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  4. Document 637

Press Release Issued by the Department of State, December 19, 1923 22

December 19, 1923

The Department of State made public today the text of instructions given by Zinoviev, President of the Communist International and President of the Petrograd Soviet, to the Workers’ Party of America, the Communist organization in the United States. The Department of Justice has assured the Department of State of the authenticity of these instructions. The Communist International with headquarters at Moscow is the organ of the Communist Party for international propaganda. The Soviet regime in Russia is the organ of the Communist Party for the governing of Russia. As Steklov, member of the Russian Communist Party and of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and editor of the Izvestia, official organ of the Soviet regime, has stated in this official paper:

“The close organic and spiritual connection between the Soviet Republic and the Communist International cannot be doubted. And even if this connection had not been admitted many times by both sides, it would be clear to everybody as an established fact. … This connection is not merely of a spiritual, but also of a material and palpable character. … The mutual solidarity of the Soviet [Page 789] republics and the Communist International is an accomplished fact. In the same degree as the existence and the stability of Soviet Russia are of importance to the Third International, the strengthening and the development of the Communist International is of great moment to Soviet Russia.”

Instructions

“The Communist International notes with great satisfaction that the work of the W.P.A. for the past year has been expressed in a satisfactory broad and real revolutionary work. Particularly pleasing to us is the fact that all dissensions existing up to the present time in the ranks of the Party have finally been liquidated and we hope that the W.P.A., the advance guard of the revolutionary proletariat of the United States of North America will now more successfully conduct its revolutionary work among the millions of American proletarians.

“For more intensive revolutionary work we suggest that the following instructions be adhered to:

  • “1. All the activity of the Party must at the present time be directed among the workers of the large industries, such as the railroad workers, miners, weavers, steel workers and similar workers engaged in the principal industries of the United States.
  • “2. Among these workers in the factories, mills, plantations, clubs, etc., there must be organized units of ten. The head of this unit of ten must in so far as possible be an old trusted member of the Party, who must once a week, together with his ten, study the Communist program and other revolutionary literature.
  • “3. These units of ten must be organized by occupation and nationality.
  • “4. The head of the unit must know intimately each individual member of his ten—his character, habits, the degree of his revolutionism, etc., and report everything direct to the central committee of the Party.
  • “5. Each of these units of ten must have their own fighting unit of not less than three men, who are appointed by the leader of the unit with the approval of the Central Committee of the Party. The members of the fighting unit in addition to all other matters, must once a week be given instructions in shooting and receive some instruction in pioneer work, (sapper work).
  • “6. All the unit leaders of each district must meet once every two months to discuss the progress of their work and their plans for further activities in the presence of a member of the Central Committee of the Party.

“We are firmly convinced that work in the direction designated by us will give enormous results in the sense of preparing thousands of new propagandists, future leaders of the military forces of the Party and faithful fighters during the social revolution.

“With reference to the organization by the W.P.A. of the Federated Farmer Labor Party, the Communist International expresses its complete satisfaction and its approval to the Central Committee of the Party for its boldness and tact in putting this idea into effect. [Page 790] We hope that the Party will step by step conquer (embrace) the proletarian forces of America and in the not distant future raise the red flag over the White House.”

  1. For publication in the morning newspapers of Dec. 20.↩