jacobin1949
2nd November 2007, 18:35
http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/partie...onstitution.pdf (http://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/cpusa/1944/05/0522-cpa-constitution.pdf)
Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 1
Constitution of the
Communist Political Association.
Adopted by the Constitutional Convention, May 20-22, 1944.
1
Published in The Path to Peace, Progress and Prosperity: Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention
of the Communist Political Association, New York, May 20-22, 1944. (NY: CPA, 1944), pp. 47-51.
Preamble.
THE COMMUNIST POLITICAL ASSOCIATION
is a non-party organization of Americans
which, basing itself upon the working class,
carries forward the traditions of Washington, Jefferson,
Paine, Jackson, and Lincoln, under the
changed conditions of modern industrial society.
It seeks effective application of democratic
principles to the solution of the problems of today,
as an advanced sector of the democratic majority
of the American people.
It upholds the Declaration of Independence,
the United States Constitution and its Bill of
Rights, and the achievements of American democracy
against all the enemies of popular liberties.
It is shaped by the needs of the nation at war,
being formed in the midst of the greatest struggle
of all history; it recognizes that victory for the free
peoples over fascism will open up new and more
favorable conditions for progress; it looks to the
family of free nations, led by the great coalition of
democratic capitalist and socialist states, to inaugurate
an era of world peace, expanding production,
and economic well-being, and the liberation
and equality of all peoples regardless or race, creed,
or color.
It adheres to the principles of scientific socialism,
Marxism, the heritage of the best thought
of humanity and of a hundred years’ of experience
of the labor movement, principles which have
proved to be indispensable to the national existence
and independence of every nation; it looks
forward to a future in which, by democratic choice
of the American people, our own country will solve
the problems arising out of the contradiction between
the social character of production and its
private ownership, incorporating the lessons of the
most fruitful achievements of all mankind in a
form and manner consistent with American traditions
and character.
For the advancement of these aims, the Communist
Political Association establishes the basic
laws of its organization in the following Constitution.
Article I: Name.
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be
Communist Political Association.
Article II: Purposes.
Section 1: The purposes of the Association are to
assure to its membership adequate information,
education and organized participation in the political
life of our country in cooperation with other
Americans for the advancement and protection of
the interests of the nation and its people.
Article III: Membership.
Section 1: Any resident of the United States, eighteen
years of age or more, regardless of political
affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, or religious
belief, who subscribes to the purposes of the
2 Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944]
Association shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2: Any person eligible for membership according
to Section 1, who accepts the program
and policies of the Association as determined by
its Constitution and Conventions, who is active
on their behalf, reads the press and literature, pays
dues regularly, and holds membership in an Association
club shall be considered a member.
Article IV: Initiation Fees, Dues, and Assessments.
Section 1: Initiation fees and dues shall be paid
according to rates fixed by the National Convention.
Section 2: The income from dues and initiation
fees shall be distributed to the various subdivisions
of the Association as determined by the National
Convention.
Section 3: Special assessments may be levied by the
National Convention or by a two-thirds vote of
the National Committee. All local or district assessments
are prohibited except by special permission
of the National Committee.
Article V: Rights and Duties of Members.
Section 1: Every member of the Association who
is in good standing has the right to participate in
the making of its policies and in the election of its
leading committees, in a manner provided for in
this Constitution.
Section 2: After thorough discussion in any club,
committee, or convention, decisions are made by
a majority vote, and all members are duty-bound
to carry out such decisions.
Section 3: Association members disagreeing with
any decision of a club, state, or county committee
have the right to appeal such decision to the next
higher body, until they reach the National Committee
and the National Convention. Decisions
of the National Convention are final.
Section 4: No member shall be eligible to be elected
to an office or committee, or to vote in the adoption
of policies or in the election of officers, committees,
or delegates who is three months or more
in arrears in the payment of dues.
Section 5: Every member is obligated to fight with
all his strength against any and every effort,
whether it comes from abroad or from within, to
impose upon the American people the arbitrary
will of any selfish minority group or party or clique
or conspiracy, or to interfere with the unqualified
right of the majority to direct the destinies of our
country.
Article VI: Structure.
Section 1: The basic organization of the Association
is the club, which shall be organized on a community
basis in cities, townships, or rural areas.
The officers and executive committees of the
clubs shall be elected by secret ballot once a year.
Except for newly-organized clubs, these elections
shall take place in January of each year.
The clubs shall meet at least monthly, but
shall establish standing committees, to be provided
by the By-Laws, whose task shall be to function
continuously and develop activity under the direction
of the club executive committee.
Section 2: The state organization shall comprise
all clubs in one state organized in such subdivisions
as may be established, as provided for in this
Constitution.
The highest body of the state organization is
the State Convention, which shall convene every
two years, and be composed of delegates elected
by the conventions of the subdivisions of the AsConstitution
of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 3
sociation or by the clubs in the state. The delegates
shall be elected on the basis of numerical strength.
The State Convention shall elect, by majority
vote, a State Committee, a President, Secretary,
Treasurer, and such other state officers as it
may determine. The State Committee may be
composed of regular and alternate members. It has
the responsibility to carry out the Convention
decisions and direct the activities of the state organization
between state conventions.
The State Committee shall elect from among
its members a State Board, which shall be responsible
to the State Committee.
Special state conventions may be called by
either a majority vote of the State Committee, or
upon written request of clubs representing onethird
of the membership of the state.
Section 3: District organizations may be established
by the National Committee. Where these cover
two or more states, the State Committees shall be
under the jurisdiction of the District Committees,
elected by and representing the Association membership
of the states composing these districts. The
rules for convening the District Conventions and
the election of leading committees shall be the
same as those provided for the state organizations.
Section 4: State and District Committees shall have
the power to establish all necessary subdivisions,
such as county and city organizations and committees,
and the rules for election of such committees
shall be the same as those provided for the
State Committees.
Section 5: In matters of a state or local nature, the
clubs, state, and country committees have full autonomy
and the right to make decisions within
the limits of the general policies and Constitution
of the Association and its Convention.
Section 6: All officers and leading committees of
the Association, from the club executive committees
to the highest committees, shall be elected either
directly by the membership or through their
elected delegates. Every committee must report
regularly on its activities to the body that elected
it.
Section 7: Any Association officer may be removed
at any time from his position by a majority vote of
the body which elected him, or by the committee
to which he is responsible.
Article VII: National Organization.
Section 1: The highest authority of the Association
is the National Convention. Regular National
Conventions shall be held every two years. Only
National Conventions are authorized to make
political and organizational decisions binding upon
the entire Association and its membership, except
as provided in Article VII, Section 7.
Section 2: The National Convention shall be composed
of delegates elected by the State and District
Conventions. The delegates shall be elected
on the basis of the numerical strength of the state
or district organizations. The basis for representation
shall be determined by the National Committee.
Section 3: Prior to conventions, adequate time shall
be allowed for discussion in all Association clubs
of the main resolutions and problems coming before
the convention. During this discussion all
Association organizations have the right to adopt
resolutions and propose amendments to the draft
resolutions of the National Committee for consideration
at the convention.
Section 4: The National Convention shall elect a
National Committee by a majority vote. The National
Committee shall be composed of the national
officers and other regular and alternate members.
Alternate members shall have voice but no
4 Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944]
vote, except where they replace regular members
absent from meetings of the National Committee.
Section 5: The officers of the Association shall be:
President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer,
and shall be elected by a majority vote of the convention.
Section 6: The number of members of the National
Committee and number of Vice-Presidents shall
be determined by a majority vote of each National
Convention.
Section 7: The National Committee is the highest
authority of the Association between National
Conventions and is responsible for the enforcement
of the Constitution and the execution of the
general policies adopted by the National Convention.
The National Committee represents the Association
as a whole and has the right to make
decisions with full authority on any problem facing
the Association between conventions. The
National Committee organizes and supervises its
various departments and committees; conducts all
the political-educational and organizational work
of the Association; elects or removes editors of its
press, who work under its leadership and guidance;
organizes and directs all undertakings of
importance to the entire Association; administers
the national treasury. Special conventions may be
called by the National Committee by a majority
vote or by a vote of two-thirds of the State Committees.
The National Committee shall submit a
certified, audited financial report to each National
Convention.
Section 8: The National Committee shall elect a
National Board. The National Board shall be
charged with the responsibility of carrying out the
decisions and work of the National Committee
between its sessions. The number of members of
the Board shall be determined by the National
Committee by majority vote. It shall be responsible
for all its decisions to the National Committee.
The duties and responsibilities of the Vice-
Presidents shall be determined by the National
Committee or National Board.
Article VIII: Disciplinary Procedures.
Section 1: Conduct or action detrimental to the
working class and the nation, as well as to the interests
of the Association, violation of decisions of
its leading committees or of this Constitution,
financial irregularities, or other conduct unbecoming
a member of the Association, may be punished
by censure, removal from posts of leadership,
or by expulsion from membership. Such conduct
or action by any committee may be punished
by removal of the committee by the State or National
Committee, which shall then order new elections
for said committee.
Section 2: Adherence to or participation in the activities
of any clique, group, circle, faction, or party
which conspires or acts to subvert, undermine,
weaken, or overthrow any or all institutions of
American democracy, whereby the majority of the
American people have maintained power to determine
their destinies in any degree, shall be punished
by immediate expulsion.
Section 3: The practice or advocacy of any form of
racial or religious discrimination shall be grounds
for expulsion from membership.
Section 4: No member shall have personal or political
relations with enemies of the working class
and nation.
Section 5: Charges against individual members or
committees may be made by any member in writing
to the club of which he is a member, or to the
leading committee having jurisdiction. Clubs shall
act upon charges directed against anyone holding
Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 5
membership in that club.
Section 6: All parties concerned in disciplinary cases
shall have the fullest right to appear, to bring witnesses,
and testify.
Section 7: The club or leading committee having
jurisdiction shall have the right to decide by majority
vote upon any disciplinary measure, including
expulsion. Disciplinary measures taken by the
leading committees are subject to approval by the
body to which they are responsible.
Article IX: Appeals.
Section 1: Any member who has been subject to
disciplinary action has the right to appeal to the
next higher body up to the National Convention,
whose decision shall be final.
Article X: Amending the Constitution.
Section 1: This Constitution may be amended by
a majority vote at any regular or special National
Convention.
Article XI: Relations and Affiliations
With Other Organizations.
Section 1: The Association shall cooperate locally
Published by 1000 Flowers Publishing, Corvallis, OR, 2005. • Free reproduction permitted.
http://www.marxists.org/subject/usa/eam/index.html
Edited by Tim Davenport.
and nationally with all organizations whose activities
contribute to the welfare and furtherance of
the interests of the working people and the nation.
Section 2: Organizations — local, state, or national
— which subscribe to the purposes of the Association
as set forth in this Constitution and desire
to become affiliated with it may be accepted, upon
such conditions as the National Committee may
adopt, by Association Committees in whose jurisdiction
the application is made.
Article XII: By-Laws.
Section 1: By-Laws may be adopted, based on this
Constitution, for the purpose of establishing uniform
rules and procedures for the proper functioning
of the Association organizations. By-Laws
may be adopted or changed by majority vote of
the National Convention, or, between conventions,
by majority vote of the National Committee.
Section 2: State By-Laws not in conflict with the
National Constitution and By-Laws may be
adopted or changed by majority vote of the State
Convention, or, between conventions, by majority
vote of the State Committee.
Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 1
Constitution of the
Communist Political Association.
Adopted by the Constitutional Convention, May 20-22, 1944.
1
Published in The Path to Peace, Progress and Prosperity: Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention
of the Communist Political Association, New York, May 20-22, 1944. (NY: CPA, 1944), pp. 47-51.
Preamble.
THE COMMUNIST POLITICAL ASSOCIATION
is a non-party organization of Americans
which, basing itself upon the working class,
carries forward the traditions of Washington, Jefferson,
Paine, Jackson, and Lincoln, under the
changed conditions of modern industrial society.
It seeks effective application of democratic
principles to the solution of the problems of today,
as an advanced sector of the democratic majority
of the American people.
It upholds the Declaration of Independence,
the United States Constitution and its Bill of
Rights, and the achievements of American democracy
against all the enemies of popular liberties.
It is shaped by the needs of the nation at war,
being formed in the midst of the greatest struggle
of all history; it recognizes that victory for the free
peoples over fascism will open up new and more
favorable conditions for progress; it looks to the
family of free nations, led by the great coalition of
democratic capitalist and socialist states, to inaugurate
an era of world peace, expanding production,
and economic well-being, and the liberation
and equality of all peoples regardless or race, creed,
or color.
It adheres to the principles of scientific socialism,
Marxism, the heritage of the best thought
of humanity and of a hundred years’ of experience
of the labor movement, principles which have
proved to be indispensable to the national existence
and independence of every nation; it looks
forward to a future in which, by democratic choice
of the American people, our own country will solve
the problems arising out of the contradiction between
the social character of production and its
private ownership, incorporating the lessons of the
most fruitful achievements of all mankind in a
form and manner consistent with American traditions
and character.
For the advancement of these aims, the Communist
Political Association establishes the basic
laws of its organization in the following Constitution.
Article I: Name.
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be
Communist Political Association.
Article II: Purposes.
Section 1: The purposes of the Association are to
assure to its membership adequate information,
education and organized participation in the political
life of our country in cooperation with other
Americans for the advancement and protection of
the interests of the nation and its people.
Article III: Membership.
Section 1: Any resident of the United States, eighteen
years of age or more, regardless of political
affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, or religious
belief, who subscribes to the purposes of the
2 Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944]
Association shall be eligible for membership.
Section 2: Any person eligible for membership according
to Section 1, who accepts the program
and policies of the Association as determined by
its Constitution and Conventions, who is active
on their behalf, reads the press and literature, pays
dues regularly, and holds membership in an Association
club shall be considered a member.
Article IV: Initiation Fees, Dues, and Assessments.
Section 1: Initiation fees and dues shall be paid
according to rates fixed by the National Convention.
Section 2: The income from dues and initiation
fees shall be distributed to the various subdivisions
of the Association as determined by the National
Convention.
Section 3: Special assessments may be levied by the
National Convention or by a two-thirds vote of
the National Committee. All local or district assessments
are prohibited except by special permission
of the National Committee.
Article V: Rights and Duties of Members.
Section 1: Every member of the Association who
is in good standing has the right to participate in
the making of its policies and in the election of its
leading committees, in a manner provided for in
this Constitution.
Section 2: After thorough discussion in any club,
committee, or convention, decisions are made by
a majority vote, and all members are duty-bound
to carry out such decisions.
Section 3: Association members disagreeing with
any decision of a club, state, or county committee
have the right to appeal such decision to the next
higher body, until they reach the National Committee
and the National Convention. Decisions
of the National Convention are final.
Section 4: No member shall be eligible to be elected
to an office or committee, or to vote in the adoption
of policies or in the election of officers, committees,
or delegates who is three months or more
in arrears in the payment of dues.
Section 5: Every member is obligated to fight with
all his strength against any and every effort,
whether it comes from abroad or from within, to
impose upon the American people the arbitrary
will of any selfish minority group or party or clique
or conspiracy, or to interfere with the unqualified
right of the majority to direct the destinies of our
country.
Article VI: Structure.
Section 1: The basic organization of the Association
is the club, which shall be organized on a community
basis in cities, townships, or rural areas.
The officers and executive committees of the
clubs shall be elected by secret ballot once a year.
Except for newly-organized clubs, these elections
shall take place in January of each year.
The clubs shall meet at least monthly, but
shall establish standing committees, to be provided
by the By-Laws, whose task shall be to function
continuously and develop activity under the direction
of the club executive committee.
Section 2: The state organization shall comprise
all clubs in one state organized in such subdivisions
as may be established, as provided for in this
Constitution.
The highest body of the state organization is
the State Convention, which shall convene every
two years, and be composed of delegates elected
by the conventions of the subdivisions of the AsConstitution
of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 3
sociation or by the clubs in the state. The delegates
shall be elected on the basis of numerical strength.
The State Convention shall elect, by majority
vote, a State Committee, a President, Secretary,
Treasurer, and such other state officers as it
may determine. The State Committee may be
composed of regular and alternate members. It has
the responsibility to carry out the Convention
decisions and direct the activities of the state organization
between state conventions.
The State Committee shall elect from among
its members a State Board, which shall be responsible
to the State Committee.
Special state conventions may be called by
either a majority vote of the State Committee, or
upon written request of clubs representing onethird
of the membership of the state.
Section 3: District organizations may be established
by the National Committee. Where these cover
two or more states, the State Committees shall be
under the jurisdiction of the District Committees,
elected by and representing the Association membership
of the states composing these districts. The
rules for convening the District Conventions and
the election of leading committees shall be the
same as those provided for the state organizations.
Section 4: State and District Committees shall have
the power to establish all necessary subdivisions,
such as county and city organizations and committees,
and the rules for election of such committees
shall be the same as those provided for the
State Committees.
Section 5: In matters of a state or local nature, the
clubs, state, and country committees have full autonomy
and the right to make decisions within
the limits of the general policies and Constitution
of the Association and its Convention.
Section 6: All officers and leading committees of
the Association, from the club executive committees
to the highest committees, shall be elected either
directly by the membership or through their
elected delegates. Every committee must report
regularly on its activities to the body that elected
it.
Section 7: Any Association officer may be removed
at any time from his position by a majority vote of
the body which elected him, or by the committee
to which he is responsible.
Article VII: National Organization.
Section 1: The highest authority of the Association
is the National Convention. Regular National
Conventions shall be held every two years. Only
National Conventions are authorized to make
political and organizational decisions binding upon
the entire Association and its membership, except
as provided in Article VII, Section 7.
Section 2: The National Convention shall be composed
of delegates elected by the State and District
Conventions. The delegates shall be elected
on the basis of the numerical strength of the state
or district organizations. The basis for representation
shall be determined by the National Committee.
Section 3: Prior to conventions, adequate time shall
be allowed for discussion in all Association clubs
of the main resolutions and problems coming before
the convention. During this discussion all
Association organizations have the right to adopt
resolutions and propose amendments to the draft
resolutions of the National Committee for consideration
at the convention.
Section 4: The National Convention shall elect a
National Committee by a majority vote. The National
Committee shall be composed of the national
officers and other regular and alternate members.
Alternate members shall have voice but no
4 Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944]
vote, except where they replace regular members
absent from meetings of the National Committee.
Section 5: The officers of the Association shall be:
President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer,
and shall be elected by a majority vote of the convention.
Section 6: The number of members of the National
Committee and number of Vice-Presidents shall
be determined by a majority vote of each National
Convention.
Section 7: The National Committee is the highest
authority of the Association between National
Conventions and is responsible for the enforcement
of the Constitution and the execution of the
general policies adopted by the National Convention.
The National Committee represents the Association
as a whole and has the right to make
decisions with full authority on any problem facing
the Association between conventions. The
National Committee organizes and supervises its
various departments and committees; conducts all
the political-educational and organizational work
of the Association; elects or removes editors of its
press, who work under its leadership and guidance;
organizes and directs all undertakings of
importance to the entire Association; administers
the national treasury. Special conventions may be
called by the National Committee by a majority
vote or by a vote of two-thirds of the State Committees.
The National Committee shall submit a
certified, audited financial report to each National
Convention.
Section 8: The National Committee shall elect a
National Board. The National Board shall be
charged with the responsibility of carrying out the
decisions and work of the National Committee
between its sessions. The number of members of
the Board shall be determined by the National
Committee by majority vote. It shall be responsible
for all its decisions to the National Committee.
The duties and responsibilities of the Vice-
Presidents shall be determined by the National
Committee or National Board.
Article VIII: Disciplinary Procedures.
Section 1: Conduct or action detrimental to the
working class and the nation, as well as to the interests
of the Association, violation of decisions of
its leading committees or of this Constitution,
financial irregularities, or other conduct unbecoming
a member of the Association, may be punished
by censure, removal from posts of leadership,
or by expulsion from membership. Such conduct
or action by any committee may be punished
by removal of the committee by the State or National
Committee, which shall then order new elections
for said committee.
Section 2: Adherence to or participation in the activities
of any clique, group, circle, faction, or party
which conspires or acts to subvert, undermine,
weaken, or overthrow any or all institutions of
American democracy, whereby the majority of the
American people have maintained power to determine
their destinies in any degree, shall be punished
by immediate expulsion.
Section 3: The practice or advocacy of any form of
racial or religious discrimination shall be grounds
for expulsion from membership.
Section 4: No member shall have personal or political
relations with enemies of the working class
and nation.
Section 5: Charges against individual members or
committees may be made by any member in writing
to the club of which he is a member, or to the
leading committee having jurisdiction. Clubs shall
act upon charges directed against anyone holding
Constitution of the Communist Political Association [May 1944] 5
membership in that club.
Section 6: All parties concerned in disciplinary cases
shall have the fullest right to appear, to bring witnesses,
and testify.
Section 7: The club or leading committee having
jurisdiction shall have the right to decide by majority
vote upon any disciplinary measure, including
expulsion. Disciplinary measures taken by the
leading committees are subject to approval by the
body to which they are responsible.
Article IX: Appeals.
Section 1: Any member who has been subject to
disciplinary action has the right to appeal to the
next higher body up to the National Convention,
whose decision shall be final.
Article X: Amending the Constitution.
Section 1: This Constitution may be amended by
a majority vote at any regular or special National
Convention.
Article XI: Relations and Affiliations
With Other Organizations.
Section 1: The Association shall cooperate locally
Published by 1000 Flowers Publishing, Corvallis, OR, 2005. • Free reproduction permitted.
http://www.marxists.org/subject/usa/eam/index.html
Edited by Tim Davenport.
and nationally with all organizations whose activities
contribute to the welfare and furtherance of
the interests of the working people and the nation.
Section 2: Organizations — local, state, or national
— which subscribe to the purposes of the Association
as set forth in this Constitution and desire
to become affiliated with it may be accepted, upon
such conditions as the National Committee may
adopt, by Association Committees in whose jurisdiction
the application is made.
Article XII: By-Laws.
Section 1: By-Laws may be adopted, based on this
Constitution, for the purpose of establishing uniform
rules and procedures for the proper functioning
of the Association organizations. By-Laws
may be adopted or changed by majority vote of
the National Convention, or, between conventions,
by majority vote of the National Committee.
Section 2: State By-Laws not in conflict with the
National Constitution and By-Laws may be
adopted or changed by majority vote of the State
Convention, or, between conventions, by majority
vote of the State Committee.