"Daniel De Leon: Disciplinarian" is another
SLP pamphlet extolling the virtues of American Marxist theoretician Daniel De
Leon (who died in 1914), written by Arnold Petersen. The author was the
National Secretary of the SLP (Socialist Labor Party) from 1914 to 1969. The
text was originally an address held in December 1942 to commemorate De Leon's
birthday. The pamphlet emphasizes the need for self-discipline of each party
member, and the need for general discipline within the party itself. Sounds
innocuous until you realize that Petersen was a crazy dictator, who expelled
members, party branches and even an entire state organization for
"disloyalty" on a regular basis. He even compared his actions to
those of Stalin in the Soviet Union! At least until Joe decided to attack
Finland and hence became an "international Anarchist" in Petersen
speak. But that's for another time. De Leon may or may not have been a
"disciplinarian", but I think he deserved a better successor than
A.P. the Ersatz Stalinist...
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