Letter to Weber, Abern and Glotzer, August 13, 1935

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For a Bloc Against Oehler

Dear Comrades Weber, Abern and Glotzer:

I have attentively studied all the documents, theses, and minutes of the [Workers Party’s June 1935] plenum and all your letters. My supposition has now become an absolute conviction. All Marxists, all true revolutionaries, must join in an implacable struggle against Oehlerism.

It is really an unbearable scandal at a time when our French section is fighting on all fronts with admirable courage and is making remarkable progress, which opens before us a whole new perspective, that a part of the WP should be defaming our French comrades with ignoble accusations and calumnies. We have the right to demand reparation, i.e., a pitiless condemnation of the Oehler group by a majority of the party.

I believe that in the name of our common principles you must, despite all past conflicts and secondary differences, effect a rapprochement with the Cannon-Shachtman-Swabeck group. To improve the regime in the party it is necessary that the party as a whole intervene and for this to be successful it must be freed of unscrupulous sectarianism. I beg of you to conquer yourselves and to take the necessary steps toward rapprochement.

I retain the most sincere and faithful sentiments for all three of you.

Fraternally yours,

Leon Trotsky