The Socialist Workers Party or its youth group, the Young Socialist Alliance, was represented by Arnold Johnson and James West, both of whom are members of the Communist Party, USA, National Committee.
This group subsequently changed its name to the Spring Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam. Reverend James Bevel, on leave from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was appointed Executive Director of this Committee.
On April 13, 1967, Levison and King were in contact to discuss the progress Levison was making in the writing of the speech King was to deliver on April 15, 1967, to a rally of the Spring Mobilization Committee at the United Nations. Levison discussed part of the speech, which King enthusiastically accepted. King particularly liked the part indicating that the United States should unilaterally withdraw from Vietnam. He also enjoyed the part where he would appeal to the country to "demand insistently that our Government honor Hanoi's promise to negotiate if the bombings cease."
The CPUSA was delighted with King's actions in this regard. The recognized leader of 22 million Negroes had openly attacked his country’s policy in Vietnam. He participated in the largest rally ever staged against the Vietnam war by being the keynote speaker. In his speech, King again called for the withdrawal of United States troops from Vietnam. King was helping the CPUSA achieve its goal of uniting the Negro movement with the peace issue.
"The Worker" expressed the CPUSA's pleasure in the May 7, 1967, issue where it stated in part, "When Dr. King insists upon the connection between aggressive foreign policy and regressive domestic policy he insists upon what is true and consequential. When Dr. King points to the racism common in colonialism and Jim Crow, he points to that which is historically demonstrable. When Dr. King affirms that the present war in Vietnam threatens all democratic and progressive advance in the United States and does so for economic, political, ethical, and psychological
