Source: Daily Worker, August 6, 1929
Transcription/Markup: Paul Saba
Copyleft: Internet
Archive (marxists.org) 2018. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of the Creative Commons License.
The Communist Parties of the world are now engaged, more than ever, in an intensive struggle against the war danger and the concerted attack upon the Soviet Union by the imperialist powers. All the sections of the Comintern are militantly leading the revolutionary proletariat in this struggle. The policies and tactics adopted by the respective parties have a common basis arising out of the correct analysis laid down by the VI World Congress in the characterization of the third period. This period is not an exception in so far as it affects the colonies and semi-colonies of world imperialism.
. . . the intensification of internal antagonisms in capitalist countries (the swing to the left of the masses of the working class, growing acuteness of the class struggle), and the wide development of Colonial movements (China, India and Syria), which are taking place in this period, will inevitably lead – through the further development of the contradictions of capitalist stabilization – to capitalist stabilization becoming still more precarious and to the severe intensification of the general crisis of capitalism. (Theses of VI World Congress).
What does this Third Period mean for the colonial and semi-colonial countries? It means the accentuation of the pressure on the working masses and the growing conflict between the imperialist powers for the domination of these countries. In so far as the Latin-American countries are concerned, we observe two phenomena, both leading rapidly to imperialist wars: (1) the problems arising out of the increased domination of imperialism directly infringing upon the economic and political life of the Latin-American masses, and (2) the transformation of these countries into a vast camp of international imperialist conflict, primarily between the two imperialist powers: Great Britain and the United States, the latter playing a leading role.
I. The Latin-American colonies and semi-colonies, under the pressure of imperialism, are forced to adapt themselves to the necessities of the internationally monopolized markets. This hinders the normal development of the national economy and transforms them into virtual dominions dependencies, particularly of United States imperialism. The method of capitalist penetration, far from suppressing the semifeudal exploitation, accentuates it and uses the most reactionary forces within the colonies for the repression of the revolutionary movements and the establishment of the most violent dictatorships. Moreover, the development of the industries is dependent upon the metropolis of imperialism with the result that the exploitation of the laboring masses grows more acute.
II. Latin-America is the object of the contradictions and growing conflict between the two imperialist powers: Great Britain and United States. While in the last World War, these countries played rather a secondary part, in the next imperialist war, either they will constitute the battleground for the imperialist rivals or they will directly be involved as part of the sphere of influence of world imperialism, with their national economy dependent upon the imperialist world market.
The war danger in Latin-America is a concrete reality. Not only is Latin-America an appendix to the international market and a fertile soil for raw material, but also a very important factor in sharpening capitalist contradictions and the revolutionary crisis derived therefrom.
The conflicts between Bolivia and Paraguay, between Guatemala and Honduras, are the expression of the war danger in a most concrete form. The internal contradictions in these countries, the existence of the great masses of exploited workers and peasants, the struggle between the imperialist powers, upset the social equilibrium and accelerate the revolutionary crisis, thus bringing forth the immense reserve of anti-imperialist forces.
In the theses recently adopted at the conference of delegates of the Communist Parties of Latin America and the United States, held at Buenos Aires, the danger of war was analyzed on the basis of three fundamental characteristics: (1) the counter-revolutionary war against the Soviet Union, (2) Wars for national independence and, (3) war between imperialist powers or between the countries under imperialist control. Each one of these presents a series of problems before the revolutionary workers and peasants of Latin-America. However, the fundamental prerequisite necessary in order to effectively carry on the struggle against an attack upon the Soviet Union, against imperialist war and the leading part to be played by the Communists in the revolutionary wars for national liberation, is the struggle against all pacifist maneuvers of the national bourgeoisie and the social democracy in their endeavor to fool the masses.
In the event of an attack against the Soviet Union, the Latin-American workers and peasants, under the leadership of the Communist Parties, will fight for the following: No foodstuffs, no war materials for the imperialist powers; for the unconditional support of the Soviet Union; side with the revolution; sabotage with all means at hand to prevent the shipping of raw material; struggle against the national bourgeoisie and against imperialist war. In the event of a revolutionary war for national independence, the same slogans will be put into effect with the gradual raising of the slogan of: A Workers and Peasants Government.
In the event of an imperialist war, the masses will fight: Against imperialism and its lackeys, the national bourgeoisie; for the transformation of the imperialist war into a revolutionary war for national independence; land to those who work it.
While the imperialist class is hastily preparing for war, using the reactionary class in Latin-America to kill the militancy of the masses, the revolutionary workers and peasants are establishing strong basis for the future struggles against their masters.
The revolutionary trade union centers established in almost 15 of the Latin-American countries, the workers and peasants blocs in Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, have as their centre point in the program of action, the struggle against imperialist war and the defense of the Soviet Union.
In this struggle against the war danger, the revolutionary workers of the United States cannot and must not remain aloof. On the contrary, we bear the greater responsibilities. We must actively support our brothers of Latin-America in the event of a revolutionary war against imperialism and for national independence. The workers of the United States will hasten the defeat of the imperialists and will side the workers and peasants of Latin-America.