The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-23
No, Comrade;
They Are Eligible

"Jorge:-In a discussion about religion and
its relation to Communism, expressed the optn~
ion that workers who still had religious beliefs
were not eligible as members of the Communist
Party. member of the Party informed me
that this, however, is not the case. This seems
to me to be entirely at variance with the teach
ingS of Communism. Should the Communist
Party, the vanguard Of the proletariat, contain
within it elements who are ignorant OF even one
of the basic principles of Marxism? How can
such msnbers conscientiously proceed to edu-
cate the masses toward Communisn?--A Sym-
pathizer, Girard, Ohio
The comrade is mistaken The class struggle
not religious belief, is the test of worker for
membership Who can expect that we must
. await the elimination Of all religious super.
stition from the proletariat before 1t will over.
throw capitalism. That is putting the cart be-
fore the horse
There Is bar you bet, against workers or
other elements who come into the Party with
the idea in mind of propagating religion, using
the Party to that end Such dope peddlers will
be expelled. And any worker who is burdened
with strong religious beliefs will fail to be pro-
NOTED to responsible posts, because such beliefs
counterfeit revolutionary class struggle policy.
But the Party would do wrong to bar honest
rank and file workers who come to it because it
because they have not yet shed their super
stitions dinned into them by capitalist inf1u-
ences.
The centralized control OF the Party leader
ship, OF Party policy. prevents such remnants
OF religion among the rank and file from injur-
ing work among the masses, and this work. par
uclpated In by workers who come to the Party
with remnants of religion, together with the
theoretical study required of them, dissolves
these remnants
Just think, conradc, how 1t works In practice.
Was there any working class more pumped FUN
OF religion than the Russian workers Yet the
demands OF the class struggle caused them-with
the help OF the Party Of Lenin, OF course-to riss
superior to that and overthrow the basis OF re-
Igion, the exploitation OF capitalists and land.
lords
Catholic Bavaria was one OF the first in post
war Germany to "go Sovet"-not because 1t was
religious, certainly, but because the necessity o4
class interest demanded that the workers take
revolutionary action regardless OF religious be-
lief. So the Party does not bar workers wtao
want to fight capitalism merely because they
still have religious beliefs.
It Is, OF course, the absolute duty Of the Party
to teach this new convert Marxisrn- Lenirism.
which is materialism and it is the duty Of thu
worker to study and thus become materialist.
The comrade sympathizer is correct in demand.
ing that the Party fight religion. But the ques-
ton is: How?
The anti-Soviet campaign Of the Pope and an
churches was an example OF how the class enemy
tried to split the working class over the question
OF religion. And 1t was our duty to unite Tho
workers on the basis OF their class interest -
defense Of the Soviet Power regardless Of their
religion. If we would make bar Of their re-
igious belief against the workers entering the
class struggle as active fighters against capital
ism, we would be playing into the hands OF the
capitalists and weaken the united front OF the
working class.
Smart Teller: AT an A. F. of l.. meeting IN
Los Angeles, union official was asked by 4
member: what about the China sit,IxNon?~--
The reply was: ssWhat do ve care .aAsub4 49,,
emcpesn soants4sA anvwayH ,hszunrsruuuunuIl