The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-06
By SAM DON.

II
pEFORE the last Plenum of our Party frequent
ly, the following question cropped up How
come that after March 9th in the face of grow
ing unemployment, the numbers attending our
demonstrations and our influence amongst the
unemployed is decreasing?" The last Puenum of
our Party clearly answered the question First
our general influence did not decrease. How
ever, we did not organizatonally strengthen, con-
solidate and appreciably increase our influence
in face of the steady growth of unemployment.
Furthermore, had this situation continued. we
would have been confronted with the actual dan
ger of ceasng to be deciding Influential fac
tor among the unemployed as we are becoming
today. Why were we confronted with this dan
ger? The bourgeoisie, fearing our growing in
fluence as SHOWN on March 9Th, did not only in
crease its fascist terror against us as its main
weapon but also developed very conscious poll
icy of social demagogy. Our inability to suf-
iciently recognize the basis for and the danger
of the growing fascist and social-fascist dema-
gogy, how to naneuver and fight against it, plus
our very great organizational looseness combined
with the practiclng of Anticipated prosperity"
methods of work. explains the danger that con-
fronted us of neither increasing appreciaby our
influence, nor of consolidating it organization
ally.
The last Plenum of the Party took up the
struggle against social demagogy in a very con-
crete manner This expressed itself in raising
the question of partial demands. The Plenuun
also in the sharpest form, raised the question.
of consolidating our influence organizationally
which means first of ALL, the organizationa1
tightening of the Party apparatus and the COM
plete elimination Of the old methods Of work
The proof of the correctness of the line of the
Plenum can be seen in our recent unemploy-
ment demonstrations. Allowing for the serious
shortcomings and mistakes (Which must not be
CLOSED over that appear in our unemployment
activities and demonstrations, we see that the
recent demonstrations in spite of their smaller
numbers, are ON higher level than March 9Th.
Our recent demonstrations have shown greater
militancy and more direct political clashes with
the various city governments
Why this growing militancy on the part of
the workers. This is not merely due to the
fact that the workers are now more starved
than before, but also because the raising of
partial demands gave the workers
seriousness and willingness to struggle. The great
err mitancy and purposefulness of our recent
demonstrations is also due to the first beginnings
of an organized base and better political direc-
ton on the part of the Party.
To emphasize the point OF the Importance
of the consolidation of our influence, we will
give the following international experience. Com
rade Piatntsky in his recent pamphlet, world
Communists in Action" relates the following
significant fact which will also help lis to I'M
derstand the events after March 9Th: The trade
union opposition received in the elections to
factory councils Of the niue biggest Berlin works,
30066 votes in 1929 and 18467 votes in 1880. 1t
therefore lost 1889 votes The refornists re-
ceived in 1929, 22,o43 votes and in 1880, 24,762
votes, thus gaining 27I9 votes. The explana
ton given by Conirade Piatnitsky for the loss
Of influence applies with equal force to the
United States: III there had been understanding.
change in the methods Of work. better and
more systematic organization Of the campaign
Of exposure Of the social democrats adapted to
their naneuvers, the Berlin -Brandenburg party
organization could certainly have carried it out
successfully" The value Of our last Plenum lies
precisely in the fact that with the aid Of the
Communist International we are learning how
to adopt ourselves to the maneuvers of the
bourgcoisie and social fascists, how to develop
system In our organizations and to bring about
change in our methods Of work
The Org sAsit Prop Conferences are called
In order tos check up how well the Party In