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IN examination of the development of the Fascist movement in the various countries produces the following conclusions:
The first measure to take against Fascism is the formation of the proletarian United Front. The propaganda in favor of this slogan should now be carried on with greater energy than ever before. Against the capitalist offensive, of which Fascism is but one of the manifestations, the united front of the working class is an absolute necessity.
There are no conditions more favorable for the development of Fascism than the enfeeblement of working-class forces. The formation of the United Front would cause reaccession of confidence among the workers, the unions would find themselves strengthened and would regain that prestige which they had partly lost because of the defeatist policies of the reformists.
If we aid in the immediate demands and struggles of the workers, the expansion of Fascism will become difficult, as its propaganda will then find but little response among the workers. The most immediate duty which must be imposed upon the revolutionary unionists is to work among the masses.
It is especially in the factories that the most profitable work, can be carried on. It is there that the Fascisti make the most dangerous attempts to demoralize the workers and to break their faith in their class organizations. In this respect, the experience of Italy is conclusive. In spite of the violence of their attacks, the Fascisti have not succeeded, even after their seizure of power, to gain the leadership of the factory councils.
The revolutionary elements should carry on active propaganda in the factories and shops, unmasking the spies who pose as workers, and exposing them for what they really are: the mercenary agents of the bourgeoisie. These provocateurs in the factories will do their utmost to organize Fascist unions. Such attempts should be combated energetically by all means. In those cases where, despite the efforts of the revolutionists, Fascist unions are created, one should endeavor to penetrate them in order to transform them from within. The experience of Russia is significant in this regard. We can recall the fate of the police-controlled trade unions founded by Zubartoff, which were turned into instruments of the class struggle by the revolutionists.
In Italy, even those workers who are nominally Fascisti, carrying cards in the Mussolini trade unions, go on strike and compel the Fascist leaders to go with them. This task is all the more easy because, as we have seen, the influence of Fascism on the industrial masses is almost nil.
But this is not sufficient. Even if we may check the efforts of the Fascisti to organize their own unions, they can still destroy our own organizations by violent means. The working class must organize everywhere against this danger. The most effective means of combating the armed Fascist bands, besides the formation of the United Front, is the creation of the Proletarian Hundreds (fighting units for self-defense). These must be organized from among the masses of the workers. In some places there has appeared, the tendency to form these self-defense groups on the basis of workers belonging to a particular party. Thus the German Social-Democrats propose the creation of workers’ guards composed only of members of their political organizations. This tendency must be energetically fought against. The self-defense organizations must be composed of workers belonging to all parties, as well as of non-party workers. Without this, no mass action would be possible, as there would be no means of bringing the whole working masses into the struggle against Fascism.
In every country a central leadership should be created, in charge of the direction and coordination of the struggle. This central body should also be composed of persons of all shades of opinion in the working class movement. Besides the organization of self-defense these bodies will carry on wide agitation by means of public meetings and the distribution of literature.
Above all the revolutionary trade unions of all countries should devote their energy to the fulfillment of the conditions of the Frankfort International Conference, and a most active campaign must be carried on, in order to get the various industrial international federations to follow the way pointed out by the International Transport Workers’ Conference at Berlin. The latter gathering, composed of leading officials and representatives of the International Transport Workers’ (Amsterdam), and of representatives of the Transport Workers adhering to the Red International (Moscow), adopted the following manifesto:
Against Fascism! To the Transport Workers, Railway Workers and Seamen of all Countries! Comrades: –
The representatives of the International Transport Workers Federation and the Ail-Russian Railway Workers’ Seamen’s and Transport Workers’ Unions (the latter having a mandate from all the rest of the Transport Workers’ organizations standing on the basis of the Red International of Labor Unions), convened in conference on the 23rd and 24th of May, 1923, in Berlin, urgently call attention to the serious dangers which threaten the Transport Workers, as well as the whole of the Labor Movement, from the side of Fascism and Reaction.
In Italy, under the Fascist dictatorship, Trade Unions have been forcibly dissolved, their funds confiscated, their buildings destroyed, the labor press suppressed and leaders and members of workers’ organizations arrested. All working class organizations which challenge capitalism are subjected to the, severest persecution.
In Yugoslavia, in Italy, Spain and Bavaria as well as in the rest of Europe, the danger threatening the working class movement from the side of armed Reaction grows daily. Capitalism, shaken to its foundations by wars and armed peace, shrinks at no form of barbarity for its defense. The White Terror in Hungary, the Fascist tyranny in Italy, the mobilization of special constables in England, are all phases of the International Class Struggle.
Fascism is forming its shock-troops from the military-trained bourgeois youth, from the Russian White Guard emigrants from the impoverished and desperate middle class and even out of the backward sections of the workers. These shock-troops of the bourgeoisie will be employed as instruments for strike-breaking and for terrorizing the militant working masses.
The Transport Workers of all countries must take up the defensive against these dangers threatening them from Fascism and Reaction, by systematic counter-measures and solidarity among themselves as well as with the organized workers in other industries.
As the unity of the Trade Union movement is a prerequisite to the defeat of Fascism, the conference held in Berlin between the I.T.F. and the All-Russian Transport Workers’ Unions has decided, with all emphasis, to work for the setting up of the United Front of the Proletariat. The conference turns to the Transport Workers and also to the whole working class of all countries and appeals to them to put an end to all petty strife to establish the unity of the Trade Union movement and thus undertake the first step for the systematic and ruthless struggle against Fascism and World Reaction.
The danger is great. Fascism is becoming more and more one of the most fearful weapons of the bourgeoisie against the proletariat. Against this movement it is necessary immediately to mobilize all forces. Otherwise it will be too late and the power of fascism will for a long time exceed the forces of the organized proletariat. The greatest determination is necessary in the defensive struggle against the armed class enemy. Transport Workers of all countries!
The power and importance of your organization is great Therefore the responsibility which lies upon you is also great It is up to you, therefore, by determined struggle, to lead yourselves and the whole working class to victory. You have a decisive part to play in the struggle against Fascism and Reaction.
Transport Workers! Comrades! Our conference which is of great importance for the whole of the working class has passed important resolutions. It now lies with you to convert these resolutions into deeds:
Transport Workers! Comrades!
See to the carrying out of these decisions!
Down with Fascism!
Down with Reaction!
Down with Capitalism!
Long live the United Front of the Transport Workers of ail countries!
For the Delegation of the International Transport Workers: Robert Williams, Chairman. Edo Fimmen, Secretary. For the Delegation of the All-Russian Unions of Transport Workers, Railway Workers and Seamen, empowered by the Transport Workers Unions standing on the platform of the RILU: A. Andreyev. G. Atchkanov. A. Sadovsky. A. Losovsky. Since the adoption of this United Front manifesto, some of the reformist leaders have been attempting to sabotage the decisions. Their efforts to hinder the effective struggle against Fascism must be pitilessly exposed to the working masses.
Finally, while not forgetting that Fascism is a danger of international gravity, the revolutionary unions of all countries must not forget that their immediate and most important task is that of crushing the only Fascism which is at present triumphant: that of Italy. By the formation of the United Front, by the application, in all branches of industry of the decisions of the Transport Workers’ Conference in Berhn, by the practical fulfillment of the Frankfort decisions, this end may be attained.
Last updated on 20 January 2023