Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-01-29
/ Led Three Lives
Duclos Letter SqueIehes providers Deviation,
Forbids Collaboration With Capitalism

signed to write the letter solicit
ing the usual sponsors" for the
affair. After receiving the ap-I
proval Of the Communist, Party
headquarters, the letter was signed
by Prof. Matthiessen.
Group Carefully Screened.
Those invited to attend and to
contribute to AYD were care
fully screened. Tables were sold
to civic organizations and trade
unions for $50 to 500.
One Of the guests Of honor was
Mrs. Harold A. Fletcher, jrMar-I
tina, as she was known to hum
dreds Of Boston young people for
he youth work in the Unitarian
church. Martha was tall, with
beautiful classic features and O.
long brunette name. She had a.
bright mind, d warm personality,
and self-assurance that was re-
lected In a modulated but vibrant
voice.
She was the hit Of the evening
and likewise the "star" Of the
motion picture made Of the entire
affair. for the picture files Of the
FBI.
The Duclos letter was published
in Gathers du Communisme. the
theoretical organ Of the Com
munist Party Of France. Long
winded and dull. replete with dia-
lectical gymnastics, tbs letter was
actually a directive from the in-
ternational Communist movement,
ordering the party Of the United
States to put its house in order. It
was understood to have the back
ing of the Kremlin, and 1t was
accepted as law.
Few people outside the party
plowed through Duclos' article.
but it was widely circulated in the
party as required reading. The
letter pounced on the hapless
Browder for dissolving the party
and creating the Communist Po-
litlcal Association. Duclos called
for the rejection Of collaboration,
for the burial Of the Communist
Political Association. and the res
toration Of q powerful and mill
family Marxist Communist Party
in the United States.
The Government, through the
FBI, watched the trend of the
party with renewed interest. There
was a furry Of exchanges between
me and the bureau. and the ques-
lions put to me by them We're
much more probing than those
asked by the man in the street. 1t
was obvious that the party was
a big shift to the left.
The question, Harold Leary wanted
to know, was how far to the left
would it go. tried in vain to
find out.
One of my first tasks in connec-
ton with the castle revolt was to
serve as courier and emissary be-
tween the district headquarters
and the Maiden branch of the
party.
go down to the Progressive
Bookshop at 8 Beach street." was
ordered by Dave Bennett, the
State secretary, land pick up some
material there"
Meets Collier Again.
So made my debut at the pub
lie propaganda headquarters Of
the Communist Party in Boston.
The bookshop was a few doors
down from Washington street. II
was surprised to find my old
Wakefield cell comrade, Frank
Collier, in charge. He was as
as I had remembered him,
and permitted himself no demon
stration at seeing me again. The
bookshop held shelves of Marxist-
feminist classics, current and back
copies Of Communist magazines,
racks of the Daily and the Sunday
Worker. Some books, such as
the old reliable History OF the
C. p. s. U. (B)" were sold to
reliable customers.
Collier packed up a bundle of
pamphlets and circulars. These
go to "a Holyoke street, Maiden"
Frank told me. Under the second
floor apartment number given me
there was listed simply the name
"Mills"-my old friend, Alice
Mills, now the leader of the
Maiden branch. She was in
charge Of the activities of some
100 party members in neighbour
hood cells In Maiden. Somerville,
Everett, Melrose, Wakefield and
Stoneham. These cells were COM
posed Of residents Of these COM
munities, mostly workers and
housewives.
Prepare for Convention.
In the subsequent orientation
meetings In Alice's bailiwick. we
disseminated the new party line
down to the membership In prepa-
ration for the district convention
OF the party scheduled for July.
The Maiden branch was in
structed to elect three delegates
and three alternates to the con-
vention. The windup saw me
elected as one of the alternates on
the six-man delegation, happily
for the FBI, because If they
had asked me to crash" the con-
vention. I could not have done so.
It was the most carefully guarded
and closely secretive convention
ever held in the district.
Copyright, 1852. by Herbert A. Phflbrick.
ALI rights reserved.)
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Shocks Reds.
7 More Firms Linked
10 Torch Sweater
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