A fascinating piece of U.S. left history below. Meeting only once, the duly elected, fraudulently denied, new left wing leadership of the Socialist Party meets in National Executive. Pressured by U.S. entry into World War One in June 1917, and the Revolutions of 1917-1919, the Socialist Party found itself deeply split between Left and Right. In early June, 1919 regular elections were held for the Socialist Party’s 15-person N.E.C., National and International Secretaries. As it became clear that the Left Wing would take control, the right-wing, lame-duck N.E.C. claimed fraud, instructed State Secretaries not to count the votes, and declared the results invalid. In response, the Ohio Socialist, paper of the large and Left Wing Ohio State Socialist Party, asked each state for their count, with two big states–Illinois and New York–refusing to give numbers. However, nearly all the others did. The vote saw a crushing Left Wing victory across the board, with the Left out polling the right 4 or 5 to 1. The Left Wing took both leading positions and eleven of the fifteen N.E.C. seats, elected were National Executive Secretary, pro-tem Alfred Wagenknecht; International Secretary, Kate Richards O’Hare; for National Executive Committee: Dennis E. Batt, Dan Hogan, Louis C. Fraina, Kate Sadler Greenhalgh, Fred Harwood, Nicholas Hourwich, Ludwig E. Katterfeld, John Keracher, Edward Lindgren, William Bross Lloyd, Mary Raoul Millis, Patrick Nagel, Marguerite Prevey, C.E. Ruthenberg, and Harry M. Wicks. (left or lefty). The Emergency Conference of the Socialist Party at the end of August would see the Right willing to destroy the Party rather than acknowledge Left Wing leadership, and the Party’s 80,000 members fractured.

‘New National Executive Meets’ from Truth (Duluth). Vol. 3 No. 32. August 15, 1919.

The newly elected National Executive Committee met at the Hotel Bradley, Chicago, July 26 and 27th. The sessions of the committee were marked by sincere attempts to bring back under the banner of true Socialism and the Communist International, all elements suspended or expelled by the former moderate National Executive Committee, whose term of office ended July 1st.

A statement was issued to the membership upon the present party situation and the coming emergency National Convention. National Executive Secretary, Adolph Germer was requested to attend the sessions of the new committee to turn the national office over to it. This he refused to do, whereupon Alfred Wagenknecht was elected National Executive Secretary temporarily. The new National Executive Committee will, until the national convention takes place, consider the state office of the Socialist Party of Ohio, 3207 Clark Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, as national headquarters from where such essential business as is important between now and the convention, will be transacted.

The first act of the new committee was to canvass the return of state tabulations sent in by state secretaries upon national referendum “C”, 1919, which pertained to the election of a new National Executive Committee and International Delegates. This canvass showed Louis C. Fraina, Edward Lindgren, N.I. Hourwich, C.E. Ruthenberg, Marguerite Prevey, Fred Harwood, Dennis E. Batt, John Keracher, Wm. Bross Lloyd, Dan Hogan, Mary R. Millis, Patrick Nagle, L. E. Katterfeld, Kate Greenhalgh and H.M. Wicks elected National Executive Committee and John Reed, Louis C. Fraina, C.E. Ruthenberg and Alfred Wagenknecht elected as International Delegates.

The minutes in full follow. Every party member is advised to read them carefully and to give the statement to the membership by the new National Executive Committee especial study.

MINUTES OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The meeting was called to order at the Bradley Hotel, Chicago, at 11 A.M., July 26th.

It was unanimously agreed to elect a committee to visit the National Headquarters at 220 South Ashland Boulevard to request the attendance of National Executive Secretary, Adolph Germer at the meeting and to further request him to turn over the national headquarters to the new National Executive committee.

(A motion was made by L.E. Katterfeld of the committee, several weeks before the date of this meeting, instructing Secretary Germer to call a meeting of the new National Executive Committee. Germer refused to place this motion before the committee. The first meeting of the newly elected committee was subsequently called by agreement of eight of the fifteen committeemen, a majority).

Fred Harwood, C.E. Ruthenberg, Louis Fraina, L.E. Katterfeld were elected the committee to visit the national headquarters.

The following letter was addressed to National Executive Secretary Germer:

Chicago, Ill., July 26th, 1919. Adolph Germer, Executive Sec. 220 Ashland Blvd., Chicago, Ill.

Dear Comrade:

‘We the undersigned members of the National Executive Committee, representing a majority of the Committee consisting of

Louis C. Fraina, Edward Lindgren, N.I. Hourwich, Fred Harwood, Marguerite Prevey, Dan Hogan, Patrick S. Nagle, C. E. Ruthenberg, Mary Raoul Mithis, Wm. Bross Lloyd, Dennis E. Batt, Jno. Keracher, L.E. Katterfeld, H.M. Wicks, Kate Sadler Greenhalgh

shown to be elected in the recent referendum of the membership, hereby demand that the National Office of the Party be turned over to the Committee and that this committee be recognized as the controlling committee of the Party, as provided by the constitution, and that you meet in session with the committee at 2 P.M. on this date. Fraternally yours,

(SIGNED) L. E. KATTERFELD, C. E. RUTHENBERG, LOUIS C. FRAINA, FRED HARWOOD For the National Executive Committee

To this letter Germer replied as follows:

Chicago, Ill., July 26th, 1919.

Louis C. Fraina, L.E. Katterfeld, Fred Harwood, C.E. Ruthenberg

Dear Comrades:

Replying to your favor of the 26th inst., ordering me to turn over the National Office to what you term the National Executive Committee, allow me to say that I do not recognize you as controlling, committee of the Socialist Party.

On account of the gross and admitted fraud committed in the recent party referendum, the National Executive Committee has ordered the election methods investigated and that the vote be not tabulated. The result of this investigation will be submitted to the National Emergency Convention to be held on Aug. 30th where the properly elected delegates will determine the further course to be pursued.

There is nothing in the constitution that empowers anyone to tabulate the referendum vote for the National office except the National Office itself and any tabulations that have been made are inofficial and cannot be recognized.

Fraternally yours, ADOLPH GERMER, Executive Secretary.

AFTERNOON SESSION, JULY 26.

Meeting called to order at 3 p.m. L.E. Katterfeld was elected chairman. Alfred Wagenknecht was elected secretary for the meeting. Present L.E. Katterfeld, H.M. Wicks, Louis C. Fraina, C. E. Ruthenberg. Marguerite Prevey, Wm. Bross Lloyd, Edward Lindgren and Fred Harwood.

Motion by Ruthenberg that the rote reported by the state secretaries upon national referendum “C”, 1919, pertaining to the election of a new National Executive Committee and International Delegates, be canvassed by a sub-committee of two.

Fred Harwood and L.E. Katterfeld named the committee.

Motion by Harwood that a committee on rules and order of business be elected, carried.

Ruthenberg and Fraina named the committee.

Report of committee to canvass the vote upon national referendum “C”, 1919.

“We, your committee to canvass the vote sent us by the state secretaries upon national referendum “C”, 1919, for the election of a new National Executive Committee and International Delegates report that according to returns the new National Executive Committee is composed of the following comrades: First District–Louis C. Fraina, Edward Lindgren, N.I. Hourwich. Second District–C.E. Ruthenberg, Marguerite Prevey, Fred Harwood. Third District–Dennis E Batt, John Keracher, Wm. ross Lloyd. Fourth District-Patrick Nagle, Mary Raoul Millis, Dan Hogan. Fifth District–L.E. Katterfeld. H.M. Wicks, Kate Greenhalgh. The comrades elected International Delegates are, John Reed, L.C. Fraina, C.E. Ruthenberg and Alfred Wagenknecht. International Secretary, Kate Richards O’Hare.”

By motion the report of the committee was accepted.

Committee on rules and order of business made the following report:

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. Reports of committees.
2. Action in regard to National Executive Secretary.
3. Organization: a) Suspensions and expulsions. b) Dues and convention assessment stamps. c) Party national property. d) General.
4. Emergency National Convention.
5. Relations with National Council of the Left Wing.
6. Election of a committee to draft a statement to the party membership.
7. Further meetings of the committee.
8. Instructions to International Delegates.
9. Roberts Rules of Order to govern proceedings.

Motion by Lindgren carried that order of business be adopted. Motion by Ruthenberg that the office of the National Executive Secretary by declared vacant in as much as the present incumbent refuses to perform his duties as national secretary by refusing to tabulate the vote in referendum expressing the will of the membership and further refuses to recognize the regularly elected National Executive Committee. Carried.

Motion by Wicks that we elect a National Executive Secretary, to function until the national convention convenes, carried.

Nominations: Alfred Wagenknecht.

Motion by Prevey that Wagenknecht be elected by acclamation, carried.

Motion by Ruthenberg that the Michigan and Massachusetts state organizations be reinstated in the party and that the suspensions of The Russian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Polish, South Slavic and Lettish Socialist Federations be revoked, carried.

Motion by Ruthenberg that we took upon the expulsion of branches and locals by local and state organizations because of their affiliation with or endorsement of the Left Wing as contrary to the spirit of a revolutionary working class movement, it being entirely within the right of the membership to organize within the party to secure the adoption of certain principles, and we state as our opinion that these organizations have been wrongfully expelled and that they should be immediately reinstated. Carried.

Motion that the order of business be suspended and that a committee of three be elected to draft a statement and program in regard to calling and holding the emergency National Convention on August 31th, Carried.

Fraina, Harwood and Ruthenberg elected the committee.

Motion to reconvene at 7:30, carried. Motion to adjourn, carried.

EVENING SESSION JULY 26th

Committee on statement and program in regard to the emergency National Convention reported as follows:

(This report will be found in the “Proclamation to the Membership of a the Socialist Party,” printed in this Bulletin).

Motion carried that the report be adopted.

Motion by Harwood that we call upon the membership to make generous purchases of the special national convention assessment stamps and that local and branch secretaries send the money from the sale of these stamps to their respective state secretaries at once; that all state secretaries be requested to retain such money in their state treasuries, same to be brought to the national convention by the state delegation. Carried.

Motion by Fraina that the National Executive Committee guarantee the delegates to the national convention such balances of their expenses us is not covered by the sale of convention assessment stamps in their respective states and calls upon all states securing more funds from the sale of these stamps than is needed to cover the expenses of their delegations, to turn such surplus over to the temporary national secretary at the convention. Carried.

Motion by Wicks that locals be requested to hold meetings in order to raise money to help defray the expenses of the convention. Carried.

Motion by Fraina that we call upon the Young People’s Socialist League branches to assist in financing this convention by donations from their treasuries and collections from their members. Carried.

Motion by Lindgren that the temporary national secretary arrange for loans to the amount of $5,000 to assist in defraying the expenses of the convention. Carried.

Motion by Harwood that this committee suggests that the state secretaries refrain from purchasing any more dues stamps from the former national secretary, but that in case dues stamps are needed that such regular party dues stamps be bought from the temporary national secretary. Carried.

Motion by Lindgren that we rescind the action taken by the former national executive committee in deciding to incorporate a holding company which action included the election of a board of directors of nine, not subject to recall, these directors to hold the entire property of the national organization. Carried.

Motion by Ruthenberg that we instruct Adolph Germer, Robert M. Howe and Alfred Wagenknecht not to execute a deed for the national headquarters building and property which they hold in trust unless so instructed by this committee. Carried.

Motion by Fraina that we recognize the National Council of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party, organized at the National Left Wing Conference of June 21, 24, and its official organ, “The Revolutionary Age” as an organized expression of the revolutionary sentiments of the party and that we request the co-operation of this council. Carried.

Motion by Prevey that the next meeting of this committee be held August 26, 1919, at 9 a.m. Caried.

Motion that we proceed to elect a committee of three to draft a statement to the membership. Carried.

Nominations–Fraina, Ruthenberg, Katterfeld, Wicks, Lindgren, Harwood. Declinations—Ruthenberg, Lindgren, Harwood.

Fraina, Katterfeld and Wicks elected the committee.

Motion by Lindgren that the International Delegates be instructed to issue a statement on the party’s affiliation with the Communist international which has already been endorsed overwhelmingly by the party membership. Carried.

Motion by Lindgren that a statement regarding political and class war prisoners be included in this statement to the membership. Carried.

Motion by Harwood that a committee of three be elected to visit the meeting of the executive committee of the Finnish Socialist Federation which is to meet at national headquarters tomorrow. Carried.

Prevey, Harwood and Wicks elected the committee.

Motion carried to adjourn until 10:20 a.m., July 27th.

MORNING SESSION JULY 27th.

Fred Harwood elected chairman. Report of committee on statement to the membership.

Motion by Wicks that this report: be adopted as amended. Carried. Motion to adjourn until 3:30 p.m., carried.

AFTERNOON SESSION JULY 27th.

Motion by Prevey that the temporary national secretary be instructed to issue a party bulletin to the membership containing the minutes and declarations of this meeting and that such other official matter as must be communicated to the locals, branches, state secretaries and the membership, be issued thru the Ohio Socialist and the press service. Carried.

Motion by Katterfeld that we elect a committee of three on party institutions to outline a program for the development of efficient instruments of propaganda, education, and organization, such as party owned press, publishing house, lecture bureau, and training school. Each member of this committee is to report to the national executive secretary by August 10th, the secretary to send a copy of the report to every member of the National Executive Committee so that the matter can receive thorough consideration at our next meeting. Also, that we invite all party members to send whatever suggestions they may consider helpful along these lines to the temporary national executive secretary at once. Carried.

Committee elected: Ruthenberg, Harwood and Katterfeld.

Motion by Fraina that the temporary national executive secretary be instructed to arrange for convention headquarters in Chicago, where delegates coming to the national convention may report. Carried.

Motion by Katterfeld that the temporary national executive secretary establish temporary national headquarters wherever most convenient. Carried.

Motion that in adjourning this, our first meeting, we express our confidence in the membership of the Socialist Party and our willingness to obey their mandates at all times. We urge the membership in this time of crisis, not to permit anything to discourage them, but to continue their splendid efforts to place our party in harmony with the Communist International. Carried.

Motion to adjourn, carried. ALFRED WAGENKNECHT, National Executive Secretary, Pro. Tem,

Truth emerged from the The Duluth Labor Leader, a weekly English language publication of the Scandinavian local of the Socialist Party in Duluth, Minnesota and began on May Day, 1917 as a Left Wing alternative to the Duluth Labor World. The paper was aligned to both the SP and the IWW leading to the paper being closed down in the first big anti-IWW raids in September, 1917. The paper was reborn as Truth, with the Duluth Scandinavian Socialists joining the Communist Labor Party of America in 1919. Shortly after the editor, Jack Carney, was arrested and convicted of espionage in 1920. Truth continued to publish with a new editor JO Bentall until 1923 as an unofficial paper of the CP.

PDF of full issue: https://www.mnhs.org/newspapers/lccn/sn89081142/1919-08-15/ed-1/seq-1