iled ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Red ▁Sc are . ▁While ▁American ▁Commun ists ▁had ▁initially ▁dis d ained ▁the ▁A VC ▁as ▁" I vy ▁Le agu ers ", ▁they ▁later ▁revers ed ▁their ▁policy ▁when ▁their ▁members ▁were ▁rejected ▁from ▁the ▁American ▁Leg ion , ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁their ▁members ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁A VC . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁Red ▁Sc are ▁campaign , ▁A VC ▁e ject ed ▁its ▁Commun ist ▁members ▁and ▁closed ▁future ▁membership ▁to ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁total itar ian ▁parties . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁organization ▁p urg ed ▁itself ▁of ▁Commun ists ▁and ▁surv ived ▁the ▁sc andal , ▁the ▁episode ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁decrease ▁in ▁membership ▁from ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁its ▁smaller ▁form , ▁the ▁A VC ▁continued ▁through ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁promote ▁efforts , ▁in ▁the ▁words ▁of ▁historian ▁John ▁Eg erton , ▁to ▁" right ▁social ▁wrong s ▁at ▁home " ▁by ▁supporting ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁liberal ▁causes : ▁civil ▁rights , ▁civil ▁libert ies , ▁veter ans ▁affairs , ▁and ▁international ▁affairs . ▁ ▁Head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁A VC ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁frequently ▁test ify ▁before ▁Congress , ▁file ▁brief s ▁in ▁major ▁court ▁cases , ▁and ▁provide ▁legal ▁aid ▁to ▁minor ity ▁veter ans ▁in ▁the ▁South . ▁ ▁In ▁order