The polemic of *Novaya Rabochaya Gazeta* against the six worker deputies has of late been assuming an increasingly less businesslike, less principled, and more "scandal-mongering" character. Therefore it is all the more necessary to bring this polemic back to a serious examination of the disputed questions—surely every class-conscious worker will agree with us on this.

Here we have the "big names" put forward by the liquidators. Tsereteli and Gegechkori condemn the six, the "leading institution" of the August Conference (1912) condemns them too. For the thousand and first time they curse the six as splitters and proclaim "unity".

For the thousand and first time, unperturbed by the abuse and the noise, we shall calmly call upon the workers to reflect and study the question.

Unity is necessary for the working class. Unity is achieved only through a single organisation, whose decisions are implemented by all class-conscious workers not out of fear but out of conviction. To discuss a question, to express and hear various opinions, to ascertain the view of the majority of organised Marxists, to express this view in a decision in absentia[30], and to conscientiously carry out this decision—that is what everywhere in the world, among all sensible people, is called unity. And such unity is infinitely precious, infinitely important for the working class. Disunited workers—nothing. United workers—everything.

The question arises: are there any data on which every class-conscious worker wishing independently to study the disputed question could judge the realisation of unity among Social-Democratic workers in recent years?

We must endeavour to collect such data, verify them, publish them as material for the enlightenment, cohesion, and organisation of the workers.

From April 1912, there existed the newspaper *Pravda*, whose line always (no opponent has denied this) strictly conformed to the decisions adopted three times since then (once in 1912 and twice in 1913) by the leading institution of the Marxists. By how many workers were these decisions (on all questions of working-class life: altogether about forty decisions) recognised and put into practice?

To this question—obviously a very important and interesting one—we can give only an approximate answer, but one based on entirely precise, objective facts, not collected one-sidedly. In 1912 and 1913, there were for the most part two workers' newspapers that set forth different views before the working masses. Both newspapers published reports of workers' groups that made collections in support of one or the other newspaper. Needless to say, the workers' groups that sent collections in support of a particular newspaper thereby proved by deeds (not words) their sympathy with its line, their determination to uphold the decisions it shared.

The publication of these data in both disputing newspapers is the best guarantee against errors, which are corrected by the interested workers themselves. Here are these data, already published many times and never once refuted or replaced by other data: over almost two years, from January 1912 to October 1913, group workers' collections were 556 for *Luch*, 2,181 for *Pravda*, and 395 for the Moscow workers' newspaper.

Bravely it can be said that no person, unless blinded by something special, will doubt to recognise the majority (and an enormous one) for the "Pravdists". The Pravdists are building—slowly but steadily—the real unity of the workers themselves, united by single decisions, conscientiously carrying them out. For the first time in Russia, over such a long period, a daily Marxist newspaper meticulously defending uniform, precise decisions is uniting ever more systematically and closely the workers' groups scattered all over the country.

That is unity of the workers in deeds, not in words! This, of course, is far from being everything, but it is already deeds, not words, not empty advertising.

But Tsereteli, Gegechkori, the "August leading institution", like all the other liquidators, stubbornly bypass the facts!!

They shout about "unity", bypassing that it is precisely the liquidators, being in a known minority among class-conscious workers, who violate unity and thwart the will of this majority!!

No exclamations, wails, or abusive words will refute this simple and clear fact. We can only greet with a smile the reference by the "August leading, etc." to various "institutions" and groups. Just think, gentlemen: what are "institutions and groups" worth if there are no workers behind them at all, or a known minority of them? Such "institutions and groups" are indeed splitting institutions, if they do not call on all workers to carry out the will of the majority.

The experience of a two-year revival in the working-class movement increasingly confirms the views of the Pravdists. The experience of uniting the workers in Russia around definite decisions of the Marxists shows ever more clearly the successes, growth, and strength of our organisation. It is understandable that we shall proceed more boldly and quickly along the same path, unperturbed by abuse, shouts, or anything else.

*Za Pravdu* No. 50, December 3, 1913.

Printed according to the text of the newspaper *Za Pravdu*.