800.00B/7–1545: Airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan)28
A–313. This is with reference to Moscow’s 2571 of July 15 repeated by Moscow to Paris as 235, to London as 361, to Frankfurt for Murphy as 15, to Rome as 53, and to Chungking as 59. Information in telegram under reference is greatly appreciated as helping to clarify recent developments in international communist movement.
Evidence has been accumulating for some time that Communist International is being reactivated on a regional basis with interlocking characteristics on the top level. World-wide distribution of Moscow War and the Working Class now the New Times in five languages plus press service to all countries, plus demonstrated integration and correlation of programs of various communist parties now functioning, plus international communist machine organized to take advantage of vacuum created by Nazi defeat and difficulties of post-war readjustment in other parts of world leave little room for doubt that this machine is coordinated to extent never previously attained by Communist International and is ready to take advantage of opportunities. The ostensible lack of a direct tie-up with Moscow formerly evidenced by headquarters there of outmoded Executive Committee of Communist International and its world congresses removes open irritant to other countries but the new covert machinery appears far more efficient and practical.
Active participation in national conventions of one Communist Party of representatives of Communist Parties of other countries, parallelism of attitude of all Communist Parties on foreign policy including colonial problems, emphasis on militant program internally by each Communist Party, extension of press facilities by one Communist Party to print important documents of Party of another country for dissemination of material in former’s country and support by one Communist Party of internal policies of all other Communist Parties are further indications of close cooperation and high degree of efficiency now obtaining in international communist movement.
The rebuke in April 1945 by French Communist Party of Communist Political Association of America and its leader, Earl Browder, for deviation from Marxian program even though the French Communist Party in May 1944 had approved unreservedly Browder’s position which it now condemns shows that:
- 1.
- The French Party is a vehicle for orders for transition by western parties to a militant line in contrast to diluted Marxian version [Page 873] adopted during prosecution of war and liberation of Western European countries.
- 2.
- There may be possible use of French Party in future as focal point for official international pronouncements to international communist movement.
- 3.
- The immediate acceptance by Communist Political Association of America of French rebuke, reversal of its former position and repudiation of Browder and his program indicates resumption of active militant line and attempt to capture control of working-class movement.
- 4.
- For the proper execution of militant line, drastic reorganizational changes and purges of functionaries throughout the international movement may be expected.
- 5.
- The purpose of change may be for use of the communist movement in sovereign democratic countries during period of communist-anticipated economic and social post-war difficulties as internal pressure medium in behalf of Soviet interests.
- Copies sent to Paris, London, Frankfurt (for Murphy), Rome, and Chungking.↩