SECRET MEMBERSHIP

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 18

SECRET MEMBERSHIP

EX-COMMUNIST'S STORY.

ACTIVITIES IN SYDNEY.

MONEY FROM 'RUSSIA.

A story showing the close association of the Communists with the timber workers' strike is contained in a statement by a former Communist, Mr. F. A. Armstrong, who is a delegate from the Clerks' Union to the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council. The statement is published iii the "Sydney Morning Herald."

Mr. Armstrong said that he had had personal relations with the persons controlling the strike committee and the strike campaign for the Australian Labour party. His disclosures indicate the existence of a secret membership in the Communist party, which enabled members to white ant from the inside the political and industrial wings of the Labour movement.

Labour leaders who, according to Mr. Armstrong, were members of the Communist party when he belonged to the organisation include: — Mr. J. S. Garden, secretary of Labour Council, member of the strike committee.

Mr. E. Voigt, assistant secretary of Labour Council, publicity officer to the strike committee.

Mr. J. Kavanagh, chairman of the strike committee and organiser of the Labour Council.

Mr. Denford, then general secretary of the Communist party, now member of the strike committee. : Mr. A. J. Macpherson, now organising secretary of the A.L.P. and superintendent of A.L.P. strike activities. Mr. Armstrong's Story. "I joined the Communist party in 1922, and was an active member until 1924," said Mr. Armstrong. "I rejoined in September, 1927, and resigned from the organisation in November of the same year. The secret membership idea was put into force after the 1924 A.L.P. conference, when Communists were debarred from membership. The front door to the A.L.P. was closed, so we had to get in by the back door. The. central executive of the Communist party carried a resolution allowing myself, with Messrs. L. Leece and T. Paine, to join A.L.P. leagues and still remain secretly members of the Communist party. To-day Leece is an organiser in the clothing trades, and T. Paine directs tho speakers' classes of the A.L.P. Our orders were to spread Communist propaganda to the leagues and report A.L.P. activities to the C.E. (Communist executive). Others concerned in the Communist drive were: — Mr. J. Graves, president of the A.L.P. Mr. J. Kilburn, secretary of the Bricklayers' Union. Mr. M. P. Ryan, of the strike committee. Senator A. Rac. "Mr. Kavanagh was known to us in l the Communist party as Mr. Nelson. He came from Canada, but he possessed Russian credentials, so his rights to •membership were O.K. Membership in the Communist party cost 6/ per quarter, and there was an international levy of 2/. The international levy' went to the expense of the central executive of the Communist party in Russia. Mr. Garden was a leading light in the Communist party. To-day he is secretly carrying out the instructions of the Communist International. Mr. Macpherson owes his position in the A.L.P. to Mr. Garden. He put him where he is. I joined the Marrickville A.L.P. League. My orders were to advance the interests of the Communist movement, more especially towards gaining recognition for the Communist party in the A.L.P., I was expelled from the Marrickville branch in 1925. They asked me whether I was a member of the Communist party or the A.L.P. I said I was a. member of both. When I resigned from the Communist party on the second occasion I rejoined the Marrickville branch. I am a member of the branch to-day. Mr. Kavanagh has openly boasted that he has successfully conducted strikes larger than any we have experienced in America. He is responsible for the new strike methods.

"Mr. Garden, Mr. Macpherson, Mr. Denford, and Mr. Kavanagh are as popular and as trusted by members of the Communist party to-day as they were when they were struggling for recognition in the Labour party. Reports To Russia. "We used to send monthly reports to Bus3ia on local Communist activities," said Mr. Armstrong. "The central executive always attended to that. They sent reports of activities in -the unions, and particularly in the A.L.P. Mr. A. C. Willis was one of the strongest supporters of the contention that Communists should be eligible to join the A.L.P. We kept no records or minutes of Communist party meetings or discussions. The members of the Communist party were kept in the dark —the C.E. kept things to themselves. We were told nothing. I know money came from foreign sources by. trusted couriers, but details were withheld from us. Conditions Of Membership. "It, was necessary to be nominated by a member to join the Communist party," said Mr. Armstrong. "All members were pledged to secrecy. There was a probationary period of three months. In that .period you had to answer a questionnaire on working class subjects. If you failed out you went. If you passedj you were a member. Only officials of the Communist party know anything about the party's real operations. It was when I was financial secretary of the Sydney group that I learnt most about the party. Rule 14, clause B, of the Communist party's constitution, reads:—'lt is the imperative duty of members acting through other organisations to keep in constant touch with the central executive.' "This allowed the secret membership. It enabled us to join any body, political or industrial, and still retain our standing in the Communist party. There is no° alteration in the rule to-day. lam an old shipmate of C. Reeves, 1.W.W., and the director of the strikers' picket captains. The libel law stops me from giving his history," concluded Mr. Armstrong.