of the Party. We would desire that the matter be settled without a factional fight. We believe that the political preparations for the Party congress are already being made in Moscow. I believe that if co-operation is achieved between the present majority on the Central Committee and the Left, upon a definite political policy, they will have ninety-nine per cent. in the Party behind them.
(Pieck: You have not yet heard the majority masses of the Party.)
But you represent them. I admit that one can easily fall into error on the question of the relation of forces in the Party.
There are three tendencies on the Central Committee; the majority, who have brought their theses here and which is somewhat weakly represented by Remmele and Koenen; we have a Left, which you know, and we have a minority which you have heard.
(Brandler: Where are Pieck and Walcher?)
(Zetkin: And where do you include me?)
Please do not be angry with me. The case of comrade Zetkin is very difficult. There is no need for me to say that we stand by her personally. You know that she signed the letter of the Executive. If she stands on this position, then I cherish and respect her. But what can I do when she stands for the other policy? I hope that Comrade Zetkin will be with the majority.
Comrades, the Central Committee has adopted a draft with which you are acquainted. We sat down with the majority of the delegation and attempted to draw up a draft. The comrades revised and improved my draft; in the main the spirit is the same. The work in this small commission—Comrade Pieck, Koenen and Remmele were present—showed that we can march 99 per cent. of the road together with Pieck. He was not present on the Central Committee when the voting took place. Something new happened there, and within a short time there were fresh events. Pieck was here at that time, and the work, which in the last few days we have carried out with him, has shown that we can come to an understanding. When however,, difficulties between him and the Left arise, Pieck, who is as passionate as we all are, permits himself to do things in the fight against the Berliners of which I cannot approve.
I think our task here is not to employ strategy and to conduct manœuvres inside our own Party, but to say this is a mistake. When you ask: is the Russian Party with the Berliners? I say, No. It is of the opinion that the installation of the new majority in the main is right. It must bring about honest co-operation with the Left. The "civil war" must cease. The comrades must abandon the factional spirit if it desires to save the Party. Good (to the Left), you have made serious mistakes. You know that. Sometimes it is said that the majority represents the backward section of the workers, and that the Left represents the impatient
( 52 )
