15 November 1951 (adopted at the enlarged SI meeting of 11-12 November 1951) International Secretariat (SI élargi)
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1. In the discussion on the trade-union question in France that took place before the enlarged IS of 11 and 12 November 1951, at the request of the Political Bureau of the PCI, the enlarged IS was led to examine more particularly the question of the newspaper l'Unité, with which the trade-union militants of the PCI collaborate and which appears as an important means of expression for our militants on the trade-union plane.
The PCI's trade-union work, like work in any other branch of activity, must be conducted in the perspective and orientation defined by the Third World Congress, namely, as far as France is concerned, in the direction of the Communist workers who are organised or controlled by the Stalinist apparatus.
Trade-union work is of the greatest importance for a revolutionary party. But by its very nature, this work presents great dangers. "Trade unions always create a breeding-ground for opportunist deviations." That is why this work, more than any other, must be conducted on a firm principled basis. Opportunist, reformist, centrist and Stalinist currents can afford to employ phrases about "unity" and "democracy" in this field for as long as the pressure of the masses and of events does not oblige them to prove their worth in concrete action in a given situation.
l'Unité, which had begun publication defending trade-union unity and democracy at a time when all the trade-union leaderships were openly declaring themselves against united action by trade-union organisations, and which played a very positive role in this sense, found itself facing a test of the first importance at the moment when the Stalinists carried out a turn in their trade-union policy and when, under the pressure of the unitary current of the masses, the CGT addressed united-front proposals to the other trade-union centres on a programme that was acceptable and broadly corresponded to the workers' demands.
It is indisputable that the Stalinist leaders carried out this turn with the aim of using the unitary current of the masses to the profit of the Kremlin's policy. But the only way to thwart, or to attempt to thwart, the Stalinists' intentions was to give full support to the CGT's proposals, which in themselves further propelled the unitary current of the masses.
The IS, after examining the issues of l'Unité published since the Stalinists' trade-union turn, was unanimous in concluding that our responsible militants lacked vigilance and firmness in this area and that a situation has thereby been created which risks compromising our movement both on the trade-union plane and in general.
While the anti-Communist elements of l'Unité took up a position hostile to the CGT's proposals and openly defended the proposal for a rallying of all "free trade-unionists" against the Stalinists — thereby showing that everything they had written in the past on the question of trade-union unity was worthless — our militants on l'Unité have in general affirmed the necessity of united action by the workers, but have, as the leadership of l'Unité, refrained from committing this organ to a course of firm, unequivocal support for the CGT's proposals.
It is not true that l'Unité is a "free tribune." There has never existed, and there cannot exist, a free tribune in the abstract. An organ necessarily has a leadership, an orientation, which it develops even under the cover of a free tribune.
In fact, since the CGT's turn, l'Unité, instead of supporting these proposals and drawing profit from the past position it had taken on this question, has taken on the appearance of an organ which, through the hostility of some and the equivocal attitude of others regarding the CGT's proposals, appeared not to be taking its own past seriously and to be associating itself — with particular nuances — with all the adversaries of united action with the organisations led by the Stalinists.
Such a situation, were it to continue, would gravely compromise our entire orientation towards the Communist workers. For them, the whole principled character of our policy, and more particularly of our policy in view of the coming war, would appear mendacious, given that at the first important concrete test we would be found in solidarity, on the trade-union plane, with agents of imperialism against valid proposals of the CGT.
The IS considers it absolutely imperative for the PCI to set right its trade-union activity with regard to l'Unité within the shortest possible time. The party militants who work on this newspaper, with the help of the party as a whole, must, if possible, reconquer it and rectify its line. Our militants must, within l'Unité, declare themselves, in a form free of ultimatism, in favour of firm support for the CGT's proposals for united action, recalling that this was the very first demand of this newspaper, the reason for which it was created. This reorientation of the newspaper's line on this question must be ensured in particular by stricter organisational control by our militants, backed by the party as a whole. The members of l'Unité — reformists and centrists — who are hostile to defending these proposals must have the possibility of expressing their positions in the "free tribune" section of this newspaper, but must not be allowed to affect its main orientation. The possible participation of these elements in the free tribune should enable our militants, through their replies, to clarify our positions still further with regard to united action with the working class and to our relations with the Communist organisations and workers. Our militants must take the initiative in the struggle for the rectification of l'Unité's line.
The IS delegation will examine the practical modalities of this with the Political Bureau delegation.
One of the most essential conditions for the rectification of l'Unité's line is that this newspaper stabilise itself financially by its own means. Our militants must work out practical measures to achieve this objective, even at the expense of the volume and frequency of this newspaper.
If the party militants do not succeed in rectifying the line of l'Unité within a very short period, the IS considers that the party, in order to be able to carry out the policy laid down for it by the Third World Congress, could no longer commit its responsibility to this organ, and in that case — which everything must be done to avoid — would find itself obliged to dissociate itself from it.
2. As regards the application of the line of the Third World Congress in the trade-union field in general, the IS delegation will discuss with the Political Bureau delegation with a view to working out as complete a text as possible defining the orientation of work in this field.
3. The IS delegation will assist the leadership of the PCI in the course of the discussions with the party's trade-union cadres on the decisions taken to apply the line of the Third World Congress to the trade-union field.
15 November 1951.