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Dreiser was an [[atheist]]<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,881224,00.html Religion: Atheist's Oath]," ''Time'', August 20, 1928</ref> as well as a [[Communist]], who wrote that "through its attainment of Socialism," the Soviet Union "has given the greatest example in history of the heights of achievement that can be reached by a free people with faith in itself and in all the progressive forces of humanity."<ref>Theodore Dreiser, "Request to Become a Communist," ''[[The Daily Worker]]'', July 30, 1945, reprinted in Albert Fried, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=mLJbT3NMbN4C Communism in America: A History in Documents]'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 1997) ISBN 0231102356, pp. 348-350</ref> In 1928, he visited the [[Soviet Union]], returning to give the ''New York Times'' a glowing account, even defending [[Stalin]]'s purge of [[Trotsky]].<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A1FFD38551A738DDDAB0A94DA405B888EF1D3&scp=1&sq=dreiser%20home,%20sees%20soviet%20aims%20gaining&st=cse DREISER HOME, SEES SOVIET AIMS GAINING]; Author Thinks Principles of Government Will Spread Even to This Country. BUT IN A DIFFERENT FORM He Declares There Is No Bread-Line or Unemployment in Russia-- Deplores Coal Strike Here," ''The New York Times'', February 22, 1928, p. 9. Cf. Frederic E. Rusch and Donald Pizer (Eds.), ''Theodore Dreiser: Interviews'' (University of Illinois Press, 2004) ISBN 0252029437, pp. 168-170</ref>

Dreiser was an [[atheist]]<ref>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,881224,00.html Religion: Atheist's Oath]," ''Time'', August 20, 1928</ref> as well as a [[Communist]], who wrote that "through its attainment of Socialism," the Soviet Union "has given the greatest example in history of the heights of achievement that can be reached by a free people with faith in itself and in all the progressive forces of humanity."<ref>Theodore Dreiser, "Request to Become a Communist," ''[[The Daily Worker]]'', July 30, 1945, reprinted in Albert Fried, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=mLJbT3NMbN4C Communism in America: A History in Documents]'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 1997) ISBN 0231102356, pp. 348-350</ref> In 1928, he visited the [[Soviet Union]], returning to give the ''New York Times'' a glowing account, even defending [[Stalin]]'s purge of [[Trotsky]].<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A1FFD38551A738DDDAB0A94DA405B888EF1D3&scp=1&sq=dreiser%20home,%20sees%20soviet%20aims%20gaining&st=cse DREISER HOME, SEES SOVIET AIMS GAINING]; Author Thinks Principles of Government Will Spread Even to This Country. BUT IN A DIFFERENT FORM He Declares There Is No Bread-Line or Unemployment in Russia-- Deplores Coal Strike Here," ''The New York Times'', February 22, 1928, p. 9. Cf. Frederic E. Rusch and Donald Pizer (Eds.), ''Theodore Dreiser: Interviews'' (University of Illinois Press, 2004) ISBN 0252029437, pp. 168-170</ref>

When prominent [[American]] [[liberals]] like [[John Dewey]] objected to the show trials that followed, Dreiser was among those who signed an open letter in support of Stalin's [[Great Purge|Great Terror]], reaffirming "their faith in the Soviet Union, their confidence in the Soviet government, and their friendship for the Soviet people."<ref>Harvey Klehr, John Earl Haynes, and Kyrill M. Anderson, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=MBHSY0bCFWoC The Secret World of American Communism]'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998), pp. 304-305</ref> In 1938 he said [[President]] [[Franklin Roosevelt]] used the ideas of [[Karl Marx]], classifying him with [[Hitler]], [[Mussolini]] and [[Stalin]].<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F7061FFF355C1B7A93C0AB1783D85F4C8385F9 Says Roosevelt Uses Karl Marx's Idead; Theodore Dreiser Adds That So Do Hitler and Stalin]," ''The New York Times'', August 22, 1938</ref>

When prominent [[American]] [[liberals]] like [[John Dewey]] objected to the show trials that followed, Dreiser was among those who signed an open letter in support of Stalin's [[Great Purge|Great Terror]], reaffirming "their faith in the Soviet Union, their confidence in the Soviet government, and their friendship for the Soviet people."<ref>Harvey Klehr, John Earl Haynes, and Kyrill M. Anderson, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=MBHSY0bCFWoC The Secret World of American Communism]'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998), pp. 304-305</ref> In 1938 he said [[President]] [[Franklin Roosevelt]] used the ideas of [[Karl Marx]], classifying him with [[Hitler]], [[Mussolini]] and [[Stalin]].<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F7061FFF355C1B7A93C0AB1783D85F4C8385F9 Says Roosevelt Uses Karl Marx's Ideas; Theodore Dreiser Adds That So Do Hitler and Stalin]," ''The New York Times'', August 22, 1938</ref>

When the Soviet Union joined [[Nazi]] Germany in the [[Hitler-Stalin pact]] for the joint invasion of Poland, partitioning Eastern Europe between them, Dreiser was among the "prominent Americans" named by the Communists "who would write effective brochures explaining and defending the [[Hitler-Stalin pact|peace policy]] of the Soviet Union and answering the arguments of the enemy." In 1940, he gave a speech (later reprinted as a pamphlet), "U.S. Must Not Be Bled for Imperial Britain," broadcast on [[CBS]] on behalf of the [[Communist front]] [[American Peace Mobilization]].<ref>Donald Pizer, [http://sceti.library.upenn.edu/dreiser/bibliography.pdf Theodore Dreiser, a primary bibliography and reference guide], p. 55 (Schoenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania). Cf. "[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/216861112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Nov+10%2C+1940&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post++(1877-1954)&edition=&startpage=18&desc=Dreiser+Views+Aid+to+Britain+As+Another+American+Tragedy Dreiser Views Aid to Britain As Another American Tragedy Novelist Believes That 'Americans Are Suckers']," ''The Washington Post'', November 10, 1940, p. 18; W.H. Schippen, Jr., "Dreiser Says England Seeks to Drag U.S. in European War," ''Washington Evening Star'', November 10, 1940, p. A3</ref> In early 1941, he wrote a book arguing that the [[U.S.]] should not aid England in its war against [[Hitler]].<ref>Theodore Dreiser, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=VArTAAAAMAAJ America Is Worth Saving]'' (New York: Modern Age Books, 1941)</ref>

When the Soviet Union joined [[Nazi]] Germany in the [[Hitler-Stalin pact]] for the joint invasion of Poland, partitioning Eastern Europe between them, Dreiser was among the "prominent Americans" named by the Communists "who would write effective brochures explaining and defending the [[Hitler-Stalin pact|peace policy]] of the Soviet Union and answering the arguments of the enemy." In 1940, he gave a speech (later reprinted as a pamphlet), "U.S. Must Not Be Bled for Imperial Britain," broadcast on [[CBS]] on behalf of the [[Communist front]] [[American Peace Mobilization]].<ref>Donald Pizer, [http://sceti.library.upenn.edu/dreiser/bibliography.pdf Theodore Dreiser, a primary bibliography and reference guide], p. 55 (Schoenberg Center, University of Pennsylvania). Cf. "[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/216861112.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Nov+10%2C+1940&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post++(1877-1954)&edition=&startpage=18&desc=Dreiser+Views+Aid+to+Britain+As+Another+American+Tragedy Dreiser Views Aid to Britain As Another American Tragedy Novelist Believes That 'Americans Are Suckers']," ''The Washington Post'', November 10, 1940, p. 18; W.H. Schippen, Jr., "Dreiser Says England Seeks to Drag U.S. in European War," ''Washington Evening Star'', November 10, 1940, p. A3</ref> In early 1941, he wrote a book arguing that the [[U.S.]] should not aid England in its war against [[Hitler]].<ref>Theodore Dreiser, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=VArTAAAAMAAJ America Is Worth Saving]'' (New York: Modern Age Books, 1941)</ref>