Best tool to fight ultraright
In the last year in Montana we've seen the Militia, the Freemen, the Aryan Nation, and the Klan. Your newspaper is the best tool we have for fighting them.

L.M.

Helena, Montana

Why criticize CPUSA?
In the article "Communist Party Backs Warmongering President," [in the August 4 issue] Maurice Williams endangers the Militant by drifting towards sectarianism. Rather than attack President William Clinton for his disgusting policies, it attacks the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) for backing him.

It is a well-known fact that since the Vietnam War era the CPUSA has done little more than support the Democratic Party. This is not news to anyone. It is also old news that the CPUSA has not done anything constructive since the 1930s.

It is a simple matter to determine whether or not a paper is sectarian. If the articles reflect the policies of the upper class and what the working class should do to fight it, then the paper is legitimate. When said paper reflects the policies of other "communist" parties, it crosses the line into sectarianism.

Clinton's policies are of interest to working people and communists; they represent those of the upper class. The policies of the CPUSA are of interest to no one, as they are no danger to the working class.

Adam Levenstein

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Instability of capitalism
Your editorial "Wall Street gets the jitters," in the August 5 issue was timely. Some of my coworkers, particularly those with low seniority, have the jitters too - about possible layoffs, along with others who gamble some of their pay check on the stock market.

The editorial gets down to business when it explains that the bosses can't turn around the depression conditions and raise profit rates without defeating whole sections of the working class in key countries. The sharpening competition and trade battles for markets will be accompanied by growing fascist movements and a drive to another world war. The ruling rich need to destroy massive amounts of commodities and capital through this uncontrollable process.

However, I find one aspect of the editorial confusing when it states that "the inevitable companion of such an outcome [decisive defeats of sections of the world working class] would be devastating financial collapse, growing fascist movements and world war." This suggests that working class defeats are a precondition for a world financial collapse.

However, in reading New International no. 10, recalling what happened going into World War I and II, and looking at the course of the capitalist depression since the 1987 stock market crash, it seems to me that a financial collapse could be triggered by any number of developments under today's conditions when the class struggle is at a relatively low level in the main imperialist countries.

This is important because it's the instability of the world capitalist system today that is forcing growing numbers of workers and young people to question the viability of capitalism, to look at revolutionary Cuba as an alternative, and to consider joining the communist movement.

John Steele

Toronto, Ontario

Labor Party convention
The article by Susan Zárate on the Labor Party convention (July 22, 1996) seemed to me to be written to make the facts fit her already preconceived negative notion of the convention. Her two comments regarding rank and file participation ("relatively few") and solidarity with ongoing labor disputes ("little talk") seemed based on poor investigation.

As a rank and file delegate from the rail industry with 20 years on the job and real knowledge of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way delegation at the convention, I can strongly say that the majority of that delegation was made up of working railroaders. Many, like myself, are elected to some minor union office but work full time on the job. Are we then part of some "bureaucratic officialdom?" Other delegations seemed to me to have many working members. I did not carry out a scientific count, but I bet Susan Zárate didn't either.

Also I wonder if sister Zárate was in the convention when the stirring rally for the Detroit News strikers was being held, including the loudly proclaimed resolution to call for and help organize a "National Labor March" in Detroit, which was adopted with a huge shout of "yes" from the convention floor?

I agree that the Labor Party is weak and misguided in many areas, but I think it deserves a much more careful analysis than sister Zárate gave it. Please do more homework and write again.

Phil Amadon

Cincinnati, Ohio

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home