41. Politics-Anti-Communism & Other Movements,, 1930-1980

Summary: Documents CR's interest in communism, socialism, liberalism, fascism in the U.S. and how these political theories are linked to CR's anti-communist philosophy. By collecting information on various political movements, individuals or organizations involved in certain labor, civil rights, consumer, scientific, leftist or New Deal causes, CR invented and reinforced their notions on how to fight communism.

CR collected files to document the links (perceived or real) between individuals or organizations associated with the Communist Party or other leftist groups in the U.S. Files were started on individuals or groups when they were identified (and met CRs' criteria) as communists, fellow travelers, left-wing infiltrators or front organizations.

Records include clippings from mainstream, leftist and right-wing newspapers, magazines and pamphlets. Letters are scattered throughout the files and are mostly from F.J. Schlink, but also from J.B. Matthews, and relate to strategy on how to facilitate CRs' anti-communist ideas, but also concern CR's attempts at supplying the FBI, the Pentagon & Martin Dies Un-American Activities committee with information on leftist individuals or groups who could be associated with other leftist groups or individuals. The bulk of these files relate to the anti-communist movement between the late 1930s to the mid-1950s, but continue sporadically to 1980 Some of the material prior to 1935 relates to left-wing issues CR identified with before the CR strike that resulted in CRs' flip-flop from left to right on the political spectrum.

Subjects include democracy, lobbying, liberals, liberals against fascism but not communism, socialists, fascism in America, anti-communism, anti-anti communism, "off the communist bandwagon," Martin Dies Special House Committee on Un-American Activities, J.B. Matthews role as CR staffer and Dies Committee research director, communist connection to the consumer movement, and other congressional hearings including committees headed by Parnell Thomas and Joseph McCarthy. There are several letters from CR subscribers cancelling their subscription after hearing Matthew's testimony before the Dies Committee. Publications include Dies Committee hearings, leftist and right wing publications such as party Organizer, The Communist, American Legion Firing Line, Summary Trends and Developments Exposing the Communist Conspiracy, VFW American Security Reporter, Counterattack and Jews Against Communism. Also publications from the Constitutional Educational League by Joseph P. Kamp, the National Council for American Education, and legislative hearings on communism subversion the Canada, the Philippines, California and New York. Also a clipping file on some of J.B. Matthews published writings.

Also see the Left-wing Infiltration and the Fellow Travellers and Front Organizations series.