Alexander Bittelman
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Alex" Bittelman (1890–1982) was a Russian-born Jewish-American communist political activist, Marxist theorist , contributed a more complex analysis , and writer. A founding member of the Communist Party of America, Bittelman is best remembered as the chief factional lieutenant of William Z. Foster
in the Communist Party USA
and as a long-time editor of The Communist, the monthly magazine of that organization.
), Russia (now in Ukraine
) on January 9, 1890. He was radicalized from an early age, joining the General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia (Yiddish: אַלגעמײַנער ײדישער אַרבעטער בּונד אין ליטע פוילין און רוסלאַנד, Algemeyner Yidisher Arbeter Bund in Lite, Poyln un Rusland) at just 13 years of age. Arrested by the Tsarist secret police for his revolutionary views, he served two years of political exile in Siberia
.
Bittelman emigrated to the United States in 1912, settling in New York City.
of the Socialist Party of America
from 1915. A committed Marxist and revolutionary, Bittelman was an adherent of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
when it emerged early in 1919. In September of that year he was a founding member of the Communist Party of America (CPA) and editor of the Yiddish-language newspaper, Der Kampf (The Struggle).
At the convention in Chicago which founded the CPA, Bittelman was part of the 9-member committee which wrote the program for the organization. He was a member of the governing Central Executive Committee of the Jewish Communist Federation from 1919–1920 and was elected a member of the Central Executive Committee of the CPA and its Executive Council in 1920. His most commonly-used underground party name
during this period was "A. Raphael." Bittelman also variously used the pseudonyms "Gabriel," "Williams," "Percy," "Ralph Barnes," and "Lentrov" in various circumstances. According to the U.S. Department of Justice in 1948, Bittelman maintained as many as 14 aliases up to that time.
Bittelman remained with the main CPA organization when Executive Secretary C.E. Ruthenberg led a group of his supporters out of the organization in April 1920 to join the rival Communist Labor Party in a new United Communist Party (UCP). He saw the way that the internecine struggle between the two organizations was sapping the strength of the revolutionary socialist
movement, however, and came to be an advocate of organizational unity between the CPA and the UCP. During the first half of 1921 Bittelman formed a group advocating merger of the competing communist groups in accordance with the directives of the Communist International. This ironically made Bittelman persona non grata with both organizations and he was briefly expelled from the CPA. Together with his co-thinker Maximilian Cohen
, Bittelman formed a third group critical of the leaderships of both the CPA and the UCP called Communist Unity Committee, in which Bittelman served as Secretary. Merger was finally accomplished at a convention held in May 1921 and Bittelman was welcomed back into the newly unified Communist Party of America.
Bittelman was "co-opted" (drafted into) the Central Executive of the unified Communist Party of America. In July 1922 he was sent with James P. Cannon
to Moscow as representatives there of the CPA. He returned later that same year to serve on the Executive Council of the Central Executive Committee of the Workers Party of America
, the so-called "Legal Political Party" initiated and controlled by the secret CPA.
Bittelman was regularly a delegate to the conventions of the American Communist Party. He was a close factional associate of William Z. Foster and James P. Cannon against the faction headed by John Pepper
and including C.E. Ruthenberg and Jay Lovestone
during the bitter faction fights of the 1920s.
Bittelman was editor of The Daily Worker's Saturday magazine from 1926-1927.
Bittelman was a delegate to the 6th World Congress of the Comintern in 1928, where he spoke in opposition to American Party leader Jay Lovestone. Summoned to Moscow in an effort to neutralize the factional war, Bittelman was named vice-chairman of the Comintern's Far-Eastern Secretariat in 1929. In 1930, Bittelman was dispatched to India as the Comintern Representative there. He was expelled by the British from the country for his activities, however, and returned to the United States in 1931, putting down roots in Southern California
.
Bittelman returned to New York City in the summer of 1934 to work in the CPUSA's Propaganda Department. He took an active role in the editing of the monthly theoretical journal of the organization, The Communist, and wrote the leading section of the magazine, "Review of the Month", from 1936.
Although the factional war was much more subterranean during the 1930s, there was an ongoing battle nonetheless. In this fight Bittelman remained a close associate of National Chairman William Z. Foster in opposition to General Secretary Earl Browder
.
In 1953, Bittelman was indicted, tried, and convicted for violation of the Smith Act
. He served a three-year prison term, being freed on May 26, 1957.
and the exposure of the excesses and crimes of his regime as well as the working class revolt in Hungary, a movement grew for liberalization in the Communist Party. Bittelman was attracted to this trend and wrote a 12 part series for the Party's newspaper, The Worker, beginning on October 1, 1957. In February 1958 he published his last piece in Political Affairs, the party's theoretical magazine, in which he criticized the views of William Z. Foster and argued that only expansion of the welfare state
would permit a peaceful transition to socialism. Bittelman announced plans to publish his memoirs in 1959.
A hard-line faction headed by Gus Hall
had by this time consolidated its hold of the CPUSA, however, and Bittelman's planned memoir was condemned by the new party leadership on October 14, 1959. Bittelman was expelled from the Communist Party in the aftermath of this decision.
Bittelman was formally expelled by his Communist Party club on November 14, 1960. This decision was confirmed by the National Committee of the CPUSA at its plenum held at the end of January 1961.
Bittelman was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee
to provide testimony about his former organization on November 21, 1961, but he refused to testify, citing his rights under the First
and Fifth
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
.
. He died in April 1982.
Bittelman left an unpublished memoir, Things I Have Learned, which resides at the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives of Bobst Library at New York University
. The manuscript is available there for use by researchers.
William Z. Foster
William Foster was a radical American labor organizer and Marxist politician, whose career included a lengthy stint as General Secretary of the Communist Party USA...
in the Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
and as a long-time editor of The Communist, the monthly magazine of that organization.
Early years
Alexander Bittelman was born in Berdichev (BerdychivBerdychiv
Berdychiv is a historic city in the Zhytomyr Oblast of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Berdychiv Raion , the city itself is of direct oblast subordinance, and is located south of the oblast capital, Zhytomyr, at around .The current estimated population is around...
), Russia (now in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) on January 9, 1890. He was radicalized from an early age, joining the General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia (Yiddish: אַלגעמײַנער ײדישער אַרבעטער בּונד אין ליטע פוילין און רוסלאַנד, Algemeyner Yidisher Arbeter Bund in Lite, Poyln un Rusland) at just 13 years of age. Arrested by the Tsarist secret police for his revolutionary views, he served two years of political exile in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
Bittelman emigrated to the United States in 1912, settling in New York City.
Political career
Bittelman was active in the Jewish Socialist FederationJewish Socialist Federation
The Jewish Socialist Federation was a secular Jewish Yiddish-oriented organization founded in 1912 which acted as a language federation in the Socialist Party of America . Many of the founding members of the JSF had previously been members of the Bund in Eastern Europe and sought to bring Bundist...
of the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
from 1915. A committed Marxist and revolutionary, Bittelman was an adherent of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
The Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party was an organized faction within the Socialist Party of America in 1919 which served as the core of the dual communist parties which emerged in the fall of that year — the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party of America.-Precusors:A...
when it emerged early in 1919. In September of that year he was a founding member of the Communist Party of America (CPA) and editor of the Yiddish-language newspaper, Der Kampf (The Struggle).
At the convention in Chicago which founded the CPA, Bittelman was part of the 9-member committee which wrote the program for the organization. He was a member of the governing Central Executive Committee of the Jewish Communist Federation from 1919–1920 and was elected a member of the Central Executive Committee of the CPA and its Executive Council in 1920. His most commonly-used underground party name
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
during this period was "A. Raphael." Bittelman also variously used the pseudonyms "Gabriel," "Williams," "Percy," "Ralph Barnes," and "Lentrov" in various circumstances. According to the U.S. Department of Justice in 1948, Bittelman maintained as many as 14 aliases up to that time.
Bittelman remained with the main CPA organization when Executive Secretary C.E. Ruthenberg led a group of his supporters out of the organization in April 1920 to join the rival Communist Labor Party in a new United Communist Party (UCP). He saw the way that the internecine struggle between the two organizations was sapping the strength of the revolutionary socialist
Revolutionary socialism
The term revolutionary socialism refers to Socialist tendencies that advocate the need for fundamental social change through revolution by mass movements of the working class, as a strategy to achieve a socialist society...
movement, however, and came to be an advocate of organizational unity between the CPA and the UCP. During the first half of 1921 Bittelman formed a group advocating merger of the competing communist groups in accordance with the directives of the Communist International. This ironically made Bittelman persona non grata with both organizations and he was briefly expelled from the CPA. Together with his co-thinker Maximilian Cohen
Maximilian Cohen
Maximilian "Max" Cohen was an American socialist politician of the early 20th Century. Cohen held a series of important posts during the pivotal year of 1919, including Secretary of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party for Local Greater New York, Secretary of the Left Wing National Council,...
, Bittelman formed a third group critical of the leaderships of both the CPA and the UCP called Communist Unity Committee, in which Bittelman served as Secretary. Merger was finally accomplished at a convention held in May 1921 and Bittelman was welcomed back into the newly unified Communist Party of America.
Bittelman was "co-opted" (drafted into) the Central Executive of the unified Communist Party of America. In July 1922 he was sent with James P. Cannon
James P. Cannon
James Patrick "Jim" Cannon was an American Trotskyist and a leader of the Socialist Workers Party.Born on February 11, 1890 in Rosedale, Kansas, he joined the Socialist Party of America in 1908 and the Industrial Workers of the World in 1911...
to Moscow as representatives there of the CPA. He returned later that same year to serve on the Executive Council of the Central Executive Committee of the Workers Party of America
Workers Party of America
The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. As a legal political party the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood,...
, the so-called "Legal Political Party" initiated and controlled by the secret CPA.
Bittelman was regularly a delegate to the conventions of the American Communist Party. He was a close factional associate of William Z. Foster and James P. Cannon against the faction headed by John Pepper
John Pepper
John Pepper, also known as József Pogány, born József Schwartz was a Hungarian-Jewish Communist politician, active in the radical movements of both Hungary and the United States. He later served as a functionary in the Communist International in Moscow, before being cashiered in 1929...
and including C.E. Ruthenberg and Jay Lovestone
Jay Lovestone
Jay Lovestone was at various times a member of the Socialist Party of America, a leader of the Communist Party USA, leader of a small oppositionist party, an anti-Communist and Central Intelligence Agency helper, and foreign policy advisor to the leadership of the AFL-CIO and various unions...
during the bitter faction fights of the 1920s.
Bittelman was editor of The Daily Worker's Saturday magazine from 1926-1927.
Bittelman was a delegate to the 6th World Congress of the Comintern in 1928, where he spoke in opposition to American Party leader Jay Lovestone. Summoned to Moscow in an effort to neutralize the factional war, Bittelman was named vice-chairman of the Comintern's Far-Eastern Secretariat in 1929. In 1930, Bittelman was dispatched to India as the Comintern Representative there. He was expelled by the British from the country for his activities, however, and returned to the United States in 1931, putting down roots in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
Bittelman returned to New York City in the summer of 1934 to work in the CPUSA's Propaganda Department. He took an active role in the editing of the monthly theoretical journal of the organization, The Communist, and wrote the leading section of the magazine, "Review of the Month", from 1936.
Although the factional war was much more subterranean during the 1930s, there was an ongoing battle nonetheless. In this fight Bittelman remained a close associate of National Chairman William Z. Foster in opposition to General Secretary Earl Browder
Earl Browder
Earl Russell Browder was an American communist and General Secretary of the Communist Party USA from 1934 to 1945. He was expelled from the party in 1946.- Early years :...
.
In 1953, Bittelman was indicted, tried, and convicted for violation of the Smith Act
Smith Act
The Alien Registration Act or Smith Act of 1940 is a United States federal statute that set criminal penalties for advocating the overthrow of the U.S...
. He served a three-year prison term, being freed on May 26, 1957.
Later years
Bittelman was released to find a different Communist Party than the one he had left. In the wake of the death of Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
and the exposure of the excesses and crimes of his regime as well as the working class revolt in Hungary, a movement grew for liberalization in the Communist Party. Bittelman was attracted to this trend and wrote a 12 part series for the Party's newspaper, The Worker, beginning on October 1, 1957. In February 1958 he published his last piece in Political Affairs, the party's theoretical magazine, in which he criticized the views of William Z. Foster and argued that only expansion of the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
would permit a peaceful transition to socialism. Bittelman announced plans to publish his memoirs in 1959.
A hard-line faction headed by Gus Hall
Gus Hall
Gus Hall, born Arvo Kustaa Hallberg , was a leader and Chairman of the Communist Party USA and its four-time U.S. presidential candidate. As a labor leader, Hall was closely associated with the so-called "Little Steel" Strike of 1937, an effort to unionize the nation's smaller, regional steel...
had by this time consolidated its hold of the CPUSA, however, and Bittelman's planned memoir was condemned by the new party leadership on October 14, 1959. Bittelman was expelled from the Communist Party in the aftermath of this decision.
Bittelman was formally expelled by his Communist Party club on November 14, 1960. This decision was confirmed by the National Committee of the CPUSA at its plenum held at the end of January 1961.
Bittelman was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
to provide testimony about his former organization on November 21, 1961, but he refused to testify, citing his rights under the First
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
and Fifth
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
.
Death and legacy
Following his expulsion and refusal to testify in 1961, Alexander Bittelman lived out the last two years of his life in quiet at Croton-on-Hudson, New YorkCroton-on-Hudson, New York
Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt, in New York City's northern suburbs...
. He died in April 1982.
Bittelman left an unpublished memoir, Things I Have Learned, which resides at the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives of Bobst Library at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. The manuscript is available there for use by researchers.
Other sources consulted
- Joel Seidman with Olive Golden and Yaffa Draznin, Communism in the United States: A Bibliography. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1967; pp. 53–58, 395.
Books and pamphlets
- Parties and Issues in the Election Campaign. Chicago: Literature Department, Workers Party of America, n.d. (1924).
- Revolutionary Struggle Against War versus Pacifism. New York: Workers Library Publishers, n.d. (1931).
- The Communist Party in Action. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1932.
- From Left-Socialism to Communism. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1933.
- Fifteen Years of the Communist Party. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1934.
- The Advance of the United Front: A Documentary Account. New York: Central Committee, Communist Party USA, 1934.
- http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=886201&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=bittelman&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/XGADESP9MYKE7H7892KQYP17A525TTRQJB19C331I6RQP6R7R2-00894Leninism: The Only Marxism Today: A Discussion of the Characteristics of Declining Capitalism.] With V.J. Jerome. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1934.
- How Can We Share the Wealth? The Communist Way versus Huey Long. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1935.
- http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=367839&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=bittelman&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/XGADESP9MYKE7H7892KQYP17A525TTRQJB19C331I6RQP6R7R2-02601Going Left: The Left Wing Formulates a 'Draft for a Program for the Socialist Party of the United States.] New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1936.
- How to Win Social Justice: Can Coughlin and Lemke Do It? New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1936.
- The Townsend Plan: What It Is and What It Isn't. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1936.
- Milestones in the History of the Communist Party. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1937.
- Problems of Party Building. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1937.
- Party Building and Political Leadership. (with William Z. Foster, James Ford and Charles Krumbein) New York: Workers Library Publishers, n.d. (1937).
- Trotsky the Traitor. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1937.
- Break the Economic and Political Sabotage of the Monopolists. n.c. [New York]: n.p. [Communist Party], n.d. [1937].
- Jewish Unity for Victory. New York: Workers Library Publishers, 1943.
- Should Jews Unite? Jewish People's Unity as a Force for American National Unity. New York: Morning Freiheit Association, n.d. (c. 1943).
- The Jewish People Will Live On! New York: Morning Freiheit Association, n.d. (1944).
- The Jewish People Face the Post-War World. New York: Morning Freiheit Association, 1945.
- Palestine: What is the Solution? New York: Morning Freiheit Association, 1946.
- Study Guide on the Jewish Question. New York: National Jewish Commission of the Communist Party, n.d. (c. 1946).
- Program for Survival: The Communist Position on the Jewish Question. New York: New Century Publishers, 1947.
- The Communist Position on the Negro Question. (Contributor.) New York: New Century Publishers, 1947.
- To Secure Jewish Rights: The Communist Position. New York: New Century Publishers, 1948.
- Thirteen Communists Speak to the Court. (Contributor.) New York: New Century Publishers, 1953.
- The Bolshevik Revolution and Its Historical Consequences. undated
- A Communist Views America's Future. undated
- Democracy and Dictatorship. undated
- Disaster or Wellbeing, Two Lines of Economic Development . undated
- Jewish Survival, a Marxist Outlook. undated
- War Economy and Crisis . undated
- Things I Have Learned . 1963.
Articles
- "A Memorandum on the Present Situation in he Communist Movement in America, Adopted by the Communist Unity Committee for Submission to the Executive Committee of the Third Communist International," Communist Unity, February 1, 1921, pp. 3–4.
- As "A. Raphael": "The Task of the Hour," The Communist [unified CPA], October 1921, pp. 3–6.
- "Outline for a History of the Communist Party in America," Written circa 1923, first published in U.S. House of Representatives, Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Communist Activities, part V, vol. 4, pp. 435–448.
- “The Crusade Against the Foreign-Born," 'The Liberator, whole no. 73 (May 1924), pp. 17–20.
- "Leading the World Revolution," The Liberator, whole no. 75 (July 1924), pp. 13–15.
- "Exit Savinkov," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 1 (November 1924), pp. 24–28.
- "In Retrospect: A Critical Review of Our Past Labor Party Policy in the Light of the Present Situation," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 2 (December 1924), pp. 85–90.
- "Lenin: Leader and Comrade," 'Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 3 (January 1925), pp. 99–101.
- "A Conference of Progressive Reactionaries," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 4 (February 1925), pp. 166–167.
- “Kellogg in Paris — Johnson in the Senate," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 5 (March 1925), pp. 201–203.
- “Max Eastman on Leninism," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 6 (April 1925), pp. 255–256, 288.
- "On the Road to a Bolshevik Party in America," Workers Monthly, vol. 4, no. 11 (September 1925), pp. 482–484.
- “The Great People’s Referendum," Part 1: Workers Monthly, vol. 5, no. 10 (August 1926), pp. 462–465; Part 2: Workers Monthly, vol. 5, no. 11 (September 1926), pp. 517–519.
- "American Capitalism Prepards for Class War," Workers Monthly, vol. 5, no. 13 (November 1926), pp. 605–606.
- "Lessons of the Russian Revolution," The Communist, vol. 6, no. 7 (November 1927), pp. 442–450.
- "May Day, 1928," The Communist, vol. 7, no. 5 (May 1928), pp. 259–261.
- "A New Bid for World Domination," The Communist, vol. 10, no. 8 (August 1931), pp. 675–684.
- "The Latest Phase of the British Crisis in its Reverberations in the United States," The Communist, vol. 10, no. 10 (November 1931), pp. 903–911.
- "The Party Anniversary in the Light of Our Present Tasks," The Communist, vol. 10, no. 11 (December 1931), pp. 975–984.
- "To the Study of Lenin and Our Party," The Communist, vol. 11, no. 1 (January 1932), pp. 3–8.
- "The Growth of the Party in the Struggle Against Centrism and Sectarianism," The Communist, vol. 11, no. 5 (May 1932), pp. 433–442.
- "From Left Socialism to Communism," The Communist, vol. 12, no. 9 (September 1933), pp. 846–863.
- "The New Deal and the Old Deal," The Communist, Part 1: vol. 13, no. 1 (January 1934), pp. 81–98; Part 2: vol. 13, no. 2 (February 1934), pp. 182–192.
- "Milestones of Comintern Leadership," The Communist, vol. 13, no. 3 (March 1934), pp. 235–248.
- "For a Bolshevik Anti-War Struggle," The Communist, vol. 13, no. 8 (August 1934), pp. 755–772.
- "Leninism is the Only Marxism of the Imperialist Era," With V.J. Jerome. Part 1: The Communist, vol. 13, no. 10 (October 1934), pp. 1033–1056. Part 2: The Communist, vol. 13, no. 11 (November 1934), pp. 1125–1156.
- "Developments in the United Front," The Communist, vol. 13, no. 12 (December 1934), pp. 1195–1213.
- "For Leninism — For a Soviet America!" The Communist, vol. 14, no. 1 (January 1935), pp. 6–22.
- "The Socialist Revolution in the United States," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 2 (February 1935), pp. 127–147.
- "Report to the National Agitation and Propaganda Conference, January 18, 1935," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 3 (March 1935), pp. 240–261.
- "Approaching the Seventh World Congress of the Communist International," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 6 (June 1935), pp. 518–527.
- "The Supreme Court, the New Deal, and the Class Struggle," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 7 (July 1935), pp. 579–603.
- "The United Front Against Imperialist War," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 8 (August 1935), pp. 675–685.
- "Problems of the Struggle for Peace," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 11 (November 1935), pp. 1034–1043.
- "Winning the Masses to Fight for Peace," The Communist, vol. 14, no. 12 (December 1935), pp. 1171–1181.
- "The Party and the People's Front," The Communist, vol. 16, no. 8 (August 1937), pp. 709–715.
- "The Vanguard Role of the Communist Party: On the Occasion of the Eighteenth Anniversary of the CPUSA," The Communist, vol. 16, no. 9 (September 1937), pp. 808–823.
- "Some Problems Before the Tenth Convention of the Communist Party," The Communist, vol. 17, no. 7 (July 1938), pp. 624–629.
- "A Historic View of the Struggle for Democracy," The Communist, vol. 17, no. 8 (August 1938), pp. 711–721.
- "The Reaction to European Events," World News and Views, vol. 19 (April 19, 1939), pp. 395–396.
- "For a Democratic Progressive Front at the Presidential Elections," World News and Views, vol. 19 (May 20, 1939), pp. 619–620.
- "Government Intervention in the National Economy," The Communist, vol. 23, no. 10 (October 1944), pp. 893–910.
- "Cartels and the Economic Disarmament of Europe," Political Affairs, vol. 24, no. 3 (March 1945), pp. 229–245.
- "What Is the Outlook for the Jewish People?" Political Affairs, vol. 24, no. 10 (October 1945), pp. 918–934.
- "How Shall We Fight for Full Employment?" Political Affairs, vol. 25, no. 1 (January 1946), pp. 50–66.
- "Wages and Profits under Monopoly Capitalism," Political Affairs, vol. 25, no. 5 (May 1946), pp. 423–437.
- "The Anglo-American Bloc," Political Affairs, vol. 25, no. 7 (July 1946), pp. 588–596.
- "The Twenty-Seventh Party Anniversary," Political Affairs, vol. 25, no. 10 (October 1946), pp. 867–878.
- "Economic Trends and Perspectives," Political Affairs, vol. 25, no. 11 (November 1946), pp. 1001–1010.
- "Exchange of Letters with Editor," Congress Weekly, vol. 13 (December 13, 1946), pp. 13–15.
- "The Role of Jewish Communists," Jewish Life, vol. 1, no. 1 (January 1947), pp. 6–8.
- "A Communist Wage Policy," Political Affairs, vol. 26, no. 3 (March 1947), pp. 221–238.
- "A Democratic Solution for Palestine," Political Affairs, vol. 26, no. 7 (July 1947), pp. 576–585.
- "The Struggle Against the Approaching Economic Crisis," Political Affairs, vol. 26, no. 9 (September 1947), pp. 834–854.
- "New Tasks and Realignments in the Struggle for the Jewish State in Palestine," Political Affairs, vol. 27, no. 2 (February 1948), pp. 146–155.
- "The New State of Israel," Political Affairs, vol. 27, no. 8 (August 1948), pp. 720–730.
- "The Beginning of the Economic Crisis in the United States," Political Affairs, Part 1: vol. 28, no. 7 (July 1949), pp. 22–32; Part 2: vol. 28, no. 8 (August 1949), pp. 22–34.
- "Our Party's Thirtieth Anniversary," Political Affairs, vol. 28, no. 9 (September 1949), pp. 1–13.
- "Credo of a Communist," Jewish Life, vol. 3, no. 10 (October 1949), pp. 15–21.
- "Wall Street Optimism and the Developing Crisis," Political Affairs, vol. 28, no. 10 (October 1949), pp. 26–32.
- "Reverse Wall Street's Verdict and Prevent the Outlawing of a Working-Class Political Party!" Political Affairs, vol. 28, no. 11 (November 1949), pp. 1–9.
- "Jerusalem, National Independence, and Peace," Political Affairs, vol. 29, no. 1 (January 1950), pp. 66–77.
- "The Course of the Developing Economic Crisis," Political Affairs, vol. 29, no. 3 (March 1950), pp. 46–57.
- "We are the Vanguard Party of Peace," Political Affairs, vol. 29, no. 9 (September 1950), pp. 1–14.
- "Wall Street's War Preparations and the People's Living Standards," Political Affairs, vol. 29, no. 10 (October 1950), pp. 58–74.
- "Where is the Monthly Review Going?" Political Affairs, vol. 30, no. 5 (May 1951), pp. 34–53.
- "Who Are the Conspirators?" Political Affairs, vol. 30, no. 7 (July 1951), pp. 9–21.
- "Mass Tasks Facing the Party Today," Political Affairs, vol. 30, no. 9 (September 1951), pp. 15–28.
- "Lenin's Teachings and the Liberation of Humanity," Political Affairs, vol. 31, no. 1 (January 1952), pp. 1–11.
- "Corruption, War-Mongering, and the Pro-Fascist Reaction," Political Affairs, vol. 31, no. 3 (March 1952), pp. 1–14.
- "New Economic Dangers and How to Meet Them," Political Affairs, vol. 32, no. 5 (May 1953), pp. 30–47.
- "Key Problems of Party Program," Political Affairs, vol. 37, no. 2 (February 1958), pp. 36–44.
External links
- Finding Aid for Alex Bittelman's Things I Have Learned, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University. Retrieved February 23, 2010.