Communist Party leader; born in Seattle, Wash. Joining the Communist Party in 1926, he was arrested for organizing lettuce workers in California's Imperial Valley in 1927-28. He attended a Communist Party school while in Moscow (1931-35) and on return to the U.S.A. he held a series of posts in the Communist Party, becoming its general secretary (1945-51, 1955-59). He was imprisoned (1951-55) for violation of the Smith Act. He was chairman of the Communist Party of America when he died in 1961.