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
That gave the opening which permitted the top leadership of the
Communist Party in the United States to grant the request of most
of the organizers in the Trade Union Unity League to dissolve their
organizations and permit them to join the new rising organizations
which were developing as industrial unions, and also to join the
appropriate American Federation of Labor unions.
In other words, at the time of the split between the A. F. of L. and
the CIO in the United States of America the Communist movement declared
that it was logical and necessary to give up its own identity, which it
did when it sacrificed the industrial unions that it had organized. And
by 1935 they issued instructions that the industrial unions under the
Trade Union Unity League must dissolve.
And I recall the regret which some of the fishermen had in having
to give up their affiliation with the Red International of Labor
Unions and go into what they call the “finky” organization, the
International Seamen’s Union. They didn’t like it. They resented it.
But nevertheless, as good soldiers, they obeyed the order. Later on it
didn’t take them more than a couple of years when they were embarrassed
whenever I would remind them that they had a Red origin. And the
leadership there came to dislike me with a very firm resolve because
I would never permit them to forget that they did have a Red origin
and that I was ashamed of them being backward about taking progressive
steps.
They caused me no end of concern because they were trying to be as
conservative as the stanchest Republican when, in fact, they had a
very, very Red origin.
Mr. TAVENNER. Mr. Dennett, would it be correct to analyze
the situation you have described generally in this way: Beginning in
1935, and from then on, when the Red international of labor unions
gave up the idea of having its own organizations within labor under
its own label in this country, was the principal problem in dealing
with the question of communism a matter of infiltration or attempted
infiltration by the Communists into the leadership of all the unions in
which they had a chance to gain leadership?
Mr. DENNETT. Well, I recognize that the term infiltration
is used to imply generally that somebody did something with a secret
purpose.
Now that may have been true. So far as my own knowledge is concerned,
we took it in stride. We didn’t think that there was anything special
about it. We declared our objective to be the organization of all the
workers. And, of course, we were part of all the workers. And as long
as we could maintain that philosophy we were satisfied that we were
part of the organization.
Mr. TAVENNER. When you say part of the organization, what do
you mean?
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