New York State Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities Suspected Radical Propaganda File L0036

New York State Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities Suspected Radical Propaganda File

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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

As part of its investigation, the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities (known as the "Lusk Committee" for its chairman Clayton R. Lusk) collected a large quantity of material published in Europe and the United States. These publications (mostly pamphlets) relate to individuals and organizations involved with organized labor, Socialism, Bolshevism, and other movements suspected of radical activities. English and foreign language publications are included in the series.

Creator:

New York (State). Legislature. Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities

Title:

Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities suspected radical propaganda file

Quantity:

10.9 cubic feet

31 microfilm rolls 35mm

Inclusive Dates:

1890-1919

Series Number:

L0036

Arrangement

Organized into eleven sections by format of material or language.

Section 1, English Language Pamphlets, ca. 1890-1919, 2 cubic feet:alphabetical by topic or name of writer.

Section 2, Russian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, 2 cubic feet:arranged first by country of publication (either the United States or Russia), then alphabetical by name of writer.

Section 3, Ukrainian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, 1 cubic foot:no arrangement.

Section 4, Lithuanian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, 1 cubic foot:no arrangement.

Section 5, Yiddish and Lettish (Latvian) Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, 1 cubic foot:no arrangement.

Section 6, Miscellaneous Foreign Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, 1 cubic foot:arranged roughly by language.

Section 7, Translated Abstracts of Foreign Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, approximately 40 items:alphabetical by topic.

Section 8, Translated Abstracts of Foreign Language Newspapers, ca. 1900-1919, 0.5 cubic foot:alphabetical by name of newspaper.

Section 9, Suspected Radical Periodicals File, ca. 1900-1919, approximately 30 items:no arrangement.

Section 10, Suspected Radical Broadsides, Circulars, and Leaflets File, ca. 1900-1919, approximately 100 items:arranged roughly by topic.

Section 11, Suspected Radical Books File, ca. 1900-1919, 35 items:no arrangement.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of an important collection of propaganda materials gathered by the committee during its investigation of radical individuals and organizations in the years following World War I. The series contains approximately 1,500 printed items, including 1,200 English and foreign language pamphlets. This collection is a significant resource for examining the development of socialist thought and action during the early part of the century.

The committee was very concerned with the staggering amount of supposed revolutionary propaganda being produced and distributed throughout New York and the country. Inexpensive pamphlets, newspapers, journals, broadsides, circulars, and other forms of progaganda were a main target of its investigation. The committee felt that this propaganda had great influence in generating sympathy for revolutionary philosophies among immigrant workers and other groups. Many of the materials in this series were cited in the committee's final report to support educational recommendations aimed at countering the alleged harmful influence of radical propaganda.

The majority of the material was produced during the 1917-1919 period, although some individual items pertaining to the early development of socialist thought date from the late 1800s. Most of the material was published in New York, Chicago or other American cities; a large number of items were also produced in Russia or in various European countries. Approximately 75% of the material is in a foreign language while the remaining 25% is in English. Russian language material predominates but there is also a large quantity of material in Ukrainian, Lithuanian, and other languages. Some pamphlets' titles have been translated by New York State Archives staff.

The collected propaganda covers the entire spectrum of radical topics investigated by the committee such as socialism and related topics (anarchism, bolshevism, communism, Marxism, etc.), capitalism, labor, pacifism, and anti-militarism. There is a wealth of material pertaining to social, economic, and political conditions in the United States, Russia, and other countries. Included are writings of Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, Nicolai Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and lesser known leaders of socialist movements in Russia and European countries.

The records are divided into sections with each section containing material relating to the broad topic outlined above.

Section 1, English Language Pamphlets, ca. 1890-1919, contains approximately 400 pamphlets, most published in New York, Chicago, or elsewhere in the United States. In addition to topics pertaining to European conditions, these pamphlets relate to socialist developments in the United States. They include writings of American radicals such as Eugene Debs, Emma Goldman, Jack London, Scott Nearing, and others. There is also material relating to anti-radical groups, particularly the American Defense Society and the National Security League.

Section 2, Russian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, consists of approximately 175 pamphlets published either in the United States or Russia. Folders contain an English translation of the title and publisher.

Section 3, Ukrainian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, contains approximately 100 pamphlets, most published in New York City.

Section 4, Lithuanian Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, contains approximately 150 pamphlets, the majority published in Philadelphia, Chicago, or other American cities.

Section 5, Yiddish and Lettish (Latvian) Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, contains approximately 150 pamphlets.

Section 6, Miscellaneous Foreign Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, contains approximately 200 foreign language pamphlets, the majority in either German, Finnish, or Hungarian. Other languages found are Italian, Czech, and Polish. Most were published in the United States.

Section 7, Translated Abstracts of Foreign Language Pamphlets, ca. 1900-1919, consists of English language abstracts of portions of approximately forty foreign language pamphlets, relating principally to the Industrial Workers of the World, the Jewish Socialist Federation, Soviet Russia, and the Union of Russian Workers.

Section 8, Translated Abstracts of Foreign Language Newspapers, ca. 1900-1919, consists of English language abstracts of articles appearing in approximately twenty foreign language newspapers, both American and foreign.

Section 9, Suspected Radical Periodicals File, ca. 1900-1919, consists of articles or entire issues of approximately thirty American and foreign journals. Both English language and foreign language journals are included.

Section 10, Suspected Radical Broadsides, Circulars, and Leaflets File, ca. 1900-1919, consists of approximately 100 items issued and distributed by suspected radical groups. Both English and foreign language items are included; most were produced in the United States. Many of the items advertise protest meetings, speeches, or similar organized events. The majority of the items are arranged under several headings, including the I.W.W., Russia, women, Workers Defense Union, and Yiddish.

Section 11, Suspected Radical Books File, ca. 1900-1919, consists of 35 books relating to various topics examined by the committee. The books were published in several foreign countries and in New York, Philadelphia, and elsewhere in the United States. Several of the books are in English, the rest in Lithuanian, Finnish, Russian, and Yiddish.