First Published: Marxist-Leninist Vanguard, Vol. II, No. 8, August 1959.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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The New York organization greets – on our first anniversary – the areas of the Provisional Organizing Committee throughout the nation.
The revisionists, reformists, conciliators and opportunists of all ilk have declared on numerous occasions the death of our movement – but here we are commemorating our first year of struggle.
August 1959 finds the New York POC fully convinced as to the correctness of the line established by the August ’58 Conference which was further implemented by the November ’58 and February ‘59 National Plenums. For this line has been tested in our day-to-day struggles.
On two occasions daring this historic period for our movement, the neo-conciliators attempted to strangle, through various divisive tactics, the life of the New York organization and in turn the entire movement for the reconstitution in this country of a Marxist-Leninist Communist Party. Both groups counted on classic splitting tactics to take with them, on their conciliationist-class betrayal road, the bulk of the membership. While there were minor defections, the overwhelming majority of the membership rallied behind the leadership and its correct political line expelling from our ranks those who would thwart the carrying out of the decisions of the August Conference.
As the Organizational Report given to the membership in New York (June 1959) pointed out...
“Our organization was born from struggles and in struggle– struggle within the CPUSA against the revisionist line and policies of its leadership, and from his very birth has not for one single moment lived in any other atmosphere but one of struggle.”
Examined in the light of the sharp glare of life, experience has taught us that we must constantly struggle for clarity and purity of the Marxist-Leninist line and for correct organizational concepts. For not only have we brought into our movement the baggage from the capitalist world in which we live, hut also many erroneous concepts on political questions and methods of work borrowed from the incorrect political questions and methods of work borrowed from the incorrect methods of the bureaucratic leadership of the CPUSA.
We have many shortcomings – the key one being inexperience. For although most of us have been active Communists for many years, few ever “qualified” for leadership in the old CP. But we have decided to push forward nonetheless – to learn from our daily activities, always using our revolutionary weapon of criticism and self-criticism in reviewing our work and planning our future activities.
During the period of December ’58 to June ’59 (seven months) the NYPOC has distributed 20,800 leaflets, dealing with the lynching of Mack Charles Parker; amnesty for political prisoners; the Cuban revolution; May Day; housing; the hospital strike; the case of Morton Sobell, etc. Most of these leaflets were bilingual English Spanish. During this period we have had more than a dozen distributions of “Vanguard” such as the Carnegie Hall Meeting called by the Committee on Soviet-American Friendship; at CPUSA affairs; at the Union Square May Day meeting; at the Jackson meeting on his return from the Soviet Union, etc.
At this very moment (July 19th) n group of members arc distributing 1,400 “Vanguards” at the Polo Ground meeting of the NAACP.
In distributing “Vanguard” we aim to reach a particular audience with a particular “free sample” of “Vanguard.” In specific cases a special leaflet is issued. In the last three months we have been making an attempt to sell “Vanguard” at meetings and have had some success. One particular cadre sells “Vanguard” every month at the doors of a leading trade union in this City. “Vanguard” can be purchased in over one dozen newsstands in Manhattan.
Our distributions of “Vanguard” has taught us that the paper is beginning to have its impact; that it is getting to be known; that its political line is beginning to be accepted. On numerous occasions on leaflet distributions in working class areas, neighbors have stopped our comrades thanking them for being on the street with that particular message.
During this same time the NYPOC has had four special fund raising affairs for the organization and one for the paper of the Puerto Rican Communists, “Pueblo” (“The People”). We have organized an effective housing struggle in a great number of low-income (public) projects, and have aided in three cases of housing violations.
On the united front we participated in the Hunts Point Palace meeting called around the Palm Sunday Massacre by a Puerto Rican mass organization at which Comrade Kilpatrick, leader of the Ohio organization, spoke in the name of the POC; gave leadership and mobilized help for the striking hospital workers, including a mass picket line by Puerto Rican organizations at Mount Sinai Hospital on Sunday, June 7th. We have, together with the National leadership, given guidance and rallied support in the defense of Mrs. Jo Ann Santiago, whose husband, Jose Santiago, is a National Committee member of the POC.
During this period the New York POC fought for and pushed forward the “outward movement.” work among the masses. To date four indoor public meetings have been held and one out-of-doors meeting, and we are holding an indoor meeting on peace on August 8th.
On the inner-POC educational front we have, as a permanent feature in our ideological work, continual classes. We have studied “The Communist Manifesto,” “Socialism – Utopian and Scientific,” “What is To Be Done,” “One Step Forward: Two Steps Back” and are now studying “Left-Wing Communism.” Both the Labor and Housing Committee have prepared and published documents, and collectively we are distributing the “Statements” on these two questions.
This has been a period of fruitful activity with rich experiences for the New York organization. It has strengthened us, and at the same time brought into the foreground the weaknesses to be fought against.
It has been during this period also, that the leadership of the NYPOC has found it necessary to reiterate the basic concepts of the POC; to spell out clearly for all the duties and rights of membership; to call attention to certain laxness as well as rigidity in methods of work; to point out the need to tighten constantly our discipline and unity and the need for clarification and understanding of our line – the bulwark again all alien, anti-working class ideologies and tendencies.
Shortly we will emulate the excellent example of the Philadelphia organization. A group of young men and women have requested membership, and soon the NYPOC will set up a youth organization. Soon too, because of the contact work done, the New York membership will be increased by the admission of new members – more workers – male and female, Negro, Puerto Rican and white.
The coming period will be one of increased attacks against the American people, and in particular against the American working class. With full confidence and Communist modesty we wish to assure our National leadership and membership that the New York organization will unceasingly work for our common goal – the reconstitution of a Marxist-Leninist Communist Party in the United States.