The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-17
THE COMMUNIST
BY MILTON HOWARD


to many of the complicated and diff
ficult problems that arise in the daily
struggles against the exploitation
and oppression of the owning, rul-
ing class. 1t is an exceedingly meaty
issue, the contents being, for the
most part, speeches made at the re-
cent historic Party Conference. The
bulk of it is devoted to discussion
of Che most recent and most signi-
ficant document of the Party, the
now-famous Open Letter to the mem
bers.
The contents of the issue are
mainly concerned with the problems
which arise as the Party gets into
action to accomplish its major task
the winning of the workers in the
basic industries, in the large fac
tories.
Speech of Earl Browder
In this connection, of particular
Importance are the speeches Of Com
rades Browder and Stachel Browd-
er's speech, remarkable for its COM
prehensive mastery of all the details
Of the concrete problems which have
recently presented themselves, and
for the theoretical profundity with
which they are handled, is taken up
with such basic questions as the
United Front and how to apply it
successfully, the fight in the shops
and its connection with the revolu-
tionary way out Of the crisis, the
fight against the Roosevelt MIRA
codes, the proper ways to attack the
actions of the Social-Fascists, and
above all, the burning necessity of
the Communist Party to dig its roots
deep among the workers of the big
factories in the basic industries.
Everywhere in this issue of the
Communist" the note is sounded
with the greatest determination
the Party must not lose q moment
in binding itself with hops Of steel
to the vital, strategic factories, those
fortresses of capitalist exploitation
which are the very heart of the
whole capitalist structure.
staeheI Reviews Strikes
Of great value is the article Of
Comrade Stachel, who painstakingly
goes over all the steps of the recent
strikes, at the Ford plants, in the
textiles, at st. Louis, Pennsylvania,
etc. Step by step, he shows what
the mistakes we're and what the vic
tories were, and why they happened.
His article is a rich manual Of strike
strategy, based upon the most recent
experiences Of the Party. 1t de-
serves many re-readings, and care
full study.
The important strikes at the Ford
factories, and particularly the sue
cessful solution of complicated prob
lens of the United Front are
described by Comrade Salzman in
another article in the issue.
Comrade Gebert, who led TIE &C.
ton OF the st. Louis nut-pickers,
and the strikes in Chicago, con-
tributes a Enthusiastically valuable
article describing the methods used
in these successful actions against
the bosses.
Opportunism and Renegades
Conlrade Jerome contributes the
first part of an article tracing the
development of the leading theore-
ticians of the Socialist Second In
ternational from "Opportunism to
Counter Revolution" Comrade Jer-
ONE demonstrates that the betrayals
of the Second International were
long in the making, coming not as
the result of a sudden treachery,
but as the inevitable and logical re-
suit of consistent distortion of the
fundamental teachings Of Marxism.
His article will be effective in COM
batting many Of the ideas now hand
ed out by the HillquitS and the
Thomases under the name of Marx
ism
Cannes On MIRA
Harry Cannes contributes an able
article on the National Recovery
Slavery Act. From the opinions
one hears even from leading COM
rades, it is necessary to urge that
Cannes, article on the NRA codes
be carefully studied 1t subjects the
Roosevelt government to a search
ing, MARKHAM criticism.
Comrade Browns speech before
the Plenum on the problems of the
foreign workers is also included in
the issue. When one considers that
the recent study of a leading bour-
geois scholar revealed that every
American factory city has large
groups of foreign born workers, the
necessity of mastering the material
and conclusions laid down by Com
rade Brown becomes obvious.
Book Section Missing
In criticism, it should be said that
the Communist is lacking in the
Book Review section which 1t re-
vived at the beginning of this year.
Also, an article Analysing the re-
cent pretensions of the Roosevelt
government to planned economy
and the similar talk of state capt.
talisn" should have been included.
But it is, ! nspite of this, one of the
best Of the recent issues.
The Communist sells for 20 cents,
and is obtainable at Workers book
shops in various cities, or else by
writing to the Workers Library Pub
fishers, 50 East 18th ST., New York
City.
NOTE: The article by Comrade
Jerome. The first paragraph OF
Comrade Jerome contains misprints.
1t should read as follows:
"Often we hear the question
asked; Can 1t be that one time
revolutionaries, former scholars and
tacticians Of scientific socialism
should so utterly have forgotten
their Marxian fundamentals as TO
have become ideologically bank
rupt?"