Investigation of Communist Activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
History
Investigation of Communist Activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Communism -- Washington (State) -- Seattle
Mr. TAVENNER. Do you mean that the organizational effort had
been so successful in this area that it presented immediate problems to
the Communist Party?
Mr. DENNETT. It certainly did. As a matter of fact, you see,
there is a period, following the national elections in 1932, when the
new administration began to take those steps which caused industry
to resume functioning, in which there was a change taking place in
the composition of our organizations. People were not all unemployed;
some were leaving the unemployed organizations. Our problem was: How
can we continue to exercise influence on them when they cease to be
unemployed. And we were confronted with the necessity of entering the
trade unions. We had to get into the trade unions one way or another or
we were going to lose completely our influence among these people.
So the problem was, and the national office or central committee was
continually asking: What progress are you making entering these unions?
Mr. Foster, of course, was naturally very much concerned because of
his prior experience in trade-union work. And our reports were quite
unsatisfactory. We were not able to make the progress that they
demanded. They thought it was a matter of inadequate leadership here,
and when they sent Mr. Rappaport they certainly picked a good one
because he did lead us in that direction. He did know what to do.
Mr. TAVENNER. How did the arrival of these Communist Party
functionaries influence or affect your activities at Bellingham?
Mr. DENNETT. As soon as Mr. Rappaport got here he used a
very simple technique of determining what had to be done by way of
shake-up. He started changing section organizers in every section
in the area, jarring people loose from their established positions,
making them get a new orientation, making them begin to do new things.
He was quite pleased with the successes I had in Bellingham, and,
feeling that he was in need of a district agitprop director and knowing
that I had once been a district agitprop director, knowing also that
there was beginning to be a little ground swell of opposition to me
in the Bellingham area, he thought it wiser to take me out of there.
So he ordered me back to Seattle as district agitprop director, and I
was replaced by some of the newer elements which I had recruited in
Bellingham.
Mr. TAVENNER. I have found among the documents which you have
made available to the staff a “Statement Issued by the Communist Party
of Bellingham Section on the Immediate Questions Facing the Working
Class.” It is signed by V. Haines, section organizer.
Was that your party name?
Mr. DENNETT. That is true.
Mr. TAVENNER. Examine this document, please, and state
whether or not there is anything in it which has a bearing on the
organizational setup from the standpoint we are now discussing.
(Document handed to the witness.)
Mr. DENNETT. Yes. I have my original copy of that here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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