The Spanish Revolution. Vol. 2, no. 1

              Vol.II  N.o 1   Barcelona, January 6, 1937   Please reprint
THE SPANISH REVOLUTION
BULLETIN OF THE WORKERS' PARTY OF MARXIST UNIFICATION OF SPAIN
P.O.U.M.
AGENTS FOR ENGLAND:
The I.L.P. 
The Marxist League. 
PRICE IN ENGLAND: 2d.
AGENTS FOR U.S.A. :
Y.P.S.L.
The Labor Book Shop
PRICE IN U.S.A.  .05
EDITORIAL OFFICE: "THE SPANISH REVOLUTION"
10, Rambla de los Estudios 
BARCELONA
CONTENTS
1:   What is the P.O.U.M.?     2:   A Change of Government in Catalonia.     3:   Foreign Comrades.    4:   The Necessity of Trade Union Unity.      5:   Field Hospital.      6:   For an Assembly of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers.      7:   Armistice is Treachery.      8.   The Spirit of the People.
WHAT IS THE P.O.U.M.?
The P. O. U. M. has become the center of interest nationally and internationally. Many are those who come to us to discuss our position, or who write to us sending advice. But the opportunists only insult us, defame us, and spread lies about us. International opinion is naturally curious: "What party is this about which they talk so much and over which a governmental crisis is provoked? Why is it insulted and fought so bitterly? What is it, what does it want, where is it going?" We shall try to answer, but first let us present a historical parallel.
Lenin and the Bolsheviks during 1917 also passed through the same critical moments. The Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries—the opportunists of the Russian revolution—tried to mislead them and turn them from their political line. If the Bolsheviks had been dissuaded they would have been welcomed with flowers and praise. They preferred however to commit the crime which we are now committing: to speak the truth, to maintain an unswerving revolutionary line even at the price of a momentary unpopularity. They too were insulted and slandered; they too were threatened with physical extermination. They call us agents of Hitler; Lenin was called an agent of the Kaiser. They say that we are in the service of the fifth column (of fascists behind the lines)! Lenin was said to be in the service of the "Black Hundred". After June, he had to hide in Finland with Zinovief, while Trotsky and many others were imprisoned and prevented from publishing the party papers. Who can doubt that without the unyielding attitude of Lenin the revolution would have failed? We do not draw the parallel simply for historical comparison; we do not believe that the events in one country necessarily are followed in another. Still there are experiences which are repeated in almost every revolution.
What is the P.O.U.M.? Is it a Trotskyist party? This is the accusation hurled most often at us. Stalinism appears to desire to perpetuate this story as if the issue were "Stalinism or Trotskyism" We are neither. A proof of this is the fact that we are attacked both by the Stalinists and the Trotskyists. We are simply ourselves, just as the Bolsheviks were Bolsheviks. We are a revolutionary Marxist party, forged in the struggle against capitalism and the opposition to opportunism, and firmly standing by our class position.
What do we want? We do not want governmental posts when they mean political concessions. We want the complete victory of the working class, that is, socialism. We want the socialist revolution in Spain and throughout the world. To reach our goal—which is the final goal of our class—we will ally ourselves with whoever works for its victory. Persecution does not frighten us; it only shows that we are right, and our strength is proved by it. We do not seek an easy way out; we can face the lies and persecution and even a passing unpopularity. Our party is ready for struggle and sacrifice.
This is what we are and what we stand for. This is why we are attacked more violently every day. But every day we gain more support, and more messages saying, "Stand firm, comrades! Do not yield! Follow the correct line and win, as Lenin won in 1917!"
THE  P.O.U.M. THE PARTY THAT FIGHTS FOR THE SOCIALIST REVOLUTION