Communists launch membership campaign

By Elena Mora

This article was reprinted from the August 22, 1998 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

A recent letter to the editor of the New York Times describes the stark contrast between health insurance industry executives' million dollar salaries and the 41 million Americans with no health insurance, and asks, "If this is the celebrated triumph of capitalism over other forms of economic organization, what exactly did we win?"

He's not alone in asking this question. Millions of people are thinking about other big contradictions: why the gap between rich and poor is growing; why racism and discrimination persist; why are there homeless and hungry people in the richest country in the world; why is public education under attack?

The Communist Party is tapping into that growing radicalization, in high-tech style, says Sam Webb, a vice- chairman of the Party. "Thousands of new members have joined using a form on our Internet web page over the past year, and we think that reflects big changes that are taking place in our country," Webb said.

"We see lots of other examples of changes in people's thinking, in our work in the labor movement, and in our growing coalition relations with others."

Convinced that the potential for tremendous growth exists, the CPUSA has announced a membership and People's Weekly World circulation drive to begin September 1st and run through the New Year. The drive will have a special focus on signing up workers, and on increasing readership of the World in the labor movement and among workers generally.

"Defeating the ultra-right Republicans in November is the main task facing the working class right now, and Communist Party clubs will be out there working hard towards that goal, doing voter registration and other election work, with recruiting and circulation efforts built in," according to Webb.

The People's Weekly World is planning extensive coverage of the elections. According to its editor, Tim Wheeler, "The World will be helping get the word out about what's at stake in November."

Increased use of the paper at voter registration tables and distributions outside workplaces, in neighborhoods and at election rallies and events are a basic element of the drive. In addition, lots of new approaches to getting subscribers are planned.

"We're going to try to ask every mass leader and political personality who gives us an interview to get a subscription to our paper, Wheeler said. "When we register people to vote, we'll be handing them a copy of the World and inviting them to a Party forum on the elections."

Another important part of the drive is setting up new Communist Party clubs in areas of the country where there is no Party organization. To date, meetings of groups of new members, most of whom joined over the Internet, have been held in Virginia and Tennessee. "Communist Party organizers will be doing a lot of traveling this fall," says Terrie Albano, the Party's media and public relations coordinator, who is also in charge of new members.

"We are encouraging every Party club to take a fresh look at its work: to add new names and organizations to contact lists, to find a public place like a library or community center for meetings, to advertise a phone number, address and/or e-mail address for the club, to build or establish relationships with local media," Albano said.

"The idea is that we are asking people to join an organization which is a mass, public, political party."

Other plans for the drive include setting up a Communist Party "chat room" on its web page, cable TV and radio advertisements, a poster, and lots of popular pamphlets and leaflets.

Each week, the People's Weekly World will send an e-mail bulletin to distributors alerting them to important articles in the upcoming issue. Special distributions can be planned from this information.

Prizes will be awarded for the best work in the drive, in several categories, including most new members and most new full subscriptions to the World.

"The types of prizes - banners, bullhorns, folding portable tables, coffee urns - are all meant to help Party clubs become the public organizations we need to be," Albano said. "We are also considering offering a modem (for access to the Internet) as one of the prizes, because we want everyone to use this tremendous new technology."

Anyone interested in joining the Communist Party can call 1-800-923-8061 or e-mail cpusa@rednet.org. The Party's web page is www.cpusa.org.