LPP PRE-CONVENTION

DISCUSSION

~ Resolution will help

build greater unity

By C. M. STEWART

HE Draft Resolution of the’ National Executive is a clear
cut Marxist declaration of policy that will inspire our
entire membership to intensify the struggle to rally the labor
and progressive movements behind the battle for peace, pro-

gress and democracy. .

The sharp differential made be-
tween the treacherous right-wing
leaders of social democracy and the
majority of CCF members and sup-
porters is particularly welcomed
at this time when these agents of
monopoly capitalism dressed up in
a labor cloak have succeeded (tem-
porarily) in taking the CCF into

The national trade union com-
mittee of the LPP has announced
it will issue a regular monthly
buuletin dealing with probiems
facing the trade union movement
in Canada.

The committee invites all trade
unionists desirous of receiving
this new bulletin to send their
request to William Kashtan,
secretary of the committee, room
331, 73 Adelaide St. W., Toronto.

the war camp by the shameful en-
dorsation of the Marshall Plan,
support for a western war bloc
against the Soviet Union and the
countries of eastern Europe, the
peoples of Asia and suffering man-
kind everywhere who are making;
great strides to throw off their op-
pressors. ;

I am confident it will not be long
until the leftward-moving members
‘of the CCF, will demand a show-
down from those who seem deter-
mined to use their influence to drag
our country into a Third World
War.

The resolution equips us in a con-
crete manner to fight for united

action with all honest CCF’ers and.

helps us to expose and isolate the
red-baiters and Marshall Plan fo-
menters of war. A study of the
resolution in all Party clubs will
prepare and arm our membership
to intensify the struggle on all
fronts and beat back the Plot of
Canadian reaction to destroy the
workers and progressive move~
ments in preparation for imper-
ialist mass slaughter by atémic
war,

I find the resolution appropriate
in every respect, but for added
clarity I make the following sug-

\

gestions for your consideration:

In Chapter V at end of second
paragraph it states: “They are ac-
tually engaged in struggle against
the program of economic and. social
reaction of the monopolies.”

I propose that these words be
replaced by the following: “To give
ieadership to and aid any and all
movements that further this end is
our aim, our purpose and vow.”

I am aware that the resolution
does not mean to infer that all the
peace loving people are as yet
struggling actively against the war-
makers, but it would indicate that
there is a higher degree of poli-
tical consciousness than there ac-
tually is; the resolution is a call
to action, our task is to involve
larger and larger masses in strug-
gle.

Also in Chapter V, second part,
it reads in the first paragraph fol-
lowing “world” in the second last
line: “By the inspiring achieve-
ments of socialism in the U.S.S.R.”

I propose the following substi-
tute: “By the inspiring fight for
peace led by the U.S.S.R. in the
United Nations.”

I believe the substitute more
clearly refiects the actual senti-
ments of Canadian people, because
so far only a minority are con-
scious of the full role played by the
inspiring postwar achievements of
the U.S.S.R. 3

Chapter VII, first paragraph
reads: “Since the end of World
War II, the working class of Can-
ada has put up stubborn battles on
the fronts of wage demands, prices,
housing and civil liberties.”

I propose the, following be sub-
stituted after wage demands in the
fourth line: “and large numbers
have on many occasions put up
stubborn battles for lowering of
prices, housing and civil liberties.”

I think it is absolutely correct to
state that practically the whole of
organized labor and large numbers
of unorganized workers have par-
ticipated on the wages front, but
in the struggle against monopoly
prices, for adequate housing, ‘and
civil liberties, so far only a minor-
ity have been involved in these

| struggles.

Of course this is not the first
time that we have said that we
must strengthen our youth work.
We are always self-critical of all
fields of party responsibility. There
are two points however that need

Discussion will —
strengthen party

By JIM TESTER

QE of the most important things

about the draft resolution is its
timing. For almost three months
before the national convention of
the Labor-Progressive Party, mem-
bers will discuss its content and
test its validity in the light of their
own experience.

In these days, when history is}.
unfolding at an unheard of speed,
it is remarkable that the. only
Canadian party proven capable of
guiding the democratic destiny of
Canada should allow itself such an
apparent luxury in time for mem-
ber discussion of its convention
policy resolution. In this respect,
the draft indicates a new, a more
virile trend in the life of the LPP.

No honest person in Canada, who
understands it, can disagree with
the basic truths in the draft. The
big job before and after the na-
tional convention is to get these
truths to the people. That requires,
a bétter and bigger party doing
better and bigger work.

There is indeed more room for
critical thinking in our party. From
.the top down, we have to be much
|more self-critical than we have.
; We must learn better how to win
the confidence of the people so
that our program will take on a
living form. Phrase dispensing, in-
tellectual snobbery and losing con-
tact with the people through a
labyrinth of inner activity must be-
come completely taboo.

Willingness to listen to and learn
from quite ordinary workers is not
only indispensible to building and}
strengthening the party, it is the
very essence of democratic leader-
ship.

i

‘Softening

.

N i inci (i in its section on the Party recognizes
3, iR tional or provincial resolution in its sec gniz
rae aunts one prev of wliseese which has been hampering our work and its

omplete demoralization and falling away of a number of formerly

the presence in our P
effectiveness, caused the c

active comrades, or a tolerate

Many others, which in turn has
had a poisoning demoralizing in-
fluence upon the remaining active
elements. Despite the recommen-
dations in the provincial and na-
tional resolutions on party work
which are good, the apathy and
resistance to work within our ranks
will continue to grow until we
recognize the disease and uproot
it in allits ramifications.

Today it is not enough to say
that we must advance the fight for
Party conscioushess. Communist
Work and militancy, discipline and
Self-criticism, a Communist style
of work etc., and to elaborate on
he means whereby these can be
improved. We know this should
always be a continuing struggle in
Our Party and we know the meth-
Ods. They are not new. But a new
influence has become apparent in
Cur Party these past years, an in-
fluence which never before has
been greatly noticeable in the 18
years I’ve been associated with it.

The disease manifests itself in
& low level of activity, ‘a resistance
© carryinz out of decisions taken.
& tendency to cover up lack of ac
tivity by a lot of talk, and in our
leadership, a réluctance to push for

8nd demand and fight for a carTy-

up’

By D. S.

d inactivity or low level of

in party morale

—MONTREAL

activity within the Party of

ing out of Party policy and deci-
sions in -a truly” Communist man-
ner, and even more important, by
Communist example.

For want of a better term I
would characterize the disease:
permeation of our entire party,
leadership and rank and file, by
an alien petty bourgeois influence
which is paralyzing. and poisoning
our work as Communists and as

ople to whom a look to for

idance and inspiration.

Cae period of the war with its
class collaboration (with important
qualifications) to win the anti-
fascist war: the mistakes in the
direction of -Browderism, of that
period, the softening up process of
a period of relative prosperity on
our thinking, our living and our
work, have produced a blunting of
the application of Marxist theory,
and a frequent divorce of theory
from practice, as well as a blunting
of the principles of leadership by
compromise with the petty bour-
geois influences within our party
and ourselves. —

I strongly believe that the sec-
tion of the resolution dealing with
criticism and self-criticism, Com-
munist work, militancy and disci-

pline, industrial concentration.
must be implemented thoroughly.
It should be combined with a thor-
ough review of each member in
the club with’ emphasis on mass
work or industrial concentration
work demanded in each case within
the ability of the comrade in ques-
tion. I believe leading people in
all committees should undertake
such work, to give an example and
set the pace.

Further, despite my accusation
that petty bourgeois attitudes are
poisoning our Party life, I believe
the Party has failed badly in giv-
ing leadership to the people in the
white collar, professional and al-
lied fields of work to help this sec-
tion of our membership to find the
best way of influencing and win-
ning away from bourgeois influ-
ence this' vast mass of people in
Canada who can play a valuable
role as an ally of the industrial
worker in progressive movements.
That therefore discussions be held
with our people in this field to dis-
cover the best methods and form
for the better development of this
work and giving leadership to it

through the Party.

| been marked by a general separa-

‘|wrong approach to youth work is

Party must regard youth work
key task in fighi for peace

By NORMAN PENNER

“O UR fight for the youth at a time of rapid increose of the fascist danger, of militariz-
ation, and the threat of war needs to be radically strengthened.

Draft Resolution, correctly. But many party members pass over that section quickly,

saying to themselves: “I’ve heard that before.” oe

cae m0 Says the

to be emphasized in this year’s
convention discussion on youth.
The first is unfortunately omit-
ted from the resolution, and that
is that the past few years have

tion of youth work from party
work to a degree unprecedented in
the history of our party. This is
only now being overcome since the
National Federation of Labor
Youth has come forward in its new
role. But that separation and

still reflected in a loose attitude
towards the NFLY in many parts,
of the country.

The second point. and this is!
correctly emphasized in the resolu-
tion, is the decisive character of
the fight for the youth precisely in
this period of mounting war and
fascist danger.

The fact is that reaction needs
the youth for war and is going out
to get them in a big way. War
propaganda in movies, high schools,
universities, and youth organiza-'
tions has been considerably stepped
up. Torrents of anti-labor anti-
communist, anti-Soviet poison are
being dished out in the high schools
under the guise of “citizenship
training” in addition to propaganda
consisting of teaching the students
how to strip machine guns, handle
rifles, and march in close order for-
mation!

But in spite of the superior
means of propaganda at their dis-
posal the war-makers are none too
sure of the youth. The two recent
recruiting campaigns have been
failures. The youth so far are tak-
ing the attitude that they will “sit
this one out.” ;

That is why the talk of conscrip.
tion is growing. :

That is why, under the aegis of
Sidney Smith, president of the Uni-
versity of Toronto and leading ad-
vocate of conscription, a body has
been formed to “coordinate” the
youth movement. Its formation at
this time is a necessary step in
the drive to win or force the youth
into the war camp.

One cannot survey these and
other developments on the youth
front without being seized with the
urgency of strengthening our own
work among the youth.

The key task in this regard is
the building of the NFLY, which
because it concentrates all of its
work among the youth can most
effeetively organize youth resist-
ance to war and fascism.

But there still exists unclarity
and diversity of approach to the
character of the NFLY. This has
been a considerable factor in the
failure to mobilize the entire party
in support of the NFLY. Obviously
therefore we must come out of the
convention with a unity of ap-
proach and common determination
to build. :

What is the NFLY?

It is an organization which aims
to attract and recruit young people

CHRISTMAS CARDS

0",

Order

oe

PLO ALO

BOY]

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — DECEMBER 10, 1948 — PAGE 7

For Progressives
CHOICE OF FOUR ORIGINAL DESIGNS
$1.50 PER DOZEN

209 SHELLY BUILDING
Or

PEOPLE’S CO-OPERATIVE BOOKSTORE
337 WEST PENDER STREET

YO IOLA

who are interested in the study of
socialism, but who are not yet pre-
pared to join the Party.

It is therefore an organization
of Communists and non-Commun-
ists. It is the job of the Commun-
ists in the organization to give a
Marxist-Leninist content to the
Political and educational program,
and by patient work and persua-
sion to draw the non-Communists
closer to the party.

Education in the spirit of the
struggle for socialism means, of
course, active participation in de-
fending all the immediate needs
of the youth. The NFLY is there-
fore a centre for militant political
action among the youth.

In short, the NFLY complements
and strengthens, but it does not
compete with existing youth groups
including those under progressive
leadership. :

From a proper understanding of
the character of the NFLY fiows
the obvious fact that the Party has
a@ Special responsibility to this or-
ganization. The difficult political,
financial, and organizational prob-
lems facing the NFLY everywhere
(aggravated by the fact that in
most centres there has been little
if any youth organization for
years) cannot be solved by the
young people themselves. The ac-
tive and continuing assistance of
the Party in every region is re-
quired.

There should be someone on
every leading committee of the
Party who is responsible for youth
work. This person should be or be-
come a member of the NFELY.
Wherever possible, this person
should be someone with a certain
degree of Party experience and —
political maturity. : ee

Many of the; younger members of _
the LPP should be encouraged and
even assigned to make youth work
their special field. The work of
Communists in the youth move-
ment should be under constant re-
view at leading Party committees. _

I hope that many of the contri-_
butions to the pre-convention dis-
cussion will deal with this impor-
tant question. In particular, I
should like to see Party organizers,
aap bboy: union activists comment
on

‘

By arrangement with the na-
tional oftice of the Labor-pPro-
gressive Party, the ‘Irripune is
devoting its columns to a dis-
cussion of the Draft Resolution
prepared by the national execu-
tive of the LPP for the 3rd Con-
vention which takes place Janu-
ary 21-25 in Toronto. : Se,

All LPP clubs and members
are invited to send in their com-
ments, criticisms and proposals.
All such communications should
be addressed to William Kashtan, a
LPP national office, 73 Adelaide
St. W., Toronto, :

4

§
fae 4
a