Which Path for Labor ?

and Consolidation

so By GEORGE DRAYTON

A Page Of Discussion Open To Me
Of The Labor-Progressive Par

Discuss Policy .

By AL DEWHURST

_ Criticism

: «»Dhere.is always something new coming into life ..

the old and the new, between the m
‘<os-suchds the basis of. our developnient.

“openly and honestly as Bolsheviks shoul

TR our work, we block our road to progress _.

ats gress.”—Stalin, Report to the Fifteenth Congr

The present discussion will

for the
But. after

« It will be remembered by most
members that, at the conference
held in the Georgia Hotel, after
the party emerged from illegal-
ity in 1943, Tim Buck outlined
the new policy. The calibre of
discussion that followed was not
high, but one mémber stood out
as a political giant. His econtri-
bution.to the discussion only took
two minutes. He didn’t use any
high faluting political phrases.
He told a little fable about a
farmer with a big knife in his
hand watching his chance to
butcher a pig. And he compared
him with Mr. Blaylock and the
Miners Union after the war.
Last Sunday night this same
member, along with other labor
leaders, addressed 6,000 workers
at the Stadium protesting the
layoffs while the CCF stood on
the outside distributing a slan-
derous leaflet against him.

He can afford to ignore them.
Eagles don’t catch flies.

But to get back to the sheep.
In my opinion, Browder was hay-
wire long before Teheran. When
his book “Victory and After” was
published I was in Michel, B.C.
Sam English sold me some lit-
erature, including Browder’s
book. and Palm Dutt’s book,
“Britain in the World °Front.”
Later, he asked me if I had read

Browder’s book and what I
thought of it. I replied ‘Yes,
and it’s a lot of tripe. Sam
was shocked. I. marked pas-

sages and I discussed them with
him. Sam was non-committal.
Sam would sooner err in com-
pany with the district committee
and be wrong than be right with
a nobody like me. And I don’t
blame him. I like him for it. But
I had also read Palm Dutt’s book.
There is as great a difference be-
tween an atomic bomb and a
firecracker: And to say that
his revisionist tendencies did,
have a little effect on our Ca-
nadian members is putting it
mild. 7

Floyd Anderson’s article, “Val-
idity of Teheran, in a recent dis-
cussion page is an example. His
contribution smells of the lamp,
but I’m afraid some of the oil
was wasted. For instance, this:
“What Browder ( and others)
considered a negation of the
class struggle during the war,
was in reality, a postponement
of the class struggle, two entirely
different things, except in the
results of their application.” And
then, right. after that, he climbs
into the same bed alongside of
Browder with this: “Teheran em-
phasised and guaranteed the cor-
rectness of the theory of the
“postponement of the class strug-
gle until the victory over fascism
was won.”

PACIFIC ADVOCATE — PAGE 2

Opportunity to particip
last Sunday. night's
trust my. contribution may be

ate in it. This que
meeting at.t
helpful, .:. ..

from other revolutions, |
that in criticising itself, it. becomes

- struggle between

oribund and that which is being born—-

Without pointing out and exposing

d do, the shortcomings and mistakes

- without this there is no pro-

ess of the CPSU.

greatly strengthen the Party in Canada. I am grateful
stion has bothered me for quite a while.
he Stadium, it doesn’t any more. However, I

“The Declaration of Harmony
made by the Big Three at Teheran
didn’t do any such thing. Floyd
reminds me_of the story told of
an ancient King who wielded im-
mense power. He walked down
tc the beach one morning to
watch the tide come in. After
looking intently at the sea for
a few moments, he waved his
arm and said “Roll On.” He was
a wise guy. He knew his limita-
tions. But Anderson would im-
agine he could say to the workers
and capitalists of Canada, “Stop
living till after the war.”

- And soon after Teheran, a per-
iodical. issued in the Soviet Un-
ion, called on the toiling masses
of Spain to rise up and oust
Franco and set up a democratic
government. And about the same
time Churchill told the House of
Commons in Britain that Franco
Was quite alright. Or words to
that effect.

In contradistinction to our at-
titude to this question take. the
following, from the book of Dutt:

Se - the organised working
class movement has a special re-
sponsibility in relation to the
repuirements' of the war effort,
to protect the standards, condi-
tions and rights of the workers
and the masses of the people.
- . - the working class movement
needs to take special, concern for
the improvement of the pay, con-

,

ditions and allowances of those
serving in the armed forces and
their dependents; the levelling of
old age pensions, widows’ pen-
sions and other social service
benefits: ‘the improvement of
women workers’ wages and con-
ditions ... . and the raising. of
wages of low paid sections; the
revision of taxation to take all
excess incomes above a certain
level and raise the exemption
limit for lower incomes; the ex-
tension of rationing and price
control; the protection of the
rights of the workers in the fac-
tories; the protection of working
class and democratic rights of
prepaganda and organisation,
ete. All these questions, while the
initiative and guidance in solving
them must come especially from
the working class movement, are
ho separate interest of a section
but the vital interest of the united
war effort for the purpose of de-
mocratic anti-fascist war and for
the protection of the future.”
The above was written in 1942.
No postponement of the class
struggle here. Had we ‘listened
more to Dutt and less to Browder
we would have effected greater
national unity in the war effort.
In his monumental work “World
Politics” written around 1936,
Dutt not only explained why war
against the Soviet by Nazi Ger-
many was inevitable but he actu-
ally forecast practically the exact

road through the Balkan coun-
tries the attack would travel. And
at the same time, and even years
later, Angus McInnis and his pro-
totype in Britain, Noel Baker and
others were trying to lull us to
sleep with “there isn’t going to
be any war, Hitler is for Peace,

at least for many years to come.’’-

Now, the question is .“What
to Do?”

A new line. is being developed
and will be put into life. The
main feature of it will be nation-
al unity in Canada based on the
requirements of the masses here,
which in turn will make for In-
ternational Unity based on the
Teheran Declaration in the inter-
ests of the toiling people and for
lasting peace.

To be successful’ in gaining
support of the masses, our Party
platform must reflect. the needs
of. the people and be one step
ahead of public opinion.

Whatever strategy is proposed
we should guard against one of
our- most serious defects in the
rast, and that is, a crude me.
chanical approach to ,the appli-
cation of the lines Our tactics in
the past in this regard have given
some justification for reaction-
aries in the CCF to sneer, “‘the
Communists are turning another
somersault.” Communists who go

out and propound our policy
should be highly (trained and
know “all the answers.” ~*This

calls for intensification in educa-
tional work. And it isn’t enough
te attend educational classes.
Home study is of even - greater
importance. I’ve burnt out more
light globes reading in bed and
studying Party literature’ than I
have in classrooms. And I don’t
know a quarter I should.

In “Mastering Bolshevism,”
Stalin says, “. .. if We succeed
in giving ideological training
to our Party cadres from top
to bottom and steeling them
politically so that they can find
their bearings with ease in the
internal and international situ-
ation, if we succeed in making
of them fully mature Lenin.
ists and Marxists capable of
solving the questions of the
leadership of the country with-
eut making serious mistakes,
then we can thereby solve nine-
tenths of all our tasks.”

In this connection the role that
can be played by the P.A. is of
the greatest importance. Espec-
ially in regard to building unity.
The P.A. is indispensible. If
unity is preserved the clubs will
brosper. Dissension will wreck
the whole Party.

The issue of events is a great
teacher. Our Party members in
B.C. are quick to learn. And B.C.
workers are not so dumb. We
could no doubt bring hundreds
cf workers to the attention of our

In discussing and evaluating the policy and ae

ithe Labor-Progressive Party during the past perioc
been a tendency to. deal in generalities, instead of
‘objectively and in a constructive manner. Many w
insy comrades are prone to forget the achievemen;

‘ing for the first tim

party and are apparently only
interested in magnifying our
mistakes and in doing so they
are mainly echoing and re-echo-
ing the mouthings of those peo-
ple who are hostile to our party.
Such an approach, in my opinion,
adds nothing to the discussion
and in no way contributes towards
the shaping of a correct policy
for our party.

I cannot agree with those who
claim that our policy has been

incorrect and in an attempt to
justify their position, state that
the workers won’t accept our line

and have, in the main, rejected

party. I would like to ask |
it that)

our
these | critics,
rallied the workers

of the war against
Who
fight in the trade unions for a
no-strike policy? .Who led the
fight for labor legislation, the
gaining of which, made possible
the winning of many of Labor’s
demands by peaceful methods?

Who else, but the Commun-
ist Party and its suecessor
the Labor-Progressive Party
laid down this line and mili-
tantly fought for its adop-
tion. Was such a line incor-
rect? Was the fight against
fascism wrong?

who was
in
the

successfully  carriéd

The critics make quite a fuss
about the election policy of a
“Liberal-Labor coalition. But, do
not the results of the election
justify this proposal,

The fight for a democratic
coalition and against a Tory-Lib-

support | the
fascism ? | entire campaign.

eral coalition is-correct. If we
had have been’ successful in

achieving the democratic coali-
tion, during the election, the La-
bor movement would have been
in a much stronger position to-
day; this no one ean deny. But,
our critics say, this might be
alright in theory, but the work-
ers workers accept this “phoney”
line. But, once again our crit-
ics very conveniently forget
facts. They forget the magnifi-
cent vote our party, participat-

national program through the
struggle for a five cent cup of
coffee; and against high food
prices. Other hundreds through a
struggle against black market
real estate sharks and so on.

In conclusion I want to leave
this thought: We are living in a
modern capitalist society in Can-
ada, and there is no force other
than the working class movement
that is capable of taking on it-
self the leading role, the role of
true, staunch and thoroughly con-
sistent fighter for the economic
requirements of the masses of
people, for Peace and Happiness.

I have the authority of Geo.
Dimitroff for that statement. If
anyone can tell us of any other
force capable of doing it, then

“Tm all ears.”

seale, received in the
tions, especially in this
Facts, my friends, are
things. Z

I maintain that there
no serious revision ft
Leninism in the Canadi
I believe hough, that .

been: certain devia i
mainly: by the Jack 4
standing of Marxist th
tactics on the part of ;
bership of our party. ~
this lack of knowledge
sponsible for many graj
in the application of oy
policy. Firstly, [ th
term “Liberal-Labor |
was incorrect, for, it

fighting slogan and hay
feet of putting our me
defensive through
Second
ef oun comrades took }
eral meaning out of ?
“Liberal-Labor  Coalitig
consequently assisted
eyes of the workers of.
ing our party with the
party. Eagerness, on |

;of some of our ecomrs

bring to life the Liber,
coalition dulled their crit
the official Liberal part
and their corrupt mach
tics. : é

I also believe there y
an underestimation of th
the mass political strug:
working class by our @
an over-emphasis on pe
tarism. This in my e
is an expression of Opj:
tendencies. Are we, as}
ist party proposing to
with the Social-Dema
bourgeous politicians?

As Marxists, I bel
should clearly understé.
role of the parliamentar.
gle and its relationship
class struggle. Our pa
become the major workit
political force in Cana:
only by our achievemt«!
Parliament, but by leaé
day to day struggles
working-class right in
legislative halls, :

Further, I believe ow
should resume the prot
honored name of the C
ist Party of Canada. Und
glorious name our party —
many great and militant
gles. It is a name that
ered by the advanced wor
al lands. I would also .
see our party restore the
trial. branch form of or
tion, thereby drawing eh
the workers in preparat
the great strugles that lie

In conclusion, I belie
party, armed with Marzi
inist theory and through
tive though and discussi!
correct its mistakes and
stronger in every respect.
ing proudly in the vangt
the working class in the s

for peace, jobs and sect

SATURDAY, SEPT.