Communist League of Struggle

[3] Instead of joining with Jim Cannon and his lieutenants Martin Abern and Max Shachtman in the Communist League of America, however, Weisbord had determined to start his own group.

[4] The CLS pointedly styled itself a vanguard party adhering to "the International Left Opposition, led by Leon Trotsky.

"[1] In a detailed statement on general policy issued at the group's foundation, the CLS declared that it "heartily endorses" the concept of the united front and called for the formation of a "mass labor party on a federated basis that will move the working clas of this country to independent political action.

Trotsky could not be moved from his support of Cannon's CLA organization, however, replying to Weisbord with a letter which he carbon-copied to the National Executive Committee of the Communist League of America.

[4] Trotsky was harshly critical of Weisbord's decision to strike out on his own with a new parallel organization: "I cannot adopt your standpoint.

* * * If the solidarity of ideas with the Left Opposition really means anything to you, you must build a bridge back to the League...."[6]Weisbord was moved by Trotsky's publicized rebuke to enter into unity negotiations with the CLA, although differences in personality and perspective proved to be insurmountable and the CLA terminated the talks in October 1932.

Muste's American Workers Party with Cannon's Communist League of America, a decision which was ultimately rejected.

The group was severely weakened by the death of one of its leading members, the Polish-born Sam Fisher, of tuberculosis in early 1935, at the age of 27.