Page:Resolutions and Theses of the Fourth Congress of the Communist International (1922).djvu/120

 all the orders of the Central Committee. If any member should feel convinced that an injustice has been done to him, he ought to appeal, to the nearest competent organ of the Party (Enlarged National Council, National Conference), and in the last instance to the Controlling Organ of the Communist International. Until a decision is rendered by the highest instance, every member must absolutely and unconditionally submit to the decisions adopted by the Party organisations.

'''II. The Press.'''

The Press of the Party must be placed under the uniform leadership of the Central Committee. It is impermissible that the central organ of the Party should venture not only to conduct. its own separate policy, but even to consider itself entitled to conduct such a policy. Even if the Editorial Board be of opinion that the responsible leadership of the Party was wrong on a certain concrete question, it is their duty to abide by that decision. The editorial position should not be regarded as a higher instance, but on a line with the other organs of the Party and should be subordinated to the Central Committee. This does not mean to say that the Party editors are not free to express their own opinion in discussions and in signed articles. The discussions on Party questions should be conducted in the general Party Press, but these discussions should in no case be conducted in a manner detrimental to Party discipline.

It is the duty of all the parties and of all the organisations to prepare their actions by thorough discussion in the Party organisations.

'''III. The Shortcomings of the Party.'''

The Fourth Congress fully endorses the July Theses of the Enlarged Executive, in which we find that the shortcomings of the Czecho-Slovakian Communist Party may be explained by their transition from a social-democratic to a Communist Party. The fact that these shortcomings were recognised by the Central Committee no less than by the Opposition makes it even more the imperative duty of all the comrades to do their utmost to remove them. The Congress asserts that the Party is making but slow progress in removing these shortcomings. Thus, for instance, the Party was not sufficiently active in arranging for the propaganda of Communist ideas in the Czecho-Slovakian army, although the legality of the Party and the franchise of the soldiers furnished a good opportunity.

The Fourth Congress instructs the Communist Party to give more attention than hitherto to the question of unemployment. In view of the magnitude of unemployment in Czecho-Slovakia and the precarious position of the unemployed, it is the duty of the Party not to content itself with