"Bylaws of Local Greater New York, Communist Party of America." [Nov. 1, 1919] State and federal law enforcement authorities portrayed the new Communist Party of America as a violent menace to American government, at odds with the norms not only of democracy, but human society itself. These first by-laws of the "open" New York City unit of the CPA reveal an organization closer in nature to the Kiwanis Club than to a pack of bloodthirsty bombthrowing nihilists. All joking aside, these by-laws were clearly closely modeled after those of the Socialist Party's Local Greater New York, being based upon a City Central Committee formed on the basis of 1 delegate for each branch of the party, with an additional delegate for each 50 members in good standing. Local Greater New York was to be headed by an 11 member Executive Committee elected by the City Central Committee, an Executive Secretary [Harry Winitsky, with other officers including a Recording Secretary and Treasurer. Delegates to the City Central Committee and officers of Local Greater New York were to serve for a term of 6 months and were to be subject to recall by the bodies which sent them. Duties and procedures of all officers and the conduct of meetings are spelled out in detail.

 

"New Jersey Party News," by Walter Gabriel [events of Nov. 1-2, 1919] This brief news account by State Secretary of the "open" New Jersey unit of the Communist Party of America details the origins of that particular state organization, which was based just across the river from New York City. The New Jersey CPA organization was formally launched at a convention held in Newark on Nov. 1 & 2, 1919. There were 62 delegates in attendance from 41 of the state's 53 branches, which claimed a total membership of 1,678. Walter Gabriel of Newark was elected the paid State Secretary, Louis Brandt elected State Organizer, and headquarters established in Newark. Affairs of the New Jersey state organization of the CPA were to be governed by a 15 member State Committee, meeting monthly, which would in turn name a 5 member State Executive Committee, to meet weekly. A state constitution was adopted and resolutions passed by the convention, including one resolution "pledging the State Organization to initiate the work of forming 'factory-shop committees,' these to function under the control of the City Central Committees and to be composed of Communist Party members only."

 

"Long Live the Communist Party! 2,500 Seized in Raids," by Maximilian Cohen [events of Nov. 7 to 11, 1919] The first mass operation directed against the fledgling American Communist movement by state and federal authorities came on the 2nd Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, a date which some seems to have been seen as the trigger date for a mass insurrection in America by some paranoid secret policemen. With its meeting times and locations published in its own open press, the Communist Party was an easy victim for the steamroller. Editor Max Cohen notes: "The authorities raided almost every headquarters in the city, smashed up offices furnished, gave everybody they found a free ride, seized records and literature, but the organization remains intact, and the Party membership unafraid or even astonished." Cohen indicates that 2,500 were seized in the New York operation alone, with only 37 ultimately held -- including Ben Gitlow, Big Jim Larkin of the CLP, and Jay Lovestone, Louis Shapiro, and Henry C. Pearl of the CPA. Russian immigrants were a particular target of the operation, which included a brutal raid on the "Russian People's House" of the anarchist Union of Russian Workers. Targets of the raid included also the offices of Novyi Mir, IWW Headquarters, a meeting of the Local Kings County of the Socialist Party (apparently raided in error), a YPSL package party, and branch offices of the CPA and Union of Russian Workers. In the aftermath a spate of hysterical misinformation ran in the bourgeois press, including a story in the Nov. 10 Morning World stating "there are 75,000 of the Communist Party in Greater New York alone" and remarking that a large bag of "black powder" had been "found" in the simultaneous raids in Cleveland.

 

"CPA Party News," by Harry Winitsky [Nov. 15,1919] Brief account of the doings of the Communist Party of Local Greater New York (CPA) by the Secretary of the local, Harry Winitsky. Winitsky notes that the general membership meeting of Local Greater New York had voted to tax all members of the party 1 day's wages to pay for legal expenses incurred as a result of the mass raids held on Nov. 7 and 8. Typewriters and desks had been maliciously destroyed by the raiders, a mimeograph machine seized, and party records taken, Winitsky states, adding that all branch organizers and financial secretaries were instructed to bring their records to party headquarters so that account files could be recreated by the financial committee. "The raiders also got the record of how many membership cards were given to every branch and the secretary is therefore not in a position to know how much money is due to the National Office for the Organization Fund, for which every member of the Communist Party was taxed 50 cents. The organizers of all branches are hereby instructed to immediately collect the 50 cents from every member and turn it in the local office," Winitsky adds.

 

"All Power to the Workers! Declaration Issued by the Communist Party, Local Greater New York." [Nov. 22, 1919] This is the official response of the Communist Party of Local New York to the mass police operation directed against it and other left wing organizations in New York City on Nov. 7, 1919. The statement declares that " the Communist Party cannot be broken by terrorism and violence.. The Communist Party is accused of using force; but it is the forces of reaction that are using force against the Communist Party. The Communist Party is accused of fomenting terrorism; but we find that it is the reactionary forces that are using terrorism against the Communist Party. These acts of violence and terrorism come as a climax to the preparations made by the forces of 'law and order' -- the police and newspapers -- for a massacre of the Communist Party meeting on Rutgers Square, scheduled for November 8. The newspapers lyingly reported that the Communist Party was prepared to throw bombs, to use violence; lying reports circulated for the express purpose of creating a pretext for using force and violence against Communists and making a massacre." The attack on the Communist Party by the bourgeoisie and its agents was driven by an ulterior motive, the declaration indicates: "The real purpose of these acts of terrorism and despotism, worthy of the most brutal traditions of Tsarism, is not only to break the Communist Party, but to terrorize the workers, to crush their strikes, and to prevent the workers adopting more radical purposes in their struggles against the master class."

 

"Circular Letter to All District Organizers and Federation Secretaries of the CPA from William Weinstone, Executive Secretary, Jan. 10, 1922." This communique from head of the Communist Party of America Will Weinstone provides first details about the relationship of the underground CPA to its new legal political entity, the Workers Party of America. "We have had no experience in the form of organization which we are at the present time building," Weinstone admits, noting that "Today in constructing the [WPA], we are confronted with the problem of adjusting the [CPA]...in such a manner as not to hamper the growth of [the WPA] and at the same time not allow [the CPA] to fall into disuse." A set of scenarios for CPA District Executive Committees to play towards WPA DECs is drawn up, based upon the composition of the latter. Similarly, procedure for combining District Organizers is specified. With the emergence of the new dual organization, dues for the underground CPA were reduced to 25 cents per month, the circular letter announces. Meetings of the CPA and the WPA were according to the model to be held "alternately, each week." The circular does allow, however, that "if further adjustment shall be necessary, such adjustment shall be guided by the following: [CPA] meetings shall be regular and shall be held prior to [those of the WPA]. These meetings may be long or short according to necessity, but the DOs are instructed not to permit [CPA] meetings to be discontinued." This problem of the relationship between the underground and legal Communist organizations "will be definitely solved at the next convention of [the CPA], which will take place within a few months," according to the circular. The 2nd CPA Convention at Bridgman did not take place for over 8 months, however.

 

"Letter to Earl Browder in New York from Jim Cannon in Moscow, June 18, 1922." This is the first report from Moscow to America by Jim Cannon, representative of the Communist Party of America to the Red International of Labor Unions in Moscow. Cannon details how the United States was effectively without representation on the RILU Bureau after former representative "George" [Andreychine] essentially abandoned his post. The vacancy is said to have been known to Cannon's factional foe CI Rep Katterfeld, but "the information never leaked through to me." Cannon tells Browder that "I had a session with the Bureau a few days after my arrival, making a general report of the activity in America and bringing up the question of policy which we discussed just before my departure in regard to the independent unions. I gave a general outline of our point of view and the reasons for it. They manifested great interest in the report and were greatly pleased with the work done in America." Cannon also notes the dispatch of Boris Reinstein to America from RILU. Prospects of an infusion of money through this emissary are excellent, In Cannon's view, as Reinstein "is going for the express purpose of endeavoring, through private resources of his own, to get some substantial assistance to you." Cannon adds that "The big question before the next Congress of the Profintern (set for November 28 [1922]) will be relations with the Syndicalists."

 

"Minutes of Central Executive Committee, Communist Party of America: New York -- July 26-28, 1922." This is the account of a very important 3 day session of the governing Central Executive Committee of the CPA, held during the run-up to the organization's 2nd Convention, held at Bridgman, Michigan less than a month later. This 3 day session was the first attended by the 3 emissaries of the Comintern, including CI Rep Genrik Valetski, RILU Rep Boris Reinstein, and future factional leader John Pepper. While the literature often represents the American Communist movement as a tank of obedient clapping seals who respond unthinkingly to Comintern fiat, the reality of feistiness and independence is indicated by Robert Minor's motion, approved by the body, "that [CI Rep Valetski] be instructed that fines for lateness will hereafter be applied to him." Reports are heard from Valetski regarding his mission to reunite the CPA with the Central Caucus Opposition and from Reinstein (content not specified). Arne Swabeck is elected the new CPA Rep to ECCI and RILU (July 27th), replacing Cannon. Katterfeld is condemned by the CEC for "misstatements and misrepresentations to the Communist International without the knowledge of the CEC"; he is instructed to turn over to the CEC all communications with the CI regarding the American party situation or individual members of the CEC. Pre-convention planning is initiated. The 8 member so-called "Disarmament Commission" is established by the motion of Earl Browder, to consist of the 3 Comintern emissaries as well as Amter, Jakira, Dunne, Katterfeld, and "Tompkins." This group is formally given the task of presenting "plans for unification of the party to the convention."

 

"Letter to Ludwig Katterfeld in Moscow from Abram Jakira in New York, Oct. 6, 1922." Brief review of American events by the head of the Communist Party of America, Abram Jakira, to the party's representative to the Comintern. Jakira notes that the Central Caucus-CPA Opposition had "decided to rejoin our Party as a body," and that a number of conditions for reunification had been imposed by CI Rep Genrik Valetski. "It is expected that 90 percent of the membership of the Opposition will join. However, there will be a minority that will not accept the decision of the convention [Opposition "2nd": Late Sept. 1922] and will rather stay out of the Party than join with us," Jakira writes. With regard to the underground party organization itself, Jakira states that "we can notice a marked improvement" but cautions that "it will require some time before it will again be put on a real working basis." Jakira pleads with Katterfeld to attempt to obtain CI funds to replentish the utterly depleted party coffers: "How about finances? You know the Party treasury is exhausted. There are a pile of bills from the old administration that have to be paid. The convention has helped considerably to empty the Party treasury. In addition, the international delegation will cost us quite a sum. Something must be done at once, otherwise a big reduction will have to be made in the activities of the organization. I hope you will realize the seriousness of the situation and you will use your power to impress others with same."

 

"Letter No. 4a to Abram Jakira and the Central Executive Committee of the CPA from Ludwig Katterfeld in Moscow, Oct. 22, 1922." First of two letters from Moscow written on this date by the Communist Party of America's representative to the Comintern, Ludwig Katterfeld, to the American party in New York. A monetary infusion to the nearly broke CPA was not immediately forthcoming, Katterfeld notes: "The little financial matter to which I was to attend is not yet settled. Was told that nothing would be forthcoming until I showed just how we had blowed in what we had had. So I depicted in writing our spendthrift career, with as much detail as my poor memory could furnish. I hope to get results, but please hurry along a copy of our financial statement." Katterfeld remarks to Jakira that the effort to remove Jim Cannon from Moscow had failed: "Cook [Jim Cannon] was still here when I came, said he had had no word to come back [to the US], put the question of remaining up to the Board [ECCI], and of course they said he should now remain for the big reunion [World Congress of the CI]." Katterfeld casts the continued presence in Moscow of his nemesis Cannon, a staunch advocate of an "open party," in the best light, telling Jakira and the CEC that "personally I am very glad he is not going home at once, as in his present frame of mind he would merely muddle things up. He doesn't seem to have learned much yet, but I hope that he will before he goes."

 

"Letter No. 4b to Abram Jakira and the Central Executive Committee of the CPA from Ludwig Katterfeld in Moscow, Oct. 22, 1922." Second of two letters from Moscow written on this date by the Communist Party of America's representative to the Comintern, Ludwig Katterfeld, to the American party in New York. Katterfeld reveals that a provocative cable asking that the Bridgman Convention be postponed pending Cannon's return "with full instructions" was actually a "personal message" sent by Cannon at a moment when he thought the Presidium of ECCI reconsideration of the American question was pending -- Cannon clearly anticipating that the move to an open party would be accelerated by this action and seeking to head off the Goose Caucus at the pass. However, this fundamental debate being pushed by Cannon was not to be: "When the Presidium met they refused to take the question up at all until the return of the special representative [Genrik Valetski]." Cannon thus decided to remain in Moscow, Katterfeld writes. Katterfeld notes that the attitude of American-in-Moscow-without-portfolio Cannon and CPA Rep to the RILU Bureau Arne Swabeck is "extremely hostile." Katterfeld remarks: "They seem determined to continue the factional controversy here. They say openly that they do not believe my report" of the decision to maintain the underground party made at Bridgman, and "that nothing is yet settled, that all questions are still open for decision here, and that they will try to get the decisions of the Convention and the CEC reversed." Katterfeld tells his factional ally Jakira, "But don't worry. I feel sure it will come out OK."

 

"Letter from Ludwig Katterfeld (en route to America) to Otto Huiswood in Moscow, Dec. 5, 1922." This is the text of a brief handwritten letter from the CPA's official representative in Moscow, Ludwig Katterfeld, to his temporary successor and factional ally, Otto Huiswood. Although Huiswood's appointment as Representative to ECCI was tentative and provisional, it did represent the first time that a black American Communist was in such a position. Katterfeld urges Huiswood to write the CEC with information every week, preparing his reports in quadruplicate. A.S. Edwards, formerly of the Central Caucus-Opposition, and "Pullman" are to be sent home as soon as the Comintern's decision on the American situation is definite to report to the CPA, as Katterfeld feels he may be "cooped up and unable to report at all" -- an allusion to the legal difficulties which would end up putting him behind bars at the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet for his conviction in the 1920 mass trial of the CLP leaders. Katterfeld counsels: "If [Cannon] & Co. make trouble in the delegation remind them of the Party decisions that those that represent majority viewpoint of CEC (now yourself and Pullman [=???]) have two-thirds vote within delegation. That was one of the conditions on which we consented to send [Max Bedacht]." "I am writing the Secretariat [of ECCI] that you and [Edwards] are in Enlarged Exec and you take my place as Party representative until another arrives," Katterfeld indicates.

 

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