The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-01
10Th Anniversary Of Founding Of First
International BY Mars and EngeLs Is
Celebrated BY Working Class Of World
Toward Soviet Power,
Heritage of First
international

MARKHAM theory and practice in the
epoch Of Imperialism and Of social
revolution. The Communist Inter
national is the realization Of the
world Party which the First Inter
national was i ended TO be, ac-
cording to the conception of Marx
and Engels, of course upon an en-
larged scale The fight of the Com
munist International against Inter-
national Menshevism is the continu-
alton of the fight against the vari-
Gus forms of petty-bourgeois social
ism in the First International. The
fight against sectarianism is con-
tinued in the shape of the fight
against the ultra left" deWations
which do not understand the inn
portance of the mass organizations
Of the proletsriat.
The circumstances of the struggle
have naturally changed considerably.
The First International was active
in the heyday Of capitalism and
free competition. devoid Of strong
labor organizations. The Commit
mist international is fighting in the
epoch Of imperialism, the last stage
Of capitalism. Behind the Commu-
mist International are not only mass
parties which carry on their revo-
lutionary struggles and the leader
ship of the Communist Intsrna-
tional, but also the first proletarian
State, the U.S.SR. 1t is now ques-
ton Of realizing the slogans of the
First International THE capture of
political power is the supreme duty
Of the working class"
In order to realize this, the Com
munist Parties themselves must or
ganize in conformity with the slo-
garls Of the Inaugural Address: 1.-THE
masses will not throw their weight
into the scales when there is an
organization to hold them together
and knowledge guides them" In
order to win the victory against the
armed forces of the bourgeoisie and
Of their henchmen, social democracy,
we must so mold our organizations,
in order to enable them to mobilize
for the struggle the majority of the
socially important elements Of the
proletariat, and meet armed violence
with armed violence.
The Communist Parties, in order
to be able to lead effectively, must
be in possession of the whole arsenal
Of Marxist-Leninist theory. The
problems confronting us at this
stage in the development of the in
ternational revolution are far too
complex to be understood without a
thorough knowledge of theory. The
theory cannot be the privilege of a
group of leaders in the Party; every
member of the Party must possess
a certain minimum of political
knowledge. The Communist Party
is the leader of the proletsriat, and
every member must be q leader in
his circle of activity. In order to
exercise this duty OF leadership,
every member of the Party must at
least familiarize himself with the
basic principles of Marxism- Lenin-
ism.
The chief slogan OF the 18th
Plenum Of the Executive Committee
of the Communist International:
Soviet Powerl--is the realization of
the traditions of the First Inter
national. The fight against any
form of refor1nism, the strong mil
liant organization of the masses, on
the basis Of a broad united front
of struggle; the way which leads
to the bolshevizstion of the Com
munist Parties, towards the reali-
cation of the heritage of the First
International-only in this way can
the Communist International ac-
complish the task of the World
Party and become the leader of the
working class in the international
revolutionary struggle for Soviet
Power.