▁and ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Committee ▁of ▁that ▁organization ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁convention ▁of ▁the ▁SW P ▁instruct ed ▁the ▁National ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁to ▁take ▁discipl inary ▁action ▁against ▁A bern , ▁Sh acht man , ▁James ▁Burn ham , ▁and ▁their ▁fa ction al ▁supp or ters ▁if ▁that ▁group ▁failed ▁to ▁ab ide ▁by ▁the ▁dec isions ▁of ▁the ▁convention . ▁In ▁accord ance ▁with ▁these ▁instructions , ▁the ▁National ▁Committee ▁susp ended ▁Burn ham , ▁Sh acht man , ▁and ▁A bern ▁at ▁its ▁meeting ▁of ▁April ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁giving ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁this ▁so - called ▁" pet ty - bour ge ois ▁opposition " ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁rec ant ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁party . ▁Burn ham ▁left ▁the ▁radical ▁movement ▁at ▁this ▁time , ▁while ▁A bern ▁joined ▁Max ▁Sh acht man ' s ▁in ▁establish ing ▁a ▁new ▁organization ▁called ▁the ▁Work ers ▁Party ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁( WP US ). ▁The ▁pair ▁were ▁exp elled ▁from ▁the ▁SW P ▁by ▁a ▁Pl enum ▁Conference ▁held ▁in ▁Chicago ▁from ▁Sept . ▁ 2 7 ▁to ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁A bern ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁gover ning ▁National ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁W P US ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁formation ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁remained ▁in ▁the