THE 0OMMUNIST Seven The Party in Action Negotiations Regarding Unity with the Three months have passed since the government struck the blow which was intended to disrupt the Communist Party. In those three months the machinery of the party organization has been reconstructed lowing executive motion had been sub doing any organization work west of the on a new basis. While the work is not complete in every part of the mitted to be sent the members of the comcountry, it has gone forward far enough to enable the party to again Mississippi.
mittee by mail, but had been withheld beundertake the work of propaganda which was temporarily interrupted cause of the nearness of the meeting. Unity at this time by action of the The first work along this line was the distribution of Leaflet No. 7, Motion: That the Communist Party and committees, instead of waiting for a con What Communism Means, which was printed in large quantities and be declared united by joint resolution of the Communist Labor Party shall at once vention, is warrated by the new problems of organization created by the government sent to every district organization. The Communist has been re estab their executive committeess, upon the folattack upon both parties.
lished and unless unforeseen interruptions take place, will be issued lowing basis. Immediate unity is important also twice a month. On account of the difficulties of distributing under the because of the miserable provacateur at1. The name of the united party shall be new cond tions it is desirable that the paper remain a semi monthly the Communist Labor Party of America.
tempts of the Socialist Party to take advantage of the hard situation of the Comfor the present, rather than return to the weekly issue. The principles and program of the munists.
The membership of the party has rallied to their organization with united Party shall be those set forth in Failure to achieve quick and effective a new enthusiasm and a spirit that means much for the organization.
the Manifesto and Program of the Com organization means future of as playmunist Party.
Some me nbers, who were in the party for the social intercourse which thing of a small group of hair splitting The form of reorganization of the doctrinaires and feverish talk conspirators.
many of the branches provided. in the past, have of course, dropped by party shall be that adopted by the Central It means a duplication of the history.
the wayside. But those who remain are men and women who are in Executive Committee of the which Unity with the would constitlute a earnest in their support of the cause of Communism and the party will organization plan already adopted by the organization in the United States; it would we understand to correspond with the re measurable advance in actual Communist in the future be really made up of members who will participate ac executive committee of the be an assurance that the really means tively in the work.
In all respects not modified by the to build a functioning organization.
With a membership made up of active Communists only, with or foregoing organization plans and by the Unity of these two parties would be ganization machinery that is more effective in its operation than ever emergency situation the Constitution of the a splendid fighting response to the smashing Communist Party shall be that of the unitbefore, the party organization is ready for action and stronger than it government persecutions. Unity six months ed party.
from now will be a dead issue unless there was during the period of its legal existence. The two executive committees shall is effective offset to the demoralization acTHE PARTY UNITS AND THEIR DUTIES be at once merged into a single committee, companying the raids and arrests.
each to retain its method of keeping its The new unit of the party organization is the group, which will be 10. Unity will add prestige to the Comnumber complete, this merger to include all munist Party in the eyes of the European the administrative affairs of the two parusually made up of about ten members. The existing branches have parties belonging to the Third Internaional.
been divided into these groups, largely along territorial lines, but this ties.
The European Communists have been preis only a temporary arrangement. The future groups are to build wher convention shall be called not later vented from putting proper trust in the than May 15, and shall be held not later ever they can function for organization and propaganda work. The Communist Party because of the existence than July, 1920.
of two parties, accepting afiliation and the shop groups are most necessary and fundamental. They must be orComment: Circumstances have preprinciples and tactics of the Third Interganized as quickly as possible. Groups may also be formed within vented adequate consideration of this quesnational.
unions when there are sufficient Communist members, or on any other tion by our committee. Recent decisions The following letter from the National basis that brings together a certain number of party members.
adverse to immediate unity have been made Executive Committee of the in reply to our last proposal for a convention, By becoming a member of a party group the person joining pledges by four to six votes. Meanwhile there has been considerable expression of unity senwas also submitted. himself to actively participate in the work assigned to his group. Every timent from our membership, several referMarch group member is expected to circulate leaflets and to sell the party pa endum proposals favorable to unity, which Central Executive Committee Communist pers and pamphlets. It is his duty to assist in raising funds through se could not be submitted on account of the Party of America.
curing contributions from those who, while not ready to assume the arrests, and also some independent unity Comrades: The National Executive Committee of obligations of party membership are still sympathetic and ready to give action by our members. Unity is in line with the policy of the the Communist Labor Party learns with refinancial assistance.
Third International, as made emphatic by gret that the Central Executive Committee The groups can easily hold meetings in the home of the members the September 1st declaration of the Cen o fthe Communist Party has again refused for the discussion of party problems and to plan their work. They should tral Executive Committee of the Interna the opportunity to unite all Communist organize themselves as study classes and hold regular meetings to de tional. The International aims to unite all forces in the United States under one banvelop a clearer understanding of the party principles.
communist elements, regardless of previous ner.
divisions, even extending to the non political No other interpretation can be placed Each group elects one of its members as group organizer. The syndicalists. The test is adherence to the upon the proposal by the Central Executive group organizer will keep the members of his group in touch with the Soviet system and the proletarian dictator Committee of the Communist Party to hold party organization as a whole. His duties are to secure leaflets and ship.
a convention, in view of their insistence that as a basis for the convention tentative There never was any division between parers and pamphlets from the branch organizer and deliver these to the members of his group for distribution. He collects the dues of the the and the on fundamental acceptance of the Communist Party constitution setting forth the fundamental remembers each month and transmits communist principles. The fact of the two other funds collected for party parties is accounted for primarily by the lationship of the Language Federations purposes. When elections take place or matters are submitted to referinadequate Left Wing organization work within the party is essential.
endum of the membership he acts as the medium through which this within the Socialist Party, and particularly The form of language federations has work is conducted. It is his duty to see that every member of his group by the withdrawal from the Left Wing been one of the essential points of differConference of the Federations and the ence between the two parties. The fact that takes an active part in the party work. He is responsible for the perMichigan representatives. The split oca small clique through their control of the formance of his duties to the branch organizer.
cured only on the question of the method autonomous federation groups controlled the Communist Party Convention in Chiof starting a Communist Party, and of FedThe group organizers of a branch or section elect the branch or cago prevented unity of all the Communist eration control of the Left Wing Council.
section organizer. Where there is only one branch of a certain nationelements there. But now that the governThe differences between the two party ality the branch organizer is a member of the sub district committee.
mental persecution has forced both parties If there are more than one branch sub district organizer for the Fed programs are differences merely in the form of expression. The CL. members have to ignore the constitutions that they adopted eration or English branches is appointed and the branch organizers always avowed themselves in agreement last íall, now that the Communist Party receive their instructions and literature through him.
with our principles, and the acceptance of constitution regarding federations, it is senseless and silly to bring acceptance of sub district of the national organization consists of all the the program by the CL. committee would be in conformity with all the declar these principles as an essential preliminary The asbranches in a certain territory, usually a large city and its suburbs or to unity of Communist forces.
ations of their membership. It could not a group of smaller cities closely connected industrially. Such sub dissumption is justified that they are trotted tricts are in charge of a sub district organizer of the National Organiza mittee could not act for its members on out rather as an obstacle to unity, so as to perpetuate the small clique control of the this point.
tion, who works in co operation and under the supervision of a subCommunist Party by the present majority district committee. The sub dictrict committee consists of one rpresen Unity with the would aid in of the Communist Party Central Executative of the English branches and the sub district organizer of the bringing the Communist movement into contact with the American workers. For tive Committee (Continued on page 8)
National Organization. All the work of the National Organization is conducted through its sub district organizer, who receives all literature instance, the has hardly any Englishand collects all funds for his sub district.
In another few weeks this machinery will be working smoothly The sub districts are combined into district organizations. Each district is in charge of an organizer of the National Organization, who everywhere. Three or four districts are already thoroughly reorganreceives his instructions from the National Organization and is charged ized. Then the work of propaganda and the attack upon capitalism will go ahead full speed and the tools of capitalism will learn that rather with the supervision and direction of the work of his district. Each than having destroyed the Communist Party they have merely made district has a District Committee organized in the same manner as the a stronger and a more dangerous enemy of the existing order.
sub district committee,