The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-30
BY L. KAPLAN.

our League units today are not real basic
organs of the League throbbing with the
lie OF their territories building up the interest
OF thelr memberships in League work through
discussions and real educational methods but
are organs mechanically carrying out decisions
given by higher bodies. The main fault lies in
the inability of the units to answer in an in
teresting fashion the why's, where's and hows.
ETC., of every problem
The duty and role of the executive in build
ing up inner life must first be made clear IT,
IS the job of the executive to direct the en-
tnuslaSm OF the membership into the correct
channels, to strengthen this enthusiasm through
various lighter features, and finally to link I'D
this spirit with the work of the unit with the
aim of getting results
with these ideas as basis short estimate
OF the work in District 2 must be made
l. The failure of the district to provide anv
centralized method of exchanging experiences
among the units and even inside of the units
mas LED to a great deal Of chaos and misl1n
oerStanolng as to methods of building I'D the
LIE, and the consequent poorness of life in the
units
@ AS to the order of business and the plan
N-o
the part of executives is to plan haphazardlv
each unit meeting In some cases the organ
izers write out the order of business a few min
utes before the meeting. In other cases the
order OF business is abstractly spoken about at
tne unit executive. In very few cases, however is
the order of business planned in every detail
before by the unit executive
The unit meeting is the most important
he fyoaE i,,
must learn to make it So Every little point
shall be gone over beforehand by the unit
executive and prepared for the unit meeting.
The time to be allowed for each point, the time
OF discussion, the scope of each point, and the
comrades who report on each point must be
prepared before the unit meeting. In New York
we nave found also that it Is better that the
chairman OF each meeting be designated be-
1orehand by the unit executive given the order
OF business and told how he is to take I'D each
point. He will then be trained how to act as
chairman and will be prepared to act cor
rectly and not as is the case today in most
units The effect to be aimed at, is of a well
organized smoothly meeting, with only
the comrade chairman, reporter and secretary
in the front. Such methods must necessarily
give prestige and strength to the unit execu-
tive as leader Of the unit.
g. In New York the division Of units into
squads Of or based on where the comrades
live, makes the entire unit meeting and check
up much easier These squads have as their
captains members of the unit executive. Other
comrades can also be captains These squads
are all assigned to specific work for each week.
The check-up is made at the unit executive
where the captains report on the work of their
squad The executive takes to the unit meet
fho CyYtcfo foiJ ~,
also all the experiences gotten in the carrying
out of the previous weeks activity. At the unit
meeting ITSELF the unit meeting beside very
short general executive report, also includes
half-hour meetings of each squad This is in
cluded on the order of business.
Some examples of unit order of business:
Internationale or Songs minutes, Chairman
prepared beforehand.
Report Of Executive-20 minutes
Discussion and questions--3 minutes each
comrade for IS minutes.
Squad meetings-30 minutes.