The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-29

junior groups is an excellent one
They will agree, again in the abstract
that working class children should be
organized in the spirit Of the strug
gle, trained in the ideas and ideals
of the Communist movement. Many
of them will even wax quite enthusi-
astic over the thing they will con
tribute most generously towards the
finances of the young Communists,
But when it comes to getting them to
urge their own children to join the
red juniors, they begin to find numer-
GUS objections; when they are asked
merely to do nothing to prevent their
children from joining the groups or
attending Of their own wish, these
same objections will be raised. M
Yes, you will find workers who
stoutly maintain that they are good
reYoIutionaries, and yet refuse to
have their children enter the ranks Of
the Communist movement. This type
of radical is not confined to any one
country, or any section, but can be
found everywhere. And his hesita-
ton brings up the problem Of the
new and old relationship between
parents and children.
1t is unfortunate and true that most
parents, however progressive minded
politically, do not rule their house
holds in the spirit of the new society
They rely on their economic power,
the fact that the child is financially
dependent upon them, to tyrannize
over their children, more over the
mind than the body. Realizing their
own very natural human shortcom-
ings, their pride is disturbed when
the child begins to question that
which exists. And especially the chill
dren whose minds are sharpened by
a growing consciousness of self and
class; when their observation Of So
cial injustices brings to them at least
an inkling of unjustified treatment
and consideration at home; when they
begin to feel and understand the eco
nomic basis of the family; when they
acquire the critical outlook on So
ciety and the individual and see thru
the foibles of those humans who are
parents-in short, when they have re-
ceived training in the Communist
junior groups-their attitude is GER
tainly not relished by those parents
in whose minds the poison of bour-
geois life has not yet been eliminat
ed.
These parents see in their Commu-
mist children only that which shat
tiers their vanity They are uncon-
sciously annoyed, angry at the thot
that the 'impertinent brat has the
audacity to question their authority
and superior brains and knowledge.
They cuttingly answer all the child's
arguments and counter their propos-
ais with the unfair slurs: when
you've gone thru what l have, then
you'll have the right to say some
thing" or Listen to that kid talking
about politics!" And if the bitter
ness of life under capitalism has bru-
talized him inwardly, the child is Civ
en- one of those old-fashioned thrash
ings which only widens the breach be-
tween the old and the young, which
is remembered only with bitterness
and hatred by the child .e-N
And should our junior be a real
rebel and earn the antagonism Of HIS
teacher, his father or mother may be
inclined to be- peevish when they
think that their Jimmy has raised a
rumpus in school, while Mrs. Browns
little Harry is always petted by teach
er, get A-AsA as his marks eon the
report card, and delivered a speech on
What Our Flag Stands For. Instead
Of being proud and happy to find their
boy or girl developing into a protest
ant, a fighter, rebel, many work
ing class parents actually apologize
for the terrible misdemeanors of their
children.
The other type of working class par
ent who is opposed to his children