In the 1930's the CPUSA recruited several hundred persons among thousands of new employees hired by the federal government under the impact of the New Deal's rapid expansion of governmental programs. Federal regulations forbade partisan political activity by federal employees, and open membership in the Communist Party brought discharge. The CPUSA evaded the law by organizing caucuses of government employees that met in secret.
Here is an outline of seven Soviet intelligence entities operating in the United States during the time in question (1921-1943).
- Comintern
- CPUSA; (although CPUSA membership was legal among certain people at certain times, membership among government employees and employees of government contractors involved in the war effort, or "defense contractors relating to National Security", to use post-1947 terminolgy, was clearly illegal.
- CPUSA secret apparatus
- KGB "legals", i.e. KGB agents registered in the United States on valid visas, operating under a Rezident and illegally engaged in espionage. (For the purpose of discussion on this page, KGB is used to encompass all pre-1956 predessessor names conducting foreign intelligence, OGPU, GPU, NKVD, NKGB, and MGB).
- KGB "Illegals"; agents operating under "deep cover", maybe native born maybe immigrant, and operating under their own separate Rezident, (or "Station Chief", to use an analagous CIA term).
- GRU, Soviet Military Intelligence (under its own Rezident).
- GRU "Illegals", again, like KBG illegals, with its own Rezident.
Note on "Illegals": Illegals are parallel organizations set up independently from the two main intelligence organizations (KGB & GRU), under thier own separate station chief, or Rezident, for the contingent purpose should a break in diplomatic relations occur, and all legal operatives with valid passports are expelled, a parallel espionage organization remains in place. Also, they still may be engaged in highly secret ongoing activities, and their absolute highest concern is to avoid detection. They are "sleeper cells", to use a term recently popularized by American news organizations.Nobs01 17:11, 21 Jun 2005 (UTC)
CPUSA
Is there a reference for the claim that membership in the CPUSA by goverment employees was "clearly illegal" prior to 1947? DJ Silverfish 19:15, 21 Jun 2005 (UTC)
- Hatch Act of 1939; for pre-1939 period, while I've encountered numerous sources that say it was illegal, I've yet to put my finger on specific legislation. Still looking.Nobs01 19:27, 21 Jun 2005 (UTC)