The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-15
Socialist Party Proposes MarxlSm Without Any
OF It's Revolutionary TEACHINGS

BILE of weighing the value OF alterna-
tive channels" In plain English, he
was not open to non-reYolutionary
theories. A sin that is objectionable
in the liberal eyes of the Professor.
Dialectics A Mystery To Him
Scholar though Professor Laski is,
he is, nonetheless, not immune to
ignorance of some of the MARKHAM
fundamentals. That the dialectic
method Of Marx is mystery TO him
is obvious from the fact that he views
as q rnarring contradiction in the
Communist Manifesto the estimation
of the progressive function of CAPT
talism alongside of its reactionary
role. He views. Marx as seeing the
class struggle eye to eye with Madi-
son and Guizot, with the only differ
ence that the conclusion to which the
latter two are. led differs from that
to which Marx is led In this, Pro-
lessor Laski betrays his inability to
see that not only at the point of con-
Guiding but at the point of perceiving
lay the. fundamental difference; for
If Madison and Guizot were led to
paths of Sidetracking the class strug-
gle, it was because they did not per-
ceive the conflict as irreconcilable,
while it is the irreconciIable charac-
ter of the conflict that Marx per-
ceived and stressed and was led
thereby TO the revolutionary road.
Doesn't Want Marxism Here
To understand fully the reason for
the publication of Professor Laski's
essay by the Socialist Party, we must
look at the thesis offered in conclu-
sion by the author. 1t is, that Marx
ism is not adequate for America. AS
reasons. we are given the oft-repeated
bourgeois arguments-the vast extent
Of the territory, the cosmopolitan
character Of the population, the reli-
gious differences, and similar master
class propaganda designed to check
the solidarity Of the American work
ers through artificial differences and
divisions. But should this not suffice,
Professor LaSki brings forward his
reserve logic: Even if these difficulties
could be overcome, Marks conciu-
Sions would not hold, "for in a period
Of universal suffrage it ought then
to be possible to capture the seat Of
power at the polls, and throw upon
the capitalists the onus (burden) Of
revolving against a socialist den1oc-
racy."
This, ironically enough, published
simultaneously with the news Of Hit
Ter come TO power through the aid
OF the Social Democracy With the
news Of the detection Of the German
Socialist Party on the morrow after
the fascists entrenched themselvesl
One might expect that, to save its
face, the Socialist Party would, to
say the least, have prefaced the edi-
ton with some perfunctory remarks
calculated to explain away it's spon-
sorship OF an avowed and acknowl-
edged anti-Marxian. But evidently
the steady merging Of sociaI-democ-
racy with capitalism has brought
matters TO stage when even such
half-hearteo apologetics are no long
er necessary. Behold, therefore, the
introduction written for the occasion
by Norman Thomas. The keynote
of this introduction is struck in the
words:
"One Of the merits OF Professor
Laski's work is that his approach is
scientific, not theological. We do
not honor the path finding leaders
by treating their writings as infal-
Hbie scriptures. IL is probably un-
necessary to add that, in printing
this pamphlet, the League For In
dustriaI Democracy follows its usual
policy Of presenting important doc
trines not as creeds, binding on all
members, but as stimulants to Wig
Orous and constructive thinking"
Some Of the stimulants contained
in the essay have here been set forth.
Clearly, the vigorous and constructive
thinking the Socialist Party aims to
promote is vigorous thinking away
from MarxiSn, q constructive think
ing in the direction of capitalism
Tha Sccialist party~ IN demagoaicalIy