We are sure that the comrades all see the developing objective situation in this country toward economic depression and fascism as the answer of the bourgeoisie to their crisis. A day doesn’t pass when reports are not made of higher unemployment, speed-up in the shops and the accompanying fascist attacks especially against the national minorities. Our Party has been responding to these attacks in the main, but much more concentration on mobilizing the class has got to take place. In many instances, certain things will happen in a particular area and the comrades will be weeks in responding. The bourgeoisie on the other hand, daily responds to whatever happens through their press, television and radio. They constantly assure themselves that they can propagate their position on whatever the event. However, comrades, this is not the case with us. We must begin to respond much more immediately and also continue the work with our contacts after our mobilizations.
The Center, understanding the need for our Party to move out, is proposing the production of a weekly People’s Tribune to begin the 1st of May, 1976. This is going to entail an entirely “new” approach on the part of the comrades. That is to say, we are going to have to reach out and move out into the class struggle.
We will be unable to reproduce and more importantly distribute a weekly paper if we have not made the sufficient ties with the working class and are doing the necessary follow-up work, using our press as a collective organizer, propagandist and agitator. The distribution of a weekly newspaper is going to entail that each and every comrade consolidate their contacts and begin the day-to-day, persistent, consistent, and patient work using the communist press as it should be used. And it is also going to entail the comrades and the workers around them financially supporting the paper, otherwise there will be no press.
We have 6 months in order to prepare ourselves for this. The first step that we must take is that every area committee must begin the process of finding out exactly where the distribution apparatus is at and how we can improve the apparatus. That means the NEB needs a detailed report on how many subscriptions each comrade can handle. In order to raise the necessary money, we have estimated that each comrade will need to sell anywhere from 6-10 subs at $8.00 a year for 52 weeks. Now what will this mean? It means that everyone that we sell subs to will have to be visited once a week, given the paper and worked with; this will enable the comrades to introduce the party to the contacts, mobilize these contacts for events and most importantly recruit them into the party. No one will be able to take money from people and then never deliver the paper. We are not paper boys either. Just dropping the paper at the contact’s door step or in the mail box is not what we want. It means spending time with every contact that we sell the paper to. At the same time, we must be having regular distributions at factory gates and in communities.
A weekly paper will also include monthly fundraisers in order to support the paper financially. This is a must, and the comrades are going to have to organize themselves in order to accomplish it.
Comrades, we have projected this paper six months from now. That means every area is going to have to begin the process of moving toward this new task, if you do not rally the workers in support of our party, we will not be able to accomplish the tasks of a communist party. A small grouping of 600 individuals cannot organize and lead the working class. We must recruit and extend our influence. The move towards a weekly press is a move toward making our Party a real communist party. A party which is involved and leading the class struggle. The accomplishment of this task is the difference between an inward grouping of individuals and a party with a face to it and facing outward.
Comrade Lenin says that a communist’s work is not done until a report has been written. If you comrades do not send in your reports, there will be serious criticisms raised. We can no longer run an organization on hearsay, rumor and telephone calls. Written reports, in order to win this campaign will be absolutely necessary.
By November 15, we want a detailed report from every area as to how many people they can sell subs to (keeping in mind that 5 or 6 should be the minimum) and how they feel the process of mobilizing the comrades should take place. The input from the entire membership is a key aspect in the development and success of this campaign.
We will be writing to the areas every 3 to 4 weeks with more information on the things that each area will have to do and also to continue politically to mobilize the comrades. This change will necessitate other changes in the types of articles, distribution arid fundraising.
We suggest that each comrade re-read the sections on the Daily Worker and the running of units from Peter’s Manual. They are extremely helpful and very timely.
With Communist Greetings, National Editorial Board, Secretariat.
editors note: This was a memo sent to all area leaders.