Mediaboss Marketing

WESTERLY The Communist Party of the United States of America was established in 1919, following a split within the Socialist Party of America. An organization which supported common ownership and the absence of private property and social classes, the Communist Party brought forth political devotees and outspoken adversaries.

Joseph Peter Kamp, an educational lecturer, was born in Queens, New York, in 1900. A supporter of right-wing politics, he wrote and distributed pamphlets, booklets, newspapers and other literature for the Constitutional Educational League, which was founded in 1919 and which Kamp joined in 1921.

As part of the anti-communist organization, Kamp prided himself on working to expose Americas enemies. During the fall of 1933, he took his warnings around the country, stopping in Bristol, R.I., on the afternoon of Sept. 13 to address that towns Rotary Club.

Kamps lecture was entitled Communism A Myth or a Menace? He had on hand piles of magazines, pamphlets, leaflets, booklets and even textbooks being handed out by Communists in America and he displayed them to give further weight to his cause. One of the pamphlets was titled How to Defeat the NRA. One leaflet gave instructions on how to incite strikes at places of business. Some of the literature was written for adults, some written for children.

As Kamp addressed the Rotary, he gave examples of how communism was creeping up on America while we werent looking. He talked about the Ford factory riot of March 1932 where four employees were shot and killed by police and over 60 employees injured after a strike occurred under the influence of Unemployed Councils, a project of Communist Party U.S.A.

He talked about the recent factory riot in North Carolina, the closing of 100 American factories in one day and the police force of South River, New Jersey, being held captive for eight hours, all fueled by communist coercion.

To those members of the Bristol Rotary, Kamp talked about Karl Nygard, a Communist mayor, being elected in Crosby, Minnesota, and how Nygards first move after being sworn into office was to abolish the towns police force and close the state prosecutors office.

The dangerous propaganda being circulated and the events it was causing was something that had to be addressed immediately, Kamp announced. If communism was allowed to pick up speed like a snowball rolling down a hill, it would become impossible to stop. And once we allowed the NRA to be defeated, he warned, it was all over all of America would fall.

Kamp explained that the average American was blind to how serious the problem was. He urged the Rotary members to look at the red flag flying over a Communist camp in Westerly where the children of Communists were sent to be brought up under specific political teachings.

Kamp was jailed in 1950 for Contempt of Congress after circulating a pamphlet violently attacking Walter Reuther, president of the United Auto Workers, and then refusing to give the names of those who supported him in the endeavor.

If anyone has any knowledge of a Communist camp for children being located in Westerly during 1933, that information would be appreciated.

Kelly Sullivan is a journalist and author who lives in Hope Valley. You can contact her at kjshem77@gmail.com.

Visit link:
Country Road Chronicles: Communist camp in Westerly in the '30s - The Westerly Sun