Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-09-28
BY M. RAPPORT
District Organizer
Communist Party

tlOn campaign Ol 1901 uiiuSl
much different conditions than
in 1882. More than ever before
broad masses of people are dis
illusioned, with the fake prom
ises of politicians; with Roose-
velt's promise in 1882 of no one
shall be permitted to starve;"
with all the other promises of
the New Deal. 1t is becoming
clearer to the toiling masses
that the promises mean Hunger,
War and Fascism.
But tho disbursement Of
the masses and their readiness
to struggle depends on how
quickly our Party can react
and mobilize the workers
against the forces Of reaction.
In entering the election cam
paign of 1884, it is necessary to
draw some lessons from the pre-
vious campaigns in which we
have participated.
The central demand of our
Party in 1882 was Unemploy-
ment Insurance. Around this we
were supposed to rally the UNI
employed and employed work
ers in a united front to struggle
for more relief, against forced
labor. for shorter hours. etc. Ev-
cry Communist was to penetrate
every unemployed organization,
build fractions and completely
expose the fake leadership
which was using the misery of
the masses for personal ends.
However, our Party in Dist
rict II, did not understand the
United Front policy, failed to
realize that a United Front is
an integral part of all our act
ivities, that it must serve as a
connecting link between our
Party and the workers. While
formally accepting the line, the
actions were to the contrary.
The District leadership failed
to realize that 25,000 workers (Se-
attle) had organized their own
organization, the UCL, for the
purpose of improving their con-
ditions, and were being betray-
ed by leadership led by Music
ties. We failed to recognize that
it was the duty of our Party to
form a united front with the
rank and file.
The District Committee issu-
ed the famous slogan, Smash
the UCL." This separated our
party from the workers to the ex-
tent that while the UCL, headed
by the Musteites and other poll
ticians was flourishing, we had
but small Unemployment
Council with a few Party men,
bers, isolated from the workers.
At the same time the takers,
utilized all our mistakes to
strengthen themselves among
the masses, used the organiza-
ton as a vehicle in the cleo
ton campaign by electing
Dore, Stevenson, zioncheck,
and a host of politicians to the
state legislature.
But the takers knew that a
mass organization of unemploy-
ed would constitute grave dan
ger to them, and they decided to
break it, particularly when our
Party learned from mistakes, or
gained a real united front Hun
ger March, and succeeded in cap
turing the County-City building
for three days.
And in this historic event our
Party abandoned the left" sec
tartan slogan Smash the UCL,"
pursued a right-wing line, such
as hiding the face of the Party,
telling the workers to go home
peacefully, failing to raise Un-
employment Insurance as a basic
demand, collaborating with the
police, and the commissioners.
The District Buro did not meet
to guide the workers. We failed
to recruit into the Party. All of
this helped to break the morale
of the workers, which played in
to the hands of the Musteites to
weaken the organization.
Consequently the Party faced
a task to fight against right and
left sectarian methods, as speed
lily as possible to save the organ.
ization and become a leader OF
the masses.
Unemployment Insurance be- !
came the fighting demand ar
ound which the Party began to
come out of it's sectarian rut, be-
gan to lead struggles, organized |
forced labor strikes, stopped ev.
lotions temporarily, won in
crease of relief, and finally cul-
in a real united front |
Labor Congress september 1881
with 319 delegates present, I'm
employment Insurance as the
central demand.
The correct application of a
front policy to Unemploy-
ment Insurance (although with
many mistakes and shortcom-
ingsl helped to weld the unity
of the employed and unemploy-
ed.
Thus we see in the maritime