revou-
tionary party of action into an inpotent dehat
ing society. With these people, phrases evil
IDENTIFY take the place of action.
The Importance of discipline for the Commu.
mist Party has always been recognized by its
enemies without; and the enemies within have
always made discipline their first point of at
tack. In good and approed petty-bourgeois
style they cry for the fright of their opinion"
In Marquis Posa style they ask for freedom of
thought" Lovestone and Gitlow and Wolfe
are lately exhibiting themseles in this pose.
They knodw, of course, that the Communist
Party is built upon the acceptance of discipline,
that it is built upon the subordnation of in
diidual conceptions to the collective conception
expressed in the decisions of the Party and in
the decisions of the international. They know
that their cry for freedom Of criticism can
not moe the revolutionist 1t can only appeal
to the petty shop keepers mind which puts the
fright" to it's petty prejudices above the right
and duty of the revolutionary vanguard Of the
working class to organize and to fight against
capitalism in the most effectie manner, as a
united and disciplined army. Lenin had in
mind exactly those people Of the type of the
Lovestones and the Gitlows of today when he
ridculed this demand for the right of criticism
and the right of ones opinions. Said Lenin
1--WE march a small group, holding each
other firmly by the hand, dangerous
path. We are surrounded by enemies and
almost continually march exposed TO their
fire. We have gathered together by volun-
tary decision exactly in order to fight the
enemy and to prevent us from landing in the
neghboring swamps, the inhabitants of which