The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-30
BY JOHN STEUBEN
February Plenum

It was already established and pointed out on
numerous occasions that the February plenum
of the National Committee failed to understand
the political meaning of the decisions of the
larged presedium Of the Y. G. T., in regards to the
turn towards mass work. With the result that
the plenurn went by without having any effect on
the Life and the work Of our League.
In order to fully understand the serious mis-
takes the plenun has committed, It is first neces-
sary to record that the plenum took place in q
very important moment In the country. Already
after the crash the Stock Exchange, after the
depression fast turned into an economic crisis
with unemployment increasing daily, when wage
cuts already became the order of the day, and as
3 result OF which tremendous rise of the MILL
fancy Of the workers, which reached high point
only one month later, March 8. Or, as the
z. G. I letter pointed out;
THE situation in the u S. A puts great tasks
before the American 7. G. l., but at the same
time creates exceptionally favorable conditions
for its growth and development. The economic
crisis which Is shaking American capitalism TO
It's foundation is developing steadily in spite Of
the efforts Of the capitalists, government and
refornnists to stem It. and has as its most vivid
and far-reaching results a catastrophe impover-
tshment Of the working Glass;
It Is because Of these favorable conditions that
have developed SO rapidly. our plenum should
have become one OF the strongest mobilization
points TO meet the new situation in the country.
The basic mistake Of the February plenum lies,
the League failed to recognize the seriousness of
tbs situation in the country as well as in our
League The importance and significance Of the
crisis was not recognized by the plenum. We
lacked foresightedness, revolutionary perspec.
tive and a specific outlook on the crisis This ex-
plains why the plenum failed to give to the mem
bershtp a concrete program of action based on
clear analysis as to what the economic crisis
brought and is about to bring in the near future
into the life Of the American proletarian youth.
r1rr.zr
10 utilize the crisis to any considerable degree,
with the result that's
'The z. c. L. is not only tagging behind the
development OF the rehabilitation Of the prole-
tartan youth. but is distinctly tagging behind the
Party's development the situation is ex-
trerely unsatisfaetory.a e. C. Lottery
Our inability to seriously recognize and foresee
the deepening of the crisis constitutes a first
class right mistake. It is this above mentioned
fact that is responsible for a chain of mistakes
committed at the plenum and Immediately after,
To prove the above mentioned contention. it is
only necessary to refer to the hopeless confusion
the plenum spread into the membership on the
struggle on two fronts. The attempt to make the
left" danger, In our League, the main danger,
In simple language meant to give comfort and
aid to the strong right tendencies which exists
IN our League and Party and express themselves
IN the serious under estimation of the i'm portant
role the young workers playing and will play
In the class struggle. In a country where can't
talist naturalization has reached its high point
and especially In this present period of the crisis
The negation of the line of the Y. c. L. that at
present the main danger comes from the right,
resulted in the failure to develop a struggle
against those who refused to see the growing
tempo Of rehabilitation within the ranks of the
American young worker. Also such position
old NOT help to eliminate left" phrase-monger.
Ing. but on the contrary increased it
Y. O. l. Letter
The presedsum Of the Y. c. T.. after examining
Ms line and decisions Of our February plenuu.