"THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE U.S. IS A CONTINUING DANGER TO NATIONAL SECURITY"

CONGRESS PASSES COMMUNIST CONTROL ACT

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On August 24, 1954, the United States Congress passed the Communist Control Act.  The act states that...

"the Communist Party of the United States* is in fact an instrumentality of a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of the United States."


Five years earlier, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had prosecuted eleven leaders of the Communist Party of America and in the first years of the 1950s another 100 were arrested and convicted.  In the long run, the Communist Control Act proved to be ineffective.

In 1961, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the party could constitutionally be a participant in New York State's unemployment insurance system.  Since then, no presidential administration has attempted to enforce it. 

The Communist Control Act also stipulated that the Communist Party of the United States is a "continuing danger to the security of the United States." 


*The Communist Party of America was established in 1919.  It played a major role in the labor movement through the 1940s.  Although it claimed more than 50,000 members in the first years of its founding, by 1957 that number had declined to less than 10,000.

SOLEMN WARNING ISSUED TO SOVIETS ON BERLIN CRISIS

August 24, 1961


SOLEMN WARNING ISSUED TO SOVIETS ON BERLIN CRISIS


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Kennedy administration today released a statement declaring:


 "the United States must serve a solemn warning to the Soviet Union that any interference by the Soviet Government or its East German regime with free access to West Berlin would be an aggressive act for the consequences of which the Soviet government would bear full responsibility."

                 Flag of West Berlin
                        (1949-1990)


August 24, 1962


JFK ISSUES ORDER ON BRONZE STAR


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy today issued an Executive Order to extend the eligibility for the BRONZE STAR to American soldiers serving in Vietnam & Laos where the United States is not "technically" at war.

                        
                       The Bronze Star


August 24, 1954


CONGRESS PASSES COMMUNIST CONTROL ACT


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Congress of the United States passed the Communist Control Act today.  The act states that:


"The Communist Party of the United States is in fact an instrumentality of a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of the United States."


The act states further that the party is a "continuing danger to the security of the United States".


The Communist Control Act is basically declaring that the Communist Party should be outlawed in the United States of America but gives no explanation of how that is to be accomplished.

August 24, 1821


SPAIN ACCEPTS MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE


Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico (JFK+50) The government of Spain today accepted the independence of Mexico.


Spanish Viceroy Juan de O'Donoju signed the Treaty of Cordoba today approving a plan to make Mexico an independent constitutional monarchy.

                   Tradados de Cordoba
                         August 24, 1821


August 24, 1814


BRITISH LAUNCH ATTACK ON WASHINGTON


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) British forces today launched a surprise attack on Washington, D.C. as President Madison & the Congress fled into Virginia.


The British army under General Robert Ross overwhelmed an inexperienced US militia at Bladensburg, Maryland opening the way into the capital city.*


*The British withdrew from Washington on August 26 & President Madison returned to a scorched city.  


The President's House was reconstructed in 1817. Painted a bright white color, it soon became known as "The White House.

              Burning of Washington