First Published: Spark Vol. I, No. 1, April 1947
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Aware of our impending mass expulsion, we issued the “S.O.S. TO ALL COMMUNISTS FROM THE P.R. CLUB, CP.”, and distributed it for the first time at a Bronx County CP. rally on October 24, 1946. We were expelled without hearings and our appeals were refused hearings–but our S.O.S. was answered. Letters came from all over the U.S., offering us encouragement, suggestions, documents, mailing lists, money and stamps. We learned for the first time of the existence of similar groups in various cities. Many Party clubs have discussed our S.O.S. formally. We believe the last five months have proven it to be correct. Visitors–both welcome and unwelcome came. We would like to warn all our comrades that infiltration into the anti-opportunist movement is top priority on the Trotskyite agenda. But they expose themselves easily.
The real answer to our S.O.S. and to the appeals of similar groups has been that there are now in the U.S. forces enough to start building towards a Marxist Party, enough to produce a Marxist publication representing all groups nationally. We are publishing SPARK to help the groundwork for such a publication. We hope our readers will help us develop our draft program and our magazine. Although SPARK has a definite line and attitude, we will publish letters and articles with which we do not agree.
The P.R. Club, CP. (Expelled) continues its work as a neighborhood branch. It meets weekly and holds a class weekly. We work with a CP. members circle and with CP. members out of town. We try to fight where the CP. deserts. In later issues we will attempt to discuss problems of our work and our study.
Let us be frank. SPARK is published on a financial limb. We milked the rock to print the first issue; we have only audacity left in the bank for No. 2. If this magazine is of value to you, please help us. This is not a blurb. We cannot publish this without you. Somehow SPARK will come out every month and improve.
We will not apologize for using such a venerable name as SPARK (ISKRA). Iskra is symbolic and a source of important lessons for us at this time. We hope to be one of the innumerable sparks in the United States which can soon unite and ignite.