Stopping a War/Chapter 15
15. Behind the Campaign—the Workers
Behind the anti-war campaign which has been prosecuted with such vigor are millions of French workers and peasants. Without this constituency the movement would have been crushed at its inception.
Before the Moroccan War began, French Communists had changed their form of organization from a political to an economic basis. Instead of being organized by districts they were organized by shops.
When it became apparent that the war would be of considerable duration two workers' congresses were arranged, one for Paris and its environs, July 4 and 5, and one for Lille and the northern districts of France, July 12. Both congresses were notably successful. Both consisted of delegates elected directly from the shops and representing the wishes of a great body of French workers. The Paris Congress seated 2,470 delegates, representing approximately 1,210,000 workers. Among these delegates 195 represented General Confederation of Labor (Amsterdam) unions, 155 were members of the French Socialist Party, and 343 were non-party or independent. Throughout the sessions of the Congress, workers from shops, factorics and offices rose to say simply and directly that what their fellow workers wanted was united labor action to smash the Moroccan War and to protect the standard of living of the French workers. Fraternal delegates from surrounding countries spoke to the Congress in the name of peace and unity. Liebaers, Secretary of the Belgian Garment Workers' Union, concluded a carefully reasoned speech by saying:
"Workers of France! You are faced with this alternative, from which there is no escape. You will either pay dearly for the error of your divided forces, and will allow still heavier chains of slavery to be riveted upon you. Or else, by Trade Union Unity, you will be able to stop the criminal war in Morocco, and then to forge the weapon which the workers need for their final emancipation."[1]
The Paris Congress issued a statement to the workers of the cities and country of France and of the colonies, in which it asserted that "a handful of bankers, masters of the earth, masters of all Moroccan production, wish at any price to extend their domination over the portion of territory that Abd-el-Krim and the Moroccans have liberated from the yoke of Spanish capitalists.
"The bankers wish to conquer the Riff mines.
"The bankers wish to destroy the Riff Republic because it has become for all oppressed colonial peoples a symbol of their independence."[2]
The Congress at Lille, one week later, was equally successful. There were 1,189 delegates representing 282,000 workers. As in the case of the Paris Conference these delegates spoke for the various Left Wing elements of French labor.
These Congresses have been described as the first Soviets of France. In one sense the description is correct. They represent neither political parties nor political ideas, but a new working class consciousness of power and responsibility.