Page:Theses Presented to the Second World Congress of the Communist International (1920).pdf/36

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

— 34 —

Nations, that organization of international capitalist robbery. In all countries they are attempting to crush the strike movement by means of laws, compelling the workmen to submit to the arbitration of representatives of the capitalist State.

They are endeavouring to obtain concessions for the skilled workers by means of agreements with the capitalists, in order to break in this way the growing unity of the working class. The Amsterdam International of labour unions is thus a substitute for the bankrupt Second International of Brussels.

The Communist workers who are members of the labour unions in all countries must, on the contrary, strive to create an international battle front of labour unions. The question now 15 not monetary relief in case of strikes; but when a danger is threatening the working class of one country, the labour unions of the others, being organizations of the larger masses, should all arise to its defense; they should make it impossible for the bourgeoisie of their respective countries to render assistance to the bourgeoisie of the country engaged in the struggle against the working class. The economic struggle of the proletariat In all countries is daily becoming more and more a revolutionary struggle. Therefore the labour unions must consciously use their forces for the support of all revolutionary struggles in their own and in other countries. For this purpose they must not only, in all other