The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-22

w. we devoted an article to a summary
Of the various speeches on the Political
cause OF its berVty it did not give an
exact picture of the speeches Of the
Various delegates. We are Of the opin-
ion that longer summary o. me
speeches OF our American delegates IS
necessary and we are herewith. PRINT
ing a summary of the speech OF Com
rade Wlliamson.)
COMRADES: The Comintern Plen-
y UNI correctly characterized the sit
uation of America in the present pc
riod of relative sterilization. 1t was
pointed out that the labor movement
was moving to the right in America,
However in relation to the millions
Of young workers in America, 1t is diff
ficult to say that they are drifting
either to the right or left. AS yet they
are politically dormant passive and
unawakened.
In America we have many obstacles
and gigantic difficulties. There is lit
tie tradition behind the working class
movement. We have only one-tenth
of the workers in trade unions. We
have not yet reformist political
party in existence. The working class
is not homogeneous, because of the
rs to 80 nationalities, each withtheir
traditions and each being played
against the other by the capitalist
class.
With such difficulties facing the
adults, you have a picture Of the in
creased difficulties facing the youth.
It is true that the youth can play a
great role in helping to solve and
overcome these problems.
Comrade vuyowich dealt with the
increased activity of the bourgeois or
CARNATIONS to organize the youth.
Where are the youth in America? The
great majority of those that are or
ganized at all, are in bourgeois organ
izations-all of those opponent organ
izations. There are over million in
the Y. M. c. A.; six hundred thousand
in the Boy Scouts and so on thru the
list. With the exception of the Y. M.
c. A. none of these have as yet enter
ed the industrial field and in the case
Of the "Y" it is to push forward a
class collaboration policy. have few
statistics on hand, but in 1920 in six
industries alone the Y. M. c. A. had
1870 paid secretaries, in the coal, lum-
Der, cotton, metal, steel and shipbuild-
ing industries. The "Y'' has also lao
colored sections with 10000 members.
The trade unions have paid, as yet,
no attention to the youth.
Such a general situation demands
the broadcast possible policy for the
Y. w. L. If the German League finds
difficulties with a situation manifold
better imagine what is necessary in
America. Three years ago, as a reac-
ton to the social character of the
old Socialist Youth, we swing to the
extreme of cutting off all connections
with the broader forms Of activities,
with cultural activities, etc. Today we
find a large yearly turnover in our
membership. ! think am safe in say
ing that 40 per cent of those who en-
ter our League leave within the first
six months. We must search for the
reasons. The following two general
reasons contributes:
1. The American League has be-
come youth section of the party,
duplicating its activities, with little
youth activities. In fact, 20 per cent
are party members. This situation is
absolutely abnormal. 1t is due largely
to the inner fractional situation.
2. There were little activities of in
terest to the average young worker.
The inner life is barren. Only discus
sions of lengthy political theses by
the leading comrades and in addition
little economic activity.
My conclusions are similar to Com
rade Blenkle. We must broaden our
activities to include sports and cul-
tural activities. This must not mean
a eu1;uor m tho othar extrama and a