THE COMMUNIST PARTY
Central Executive Office.
Trades Hall
Johannesburg.
26-12-22

Dear Comrade Tom

Your letter from Port Elizabeth and report of the meeting from
E. P. Herald just to hand also acknowledgement of amount paid
you. There
is no doubt that your tour has done a vast amount of good we feel
the benefit in our organisation. We had touched rock bottom before
you came and now a more buoyant spirit is in the air. The boys
are recovering. Big propaganda meetings are held weekly outside
the town
hall and in other parts and our paper is selling more freely finances
improving and we intend to resume weekly publication early in the
new year. We have taken a nice new printing office nearer the centre
of town with two year lease and option to purchase at £16 00.
We shall be better away from the vicinity of Marshall Square. Bill
(Rostion?) is delighted to be getting into a place where all the
work can be done in one room. I am sorry to hear that Cape Town has
failed to arrange an extension of the tour and surprised to hear
that the Australian tour is in some doubt. I was under the impression
that it was practically settled. However you may yet get it fixed
up.

The commutation of sentences is I think a tribute to the agitation
started by the Communist Party and the fact that no more bodies of
men executed will be allowed burial outside gaol shows that the big
funeral demonstrations are effective. The Durban Town Hall protest
meeting was a surprise also and the red army proposition and its
reception although of course only temporary enthusiasm shows the
growth of an idea. The papers here are attacking Bunting and the
Mail I think it was in a leader urged that he should not be allowed
to land owing to his policy of educating +organising the native workers
they are on the war path all right. + so are we so that's all right.
With best wishes for the New Year and thanks + kindest regards from
your friend + comrade

W H Andrews.