October 4, 1919 THE COMMUNIST Page Seven The Party Organization C. Ruthenberg, Executive Secretary 1219 Blue Island Avenue, Chicago.
tion LTHOUGH the Executive Committee of the German Language Federation is trying to force the German branches into the Communist Labor Party, they are refusing to follow their leaders into that soap bubble organizaThe first branch chartered by the Communist Party was the German Branch of St. Paul.
Local Minneapolis, Minn. has endorsed the program and constitution of the Communist Party.
The German branch of Cleveland, which has over 100 members, unanimously endorsed the Communist Party, after two meetings, at the first of which Ruthenberg, Executive Secretary of the Communist Party and Alfred Wagenknecht of the Communist Labor Party spoke; the second meeting was addressed by Fred Friedman, Organizer for the Communist Party German Federation, and Max Bedacht, member of the Executive Committee of the Communist Labor Party.
The branch got all the facts from both sides and then unanimously endorsed the Communist Party.
Local Cuyahoga County (Cleveland. last Sunday held a convention in which all the branches of the organization were represented on the basis of one delegate for each ten members. Bilan, member of the Executive Committee of the Communist Labor Party, and Alfred Wagenknecht, Executive Secretary of the same party, were given forty five minutes to present their case, and Ruthenberg spoke for the same length of time as the representative of the Communist Party. The result was a vote of 178 to for affiliation with the Comin unist Party, one of the three votes for the Communist Labor Darty being that of Wagenknecht. This means the organization of a Communist local of 2, 509 members. Socialist Party or the Socialist Labor Party which endorses the program and constitution of the Socialist Party. etc. Of course we didn mean it. The section of the constitution in ques.
tion reads: Any branch of the Socialist Party or the Socialist Labor Party which endorses the program and constitution of the Communist Party and applies for a charter before Jan. 1, 1920, shall be accepted as a branch.
Branches which affliate under the clause above are not required to pay the initiation fee of 50 cents for their members, but new Communist Party dues books should be issued to all members at once. Dues must be paid beginning with the month of affiliation irrespective of any advance payment to the organization previously alfiliated with. If a member is in arrears he may purchase Communist Party stamps to cover the arrearage.
The part of the Communist Party dues cards carrying the transfer record of the member should be used to indicate the member previous afiliation and length of membership.
Communist Party state organizations are established in the following states: Connecticut: Costrell, State Secretary, 52 Elliott Street, New Haven.
Massachusetts: Marion Sprouie, State Sec.
retary, 885 Washington Street, Boston.
Michigan: Oakley Johnson, 1314 Volland Avenue, Ann Arbor.
New Jersey: Walter Gabriel, 50 Hobson Street, Newark Branches in the above states should send their charter applications to their state offices and order dues stamps through their state secretary. Federation branches should send for charters to the secretary of their organization. fee of 00 should accompany each charter application to pay the cost of printing and postage in connection with the issuance of new charters.
The German Branch of Ft. Wayne is for the Communist Party.
So is the German Branch of Vincennes, Ind.
The German Branches of Passaic and Newark, New Jersey, are united for the party.
Lettish Branch No. of Cleveland, of which Bilan, member of the Executive Committee of the Communist Labor Party is a member, voted 26 to for the Communist Party after hearing his re.
port on why he did not attend the Communist Convention as instructed.
The Twenty Eight Ward Branch of Local Cook County, of which two Chicago delegates to the Communist Labor Party are members, decided with only one dissenting vote to become a Communist Party branch.
Nineteen Massachuseits branches have asked for their Communist Party charters. The state is solid for the Communist Party.
Motion, that the party undertake the defense of Comrade Batt. Carried.
Motion, that Comrade Ferguson be appointed counsel for the party. Carried.
Motion, that the Executive Council shall constitute the Legal Bureau. Carried.
Motion, that standard wage of 45. 00 per week for persons with families and 35. 00 per week for employes without families be established for the positions of Executive Secretary, Editors, Organizers and Translator Secretaries. Carried.
Motion, that members of the committee who live in New York constitute the sub committee of the central executive committee. Lost.
Motion, that members of the Central Executive Committee and Translator Secretaries be used as organizers wherever possible. Carried.
Motion, that Bertram Wolle be appointed organizer for the state of New York.
Amendment, that we request the New York members to make a recommendation for organizer for New York.
Amendment to amendment, that the New York members of the committee constitute a committee to organize a District or State Organization.
Amendment to the amendment carried.
Motion that Comrade Cohen act as secretary of the New York Committea. Carried.
Motion, that tire Executive Council be authorizcil to divide the country into districts for the purpose of organizing District and State Organi.
zations. Carried.
Motion, that we endeavor to have the members of the Party develop a Co operative Printing Plant.
Referred to the Executive Council.
Notion, that we appoint as a Press Bureau, the editors of the national, state and Federation Party papers, and that the national editor act as secretary of the Bureau. Carried.
Motion, that we print a pampiriet containing the correspondence in regard to unity with the bolting delegates and that it contain the program and constitution of the party and be mailed to all locals with a charter application. Carricd.
Motion, that Comrades Ferguson and raina be appointed ctitors of the Manifesto and that it, tosether with the program, be printed in pamphlet form. Carried.
Motion that we instruct the Executive Council to take steps to publish the stenographic report of the Convention Proceedings. Carried.
Motion, that the Executive Council act as the Spocial Committee called for by the Convention actions. Carried.
Plotion, that the Ceatral Executive Committee meet again on the first Saturday in November.
Carried.
Viction, that the Executive Secretary endeavor to arrange meetings for the members of the ommittee while en route to the meetings of the committee. Carried.
Motion, that the Executive Secretary, in co.
operation with the Executive Council, be authorized to secure new acadquarters. Carried.
Motion, that Emergency Meetings of the Central Executive Committee may be calied by majority vote of the committee or by the Executive Council. Carried.
Motion, that the work of the Central Exccutive Committee be carried on through executive motions, which shall be held open for fifteen days, and which may be accompanied by 300 words of comment. Members of the Executive Council may have adverse comment to same extent sent out with the motion. Carried.
Motion, that the funds of the party bo deposited in a bank and that all bills be paid by check signed by the Executive Secretary and countersigned by one of the members of the Executive Council. Carried. Comrado Ferguson designated to countersign checks with Comrade Schwartz as alternate.
Motion, that the party take over the Communist and Revolutionary Age and all their as.
sets and liabilities. Carried.
Motion, that Comrade Batt continue as secrotary for one week. Carried.
Comracio Elbaum made a statement in regard to the printing plant of the Polish Federation, requesting that when speed was not necessary printing be given to the plant. This was referred to the Executive Secretary with a favorable recommendation. RUTHENBERG, Executive Secretary.
The Communist Party situation in New York City is excellent. membership meeting held Saturday, September 20, decided by a unanimous vote of 398 (none against) to affiiate with the Communist Party, after hearing the report of the delegates to the Convention. The Left Wing of Queens County is solid for our Party, with a membership of over 600; while the Bronx has been reorganized, with three fourths of the Left Wing membership joining the Communist Party, 1, 000 dnes books having been ordered. In Kings County the official machinery may be retained for the Communist Labor Party, since it is in the control of Centrists such as Lore, Pauly and Whitehorn, but at least two thirds of the mem.
bers will affiliate with the Communist Party.
Your branches of the German Federation in New York have already repudiated the Centrist Federation and joined the Communist Party.
Not a single branch in New York City has joined the Communist Labor Party. few branchey are staying out of both parties and carrying on a unity campaign. But the Com.
munist comrades in New York, who may be temporarily misled by the Reed Gitlow combine will soon realize that there is one way to real ComTunist unity by joining the Communist Party.
MINUTES OF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SUNDAY, SEPT. 7, 1919.
Comrade Terguson elected chairman. Ruthenberg, secretary.
Present, all members but Comrade Petras, Motion that we procedd to elect the Executive Council. Carried.
Comrade Wicks, Schwartz, Karas, Ferguson and Dirba eiected. These together with Comrades Ruthenberg and Fraina constituie the Executive Council.
Motion, that we elect an associate editor of The Communist and Communist International. Carried. Comrade Ferguson elected.
Comrade Stilson was given the ficor and stated that the Lithuanian Federation Convention was to be held in Brooklyn, on Sept. 27, and suggested that the party send delegates to oftlcially represent it. Comrades Lovestone and Bittelinan elected.
Motion, that we elect two delegates to attend the convontion of the Jewish Federation at Philadelphia, Oct. 9th, 10th, 11th. Carried. Comrades Cohen and Hourwich elected.
Motion, that we elect two delegates to attend the South Slavie Convention at Chicago, Sept.
12th. Carried. Comrades Hourwich and Fergu son elected.
Motion, that the Central Executive Committee take charge of the defense of ail the comrades arrested and that we establish a Legal Bureau to defend party members against prosecution. Car.
ried.
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The printer last week made us say in our front page organization notes that any branch of the