Page 49 - Report on the National Lawyers Guild, legal bulwark of the Communist Party

THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD 43 COMMUNIST PARTY, U. S. A. NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD
countries. The United States and International Law and
Britain intervene in a reactionary way adopted by the National Executive in the popular elections and democratic Board of the Guild at its meeting in processes in these countries. Alter- Washington, D. C, February, 1946; nately, they withhold or withdraw Lawyers Guild Review, vol. VI, No. 1 diplomatic recognition or necessary (January-February 1946), p. 414). UNRRA aid, and refuse to grant ade-
quate credits or loans on a democratic
basis (Eugene Dennis, The London
Conference, Political Affairs, vol. XXIV,
No. 11 (November 1945), pp. 967, 968).
11. Philippine Republic
The people need a stop put to mili- To help maintain the sovereign in- tary interference in China, repeal of the dependence of the Philippine Republic Ball Act hamstringing real Philippine and the development of good neighborly independence, freedom for Puerto Rico, relations, we recommend:
long-term loans to non-fascist countries 1. Repeal of the Philippine Trade thatneedthemwithoutregardtopolit- Actof1946.
ical maneuvering, ratification of peace 2. Repeal of Section 601 of the Re- treaties jointly arrived at with other habilitation Act of 1946 which made members of the Big Three (The Worker, payment of war damages conditional on January 5, 1947, p. 3).
with long-time credits providing for the exchange of Philippine products for American industrial equipment (Law-
yers Guild Review, vol. VII, No. 1, January-February 1948, pp. 317, 318).
12. Puerto Rico
Grant immediate national independ- Enact legislation acknowledging the ence to Puerto Rico (Draft Resolution complete rights of independence of of the National Board, CPA, as amend- Puerto Rico with economic assistance ed and approved by the National Com- (Lawyers Guild Review, vol. VI, No. 2, mittee on June 20, 1945; Political Af- May-June 1946, p. 518).
fairs, July 1945, p. 584).
To begin with, the United States must
concede the full right of self-determina- tion to Puerto Rico, without any "ifs,"
"ands," or "buts." In doing this, the United States must also grant the neces- sary funds to the Puerto Rican people as indemnification for their long colo- nial status, as well as make trade agree- ments of such a character that Puerto Rico may prosper economically (U. S. Relations with Latin America, William Z. Foster; Political Affairs, March 1946, p. 209).
13. American Neutrality
(Explanatory Note.—Prior to World War II, when the Soviet Union feared Nazi aggression, the line of the Communists was prowar, against neutrality and for a united front of the democracies against Fascism.)
communist party, u. s. a. NATIONAL lawyers GUILD
The camp of peace faces the problem The June 1938 issue of the National of organizing a serious mass movement Lawyers Guild Quarterly (p. 255) urged against war and fascism. * * * the repeal of the existing Neutrality This problem will be solved in the first Act, while the September 1938 issue instance by breaking down the concep- (p. 304) opposed ammunition shipments tion of isolation and neutrality as the to Germany. The third national con- road to peace and by preparing the vention of the guild held in Chicago, masses for active collaboration with the February 10-13, 1939, urged "the
Philippine acceptance of the Trade Act. 3. Execution of a trade agreement
Relations;