SOURCES OF FUNDS OF THE SPANISH COMMUNIST PARTY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002200170006-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 1998
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 3, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

CL.ASSIFICATIO f COP+'iRCL - U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Relea (Q9 fh LCL ~:E 2002200'1ffpM NO.
INFORMA T-@ O T CD NO.
COUNTRY Spain/France
SUBJECT Sources of Funds of the Spanish Communist Psi
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1. Since the activities of the Spanish Communist Party in France are sharply
limited at present, source does not believe that the party leaders in
Moscow consider the Spanish Communists of sufficient importance to warrant
financial support. Source stated, however, that the Communists inside
Spain may be receiving subsidies from the Russians, not through the Party
headquarters in France, but directly from Soviet agents in Spain.
2. The principal sources of income for the Spanish Communist Party are
membership dues and the funds derived from numerous subscription dues.
The Partido Socialists Unifieado de Cataluna (PSUC) receives 10,000 dollars
sac) month from the Communist organisations in Cuba,/ An additional sum,
amounting to 10,000 dollars, is received each month from the organizations
in Chile. Mexico and other countries in America. Most of this money, while
donated by Catalano in America for the PSUC, goes into the coffers of the
Spanish Communist Party. An appreciable income also is derived from the
products of forestry developments in the Pyrenees and in some areas in
central France, and from the products of the Cooperative A,lpargatera (vandal'
making cooperative) in Pau (Basses Pyreiees) which was established and
developed by the Spanish Communists. Furthermore, when the Spanish Communist
Party came to France in 1939 it brought what was known as the *treasure of
the 11th Corps of the Army", half of which was attached by, the French
Government.
3. In addition to the regular dues, some members of the party are obliged to
pay special monthly assessments, or fixed assessments payable weekly or
semi-monthly, ,depending upon their individual incomes. Source states that
two Coununist Party members in Montauban are known to be paying a special
monthly assessment of 3,500 francs. Presumably, the Central Committee of
the Party determines the amount to be paid on the basis of reports from
local units.
4. According to an employee who worked at the government-owned Voisin Aviation
Factory in Issg lee-Moulineaux from lhte 1946 to mid-1947, a delegate of
the French Confederation Geaecal)du Travail (CGT) frequently appeared at the
factory on pay day and asked the workers for a donation "foss Spanish comrades".
CLASSIFICATION- /COIJTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
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A majority of the 1,000-1,500 workers at the factory contributed from 20 to
50 francs. The requests for donations increased immediately following the
strike of the Basque workers in May 1947. Reportedly requests for donations .
have also been made by COT delegates at factories in Saint-Gratien (Seine-et-
Oise), Bois-Colombee (Seine) and Argenteuil (Seine--et-Oise). These
contributions or at least part of them, according to source, are passed on
to the Spanish Communist Party and the Communist-controlled faction of tha
Unirfn General to Trabajadores (UGT) through the C(T and the French Communist
Party,
5. The Communist press is self-supporting. In addition to subscriptions, each
member is obliged to sell at least three copies of "Mundo 0brero" and
frequent subscriptions and artistic festivals are arranged to obtain funds
these funds are sufficient for the maintenance of "Mundo Obrero", "Nuestra
Bandera" which is more difficult to sell, shows a deficit. The newspaper
published by the Union de Mujeres Espanolas (Union of Spanish Women) formerly
supported by the Spanish Communist Party, is now entirely supported by the
am.
6. As of early October 1948, an increasing number of members of the Spanish
'3ommunist Party in France were not paying their assessments, as evidence of
their dissatisfaction with certain party practices, such as.,
a) The high standard of living of certain Spanish Communist elements
in Paris, who according to rumors, frequent expensive restaurants
and night clubs.
b) The political activity of leaders, both inside and outside of
Spain, who are being accused of inability to direct the Resistance,
since entire regional, local of provincial organizations regularly
fall into the hands of the Slati sh police.
e) The fact that almost all of those who have been sent into Spain
have been arrested shortly after their arrival. Consequently
several Communists who were assigned to the Interior have refused
to go, including the Secretary General of the Spanish Communist
Party in the Department of Tarn-'et-'C-aronne.
d) Frequent and violent changes by the leaders in party policy, This
discontent Is directed especially against Antonio MIJE and
Francisco ANTON, members of the Political Bureau4 Even Dolores
IBARRURI, Secretary General of the Party, is being criticized.
e) The difficulties imposed by the Russians in connection with the
return of children who were sent to Russia during the Civil War,
and upon the correspondence between them and their families.
Dissatisfaction on this account is directed against the leaders in
Moscow and is particularly prevalent among the women of the Spanish
Communi at Party,
7, In 1946 it was calculated that there were some 50,000 Spanish Communists or
sympathizers in France. Since that time many members have left France. The
Lumber of members still there who have sto,,ped paying dues to the Party is
=known. Reportedly, almost all of the Party members of Oloron (Basses
Pyronaes) have refused to pay the assessments because they disagreed with
directives from Paris. Some members in Bayonne and nearby towns also have
stopped paying dues.
-"0M@PA R9L -- U. S, OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002200170006-7