The minutes of the very first leadership meeting of the (old) Communist Party of America from September 7, 1919. Around the Socialist Party’s Emergency Convention in the late summer of 1919, the left inspired by the Russian Revolution was split a number of ways, with four groups (the future Proletarian Party, the future Workers Council of the S.P., the Communist Labor Party, and the (old) Communist Party of America) advocating the new Communist International. The largest of those groups was the (old) Communist Party which drew much of its numbers from the Language Federations, particularly the Russian and Lettish. The (old) C.P.A.’s headquarters was first based in Chicago, at 1219 Blue Island Avenue (‘The Smolny’), where this meeting gathered. The Executive Council consisted of Charles E. Ruthenberg (National Secretary) from Cleveland, Louis Fraina (Editor, International Secretary) of New York, Charles Dirba from Minneapolis, Isaac E. Ferguson from Chicago, K.B. Karosas of the Lithuanian Federation from Philadelphia, John Schwartz from the Latvian Federation of Boston, Harry M. Wicks from Portland with additional members of the Central Executive Council being John J. Ballam of Boston, Alexander Bittelman of the Jewish Federation from New York, Maximilian Cohen from New York, Daniel Elbaum of the Polish Federation from Detroit, Nicholas Hourwich from the Russian Federation if New York, Jay Lovestone from New York, Oscar Tyverovsky of the Russian Federation from New York, and Paul Petras of the Hungarian Federation from Chicago.

‘First Leadership Meeting of the (old) Communist Party of America’ from The Communist. Vol. 1 No. 2. October 4, 1919.

MINUTES OF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SUNDAY, SEPT. 7, 1919.

Comrade Ferguson elected chairman.

C. E. Ruthenberg, secretary.

Present, all members but Comrade Petras. Motion that we proceed to elect the Executive Council. Carried.

Comrade Wicks, Schwartz, Karas, Ferguson and Dirba elected. These together with Comrades Ruthenberg and Fraina constitute the Executive Council.

Motion, that we elect an associate editor of “The Communist” and “Communist International.” Carried. Comrade I.E. Ferguson elected. Comrade Stilson was given the floor and stated that the Lithuanian Federation Convention was to be held in Brooklyn, N. Y., on Sept. 27, and suggested that the party send delegates to officially represent it. Comrades Lovestone and Bittelman elected.

Motion, that we elect two delegates to attend the convention of the Jewish Federation at Philadelphia, Oct. 9th, 10th, 11th. Carried. Comrades Cohen and Hourwich elected.

Motion, that we elect two delegates to attend the South Slavic Convention at Chicago, Sept. 12th. Carried. Comrades Hourwich and Ferguson elected.

Motion, that the Central Executive Committee take charge of the defense of all the comrades arrested and that we establish a Legal Bureau to defend party members against prosecution. Carried. 

Motion, that the party undertake the defense of Comrade Batt. Carried.

Motion, that Comrade Ferguson be appointed counsel for the party. Carried.

Motion, that the Executive Council shall constitute the Legal Bureau. Carried.

Motion, that standard wage of $45.00 per week for persons with families and $35.00 per week for employes without families be established for the positions of Executive Secretary, Editors, Organizers and Translator Secretaries. Carried.

Motion, that members of the committee who live in New York constitute the sub-committee of the central executive committee. Lost.

Motion, that members of the Central Executive Committee and Translator Secretaries be used as organizers wherever possible. Carried.

Motion, that Bertram Wolfe be appointed organizer for the state of New York.

Amendment, that we request the New York members to make a recommendation for organizer for New York.

Amendment to amendment, that the New York members of the committee constitute a committee to organize a District or State Organization. Amendment to the amendment carried.

Motion that Comrade Cohen act as secretary of the New York Committee. Carried.

Motion, that the Executive Council be authorized to divide the country into districts for the purpose of organizing District and State Organizations. Carried.

Motion, that we endeavor to have the members of the Party develop a Co-operative Printing Plant. Referred to the Executive Council.

Motion, that we appoint as a Press Bureau, the editors of the national, state and Federation Party papers, and that the national editor act as secretary of the Bureau. Carried.

Motion, that we print a pamphlet containing the correspondence in regard to unity with the bolting delegates and that it contain the program and constitution of the party and be mailed to all locals with a charter application. Carried.

Motion, that Comrades Ferguson and Fraina be appointed editors of the Manifesto and that it, together with the program, be printed in pamphlet form. Carried.

Motion that we instruct the Executive Council to take steps to publish the stenographic report of the Convention Proceedings. Carried.

Motion, that the Executive Council act as the Special Committee called for by the Convention actions. Carried.

Motion, that the Central Executive Committee meet again on the first Saturday in November. Carried.

Motion, that the Executive Secretary endeavor to arrange meetings for the members of the committee while en route to the meetings of the committee. Carried.

Motion, that the Executive Secretary, in co-operation with the Executive Council, be authorized to secure new headquarters. Carried.

Motion, that Emergency Meetings of the Central Executive Committee may be called by majority vote of the committee or by the Executive Council. Carried.

Motion, that the work of the Central Executive Committee be carried on through executive motions, which shall be held open for fifteen days, and which may be accompanied by 300 words of comment. Members of the Executive Council may have adverse comment to same extent sent out with the motion. Carried.

Motion, that the funds of the party be deposited in a bank and that all bills be paid by check signed by the Executive Secretary and counter-signed by one of the members of the Executive Council. Carried. Comrade Ferguson designated to countersign checks with Comrade Schwartz as alternate.

Motion, that the party take over the “Communist” and “Revolutionary Age” and all their as sets and liabilities. Carried.

Motion, that Comrade Batt continue as secretary for one week. Carried.

Comrade Elbaum made a statement in regard to the printing plant of the Polish Federation, requesting that when speed was not necessary printing be given to the plant. This was referred to the Executive Secretary with a favorable recommendation.

C.E. RUTHENBERG, Executive Secretary.

Emulating the Bolsheviks who changed the name of their party in 1918 to the Communist Party, there were up to a dozen papers in the US named ‘The Communist’ in the splintered landscape of the US Left as it responded to World War One and the Russian Revolution. This ‘The Communist’ began in September 1919 combining Louis Fraina’s New York-based ‘Revolutionary Age’ with the Detroit-Chicago based ‘The Communist’ edited by future Proletarian Party leader Dennis Batt. The new ‘The Communist’ became the official organ of the first Communist Party of America with Louis Fraina placed as editor. The publication was forced underground in the post-War reaction and its editorial offices moved from Chicago to New York City. In May, 1920 CE Ruthenberg became editor before splitting briefly to edit his own ‘The Communist’. This ‘The Communist’ ended in the spring of 1921 at the time of the formation of a new unified CPA and a new ‘The Communist’, again with Ruthenberg as editor.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/thecommunist/thecommunist3/v1n02-oct-04-1919.pdf