First Published: Marxist-Leninist Vanguard, Vol. II, No. 3, March 1959.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The Second Plenum of the Provisional Organizing Committee took place at Cleveland on the week-end of February 21st and 22nd. This enlarged meeting of the National Committee of the POC had representatives from many areas in the East and the Mid-West. Overflowing enthusiasm greeted the main political report delivered by Armando Roman.
Comrade Roman’s report started with an analysis of the international situation and the great historical significance of the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. “World imperialism has entered the period of its death agony, while the Socialist sectors of the world with the Soviet Union in the lead marches triumphantly to its undeviating goal of world Socialism and Communism”, he said, in summarizing.
The report then traced the achievements of the different state areas in implementing and developing the line and the decisions of the 1st Plenum, which took place in New York City last November. The main purpose of the November Plenum he stated, was to consolidate the organization and movement of the POC. Roman then set forth the tasks ahead which he characterized as the “necessary phase of expansion and growth”. The reporter clearly pointed out that not only will the existing membership of the “old Party” begin to see through the demagogy of the corrupt leadership, but also that the lack of a “Party” line of struggle practically leaves all fields open to us.
This growth and expansion will be determined by the degree to which we can attain full clarity on the need for the “outward motion into struggle” which should be the main slogan of this period.
The main political report was followed by a report by A. Marino on the status and growth of “Vanguard”. Comrade Merino reported increasing tempo of growth as expressed in the number of subscriptions that are coming in from every corner of the United States. Letters of solidarity and agreement with, the line of the “Vanguard”, and the request for the material published by the organization testifies to the growing influence of the POC.
After the reports by Comrade Roman and Marino the different areas reported on their day-to-day work. This was indeed a heartening experience. Area after area spoke of their activities, meetings recruiting, collection at funds, etc. All areas exuded optimism and confidence as they spoke modestly, yet proudly, of the ascending curve of their organizat’on and their political activities.
Comradely challenges to socialist competition were projected and accepted by some areas. After the area report session, the general discussion ensued. The richness of the discussion was another tribute to the maturity of the POC movement.
On political concepts, on concrete questions of struggle, on general line or on mass line, the speakers e contributions which flowing from the reports, succeeded in developing and concretizing them.
One of the leading members of the Ohio delegation spoke about the falsities spread by Krchmarek, Chauncey and Company in their efforts to rationalize the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Negro Party members have gone over to the POC. The speaker exposed the lying rationale used in the expulsion of the leading Negro Communists in Cleveland, Comrade A. Kilpatrick, a member at the POC and a member of its National Committee.
The gathering represented another milestone in the road towards the creation of a real Marxist-Leninist Party in the U.S.A.