"In re: Socialist Meetings in Boston," by BoI Special Agent Albert W. Lyon [Nov. 11, 1918] This report of Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Albert Lyons details a march through the streets of Boston and subsequent celebratory meeting in honor of armistice in the European war and the 1st anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The Bureau was tipped off about the demonstration by a phone call to headquarters; agents were scrambled to investigate. The evening session was held from 8:00 to 10:30 pm and was addressed by journalist and lecturer Louis C. Fraina. Fraina announced the formation of a new newspaper, to be called Revolutionary News, which was to be launched the following Saturday and issued 3 times a week. A $2,000 target for initial subscriptions was set. (The paper to have been called Revolutionary News was ultimately launched on Nov. 16, 1918 as The Revolutionary Age.)

 

"In re: Socialist Activities in Boston," by BoI Special Agent William E. Hill [Nov. 11, 1918] Report of Bureau of Investigation Special Agent William Hill about the bureau's response to a report that "Socialists were parading the streets of Boston bearing red flags." Hill attended an evening mass meeting at the Dudley Street Opera House, which was addressed by Louis C. Fraina, editor of The New International and The Class Struggle. Hill confirms that Fraina announced the imminent launch of a new thrice-weekly publication to be known as The Revolutionary News, which was to be published simultaneously in "Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, and all large cities in the US." The newspaper about which Fraina spoke debuted less than a week later following an 11th Hour name change as The Revolutionary Age. Another meeting was planned the next Sunday, featuring revolutionary music and speeches by prominent revolutionary socialists John Reed, Santeri Nuorteva, Louis C. Fraina, and Gregory Weinstein.

 

"In re: Bolsheviki Activities," by BoI Special Agent Charles M. Robinton [Nov. 11, 1918] This report of BoI Special Agent Charles Robinton documents the Nov. 11, 1918 march of "a body of 'Reds'...carrying red banners and red signs." A total of 43 participants were counted, marching under the slogans "Long Live the Workers' Republic," "Workers Unite and Break Your Chains," "Red Dawn," and "Open the Jail and Free Debs." That evening at Dudley Street Opera House, the headquarters of the Latvian Socialist Federation, about 200 listeners heard Louis Fraina announce the establishment of a new revolutionary socilaist newspaper, to be called Revolutionary News. The paper was planned to launch as a thrice-weekly, eventually becoming a daily publication. At this meeting some $500 was raised for the new publication and "cheers were then given for the American Bolshevik Republic, for the Russian Soviet Government, for the German Revolution and Bolshevik Movements, for Tom Mooney and for Debs," according to Robinton. Robinton also notes that the meeting was addressed in Russian by Jacob Klawa, a Latvian revolutionary socialist, and that an extended debate took place afterwards in the Latvian language. "In his Russian remarks [Klawa] referred to the freedom which the Russian workers have established for themselves and which the German workers were just establishing and he hoped soon to see such freedom established here in the United States and he hoped it would not be long before a war would be started for such freedom here," Robinton states.

 

"Report on IWW or Bolsheviki Activities in the District of Massachusetts to William E. Allen, Acting Chief of the Bureau of Investigation in Washington," by Boston BoI Informant J.S. Peterson [Feb. 13, 1919] This document summarizes Bureau of Investigation reports on "recent developments in the IWW situation in this district" -- actually the doings of the revolutionary Socialist movement rather than syndicalist unionists. Individuals reported upon hailing from the Boston area included Louis C. Fraina, Eadmonn MacAlpine, Ludwig Lore, Gregory Weinstein, Nick Hourwich, Santeri Nuorteva, and Peter P. Cosgrove. Publications briefly mentioned include The Revolutionary Age (English), Il Pensiero (Italian), A Luz (Portuguese), Atbalss (Latvian), and Raivaaja (Finnish). Additional coverage is given for the Eastern, Southeastern, and Western regions of Massachusetts. Informant Peterson indicates that the "deportation of leaders may not solve the whole problem of industrial unrest," instead advocating a betterment of working conditions, housing, and recreational opportunities for the workers. Peterson states that he "has felt very keenly, on attending the various meetings in which the audience was largely foreign born, that to these people the radical meetings, instituted by the local socialists, and charging no admission, were a real enjoyment, purely from the opportunity it gave them on their free day to mingle with their own kind and enjoy the program. It seemed, therefore, that if the trouble had been taken on the part of the community, or some local organization, other than the radical elements, to provide such an afternoon, that the audience might have been as receptive to more healthy doctrines than those promulgated at these meetings."

 

"BoI Agent Account of a Mass Meeting of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party: Minneapolis, MN," by Frank O. Pelto [April 13, 1919] This document chronicles the debut meeting of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party in Minneapolis on April 13, 1919. On the motion of Latvian socialist Charles Dirba (later Executive Secretary of the Communist Party of America), a committee was elected to arrange a mass meeting in honor of May Day 1919, "and if possible a demonstration." World war veterans in the party were to be appealed to to march in uniform in the parade in an effort to preempt police repression of the march. Next on the agenda at this meeting of about 75 Twin Cities Socialists was consideration of a Left Wing Manifesto, called the "Resolution of the Left Wing of the Twin Cities" (reproduced in full here). This resolution made the following "General" demands: (1) Revolution, nor Reform; (2) Revolutionary Mass Action, not mere Parliamentarism. (3) No Compromise in or out of the Party; (4) Dictatorship of the Proletariat, not Constituent Assemblies or Coalition Government; and (5) International Working Class Solidarity and Struggle Against the Capitalist Class at All Times, not limited by any nationalistic considerations. The resolution was passed and then Dirba addressed the gathering on the subject of the difference between "the so-called Left Wing Movement and the so-called Reform Socialists." According to Pelto, "another speaker took the floor who put a little dissension in the ranks by stating that the Left Wing Movement was drifting away from the principles upon which Socialism was built." Dirba answered by matching Marx quotation with Marx quotation. A.L. Sugarman was then given the floor, and he characterized Dirba's opponent as a "2-by-4 Non-Partisan Leaguer," provoking hostile comment and leading to the meeting adjourning in a state of disorder.

 

"Imprisoned Member Protests NEC Action: Herman Characterizes Expulsion of Michigan State Organization and Suspension of Language Federations as Undemocratic, Unparliamentary, and Unsocialistic," by Emil Herman [June 26, 1919] Alfred Wagenknecht and Ludwig Katterfeld were not the only members of the Socialist Party's 15 member National Executive Committee who objected to the NEC's draconian action taken in June of 1919 suspending 7 of the SPA's language federations and expelling the Michigan state organization. This letter from imprisoned NEC member Emil Herman of Washington reveals that Herman shared the misgivings of the two Communist Labor Party founders. Herman expressly records his "no" vote against these actions and writes: "The NEC has at all its meetings seen fit to consider as 'present' all its members who are by action of the government prevented from personally attending. As an expression of sentiment and comradely sympathy I, as one so detained, appreciate this graceful tribute very sincerely. But when, as appears from the minutes of the recent NEC meeting, this imaginary 'presence' is made use of in an attempt to constitute a quorum when no quorum exists, in order to make wholesale expulsions from the party and to deprive the membership of expression through the referendum, I am constrained to protest, and this most vigorously, such an undemocratic, unparliamentary, and unsocialistic procedure. Surely as Socialists we cannot afford to stoop to the use of such petty, political trickery, nor should we wish to do so."

 

"Confidential Instructions to Agents in Charge of Offices of the Bureau of Investigation from Frank Burke, Assistant Director and Chief, in Washington, DC." [Dec. 27, 1919] This letter from the chief of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Investigation details the plans for various local Special Agents in Charge the forthcoming coordinated raids against the alien members of the Communist Party of America and Communist Labor Party of America. Affidavits regarding the association of leading individuals with these organizations had already been forwarded from local BoI offices to Washington; this information had been transmitted to Commissioner General of Immigration Caminetti and arrest warrants were in the process of preparation, soon to be sent to the individual offices of the BoI. "You should then place under surveillance, where practicable, the persons mentioned and at the appointed time you will be advised by me by wire when to take into custody all persons for whom warrants have been issued," Burke instructs. The obtaining of documentary evidence proving party membership status and citizenship status is to be given the highest priority by the arresting officers, Burke indicates: "Particular efforts should be made to apprehend all of the officers of either of these two parties if they are aliens; the residences of such officers should be searched in every instance for literature, membership cards, records, and correspondence.... All literature, books, papers, and anything hanging on the walls should be gathered up; the ceilings and partitions should be sounded for hiding places." Burke cautions that "violence towards any aliens should be scrupulously avoided" and that due to the possibility of leaks "under no conditions are you to take into your confidence the local police authorities or the state authorities prior to making the arrests." Moreover, Burke announces that "it is not the intention nor the desire of this office that American citizens, members of the two organizations be arrested at this time" and that party members who are citizens arrested in the operation are to have their cases turned over to local authorities for potential legal action under state or local statute. Jan. 2, 1920 has been set as the tentative date for the mass operation, Burke notes, adding that arrests and examinations are to be concluded in the 12 hours from 7:00 pm Jan. 2 to 7:00 am Jan. 3. "The grounds for deportation in these cases will be based solely upon membership in the Communist Party of America or the Communist Labor Party, and for that reason it will not be necessary for you to go in detail into the particular activities of the persons apprehended," Burke states.

 

"Dynamite and Bombs." (leaflet of the United Communist Party) [Oct. 1920] This leaflet of the United Communist Party of America dismisses charges made by the "tools" of the capitalists in the press that the Wall Street bombing was the work of the underground Communist movement. "The capitalist system, rotten to the core, can only be upheld by those who profit from it by the use of force. The capitalist class knows that in the final conflict it will be the force of the working class which will overthrow the capitalist state. Knowing this, it seeks to murder the growing revolutionary consciousness of the workers by a ruthless campaign of prosecution and persecution. 'Made to order' plots against the government are framed up. Bombs are found. Mysterious explosions take place. And the blame for all this is placed at the door of the advance guard of the awakening working class by the government agents and the lying capitalist press." The leaflet notes that "The disaster presented a splendid opportunity for the so-called Department of Justice and the capitalist press to attack the revolutionary forces of the working class. The capitalist government needs a pretext for new laws of repression that will put to shame the tsaristic despotism of ancient Russia."

 

"Why You Are Out of a Job." (leaflet of the United Communist Party) [circa Feb. 15, 1921] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

"Letter from Ellis Island by Four Polish Communist Deportees," by W. Iwanoski, S. Ull, J. Dardzinski, and J. Kowalski [March 17, 1921] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

"On Linn A.E. Gale: Excerpt from General Intelligence Bulletin for Week Ending April 30, 1921," by BoI Division Superintendent Gus T. Jones Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

"Constitution of the Friends of Soviet Russia." [established Aug. 9, 1921] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

"Rules [Constitution] for the Trade Union Educational League." [Feb. 1922] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

"Circular Letter Mailed to Over 1,000 'Live-Wire Trade Unionists' on Behalf of the Trade Union Educational League from William Z. Foster in Chicago." [Feb. 10, 1922] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

"The League in Chicago," by J.W. Johnstone [events of Feb. 27 to March 16, 1922] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

"A Year of the League," by Charles Krumbein [Feb. 1923] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

"The St. Louis Conference of the CPPA," by James P. Cannon [March 1924] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

"Chicago, St. Paul, Cleveland," by Earl R. Browder [Aug. 1924] Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

"LaFollette, Gompers, and Debs," by William Z. Foster [Oct. 1924] Workers Party Presidential candidate William Z. Foster weighs in on three of the

 

 

 

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