Communism; Industrial Workers of the World; Socialism
"Most of the discussion hinged upon affairs in Russia with hoots of
derision at every uncomplimentary mention of Bolshevism, until the
speaker either had to take his seat or qualify his criticism of the
Soviet republic.
"Both the Longuet and Loriot resolutions called the war the
consequence of imperialistic anarchy and bourgeois ambition, both
denounced the imposition upon Germany of an unjust, or Bismarckian,
peace, such as was imposed upon France in 1871, and both mourned
the assassination of Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg, and Kurt
Eisner.
"The Longuet resolution was as strong in its declaration of
solidarity with the Soviet republic of Russia as the Loriot
resolution was in opposition to all annexation of the Sarre Valley
by France."
The National Congress of the Socialist parties of France was held from
April 19 until April 22, 1919. A motion by M. Kienthaliens demanding the
adhesion of French Socialists to the Internationale at Moscow, under the
leadership of Premier Lenin of the Bolshevist government polled only 270
votes. This resolution failed to pass probably because the Longuet
majority faction desired the union of all the French Socialist parties.
The Congress adopted by a majority of 894 votes, a resolution offered by
Jean Longuet to the effect that the French Socialists are willing to
continue to form a part of the Second Internationale, provided that all
those who are Socialists in name only shall be excluded.
On May Day, 1919, the Socialists manoeuvered a general strike of all
labor in Paris for twenty-four hours. The press dispatches informed us
that the shut-down was virtually complete. Not a wheel was turning on
any of the transportation systems and taxicabs and omnibuses kept off
the streets. All restaurants and cafes were closed and guests in the
hotels went hungry if they had not supplied themselves with food
beforehand. Even the drug stores closed.
Theatres, music halls, and other resorts did not open. No newspapers
were published and periodic stoppages occurred in the postal and wire
services throughout the day. Industry on all sides was in a state of
complete inactivity, work being suspended by every class of labor. There
was considerable disorder and very many policemen and civilians were
injured.
In the elections of November, 1919, the Socialist vote increased to
1,750,000, a gain of 40 per cent over that of 1914. On the 1914 basis of
representation this would have given them 160 seats in the Chamber of
Deputies; but their representation was actually reduced from 105 to 55,
due to a new basis of representation and a new formation of districts.
The French Syndicalists, of the Labor Confederation, had 600,000 members
before the war and now claim 1,500,000. They were quiescent during the
war, but their congresses of July, 1918, and September, 1919, showed a
"tendency to return to the traditional revolutionary policy of French
Syndicalism."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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