Lenin CW-Vol. 23.pdf - From Marx to Mao

THE STORY OF ONE PERIOD285the further development of the party; it is a struggle againstopportunism within the party, and an act of opposition to thereformists and in favour of revolutionary class struggle.”Feb. 3, 1917. A private meeting of Centrists (Grimm,Schneider, Rimathe and others) attended also by Nobsand Platten. Münzenberg and Dr. Bronski are invited butdecline.A decision is adopted to “amend” the majority resolutionin a way that materially worsens it and turns it into a“Centrist resolution”, especially because paragraph 3 isdeleted and replaced by a deliberately indefinite and hazyexpression.Feb. 6, 1917. General meeting of Social-Democratic Partymembers in Zurich. Main item: committee elections.Poor attendance, especially on the part or workers.Platten suggests postponing the meeting. Social-patriotsand Nobs object. Proposal is defeated.Elections are held. When it turns out that Dr. Bronskiis elected, social-patriot Baumann announces on behalfof four committee members that he refuses to work withDr. Bronski.Platten suggests accepting this ultimatum (submitting toit), proposing (absolutely undemocratically and unlawfully)that the elections be declared invalid. That proposal iscarried!!!Feb. 9, 1917. Publication of a “new” majority resolution.The signatures: the “Centrists” Grimm, Rimathe, Schneider,Jacques Schmid, etc., also Nobs and Platten. The resolutionhas been greatly worsened and paragraph 3, as indicatedabove, deleted. 121The resolution does not even hint at combating opportunismand reformism, or at a firm decision to follow KarlLiebknecht’s tactics!It is a typical Centrist resolution, in which “general”,supposedly “theoretical” disquisitions predominate, whilepractical demands are deliberately couched in such feebleand hazy language that, it can be hoped, not only Greulichand G. Müller, but even Baumann—Zurich will probablydeign to withdraw their ultimatum and ... amnesty the party.To sum up: the leaders of the Swiss party have solemnlyburied Zimmerwaldism in the “marsh”.