I. Papal Encyclicals urging unionization; Association of Catholic Trade Unions

II.. Polish and Polish American Socialists
[exhorted to unite the workers of the world, the leadership remained hopelessly divided even among the Poles] Most Socialists were workers who belonged to unions so movements intertwined.

III. POLES & POLISH AMERICANS IN AMERICAN UNIONS

A. Nominate other workers to
Polonia’s Workers Hall of Fame...

Disclaimer: If the author has improperly identified someone of Polish extraction, he wishes to apologize. Identifying ethnicity from records is an art, not a science. Errors are unavoidable. While the author is proud of his heritage,as a Kosmopolak, he recognizes that others are entitled to their authentic ethnicity. Slavic names are difficult for Slavs to distinguish. Please notify him if the name should be deleted to insure historical accuracy.

IV. Communists, 1919-1945 only
(extremely small Pol Am but active group)

Disclaimer: N.B. The entire Cold War is excluded. Only the 1919-1945 period is considered. The Communist Party was a legal organization for most of its existence and ran candidates for the U.S. Presidency. It exists today. Many members stayed for only short periods of time and left. As an attorney, the author has assiduously researched existing records but never had access to CP membership rolls. Like others, the author is of the opinion that the rank and file members did not engage in any acts of espionage but worked for social justice in a legal manner, particularly during the Depression. The FBI infiltrated the CPUSA in the early 1940s and by the late 1950s, one of seven members were FBI informants. None of the named were indicted and/or convicted of espionage. Since the records of the CPUSA were secret, it is not possible to determine who was a member of the CPUSA with accuracy but an attempt has been made to distinguish between known, suspected CP members, and fellow travelers. He does not want to blemish anyone’s ancestors. The author will be delighted to share his sources with anyone’s family and remove any name for legitimate reasons.

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Email me at: don@binkowski.org