 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
| 26. AMERICAN COMMUNISM It is known that this program is being taught in Communist schools ' (e.g., Pettis Perry in the Los Angeles Workers1 School). The leading Communist Negro functionary, Benjamin J. Davis, Jr., in The VJorker, July 2, 1945, lists as one of the most regrettable errors of the Browder regime the liquidation of "the cardinal principle of the right of self-determination for the Black Belt." In the New York State Communist Convention, which concluded August 12, 1945, a resolution was passed on the Negro question. Amont the phrases used was: "national liberation struggle of the Negro people in the South." It is notable that the New York State Convention devoted a very considerable portion of its time to discussion of the Negro problem, particularly in the South. louis Burnham(of Alabam^i gave a lengthy speech which keynoted the discussion. The result was an agreement that tho North would give substantial financial support to a program of agitation and pro- paganda tii the South. The Southern-Communist Party was to be revived and strengthened. Much of the Communist program for Negroes is the same as that sponsored by thoroughly reputable organizations. Indeed, Herbert March of Chicago, addressing the National Communist Convention on July 27th, 1945 noted that a joint committee, consisting of representatives of his union (Packinghouse Workers), the Catholic Churches of the community, and all fraternal organiza- tions in the community had undertaken a campaign against "white chauvinism" in the community. He further noted that his Union had undertaken the pub- lishing of a speech on the FEPC, written by Bishop Sheil, for distribution in the entire Catholic community. But over and above such programs shared by many non-Communists, the Party has distinctive programs of its own. One is the right of self-determination, noted earlier. Another is the "special seniority" provision for Negroes in industry. On the grounds that Negroes, because of discrimination, were the last hired in war plants, normal union seniority clauses would lead to the discharge of Negroes first. Hence under these circumstances, Communists propose discharging by racial quotas. "Thus, if a plant were to reduce its employees to 50$ of their former number, the Communist program would call for a discharge of half the low seniority Negroes and half the low seniority whites. Other points particularly agitated by the Communists are the Recy Taylor case, "Jim Crow" in baseball, and the ouster of Senator Bilbo to cure the nation of the "Bilbonic plague." The two primary Negro Communist front organizations are the National Negro Congress and the Southern Negro South Congress. Details of both these organizations are given in Appendix III. In addition, a number of groups spring up to exploit particular issues. These fronts are usually short-lived and can be discovered by regular reading of the Daily Trorker. In addition to these fronts, the Communists are trying seriously to infiltrate the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Major efforts are being made along this line, and they have achieved local successes. Perhaps a good quick test for the degree of infiltration in a given group is to note names. Max Yergan and Paul Robeson are found in most of the Communist fronts, while A.Philip Randolph, president of the Brother- hood of Sleeping Car P»rtfrs is the leading anti-Communist. Randolph, how- ever, frequently gets caught by Communist fronts in other fields. Communists are currently trying to infiltrate liberal Southern groups, particularly the Southern Conference for Human TJelfare, Such names are Pauline T. Dobbs and ISary McLeod Bethune are gernerally suspect. In the |