First Published: The Call, Vol. 3, No. 1, October 1974.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
Copyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.
With this issue, THE CALL begins its third year of publication. We want to take this time to express to all those who read THE CALL and who contribute to its work, our deepest thanks. Without the broad numbers of people connected with the paper in the factories and communities, on the campuses, and working within the CALL Committees around the country, the paper would have little, if any, meaning.
The masses are the makers of history and the relevance or irrelevance of any newspaper or organization, the correctness or incorrectness of its views, ultimately is something decided by the people themselves. THE CALL over the past two years has grown into a paper that is read by thousands of people each month. Especially during this period of rapid development of the communist movement, when the foundations are being laid for the building of a new communist party, the significance of THE CALL can clearly be seen by the revolutionary forces in this country.
Articles in THE CALL have become focal points for the ideological debate now raging within the ranks of this movement. The fact that the paper integrates the science of Marxism-Leninism with the day-to-day struggles of the people has given its articles life and has helped to broaden the base of the revolutionary forces into the factories, communities, and prisons. CALL study circles have drawn in large numbers of workers and revolutionary intellectuals to learn the science of revolution and apply it in practice.
In the last few months especially, we feel that we have been able to deepen our analysis of world events utilizing the experience we have gained over the past two years and taking seriously the suggestions and criticisms we have received.
Around the scaffolding of THE CALL, an organization has been built across the U.S. of organizers, agitators and revolutionaries, all dedicated to a common goal – the overthrow of U.S. imperialism and the establishment of the rule of the working class. This organization, the October League, has taken its place in the forefront of the working class struggle alongside the many other Marxist-Leninists who have begun to organize themselves and to unite on the basis of revolutionary principle. The task remains to unite these communists into one organization – a party based upon the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao Tsetung.
Recently many people have been trying to sum up the past period of revolutionary development and are asking the question, “How can such a party be built? It is our view that the experience of putting out THE CALL for two years provides some of the answers to this question. An organ similar to THE CALL can serve as the center into which the leading communist forces can contribute leadership. This unity, while being broad enough to include differing views, must also be firm enough to make both democracy and centralism possible. It is not a unity built upon words only, but upon the accumulated experiences of several years of common experience, during which time the different trends within the anti-revisionist forces have had time to distinguish themselves and lend some much-needed clarity to the struggle. We hope that THE CALL has contributed to this process.
It is around this center, this editorial board of such an organ (not THE CALL) that a network can be built, distributing the paper; organizing circles of advanced workers; leading mass struggles and recruiting to its ranks. The experience gained through this kind of work has prepared many hundreds of revolutionary cadre in the October League and other organizations for the difficult tasks ahead.
THE CALL has been able to develop a style that, while popular in its form, maintains a high content in order to push ahead and not tail behind the people. It has grown strong ideologically through the struggle against both revisionism and ultra-’leftism’” making these fights into mass issues in many ways.
Our newspaper has become a clarion call to rally the people against imperialism and its fascist aggressive policies. It has been a revolutionary fighter for the liberation of all oppressed nations and peoples. It has consistently demanded the emancipation of women and been relentless in the fight for equality and democratic rights.
This is the type of work that a paper serving as the central organ for the new party must take up. Unlike some papers being circulated at this time, THE CALL is linked to organization among the broad masses. We have strongly criticized the concept of “saving Marxism for Marxists,” while feeding “mush to the masses.”
THE CALL still has much room for improvement. Our style must become more militant and sharp, our analysis of events deeper and more scientific. The many letters we receive help us in this development. The financial contributions we get also help to sustain us even through these difficult times.
In this second anniversary of THE CALL, the prospects for revolutionary struggle are bright. A new party is on the horizon and the people are rising up in a new surge against the crisis conditions which the ruling class has put on them. We are proud to play an important role in this great struggle. Thank you again.