Leon Trotsky: Letter to the International Secretariat

July 27, 1939

[Writings of Leon Trotsky, Vol 11, 1938-1938, New York ²1974, p. 315]

Dear Comrades:

A few days ago I sent you a copy of my reply to the French group that has broken with the Fourth International and continues to call itself the POI. When-not without a certain satisfaction — I became aware of their statement that they don't want to fight against the Fourth International, I did not yet have my hands on the so-called internal bulletin of this group. I now see that their statement had a character that was purely diplomatic, not to say hypocritical. Boitel's report is a venomous and malicious document. He attacks Comrade Cannon personally, as if Comrade Cannon had acted arbitrarily and on his own initiative, and not in full accord with his party, the International Secretariat, the Belgian party, and all the other key bodies of our International.

Moreover, this development is classical. When you end up a failure, the first thing you do is set about denouncing the vicious methods of the Fourth International. Boitel only imitates Molinier, Vereecken, and the others.

My best regards,