1919 Emergency National Convention
Encyclopedia
The 1919 Emergency National Convention of the Socialist Party of America
was held in Chicago
from August 30 to September 5, 1919. It was a seminal gathering in the history of American radicalism, marked by the bolting of the party's organized left wing
to establish the Communist Labor Party of America
.
, which originally sought the convention to solidify the SPA's position towards the socialist revolution in Russia. Instead, the gathering wound up being the nexus of the great showdown between the party Regulars, headed by National Executive Secretary Adolph Germer
, National Executive Committee member James Oneal
, and New York State Secretary Julius Gerber
, and the Left Wing Section, headed by Alfred Wagenknecht
and L.E. Katterfeld
. Although initially slated to be attended by 200 delegates, a list of just 117 credentialed delegates from 22 states was published in the press.
The opening remarks to the convention were made by Executive Secretary Adolph Germer, who declared that disagreement over tactics was only one part of the ongoing factional controversy in the SPA, adding "I always believed that this factional division leads to healthy methods, provided it is not carried to the extent where the organization is torn into parts and shreds, and leaves us an easy prey to our common enemy." The second part of the crisis, according to Germer, was the thick blanket of "personal slanders and conspiracies against individuals that have been engaged in for no other reason than to break down the confidence of the membership" in the party's elected leadership. The Left Wing critics of the NEC and the Germer administration offered "no specific statements, but general gossip, rumor, suggestion, innuendo," he declared.
The first order of business at the convention was the election of a chairman of the day, a post handily won by Regular Seymour Stedman
over Left Winger Joseph Coldwell of Rhode Island
, by a tally of 88-37. Upon his election, Stedman delivered the traditional keynote speech to the convention. Stedman reviewed the history of the previous 5 years of war and controversy and detailed the factional controversy in the party, judging the split of the Socialist Party to have been an accomplished fact from the moment of the opening gavel.
There was little, if any drama, about the ultimate outcome of the convention based upon the composition of the delegation, which had been effectively packed by the party's "regulars," while the dissident left wingers split over the question of tactics. The Left Wing failure to challenge the seating of the massive New York delegation and the hand-picked delegation from "reorganized" Massachusetts proved decisive. In particular, the recommendation of Jacob Panken
's Credentials Committee on Aug. 31 to seat an alternate slate from the state of Minnesota rather than the slate of delegates elected by the party members of that state in referendum was the cause of a protracted and interesting debate, which touched upon the major questions of philosophy and legality. Ultimately, the elected Minnesota
delegation — which refused to accept its seats in any event — was not seated in favor of the slate appointed by the (Regular) State Executive Committee, which was granted voice but not vote at the convention.
A report by a special investigating committee appointed by the National Executive Committee detailing an extensive list of irregularities and illegalities said to have been systematically perpetrated by several of the suspended language federations was unanimously received by the convention, setting aside the results of the 1919 party election except for a referendum calling for the SPA to affiliate with the Communist International in Moscow, the passage of which by a margin of over 6-to-1 had precluded any possibility of fraudulent passage. This initiative was declared adopted by the convention when it approved the committee report.
Upon receiving a supplemental report of the National Executive Committee detailing its actions from May until August 1919, the convention predictably ratified the action of the outgoing NEC in abrogating the 1919 party election, suspending the 7 dissident language federations
, and decertifying (and thus expelling) the state organizations of Michigan
, Massachusetts
, and Ohio
. Some criticism was levied of the NEC for its failure to appeal to the membership of the suspended and expelled organizations to rejoin the organization.
At the 1919 Emergency Convention the SPA's Constitution was substantially changed. Henceforth the Constitution mandated that annual National Conventions be held and that these would elect the members of the governing National Executive Committee, which would henceforth consist of not 15 members, but 7. A new Board of Appeals to handle appeals of actions of the NEC was added. The changes made to the SPA's constitution were later submitted to the membership by referendum and ratified.
A rather imaginative rendition of the 1919 Emergency National Convention appears in the 1981 Warren Beatty
film, Reds.
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
was held in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
from August 30 to September 5, 1919. It was a seminal gathering in the history of American radicalism, marked by the bolting of the party's organized left wing
Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
The Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party was an organized faction within the Socialist Party of America in 1919 which served as the core of the dual communist parties which emerged in the fall of that year — the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party of America.-Precusors:A...
to establish the Communist Labor Party of America
Communist Labor Party
The Communist Labor Party of America was one of the organizational predecessors of the Communist Party USA. The group was established at the end of August 1919 following a three-way split of the Socialist Party of America...
.
History
The 1919 Emergency Convention was convened in response to pressure from the organized Left Wing Section of the Socialist PartyLeft Wing Section of the Socialist Party
The Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party was an organized faction within the Socialist Party of America in 1919 which served as the core of the dual communist parties which emerged in the fall of that year — the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party of America.-Precusors:A...
, which originally sought the convention to solidify the SPA's position towards the socialist revolution in Russia. Instead, the gathering wound up being the nexus of the great showdown between the party Regulars, headed by National Executive Secretary Adolph Germer
Adolph Germer
Adoph Germer was an American socialist political functionary and union organizer. He is best remembered as National Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1916 to 1919. It was during this period that the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party emerged as an organized faction...
, National Executive Committee member James Oneal
James Oneal
James "Jim" Oneal , a founding member of the Socialist Party of America , was a prominent socialist journalist, historian, and party activist who played a decisive role in the bitter party splits of 1919-21 and 1934-36.-Early years:...
, and New York State Secretary Julius Gerber
Julius Gerber
Julius Gerber was a leading Socialist Party of America party official and politician during the first two decades of the 20th century. Gerber headed the important Socialist Party unit for New York City and its environs from 1911 through 1922...
, and the Left Wing Section, headed by Alfred Wagenknecht
Alfred Wagenknecht
Alfred Wagenknecht was an American Marxist activist and political functionary. He is best remembered for having played a critical role in the establishment of the American Communist Party in 1919 as a leader of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party...
and L.E. Katterfeld
L.E. Katterfeld
Ludwig Erwin Alfred "Dutch" Katterfeld , most commonly known as L.E. Katterfeld, was an American socialist politician, a founding member of the Communist Labor Party of America, a Comintern functionary, and a magazine editor.-Early life:L.E...
. Although initially slated to be attended by 200 delegates, a list of just 117 credentialed delegates from 22 states was published in the press.
The opening remarks to the convention were made by Executive Secretary Adolph Germer, who declared that disagreement over tactics was only one part of the ongoing factional controversy in the SPA, adding "I always believed that this factional division leads to healthy methods, provided it is not carried to the extent where the organization is torn into parts and shreds, and leaves us an easy prey to our common enemy." The second part of the crisis, according to Germer, was the thick blanket of "personal slanders and conspiracies against individuals that have been engaged in for no other reason than to break down the confidence of the membership" in the party's elected leadership. The Left Wing critics of the NEC and the Germer administration offered "no specific statements, but general gossip, rumor, suggestion, innuendo," he declared.
The first order of business at the convention was the election of a chairman of the day, a post handily won by Regular Seymour Stedman
Seymour Stedman
Seymour Stedman was a prominent civil liberties lawyer and a leader of the Socialist Party of America. He is best remembered as the 1920 Vice Presidential candidate of the Socialist Party of America, when he ran for office on a ticket headed by Eugene V...
over Left Winger Joseph Coldwell of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, by a tally of 88-37. Upon his election, Stedman delivered the traditional keynote speech to the convention. Stedman reviewed the history of the previous 5 years of war and controversy and detailed the factional controversy in the party, judging the split of the Socialist Party to have been an accomplished fact from the moment of the opening gavel.
There was little, if any drama, about the ultimate outcome of the convention based upon the composition of the delegation, which had been effectively packed by the party's "regulars," while the dissident left wingers split over the question of tactics. The Left Wing failure to challenge the seating of the massive New York delegation and the hand-picked delegation from "reorganized" Massachusetts proved decisive. In particular, the recommendation of Jacob Panken
Jacob Panken
Jacob Panken was an American socialist politician, best remembered for his tenure as a New York municipal judge and frequent candidacies for high elected office on the ticket of the Socialist Party of America.-Early years:...
's Credentials Committee on Aug. 31 to seat an alternate slate from the state of Minnesota rather than the slate of delegates elected by the party members of that state in referendum was the cause of a protracted and interesting debate, which touched upon the major questions of philosophy and legality. Ultimately, the elected Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
delegation — which refused to accept its seats in any event — was not seated in favor of the slate appointed by the (Regular) State Executive Committee, which was granted voice but not vote at the convention.
A report by a special investigating committee appointed by the National Executive Committee detailing an extensive list of irregularities and illegalities said to have been systematically perpetrated by several of the suspended language federations was unanimously received by the convention, setting aside the results of the 1919 party election except for a referendum calling for the SPA to affiliate with the Communist International in Moscow, the passage of which by a margin of over 6-to-1 had precluded any possibility of fraudulent passage. This initiative was declared adopted by the convention when it approved the committee report.
Upon receiving a supplemental report of the National Executive Committee detailing its actions from May until August 1919, the convention predictably ratified the action of the outgoing NEC in abrogating the 1919 party election, suspending the 7 dissident language federations
Language federation
Language Federations were formed in the late 19th and early 20th century by immigrants to the United States, primarily from Eastern and Southern Europe, who shared a commitment to some form of socialist politics...
, and decertifying (and thus expelling) the state organizations of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Some criticism was levied of the NEC for its failure to appeal to the membership of the suspended and expelled organizations to rejoin the organization.
At the 1919 Emergency Convention the SPA's Constitution was substantially changed. Henceforth the Constitution mandated that annual National Conventions be held and that these would elect the members of the governing National Executive Committee, which would henceforth consist of not 15 members, but 7. A new Board of Appeals to handle appeals of actions of the NEC was added. The changes made to the SPA's constitution were later submitted to the membership by referendum and ratified.
A rather imaginative rendition of the 1919 Emergency National Convention appears in the 1981 Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty
Warren Beatty born March 30, 1937) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and director. He has received a total of fourteen Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Director in 1982. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards including the Cecil B. DeMille Award.-Early life and...
film, Reds.
Additional reading
- Theodore Draper,The Roots of American Communism. New York: Viking, 1957.
- David J. Shannon, The Socialist Party of America: A History. New York: Macmillan, 1955.
External links
- "Socialist Party of America: Party History" on Early American Marxism website. Retrieved October 26, 2009.