Leon
Trotsky: Letter to the International Secretariat
June
13, 1935
[Writings
of Leon Trotsky, Vol 7, 1934-1935, New York 1971, p. 319-320, title:
“Discipline
Must Be Restored”]
To
the International Secretariat
Dear
Comrades:
The
question of the relations between our French section and the group of
Comrade Naville has become quite acute. I do not wish to dwell upon
the past, even the most recent I mention only the absolutely abnormal
and intolerable fact: the "independent" document with the
signatures of Naville and three comrades of our section that was
circulated at the time of the Mulhouse Congress. This fact alone
demonstrates that we cannot continue any longer in an equivocal
state.
Upon
the plane of political principles there are no differences. The
protest against the bad regime as an argument for perpetuating a
regime ten times worse is absurd. In any case, as an international
organization, we cannot at all tolerate the fact that a group that
declares itself in agreement on principles demands from us
ultimatistically that we "improve" the regime of our
section so that it may be able to join. The regime must be improved
through joint collaboration. We value quite highly the qualities of
several comrades who compose the group of Comrade Naville, but we
cannot tolerate a prolongation of the equivocal condition.
What
is to be done? In my opinion the answer is indicated by the whole
situation. The International Secretariat might perhaps call together
the representatives of our section and of the Naville group and
arrive at an agreement with them upon the manner and the set period
for fusion. It would be dangerous to set an interval that is too
long, for example, more than three or four weeks. The decision must
be categorical and obligatory. The International Secretariat should
itself control its execution. It is to be hoped that the exceptional
responsibilities weighing on us and the enormous possibilities
opening before us will impose upon all Bolshevik-Leninists the
necessary discipline.
Crux
[Leon Trotsky]
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