Of interest to all students of the U.S. Communist movement, a list of hundreds of names, locals and Party positions of members expelled from the Communist Party of America (and the Canadian CP), along with valuable biographies of many, for support of the ‘Left Opposition’ at the end of 1928 and beginning of 1929 printed in The Militant, publication of what would become the Communist League of America, the first ‘Trotskyist’ organization in the U.S.

THE EXPELLED

December 15, 1928.

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: JAMES P. CANNON, member Polcom of the C.E.C., ARNE SWABECK, member of the C.E.C., MARTIN ABERN, member of the C.E.C., MAX SHACHTMAN, alternate to the C.E.C.

CANADA: MAURICE SPECTOR, member of Polcom, and E.C.C.I.

NEW YORK: MAURICE L. MALKIN, member of Furriers Union, JOSEPH FRIEDMAN, member of Y.W.L.

PHILADELPHIA: M. MORGENSTERN, member of Y.W.L. Dist. Bureau, LEON GOODMAN, member of Y.W.L. Dist. Bureau, SOL LANKIN, member Y.W.L. District Committee.

CLEVELAND: JAMES ANTOLOVICH. member of Machinists Union, PETER MARGETICH, Ohio District Organizer of South Slavs, MATT GRZINCICH, nucleus financial secretary, D. GURMAN, stockyard worker, G. MALJEVAC, member of Section Exec. Committee, P. MATAKANOVICH, secretary South Slavic Workers Club, V. UJCICH, cement worker, P. SVETINA, factory worker, G. MILLER, member of Section Executive Committee, ELMER BOICH, member of District Bureau and Secretariat, JOHN FOLEY, member of agit-prop depart of D.E.C.

DETROIT: BARNEY MASS, member Auto Workers Union, RUTH REYNOLDS, editor of Dodge Worker (Nucleus No. 5).

CHICAGO: ALBERT M. GLOTZER, member of League N.E.C., HELEN JUDD, member of District Control Commission, MIKE ZALISKO, League and Party organiser in coal fields, ROGER COMPTON, agit-prop director of nucleus.

TWIN CITIES (Minneapolis and St. Paul): VINCENT R. DUNNE, member of D.E.C. and District Bureau, KARL SKOGLUND, member of D.E.C. and District Bureau, OSCAR COOVER, member of D.E.C. and District Bureau, O.R. VOTAW, member of D.E.C. and Dist. Bureau, Members C.R. HEDLUND, P.G. HEDLUND, MARTIN SODERBERG, SAM LESSIN, LOUIS ROSELAND,. A.T. HEDLUND, SAM ZALMANOFF, ALVA HEDLUND, MAX KAUFMAN. JOE ROSS, MRS. SCHWARTZ, A. SHROGOWITZ, HELEN HEDLUND, CARL COWL, member of the Y.W.L, SARA AVRIN, member of the Y.W.L, FANNIE BARACH, member of the Y.W.L., SIMON BARACH, member of the Y.W.L.

KANSAS CITY: A.A. BUEHLER, member of D.E.C., SAM KASSEN, member of D.E.C.

NEW HAVEN: S. GENDELMAN, member of D.E.C.

January 1, 1929.

CANADA: JIM BLUGERMAN.

NEW YORK: T. J. O’FLAHERTY, well-known Party journalist, ANTHONY REFUGEE, member National Italian Bureau, JOHN MENELLA, member unit executive committee, ANTHONY MILLETTI, Harlem Italian Unit Organizer, BERNARDO GODINA, Harlem Italian Workers Club Secretary, C. NONVENUTO, member Italian District Bureau, L. PROTI, Harlem Italian Workers Club Organizer, O. ZADRA, West Side Italian Fraction secretary, CLARA FABIANI, member left wing ladies garment workers union.

PHILADELPHIA: MAURICE GOMBERG Secretary nucleus B, Section 3.

CLEVELAND: JOS. KELLER, leader in Czecho-Slovak fraction.

CHICAGO: JOHN EDWARDS, brick-makers union.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.: JOE ANGELO, leader of National Miners Union.

January 15, 1929.

CANADA: H. POPPER D. QUARTER, J. HURWITZ C. KRAMER, M. CLAREMONT W. SHAINAK, C. STARKMAN, MAURICE QUARTER

NEW YORK: PHILIP SHULMAN, member Left Wing I.L.G.W.U., Local 35, BERNARD LUECK, Organizer Unit 2 F, expelled August 1928.

PHILADELPHIA: JOE LESACK, Y.W.L., member Carpenters Union, NATHAN SHANKER, Financial Secretary Sheet Metal Workers Union.

ST. LOUIS: SAM CURTIS, Sub-D.O., Y.W.L.

February 1, 1929.

CANADA: A. CHAMBERS, Sec’y, Toronto Y.C.L. Agit-Prop, M. BERNSTEIN, Y.C.L, National Trade Union Dept, H. PANITCH, Y.C.L. National Trade Union Dept, J. PAGURICK, Sec’y. Y.C.L. branch, B. KATZ, expelled member of A.C.W.A, J. LEDERMAN, member of Needle Trades Ind. Union, I. DERTCH, unemployed worker, H. CLARMAN, member of Cloakmakers Union, J. GORLITSKY, Canadian Painters Union, H. DISENHOUSE, factory worker, E. ZAGLIN, millinery worker, H. BARON, apprentice, J. JALDOFSKY, apprentice, R. SCHWARTZ, Cloakmakers Union, L. HOFFMAN, Cloakmakers Union, A. ROSE, Cloakmakers Union, J. ROTH, Raincoatmakers Industrial Union, L. STARKMAN, Cloakmakers Union, C. GOLDBERG, Millinery Wkrs. Union, local chairlady, J. LUTSKY, Carpenters Union.

CHICAGO: LEON MUSSEL, LILLIAN BORGESON, REBECCA SACHEROW, JACK COHEN, OLIVER CARLSON, founder Y.C.L. in United States.

COLORADO: GERRY ALLARD, leader of National Miners Union.

NEW YORK CITY: HARRY STONE, member of Y.W.L., LOUIS STONE, member of Y.W.L., LEON DENENBERG, refused admission into New York League because of support of Russian Opposition.

CLEVELAND: LEO GLEISSER, member district agit-prop committee, J. OPPER, teacher at Workers School, MORRIS ABRAMS.

March 1, 1929.

BOSTON: I. COOPERSTEIN,

NEW YORK: HAROLD ROBBINS, Young Workers League, JOHN JUSTIN, Young Workers League, SAM WATTS, Young Workers League, GEORGE CLARK, Young Workers League, MAX WALDMAN, of the Furriers’ Union.

ST. LOUIS: ELMER McMILLAN, Communist candidate for Mayor, MARTIN PAYER, Acting sub-district organizer Y.W.L., H.L. GOLDBERG, CHARLES MAHLER, Young Workers League, E. CARLSON, Young Workers League.

DETROIT: ALEX SCHRIBER, JULIUS ROSEN, Section Agit-Prop Director.

RICHMOND, CALIF.: ROSA POWELL.

WILLISTON, N. DAKOTA: A.C. MILLER, first Communist legislator in U.S.

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA: SARAH P. J. LINN.

TORONTO, CANADA: S. QUAELER.

March 15, 1929.

NEW YORK CITY: IRVING SPREIREGEN, vice-president, American Association of Plumbers Helpers, MAC KUDLER, member of Executive Board, American Association of Plumbers Helpers, JOE BURTON, member of Executive Board, American Association of Plumbers Helpers, JOSEPH FOX. League unit Industrial Committee, JEAN TISHMAN, Young Workers League, PAUL GREEN. Young Workers League, BEN GROSS, Bath Beach Party unit.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.: GEORGE VOYZEY President, Illinois Miners Union.

CLEVELAND: JOHN BRAHTIN.

April 15, 1929.

NEW YORK CITY: NATHAN HERMAN, Needle Trades Worker

WILMINGTON, DEL: BOB GREEN, Young Workers League.

CANADA: JOE SILVER, National Executive Committee, Young Communist League

May 1-15, 1929.

NEW YORK CITY: ROSE KARSNER, former secretary F.S.R., assistant secretary of I.L.D., SAM GINSBERG, member of Russian C.P. since 1917. Joined C.P. in America in 1925.

BOSTON: L. LKOVENKO.

CHICAGO: ELSIE MYERS

June 1, 1929.

GUELPH, ONTARIO (Canada): ALBERT J. FARLEY

CHICAGO: DAN POLLIN, A. BORNSTEIN. FANNIE MINUK, ROBERT CARVER, H.P. CLAUSEN. JOSEPH R. BOOTH, JOSEPH GODDISS

DETROIT: HARRY HOW

BOSTON: SAM FRIEDMAN

WHO ARE THE EXPELLED COMMUNISTS

ALBERT M, GLOTZER—Joined Young Workers League in 1923. Member Chicago District Executive Committee 1924. Delegate first Chicago district convention at Springfield in 1925. Member of D.E.C., Bureau, and Secretariat in Chicago. Delegate League National Convention in New York, 1927. Member of National Executive Committee from 1927 until expulsion. Party and League organizer in Illinois coal fields during miners’ strike. Director of League school in New England in 1928, and instructor in Chicago Workers School in same year. District Pioneer director, 1925-6: antimilitarist work director, 1926; agit-prop work director, 1926-7; industrial work director, 1927-8. Secretary of Chicago Youth Relief Committee, 1928. In charge of factory and shop nucleus work prior to expulsion, issuing first printed youth shop bulletin in United States.

JAMES P. CANNON—Member of the Central Executive Committee and Political Committee. Joined Socialist Party at Kansas City in 1908. Joined I.W.W. in 1911. Took part in the organization of Left Wing group in Kansas City in 1918. Editor of local Left Wing weekly paper, The Workers’ World, in 1919. Delegate to National Left Wing Conference, New York City in June 1919 and was elected member of Labor Committee of National Left Wing. Foundation member of Communist Labor Party. First District Organizer St. Louis-Kansas City District,1919-1920. Organized first underground Communist groups in mine field of Kansas and Southern Illinois. Elected to the Central Executive Committee at first underground convention at Bridgman, Michigan, May 1920 and re-elected at every subsequent convention of the Party. Editor of Party legal paper, The Toiler, 1920. Delegate to Fourth and Sixth World Congresses of the Communist International and also to a number of the Sessions of the Enlarged Executive Committee of the Communist International. National Secretary of International Labor Defense from foundation, June 1925 to October 1928. Organizer in Akron Rubber Strike in 1913, Peoria Metal Workers Strike, Duluth and Superior Ore Dock Strike, and many others. Indicted for conspiracy in the Peoria metal workers strike in 1913 and also indicted by Federal Government for activity in strike of the Kansas Coal miners in 1919. No conviction in either case. Numerous arrests and short jail terms.

MARTIN ABERN—Member of Central Executive Committee. Joined Young Peoples Socialist League at Minneapolis in 1912 and Socialist Party in 1915. Joined I.W.W. in 1916. Served as Local Secretary Socialist Party, Minneapolis. Took part in organization of Left Wing of S.P. in Minnesota. Foundation member of Communist Party. District Organizer Communist Party of Minnesota, 1919-1920. Organizer-speaker for Friends of Soviet Russia. Elected to Central Executive Committee at first underground convention, Bridgeman, Mich., May, 1920 and member of C.E.C. almost continuously since and various times served on Political Committee. First National Secretary, Young Workers League of America, till 1923. District Organizer and Organization Secretary, Workers (Communist) Party, Chicago District, 1924-1925-1926. Assistant National Secretary, International Labor Defense, 1928. Delegate to Third Congress of Young Communist International and Fourth Congress of Communist International. Indicted twice by Federal Government during War. Served prison term, in Minnesota for refusal to register for war. Also minor jail terms.

HELEN JUDD— Secretary of North Side English branch of Socialist Party in 1919 and helped to swing it into Communist Party when William F. Kruse, J. Louis Engdahl, Victory Berger, Adolph Germer, Seymour, Stedman and others were trying to hold it in line for the Socialists. Indicted in the Palmer Raids, held under $10,000 bonds. Secretary of Local, Chicago, National Defense Committee, for two years, while Party was underground. Afterward active for several years in forming pioneer groups. At the time of second expulsion by William F. Kruse, was secretary of Nucleus 31, one of the largest arid most active in Chicago, and also a member of the Control Commission of District Eight of the Party.

CARL SKOGLUND—Member organized labor since 1905. Joined Social Democratic Youth League of Sweden, 1905-12. Participated in military strike of 4,000 soldiers, punished by solitary confinement, 1906. Organized first union in small town paper mill, 1909. Chairman of local strike committee during general strike of 190,000 workers in 1909. Delegate first district convention for election of candidate to Rikstag, made secretary of convention, 1910. Blacklisted and came to America, 1912, joining Socialist Party in 1914. Member of I.W.W. from 1917-21. Led local campaign in big Mooney strike movement of 1918. Delegate from Minnesota to Socialist Party convention on left wing slate, 1919. Helped organized Railway shopmen of Great Northern, Northwestern, Chicago. Burlington and Quincy, 1917, and member of Brotherhood of Railway Carmen since then. Led “illegal” shopmen’s strike in 1919. Chairman of Great Western and Pullman Shopmen’s Strike Committee, 1922-23. Blacklisted and barred from industry as a result. Expelled from Minneapolis Central Labor Council for Communist activities on instructions from Executive Council of A.F. of L. in 1924. Delegate to every state convention of Farmer-Labor Federation. Joined underground Communist Party in 1920, member of its D.E.C. up to liquidation of underground. Helped found Workers Party and member of its D.E.C. from inception. Delegate to famous Bridgman convention, and to three national conventions of Workers Party. Industrial Organizer of Minnesota district continuously since 1922. Member of National Railroad Amalgamation Committee Member of national election campaign committee of Party, 1928, and delegate to national nominating convention in same year. Expelled in Minneapolis, November 14, 1928.

JOSEPH KELLER—Joined Proletarian Party in 1921, then left this psuedo-Communist party to work among the Slovakian workers in Slovak Socialist Federation. Helped swing it into Workers Party in 1924 and was one of the leading Communist workers among the Slovakian workers in the country, particularly in the Cleveland District. During a recent visit of the Hungarian Horthy reactionaries, he was clubbed by the police during the demonstration for carrying a placard denouncing Horthy’s blood regime. A short while later, he was clubbed by a Stalinite at a mass meeting called by the Opposition in Cleveland to discuss the viewpoint of Trotsky!

MAX SHACHTMAN—Joined Workers Council in 1921 prior to its merger into Workers Party at December 1921 convention. Elected member of National Executive Committee of Young Workers League in 1923, member of National Bureau and Secretariat until 1927 when entire work transferred to the Party. Editor of official organs of League, Young Worker and Young Comrade, in 1923-4-5. Director League’s anti-militarist work 1923-7. League delegate to Plenum of Young Communist International in 1925. Editor of Labor Defender, organ of International Labor Defense, 1926-1928. Member of National Executive Committee of I.L.D. since November 1927. Delegate to Second Congress of International Red Aid in 1927. Elected alternate to Central Committee at 1927 convention of Party.

JOSEPH FRIEDMAN—Joined Y.P.S.L. in 1924. Organizer, educational director, etc., of various units of organization and member of City Central and City Executive Committee (New York). Leader of Left wing movement, for unity with Y.W.L. and for breaking with Socialist party. Supported Communist ticket in 1927 elections while on C.E.C. of Y.P.S.L. Suspended from Y.P.S.L. for inviting Communist speaker to Y.P.S.L. mass meeting. Joined Young Workers League in 1928. Leader of Communist fraction at City College (evening session). President of Vote-Communist Foster-for- President Club at College. Expelled from Y.W.L. for supporting Opposition in December 1928.

OSCAR COOVER—Joined International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 1906, and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, 1907. Member of Socialist Party from 1904-7. Joined underground Communist Party in December 1919, helped organize Workers Party in 1921. Delegate to Central Labor Union of Electrical Workers in Springfield, Mo., 1907-8, and Central Labor Union of Minneapolis from 1912 to 1924 when A.F. of L. fakers ordered his expulsion for Communist activities. Re-elected to C.L.U. and Minneapolis Building Trades Council in January 1928. Member of Minneapolis Party D.E.C. in 1922-3-4-7-8. Member of Political Committee of District at time of expulsion. Communist candidate for representative from 29th Legislative District in 1924. Local secretary of Railroad Shopmen’s Strike Committee in 1922 and blacklisted and barred from industry as a result. Delegate to State Federation of Labor from local union and to all conventions of Farmer-Labor Federation and Association. Expelled from Party November 14, 1928.

B. MORGENSTERN—Joined Young Workers League in 1925 and Party in 1926. Became section organiser of League, then Negro Work Director of Philadelphia District and head of Agit-Prop department. Member of District Committee and Bureau and at one time of Secretariat. Worked for Joint Action Committee in I.L.G.W.U., participating in strike where he was arrested. Arrested also in pocket-book makers strike, in Sacco-Vanzetti campaign, for distributing leaflets, for Hands-Off-China demonstration in Washington, Hands-Off-Nicaragua demonstration in Washington, served 30 days in jail for Porter demonstration in Washington, and arrested in Chester, Pa., during textile union campaign.

VINCENT R. DUNNE— Member Western Federation of Miners, 1905; joined I.W.W. at foundation; in I.W.W. actions in Missoula, Spokane, Seattle, Fresno and San Francisco. Participated in I.W.W. strikes and free speech fights, 1906-8. Served sentences in Seattle and Los Angeles for street speaking. Worked in lumber camps, mines and construction camps in Idaho, Washington, Montana, California, Texas and Arizona. Member of strike committee of Saw Mill Workers at Bogaloosa, La,1908. Express wagon driver and messenger for Northern Pacific, Wells Fargo, Adams Express, discharged several times for organising workers, finally blacklisted and forced out of industry. Active in Mooney Defense fight and in Friends of Soviet Russia. Charter member Minneapolis Office Workers Union, financial secretary and delegate to Central Labor Union, 1922-24. Removed from office and expelled from C.L.U. for Communist activity by order of Executive Council of A.F. of L. in 1924. Secretary of 12th Ward Farmer-Labor Club (Minneapolis) 1924-8. Removed from office for fighting F.L.P. bureaucrats and labor fakers Shipstead, Cramer, Weir, Starchy, Lundeen, etc, Expelled from union November 11, 1928 for opposing Shipstead as Senatorial candidate, just three days before expulsion from Party. Joined Workers Party, held minor offices, secretary Minneapolis O.C.C. for three years. Member District Executive Committee, 1923-8; of District Polcom, 1926-28; member District secretariat, 1927-8. Delegate National Convention of 1927. Delegate to every convention of Farmer-Labor Federation and Association. Member of National Party Election Campaign Committee, 1928. Communist candidate for Congressman in 1928. Expelled from Party, November 14, 1928.

ANTHONY REFUGEE—Joined the Socialist Party of Italy in 1910 and the Communist Party in 1921. Communist member of the municipal council of Trieste. Instructed by the Party to leave Italy in 1923. Joined Workers Party of America in 1924. Member of the Italian Bureau since 1925. Foundation member of the-Anti- Fascist Alliance and member of its executive committee. One of the most active leaders in the Anti-Fascist movement and on the picket line during strikes in New York.

MAURICE SPECTOR—Entered Toronto Young Socialist League in 1914. Removed as editor of student paper in 1916 for anti-war activity in University of Toronto. As national executive committee member of Social Democratic Party in 1918 he introduced resolution for affiliation to Third International. Helped liquidate Social Democratic Party and form underground groups. Delegate to the first underground convention of Communist Party and Workers Communist Party group in Canada which established Workers Party. Elected to C.E.C. and appointed editor of Canadian Worker, official organ, in 1921. Constantly a member of C.E.C. of Communist Party of Canada since then. Delegate to Fourth World Congress of Comintern in 1922.23. Elected chairman of Party following the Third and Fourth Conventions. Editor of Canadian Labor Monthly, Party theoretical monthly, from inception. Delegate to Sixth World Congress of C.I. and elected member of Executive Committee of Comintern.

O.R. VOTAV—-Joined Machinists Union, 1920 and secretary of his local since 1923. Delegate to St. Paul Central Labor Union, 1922-24, and since 192X. Expelled from C.L.U. for Communist activities in 1924, but re-elected annually by local and refused seat by Executive Council of A. F. of L. Delegate State Federation of Labor since 1924. Delegate since 1922 10 District 77 of Machinists Union and District secretary treasurer since 1923. Joined Communist Party in 1922. At foundation convention of Farmer-Labor Federation. Delegates to all local and state conventions of Federation and Association, and expelled from latter for Communism in 1925. St. Paul Party city secretary in 1926. On District Party Committee since 1925 and on Polcom since 1926. Expelled from Party, November 14, 1928.

ARNE SWABECK—Joined Painters union in Denmark, 1909. Joined Social Democratic Party of Germany in 1912. Helped organize building trades union in Bucharest, Roumania, in 1914. Arrested by police, receiving 20 lashes. Joined Socialist Party immediately on arriving in United States in 1916. Joined I.W.W. in 1918, remaining till 1920. Delegate to Seattle Central Labor Council from December 1918 to April 1920. Delegate to General Strike Committee in 1919. Member Executive Committee of Seattle Workers and Soldiers Council, and associate editor of its official organ The Forge. Organizer for Seattle Central Labor Council in Pacific Coast territory for Mooney general strike in 1919. Editor of Social Democraton (1920-21), organ of independent Scandinavian Federation till it joined Workers Party; it later became English organ of Party under name of New Age, then Voice of Labor, in Chicago, Left Wing delegate from Seattle to Socialist Party convention in 1919; expelled by police, and helped found the Communist Labor Party, being elected on its national trade union committee. Party organizer from April 1921 to October 1927, chiefly as District Organizer in Chicago. Member of Executive Committee of Red International of Labor Unions in 1922. Delegate to 2nd Congress of R.I.L.U. and 4th Congress of Comintern. Delegate from Painters Union to Chicago Federation of Labor since 1921, leader of left wing and Communist forces there. Twice delegate to Illinois State Federation of Labor convention. Delegate to Chicago Building Trades Publicity Committee which led the fight against notorious Landis Award in 1921. One of leaders in huge mass demonstration of 150,000 Chicago workers against this award in April 1921. Member of C.E.C. of Workers (Communist) Party practically continuously since its formation. Arrested four times for working class activities in this country. Expelled November 24, 1928 from the Party.

JULIUS ROSEN—Volunteered in Russian Red Army in 1920, at age of 19. Had previously worked with a partisan group in the Ukraine against its occupation by the counter-revolutionary troops of Petlura. Joined Party in U.S. as Detroit branch charter member in 1922. Recently organizer of Street nucleus No. 6 and agit-prop director of section committee. Removed from all office and finally expelled for support to Opposition.

SOL LANKIN—Joined Philadelphia Y.W.L. in 1925, becoming one of first organizers of Strawberry Mansion English branch and member of executive committee. Became member of D.E.C., being at head of Sports Committee, director of work among unemployed, secretary of upholsterer’s youth fraction. Arrested numerous times in. Philadelphia and once in Chester, Pa., during organizing campaign at Irving Knitting Mills. Carried out League work in C.M.T.C. Expelled in November 1928 for supporting Opposition.