
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 50USC841]

 
                   TITLE 50--WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
                      CHAPTER 23--INTERNAL SECURITY
 
                    SUBCHAPTER IV--COMMUNIST CONTROL
 
Sec. 841. Findings and declarations of fact

    The Congress finds and declares that the Communist Party of the 
United States, although purportedly a political party, is in fact an 
instrumentality of a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of the 
United States. It constitutes an authoritarian dictatorship within a 
republic, demanding for itself the rights and privileges accorded to 
political parties, but denying to all others the liberties guaranteed by 
the Constitution. Unlike political parties, which evolve their policies 
and programs through public means, by the reconciliation of a wide 
variety of individual views, and submit those policies and programs to 
the electorate at large for approval or disapproval, the policies and 
programs of the Communist Party are secretly prescribed for it by the 
foreign leaders of the world Communist movement. Its members have no 
part in determining its goals, and are not permitted to voice dissent to 
party objectives. Unlike members of political parties, members of the 
Communist Party are recruited for indoctrination with respect to its 
objectives and methods, and are organized, instructed, and disciplined 
to carry into action slavishly the assignments given them by their 
hierarchical chieftains. Unlike political parties, the Communist Party 
acknowledges no constitutional or statutory limitations upon its conduct 
or upon that of its members. The Communist Party is relatively small 
numerically, and gives scant indication of capacity ever to attain its 
ends by lawful political means. The peril inherent in its operation 
arises not from its numbers, but from its failure to acknowledge any 
limitation as to the nature of its activities, and its dedication to the 
proposition that the present constitutional Government of the United 
States ultimately must be brought to ruin by any available means, 
including resort to force and violence. Holding that doctrine, its role 
as the agency of a hostile foreign power renders its existence a clear 
present and continuing danger to the security of the United States. It 
is the means whereby individuals are seduced into the service of the 
world Communist movement, trained to do its bidding, and directed and 
controlled in the conspiratorial performance of their revolutionary 
services. Therefore, the Communist Party should be outlawed.

(Aug. 24, 1954, ch. 886, Sec. 2, 68 Stat. 775.)

                          Codification

    Section was enacted as part of the Communist Control Act of 1954, 
and not as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises 
subchapters I to III of this chapter.


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of act Aug. 24, 1954, provided: ``That this Act [enacting 
this subchapter and section 792a of this title, amending sections 782, 
784, 785, 789 to 792, and 793 of this title, and enacting provisions set 
out below] may be cited as the `Communist Control Act of 1954'.''


                              Separability

    Section 12 of act Aug. 24, 1954, provided: ``If any provision of 
this title [see Short Title note above] or the application thereof to 
any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the title 
and the application of such provisions to other persons or 
circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.''
    The use of the word ``Act'', in place of the word ``title'' as used 
in section 12 of act of Aug. 24, 1954, quoted above, was probably 
intended, since that act is not divided into titles.
