Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 16 - From Marx to Mao

THE QUESTION OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES281senting the Germans on the co-operative commission.Wurm did not approve of the phrase “democratisationand socialisation”, proposed (privately) a number of amendments,and negotiated between Elm and the Marxists; butElm was so “adamant” that Wurm’s efforts came to nothing.Some time after the Congress I read in the Leipziger Volkszeitung(No. 201, August 31, 1910, 3. Beilage), that thequestion of the co-operative societies had been broughtup in the German delegation the Tuesday before. “R. Fischerinquired,” wrote the correspondent of this paper, “ifthere were any differences on the question of co-operativesamong the German delegates.” Elm replied: “Yes. Andthey can’t be eliminated overnight. Congress decisions arealways in the nature of a compromise and on this questiontoo matters will probably end in a compromise.” Wurm:“My views on the question of the co-operative societies arequite different (durchaus andere) from the views of vonElm; nevertheless, we shall probably find common groundin a combined resolution.” After this the delegation consideredfurther discussion unnecessary.This report bears out the fact which was already quiteevident at the International Congress in Stuttgart. 117The German delegation is composed equally of Party representativesand trade union representatives. The latterare almost all opportunists as it is usually the secretariesand other trade union “bureaucrats” who are elected. Ingeneral the Germans are incapable of pursuing a consistentline of principle at International Congresses and the hegemonyin the International often slips from their hands.Wurm’s impotence before Elm is but one more illustrationof the crisis in German Social-Democracy which consistsin the growth of an inevitable and decisive breach withthe opportunists.On the question of financial support for the Party fromthe co-operative societies, Elm and Jaurès during the proceedingsof the subcommission also won an excessive concessionfrom the Belgians, who agreed to the formula: “Itrests with the co-operative societies of each country todecide whether and to what extent they should assist thepolitical and trade union movement directly from theirown funds.”