INFORMATION OBTAINED REGARDING A DISCUSSION BETWEEN A LEADING COMMUNIST PARTY, USA, FUNCTIONARY AND A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SPAIN IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000020021-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 16, 2006
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: December 3, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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T 0 P S E C R E T
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
In Reply, Please Refer to
File No.
"j'D_._M4 IQW OBT TINED REGxA D1 QA n
B E T = j"DIN? CO UST ,,ARTY. US.~
TINCTIONAPJ An_ I~-RA_ ZNL OFFICIA
December 3, 1959
In connection with his recent travel to the Soviet Union
and Red China, a leading functionary of the Communist Party,
USA, had the occasion to confer at length with Dolores Ibarruri,
secretary general of the Communist Party of Spain. Ibarruri
was in Peking, China, in September and October, 1959, where
she participated in the events surrounding the celebration of
the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic
of China.
Ibarruri stated that the Communist Party of Spa-n
is growing and is spreading its influence in Madrid, Valencia
and the Asturias, a mining region in Northwest Spain. In
addition, the Communist Party of Spain is growing in the
rural areas, which she described as a new trend. Ibarruri related
that the Communist Party of Spain now operates an illegal
broadcasting station which broadcasts daily from the hours of
5:30 p.m. to midnight, Madrid time. This broadcasting station
is an aid to the Communist Party from the standpoints of trans-
mitting information, publicity and propaganda and in addition
it has helped to organize communist groups in Spain. Ibarruri
claimed that poverty-striken farmers have pooled their resources
to buy radio sets so that they can tune in on the Communist
Party broadcasts.
Ibarruri continued that the present policy of the
Communist Party of Spain is that of national conciliation.
This policy is not one of class collaboration but is a bread
policy of national unity aimed at the Franco dictatorship
without compromising the demands of the working class and the
poor peasantry. She explained that the basis for the policy
of national conciliation is the present poor economic state in
Spain. She pointed out that many people have been ruined in
Spain including the smaller businessmen as well as the peasssts
and the working class. Ibarruri added that while sections of
the bourgeoisie are against the spilling of blood, they would
like to overthrow the Franco dictatorship.
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Ibarruri further stated that the policy of national
conciliation is not mere propaganda. It has been discussed
with the leaders of all the camps in Spain. She said that
when the Communist Party's policy was made known and
publicized, the government carried on a fight against it.
However, the Catholics and later the republicans also favored
the policy of national conciliation. In addition, the
president of the republicans in exile also declared in favor
of this policy. Ibarruri added, however, that the left forces
which she described as the Socialist Party and the Anarchists
are in favor of a front which would exclude the Communist
Party of Spain.
According to Ibarruri, the Communist Party of Spain
has reached the conclusion that there is a need to redefine
the definitions of right and left in Spain. She stated that
while the Communist Party of Spain favors unity with the Socialist
Party and with the Anarchists, Such unity will not be allowed
to interfere with the approaches to or unity with the right
sections. She stated that the Communist Party of Spain in
raising the slogan of conciliation and the objectives of unity
has forced the socialists to take a stand. She pointed out,
for example, that the national strike in June was organized
by the Communist Party but others signed the strike appeal.
She noted that this strike appeal was signed by the Catholics,
student representatives, Catalonia nationalists and the
Socialist Party inside Spain. She noted, however, that while
the Socialist Party members living in Spain agreed with the
Communist Party, their leadership in exile does not. Ibar=^uri
continued that within Spain at the present time there is a
possibility that the Socialist Party will split away from its
leadership in exile. She stated that although the Communist
Party of Spain is pushing for a split, it is not giving this
any publicity.
Ibarruri stated that the Communist Party of Spain has
extensive contacts within Spain with the right forces.
The right forces have suggested that a regency be established
in Spain in order to do away with the Franco dictatorship.
They say that this regency would prepare for general elect ions
after Franco is overthrown but that the regime could be a
monarchy or republican form of government. According to
Ibarruri, the right forces suggested that the communists should
participate in such a government. According to Ibarruri, the
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Communist Party of Spain accepted the proposals of the right
but also made some counterproposals with which the right
agreed. However, the right forces are hesitant in making
these facts public. The right forces have asked the communists
to recognize the monarchy; however, the communists have
refused to commit themselves in this regard.
Ibarruri claimed that the circumstances and conditions
in Spain at the present time are such that when the Communist
Party of Spain makes a proposal, the people listen and they
believe the communists because the communists are known as a
fighting party. On the other hand, if the Socialist Party
tried to put forward similar proposals, the people would reject
the proposals because they would suspect the motives of the
socialists.
Ibarruri said that the Communist Party of Spain had
certain problems in regard to revisionism and sectarianism.
However, after these problems were corrected, the Communist
Party of Spain was able to mobilize large masses in Catalonia
and succeeded in organizing a popular movement against Franco.
Ibarruri claimed that the Communist Party of Spain has been
able to convince the workers to participate in elections for
office in the trade-union locals and thousands of communists
were elected as leaders of trade-union locals or as shop stewards.
She claimed that the policy of the Communist Party of Spain
was not a narrow policy and it asked the people only to elect
the best people available even if they were not communists.
She continued that the workers did elect thousands of Communist
Party members and that these communists guided the strikes
which have occurred during the past year or two.
Ibarruri stated that the Communist Party of Spain is
asking for the liberation of many of the Communist Party members
who are now imprisoned. $hestated that at the present the
Communist Party of Spain is carrying on a big campaign for
amnesty and that it is ree - 'ving support from many sections of
the population. For mp2e, she pointed out that a former
chief of the Franco Air Force along with other monarchists
and former followers of Franco, including artists, professors,
doctors of medicine and writers, is signing the petI;tion for
amnesty.
Ibarruri advised the Communist Party, 'A, functionary
that the Communist Party of Spain is willing to 3articipate in
an international campaign to fight the persecution of communists
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T O P S E C R E T
in the United States and wi11 do everything possible to expose
the hypocrisy of American imperialism and American Justice.
She emphasized the desirability of additional contacts
between the Communist Party, USA, and the Communist Party of
Spain and a tentative arrangement was made to facilitate such
contacts.
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T n P r r n n 'n m
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON 25. D. C:
December 3, 1959
BY COURIER SERYI''E
.fir. Allen W. Dulles
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Administration Building
2430 E Street, N. W.
Washington 25, D. C.
Dear Allen:
I thought you would be interested in the
information contained in the enclosed memorandum.
This information was obtained as a result of our
over-all coverage of the Communist Party, USA,
and pertains to a recent discussion in Moscow,
Russia, between a leading functionary of the
Communist Party, USA, and a high-ranking official
of the Communist Party of Spain.
In view of the extremely sensitive nature
of certain of the sources of our information, it is
requested that the contents of this communication
be afforded the most careful security and its use
restricted to a need-to-know basis.
Sincerely,
T 0 P S E C R E T
1t 'I DF
7;'
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