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| 23. AMERICAN COMMUNISM Moscow. On the contrary, it is more likely that this country exports funds to certain foreign groups, such as the Communist refugees of Loyalist Spain and other Communists who can be aided by relief funds under Communist control. A point of highest importance in regard to front organizations is that they are organized, not merely infiltrated, by the Communist Party. This distinction is vital in determining our reaction to such groups. Common sense as well as the ban laid down in the Encyclical on Atheistic Communism would dictate aloofness from groups organized and controlled by Communists. No matter how laudable their professed purposes, one can be sure that in practice their activities will be directed towards strengthening Communism, This writer feels that no Catholic should join a strict front group. On the other hand, where Communists infiltrate an existing organization, such as a labor union, the situation is entirely different. Here is a legitimate organization, directed towards an essentially good purpose, and accidentally infected to some degree with Communism. Such a group has members who are faithful to its original purpose and highly suspicious of attacks upon it, no matter who well intentioned. Normally in such cases, the better policy is to train and organize the sound majority so that it can control the vicious minority. V7ithdrawal of anti-Communist groups usually gives the Communists a free hand with no enlightened leadership to oppose them. This point will be elaborated upon subsequently. Foreign Language Front Organizations. In the preceding chapter, a number of Communist front organizations for foreign-language groups were noted. These are largely ad hoc groups, organized for sone purpose connected with current Soviet foreign policy. In addition, the American Communist Party has permanent organizations for influencing the foreign born. On the permanent level, they usually try one or more of four tactics.. The first and preferable method is to win them as members, of the International Workers' Order, a frar - ternal organization of workers which offers sickness and death insurance* This group has about 180,000 members and assets of about two million dollars. It is subdivided into national or religious groups, such as the Finnish or the Jewish, Its secretary is Max Bedacht and its president Rockwell Kent. The I, YJ, 0» is a thoroughly Communist organization, more a branch than a front* In the earlier days., when Communists admitted their antireligious bias, the I. "7, -o» frankly appealed to "Organize workers* children, or the priests will get them." It deplored the fact that the I. ?:„ 0* with low-cost insurance, lags behind "religious insurance rackets*1" Regrettable was the information that "four Catholic fraternal organizations alone increased their Juvenile Sections last year by nearly 8t,000 children. These religious orders do not recruit .children to help improve their physical existence. They want them to save their "soulsV" As long as they can save their souls, they can chain their bodies more securely to the slavery of capitalism." (Daily Tforker, May 21, 1934, p. 4.) Such frankness today would hardly be permitted: antireligious propaganda (in English) is left to the front groups to be noted in Chapter IV. ft might be noted parenthetically that Communist foreign-language publications are much more openly anticlerical and ir- religious than their official — not front — English language press) Once workers are in the I. W.. .0. they are urged to attend meetings, lectures, and classes*where they are indoctrinated with the Communist Line. As a result, its 1,700 lodges are profitable recruiting centers for the Party. On the other hand, where workers cannot be gotten into this group, the |