Foreign Language Federations (1890s - 1930) - Italian

ITALIAN FEDERATION AND BUREAU

Early Italian Radical Movement in America

In 1896, a radical group headed by Mazzoli established a socialist weekly newspaper, Il Proletario, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The paper was initially affiliated with the Socialist Labor Party, gradually growing away from that organization to to the point where the Appeal to Reason could remark in Aug. 1903 that "although still supporting the SLP, it treats the Socialist Party fairly. It devotes itself to fighting capitalism, not to perpetrating division in the Socialist ranks."

[fn: "Party News" in The Appeal to Reason no. 404 (Aug. 22, 1903), pg. 3.]


Federazione Socialista Italiana
It was not until 1902 that the Federazione Socialista Italiana [Italian Socialist Federation] was established. G.M. Serrati, editor of the Italian-language weekly Il Proletario, the principal organizer. The Federation was initially affiliated with the Socialist Labor Party.


1. 1st Convention -- West Hoboken, NJ -- Sept. 6-7, 1903.

The First Convention of the Federazione Socialista Italiana was attended by 33 delegates representing 30 locals in 8 states. The gathering discussed the party's relationship with the cooperative movement and the trade unions and took steps to establish an "Immigration Bureau" designed to keep the "poor and simple Italian" new arrival to America from the clutches of "the padrone, the banker, and many other colonial sharks."
The 1903 convention marked the Italian Federation's severing of relations with the Socialist Labor Party in favor of independent status. This change took place during a discussion on the Italian Federation's relationship with the political Socialist movement of America. A resolution was put forward indicating that the Italian Federation was "on general principles with the SLP" but which made it "optional for comrades in places where there was no SLP to vote for the uncompromising candidates of the other Socialist Party." This proposition was summarily rejected by the official delegate of the SLP to the convention as an unacceptable half-measure. In response, a new resolution was put forward, causing the Italian Federation "sever all connections and alliances with the SLP, and constitute themselves into an independent organization." This latter resolution was passed by a vote of 19 to 15, and disaffiliation was thus achieved. An account of the gathering was published in the pages of The International Socialist Review.
lI Proletario, which had gone to a daily production schedule earlier in 1903, was made the group's official publication. The publication remained a daily until 1906, when budgetary difficulties forced a return to weekly status.

[fn: Silvio Origo, "Italian Socialist Convention," International Socialist Review, Oct. 1903, pp. 212-214; John LaDuca, " The Italian Socialist Federation" in The American Labor Year-Book, 1916. (NY: Rand School Press, 1916), pp. 136-137.]

2. 2nd Convention -- Boston, MA -- Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1906.
The 1906 Convention of the Federazione Socialista Italiana was attended by 43 delegates, representing 42 branches with a membership of 1,084 in good standing. The Secretary of the Federation reported to the convention that there were another 40 branches of the Federation who were not represented by delegates, which would have swelled the actual membership of the LSF to "about 2,300."
The finances of the federation and of its organ, Il Proletario, were extensively discussed over the first two days of the gathering. The decision was made to move the paper from Philadelphia to Chicago and to move to bi-weekly publication, effective May 1, 1907. The third day was spent discussing the trade union question and "the Industrial Workers of the World was recognized by the convention as the proper form of economic organization," in the words of two delegates who reported on the gathering in the bulletin of the SPA. During the 4th day, the question of affiliation was front and center. "Those favorable to join the SLP predominated over the number favoring affiliation with the Socialist Party, but the larger portion held to the opinion that as an organization they should remain neutral, as heretofore, and the vote registering this decision resulted in 567 votes against affiliation to 464 in favor of affiliation.... The impression we gathered was that had the Federaton decided to affiliate with eitherr party at this time it would have split the organization into factions and seriously interfered with its possibilities for good and the gratifying tendency toward further organization of our Italian comrades into a compact body. Many who were favorable to the Socialist Party, for the above reasons, voted in favor or remaining neutral."

[fn: Guiseppe Corti and Arthur Meunier, "Report of Delegates to the Italian Socialist Federation Convention" in Socialist Party Bulletin, v. 3, no. 5 (Jan. 1907), pg. 4.]

Two more Italian language socialist papers were established in 1907 -- La Parola dei Socialisti in Chicago and L'Ascesa del Proletariato in Pennsylvania.

[fn: John LaDuca, " The Italian Socialist Federation" in The American Labor Year-Book, 1916. (NY: Rand School Press, 1916), pp. 136-137.]

Italian Federation of the Socialist Party of America
In 1908, the National Office of the Socialist Party sent out an organizer named G. Bertelli on a national tour to establish Italian branches of the party. Combined with the excitement of a presidential election campaign, some 40 Italian branches were established.
In 1909, a movement emerged among the New York branches of the SPA to organize all the Italian branches of the party nationwide into a single organization in order to better conduct Socialist propaganda.

[fn: Joseph Corti, "Report of Italian Section" in Proceedings: National Convention of the Socialist Party, 1912. (Chicago: Socialist Party, 1912), pg. 241.]

It was not until December 1910, a year after the West Hoboken convention, that a formal Italian Section was officially organized with the consent of the SPA National Office. Twenty of the party's 40 Italian branches joined the organization from the beginning, the others not seeking to affiliate. Over the next ten months, 22 Italian branches joined the Italian Section, but 14 branches disbanded. In October of 1911, the Italian Section stood at 28 branches with less than 660 members.

[fn: Joseph Corti, "Report of Italian Section" in Proceedings: National Convention of the Socialist Party, 1912. (Chicago: Socialist Party, 1912), pg. 241.]

From September 1911, the Translator-Secretary of the Italian Federation of the SPA was Joseph Corti, who maintained an office in Chicago. In 1913 the group was governed by a five member Executive Committee consisting of C. Bartalini, A. Lurenzini, E. Mangiantini, B. Ronchetta, and A. Ruffino.

As of April 15, 1912, the Italian Section stood at 44 active branches, distributed geographically as follows: Illinois (14), New York (14), New Jersey (4), Pennsylvania (3), Massachusetts (3), Wisconsin (2), Vermont (2), Florida (1), and Colorado (1). These branches had a combined membership (claimed, not certified as paid monthly) of 1,200. In addition, another 19 Italian branches in the SPA chose not to affiliate with the Italian Section, distributed as follows: Pennsylvania (6), Illinois (6), New Jersey (3), Michigan (2), Montana (1), Indiana (1).
As of that same date, the Itailian socialist movement boosted three weekly newspapers: La Parola Del Socialisti [The Word of the Socialists], the official organ of the Italian Section, published in Chicago with an average circulation of 3,000; La Fiaccola [The Torch], published in Buffalo, NY, with an average circulation of 1,500; and La Flamma [The Flame], published in Camden, NJ, with an average circulation of 2,000. The latter of these publications were to be combined according to a convention of the New York and New Jersey branches, held in Schenectady, NY, on April 7-8, 1912.

[fn: Joseph Corti, "Report of Italian Section" in Proceedings: National Convention of the Socialist Party, 1912. (Chicago: Socialist Party, 1912), pg. 241.]

 

By 1915, the Italian Federation had changed its structure somewhat, being governed by an Executive Secretary under the jurisdiction of an Executive Committee of 7 members. In 1915 it is said to have had a paid membership of approximately 1,000.

[fn: John LaDuca, " The Italian Socialist Federation" in The American Labor Year-Book, 1916. (NY: Rand School Press, 1916), pp. 136-137.]

 

At its June 8, 1919, meeting the Executive Committee of the Italian Federation passed a resolution on the crisis in the Socialist Party, which was already marked by the suspension of the entire state organization of Michigan and the suspension of seven of the Slavic, Baltic, and Finnish federations of the party. While on the one hand the suspensions and expulsion were seen as justifiable for fairly clear violations of the party constitution, the actions of the NEC were called "too drastic and very unwise" since they were taken by a retiring NEC which was itiself called to stand down by the very same constitution. "In justice to all concerned and to show that the Socialist Party plays fair at all times and in all things it could, we believe, have found a less drastic way of disciplining these organizations and put the whole matter before the coming national convention for final solution," the resolution stated. The resolution was mailed out to the members of the NEC and the parties concerned by John LaDuca, the Translator-Secretary of the Italian Federation.

[fn: "Italian Federation Endorses NEC Action," New York Call, July 27, 1919, pg. 7.]

Following the 1919 split of the Socialist Party, the majority of the Italian Federation remained loyal to the SPA. The New York City Italian branch left the Italian Socialist Federation to affiliate itself with the fledgling Comunist Labor Party.

[fn: "Communist Labor Party National Office Bulletin" (Sep. 1919). In the Comintern Archive f. 515, op. 1, d. 6, l. 22.]

 

2. 2nd Convention --- New York City --- Oct. 12-14, 1919
The 2nd Convention of the Italian Socialist Federation met at 180 Thompson Street in New York, called to order at 9 am by Secretary John LaDuca. Approximately 60 delegates were in attendance, in addition to a number of guests. NEC member James Oneal represented the National Executive Committee and brought the delegates greetings from the party and from the New York Call. The federation had approximately 50 branches with a claimed membership of 900 at the time of the convention. The gathering pitted two factions, a majority faction in favor of continued affiliation with the SPA, headed by LaDuca, eiditor of the official organ Valenti, and prominent members DeMolinari of Chicago and James Battistoni of Buffalo. The insurgent minority faction was headed by N. Ciattel of Baltimore, MD, seekming to sever all connections with the Socialist Party immediately.
The convenition was addressed on October 13 by representatives of the three parties, Jay Lovestone speaking for the Communist Party, Ben Gitlow for the Communist Labor Party, and James Oneal for the Socialist Party.

[fn: "Convention of the Italian Socialist Federation Opens October 12," NY Call, Sept. 30, 1919, pg. 7; "Italians Vote on Affiliation Today," NY Call, Oct. 14, 1919, pg. 3.]

The Italian Socialist Federation conducted a referendum in the spring on 1921 as to whether it should continue to maintain its affiliation with the Socialist Party of America. On June 2, 1921, Translator-Secretary of the federation Girolamo Valenti announced that the organization had voted by a margin of 4-to-1 to continue its association, with 476 members voting in favor of the party and 116 in favor of withdrawal. Some 45 of the federation's 65 branches were said to have participated in the election.
In the aftermath of the vote, Valenti state that "the only course that remains open to us is to renew our affiliation with the Socialist Party, within which our federation was born.... Could we have gone inside one of the Communist parties existing in this country? Not one of those who proposed leaving the party even suggested such a step. These parties are bound to disappear, because they do not correspond to the realistic comprehensions of the custodians of the local political situation.."

[fn: "Italians Vote to Remain with Socialist Party," NY Call, June 3, 1921, pg. 7.]

The Socialist Party continued to have an Italian Federation affiliated with it throughout the decade of the 1920s. The group had an average of 339 paid members for the first 10 months of 1927 and 270 for the same period in 1928 -- respectively 3% and 2.3% of the total membership of the party.

[fn: Letter of National Executive Secretary Willam H. Henry to the NEC of the SPA, Nov. 24, 1928. Original in Bob Millar collection.]

 

The Italian Federation continued into the 1930s. In 1932 its Executive Committee included the following: E. Clemente (Secretary); Louis Chiostra, Fabio Matteoni, G. Gentili, and G. Pasquini.
The Editor of the Federation's organ, La Parola del Popolo, was Prof. Giuseppe Bertelli.

[fn: The March of Socialism 1928-1932: Journal of the 17th National Convention, Socialist Party, Milwaukee, Wis., May 20-24, 1932, pg. 37.]

 



Italian groups in the United Communist Party of America
There were only 2 of the UCP's 673 primary party units that used the Italian language, both located in the Chicago district.

[fn: DoJ/BoI Investigative Files, NARA M-1085, reel 940, doc. 501 -- downloadable below.]

 

 



The Italian Bureau of the (unified) Communist Party of America.
In late 1921 the unified CPA did not have an Italian Federation, but rather an Italian Bureau, which was headed by "Fabre" as Secretary. He stated in a report to the Executive Secretary of the party that there were Italian branches organized in New York City, South Baintree, MA; Syracuse; Rochester; Buffalo; Chicago; St. Louis; San Francisco;p Wilmington, DE; Bellaire,, OH; Racine, WI; Port Chester, NY; and Belleville, IL. Additional branches were in the process of preparation in Hoboken, Utika, Akron, Philadelphia, and elsewhere, Fabre said.

[fn: Comintern Archive: f. 515, op. 1, d. 75, l. 54.]

 



Italian Section of the Workers Party of America


1. First Convention -- New York -- March 17-18, 1922.

 

 

2. First National Convention --- city? --- June 2-3, 1923.
The 1st National Convention of the Italian Federation was held over the weekend of June 2-3, 1923. The gathering was attended by delegates of 33 branches, representing about 600 members of the Workers Party of America. Three fraternal delegates were also seated by unanimous consent of the convention -- representatives of the Italian Chamber of Labor, the Anti-Fascisti Alliance, and Local Rochester of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.
A report on the Labor Party campaign was delivered by Com. Camarda, which was the subject of a heated battle. There was significant opposition in the convention to the Labor Party idea, due in part to difficulty in following party literature in English on the issue among some delegates. After extensive debate, a resolution was made in favor of active participation in the campaign for a labor Party and for the formation of a Labor Party at the July 3 Conference. This resolution was passed unanimously.
Harry M. Wicks made a lengthy report on behalf of the WPA Industrial Department. Com. Frizina also reported to the convention on behalf of the Italian Federation's Bureau. Extended discussion took place on the desirability of establishing an Italian-language daily newspaper of the Italian Section of the WPA.

[fn. Abram Jakira, "Show Growth in Convention of Italians," The Worker, v. 6, whole no. 279 (June 16, 1923), pg. 2.]

 

X. National Conference --- New York, NY --- April 21-22, 1928.
The conference elected a new 23 member Bureau for the Italian Section of the Workers (Communist) Party: Bantl (Chicago), Boccalon (Detroit), Candela (NYC), DiFazio (NYC), Eusepi (PA), Gagliasso (CA), Gallia (PA), Genovese (Rochester, NY), Leoni (NYC), Magliacano (NYC), Mainelli (NJ), Modetti (CA), Napoli (NYC), Paolucci (Cleveland), Pippan (NYC), Ribarich (NYC), G. Serio (NYC), O. Serio (NYC), Silvestro (CT), Zamarchi (MA), and Zucca (NYC). 22 of these were men, the only woman was Olympia Serio, who was placed in charge of work among Italian women.
Elected Secretary was Candela (NYC). Editor of Il Lavatore was Napoli and manager of the same was Pippan.
The Executive Council was comprised of : Candela, DiFazio, Eusepi, Leoni, Mainelli, Magliacano, Napoli G. Serio, and Zucca.
Jack Stachel and A. Markoff addressed the gathering on behalf of the Central Executive Committee.

[fn. "Italian Section of Workers Party Makes Strides," Daily Worker, May 11, 1928, pg. 8.]