il, 1919, the New York State Committee of the Socialist Party, by
a vote of 24 against 17, resolved that it was "definitely opposed to the
organization calling itself the Left Wing section of the Socialist
Party, and to any group within the party organized for the same or
similar purpose;" and it instructed "its executive committee to revoke
the charter of any local affiliated with any such organization or that
permits its subdivision or members to be affiliated."

"The Call," April 23, 1919, publishes a long letter from F. Basky in
which he defends the principles of the Left Wing and attacks the New
York State Committee for the above resolutions. We quote a part:

"Aside of these arguments the Left Wing is not a
counter-organization to the Socialist Party. On the contrary, it is
the only active force to save the party from going into decay and
finally to the scrap heap as a tool not adapted to the task. If the
Left Wing is the party, then and only then can we answer the
criticism of the syndicalist that a political party is nothing else
but a vote-catching machinery for middle-class politicians. If the
principles enunciated in the manifesto will be the principles of
the party, then it will enjoy the confidence of those who, through
their bitter experience realized the fallacies of the Second
International, led and dominated by the social-patriots, reformists
of the German Social Democratic Party. If we follow the line of
uncompromising revolutionary activity indicated by the Left
Wingers, then we can rest assured that the party will be cleared of
the would-be Scheidemanns, Eberts, Kerenskys, Brantenburgs, and the
rest of the traitors of our principles and our class.

"They will be eliminated anyway. The fight is on. And I welcome the
attack of the state committee. We at least know some of those we
would have to face in the critical hour. Might as well fight it out
now; whether they or the Left Wing represents the party. Let us
find out right now who is with us and who is against us."

"The Call," April 30, 1919, published a resolution then recently passed
by the Socialist Party of Essex County, New Jersey, which had adopted
the Left Wing program. Part of the resolution is hereby quoted:

"While the need for new orientation is clearly apparent, there is
an element within the party which is either unwilli