The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-10

/ but on effectiveness, on competenc
on productivity. I consider the idea
of instruction out OF date"
STAIN: "Of course the OLD
system is breaking down and dis
integrating. This is true. But it
is also true that new efforts are
being made with different methods
and by all means to defend and
save this dying system. From cor
rect premises, you draw an incor-
rect conclusion. You correctly state
that the old world is breaking down
But you are not right when you
think that it will break down of
itself. No, replacement of one
social order by another social order
is a complex and lengthy revolu-
tionary process. This is not simply
a spontaneous process, but it is a
struggle, it is a process connected
with the conflict Of classes. Capt.
talisn is rotten, but we cannot
simply compare it to a tree which
is SO rotten that it must fall to the
ground by itself.
mo, revolution or replacement OF
one social system by another was
always a fierce struggle, painful
life and death struggle. And every
time when people OF the new world
came to power they were forced to
defend themselves against the at
tempts of the old world to bring
back the forces of the old order
These people OF the new world had
always to be on guard, ready to
resist the attacks of the old world
on the new order.
Yes, you are right when you say
that the old social order is breaking
down, but it will not break down ~
itself. Take fascism, for example
Fascism is the reactionary force
attempting to preserve the old world
by violence. What will you do with
fascists? Will you persuade them?
Convince them? But this will have
no effect on them.
Communists do not idealize the
method of violence. But Commu-
nists don't want to be caught UNI
awares. They cannot calculate on
the old world going from the stage
by itself. They see that the old
order is defending itself by force,
and therefore Communists say to
the working class: Be prepared to
answer force by force. Do every
thing to prevent the old order from
crushing you. Do not put letters
on the hands with which you will
overthrow this system.
LAS you see, the process of re-
placement of one social system by
another is for Communists not sim
ply spontaneous and peaceful, but a
complicated process, long and vio-
lent. Communists cannot neglect
reckoning with facts"
Stain continued, Communists
base themselves on a rich historic
experience which teaches that out
lived classes do not voluntarily leave
the stage of history. Remember the
history of England in the Seven
tenth Century. Did not many say
that the old social order had de-
cayed? But was not Cromwell
needed, nevertheless, to finish it off
by force?
THE fact is that classes which
must leave the historic stage are the
last to be convinced that their role
is finished"
1T is impossible to convince them
of this. They imagine that it is
possible to patch up assures in the
rotting edifioes of the old system
that it is possible to repair ano
save the crumbling edifice of the
old order. Therefore the dying
classes take up arms, and begin BY
all means to defend their existence
as the ruling class"
Stain continued. First the mair
thing for a revolution is the exist
ence of a social basis. This basis
for the revolution is the working
class.
Second, the necessary assisting
force, which is called party b.
the Communists. This includes the
intelligent workers, as well as those
elements from the technical intel
ligentsia who are closely connected
with the working class. The intel
ligentsia can be strong only Il
united with the working class. Il
it goes against the working class il
is converted into nothing.
Third, power is required as this
lever for the transformation. New
power creates a new legality, new
order, which is REVOLUTIONARY
order"
At the conclusion of the CONVEX.
sation, Wells stated among othei
things: "At the present tins
throughout the world there are onl!
two personalities whose every wore
is listened to by millions, you anC
Roosevelt. Others may preach VIVA
they will, no one either prints O.
listens to them. 1 cannot yet ap
/ praise what has been done in you
country, where I arrived only yes
terday. But I have already seel
happy faces, and healthy people
and I know that you are doing
something very great. The contras
with 1920 is astonishing.
! nj N o. OF