"But above all a true Socialist International would at this time fulfill the all-important function of serving as the framework of the coming world parliament.
"To accomplish these great tasks the International of Socialism must be truly international.
"It cannot be truly Socialist if it is not based upon the program of complete socialization of the industries, and upon the principles of cla.s.s struggle and uncompromising working cla.s.s politics. It cannot be truly international unless it accords to its affiliated bodies full freedom in matters of policy and forms of struggle on the basis of such program and principles, so that the Socialists of each country may work out their problems in the light of their own peculiar economic, political and social conditions as well as the historic traditions.
"In view of the above considerations the Socialist party of the United States, while retaining its adherence to the Third International, instructs its executive committee, its international secretary and international delegates to be elected
"(a) To insist that no formula such as "the dictatorship of the proletariat in the form of soviets" or any other formula for the attainment of the Socialist commonwealth be imposed or exacted as condition of affiliation with the Third International.
"(b) To partic.i.p.ate in movements looking to the union of all true Socialist forces in the world into one International, and to initiate and further such movements whenever the opportunity is presented."
The brotherly sympathy between the Socialist Party of the United States and the Red Vandals of Soviet Russia is exhibited by the following, also from "The New York Call," May 15, 1920, reporting the proceedings of the Socialist Convention in Finnish Hall:
"A mission of three members was provided for to carry fraternal greetings to Soviet Russia and to investigate and report on conditions in the first working cla.s.s republic, and the international delegates were further instructed to get into communication with Socialist organizations in North and South America for the purpose of creating Socialist Pan-American congresses."
The majority reporters, or discreet Camouflagists, despite the prudent efforts of careful Mr. Hillquit to separate the Socialist Party of the United States from the Communists and other out-in-the-open enemies of our Country, evidently believed it wise to throw out a beckoning hand to all radicals in general, especially to the Red Left Wing Socialists who left the Party to become Communists and Communist Laborites in the fall of 1919. At the Convention of May, 1920, the following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, that we, the national convention of the Socialist party, in order to carry into effect this desire for unity, make the following proposals:
"That any individual, branch, local or state or language federation that left the party last fall because of tactical differences and now desires to re-enter on the basis of the Socialist party platform and const.i.tution, be welcomed to return.
"That where Socialist party locals and other groups of the labor movement exist side by side in the same locality, we propose the creation of joint campaign committees for the management of a working cla.s.s electoral campaign upon the basis of our platform.
"That after the campaign is over, whenever the situation promises practical results, steps be taken to confer with representatives of other factions of the movement with a view to establishing possible basis for organization unity.
"That a national advisory council of all working cla.s.s organizations for the purpose of combatting the reactionary forces be formed so that wherever possible there be voluntary united action by all political and economic organizations who take their stand on the basis of the cla.s.s struggle."
There was a family fuss over a proposed clause, finally stricken out, that "due stamps or other evidence of membership in the groups formed by the split in the party shall be recognized as evidence of good standing"
in the Socialist Party. In this connection, William Kruse of Illinois, who is far from a Camouflagist, said: "Debs believes that the Communist and Communist Labor members are as good Socialists as any." The authorities of our Nation have condemned membership in the Communist organization as illegal and have proven Debs a criminal. The Socialists welcome the Communists and Communist Laborites, "whenever the situation promises practical results" (when the time for "shooting," for "bullets"
rather than "ballots," has arrived?), and the Socialists, Camouflagists as enthusiastically as their opponents, acclaim Debs the criminal, Debs the convicted enemy of the United States of America, and nominate this criminal enemy for President of the United States of America!
The entire record of the May, 1920, Socialist Convention is a series of insincere, futile, clever attempts to whitewash the blood-red of the known and proved Socialist principles and aims, these attempts in turn combated by the more honest delegates, and the net result being the re-affirmation in tangible and important matters of these same menacing principles and aims, though set forth in wilier and more guarded language than has been heretofore the case.
The Red Conspiracy has been proven, and every new move of the Socialists but confirms, in the minds of sane and loyal Americans, the extent and peril of the conspiracy, and intensifies our will to combat this evil thing in our midst until righteous combat has fought to glorious victory. Down with the Red Flag of Socialism, Communism, Bolshevism, I.
W. W."ism, and Anarchy! Victory and glory to the Stars and Stripes of our beloved Country!
FOOTNOTES
[A] "The Bolsheviks--formerly a faction within the Social-Democratic Labor Party--have recently changed their name to Communist party to distinguish themselves from the other Social-Democratic groups.
"The term Bolsheviks and Mensheviks date back to 1903, when at a congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party a difference arose on a seemingly unimportant question (editorial supervision of the party organ), when upon a vote which decided the question there naturally was a majority and minority. Those who were with the majority were nicknamed Bolsheviks and those with the minority Mensheviks, deriving their names from the Russian words Bolshinstvo and Menshinstvo, meaning majority and minority respectively." _"The Soviets at Work," by Nicolai Lenin, published, with foreword and footnotes by Alexander Trachtenberg, by the Rand School of Social Science._
[B] It is a notable fact that throughout his three days" testimony on the witness stand at Albany, February 17, 18 and 19, 1920, in the case of the five suspended Socialist a.s.semblymen before the Judiciary Committee of the New York a.s.sembly, Morris Hillquit, ill.u.s.trious leader of the Red Rebels" Whitewash Squad, tried to save the five suspended Socialist a.s.semblymen and the damaged reputation of their organization, the Socialist Party of the United States, by tremendous applications of Debs" old recipe of quicklime and water, the special formula of which is to spell revolution and rifles without the "r," pistols without the "p"
and bombs without the "b."
[C] Engdahl was indicted at Chicago, February 2, 1918, as Editor of the Socialist Party"s official publications, brought to trial before Judge Landis, December 9, 1918, and convicted on January 8, 1919. The four indicted, convicted and sentenced with him, each for twenty years, were Victor L. Berger, member of the Socialist Party"s National Executive Committee; Adolph Germer, the Party"s National Executive Secretary; William F. Kruse, Secretary of the Young People"s Socialist League, and Irwin St. John Tucker, former head of the Party"s Literature Department.
[D] This reference to Left, Right and Center bears every earmark of familiarity with the use of these terms in the call to the Moscow Conference.
[E] Thus Hillquit seems to have had his eye on the "call" to the Moscow Conference, although he swore on the stand at Albany, in February, 1920, that he had not read the Moscow manifesto when he wrote 90 per cent. or more of his Party"s Chicago manifesto of September, 1919.
[F] The reference is to Alexander Stoklitzky.
[G] Article 3, Section 3 (a), of the "National Convention and Platform of the Socialist Party, 1917," as officially published, reads: "The call for the regular election of members of the National Executive Committee shall be issued on the first day of January, 1918, and on January first of each odd numbered year thereafter. _Members elected in 1918 shall retire July first, 1919._" But why should their own Const.i.tution bother plotters who wish to dynamite that of the United States?
[H] Gitlow was tried, convicted and sentenced in New York City early in 1920, for inciting to anarchy.
[I] The report brought back by this delegate, James Oneal, was the basis of the straddle resolution then adopted by a majority of the Executive Committee, the text of which we have given near the close of Chapter II.
[J] As we have seen, the testimony of Morris Hillquit, February 19, 1920, at the trial of the five a.s.semblymen at Albany, was, "At least ninety per cent. of the manifesto is my authorship."
[K] See Chapter V of this book for an account of Referendum D, carried by a large majority in the spring or summer of 1919, by which the rank and file of the Socialist Party opposed its entrance into any international Socialist alignment except that of the Third (Moscow) International.
[L] In its article on "The Russian Soviet Government Bureau in the United States" Trachtenberg"s Labor Year Book, 1919-1920, pages 384-5, says: "The Legal Department, under the supervision of Morris Hillquit, advises the Bureau so that its actions may at all times conform to the laws of the United States.... The raid upon the Soviet Bureau by local authorities engaged the attention of the Legal Department."
Again, the "Albany Argus" of February 19, 1920, describing Hillquit"s testimony in the Socialist case on the preceding day, February 18, says: "It was brought out in cross-examination that Mr. Hillquit had acted as counsel for the Russian Soviet Bureau in this country.... The witness testified that he had advised Ludwig C. A. K. Martens to file his credentials with the Secretary of State; had aided him in the preparation of his statement and advised him generally in the organization of his office and in every effort undertaken by him for the establishment of trade connection with the United States."
[M] Those willing to co-operate with the Committee should communicate with its Chairman, Mr. Frank Allaben, President of The National Historical Society, publishers of this book, 37 West 39th street, New York City.
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
[1] Changed "Bolshevissm" to "Bolshevism".
[2] Changed "Bolhevist" to "Bolshevist".
[3] Changed "Forence" to "Florence".
[4] Changed "circulaton" to "circulation".
[5] Changed "const.i.tutent" to "const.i.tuent".
[6] Changed "form" to "from".
[7] Changed "Ukrainains" to "Ukrainians".
[8] Changed "renumeration" to "remuneration".
[9] Changed "Procedings" to "Proceedings".