V. I.

Lenin

The fact that the Polish Social-Democratic opposition at
the Brussels Conference sided with the liquidators came as a surprise to
many Party people and as a shock to all of them. The Polish
Social-Democratic opposition was believed to be as close to the Pravdists
as the Letts were. And suddenly we find the Letts at their post against the
liquidators, while the Polish Social-Democrats played us false!

What is the reason?

The reason is that there are two trends among the Polish
Social-Democrats: some of them want to remove Tyszka and Rosa Luxemburg in
order to continue Tyszka’s policy themselves. This is a policy of
unprincipled diplomacy and “playing” between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks,
between the Party and its liquidators. Voting for one side today, for
another tomorrow. Under the guise of “impartiality”, betrayal of all in
turn, driving a bargain and securing “advantages and privileges” for
oneself. The clauses of a federative character in the Stockholm (1906)
agreement between the Polish and Russian
Social-Democrats [1] were a useful weapon for this nasty policy, which
Tyszka and Rosa Luxemburg were conducting with such consummate skill.

The other trend stands for a complete breakaway from the liquidators,
from federalism, from “playing” the role, of “pendulum” between the two
conflicting sides: it stands for a sincere and close alliance with the
Pravdists, with the Party.

In Brussels the former trend among the Polish Social-Democrats won the
day. As a result, there can obviously be nothing but absolute mistrust on
our part towards the Polish Social-Democrats, The future will show whether
the other trend will succeed in rallying itself and in raising a clear, precise and
definite banner of a consistent, high-principled policy, a policy aimed,
not only against the group of Tyszka but against the essence of Tyszka’s
methods. Needless to say, the unity of the Polish Social-Democratic
proletariat is possible only on the basis of such a policy.

The forthcoming steps towards such unity will definitely reveal the
true state of affairs among the Polish social Democrats and will thereby
determine our own attitude to wards them.

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Notes:
[1]
This refers to the conditions for the amalgamation of the
Social-Democrats of Poland and Lithuania with the R.S.D.L.P. adopted at the
Fourth (Unity) Congress of the R.S.D.L.P. in 1906 in Stockholm.