HISTORY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, USA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140026-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 35
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 27, 2008
• Sequence Number: 26
• Content Type: REPORT

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HISTORY OF THE C0}MJNIS T PARTY, USA
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ORIGIN AND CONTINUITY
OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY
Socialist Party
~" oc a iet~
Propaganda League M
Z 1
o et
Propaganda League
1918
ft Wing Section
Re
of Socialist Party
Sent
I
gki~?eFJC 1 9
T-
Minority
Majority (Foreign Federations
(Quit Socialist Party) Expelled from Socialist Party)
August 1919 May 1919
Bolsheviks
(1917) Revolution
Call for Communist
International
January 1919
o tern
March 1919
Communist Labor Party L Communist Party of America ,
September 1919 __._.-__.Septamber_ 1919
Minority Majority
United Communist Party 1 % l
1920
II'Vlroikera Party of An~r i itt ~Co!mnunist Party of America Section of Cominterp
l~ 1 1 n
l_.__..... _
I-l4orker..s (Communiet~Partyof Arica Section of Comintern
i 1 25---_
Communist Party of the U.S.A.. Section of Comintern
1929...
Disaffiliation November 19110,
"Co?untst p ftfcal `Aeaoea on
Formal Dissolution 1943
Communist Party of the U.S.A.
'Ducloe Letter April 1945
"Illegal" or under-
ground organization
of America
~~\\ (Unifie
1921d) 1
Order from Comintern
For Unification of Com
esentative
to Comte -~1
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ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
COMMUNIST PARTY, USA
The Communist Party, USA, as we know it to-
day, actually evolved from the dissident left-
wing elements in .the Socialist Party of America.
The Socialist Party of America was organiadd
in 1901 by a merger between two elements:
(1) "Seceders" from the Social ist Labor Party
who split away in 1899 because of the- Socialist
Labor Party's uncompromising endeavors to
revolutionise the trade unions and (2) the
Social Democratic Party of Wisconsin which was
"a purely middle class liberal party tinged
with Socialism." The Socialist Party of America
was not a party of "one mind" and there was
continued dissension in the Party much of which
was based on the tactical issue of industrial
unionism and violence. William D. "Big Bill"
Haywood, one of the leaders, believed in indus-
trial unionism with tactics of sabotage and
violence.
At the 1912 convention of the Socialist
Party of America, Morris Hillquit, the leader
of the opposition, put through an amendment in
the constitution calling for the expulsion of
all members who advocated tactics of crime,
sabotage and violence. The tactical issue of
industrial unionism was "comprised in the pro-
blem of whether parliamentarism alone constituted
political action or whether parl iamentarism
alone could accomplish the revolution or whether
extra-parliamentary means were indispensable for
the conquest of political power." The Socialist
Party Convention, by a large majority, "emascu-
lated the Marxian concept of political action,
limiting it to parl iamentarism. "
After 1912 the Socialist Party in the
United States "proceeded on its peaceful petty
bourgeois way."
The Socialist Party was opposed to World
War I. In 1917, the Party passed the St. Louis
STAT
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resolution in opposition to World War I and
adopted a policy of "petty bourgeois pacifism"
and accepted President Wilson's "14 points" as
its own program. The Bolshevik Revolution in
1917 electrified the members of the Socialist
Party and particularly affected the members of
the foreign language speaking federation who
dominated the Party leadership. As a result of
the revolution many Party members returned to
Russia. Those members who remained definitely
separated into "right" and "left" wings. The
aim and purpose of the "left" wing was to cap-
ture the Socialist Party and turn it into a
Communist Party.
As the war in Europe continued there was a
"revolutionary awakening in the Socialist Party
in the United States, strengthened by new
accesses of proletarian elements of the Party.
The first organized expression of this awaken-
ing was the formation of the Socialist Propa-
ganda League in Boston in 1916." The Socialist
Propaganda League was a "left" wing group which
adopted the Bolshevik program long before the
Bolsheviks came into power in Russia. In
January, 1918 the League issued a manifesto
incorporating its principles and tactics, among
which was: "Work both inside and outside the
Socialist Party for the revolutionary reorgani-
zation of the American Socialist movement."
As of November 7, 1918, a Communist Propa-
ganda League was organized, in Chicago. The
Communist Propaganda League had for its purpose
the propagation of the revolutionary, idea. On
November 9, 1918, the local branch of the
Socialist Party of Boston started to issue an
agitational paper, namely, "The Revolutionary
Age!" which immediately issued a call to the
Socialist Party for the adoption of revolution-
ary Communist tactics.
In February, 1919 the Left-Wing Section of
the Socialist Party was organized in New York
City. This group advocated a program for the
overthrow of capitalism and the establishment
of Socialism through a proletarian dictatorship.
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On February 8, 1919, there was published in
"The Revolutionary Age" the "Manifesto" and
"Program" of the Left Wing of the American
Socialist Party. Among the demands made were..
(1) That an immediate emergency national
convention be called to reorganize
Party policies and tactics;
(2) That unequivocal endorsement be given
to the Russian Socialist Federated
Soviet Republic, the Spartacus group
of Germany, and the Left Wing move-
ments of Europe.
In March, 1919 on the initiative of the
Bolsheviks headed by V. I. Lenin, the First
Congress of the Communist Parties of various
countries held in Moscow founded the Communist
International. The Congress adopted a manifesto
to the proletariat of all countries, calling
upon them to wage a determined struggle for the
dictatorship of the proletariat and for the
triumph of Soviets all over the world. Thus
was founded an international revolutionary
proletarian organization of a new type, namely,
the Communist International - the Marxist-
Leninist International.
The Left-Wing Section of the Socialist
Party in New York City transmitted credentials
to S. J. Rutgers to represent it at the Congress.
The Boston Branch of the Party initiated a mo-
tion for a referendum to affiliate the Socialist
Party with the Third International. This motion
was rejected by the national administration of
the Party but after. much delay a referendum was
secured and the vote was overwhelmingly in favor
of the Third International.
on May 17-18, 1919, a convention of the
Socialist Party in Cook County, Illinois, was
held. This convention resulted in a clean
sweep for the Left-Wing Section. This meant
that control of the Cook County, Illinois, Local
of the Socialist Party was in the hands of the
Left Wing movement and that the platform and
resolutions adopted were those of the Left Wing.
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The convention further represented the Left
Wing movement in Chicago, taking its theoreti
cal initiative in the work of the Communist
Propaganda League and its assuming a definite
organization character.
The National Executive Committee of the
Socialist Party met in Chicago from May 24 to
May 30, 1919. During this meeting the National
Executive Committee, by majority vote, ex-
pelled approximately 40, 000 members who repre-
sented various Party organizations.
The Left Wing elements of the Socialist
Party of America were represented at a National
Conference held in New York City, on June 21-24,
1919. The Conference was composed of over
ninety delegates. The purpose of convening
the National Conference was to "conquer the
.whole Socialist Party for the revolutionary
Socialism of the Communist International." An
issue as to the immediate organization of a
new or "Communist" Party was raised at the
National Conference. The majority of the
Organization Committee reported in favor of
the Conference's organizing as the Left-Wing
Section of the American Socialist Party. The
majority further reported in favor of carry-
ing on the fight within the Socialist Party
and of Left Wing locals and states, including
those expelled or suspended, electing dele-
gates to the Emergency Conference of the
Socialist Party scheduled for August 30, 1919,
in Chicago. r
The minority reported in favor of the
immediate organization of a Communist Party
but was defeated by a vote of 55 against 38.
On July 19, 1919, it was announced that
there were differences between groups within
the Left-Wing Section of the Socialist Party
and a call was issued for the organization of
a Communist Party in Chicago on September 1,
1919, by a "National Organization Committee."
The other faction supporting the Left-Wing
National Council desired to capture the
apparatus of the old Socialist Party.
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On July 26 and 27, 1919, the newly elected
but officially unrecognized National Executive
Committee of the Left Wing of the Socialist
Party met in Chicago. It was decided that the
Socialist Party must become the Communist Party
of the United States and urged the Party member-
ship to elect Left Wing delegates to attend the
Emergency Convention scheduled for Chicago on
August 30, 1919.
On August 23, 1919, it was announced that
the National Council of the Left-Wing Section
of the Socialist Party and the Central Committee
of the Federated Russian Federations were in
agreement and thus the split in the Left Wing
forces was brought to an end. it was decided
that there would be no attendance by those in
agreement at the Emergency Convention of the
Socialist Party. It was announced that John
Reed, Eadmon MacAlpine, and Benjamin Gitlow
opposed the joint call issued by the National
Council for a Communist Party Convention on
September 1, 1919.
A Communist Party of America was formed
in Chicago, Illinois, at a convention held
September 1, 1919, of representatives of units
of the Left Wing of the Socialist Party of
America including the Foreign Language Federa-
tions. A manifesto, program and constitution
were adopted by the convention. Louis C.
Fraina was elected International Secretary
and Charles E. Ruthenberg was elected National
Secretary of the Communist Party of America.
The Constitution adopted at the convention
stated under Article I, Section I, that the
official name of the organization was the
Communist Party of America, the purpose of
which was the education and organization of
the working class "for the establishment of
the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, the
abolition of the capitalist system and the
establishment of the Communist Society." The
constitution of the Communist Party of America
provided that the headquarters were to be
located at Chicago, Illinois.
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Delegates representing, the majority of the
Left wing of the' Soo-ial ist Party attended the
Emergency Convention of the Socialist Party
which met in Chicago on. August 30, 1919. These
Left wing delegates were refused seats in the
Convention and thereupon- set up their own
convention in another ha11 in the same building
as the Socialist Party,'s, Emergency Convention
under the auspices of the newly elected but
not seated National Executive Committee of the
Social ist Party.
On geptember 1, 1919, in Chicago, Illinois,
the Left Wing delegates who had been refused
seats - in. the Emergency Convention after ? .
attempting to establish some sort of organi2a-
tional unity with the groups controlled by the
Russian Federation, organi2ed? the Communist
Labor Party of the United States * of ,America.
The-platform of the Communist Labor Party of
the United States of America, declared the.
organization "in full harmony with the revolu-
tionary. working class parties of all countries
and stands behind the principles 'stated by the
Third Internat Tonal 'formed at . Moscow. " The
officers elected under the constitution were
Alfred wagenknecht, Executive Secretary, and
the National Executive Committee consisted of,
Max Bedacht and ? four other individuals. The
International 'delegates as elected under the
constitution were the qf orementioned Wagenknecht
and John Reed of New York. The headquarters
of the Communist Labor Party of the United
States of America were first located at Cleve-
land.. Ohio, but subsequently were.moved to New
York City.
John Reed, following the organizing con-
vention, went,-to Moscow qs the representative
of the Communist Labor Party. of the United
States of America to affiliate it with the
Communist International.
Louis C. Fraina, as International Secretary
of the Communist Party of America, made appli-
cation to the Executive Committee of the
Communist International for admission. of the
Communist Party of America to the Bureau of
the Communist International as a major party.
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On November 8, 1919, the Central Executive
Committee of the Communist Party published a
declaration directed to the Executive Committee
and the members of the Communist Labor Party.
This declaration concerned unity between the
two organizations. The declaration discussed
the differences which had arisen between the
two organizations during the two conventions
the first week of September, 1919, as well as
ensuing differences. The Communist Party of
America charged that the leadership of the
Communist Labor Party had deliberately acted
against Communist unity by instigating the
origin of the Communist Labor Party. The
membership was not blamed. However, the
Central Executive Committee of the Communist
Party of America stated that it would accept
the Communist Labor Party Branches as branches
of the Communist Party where the Program and
Constitution of the former were accepted.
This, it was pointed out, would give the
membership of the Communist Labor Party a
"basis of equality." The Central Executive
Committee of the Communist Party of America
offered to liquidate the national organization
of the Communist Labor Party, take over its
work, liabilities and assets with an offer to
appoint a special committee to meet with a
similar committee of the Communist Labor Party
to arrange for the liquidation of the national
organization of the Communist Labor Party.
In view of the continued dissension and
because the Executive Committee of the Communist
International would recognize only one party
in a country, the Executive Committee of the
Communist International addressed a letter to
the Executive Committees of the Communist Party
and the Communist Labor Party. This letter
concerned the uniting of the two parties.
It was stated that representatives of both
organizations had presented their views to
the Executive Committee of the Communist Inter-
national. The letter further stated that the
split had done harm to the Communist movement
in the United States but that a study of the
documents from both sides reflected' no serious
differences in the program. The letter stated
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in part "for the purpose -of bringing about
unaty to the shortest possible time,, the
Executive Committee of the Communist Inter-
national recommends the two parties immediately
call a joint convention, the decisions of which
shall be binding for both parties. ' Asa basis.
for unity the principles laid down in the plat-
form of the Communist iInternational and the
decisions of the Executive . Committee 'of the
Communist International must be taken."
On; June 12, 1920, the first issue of "The
Communist" which was the official organ of the
United Communist Party' of America, was. issued.
This publication contained an account of the
convention which united the Communist Party of
America and the.Communis.t Labor Party into
the United Communist Party. The article appear-
ing in "The Communist" stated in part "that
fifty-nine delegates came together from all
parts of the United States, held sessions for
seven days, debated every issue with absolute
thoroughness, laid out the plan of, work for
the United Communist Party, all under the most
perfect 'circumstances conceivable for such -a
convention." The article further stated -that
fictitious names were used by persons attend-
ing the convention. A representative of the
Executive Committee of. the Communist Inter-
national was in attendance at' this convention,'
Alfred 'Wagenknecht was elected` Executive
Secretary, Isaac E. Ferguson was elected Inter-
national Secretary and Charles E. Ruthenberg
was elected Editor, at the convention which
established the United Communist Party of
America. Article I, Section I, of, the Consti-
tution adopted at the convention stated "The
name of this organization shall be the United
Communist Party of America. It is the American
Section of the Communist International.'" '
in the meantime, the ""majority" elements
which remained in the Communist Party of America,
continued opposition to the "minority" and
the Communist Labor_ Party which banded together
to form the United Communist Party of America.
On July 1, 1920, an attack was made in the
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official organ of the Communist Party of America
which characterized the United Communist Party
in the following language: "Born in compromise
and betrayal, fathered by Centrists of the
type of Damon, Y. F. & Co., and mothered by
the Communist Labor Party with one who claims
to be a representative from the Third Inter-
national in the roll of Godfather. The lat-
ter is himself responsible for a great deal
of the disorganization that has been going on
recently in the Communist Party. Through his
unwarranted meddling, this new united Centrist
Party is doomed to an ignoble career in the
Communist movement in this country."
On August 1, 1920, it was announced that
the second convention of the Communist Party
of America had been held. A Central Executive
Committee of nine members and four alternates
was elected. Section I, Article I, of the
constitution provided that the name of this
organization shall be the Communist Party of
America. "Its purpose shall be the organiza-
tion of the revolutionary vanguard of the
proletariat to educate and lead the working
class of America for the conquest of political
power; to destroy the bourgeois state machinery;
to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat;
to abolish the capitalist system and to intro-
duce the Communist Society." Section II,
Article I, in the constitution provided that
the Communist Party of America was an integral
part of the Communist International.
At the Second World Congress, which was
held in Moscow July 17 to August 7, 1920.p'
Louts C. Fraina carried credentials from the
Communist Party of America and John Reed carried
credentials from the Communist Labor Party.
(It is to be recalled that the Communist Labor
Party merged with the "minority" of the
Communist Party of America to form the United
Communist Party.) John Reed was also on the
Executive Committee of the Communist Inter-
national. The Communist International in-
structed that the Communist Parties in the
United States would have to unite and the
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representatives of each in Moscow were in
favor -of so doing. The United Communist Party
stated that it welcomed the decision of the
Executive Committee of the Communist Inter-
national ,and that it would give all the aid
within its power to the Executive Committee
of the Communist International to accomplish
unity.
In the early part of 1921, the United
Communist' Party of America appealed to the
Communist Party to unite with the former organi-
sation.' The appeal referred to the statement
of the Executive Committee of the Communist.
International which stated: "You are equally
right.' What separates you are but minor
differences. You must unite for the big thing -
the Revolution. "
In the July, 1921, , issue of "The Communist"
which was the official organ of the Communist
Party of America, Section of the Communist
International, which' was formed at the "Joint
Unity Convention of the United Communist
Party and the Communist Party. of America.."
carried an article concerning the "Joint
Unity Convention" which united the Communist
Party of America and the United. Communist
Party.' The constitution adopted at the joint
'Unity Convention which formed the Communist
Party of. America under Article I, Section I,
provides:
"The name of this organisation shall be
the Communist Party of America, Section of the
Communist International." The following members
of the Central Executive Committee of the
Communist Party of America are still alive,
namely; Alfred Wagenknecht, James P. Cannon,
who is now National Secretary of the Socialist
Workers Party, J. Lovestone, who is presently
associated with David Dubinsky in the Inter-
national Ladies Garment Workers Union, Joseph
Zack and Alexander Bittelman, the latter of
whom is now working at the Communist Party
Headquarters in New York City. Section I,
Article III, of the constitution states:
J
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"The Communist Party of America is an
underground illegal organization. It
is highly-centralized with the Conven-
tion as its supreme body, and the
Central Executive Committee acting as
such between conventions."
The Third World Congress of the Communist
International took place in Moscow from June 22
to July 12, 1921. A delegate from the Communist
Party of America to the Third World Congress
of the Communist International was Max Bedacht,
who used the alias of James A. Marshall and
reported to the Communist Party of America
regarding the proceedings of the Congress. The
Central Executive Committee of the Communist
Party of America accepted the tactics adopted
by the Third Congress of the Communist Inter-
national stating, "we are only taking steps
to carry out the especially emphatic instruc-
tions of the Third Congress to the Communist
Party of America." These instructions of the
Third Congress to the Communist Party of
America were as follows: "The Communist Inter-
national draws the attention of the Communist
Party of America (unified to the fact that
the illegalized organization must not only
serve as the ground for collecting and crystal-
lizing the active Communist forces, but that it
is the Party's duty to try all ways and means
to get out of the illegalized condition into
the open among the wide masses."
In August, 1921, a statement -appearing in
"The Communist" described the character of the
Communist Party and discussed the "need for
open work." This article stated "with the
present openly stated purposes of the Party,
that the use of armed force in the struggle
to overthrow the capitalist state is an
inevitable phase of the Proletarian Revolution,
there is no question that the Communist Party
will be able to maintain its existence only
as a secret underground organization, until
such time as the imminent victory of the
Proletarian Revolution enables it to boldly
assume the open leadership of the struggle."
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In the October, 1921, issue of "T'he
,Communist" there was a statement which con-
cerned the necessity of creating a legal
organization "actively participating in every
phase of the class struggle - on the industri-
al fi eld, parliamentary field; on a platform
that will meet the requirements of the law,
as actually enforced by the ruling class.
We must have an organization co-existing with
the Communist Party and led by it."
On December 16, 1921, there was published
"A Call" to a convention to organize the
Workers Party of America, scheduled for New
York City, December 23-26, 1921. This conven-
tion was for the purpose of establishing an
open, or l egal, party in line with the
decisions of the Communist International.
"The Call" which was a document signed by the
Workers Party Convention Committee in discuss-
ing the proposed Workers Party of America
stated: "It shall be a party of militant,
class-conscious workers, bound by discipline
and organized on the basis of Democratic
centralization with full power in the hands
of the Central Executive Committee between
conventions. The Central Executive Committee
of the Party shall also coordinate and direct
the work of Party members in trade unions,"
The first convention of the Workers Party
of America which was, held in New York City in
December, 1921, adopted a constitution which
among other things provided that the emblem
for the Party was the crossed hammer and
sickle with a circle margin, having at the
top "Workers Party of America" and underneath
"Workers of the World, Unite." As of March 4,
1922, James P. Cannon was Chairman and Caleb
Harrison was Secretary of the Workers Party
of America.
Thus the legal or above-ground Communist
organization had been organized. The Communist
Party remained in organized form, but on an
illegal or underground basis. The under-
ground organization was affiliated with the
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-Third Communist International, whereas the
Workers Party of America was not so affiliated.
Among the members of the Communist movement,
the underground Communist Party was known as
the number one organization while the Workers
Party was the number two organization.
There was to develop, however, a difference
of opinion as to the status of the Workers
Party inasmuch as a part of the underground
Communist Party split from the underground
movement, feeling that the Workers Party of
America was given too much autonomy and that
its program was no more than a remote approach
to a Communist program.
On August 19, 1922, it was announced in
"The Worker," the official paper, that the
Second National Convention of the Workers Party
of America would be held in Chicago, Illinois.
The convention of the Workers Party of America,
however, was postponed in light of what trans-
pired at the Secret Convention.of the Under-
ground Communist Party of America, which was
held in Bridgman, Michigan. The convention
was postponed inasmuch as many of the prominent
members of the Central. Executive Committee of
the Workers Party of America who were officials
in the Communist Party of America had been
arrested at Bridgman, Michigan, by State and
Federal Law Enforcement officials. Seventeen
members of the Communist Party of America were
arrested for violation of the Criminal Syndical-
ism Law of that State (Michigan). The repre-
sentatives of the respective factions who had
been in Moscow just prior t'o the Convention
and who attended the Convention arguing their
merits before the Executive Committee of the
Communist International, were Ludwig E. Katter-
feld and J. Lovestone. Three Comintern repre-
sentatives attended the convention at Bridgman,
Michigan. After the Bridgman, Michigan,
incident, the Communist Party of America had
to continue as an underground organization
although its main task consisted in open
work, "especially through the Legal Political
Party (Workers Party of America and the trade
unions."
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On November 18, 1922, the Workers Party
of America announced that it had sent
"Fraternal Delegates" to the Fourth Congress
of the Communist International, which was
held in Mpscow from November 5 to December 5,
1922. The delegates were: Alexander
Trachtenberg, Max Bedachtand James Cartwright.
On December 9, 1922, the Workers Party
of America through Charles E. Ruthenberg,
Secretary, announced that it had a "total
average membership"of 12,394.
On December 9, 1922, the Central Executive
Committee of the Workers Party of America
issued a statement wherein it was stated that
"The Workers Party is a Communist Party, but
it cannot become the Communist Party of
America, the American Section of the Communist
International, as long as the Communist Party
is compelled to exist underground. It is the
task of the Workers Party to create those
conditions which will enable the Communist
Party to exist openly, to fight and work
openly."
On April 28, 1923, it was publicly
announced that the Communist movement in the
United States was "again carrying on its work'
in the open." It was .further stated "through
the Workers Party it ,is publicly advocating
the principles of Communism and winning the
support of the workers for these principles.
The Communists organized in the Workers Party
are no longer the outcasts of the labor move-
ment."
In January, 1924, William Z. Foster,
Secretary of the Trade Union Educational
League, was elected Chairman of the Workers
Party. On July 10, 1924, William Z. Foster
was nominated .by the National Conference of
the Workers Party for President of the Uni1"ed
States. Benjamin Gitlow, member of the
Central Executive Committee of the Workers
Party and editor of the Jewish daily, "Frei-
heit, " was nominated by the National Con-
ference of the Workers Party for Vice-
President of the United States.
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There was no convention of the Workers
Party of America between the 1923 convention
and the convention in August, 1925. The
Communist Party of America was engaging more
in American. politics and members were able to
penetrate non-Communist political organizations.
Partly as a result of this, the underground
organization came to be used less and Jess, and
at a conference of the underground organization
prior to the August, 1925, convention it was
decided to dispense with the underground and
the necessity for dual meetings and to change
the name of the Workers Party to include the
word Communist in its title. The Workers Party
was to contain the leaders of both the Communist
and Workers Party.
The contemplated merger was accompanied
with factionalism and a struggle for power
developed within the ranks. One group was
under the leadership of William Z. Foster, which
later became known at the fourth convention as
"the majority." The other group which became
known as "the minority," was under the leader-
ship of Charles E. Ruthenberg.
The Fourth National Convention of the
Workers (Communist) Party of America was heJ.d
in Chicago, Illinois, on August 21-30, 1925.
The majority representatives consisted of
Alexander Bittelman, James P. Cannon, William
Dunne, Earl Browder, William Z. Foster and
others. The minority representatives were
Charles Ruthenberg, Max Bedacht, J. Lovestone,
William Weinstone and others.
On January 18, 1926, William Z. Foster
and Alexander Bittelman, who were in Moscow,
submitted a report to the Communist Interna-
tional on the Workers (Communist) Party of
America with a request that Party difficulties
be adjusted by the Executive Committee of the
Communist International. In February, 1926,
Earl Browder represented the Communist Party
of America at the session of the Enlarged
Executive Committee of the Communist Inter-
national in Moscow.
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On October 27, 1928, the Political Com-
mittee of the Central Executive Committee of
the Workers (Communist) Party of America un-
animously expelled from the Party James P.
Cannon, member of the Political Committee;
Martin Abern, member; and Max Schachtman,
candidate of the Central. Executive Committee
on the charges that they shared the views of
the Trotskyist Opposition outside the Comintern.
The Sixth National Convention of the
workers (Communist) Party which opened on March
10, 1929, in New York City received an open
letter from the Communist International. The
main portion of the letter from the Comintern
was directed against the factionalism that
had existed in the American Party for some
time. A portion of the letter read as follows:
"The existing factions must be resolutely and
definitely liquidated. The factional struggle
must be unconditionally stopped. Without
this, no mass Communist Party of the American
proletariat can be organized. The Sixth Con-
vention of the Workers Party must categorically
prohibit any further factional struggle under
threat of expulsion from the Party,...,"
On March 10, 1929, the convention adopted
an amendment to the constitution of the Party
by which the name of the Patty was changed to
"Communist Party of the United States of
America, Section of the Communist International.
At this convention the Central Executive Com-
mittee elected a new Secretariat composed of:
William Z. Foster, Benjamin Gitlow and Max
Bedacht. In the year 1929 Ben Gitlow and J.
Lovestone were expelled from the Communist
Party and Stalin placed his blessing on the
leadership of William Z. Foster and Earl Browder.
For approximately fourteen years thereafter
the Party continued under the name of the
Communist Party of the United States of America,
Section of the Communist International and
there was continued harmony in the Party
during this period. Earl Browder was General
Secretary of the Party during this time.
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A new constitution for the Communist
Party of the United States of America was
adopted by the Tenth National Convention of
the Communist Party on May 31, 1938. The
nature or purpose of the Communist Party was
not changed by virtue of the adoption of the
new constitution which contained the following
language in the preamble; "... it (the Com-
munist Party of the United States of America)
is devoted to defense of the immediate in-
terests of workers, farmers, and all toilers
against capitalist exploitation and to pre-
paration of the working class for its historic
mission to unite and lead the American people,
to extend these democratic principles to their
necessary and logical conclusions.....* by the
establishment of socialism, according to the
scientific principles enunciated by the
greatest teachers of mankind, Marx, Engels,
Lenin, and Stalin-, embodied in the Communist
International."
The new constitution contained the fol-
lowing provision concerning the affiliation
of the Communist Party, USA, with the Communist
International. "The Communist Party of the
USA is affiliated with its fraternal Communist
Parties of other lands through the Communist
International and participates in International
Congresses through its national committee.
Resolutions and decisions of International
Congresses shall be considered and acted upon
by the supreme authority of the Communist
Party of the U.S.A., the National Convention,
or between conventions by the National
Committee.
On May 31, 1938, the Tenth National Con-
vention re-elected Earl Browder as General
Secretary of the Communist Party and William
Z. Foster as the National Chairman.
After the dissolution of the Communist
International on June 10, 1943, Earl Browder
developed his own views as to the war situation
and decided that if Stalin was willing to
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dissolve the Communist International to ex-
tract more cooperationfrom the capitalist
All ies, he, Browder, as leader of the Com-
munist Party, USA, should dissolve the
Communist Party, USA, and establish in its
place the Communist Political Association
which would be a non-pot ictical type of or-
ganization and which would be more acceptable
to capitalist America. Browder was able to
put over this idea in the Communist movement
and at a National Convention held on May 20,
1944, the Communist Party, USA, was dissolved
and a Communist Political Association was
established in its place. For a period of
fourteen months the Communist Political
Association existed and advocated complete
cooperation with the U.S. Government which
at that time was extending aid to the Soviet
Union. The first portion of the preamble to
the constitution of the Communist Political
Association read as follows:
"The Communist Political Association is
a non-political organization of Americans which
basing itself upon the working class carried
forward the traditions of Washington, Jefferson,
Payne, Jackson and Lincoln under the changed
conditions of modern industrial society."
In April 1945, just as it was apparent
that Germany was going to surrender and that
the Soviet Union was once again secure, Jacques
Duclos, a. Frenchman, flew back to France from
Moscow and wrote an article which appeared
in the Communist Press of France. This article
assailed Earl Browder and denounced Browder's
action in dissolving the Communist' Party, USA.
The article bitterly attacked the formation
of the Communist Political Association. In
view of this criticism from Jacques Duclos
who apparently had his instructions from Russia,
the Communist leaders assembled in a pre-con-
vention caucus and discussed the Duclos. article.
The Duclos article was reprinted in the "Daily
Worker" of May 24, 1945, with a foreward by
Earl Browder who was then the editor-in-chief
of the Daily Worker and the President of the
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Communist Political Association.
The National Convention of the Communist
Political Association convened in New York City
on July 26, 1945, and received the unanimous
recommendation of the National Board of the
Communist Political Association that the
Communist Party be promptly reconstituted.
The convention voted to reconstitute the
Communist Party of the United States of America,
adopted a new constitution and elected new
national officers. The first sentence of .the
preamble of the constitution stated "The Com-
munist Party of the USA is the political
party of the American working class, basing
itself on the principles of scientific social-
ism, Marxism-Leninism." Earl Browder was
removed from the leadership of the Communist
Party and William Z. Foster became its leader.
Since the Communist Party, USA, was re-
constituted in July, 1945, it has constantly
become more antagonistic toward the American
Government and as the international relations
between the Soviet Union and the American
Government have deteriorated, the Communist
Party has continued to champion the foreign
policy of the Soviet Union and to critici2e
bitterly the American foreign policy.
The Communist Party, USA describes it-
self in its Constitution. as being a class
political party "basing itself upon the
principles of scientific socialism Marxism-
Leninism." By Marxism-Leninism is meant a
complete system of thought formulated by
Karl Marx ("the on inator"), Frederick Engels
("the collaborator"), V. I. Lenin ("the
developer") and Joseph Stalin ("the continuer").
This system of thought consists of seven
basic ideas: (1) an atheistic explanation
of man and the universe; (2) a materialistic
interpretation of history; (3) advocacy of
the abolition of the State and private property
used in production; (4) a revolutionary theory,
method and a violent revolution where necessary
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to overthrow the non-Communist social orders;
(5) rejection of the Judaic-Christian moral
code and the substitution for it of a . moral .-
code based on non-supernatural proletarian 0
Utility (the end justifies the means); (6)
destruction of all religions; (7) a world-wide
Communist society which will be stateless,
classless and Godless.
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ORIGIPT AT.Tr COT'T I7-,1 ITY
OF THT. C'",,,"'Tr:TIST PARTY
;oculist Party
.;.901
i _._... oc_a~
Propaganda,. League
`9 1
Communist
propaganda Lea,Tue
Left ?\Tin ; Section
I of Socialist Party ebrtza.ry 1919 "it 0 Comm tern
NNinority
Majority 1 (Foreign Fe,derationn
(Quit Socialist Party) Expelled from Socialist Party)
August 1919 May 12,19
Communist Labor Party Communist Party of America
September 19-1-9 ? September 1919
January 1919
Minority NNajority Order. from Comintern
I "_n:i.teci Co-nnnuaist Party
1920 i
Call for Ccmnnan J-8 t
Internationa
For Unification of Com-
'monist:: in [.S.A. 1)20
an ". 1921
Comrr_uiist Party of America
Section of Comi r:te?rn
(TTrlif ied )
1921 ._
,Yorker:; Party of finerica Conul unist Party of America Section of CO!!]_nte 'n
j
192 192
Workers (Comrn,.znist) Party of America Section of Comintern
192 E......_....__...._._.._.__._---.._ _--
C~tuzist Patty of the T .S. Section of romi ote.rl:
Di_saffil_J_at icn -o?.,e.,mIher. 1>1,.0
;Oi.'Il"a1niEst I'tD Thal ~I; d Tdtion
may 19'44
Formal Lissol.?Ation 19h-4
_..D.aclos Letter April l9).*5
Communist Party of the U.S.A.
July 19~}5
"Illegal." or under-
grouznr. organization
Bo1sh evik,,
... 1903..
","ctober" (1.91:7) R.eyol-.ution
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7V, HISTORY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
A. There was no organized Communist movement in the United States prior
to the Communist Revolution which took place in Russia on November 7,
1917 (October by the Russian calendar, hence it is referred to as the
October Revolution in present day Communist literature)0
1. During the period extending from March 2 to 6, 1919, the Third
(Communist) International was founded under the guidance of
V. I. Lenin.
a. It rejected the socialist program of reform and called for
a violent overthrow of all non-Communist governments. through-
out the world,
2. With the development of the Communist Revolution in. Russia and of.the
Third International, the American Communists, who had been working
within the framework of the Socialist Party., were electrified and.
stimulated into following in the footsteps of their Russian comrades e
3,
a. The first main step of the American Communists was to cause the
Socialist Party to be split into a right-wing and a left-wing group.
b. The left-wing group looked to the Russians for ideological leadership.
This caused the right-wing group to take a definite stand against
Russian leadership and against the Third International and those
who supported it,
On August 30, 1919, an Emergency National Convention of the Socialist
Party was held at the Machinist Hall in Chicago, Illinois,
a? The left-wing element planned to capture the Party in order to
make it not Socialist but Communist,
b. The right-wing element learned of these plans and, with the help of
the police, prevented the "leftists" from entering the Machinist
Hall where the Convention was to be held. This was tantamount to
expulsion,
4. On being so expelled the left-:ring element (many of whom were native
born Americans) returned to another hall of the same building and held
a meeting of their own.
a. As a result of this action, they founded on September 1, 1919, the
Communist Labor Party. This was the first time a Communist party
had been formed in the United States.
5. From September 1-5, 1919, the predominantly foreign born Communists of
the left-win; group held a Convention of their own in the Russian
Federation Building in Chicago.
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6.
a. At this time they founded the Communist Party of America which
subsequently became dominated by the foreign language federations
active in this period,
As a result of this conflict between the native and the foreign born
Communists two Communist parties were created in the United States
overnight.
a. It is of some interest to note that the Communist Party was born
in conflict. It has lived in conflict ever since and it may die
in conflict. Becaus.e of its very nature it cannot avoid conflict.
7. It is also of some interest to note that Communism of its very nature
is divisive. It lends itself readily to the formation of "splinter
groups." Even in the period of its founding it divided and divided
again. From it other parties have come. For example, the Michigan
State Socialist Party, which at this time was a portion of the left-
wing group, broke away from the Communist Party of America to become
the Proletarian Party of America which is still in existence. There
have been many other such examples both here and in foreign nations,
the most recent significant defection being the Communist Party of
Yugoslavia which has behind it the power and organization of an entire
nation.
B. The Third (Communist) International would recognize only one Communist
party in a nation.
1. As a result of this the two Communist parties in the United States
reconsidered their differences and merged in the Spring of 1921 to
form the Communist Party of America.
2. This Party accepted the "twenty-one points" of administration of
the Third International referred to previously.
C. Congress passed the Deportation Statute of October 16, 1918, designed to
provide for the deportation of radical aliens who were opposed to government
or who believed in, or advocated its overthrow by force and violence, or
who were members of an organization of this nature. The following year, 1919,
this law was applied against the Communists and the Party went underground.
1. Two Communist organizations were formed in 1921, the underground
organization continued as the Communist Party of America and the above-
ground organization became known as. the Workers Party of America,
The latter did not affiliate with the Third International as a sub-
terfuge to avoid prosecution 'but it' did support its programs never-
theless.
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D. Late in 1922 and 'in 1923 government action against the Communists
lessened and the Communist Party of America rose from the underground
to merge again as one party, which became known as the Workers Party
of America. This was done with the approval of Communist leaders
in Russia. This "new" Party reaffirmed the principles of the Russian-
dominated Third International.
1. During its Convention of 1925, the Party again changed its name,
this time to: Workers (Communist) Party of America.
E. Following some years of considerable internal dissension (1923-1929) the
Party became known officially in 1929 as the Communist Party of the United
States of America. At this time Joseph Stalin placed his important stamp
of approval upon the leadership of Earl Browder and William Z. Foster and
top Communists who had been guilty of factionalist activities were expelled.
1. For the first time the Party became relatively monolithic, that is,
a party allowing no factionalism.
2. The Party continued with considerable harmony under its new name and
leadership for fourteen years.
(NOTE: You will find immediately following this page and
numbered page 16(b) a chart captioned "Origin
and Continuity of the Communist Party." It is
believed this will assist you in getting a more
complete grasp of the Socialistic background and
early origins of the Communist Party of the United
States as it now exists.)
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F. In May., 1944 at a National Convention the Communist Party of the
United States of America dissolved itself and there was established
in its place the Communist.Political A:ssoeiation.
1, Earl Browder, General Secretary,, was the leading force
behind this change.
2. Browder was influenced in this course of action by the
dissolving'of the Communist International for the purpose
of facilitating the war effort in behalf of Communist interests,
a. He reasoned that a similar policy in the United. States
manifested by the dissolving of the Communist Party
would facilitate war efforts here., for the Communist
Political Association could be more acceptable to
capitalist America than the old, militant., revolutionary
Party,
Disagreement among the American Communists followed BrowderOs
action. The opposition centered around William Z. Foster.
Jacques Duclos, a French Communist leader subject to Russian
influence., issued a strongly worded article criticizing
Browder's action in Cahiers du Communisme. April, 19450
G. At a convention held in July 194$ the Communist Political Association
was dissolved and the Communist Party,USA, was reconstituted.
1. Earl Browder was removed from his position of leadership and
William Z. Foster assumed the leadership which he still
maintains, Likewise the name of the Party remains as it was
reconstituted in 19115,
2. Browder was charged with mutilating and deviating from Marxist-
Leninist principles in the direction of the "right." He was
expalled bar the Party and remains outside it.. and is. regularly
condemned by it.
3. Since repudiating "Browderism9" the Communist Party, USA, has
continued on with its militant.. interpretation and application
of the so-called "science" of Martism-laninism. In 1950 it
is more militant and defiant than it has been for years.
H. The year 1949 witnessed repeated action against the American
Communists.
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1. On July 20..-1948 twelve members of the National Board of the Commu-
nist Party, USA were indicted. The trial opened in New York City
January 17, 1949 and eleven members were found guilty under the
Smith Act on October 14, 1949,, The twelth member, William Z.
Foster, was not prosecuted because of illness.
2. Investigations conducted under the Federal Loyalty Program
(initiated in compliance with Executive Order 9835 on March 21, 1947)
continued in 1949 to eliminate Communists and other subversives from
the Federal Government.
3. Twenty-one Communists were cited for contempt in Los Angeles.
4. Twelve Communists were cited for contempt in Denver.
5. Harry Bridges was prosecuted, convicted, sentenced and in 1950
placed in jail. He has since been released on bail.
6. The Government began deportation proceedings against a number of
Communists, for example:
a. Proceedings to deport Alex Bittelman to Russia.
b. Proceedings to deport Claudia Jones to Trinidad, West Indies.
c. Proceedings to deport amok"Stachel.to P-Oland.
d. Proceedings to deport Irving Potash to Russia..
7. Organized labor pressed a strong campaign to remove Communists
from positions of influence in labor unions.
8. Some universities took action. against Communist members of the faculty.
9. Different men in high rankinggpositions in.-business, education,
religion, science and public-life commenced. to speak out ever more
effectively against the Communist menace.
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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, USA
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V. ORGANIZATIONAL S.JCTURE AND OPERATIONS OF THE COl NIST PARTY, USA
A. The National Convention is the highest-authority, in theory, of the
Communist Party, USA.
1. As a matter of fact it isknown uthathe ve been sent out to Moscow,
National Convention's deliberations
Russia for approval before the Convention begins.
*The operations of the Communist Party, USA, are controlled from the National
Headquarters of the Party located at 35 East
U12thfStreet,. NeW YorkrCity. It
Membership figures for the Communist Party~~cohsisting of snout
is estimated that at present the Party has a~membersh3p
54,000 persons.:
the yt os for the
years to
2. The National tConvention is usually ablishin the Party's h"line"e for two
purpose of es g
follow.
its fune
3, The National Convention also
ndtaegeneralon
of new officers,
secretary.
a. The secretary is regarded, generally, as being the titular
leader of the Party. However, the distinction between the
secretary and chairman is not clear-cut, therefore it is
possible for the latter to be the titular leader if deemed
necessary.
B. National Committee
1. This Committee is elected by the National Convention. Its
membership is not fixed and it can vary from a few to 50
members or more. Atthe present time it has 13 members.
Membership is determined by the National Convention.
2. The purpose of the National committee is to act on matters
affecting the Party "line" during an emergency and to serve
for the National Convention when the latter is not in session.
This includes:
a. Organizing and supervising various departments, committees
and commissions of the Partyo
b. Guiding and directing all political and organizational
work of the Party.
c. Directing and supervising the Party pressa
d. Administering the Treasury of the Party.
e. Organizing and directing all other important undertakings
of importance to the entire Party.
3, The National committee under normal conditions meets at least
three times a year.
C. National Board
1. The National Board is elected by the National Committee and it
i's charged with the responsibility of carrying on the day to
day work of the Party. It carries out the decisions of the
National Committee. A full meeting of the Board is normally
held once each month.
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2. The National Board at the present time consists of twelve
members, eleven of whom were tried and convicted in the
Communist trial referred to previously.
D. The United States is divided into various Communist organizational
units such ass
to District organizations (30 in number)
2e State organizations
3- County organizations
14 City organizations
50 Sectional organizations
6e Club organizations
7e Group organizations
E. Within the over-all Communist organizational apparatus are other
organizational units known as
i
comm
ssions, departments and
committees, designed to suggest and help carry through
which will build Communist strength in m policy
Some of the main ones are: Review Commission
2. Cultural Commi.ssion
3. Farm Commission
4. Legislation Commission
5- Organization Department
6- Student Commission
7. Trade Union Commission
*In order to coordinate the various districts in the interior of the
United States, the Communist Part
USA
y,
, has set up two regional
headquarters, the Midwestern region with headquarters in Chicago,
and the Rocky Mountain region with headquarters in Denver.
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8, Education., Agitation and Publications Department
9, Women?s Commission
10, Negro Commission
11, Press Commission
12. Veterans?, Commission
23, Nationality Groups Commission
]J Youth Commission
15. Foreign Affairs Committee'
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SPLINTER GROUPS
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XV. COMMUNIST PARTY, USA ANDTHE-OPPOSING-SP1INTER GROUPS
A. From the beginning different groups have broken off from the main
historical trunk of Communism to form movements of their own. Some
of these groups active in the United States-today are:
1. Socialist Workers Party
a. It was organized December 31, 1937--January 3, 1938 at
Chicago, Illinois.
b. Ideologically the Party is based on the teachings of Karl
Marx and V. I. Lenin as interpreted by Leon Trotsky,
c. Although the Party is anti-Stalinist the Party has indicated
it would align itself with Soviet Russia in the event of a
war between this country and Soviet Russia.
d. It is now supporting Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia in his
quarrel with the Stalinistso
e. On December 8, 1941 eighteen members of.the Socialist
Workers Party were sentenced in Minneapolis, Minnesota
under the Smith Act for conspiracy with intent to interfere
with and imperil the loyalty, morals and discipline of the
military and moral forces of the United States. They were
accused of counseling and causing insubordination and
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f.
g.
mutiny and refusal of duty by members of the military and
naval forces.
Of the eighteen members, twelve received sixteen months
and six received a year and a day in jail,
Its publications are The Militant (a weekly) and The
Fourth International (a mono
h.
i.
Shortly after the Fourth International. organization was
formed in Switzerland on September 3, 1938, the Socialist
Workers Party announced it:was the American Sector of it.'
On December 21,1940 it disaffiliated because of the terms
of the Voorhis Act.
It. has a membership of approximately 1000 persons and
maintains its national headquarters at 116 University
Place, New York, New York.
-I
Z
D
X
2.
Independent Socialist League*
CD
ao This group was formed in 1940, splitting off from the
Socialist Workers Party.
b. Ideologically this group is also based on the teachings
of Karl Marx and V. I. Lenin as interpreted by Leon
Trotsky instead of by Joseph Stalin,
co It differs with the Socialist Workers Party in that its
officials claim their Party will not support Soviet Russia
in the event'of a war between Russia and the United States.
d. Its present main purpose is to infiltrate the labor move-
ment in order to eventually organize the working classes
for the abolition of capitalism and the creation of a
workers government based upon socialism.
e. At this time it considers itself to be essentially a
propaganda group rather than a real political party.
f. Its membership consists of about 375 persons, with their
national headquarters being located at 4 Court Square,
Long Island City, New?York.
*This organization was formerly known. as The Workers Party.
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