Montana labor news., 1937-01-28
CTM DEFINES ATTITUDE
IN TR0T5kY CASE

MEAlCO City tMLNJ-lne 0lNl
Confederation of Mexican Workers.
has issued a statement defining
exactly its attitude towards the per-
mission accorded Leon Trotsky to re-
side in Mexico by the Mexican gov
eminent.
Replying to the many accusations
leveled against it during the past few
days, the CTM states categorically
that it is not opposed to the right of
asylum and that, on the contrary, it
has always been and will continue
to be the staunchest upholder of that
right which it considers one of the
most valuable conquests that inter
national law can boast. The CTM
thus leaves the responsibility of
T~rotsky's presence in Mexico to the
government, where it properly be-
longs.
Its own position with respect to
Trotsky is explained in the follow
ing statement:
Leon Trotsky is the leader of an
international political organization.
AS such, wherever he lives, he will
be obliged to carry on the activities
pertaining to his position, for other
wise he would be untrue to himself;
and the existence of National Sec
tons Of the International Communist
League Fourth ~InternationaD in
nearly all countries of the world, in
Guiding Mexico, proves that Trotsky
is the active director of an institu-
ton which exists and fights to real
lie its program. This program is OPP
posed to that of the CTM, which rep
resents the great majority of the
Mexican working class. Trotsky and
his followers uphold the s~elf-suffi-
cheney of the working class and OPP
pose all temporary alliances of the
proletariat with the other exploited
sectors of the population and with
democratic governments for the pur-
pose of preventing the advance OF
fascism and reaction. The CTM, on
the contrary, has voted at its Second
National Council to create a Mexican
Popular Front from among repre-
sentative political and peasant sec
tors of the country, inviting elements
Of the middle class, the petty bourge-
oslo, and the students to adhere to
this platform. This Popular Front
proposes to support the progressive
acts of the Cardenas government and
to prevent the growth of ~reactionary
activities, thus guaranteeing the de-
velopment of the Mexican Revolu-
ton against. internal and external
aggression.
TN this hour when the entire
world finds itself faced with the
choice of falling victim to fascism OIL
maintaining the progressive aspects
of bourgeois democracy; when the
working class must, above all, pre-
vent a r~etrocession in the political
forms of capitalist society by means
of the cooperation of all sectors men.
aced by fascism-everything which
tends to weaken the Popular From
against the conservative forces i.
suicidal.
Consequently, if Trotsky's pres.
ence in Mexico operates 10 intensity
the activities of his group of follow.
ers who preach immediate armed in
%surrection and the establishment O
the dictatorship of the p%roletariat ii
complete defiance of the characters.
tics of this historic period; that is t
say, if Trotsky's presence tends t.
create differences within the work
ing class and obstacles in the path o.
a united front of the people ther
the CTM will consider his presence
here as undesirable.
TN the light of the foregoing, W.
declare that the CTM, as always, viii
defend its integrity and the fulfill
ment Of its revolutionary program
hoping that if, unhappily Trotsky'
presence should result in conse
quences harmful to the organization
of the working class and to the gov
eminent, either for the reasons al
ready adduced or because the re
action will attempt Gas it is alread.
doing to make use of his presenc,
to foment divisions within the rank
Of the workers, the government itsel
will take whatever measures ar
necessary to prevent such develop
ment."