“Front schools,” where Marxist and related subjects were available for noncommunist students, have been most important to the communists over the years. In one such school it is estimated that over 100,000 individuals received instruction; in another, 75,000. Every front, in its own way, is fighting the Party’s battles: —sponsoring agitation campaigns; —collecting money (fronts are one of the Party’s chief sources of income); —supplying speakers for noncommunist organizations (it’s surprising the number of requests received by front groups, especially those sponsoring “peace” and “civil rights,” for speakers. A sympathizer or dupe who has prominence in the community, such as a lawyer or professor, will often be sent); —issuing literature; —sponsoring mass rallies; —lobbying for or against legislative bills; —influencing key individuals whom the Party could not otherwise reach; —teaching Marxist doctrines. During the recent period when most Party headquarters were closed because of a tactical shift to underground operations, fronts performed many functions for the Party. In Chapter 20, we shall see this aspect of fronts. A single front can generate terrific communist pressure. Take this case, for example: Time: shortly after lunch. Agnes G, executive secretary of the DEF Committee to Fight the High Cost of Living, is reading a letter. Dan H enters the office. “It’s happened. The legislature just passed the Anticommunist Bill.” This bill must be stopped. As a first step Agnes dictates a letter to Professor Frank Y, a “good friend” at the university. “Issue a statement right away. This bill threatens freedom of speech. It must be vetoed.” Then more letters are sent to teachers, clergymen, several lawyers. Contact is made with key Party members and sympathizers. “The Anticommunist Bill has passed. Send telegrams to the governor, urging a veto. Start a petition circulating.” Next, a bold step: Agnes places a telephone call to the governor. “Mr. Governor, I’m speaking for the DEF Committee to Fight the High Cost of Living. We are disturbed about the passage of the Anticommunist Bill. We feel you should veto it. Would it be possible to have our representatives meet with you?” The governor agrees. He wants to hear all points of view. The DEF Committee sounds like one of many groups interested in this legislation. An appointment is made. Pressure was being built up. The front could enter where the Party never dreamed of going. Three ministers, an attorney, and a newspaperman were contacted. Would they see the governor as part of the delegation? “I want Larry R to go along,” Agnes says. “He’s not too bright a guy, but he’s easy and willing. I can tell him what to say. Besides, he’s from a very respectable organization.” Nothing was said about the fact that this delegation was serving a communist purpose.