Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-25
COMMUNIST PARTY
IS REVOLUTIONARY,
j. S. OFFICIAL RULES
Secretary Wilson Declares
Membership Is Ground
for Deportation.
PURPOSE TO OVERTHROW
GOVERNMENT BY FORCE
Decision in Case of Austrian Will
Affect Many Aliens Now
in Custody.

in Custody.
The communist party of America is
~ evolutionary party" and member
ship in that party furnishes grounds
sufficient for deportation.
That is the ruling Of Secretary Will
Son of the Labor Department an
Aounced last night
This ruling was made in a formal
decision in the specific case of Engel-
bert Preis. an Austrian. arrested in
recent raids. Execution of a deporta-
Hon warrant was ordered by Secre-
tary Wilson.
Result of Decision.
As result of this decision deporta-
tion of large numb Der of aliens now
IN custody, and against whom charges
rave been brought similar to those in
the Preis case, will be made.
secretary Wilson, in summarizing
his decision, says:
The only conclusion is that the
communist party of America is an or
.:anization that believes in. teaches
and advocates the overthrow by force
or violence of the government of the
United States.
Text of Opinion.
The text of the opinion follows:
In re Englebrert Preis. Age 81:
native of Austria; entered the United
States at Port Huron, Michigan. on
November 10. 1915. having arrived in
Quebec by S. S. Scotan. June IA, 1914.
This is q case arising under the pro-
vision of the act of October Is. 1918.
1t is alleged that the alien is a
member of the communist party of
America which is affiliated with the
communist international. The alien
admits membership in the communist
~ af Ar-,a
nllated with the communist inter-
national. The sole question. there
fore. to be determined by the Score
tary of Labor is. Is the communist
party of America such an organiza-
ton as is described in the act of
October 16. 1918. membership in which
makes an alien liable to deportation
The language of the act applicable
20 this particular case is as follows:
Section /. =" aliens who are
members of or affiliated with any or
Eanization that entertains a belief in.
teaches. or advocates the overthrow
by force or violence of the govern
ment of the United States.
Section .. shall. upOn the
warrant of the Secretary of Labor. be
taken into custody and deported in
the manner provided in the immigra-
ton act of February fifth. nineteen
hundred and seventeen"
II will be observed that belief in,
teaching or advocating the over
throw of the government of the
United States is not alone sufficient
to bring any organization within the
scope of the act. There must in ad-
dition be belief in. teaching or ad-
vocacy of force or violence to ac-
complish the purpose Bearing that
in mind. we may proceed to an ex-
animation of the facts.
Constitution of Party.
The manifesto and program and
constitution of the communist party
of America and the manifesto of the
communist international are sub
,nitted in evidence and their anthem
ITCHY admitted. The constitution of
the communist party (see page 10 of
the manifesto), requires that:
Section . Applicants for member
ship shall sign an application card
reading as follows:
The undersigned, after having
read the constitution and program of
the communist party, declares his
adherence to the principles and tao
tics of the party and the communist
jnternational; agrees to submit to the
discipline of the party as stated in
its constitution and pledges himself
to engage actively in it's work.
An examination of the documents
submitted clearly demonstrates the
fact that it is the purpose of the COM
rnuniSt party to overthrow the gov
eminent of the United States. There
quoted showing that purpose. The
TWO following are typical. On page 9
of the manifesto and program the
Statement is made:
Communism does not propose to
capture the bourgeoiSe parliament
AIRY state. but to conquer and destroy
it"
And again. on the same page:
The pro1etarian class struggle is
essentially political struggle.
MI ~ live Te-t b.. L.
proletariat of the power of the
state"
Many other statements of similar
purport are to be found in the same
document. After having found that
IL is the purpose of the communi st
ernment of the United States, the
next point of inquiry is as to how
The conquest is to take place.
Unconstitutional Means.
II is apparent that the communist
party does not seek to attain its OBJ
3ective through the parliamentary
1ished by. and operated under. the
Constitution. That is made sufficient
~ clear by the following EXCERPTS
from page Is of the manifesto re-
5erred to:
"Cb) Participation in parliamentary
campaigns. Wnlch IN the general
struggle of the proletariat is of sec
ondary importance. is for the purpose
of revolutionary propaganda only"
And again from pages and 10 OF
the same document.
TN those countries where the con.
Gitions for a workers revolution are
rot yet ripe. the same process will &c
On. The use of parliamentarism, how
ever. is only of secondary impor-
lance"
And further. on page 10:
Tine parliamentarism of the com
ynunist party performs a service in
snobiliZing the proletariat agains,
capitalism, emphasizing the political
character of the class struggle"
The parliamentary processes estab-
JiShed by our government are to be
discarded or used for propa ganda
purposes only and other means
adopted for overth rowing the gov.
eminent of the United States. These
means are stated at considerable
length and frequently reiterated
seemingly for purposes of emphasis
The conquest of the power of tn,
state is to be accomplished by tn,
mass power of the proletariat
Strikes Made General.
Strikes are to be broadened ant
Teepened, making them general ant
militant, and efforts made to de
velop their revolutionary implica
tons The strike is to be used no
simply as a means to secure redress
d economic wrongs, but as a mean
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