THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 4, 2009
• Sequence Number: 27
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
THE CO 1;#U?II 'T A P1 ! 0 72
by
J. Edgar Hoover
Tha Communist Party of the United States is the
in,ii r~ict out; rowtt of the lives, thuughts and deeds of
four :min, none of whom were Americana. These men are
rar1. Aiarx (1828-1883}, Trederick Engels (1820-1895),
Vladimir ilyich Ulyanov Lenin (1870.1924) and Joseph
''tal in (.I87,')- ).
apron these n.en hew come t,a antidemocratic
pz:ilo opb.t o.i, "n ~auni;^~ u non which thte Communist Party
of the rlnited tcr.tea is ,'used'. It 13 the raison d'e$re
it turn serves it unir'uely as a
uc`zi^10~ cd:rr:rin (orizrunist ~o ti? ram , in one ,or rrc or
the t wC: I' to (.: uery rwjor aegmen 4 ?),j' our n.,.nericar. societ j.
acre rr e, to in eratanJ the Oo snunist .:'-'arty and its
)rCCtices it is necessary to have at least some fundamental
urv.7erstan~-:inj o its philosophy.
FBI Review Completed
"f> ahi.I.oro?z,r,~ as Contained >aithin the frc)r.,ework
ti,; "ucieMce'' of asar,-riar -Leninism and is e: -jrr sed
t,hronpk the t~ eoretical modes o," dialectical and histori-
cal rni?-ter?irliar.. In order to and condense this
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
,philosophy it will be reduced :here to eight essential
These i:leas are: (1) autodynamic matter in constant
motion constitutes eternal and reuolutioncry reality,
therefore, Got,, -''es not exist; (2) matter being primary,
mind is secon,Vary, hence t.~ere is no soul destined for
immortality] as man in essence is at one with nature
and perishes on death like any beast of the field; (3)
history is a me terialt tic pracess, ,'or all human ti-
tutions, political, :social, ?e al, odi.zcational, cu2.uro2,
moral anti religious have their real ori;I in in, and are
tol..'ed ultinctely by the acdonic "actor or "modes of
pror,uction"; (6l) the non-C Ptunist state is an orVari of unjust
oppression which must he cabolishcd and re alaced by the Jictator-
s.'hip of the proletariat; (5) a revolutionary; tyeory, method
and a revolution are justifiable means for abolishing such
states and are to be employed wherever necessary; (6) the
J'ud`aic-Christian moral principles are to be rejected as invalid
and re.~3laced ~1/ "moral" pprinciples rooted in proletarian
utility (e.3., the end justifies the rt,?ans); (7) all religions
without e:.:,,ception are an "opiate" of the ~)eople and must be
wholly bon fished' from soc i4 t, ; and (t) Co-, rrunian., in order to
be complete, in order to ~Lr;..?ly !"`o-lLmunisr, suet cruarh all
oaoosit ion to it ch:~er;-7='oer:;, for only b:; "o *3oin; can it
-press itself in r, oiaaslcss, statole `us, , o.''less t: orl ca C'omnunis
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
Society wherein all property used in procuctton will
re owned in common.
T?aia philosophy of itu c~rTs r."tur is
r1 c~nr G:e a;N::;3 international organ I.,.,; Lion. This ct i;i
',orr>e out by reieatel concrete efforts to internationc-ii:e
Com,:unist philoso",7j over a lon; perio of years.
The Communist ,tea;ue (e.ffectiue period from
1547--1352) was the first systematic effort in this di-
rection. The lca?ue was followed by The First Internation-
al (!,,~',rect i ve period from 1864-1872, ending in 1876),
The .Second International (effective period from 2809-1;914,
part,aily revived in The Third International
(1989-1943), and now the Communist Information riureaa qll
Aucharest (established in Poland in 1h47).
As important as these organizations have been to
the - ra-lual inte rnationcl is c ion of Communist philosophy,,
all of them to fet' er not heel. nuariz/ as imoortant
in tTtis regc.rd as w,cs the o,^ .;ouiet itussia
in 1:~1" rrn.a its s;~ts~l;..e t rise to a
in .w:rar1;1 a,rfairs. It ca be ac !"ell a.i i.?.at ou et :russia
has heen and is the truly )atont practical fc ctor in the
internc.tionali,-union of Co~mrzunis-t 3'z~ilcsophz~.
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
/;"i ~ orr~t".', t:.c t f1 yGw1 i`7>-:C 1; E'f #Hrt~? ':2t uL ? e
therre-
rt t i cn r~ .:s r plat , of t;w C,',Tannn i? t ~'a rtJ of thh>~ United
,tctes.
.this Warty was or zc ized on .r'epterat e'r 1, 2 I ;, in
Chicago, Illinois. 2")79--1:?"C~ it e. Per r~rtc c~ its
birth :-aon,;s and )rowing pains. T'ef iant m U itarc 7 marked
its :?ntrance upon the stag. of American 1 ife. Yiolent
reur.xlu?ionrry goals were opeiily procloirte' and rollowed
with action. -'rosecuution 'lc.t this subversive action.
The Party ri ent underground, ernc rgin7 in 1'9.R,'7' to rw'acb
"full abovegrourv status ir: It c rt ir?i ~~tt=;;i in
strikes rind c r'~crcW ii :a a _ e c.h to tr'a~~11 areas i. the
n("! ttor;, ' oring . 'Tort =; i t ai ~, r.r2 a inl:1 in trotcb7 5
b
'
" ~w.?
II
o ou % v;}? z+l In ,i ...k./ Ilk
y: 5 ".''': rc~' Q r G': *t.'l .x *' nor ty ' * r :~ '. i`Zti ;7"' c v*t tJ tl4s
-27171ist ideas. .73 Via 744.
-his e:.t?' -n al Gar? in tcrrc.l
ron,;'.7iat trig 'r.rt cv.?iG ; to assume its ri id, riagsatic,
intolerant form rupiah it has rnaintaineri to thiv deg. . neri
came the 'cOnoric crash of l9?9, oppenin up unrivQed op-
raortlcnities to the ?art? ' p'"opa; cndists and agitators.
The oerior? of 2A'4was mcrked by a, continuance
of the poring-tram-u=fthin tactics coupled with relatively
0-)en, ire t and militant approaches from --ithout. The
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
unea pl o,yed were ei pl o i te,d h;, the Corsmun ist Party.
"trike3, bonus end "hunger" marches r,:ere a7..? rased as
instruments by the Pcrtr, for increasing social di.f ..
.f ict lties an, spreading C'ommuniar auP lemc^ tiny these
efforts were rr latcd oneea c roun;l the Organi-
zation of MG38 'protewt"? e ~crstr~tic'r~ $ < cra: C:;~.
in the -,euent~Z 0,, the Communist
Internrt1onral ct a new e. r. tate4s 'odo), co.nn;onl k nowd:n us the
Smith Ict,
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
The facts of this trial are now a matter of .hi4;tor'j.
It opened in New York on Jcnucry 17, 1349, and closed on
r'e"ten.ber 23, 2,-?4.,). It was one of the longest and most
turbrclent trials in our histcr , .during the course of
this trial the Communist de.^endonts and their attorneys
t,~*o rked steadily, to r o 'use, obscure, delay and obat rr ct
tic Judicial proceedin a. On C`l,~to ?er 1'11 , 1)4d, the jury
retzu n ~~- - a verdict of v it ty. n October w~l, 13_r.l, the
Sentences era "'iuen. On Au ust 1, l J50.0 the United ;states
Court of 1ppecls, 1'ew York, upheld the decision of the
lower court. The final chapter of this case was written:
on Tune 4, 1951, when the United :tates Supreme Court
declared that the legal proceedings taken against the
( mmunist defendants were constitutional?
History is now repeating itself. The Communist
Part', faced with legal action is preparing to go under-
ground in 1951 as it did in 131:, and for similar reasons.
=pile history does repeat itself, it noes not
ncce33 rily do So in J}}rccicel y .he ssc do itcaner. 1"`ie
'onr un ist F rt / .:rich a-i t uncle rgroun:' in 1319 cs a
,Iourg, small a.idd ineu:pericnced',arty poorly 1c ', whereas
the i c: rt'j ti h ich is pre x rin; to o o underground in IX ,2
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
is an old, relatively large and experienced Party ably
led. In addition to its 38,085 active members, for every
Party member there are approximately ten persons who
knowingly or unknowingly are doing the work of the Party
and facilitating its programs.
This situation places a much greater burden upon
la;, enforcement in the United .tates. More than ever
before, A erican Communists in this nation are rioving in
cha,,.nels either actually or ..,oter-tially dangerous to the
security of our democratic institutions - institutions
1cw e i.force>zent is o!,1 ated and bound to preserve,
nis particular phase of the subject - Communism
in relation to law enforcement - consists of certain
special aspects, distinct from One a. other, yet definitely
linked together into a flexible anY- common pattern of
action. It is a pattern which inclu-es open and concealed
orgariaationaZ forms of activity, es.ioncge interests,
sabotage c{-nsiderationa and lam enforcement attacks.
The Communist Party is organic; tional 'A'O rM8 Of
cactivit7l are those con':!ucto1 upon the cui'fc;cti Of t'~in ,;
They consist of decisions ;E.e:de by the `c;tiona2 :onre;'4ion,
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
National Committee and L'at.tonccl .hoard. They likewise
consist of the carrying out of these decisions, and
the many varied Programs to w.Lich they give rise, by
different organs of the Party such as the :?ctional
Organ i. ation ^epcrtment, .rational -euiew (Control)'
Comni'-sion, National Jciucation, x> nation and Publications
Departnents, gyrational Labor Department National Nation-
ality Croups Commission, National Negro Commission,
National Veterans Commission, National Women's Cosemis-
sion, National fiffaira Commission and the National
Cultural commission. Permeating these open organizational
'.'rms are Communist o.ffici{ is, leaders, functionaries,
theorists, organizers, teachers and writers, all of whom
frankly admit their adherence to Communism. This open
work they wish to continue ct all costs. They ;refer
to keep this kind of work as e.,-tensiue and intensive as
is 1o,saifile in order Vo y)reuent the Party from being
isolated from the nnsae3.
T %C concealed or;r~~ i; r ie~ncZ forms of activity
tcke place throuh an unc-ertround apparatus extending
from the over-all obouegrounci or;jo,i i:?ation. It is made
necessary because of the illegal goals established and
because of the very nature of the principles and tactics
Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
 Approved For Release 2009/09/04: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100140027-9
of the "science" of iarazism-Leninisrs. In tines favorable
to the Party it contracts. In times unfavorable to the
Party it expands, the latter condition being the prevail-
in.,; one. These concealed organisational forms of activity
relate to (1) secret and disci alinary :fork :.rithin the
Party; (2) confidential aspects of the Party's courier
syste ; (3) illegal entries to, and departures from the
country; (4) surreptitious or conspiratorial pol icy-
ncking; (.5) esoiona;;e; (,~) sa',otage; an?i (7) torio;~s civil
disi:. ''ances when szzch action is jossi?.le.
In order to shield or protect its members engaged
i-z work inimical to the wl#'are of the `sited States, it
has been necessary for the Party to adopt some stringent
security measures which include (1) elimination of member-
ship cards; (2) transference of confidential records from
some district headquarters to the homes of trusted men ers;
(3) inquiries into the background of Party nenbe; s; (4)
reci ction in the use of the telephone and mail service
with a corresoonr?ing ; rowth in its courier system; (5)
holding of business rzeetin jE in anall J rotz s and under
the "cover" of a social at':erinj; (c) storing of stctioner7
st:y:),pl ies i : out-oa`-the-;> t y jlac a C a,_2 oVier