Page:Theses Presented to the Second World Congress of the Communist International (1920).pdf/74

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To this end it is necessary that:

1. The Communist Party in general and its Central Committee should during the preparatory stage, before the parliamentary elections—inspect very carefully the quality of the personnel of the parliamentary factions. The Central Committee should be responsible for the parliamentary faction of Communists. The Central Committee shall have the undeniable right to reject any candidate of any organisation, If it is not perfectly convinced that such candidate will carry on a real Communist policy when in parliament.

The Communist Parties must desist from the old Social Democratic habit of electing as delegates only the so-called "experienced" parliamentarians, chiefly lawyers and so on. As a rule workmen should be put forward as candidates, without troubling about the fact that they may sometimes be simple rank-and-file workmen without much parliamentary experience. The Communist Party must treat with merciless contempt all elements who try to make a career by joining the party just before the elections in order to get into parliament. The Central Committees of Communist Parties must sanction the candidature of only such men who by long years of work have proved their unwavering loyalty to the working class.

2. When the elections are over, the organisations of the parliamentary factions must be wholly