Negotiations with Weisbord Suspended

Add a subpage to this text

Read the help page for usage.

 

This is the reply of the National Committee to the statement of comrade Weisbord:

COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF AMERICA (Opposition) 126 East 16th Street, N.Y.C.

October 31, 1932

Dear comrade Weisbord:

In the Militant of October 1 and 8, the National Committee made public a statement of its views on the letter sent by the Communist League of Struggle in reply to the letter of comrade Trotsky. Our statement was aimed at facilitating the fusion of the Communist League of Struggle with the American section of the International Left Opposition on the basis of a clearly and honestly established agreement in principle, and without permitting matters of secondary importance to constitute an insurmountable obstacle. The National Committee must regretfully establish that the reply to its statement made by the Weisbord group, even less than its first letter, meets with the requirements which we consider necessary for a solution of the question. Instead of a clear statement of its point of view in the sense we indicated, the reply of the Weisbord group takes a step backward in this respect and attempts to defend the errors which have separated it from us. This is carried out behind a barrage of minor issues, real and alleged, with which is combined that petty, false and outrageously exaggerated criticism of our League, against which Weisbord has been cautioned before, especially in comrade Trotsky’s letter. Finally the whole tone of the reply in no way indicates a desire or intention to engage in a loyal and comradely collaboration with the Communist League of America. On the contrary. For these reasons the National Committee is compelled to suspend any further negotiations with the Weisbord group until such a time as the latter shall have established its position in a manner, as laid down in our statement of October 1 and 8, which we consider a minimum for the fusion of the two groups and the future discussion inside of the united organization of any serious differences of a secondary character which may have arisen or will arise.

National Committee, Communist League of America Secretary

* * * *

(Copy of letter from Trotsky to Weisbord dated Oct. 13, 1932)

Dear comrade Weisbord,

This is an answer to your letter, and through your mediation to the letter of your group. My delay in answering was due to my assurance that the Militant, contrary to our premature assumption, would answer your request. And, in point of fact, I find in the last issues my letter to you and your answer published integrally and even without any criticism in the same issues.

This procedure is very accommodating, perhaps a little too much so. If you still remember our discussion about the possibilities and methods of fusion, you will understand without any comment from me that I cannot find your steps very happily chosen for the purpose, if the purpose remains that of fusion.

It is scarcely necessary to go into the details of your letter, I feel obliged to emphasize the fact that your treatment of the question of Centrism appears to me absolutely unsatisfactory. It is not a question of name, but of the political content of the Stalinist faction.

It is superfluous to repeat that I would be glad to observe a real coming-together between your group and our American section, but it is evident that in the present stage this procedure cannot be seriously influenced from abroad. It is a task between yourself and the League.

Prinkipo, Oct 13, 1932

With Communist greetings, L. TROTSKY

---

(Excerpt of letter from Trotsky to the National Committee dated Oct. 22, 1932, and regard to the above).

It appears that you were not sent a copy of my reply to comrade Weisbord. This reply I wrote before I had the opportunity to become acquainted with your comprehensive reply to the Weisbord group. You will notice, however, that our parallel actions quite well supplement one another.

L. TROTSKY