DOCUMENT 22

Telegram from the ECCI Secretariat to the CC of the CP of Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Holland, France, Belgium, England, USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and to Julius[i] regarding the struggle against Trotskyism.

30 December 1936

The ECCI Secretariat points out the necessity of systematic struggle against Trotskyists as counterrevolutionary terrorists, Gestapo agents, etc. Along with that, one must refute their slander directed against Stalin, oppose this slander with a broad popularization of his gigantic revolutionary activity, [and with] an explanation of his role as a leader of the international proletariat and the workers of the whole world. We also point to the danger which has revealed itself in in the communist press’ [practice of] quoting attacks by the class enemies, especially of Trotskyist tendencies, without providing [those] communist newspapers a convincing [and] principled answer. One has to avoid giving a detailed, quotation-laden account of the counterrevolutionary slander [and] Trotskyist propaganda, as well as [that published in] other reactionary fascist press[es]. One should not fall for the class enemy’s provocation. It is necessary to give a principled answer and not to turn such fundamental questions of the communist movement as the struggle against Trotskyism, defense of the USSR, [and the] attitude toward Stalin, into a sensationalist newspaper fraud and irresponsible journalism. We point out the necessity of thorough control over the editorial staff in order to purge the newspapers of suspicious elements and double-dealers. Only the most reliable and politically qualified authors should be entrusted with writing articles against Trotskyism. The newspaper editor has to carefully read each article himself, and be personally responsible for it.

Secretariat

RGASPI, f. 495, op. 184, d. 73. Outgoing telegrams for 1936. General, l. 4.

Original in German. Typewritten.

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