Documents 3 to 17 and 19 to 24 originally published in Internal Bulletins of the SWP and the International Bulletins of the International Committee
Dear Friend:
I fear it will soon be midnight in our relations. Your Plenum risks crystallizing yourself on a position fundamentally hostile to our line, to the line which we had in common until recently. Tell Old Jim not to commit this foolishness, as the French say (and pardon the expression). We have nothing, and I personally, have nothing against you. We do not like this struggle against you.
We still think it possible to arrive at clarifying certain questions before you take a definitive position, to dissipate misunderstandings, to reduce, if not to eliminate or fill up, the gulf which now seems to separate us. Provided we can arrive at discussing face to face with you. Your stubbornness in refusing any such contact, of hiding yourself in a so-called haughtiness is deprived of any sense.
You are surely going toward a break with the rest of the movement (its overwhelming majority), the weakening and setback of your own organization. Why all that? There is undeniably political divergences between you and us, a different way of viewing certain things, for we live in Europe over which the shadow of the Revolution is cast and you in America, the incontestable citadel of the power and reaction of imperialism.
Put despite that we have a common formation and past which can, perhaps, permit continuing living together in the same organization. Let us make an attempt to verify this possibility. The harsh, ultimatistic, rigid, manner camouflaged by big words about conserving orthodoxy against revisionism, etc. make no impression here. We all understand well what is involved. Don't have any idle illusions about that.
I write you, counting on your political intelligence, although you, practical attitude strongly disillusions me. If you have any small influence upon Jim, tell him not to commit the irreparable. Tell him to see us, to see me. It is worth the trouble.
Fraternally,
Gabe
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Last updated 17.8.2003