THE SECOND CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL
EDITORIAL NOTE.
The Second Congress of the Communist International met in Russia at a time when she was in a state of war, and cut off from all other countries by the blockade. The difficulties arising out of such a situation told on the preparation of the steno¬ graphic reports now offered to the public.
In consequence of the complete isolation of Russia from the rest of the world, it was impossible to get in time a sufficient staff with a proper mastery of languages, and in particular of German, French and English, to take part in the work of the Congress. And so it happened that there, were only'two Ger¬ man stenographers, one French, and no English at all. This was the reason for the deplorable delay in bringing out this report. The transcription- from the shorthand notes alone has claimed two months’ time.
By the time the work of editing commenced, most of the delegates had already gone. It was found that the text was in many places mutilated, and that there were many omissions— quotations by the speakers from the theses, from newspapers and books, amendments introduced, were missing altogether— and finally many speeches, particularly those delivered in English, were only in the German or French translation. To make the text read sense required a great deal of time. A whole number of omissions and gaps could not be reconstructed at all.
Our main attention was concentrated on bringing out. a reliable text with all possible speed. The translation into English was done by different people with a varying mastery of the language. Style, form, and language had to be sacrificed accordingly.
We hope and wish that the next Congress of the Communist. International will take place under more favourable conditions, with a better organisation of the technical side, so that the next report may appear in better form than the present one.
Moscow, December, 1920.
Concerning the Convocation of the Second World Congress of the Communist International.
To all Communist Parties and Groups, to all Red Trade Unions, all Organisations of Communist Women, all Unions of Com munist Youth, all Labour Organisations adher ng to Communism, and to all honest workers:
Comrades, the Executive Committee of the Communist Inter national has decided:
To convene the Second Congress of the Communist Inter national in Moscow on the 15th of July, 1920.
The Executive Committee of the Communist International has drawn up the -following provisional agenda for the Second Congress:
1.-Report of the Executive Committee of the Communist International.
2.-Reports of the representatives of different countries.The reports are to be submitted in written form.
3.-The actual world political situation and the tasks of the Communist International.
4.-The question of Parliamentarism.
5.-Trade Unions and Shop Committees.
6.-The role and structure of the Communist Party before and after the workers have won State power.
7.-The National and Colonial question. 8.-The Agrarian question.
9.-Attitude towards the new tend ncies of the "Centre," its pretence of accepting the Communist platform, and the condi tions of joining the Third International.
10.Constitution of e Communist International.
11.—The question of organisation (legal and illegal organisations, women's organisations, etc.).
12.—The Young Communist movement.
13.—Elections.
14.—Other business.
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