The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-23
Must Apply Directives
Of Party Open Letter
To Work in Youngstown
DIV LOHN sTEUREN

by JoHk SIEDhEN
THE fact that the government and
the American Federation Of
Labor leadership succeeded in pre-
venting the steel workers from
striking a blow at the steel trust
in no way stopped the struggle. The
strike is only temporarily post
poned and the outlook must be a
real mass struggle in the steel in
dustry. 1t is in the light Of this
situation that the work and tasks
of the Party must be examined.
In order to have deep political
appreciation of how basic a docu-
ment the Open Letter is and will
remain for some time to come, one
must know the situation in the
Party in such an important steel
center as Youngstown. After ex-
aiming the life and work of our
Party in the Youngstown Section
one can't help asking Is it 1924 or
1884? This is how backward and
far behind our Party is in this
area.
Because of q period of years of
negligence and political Jindiffer-
ence on the part of our leading
organs. the Party in Youngstown
was allowed to remain inactive and
stagnant which naturally brought
p a S iv ity and decentralization
throughout the ranks, with the re-
suit that at the present time the
Party is not prepared to lead the
steel workers. This must be fear
lessly and openly stated even if it
hurts. Why do we have such a
serious situation? Mainly because
for all these years the Party didn't
develop its main activities in the
steel mills and among the unem-
ployed steel workers. Just as it is
impossible to have a successful
strike without the support of the
workers involved, it is equally i'm
possible to have strong Commu-
mist Party in Youngstown without
it being rooted among the steel
workers.
The quality of leadership the
Party f&l in this section was en-
tirely to weak politically, and or
ganizationally incompetent with the
result that these comrades could not
face, let alone solve. the numer-
Gus difficulties we buck up in the
struggle against the Steel Trust,
Only recently some of these party
organizers have hindered and even
sabotaged party work and it was
necessary for the leading party or
gans to intervene and take organ
national steps
The approaching struggles in the
steel industry, the changed at
mosphere and more serious APP
proach Of the party to our work in
the basic industries, the splendid
effect of the Open Letter, the re-
cent decisions of the 9th National
Convention, are all very important
factors that make it possible to
change the present situation in
Youngstown and from one of the
weakest sections transform this i'm
portant steel center into a revolu-
tionary stronghold.
This, however, will not come
automatically" The most per-
Sistent and stubborn struggle for
the line Of the Open Letter and
the 9th National Convention will
be the medium through which it
will be possible to produce genuine
and lasting results.
The winning over of the party
membership for the carrying out
of the line of the party as con-
cretized by our 9th National Con-
vention cannot be accomplished only
through mere organizational meas
sures. Only politically narrow
minded people can hold such views.
1t requires persistent party educa-
ton, to arm the membership with
at least the most elementary prin-
ciples of LeniniiSm to develop
among the party members a broad
revolutionary perspective. At the
same time we must carry on the
sharpest struggles against those
opportunist elements, and they are
many, in our ranks that are hinder
ing the growth of the Party.
Even if we win over the entire
Party membership for the line of
the Party we will still be very weak.