 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
| 2. WORLD COMMUNISM Once again the Line was to change with dramatic suddenness* The anticipated end of the European War and death of President Roosevelt called for another reversal-of policy. Soviet imperialism was now on the loose. The American Party was called upon to support this enforced "democratizatitn" of Europe and Asia, while denouncing American and British interference as "imperial!sm"* The famous article by Duclos, a member of the executive board of the "dissolved" Comintern, was the signal to oust Browder and embark upon a new line* The details of the new program will be presented in the following chapter* Insistence that the American Communist Party blindly and cravenly follows the policies of the Soviet Union may seem to stress the obvious* But the obvious was not too clear to American public opinion in recent years* West Coast industrialists and such sane radio commentators as Quincy Howe eulogiz- ed Communist labor leaders for their patriotism, Soviet military successes were leading to blind adulation of communism* Hence it is important to state and to prove that the one loyalty of the Communist is directed towards the Soviet Union. An interesting current confirmation of this statement is found in the twelve page article on"Patriotism" by N. Baltisky in the October 1945 Political Affairs* In this article, the writer asserts that the Communist should support war waged by his own country only if the Party judges it to be just. "In no country do the intelligent workers, or progressive peasants or intellectuals, deny their solidarity with the Soviet Union." (p. 953) "Anti-Soviet tendencies are incompatible with patriotic convictions." (p, 954) The implication is clear. If national policies oppose Soviet policies, the true patriot will follow the latter. Such are the sentiments expressed in the official theoretical organ of American Communism* In the National Plenum of the Communist Political Association, held on March 10-12, 1945, Isreal Amter made repeated references to the Inter- national Communist movement, showing definitely that the dissolution of the Comintern was merely nominal. In his speech, he stressed Communist infiltra- tion into the countries which were liberated by the Red armies and organized under the supervision of Soviet authorities* He stressed Ercoli's (Togliatti's) initiative in raising an Italian Army. He noted that Communists aided united front groups in similar undertakings elsewhere. His conclusion was that "After the war, the Soviet Union will emerge as the greatest and strongest country in the world and the influence of the U.S.S.R. will be tremendous* The same is true for the Communist movement. We will be in a position t& influence many national governments and we will control large masses of people* We will have a say in the national armed forces ....ยป the outlock for the future is quite good from our point of view," (Source: confidential informant close to U. S. Army) From the same reliable source it is known that the Central Committee of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union ordered the change of line predicated upon the Duclos article* The change was to be gradual, but premature publica~ tion by the New York World Telegram forced immediate action, Browder*s resistance to this change led to his ouster and disgrace. The new line adopted in the July Convention was first approved by the Central Committee in the Soviet Union. Accordingly, it is clear that the present policy is |