The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-05-13
Toward Revolutionary Mass Work RHSc 1H f2En9 GD
Away with Journalism in Our Unemployed Work

THE formal approach to our work, and to the
united front movements which we organize,
leaders to the tendency to substitute the Party
for the united front. Both in the work of the
Party as whole and in the work of individual
members. the tendency expressed itself in ef-
forts to do things FOR the workers This is
of course, much easier than the task Of mobil-
izing the workers, leading and joining them in
action.
Many examples of this can be cited. Party
organizations instead of mobilizing the member
ship for participation in Unemployed Councils
and committees, themselves take over the func-
tons of these united front organizations. Where
non-Party workers are attracted to our movement
in such cases, they find themselves excluded
from all participation in the actual work of plan.
ming and leading actions. Our movement thus
remains an isolated Sect even though we develop
some mass struggles. The initiative of splendid
proletarian fighters is thus strangled. This de-
spite the formal recognition Of the urgent need
for a broad corps of fresh leading forces with
organic contact with the masses.
Fear of the MasSeS-Lack of Faith in the Masses
From this arises the conception that the mass
es (whom we deny an opportunity to take lead
ership and initiative) are backward. AS a re-
suit, we become convinced that the masses can
not be trusted. We conclude that we must con
troll" every phase of the work of mass organ
ization. The logical result of this is that since
our forces are limited and it would be impossible
for us to control in this narrow sense a real,
broad, mass movement, we deliberately try to
limit the movement to proportions consistent
with our capacity to control.
When the present line for the development
of the unemployed movement on the committee
basis was proposed, it met resistance on pre-
ciSely this ground. Some comrades stated quite
frankly, Eve cannot build more unemployed
committees, because we haven't enough forces to
control more than those we have thus far built"
Thus, instead of ORIGINATING towards develop
ment of a movement consistent with the mass
character of unemployment and the objective
possibilities and needs, the tendency in many
places has been to build small, narrow move
ment, proportioned to the numerical strength of
the Party.
Formal Immediate" Demands.
All Of us agree that the development of strug-
gle depends upon our ability to raise immediate
demands such as will correspond with the most
pressing, urgent needs of the workers whom we
seek to draw into struggle.
But, while every section of the Party has
drafted numerous programs of so-caed immedi-
ate demands, we find that these seldom result
in serious, sustained struggles. Why is this so?
Is it because, as some comrades claim, the work
ers are too backward? Because they are not
radicalized? Because they must become more
hungry before they will be ready to fight? OF
course mott
The reason why we have failed to rally masses
for sustained struggle in support of these i'm
mediate" demands, is because they are not the
immediate demands of the workers. Every Party
office has on tile many long forgotten programs
of these Immediate" demands The very fact
that these programs and demands are SO forgot
ten even by those who formulated thenl proves
that they were never the urgent demands Of the
workers.
Immediate demands must be formulated in
consultation with the workers. They will then
be urgent and indispensable. They will not be
forgotten, because the workers cannot forget
something that they need Immediately. Such
demands will result in stubborn, persistent strug
giles until they are actually won.
Formal Support to the Unemployed Council.
We could continue to cite innumerable ex-
arnples to illustrate the devastating results OF
Journalism in unemployed work. These could be
extended to include our trade union work, our
shop work, our work in the struggle against war.
We should like particularly to deal with the
formal manner in which our slogan for "Un-
employment Insurance" has been treated In
the interest Of breVty we however close with one
more illustration OF Journalism as expressed in
the attitude Of our comrades N the Trade