The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-11
Reviewed by
ROBERT HAMILTON
THE 18th Plenum Of the Ezeoutiv

ROBERT HAMILTON
THE 18th Plenum Of the Executive
Committee Of the Communist
International met in the midst Of
signs and pOrtents Of war and revo-
luton on the international horizon.
Scarcely had the PlenUm adjourned
when the workers of Paris swarmed
into the streets TO oppose by force
resctonsry plots to establish 2 fas-
cist dictatorship in France. and the
Austrian workers rose in armed re-
volt against the budding Fascist re-
girne Of the Catholic-capitslist Holy
Alliance. And in the Far East. ia
pans plot for armed intervention
in the Soviet Union paraIleled
Chiang-Kai-Shek's sixth successive
campaign to exterminate the young
Soviet Republic Of Red China by
the sheer weight Of superior mill
tary force.
Meeting under such circum-
stances. the XTIIth Plenum stated
that THE objective prerequisites for
a revolutionary crisis have matured
to such an extent that at the pres
ent time the world is closely ap-
proa ching a new round Of revolu-
tions and wars" And it is lust be-
cause Of this imminent revolution
airy threat to the continued exist
ence Of the capitalist world that
the bourgeoisie is resorting more
and more to its desperate form OF
rule. Fascism. The Theses define
Fsscism as "the open. terrorist die
tstorship Of the most reactionarv.
most chauvinist and most imperial
ist elements Of finance capital"
terse definition which should be
stamped into the memory Of every
worker
AFTER an analysis Of Fsseism,
n which is born in the womb Of
bourgeois democracy" the Theses
show why finance capitalism.
whether under the label of the New
Deal or of open FasciSn. cannot re-
store the sterilization of capital
ism. Norman Thomas and the other
Socialist leaders are therefore "
ing when they say that the present
world situation is one in which
capitalism is already on the road
to getting over its general crisis.
AS result of the general world
situation. the revolutionary crisis is
maturing everywhere. but
"the question as to how soon the
rule Of bankrupt capitalism will
he overthrown by the proIetariat
will he determined by the fighting
preparedness Of the majority Of
the working class. by the success
ful work Of the Communist. Par
ties in undermining the mass in
fueuce Of sOcisl-democracy."
The Theses point to Soviet China
as a giant new factor of world revo-
luton Analysing the imperialist
preparations for a new World War.
they show how the imperialist
powers are unleashing a counter
revolutionary war against the So
Wet Union, with Fascist Germany
the chief instigator of war in
Europe.
It is the great historical task Of
international Communism. the
Theses declare, ito mobilize the
masses against war even before war
has begun, and thereby hasten the
doom Of capitalism. Only Bolshe-
vik struggle before the outbreak Of
war for the triumph of revolution
can assure the victory of revOIu-
ton that breaks out in connection
with war;
THE Communist Parties must
first Of all brush aside the fatalist,
defeatiSt line Of the inevitability
of fascist dictatorship and an i'm
perialist war which condemn
the Communist Parties to pas
sivity." We must prove to the work
ers that the new bankruptcy Of
social-democracy was historically
inevitable. The Communists must
formulate their mass slogans and
demands 50 as to make them arise
from the present level Of the broad
mass movement. They must show
the workers what Soviet power will
give them in their own country;
they must popularize the slogan Of
Soviet Power-in the A.-Soviet
America.
The Theses touch on all the vital
points in the tasks before us-the
tactics of the united front. the
strengthening of the ranks Of the
Communist Parties, improving the
work in the trade unions. real mass
work among the unemployed, and
building the Vel. as indispensable
elements in our battle against the
war peril, To be able to fight for
the revolutionary way out of the
crisis, every worker must study and
make a living part of himself these
Theses of the 18th Plenum.
The Draft Resolution for the
Eight Party Convention particular
ICES the application of the Plenum
Theses to the United States It
shows the fake character of the
Improvement in conditions" under
the New Deal-with the total in
1000 80 tl.n ,-,o,.tr;,oD oIoce 1oce tho n