Letter to Farrell Dobbs, April 16, 1940

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These letters were written by Trotsky in English.

April 16, 1940

Dear Comrade Dobbs,

We received also your and Joe’s communications on the convention. As far as we can judge from here, you did everything you could in order to preserve the unity of the Party. If under these conditions the Minority nevertheless commits a split, it will only show to every worker how far they are from the principles of Bolshevism and how hostile to the proletarian majority 0f the Party. About the details of your decisions, we will judge more concretely when we have more information.

* * *

I permit myself to call to your attention another article, namely that of Gerland against Burnham concerning symbolic logic, the logic of Bertrand Russell and the others. The article is very sharp and in the case of the opposition’s remaining in the Party and Burnham on the editorial board of the New International the article should possibly be rewritten from the point of view of “friendliness” of expressions. But the presentation of symbolic logic is very serious and good and seems to me very useful especially for the American readers. Comrade Weber devoted also an important part of his last article to the same item. My opinion is that he should elaborate this part in the form of an independent article for the New International. We should now continue systematically and seriously our theoretical campaign in favor of dialectical materialism.

* * *

Jim’s pamphlet is excellent. It is the writing of a genuine workers’ leader. If the discussion had not produced more than this document, it would be justified.

With friendliest greetings for you all,

W. RORK [Leon Trotsky]

Coycacan, D.F.