THE REVIVAL OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL Its Significance for the United States On November 22, 1958, the Moscow Pravda, official organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, published a directive by Otto V. Kuusinen, former secretary of the Executive Committee of the Communist International, for "the creation of a broad popular movement against the domination of large monopolies" in the United States. In the light of its historical background, this fact is of profound significance to the development of the Communist movement in the United States and to American relations with the Soviet Union in general. This statement was part of a broader commentary on the "Declaration of Communists and Workers' Parties" of the Socialist countries held in Moscow, November 14-16, 1957, on the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, which declaration, according to Mr. Kuusinen, "has received unanimous approval of all parties maintaining the positions of Marxism-Leninism," and "has become the common platform of the modern international Communist movement." As such it assumes far-reaching international importance. It marks, in fact, the revival, possibly under a new title, of the international Communist organization, which for 30-odd years has been known as the Communist International. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION The Communist International was founded at its first congress in Moscow on March 2-6, 1919. From its inception it was dedicated to the advancement of Soviet interests. At its second congress held in Moscow, July 17 to August 7, 1920, it drew up 21 points laying down the requirements for admission to the Communist International, including point 14, which read: Each party desirous of affiliating with the Communist International should be obliged to render every possible assistance to the Soviet Republics * * *1 In May 1921, the United Communist Party of America held a secret session in Woodstock, N.Y., which constituted itself as the "American Section of the Communist International." In the course of years the United Communist Party of America became known as the Workers Party of America (1921-24 in open form), Communist Party of America (1922 in secret form), Workers (Communist) Party (1925-29), Communist Party of the United States (1930 to date with the exception of 1944-45), Communist Political Association (1944-45). The organization published the Daily Worker, which for a number of years, until the early 1930's, has carried on its masthead the caption: "Central Organ of the Communist Party U.S.A. (Section of the Communist International)." In his authoritative "History of the "Theses and Statutes of the Third (Communist) International," published by the Publishing Office of the Communist International, Moscow, 1920; and reprinted by the United Communist Party of America; reprinted by the House Special Committee on Un-American Activities (app., pt. 1, p. 124). Communist Party of the United States," William Z. Foster, for many years chairman of that organization, declared frankly: The Communist Party of the United States *** owes a great debt to the Comintern for its own Marxist-Leninist development.? On November 16, 1940, the Communist Party, U.S.A., in an emergency national convention voted to cancel and dissolve its organizational affiliation to the Communist International *** for the specific purpose of removing itself from the term of the socalled Voorhis Act, which originated in the House of Representatives as H.R. 10094, which has been enacted and goes into effect in January 1941 ** *3 The action was subsequently approved by the Executive Committee of the Communist International.* On June 10, 1943, the Communist International was dissolved allegedly as a "war measure" during the period of Russia's alliance with the United States and other powers against Germany, Japan, and Italy during World War II.5 The original resolution on this matter was approved by Otto V. Kuusinen, then a member of the Executive Committee of the Communist International." During the period between 1919 and 1943, the Communist International had published the following publications for its affiliates throughout the world: International Press Correspondence, later known as World News and Views, and the Communist International (magazine). Despite the avowed "dissolution" of the Communist International, its international apparatus continued to function under cover. Louis Francis Budenz, former managing editor of the Daily Worker, who left the CPUSA in 1945, is in a position to know how the Communist International, in spite of its alleged dissolution, behaved during World War II. He has declared: As a matter of fact, the Communist Party apparatus continued to function in the same manner as before, all Communist Parties receiving directives from Moscow and following a common line." During this period, Moscow reached its supporters in other lands through two publications: War and the Working Class, founded June 8, 1943, and New Times, both published in various languages, including English. New Times is still published. Within 2 years after the close of World War II and 4 years after the alleged dissolution of the Communist International, the worldwide Communist organization was reconstituted. Certain obvious devices. were employed to conceal Moscow's dominant role and purpose. In September 1947, a conference of nine European Communist parties was held in Poland, including the parties of Rumania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, France, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, and, of course, the Soviet Union. This obviated the necessity of a conference of representatives of all Communist parties which would have been expensive and cumbersome. The meeting held in Poland was a 2 "History of the Communist Party of the United States," by William Z. Foster (International Publishers New York, 1952), p. 415. "History of the Three Internationals," by William Z. Foster (International Publishers, New York, 1955), p. 439. "The Way Out," by Earl Browder (International Publishers, New York, 1941), p. 191. Daily Worker, Nov. 17, 1940, pp. 1 and 4. "History of the Communist Party of the United States," by William Z. Foster (International Publishers. New York, 1952), pp. 414, 415. "History of the Three Internationals," by William Z. Foster (International Publishers, New York, 1955), p. 436. 7"The Techniques of Communism," by Louis F. Budenz (Henry Regnery Co., Chicago, 1954), p. 21. move to offset the charge that the gathering was inspired by Moscow. Headquarters were subsequently established in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and later shifted to Bucharest, Rumania, in the name of the Information Bureau of Communist and Workers Parties, otherwise known as the Cominform. It published a weekly journal known as "For a Lasting Peace: For a People's Democracy." In his book, "History of the Three Internationals," William Z. Foster declared: The American Communist Party, while supporting the bureau, declared that reactionary legislation in the United States made it inadvisable for it to affiliate. Notwithstanding this failure to affiliate, the Communist Party, U.S.A., printed the resolutions of the nine party Communist conference in its official theoretical organ, Political Affairs, for November 1947, pages 1051 to 1056, with undisguised approval. A. A. Zhdanov, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and its delegate to the Poland conference, who made the keynote speech, declared that American imperialist aggression was responsible for the critical world situation which gave rise to the conference. Overlooking the rapid expansion of the Soviet Empire to include hundreds of millions of captive populations, Zhdanov declared: The Truman-Marshall plan is only a constituent part, the European section, of the general plan of world expansionist policy carried on by the United States in all parts of the world ***. The aggressors of yesterday-the capitalist magnates of Germany and Japan-are being prepared by the United States for a new role to become the instrument of the imperialist policy of the United States in Europe and Asia." In April 1956, the Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties was dissolved and its official organ, "For a Lasting Peace, For a People's Democracy," ceased publication.10 Various reasons have been advanced for the dissolution. The step may well have been deemed advisable because the organization had been too closely identified with Joseph Stalin who had been the target of severe criticism at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in February 1956. Another motive which is advanced is that Khrushchev was seeking to reestablish friendly relations with Marshal Tito, who had been scathingly denounced by the Cominform. Another theory is that the move was a concession to further Khrushchev's energetic campaign for coexistence with the free world. Whatever the real motive, the void which existed in the open functioning of the international Communist organization was closed in November 1957. Since April 1956, friction has developed within the ranks of the international Communist organization which has reached proportions sufficiently dangerous to be a threat to the stability of Khrushchev's position as Soviet dictator and as the acknowledged head of the world Communist movement. In October and November 1956, large-scale uprisings occurred in Communist Poland and Hungary. In the latter case Soviet troops were required to crush the rebellion. In June 1958, the Communist government of Hungary found it necessary to execute P. 494 and Political Affairs, December 1947, pp. 1141, 1142, "Statement on the Question of Affiliation to the Information Bureau of the Nine Communist Parties." Political Affairs, December 1947, p. 1090; reprinted in the "History of the Three Internationals," by William Z. Foster (International Publishers, New York, 1955), p. 493. New York Times, Dec. 3, 1957, pp. 1 and 8. Gen. Pal Maleter and former Premier Imre Nagy. There are signs of a lack of coordination between the policies of the Soviet Union and the policies of her satellites, Poland, China, and particularly Yugoslavia. There has been friction among the satellities themselves, notably between Poland and East Germany. Ideological differences have developed among the international parties which have elicited worldwide Communist condemnation of so-called "revisionism." There have been important defections in various Communist parties notably: DEFECTIONS OR EXPULSIONS FROM COMMUNIST PARTY OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES 1956-58 Bulgaria Prof. M. Kazandzhiev Denmark 11 Expelled from Bulgarian Communist Party, March 17, 1958. Suspended June 19, 1958, from French Communist Party for periods varying between 6 months to 1 year. Resigned in protest to purges of March 1958. Ousted out of inner councils, April 19, 1958. "Harry Schwartz, New York Times, Nov. 24, 1957, p. E3. Poland Ryszard Turski E. Lasota Editors along with a group of staff members of weekly newspapers-expelled October 16, 1957. Mieczyslaw Jastrun Pawel Hertz Juliusz Zulawski Jerzy Andrzejewski Writers-resigned November 15, 1957. Slovak Communist Party Stefan Sebesta Augustine Mihalicka Dropped from leadership, May 20, 1958. United States John Gates, editor, Daily Worker Resigned January 10, 1958. In order to strengthen Khrushchev's leadership at home in preparation for the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in January 1959, and in order to insure against defections among the Soviet satellites in the event of war, it was deemed necessary and timely to consolidate the international Communist organization. For more than 2 weeks in November 1957 the leaders of all significant Communist parties held sessions in Moscow. The meeting was called for two purposes: (1) In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution; (2) to revive the Communist International in a modified form. Despite its recent vociferous claims regarding its independence as a political organization, the Communist Party, U.S.A., endeavored to send an official delegate, Simon Gerson, who was, however, denied a passport.12 On November 21, 1957, Reuters made public the declaration of the delegates to this meeting from Communist and Workers' parties of 12 countries as issued by Hsinhua news agency in Peiping, Communist China. The participating parties were: Albanian Party of Labor, Bulgarian Communist Party, Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, Vietnamese Working People's Party, Socialist Unity Party of Germany, Communist Party of China, Korean Party of Labor, People's Revolutionary Party of Mongolia, Polish United Workers' Party, Rumanian Workers' Party, Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.13 On November 28, 1957, a manifesto was issued in Moscow in the name of 64 Communist and Workers' parties of both "Socialist and capitalist countries." 14 Beginning with the issue of September 1958, an international monthly organ was published called "World Marxist Review," in English, Russian, Chinese, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Czech, Polish, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Korean, Albanian, and Vietnamese, and "New York Times, Nov. 11, 1957, p. 18; Daily Worker, Nov. 11, 1957, p. 2. "New York Times, November 22, 1957, p. 6; Daily Worker, December 15 and 22, 1957, pp. 4 and 9. 14 Daily Worker, December 2, 1957, pp. 2 and 3. |