The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-05
Gag Rule or Democracy in
the Socialist Party

VIZ 0OSSSNSsOS ~
TIE LEADERS OF the Socialist Party boast oS their
democracy They have repeatedly slsndereo the
Communist Party consisting Of puppets VINO 1ol-
low 9n blind rigid discipline the leadership Of the
Party.
But the way the two parties have responded TO
te events OF the Austrian class battles has not only
laid bare the fasty Of their Islander against the Com
nunist Party but has stri1ngly revealed what it Is
that really lies behind the Socialist Party conception
of democracy.
Last weeks issue Of the Socialist New Leader
gives the full text Of gag rule handed down by the
top leadership Of the Socialist Party that Is without
parallel We give the full text Of the instructions
handed down by the Socialist Party Bureaucracy:
EMO branch o. circle Is to conduct support, o.
participate in any debate symposium or joint meet
ing IN which Communists to take part; any sp-
prOval which may already have been given for such
events Is hereby revOkedi
No party member Yip0eI Is 70 participate N
any debate, symposium or joint meeting IN which
Communists take part matter under what aus
pieces such event takes placer
No branch or circle Is to send delegates TO any
conference or Joint committee in which the COmmu-
mist Party or any Of It's auxiliares and sO-called
innocents' clubs" represented; any such dele
gates already been elected they are to be with
drawn;
No party members or Yipsel belonging to any
other organization to accept its dele
gates to any such conference or joint COMMITTEES
Algernon Lee Chairman
Julius Gerber, Secretary.
Gag rule harsh and severe-such is the way the
Socialist Party leadership intends to se the discus
sion song the Socialist rank and file on the burning
political issues Of the Austrian situation and the United
Front.
Such orders in political party, and supposedly
working class party are unprecedented They sound
like the military orders In PTuSsan barracks
vital question Immediately faces the entire
rank and file Of the Socialist Party VIII they sub
NIT to this harsh, bureaucratic, gag rule handed
down from aboveP VIII they permit themselves to
be gagged by order that sounds Like the espionage
laws of 1912
And it is these Socialist leaders who talk about the
gories of democracy" under capitalism This is how
they conduct democratic" discussion in their party
BY brutal gag rule from abovel
1t Is these Socialist leaders who paint such bogeys
to the workers Of the supposedly terrifying discipline"
in the Communist Party What q contrast Is the way
the Communist Party carrying the discussions of
the Ife-and-death questions reIated to Austria.
The Communist Party called entire series OF
open mass Party meetings on the Austrian situation
10 which it extended cordial invitations to all So
cialist workers and sympathzers At these meetings
many Socialist and non-party workers attended and
Clarence Hathaway took up the most comadely way
all the questions raised by the Socialist non-party
workers present. Open, free comradely discussion
that is the Communist Party method Of clarifying po-
htical issues.
At the largest meeting at the st. Nicholas Arena.
as well as at two Others where Hathaway spoke Yip-
weI organizers were distributing leaflets against the
Communist Party
What did Hathaway doP He read these leaflets
to the assembled gathering Of workers. He asked for
questions and discussions from all the workers present.
Even more he offered the platform to the people
who were distributing the leaflets asking them to
give the meeting their point Of view
This is what the Communist Party means by pro-
etarian democracy for and by the workers
This Is how the Soviet Union governed through pro-
starian democracy, the democracy Of the proetarian
dictatorship against the capitalist class
Why are the Socialist leaders so fearful that the
socialist rank and file meet in comradely discussion
with Communist workers the most vital political
questions Of the day7 Why are they so fearful Of
having Socialist workers the same committees with
Communist workers united In common struggle against
Fascism and mperianst WARP Why are they so fear
unwilling to permit their membership to thrash out
in serious political discussion the questions Of the
7esser evil" the peaceful road to socialism" the ac-
lions and statements Of Otto Bauer7
When political discussion Of nfe-and-death oues-
tons is srangled by brutal gag rule by harsh bureau
cracy. then it Is time for the workers and honest
elements In that party TO ask the leadership some very
pointed question:
Socialist Party workers. Do not let your mouths
and minds be bound by gag rulei You have a right
to ask questions and TO discuss these political issues
freely with your fellow workersl You have a right
TO clasp the hands Of your class comrades in proIe-
tartan United Front Against Fascism and War
Socialist workers. We welcome and invite the most
colradely. sincere discussion with you on our COM
mon working class problems. We welcome you our
class brothers Refuse to heed the latest gag rule of
the Socialist leaders! For open discussion on working
class questionsi