November 7, 1918, first anniversary of the Russian Soviet Socialist
Republic, and the very day of the German Revolution.

"A group of Socialist Party officials and active party members came
together for consultation as to ways and means for giving the
American Socialist movement a revolutionary character in harmony
with all the significance of November 7th, the most glorious date
in all history. At the hour of that little meeting bedlam reigned
in the streets of Chicago by premature celebration of peace. The
calling of this meeting during the mass tumult of November 7th is
prophetic of the revolutionary vision which brought these Comrades
together. On that day the seething proletariat ruled Chicago by
sheer force of numbers. One thing alone was needed to give this
mass expression identity with the proletarian uprisings of
Europe--one thing: the revolutionary idea!

"The Communist Propaganda League is an organization for the
propagation of the revolutionary idea. The civilization of tomorrow
is with unorganized masses who greeted the news of peace and
revolution in Germany with what may be safely described as the
greatest spontaneous expression of mass sentiment ever witnessed in
America. To give direction and inspiration to the advancing and
irresistible army of the preletariat is the mission to which this
League is dedicated."

This League, with the millionaire Socialist, William Bross Lloyd, at its
head, became part of the Communist Labor Party.

The indications are that the Communist Labor Party, had it been left
undisturbed by our Government, would soon have surpassed in numbers the
remnant left in the old Socialist Party, whose dues-paying membership
dwindled from 109,589 in January, 1919, to 39,750 by July of the same
year. Evidently, when the Left Wing secession occurred, a few real
rebels came out of the Socialist Party, which used to boast in election
campaigns that it was merely a party of evolution, not of revolution.
Those who still remain in the old party are rebels, too, but the rank
and file is restrained by seasoned leaders, who are more prudent but
less honest than the hot-headed Communists.

The Socialists now have in the country four revolutionary organizations:
the Socialist Party, the Socialist Labor Party, the Communist Party and
the Communist Labor Party. The scum of the land, the wre