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"" de* Zccietos Sovwi^t . MEMORANDUM Ruo Serpent*. PAKiyVf* [

0 If THE BASES, S'JL R (J C T U R E S AND FUNCTION

OF THE COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST RELATIONS (CRIA

1. The International Anarchist Conference held in Paris on the 15th, 16th and 17th of May, 1948 established the CRIA in order that it may resume the duties precedently performed by the SPRI (Provisory Secretariate for International Relations). Tne Conference reaffirmed the continuity of the Anarchist International founded in 1907 in Amsterdam, and invited ail federations, groups and individuals of the movement to popularize, in ail their publications and activities, the permanence of the International. After the Conference had examined the general situation, as well as the state of organization and connexion between the Anarchists in Europe and in the world at large, it recognised the need of a permanent commission to further relatione and to call up as scon as possible a World Anarchist Congress by which the future foms and tasks of the internatio nal organism could oe properly fixed.

2. Besides the preparation of a v/orld Congress, the aims of the CRIA were defined in the fallowing manner : (&) to publish a regular bullftin of correspondence in various languages; (b) to induce into practical solidarity the disconnected federations, groups and militants of the International; (C) to start the setting of international archives and of an exchange net of publications all the world over* Thv; new CRIA was stuffed by three comrades, respectively appointed by the French FA, the Spanish movement in exile and the Sp^rtacus group of gerrnan-s peaking anarchists of Paris.

'The World Congress of Anarchists in Paris (November 1949) thin proceeded to a further building of the CRIA in the same spitit as before. The assigned aim was to multiply between Anarchists the*link* of mutual information and solidarity afcoVe £vtry limit of lanifaafefi. dwelling places, tendencies or affiliations - always seeking for th-: beat r -nditions of efficiency and safety. According to the decision of th<. Congress, the staff of the CRIA was so composed : one comrade ytoicding for the Italian PA, one for the French PA, one for the Spanish movement in exile and one for thv. Jewish group in Paris, ail of them appointed by their respective organizations and revocable by them, Soon, these members were assisted also by comrades of the Bulgarian ijroup of Anorcho-oommunists in Paris with a regular voluntary h-^lp.

Lat^r, and in conformity with the views expressed by the Congrtr:; of tfavoihbtr 1949, a continental branch of the CRIA wa3 conutituted In Monuvldeo (Uruguay) under the name of CCAR (Continental Conmisu*.: for Anarchist Relations), a branch fit to refl&dd le CRIA of Paris L cm. of need. An Asiatic branch, whose foundation was aimed at, not y».t be d IXLi to existence. All these precedents amount to the fact that the CRIA is gifted with a certain autonomy in its functions. vjid has a latitude to enlarge itself by co-optetion of new members.

Besides the revocation of a member of the CRIA's staff by the dciietff'ting organization, a troublesome case has presented itself : h split occured in an organization, so that two delegates were simultaneously presented to execute the functions reserved by the Congress of November 1949 to the representative of a certain group. The common aenae told uo that in this case the two delegates were to be admitted with equal rights until the respective groups have come to an accord, or until the other groups whose delegated are part of the staff hav£ answered to the follo?/ing question : with which of the contesting organizations are they to collaborate in the CRIA until the next Congresr

6. The functions assigned by the Congress of November 1^49 to the . constitutive staff of the CRIA (information and solidarity) as well \8 those determined by the practice (treasury and archives) cm be «Jt:i r

assured by the members of the appointed staff designated for the purpose, or delegated by the staff to comrades recognized the most able to undertake them. The function of information consists in collecting the news concerning the action or the 'novement at large and the news from the CRIA in particular in ordtr to transmit th^a to the interessed comrades by evury fitting way. The solidarity function amounts to make known the cases of misery and oppression signalized by our comrades and to give the alarm or: this*subject to the org/jiizn.tions o? succour ana of protest all the world over. The function of treasury consists in organizing the financement of thi-: CRIA, both on the individual and the collective scale, and to distribute the funds amongst the different activities undertaken by the CRIA abd its st^ff. The care of the archives consists ±n keeping in ord».-r day by day the international files of the Anarchist Movement, and informing about the bibliography, historiography wci biography concerning anarchism*

7, The means of contact which are used fcr tho different functions of the CRIA are- : (a) a direct correspondence with anarchiat individual, groups and organizations; (b) the circulars and the bulletin of the CRIA which arc in principle to issued (with the same contents) in Spanish, French, ond if possible in English! (c) the communication of texts to the libertarian press and to sympathetic papers outside of the movement; (d) meetings,« asseoblie8, exposition*, congresses, etc. All correspondarice received by the CRIA has to be brought to the knowledge of the consxituing staff, which determines the attitude which should be taken, and charges one or several members of the CRIA to compose the replies; then, the received latter and a copy of the answer are put in the archives and classified.

8. The contents of the Bulletin and circulars issued by the CRIA. is determined essentially by the material received from organizations and individual correspondents, but this material must be in accordance with two precise conditions : (1) it hns to come forth from assorted Anarchists <md (2) it must answer to certain standards of objectivity making it.a valuable source of information. Polemics between organizations or comrndes shall only be published with a notice indicating that the CRIA is not engagtd in the controversy, and inviting

the antagonists to us? a courteous language, and an well to abstain from any personal attack. Further, these publichiAga.^ shall alwrtys he mado on tha expenses of the authors (exception made for the righto of answering accorded by the journalistic traditions to persons comely put in cause) and the constitutive staff of the CRIA may refuse to admit in the Bulletin texts which appear to them to stay in open contradiction with the resolutions of the International Congress.

9. The cooperating and corresponding members of the CRIA are co-opted according to the decision of the constitutive staff, and under the sponsorship of two of its members* They are expressly invited to take part in the work and meetings of the CRIA up to the full measure of their capacity, ^nd to act qs messenger snd inter-prters between the CRIA and the comrades of their own language, country, tendency or affiliation. In case of a plurality of currents at varianoe in interpreting anarchism, the CRIA shall attempt to secure several corresponding members, and to play a conciliatory part in all relations.

10. The tasks of « corresponding member ate essentially : (a) to supply the secretary for information with reports on the social events of country or region as well a3 the activities of the anarchist movement, riQ much as possible from direct documents and first-hand witnesses; (b) to secure the secretary for solidarity with the elements of intelligence allowing him to establish the international co-operation between the organisms of assistance cmd protest on one hand, and, on the other, the comrades and groups who are vietimes of repressions and physical want; (c) to advertize the activities of

the CRIA, its bulletin and circulars, collecting suscriptiona for

them and transmittal them to the treasurer of the CRIA* (d) to .vn i.. t&e archive© section with any documents, bibliographies , etc. vtfrich c^n contribute to a better knowledge of our past.

11. The co-operating 1r.emb.2r3 or correspondents of the CHIA con V namely and directly incorporated by the staff or designated by an anarchistic organization which is affiliated to the CRIA. In any c:\se the CRIA exerts itself to have one or several correspondents in every country where there exists a legal possibility for anarchistic propaganda. For thx3 countries whore these possibilities do not exist (ae those behind the Iron Curtain, or again Spain, or the Ibero-j. jrricna countries in prey of fascism) the relations are to be assured by the intermediary of emigrants and exiles.

12. ;as far as Latin-America is concerned , one should in the first place ask the established in Uruguay to find the addresses of comrades able to undertake the functions of corresnonding members cf the CRIA.

15* It is a part of the tasks of the CRIA to enlarge progressively o.ll the world over th*: circle of its relations and to prepare, for a date that may be fixed up to 1955* a new World Anarchist Congress, or - in c?.se of difficulties - an International Anarchist Conference cringing together as large a number of delegates as it would be found possible. v/ith the meeting of this congress, & new step for^rd car. be made, if it is alrefdy prepared by a thorough seeding of internationalist seed; for it ought to .be remembered that the Anarchist International cannot bo 0 pift from the Heaven, but the result, day after day and year after year, of all the exertions totalized by tho Anarchists,in all countries, to pull themselves out of the n&rromtoss of a mere local, regional or e^en'continental horizon, and to lift themselves to the heights of views mor« vastly human, embracing the freedom cravings in 'ill th4ir unexhaustible diversity.

(This Memorandum, presented by the PAP delegate in the CfllA, v^a adopted unanimously by the members of the constitutive staff.)

ACROSS the V/ 0 R L D

A' DELEGATE PROM THE CCRA PAYS A VISIT TO THE CRIA - Recently wo h-tf the pleasure to jn^ike the personal acquaintance of a delegate from tho Continental Commission for Anarchist Relations, who came to Paris in order to co-ordinate certain activities. Questions of relationship, of organization, information and other practical problems were sec up. On all points examined a mutual accord was estblished, which permit to augaratc a satisfying result out of this exchange of views with the aciarican continental organism.

The CCRA was constituted in Montevideo in execution of the sccordj taken during the World Anarchist Congr ess of November, 1949. Its fim i3 similar to that of th«. CRIA, but with the particular task of putting in relations, informing and reorganizing the anarchist movement in Latin-America. The first of its tasks ?;as to create an Archives-center and "ii International Library. But it would have to roplaci* thv CRIA in all its functions, if the circonstances were such that the CRIA would found itself in the impossibility to furfill them.

The CCRA managed to start, as soon 1950 the new Archives and r>n important Library, while taking in charge very useful functions for the whole cf the latino-American movement. Its members are, s>3 p irulis^delegates from the various anarchist organizations of South America. Le headquarters are on one of the large* street of the town. We shall give an other time - for the particular use of cur English-specking readers - such details concerning the CCRA that were proced-ently published in our Spanish Bulletin.

The address of the Continental Commission for Anarchist Relations is the following : . Ernesto MAYA, Casilla de Correo 314, MONTEVIDEO (Uruguay).

REFERENDUM

of the C.8.I«A. to all the organizations, groups and individual; cf the International Anarchist Movement.

Itesr Comrades,

We suppose that all the militants who follow closely th* notivitics and events vf the International Anarchist Movement

not without knowledge of the crisis that has arriaen in th<* bnscr of the French Anarchist ftovojncmt.

This crisis, of which the- moat bitter period was In >iud its origin in a difference of conception a3 regards methuda, pbiJ-vaophy, tactics and interpretation cf anarchisffi, and arose as &u nt of internal conflict in the organization known am the French A chixjt jtedoration, and which had or, its organ "k Tiibcrtairv".

Ik-causc of theae internal divergonoea there huv* Tvrious Incidents : discussions, violent verbal attacks, i-xpuiai^r.:; Md evMi fights, between the two fractions of the French mov.iir>.-nt, aerated according to their differing conceptions.

Doclarations and actions, extending In oil directions, "lave ev-^n readied an extent and a character that is intimation*il, pushing nifitt* ra to an extreme.

Lot us mafc* a rcsum£ of them : t) Pl spi.it has appeared in tho Italian Anarchist Movement f^llawwn ■ b constitution* of the G.A.A.P. (Anarchist Groups for Proletarian •■oiien). Iiu.i*d lately tfle members of the French fraction of xh Cuf-1 n.: 7/1 my began a campaign to discredit the Italian Anarchist ?edery-tirn (3-.c for example the article alined by Itenicia Vivancos in «*»frU>f*ridad Obrora", lind another Digued Font*nia in "U Liberia ir;?1'. opc- ki.n^r of tho "diaorgi«nization at work in the heart of tht:- rtallan Aorrchist Federation", of its "inefficiency" and its "inaptitude", rihil * at the anme ti;;u; attributing a (jruat value to the G.A.A.P. Th-t.i;ikr>cy of these- gruup:j already showed itself clearly enough, but letter, in their organ ML'Impulse", they told us of "a pact with Uk-Trotakyat forces, and with several groups of dissident communists, in ord». r to work in common, with the aid of a public organ to be cffttcd for this purpose."

2) I'hii Spani&h rooveuvent in exiU, in view of the sad spectacle cf diaaid^nco in tha very beant of the French organization, decided to intervene in th». roi* of mediator, as on element of'cordiality and pacification, aaking that the heads of the organization, cf the pfip^r "I* LibertuireM, and of the local of tho Quai de Valmy call a large Con^ss, in which all the excluded militants would be able tv> take-part vith full rights, in order to reconsider the position, and to arrive at a common understanding, ^h^t was more, the letter of t.h-Spanish rroveakmt pointed out the improvisations of the Congress of

1953, which hud consecrr.tc-d split, and recalled having prt=vio:>p-ly Bint tv the National Coowittea, and to the? Congross itself that were hot taken into consideration. This intervention of the op nioh movement was followed by an embittering of relations, l»y th ixchnngc wf letters of a most unodifying nature, and to expressions sucn an those which caused the special mooting convoked or. the 29tr> of November 1953, in the presence of the secretary for International : :levtiona of the Italian Anarchist Federation, to demand of tho r^vles of the Quai Volmv a little nor* moderation in their condu.ru .•vnd th'i cordiality which la nocosaary and desirable in the relation* betv^an tho movement in th« various countries.

3) Standing from th« "Third Front" position assumed by MLc Libertaire", an international polemic b*gon, which has not been carried on in a cordial tone, above all aft»:r tho declaration that appeared in an editorial in "Le Libertalre" in which it was affirmed that "lrorgo maom-fl u.f international opinion odhered to the Third Front position, for in«-t:me* the G.A.A.?, of Itr.ly, the Mexican Federation, and the Spanish P.O.y.W. (Worker's Forty for Marxist Unity). The paper "Tierrr y Tfib«;r-t-dM uf Mexico devoted c. certain number of articles to the proKona >v the Freeh movementf bitterly criticizing the position of "I/j U.ibert- i^-:nd thoue r^sponsible*- for it. And the Spanish comrades, vho fout.d th skives clroady In trouble, trying to make things mor* peaceful by remaining 3ilent, were none tru less disagreeably surprized to find that the"Libertair€n proclaimed *ith such emphasis that ther*- waa the possibility of nn understanding with the Spanish P.O.U,M.,an organization thst i3 Trot3kyist, end therefore Bolshevick.

4) In consequence of the facts cit^df find of the incidents that have token place in CfilA itself* the members composing this commission saw thems-ilve* forced to put the problem to the organizations represented by them. The Italian Anrrchist pedbrntion - the Group of Bulgarian comrades in exile in Paris - the Jewish group of ^aris - and the Spanish movement in axil< hr:vc- submitted the question to an international discussion* Certain of these organizations have adopted thereupon j? fornal resolution, partly in consideration of the above^entionod facts, portly in consideration of the position put foriward in tho pages of Libertairew on the subject of "historical materialism" and the various problems of revolution, partly in consideration of the "Manifests Comnuniste Libertaire" presented as the expression of the ideeia of the organization, and partly as a consequence of the resolutions adopted by the May 1953 Congress concerning the Statutes, the Commission for deciding conflicts, the rules of internal relations -and some arti&es that appeared in "T,e libertaire" on colonial problems or on t!ie Djilas affair in Yougoslsvia were also remembered.

5) The situation ha.4* beon aggravated since the forming of a second Kronch organization, created in December 1953• and which adopted the

of 'Trench Am:rcnL:*t >'*de-ration" (this name was once thft of the organization that edits ntie Libertaire", Out the latter has declared by public declaration - reproduced in the Bulletin of CRIA in Spanish -2nd by Lib^rt.aire" itself, th*t it has on aversion for the expres sion "Anarchism" and that it ha3 adopted the term ncommunistes libfvr-tttires" (libertarian communists), the organization taking from ther on the title of "Federation Coffijnuniste:4',ibertaire". The new organization adopts the criterion, the name, and the outlook of the Anarchists; they di-Tiandf and take the name of "JNSdlration Anarchiste Francaiae"adding that the organization was created and manned since 1936 by theiswown mt,:»beref at the sane time, they ask to bh admitted in the CRIA with ih* rights and task designated by the last Congres3ior the P.A.F. >rom the beginning of January 19S4, the two fractions of the Prencn Jiirmment participate in CKJA with equality of rights and of decidon.

It is here that the problem enters into a period of frank international intervention, frcra the point of view of the very existence of CriA. If, before this situation, th* organizations affected internn-tionally had diacus*? d the problem from their own point of view, and 92; r-n internal question, today it is obviously necessary to thi mr-ttir fr&a the point of view of the international activities that affect ana concern CRIA.

jProra all the preceeding, it results that CRIA finds itself nt th ' division of the ways. Its composents - including the French delegates - have arrived at the conclusion that it is necessary to favour trie adoption of & resolution that is able to establish a norm of cond -uct in this conflict. Otherwise CRIA would find itself hampered in its uormel activities by the internal discussions caused by the co-existence - provisional or definite - of the two fractions of the ^ench movement in the Commission. This fact would not be so v«rv grave, if the differences were very snail, of a mere interpretative or tactical nature on the common ground of anarchist activity. In front of this problem, the Commission for International Reloticns (CHIA) - with the only opposition of the "F4d£ration Coin.nunistc-Liber-taire" - has considered that :

1) In the first place, the immediate solution of this situation belongs to the decision on a natter of principle by the organizations thnt ccrapoae the Commission;

2) »6^nWhileT%aC4crding to the normal practice of liberttriar* organizations, it is right to seek the opinion of the organizations and groups that he.ve participated .in th« Congress in which CRIA w^s constituted*

TWO RESOLUTIONS

I. Concerning the aUltude of the CP.iA towards tne FCL.

The members of the CRIA united in ordinary session on the 16th of June 1954, in order to decide their common attitude ae regards the FCL wh6so activity is mere and more in contradiction with the general interests of the international anarchist organization and with the norm of anti-authoritarian conduct, have decided their position as follows :

They ccncider :

1) That the FCL, installed at the Quai de Valmy and which claims to continue the PAP as a mandatory organization in the CRIA, has constituted itself for a year already on a national scale in its congress of Pentecost 53, pragmatic and statutory basss dictated from above and published in advance in a "Manifesto";

2) Thnt the FCL, since then, through its organ "Le Libertaire" and its public expression has taken the position in favour of a single party, 7/hich means the repression of all opposition, breaking, by

this fact alorie, the solidarity of the oppressed against the oppressors.

3) That, while protesting its attachment to the CRIA, the FCL has never furnished material aid, neither in money, nor in kind, not even in work, exacting and obtaining, on the other hand, the appearence in the Bulletin of the CRIA of a diffanatory letter regarding anarchist personalities and organizations,*

A) That the FCL has opposed, by the means of its delegate in the CRIA, a systematic obstruction to the regular work of the CRIA (this obstruction being pushed to the limit in the information session of Thursday l'Jth of May, which was devoted to establishing a contact between th* CRIA and the anarchist movement in Uruguay, represented by a delegate Of the CCRA;

r>) That the FCL has just held, outside of the CRIA and against it, a factional and anti-anarchist International Congress, with elements chosen in advance, and on bases dictated in advance, this co-caller? Congress of Contecost 1954 being no mere than the additijn of an intea'-noxional facade to the scissionist work of the Congress of Pentecost 6j And that finally, by its motiveless absence froiii numerous ordinary sessions of the CRIA, the FCL has shown its very clear intention to create a void around the anarchist international organism and to para-lyee its functioning.

On the basis of this state of affairs - as well as the declarations of the delegates of the Spanish Movement in exile, of the Italian Anarchist Federation, and of the French Anarchist Federation a3 now reconstituted, who all refuse to unite with the representative of the FCL -they decide as follows :

a) The seat of the CRIA, its address and, if need be. its usual place of meeting, will be moved back from the Quai de Valmy to the former local of the 3PRI and of the CRIA, at the present CLB, Kaison des 3Us Savantee, 28 .rue Serpents, Paris Vie, local put at our disposition by the international secretariat of the PAP (reconstituted).

b) All direct contact will be provisionally broken with the FCL,th* relations between the CRIA and the FCL being limited ^o strictly irdi:*-sensible correspondence, - until the whole of the mandatory organizations whose delegates constitute the CRIA have definitely decided on this point. In the same manner, ths columns of the Bulletin of the CRIA will be closed to the FCL, since the latter does not act in the spirit 3f the international anarchist congresses that are the basis of the CI?T/

c) The CRIA declares itself ready to accept the affiliation and cooperation of those elements who, breaking with thu control of the FCL, t/ill situate themselves anew on the terrain of international anarch iscu, such as it is defined by the World Congresses of Amsterdam 1907 ana ->:' Paris 1949. '

II..m Ccncorning the -j L'-itude of the CRIA -*owards th«f ICT..

The members of the CRIA united in ordinary session on the l*x;h ^ •T \ne 1954 have examined the attitude to bo tarren in front of tb«»

national organism presenting itself under the name of the Communist-Libertarian International They were presented with-the following documents :

1) a convocatory letter, dated 2/4/54, signed Sergio Angelini and " addressed to the Uruguayan Anarchist comrades on behalf of "the Comrades of German Switzerland"(constituted, de mottu proprlo, into an Initiative Commission for an International Conference, 145 Quai de Valmy, Paris),in order to make for theMunefficien*cy of the CRIAH.Thia letter was handed over to the CRIA by the CCRA, asking for explanations - on the end of May 1954; 2) a convocatory letter, dated 10/4/54, on the 3&me effect but with a different redaction, presented by Angelini him-Rv.lf to the Bulgarian Anarcho-coomuniat Group in Paris, some weeks after the date of iza typing and still actually in their possession;

3) a convocatory letter, dated 12/4/54, presented later on by Angelini in a session of the CRIA,to be reproduced in the CEIA bulletin, a step that was declined by the CRIA as irregular, asking such modifications as the following : a) that the personality of the initiators was to be prscized - instead of a reference to "the Comrades of Switzerland" without any mention of organization or group; b) that the meeting was to be postponed to permit a prealable information and discussion on an international scale,in order that *bne can take position? in a federalist way,arid establish a regular and definite Order of the day on equitable bases; and so that the convocation of imperative character, with all matters fixed in advance,was to be codified into a simple proposition, with respect to the rules of safety, fair deal and freedom; and c) that the address for reception of the correspondence was to be that of the CRIA, because it would belong to the CRIA to publish also the answers to the call, and coordinate the propositions in a federal-is tic wpy.

On thd other hand, the delegates of the CRIA have heard and received:

4) the explanations and propositions carried by the delegate of the FCL and by Angelini in the session of the 9/6/54, when Angelini presented himself as the General Secretary of the Communist-Libertarian International e founded in Paris (pentecost 1954) as a result of the aforesaid convocations being aended to various places; and 5) the advice of comrades consulted about the fa£ts of the Pentecost Congress of Conference and who possessed infelligenceon the subject.

On the basis of this information* the Commission for International Anarchist Relations has recognized the existence of the following facts:

a) The CRIA has been given the job by the Congress of November 1949 of arranging, through the usual channels, the convocation of all international anarchist congresses or conferences.

b) Such a congress is already in preparation on the demand of the Spanish and Italian federations, as well as that of several other groups

c) In these conditions it is the job of those comrades who have in view any proposition or project on the international level, to ask, through the CRIA, for a preliminary discussion and the putting of it on the programme of the future congress - which will not of course be refused by the CRIA.

d) On the other hand, the CRIA cannot, whatever the reason, make itself the agent for transmitting the convocation of a Congress or Conference of which the date and the programme hare been arbitrarily fixed, whithout any previous consultation ana discoussion.

e) In addition, it appears from information received that the convocation drawn op in the name of the Swiss comrades, was unknown td the comrades of Genava, of Basle, and of Zurich, who are in regular contact with the CRIA, and in particular to the secretary of the Swiss Anarchist Federation (PAS).

f) It results from the convocation received by the Uruguayan comrades and transmitted by them to the CRIA with demand of enlightment, that this convocation, before any contact betweenrthe eigaatory and the CRIA, attacked the CRIA and showed the Intention of ignoring it system&tically

g) Finally, it ie only after the foundation of the ICL that the initiator and secretary of the latter came to present to the CRIA (not invited and not forewarned) the fait accoapll under the guise of a resold ution of the ICL pronouncing in favour or the opening of relations

with the CRIA. f<

In these conditions, the Commission for International Anarchist Relations, without prejudging the definitive attitude of the mandatory organizations and of. the whole of the international movement, can only take the following decisions :

A) The CRIA declines all reprsentation of the ICL in its organization - whether directly or indirectly, and considers a9 irresponsible, 3Cis-sionist and dissident this so-called "International"•

B) The CRIA will not open the columns of its Bulletin to the communications of the ICL, since this organization was created in open rup-. ture of the spirit and violation of the letter of the International Anarchist Congresses.

C) The relations between CRIA and the ICL will be limited to strictly indispensible correspondence.

PROJECT FOR A DECLARATION OP PRINCIPLES PRESSED SY THE B.A.C.G.P. (Bulgarian Anarcho-communist Group in Paris)

1) Anarchism considers itself,from the point of view of philosophy, as belonging to the scientifical materialism of the natural sciences, which refute any theological interpretation of the Universe and any divine authority, source of all sorts of temporal authorities, either political, economical or social 1 It has nothing in common with historial materialism.

2) It recognize as its sociological basis the natural cravings of the individual and of the collectivity for full liberty of growth and expression, as "well as for the social solidarity - instinctive and conscious -which belongs to man in his quality of a social being*

3) It rejects every form or manifestation of authority as incompatible with these profound cravings of both the individual and the society.

4) Therefore, Anarchism aims to the radical transformation of modern aociaty, whose basis is the authoritarian principle as reprsented in politics by the State, in economics by capitalism and private property on the means of production, exchange or consumption, and spiritually by the Church.

h) By declaring an irreducible war to every form of State, Capitalism and Church, Anarchism wages also an irreconciliable struggle against all institutions which result from them and support them - the parliament, the political parties, the army, the courts of Justice, etc.

6) Anarchism affirms that the social transformation can only be the work of those who suffer the social in^stice resulting of the authoritarian organization of society in economics, politics, and morals.

7) This transformation being only realisable by the direct and revolutionary action of the oppressed and exjloited masses, Aaarchisme declares itself an essentially revolutionary fact6r.

Q) It thus considers the social revolution as the only means of destrying the State, apparatus of violence and restraint of the priviledged classes, in order to open the way to the realization of a free and equal society.

9) The first and main task of Anarchism is therefore the grouping of its forces into essentially militant organizations and federations, quite opposed,by their aim, methods, structures, functions and social part,

to the nature and character of a political party.

10) So, anarchist organization is not made to rep»ent, dominate or direct the popular masses, but to keep awaken their spirit of liberty, independence and revolt, and to enlight them by the abnegation of its militant? and its own exemple of a joint action, co-ordinated and responsible-*-----

11) Anarchism considers as an inalienable right the individual freedom in the group, and the fteedom of the group in the federation, therefore accepting no formal discipline, no submission, no unwanted fesponsiMHty

12) In such conditions, an organized activity is only possible if those who decide act accordingly without waiting for orders or giving orders to other people. This supposes the application of the anarchist federalism in the relations of the members of each organization as well as between the groups of the whole federation.

(Proposed as a baiis for the settlement of problems arizen in the French movement in view of the positions adopted by the FCL.

9 selves already in trouble, trying to make, things more peaceful by reloading silent, were none the less di3areeably surprised to find that Lc Liicertaire proclaimed with such emphasis that there was the possibility oT"

an understanding with the Spanish POUM (Par.tido Obrero de Unificacion Marxista), an organization that i3 trotzkyist, and therefore Bolshevik.

4) In consequence of the facts citedt and of the incidents that have tsken place in the CRIA itself, the members composing the Commission saw themselves forced to put the problem to the organizations represented by them. The Italian Anarchist Federation - the Group of Bulgarian comrades in exile in Paris - the Jewish Group of Paris - and the Spanish Movement in exile have submitted the question to an internal discussion. Certains of these organizations have adopted thereupon a formal resolution which they took partly in consideration of the above-mentioned incidents, partly in' consideration of the position put forward in the pages of Le Libertaire

on the subject of "historical materialism'1 and the various problems of # revolution. They examined also the Manifeste Comuniste Libertaire, presented as the expression of the ideas ol the TCL organization, and the resolutions adopted by the Kay 1953 Congress of the same, concerning the Statutes, tne Commission for deciding conflicts, the Rules of internal relations, the problems of tactics, orientation, etc. In addition, they were scared by some articles that appeared in Le Libertaire on colonial problems, and on the Djila3 affair in Yugoslavia.

5) The situation has been aggravated since the forming of a new French anarchist organization, created in December 1953> and which adopted the name of Federation Anarchiste Frangaise. (This name was once that of the organization editing le Libertaire. Accepted in 1946 by the whole mili-tantship, kh it was replaced, after the Congress called in May 1953 by the Quai de Valmy, by the name of F<*deration Communiste Libertaire, as result of a referendum limited to a fraction which manifested its aversion for the expression "anarchist".) The new PAF, advocating the terms, ideas and methods of anarchiscr. and asking for the integration of its international delegate in^he CRIA, was therefore affiliated iwxnaa*, side by side with the FCL. From the beginning of February 1954, the two organisms participated in CRIA with equality of rights and of decision. It was here that the problem entered into a period to frarJc international intervention, from the point of view of the very existence of CRIA. If before this situation the organizations affected internationally had discussed the fall from their own ooint of view,and as ynternal quastion , afterwards, it became necessary to settle the conflict on the plane of the international activities that affect and conscrn £RAt CRIA,

From all the preceeding, it results that CRIA found itself at the dividing of the ways. 113 components - including the French delegates -arrived *b at the conclusion that it was necessary to favour the adoption of a resulution that is able to establish a norm of conduct in such case. Otherwise CRIA would find itself hampered in its normal activities by the internal discussions caused by the coexistence - provisional or definitive - of the two fraction, rival in fact and right, inside of the Commission. This fact would not be so very grave if the differences were minute, of an Interpretative or tactical nature on the common ground of anarchist activity. But there are good reasons to think that such is not the- case. Before this problem, CRIA (with the only opposition of the FCL) has considered unanimously that i

L) The immediate solution of this situation belongs to the decision,on a matter of principle, of the organizations composing the CRIA.

2) At the same time, according to the normal practice of libertarian movements, it is right to seek the opinion of the organizations . and groups that have participated in the Congress in which CRIA wafe°fcSlft:

3) And finally, one must call upon the general intervention of

all the militants, organizations or groups which are interested in the case,

Thus is established the need for an immediate solution to this problem, to settle by the parties forming the Commission (organizations and not just the reprsentative delegates), firstly because these have been designated by the International Congress to take in charge the management of the activities indicated by the Congress itself, so that it is their task to consider the means of realising thorn in a normal way, and, Ln tV. second place, it is their job to define exactly with whom it is pcjslb*-to ^c^ornslisb effective work.

It remains for the next Congress to consider and examine the attitude assumed by the organizations composing the Commission, in order to ratify or rectify them in last ressort.

However, on the demand of the Bulgarian comrades, who consider that logic requires an immediate consultation of international anarchist opinion on the subject, an international Referendum is established, to consider how well-rounded is the position taken.

As for the material of information necessary to allow a serious study of the case, it is the job of each fraction involve to bring, for Its own account, and in the measure of its possibilities (at its own expense), the material appropriated to foster an impartial view of the problem. In addition to the stuff that ha3 to*** already been published in the (Spanish) Bulletin of CRIA, organizations, groups and comrades nay consult with interest the following material : On the position of the FCL :

1) Files of letibertair. (1952-T954);

2) Manifests du Comznunisme Libert&ire;

3) Texts and internal resolutions of the present FCL beginning with the Congress of Bordeaux, the Congress of May 1953 in Paris, etc,; internal bulletins Le Lien for the years 195a, 1953 and 19^4;copies of letters

received from the Spanish Movement in exile, and their respective replies. On the position of the FA? :

1) Conclusions and differences at the Congross of Bordeaux;

2) Compte-rendu of the meeting held at Le Mans (March, 19^3);

3) Circulars issued in preparation for the Congress of reconstruction {five circulars sent out by Ariatide Lapeyre);

4) Compte-rendu of the Congress of reconstruction (Paris, Xmas 1953) and later documents published in the internal Bulletin of the PA?.

In conclusion, ALL TH1- Ali ARCH 1ST MILITANTS AR- INVITED TO AT5TOR AS SOON A3 POSSIBLE TO TH!? REFERENDUM WHICH BEARS TH5 FOLLOWING POINTS :

1) The Federation Conmuniste Libertaire, which publish at present Le Libertaire, can it be considered :

a) as an anarchist organization ?

b) &3 an organisation sympathetic to anarchism ?

c) as body foreign to the anarchist movement ?

2) The Federation Commurfcife Libertaire, can it, under the circumstances, continue tc provide in the CRIA the post given by the International Anarchist Congress of 1949 to the delegate of the French anarchist organization (FA?) ?

To avoid any cont st about the results of the Referendum* answers are to be addressed in duplicate to the two following n&tx destinations s

FCL, 145 Quai de Valmy, Paris Xe

FAF c/o CL?f 28 riio Serpente, Paris Vie

The informative material is to be asked for at both places.

By reason of the delicate situation created in the CRIA* we demand all the organizationst groups and militants interested in this problem to make haste in their attempt to bring it to a satisfying solution.

Fraternal Greetings Paris, the 21st of April, 1954 The C. R. I. A.

N.B. The above-translated text of referendum and its presentation have been acceoted unanimously by all the members of the Commission , with the only sxception of the delegate for the Federation Communiste Liber-taire, who declared to be in agreement with the princip of the Referine n\f but not with its contents, no* with its informative context.