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v Memorandum for Mr. Belmont Re: ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COMMITTEE The CP defined self-determination as the formation of an independent national state that has a right to complete secession, The CP envisioned a Negro republic encompassing 12 Southern States, Self-determination and establishment of a Negro republic remained the basic CP policy in the Negro field until quite recently. At the CP national committee meeting in New York City 12/6 and 7/58, Hunter Pitts O'Dell, a functionary of the Southern Regional Committee, cR, USA, delivered a report on the Negro question, His major point was that since the Negroes in the U.S. do not constitute a separate nation, the Party should abandon its slogan of self-determination for the Negroes in the Southern States and instead concentrate on gaining for the Negroes full equality, complete participation in all aspects of American life and increased representation in public office, O'Dell called for increased Party participation in the activities of the noncommunist Negro protest and improvement organizations. O'Dell's report was approved by the national committee. The CP, since its organization in the U.S. in 1919, has always devoted a portion of its time, funds and propaganda to Negro matters, Since its inception, it has urged equal rights for the Negroes; with its demands subject to various degrees of emphasis, governed primarily by the exigencies of the Soviet Union in international affairs, The activities of the CP, USA, are motivated not by the desire to improve the status of the Negro in our society, but to exploit legitimate Negro grievances and all racial incidents and disturbances for the furtherance ' of communist aims. Despite the recurring allegations by Southern political leaders that the racial situation is communist inspired, our investigation of the CP and the over-all racial situation in this country has reflected that in practically all instances, with relatively few exceptions, racial incidents in this country have not been caused or inspired by CP elements, The CP has, of course, been alert to seize upon each such incident as it develops and has attempted to propagandize them to the benefit of the communist movement and to the embarrassment of our Government, There has been no information developed that any activities at Little Rock, Arkansas, have been communist inspired. The Party, of course, has capitalized to the fullest extent on the Little Rock situation in attempting to embarrass the U.S. Government. For example, following the placing of national guard troops at the high school in Little Rock by the Governor of Arkansas, the "Daily Worker" dispatched one of its writers, Virginia Gardner, to cover the situation. She remained for several days and wrote several feature stories, The "Daily Worker" indicated it would like to send her to Little Rock again but lacked the funds. ; -5-