Evening star., 1948-08-03
Communist keynoter
Praises Wallace and
Russia al Convention
BY me Asseeioisd Press

By me Asseeiotsd Press
NEW YORK, Aug. 3-Ameri-
can Communists jammed into
Madison Square Garden last
night for a noisy, demonstrative
national convention of their
own-high lighted by censure of
both the Democrats and Repub-
licans and praise for both Rus
sia and Henry A. Wallace.
Speakers at the opening session of
the convention, the first to be held
by the group since 1945, were high
party chieftains, all of whom are
under Federal indictment on charges
of advocating the overthrow Of the
United States Government by vio-
lence and force.
William z. Foster, national chair
man Of the party in this country
and the top leader Of the group Of
Il arrested two weeks ago on grand
tury's charges, was the convention
keynoter.
2e,00o Persons Attend.
He told the estimated 10000 per-
sons, In a fiery speech that bristled
with attacks on Fascist, Wall Street
tmperialists," that a vote for either
President Truman or Gov. Thomas
z. Dewey, Republican presidential
candidate, means a vote for event.
ual fascism or war
OF Mr.. Wallace. the Progressive
Party's presidential candidate, Fos-
ter said that his group offers the
opportunity for the forces fighting
for peace and against imitation and
fascism, to organize and express
their strength"
He said the Progressive Party lis
in no sense Communist party" but
added that its national ticket, head
ed by Mr.. Wallace and Senator
TAYLOR, will rally hosts of workers,
Negroes, farmers, veterans. women,
youth, intellectuals and other patri-
otic Americans who are determined
that our people shall not be butch
cred for the profit and glory of Wall
Street
Foster described both Mr.. Truman
and Gov. Dewey as "brazen liars
who charge that the Communist
Party is trying to dominate the new
party or to claim the credit for its
formation"
Wall Street Attacked.
He said the Democratic and Re-
publican parties ARE both domi-
mated by Wall Street, their candi-
dates and platforms were dictated
by big business, and both are COM
mitted to American imperialism's
policy of world conquest"
Russia was described by Foster as
q peace loving nation threatened by
.varmongers from the Western pow
ers, and he added:
The Trumans. Deweys, Dulleses,
Hoovers and Marshalls, Vanden-
bergs and other men of the trusts
who are running our government
could readily secure a democratic
agreement with the USSR, as Roose-
welt did. But they don't want it.
They are fighting for Wall Streets
world control.
Others in the array Of convention
speakers included Eugene Dennis,
general secretary Of the party; John
Williamson, trade union organizer
for the party; Henry Winston. or
sanization secretary Of the party,
and Benjamin J. Davis, IT,, also a
member of the partys National
Council.
All of them were named In the
indictments. They now are free on
bail.
Backing of Violence Denied.
Dennis referred to the indictments
and asserted that despite all fables
and falsehoods, we Communists do
not advocate force and violence. As
Marxists, we are opposed in princi-
ple to adventurism, terror, assassl-
nation, conspiracies and coup d'etat."
Foster said that while support
ing" the Progressive Partys pro-
gram of peoples demands, we Com
nunists have many points OF dlf-
ference with it " = .. The most i'm
portant is that while many leaders
In the Progressive Party believe
that the badly crippled world cap
italist system can be saved and
transformed into progressive cap
italism, we Marxist-Leninists DO
not. Capitalism historically is on
its way of the world stage.
It was announced that the con-
yenton had received messages OF
support of the American Communist
movement from Communist Parties
In several foreign nations, includ-
ing Bulgaria, Italy and Czecho-
slovakia. No message was an
nounced as coming from Marshal
Tito's Yugoslav Communist move