Leon Trotsky: Letter to Gerard Rosenthal

October 31, 1929

[Writings of Leon Trotsky. Vol 13, Supplement 1929-1933, New York 1979, p. 21 f., “Our French Press”]

October 31, 1929

I learn from the Turkish newspapers that Daladier has resigned because the Socialists refused to participate in the cabinet. So much the worse for the visa. All the same, I will keep expecting some news on that from you.

La Vérité is improving visibly. We see that the articles are for the most part written with care and attention. I have already written you some impressions in my preceding letter. To present my ideas on its contents more precisely, I will say a few words this time on the book reviews.

A. A.’s articles are very good and very useful, but in the choice of books and in the manner of criticizing them more appropriate for a Marxist journal that for a political weekly. We would rather see in the book review columns of La Vérité some articles on Les Cahiers du bolchevisme, La Revue marxiste, even L'Humanité and other papers of the party; also of course on all the publications of the Comintern, the Profintern, the CGTU. I think that by using the press and other party publications we could cast light on the essential features of the entire activity of the party.

The pompous Cahiers du bolchevisme, with their fancy paper, their original sketches, etc., with their inaccuracies, their blundering articles, etc., demonstrate material richness and ideological poverty in a manner that is both striking and sickening.

I also think that we should have two or three articles on L’Humanité based on a solid and conscientious study of the latter. I even think that we ought to study the financial contribution lists of L'Humanité, comparing them with the previous contributions by city, region, etc. This is a detailed, burdensome task but it could yield results of quite a singular importance concerning the changes in the party’s influence, the composition of its sympathizers, etc. Without such studies (also from and about the unions), our criticisms will remain abstract and even empty.

I was speaking in one of my letters to Naville about the necessity to make a serious division of labor between La Vérité and La Lutte de classes by uniting them organizationally. Naville answered me that for this we must have a united organization, which is entirely correct. Unfortunately I do not see from the paper itself or from letters how we are moving to build toward this united organization, composed above all of active workers.