The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-26
Open Letter to Socialist Workers from the
Central Committee o the Communist Party

To the Members of the
Socialist Party and the
Delegates at It's National
Convention

who understand that the rot
ten capitalist system is de-
stroying and will destroy all
tolerable conditions of life for
the working class and the
toiling masses, that this system
must be overthrown and socialist
system erected in its place, and that
to bring about this change the
working class must organize itself
and take power, constituting itself
as the ruling class.
At this moment the world stands
before another great crisis, similar
to that of 1914-191s. Again the
workers of the world stand at the
crossroads, and must choose one Of
two paths, Again the workers
struggles are rising also in the
United States, most important of all
In great wave Of strikes. But this
time. we have the benefit Of the
brilliant light thrown by. the ex-
perience Of the last sixteen years,
upon the question, (which way7"
Two Camps
In the closing years Of the World
War and the immediate postwar
period, the workers who had already
declared for socialism found them
selves divided into two camps. One
was, the Second International
which declared through its principal
theoretical spokesman. Karl Kaut-
sky, and in the United States
through Morris Hillquit, that the
road to socialism must be through
a transitional period Of coalition
with the bourgeoisie, Of cooperation
Of working class with capitalist
class, of gradual and peaceful tran
sition to socialism through bourgeois
democracy The other camp was
that Of the revolutionary socialist
groups, headed by the Russian Boil
sheviks under the leadership Of
Lenin, which founded the Commu-
mist International in 1919, who
pointed out that the road to So
ciahsm must be through a transi-
tional period which could only be
dictatorship of the working class
against the capitalist class, Of civil
war between them, the establish
ment of new Workers state
power, and the crushing Of the re-
dictionary forces, the enemies Of the
revolution.
Balance Sheet Of is Years
We now have before us the ball
ance sheet of is years application
of these two opposition lines of sc-
ton, In Germany and Austria, the
road Of Kautsky and the Second IN
ternational was taken by the ma
iority Of the workers; in Russia, the
road of Lenin and the Communist
International was taken by the
great majority, with the establish
ment Of the Union of Socialist
Soviet Republics
by their fruits We shall know
them" The road of the Second In
ternational, of coalition, of class
cooperation, of gradualisln, of dem
ocracy," led inevitably step by step
in Germany and Austria to the sur
render without struggle Of all the
gains of the 1918 revolution. It led
to the shameful vote for linden
burg, to the refusal Of a united fight
with the Communists against Hitler,
to the capitulation to Fsscism, to
the browning infamy of the vote for
Hitler's policy in the Reichstag in
May, 1888. 1t led to the shattering
of Red Vienna" and its municipal
socialism" by the artillery of Doll
fuss and the Strengthening Of be-
trayed and leaderless working class.
The road of the Second Interna-
tional led directly to the victory Of
Fascism.
The Road Of Lenin.
The road OF Jenin, of the Com
mun1st International, led step by
step to the consolidation Of the
power Of the workers, to the over
coming of the terrible economic
problems Of shattered, backward,
country amidst a world Of enemies,
to the laying of solid foundations of
a. socialist system. 1t led to bril-
liant and unparalleled economic ad-
vance, which brought the Soviet
Union into the first ranks of the in
dustrial nations. to a cultural rev.
olution and rise Of living stand
ards without precedent in history.
1t led to the creation of a mighty
stronghold of working class power,
based upon socialism, which is cap
able of meeting and defeating
world of capitalist and fascist
enemies.
Workers Of the Socialist Party!
Which of these roads do you wish
to travel in the United States?
You must choose one or the other.
There Is no third way.
The Communist Party addresses
you, pointing out to you this great
all-dominating question which you
must answer because this Is a ques-
blOll VI ll1C vi OFdNll lbi lllE WI MIX
class, for the establishment of So
cialism In our country. Your lead
ers have taken you. they are taking
you today, along the same sad road
travelled by German and Austrian
social-democracy, We appeal to you,
workers In the Socialist Party, to
call a halt to any further steps
along this path towards death and
destruction.
When your leaders endorse the
N. r. A.. as Louis Waldnan did in
your name in the Washington code
hearings. they are taking you on the
same road that German Socialism
travelled When Thomas and Hill
quit visited the White House to con-
graduate Roosevelt on his progress
Siye" policies in the first weeks of