The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-31
Young Socialist
Congress ChOkes
All Discussions

READING, Pa. - After spending
most Of the two-day sessions in
steam-rolling discussion, and in
fighting against the left-wing dele
cation, the national convention Of
the YPSL adjourned here Sunday
night at pm, referring all un-
finished business to the National Ex-
ecutive Committee.
Included in this unfinished" BUSH
ness were more than ttree-fourths
Of the resolutions, including the pro-
grammatic statement, resolutions on
NRA, War, Soviet Union, etc. Not
one Of these subjects was discussed at
the convention.
From the start, it was apparent
that the most important subject at
the convention would be the question
Of the explosions of the Chicago de-
legation The leadership endeavored
in every way possible to prevent dis
cussion on this subject, but were fin
ally forced by rank and file pres
sure to give the floor to George Smer-
kin, removed Nj tional Secretary.
Smerkin sharply attacked the Imam
sky-McDowell leadership on policy
and called upon the delegates to fight
for a left-wing program.
In spite of repeated attempts by
left wing delegates like Richard Far
Der of Connecticut and Willie Sue
Bladgen of Tennessee to secure the
floor for the expelled Chicago dele
cation, they were unsuccessful. The
elementary right of appeal to the
convention was denied the Chicago
group by vote of 1888.
From the attitude of the conven-
ton one would not have known that
Fascism existed, that Hitler had come
to power, that war-danger existed,
that NRA was here. Not one of
these all-important subjects was dis
cuSsed or mentioned. There was not
even a hint of a program of action
for young workers to follow in fight
ing for their immediate needs.
The United Front, the one policy
resolution which was presented, con-
sisted wholly and simply of a bitter
attack upon the Young Communist
League. When rank-and-file dele
gates raised the question at this point
of giving the YCL representative pre-
sent the floor and made that mo-
ton, this was sharply fought by UNI
ansky and Levenstein. Nearly half
of the delegates nevertheless voted
to give him the floor, the motion be-
ing defeated by only 61-50.
The position of the so-called 'mil-
itants" was particularly ridiculous.
The only question ION which this
group had anything to say, besides
attacking the YCL, was on the all
important questions of-uniforms and
salutes! This question provoked a
long heated fight on the floor The
political bankruptcy of the Julius
Bertmans, the Paul Rasmussens, was
never clearer.
The elections to the national COM
mittee were particularly significant.
Arthur G. Mcdowell was elected ma
tional chairman, solely on the basis
of his record in smashing the Chi
cago YPSLI Following his election,
his defeated opponent" Levenstein,
made the statement, Mcdowell is a
symbol of the discipline (meaning
the revoking of the Chicago charters
and the unity (meaning the expul-
sions in Chicago of the YPSL!"
The convention on the whole,
having nearly half New York dele
gates $50 out of 1900 resembled much
more New York convention than
national one.
Several opposition conferences were
held during the convention and one
Just afterward. Here, contrary to the
action of the convention, the left
wing conference invited the VOL.
representatives to be present. At this
left conference, the expelled sections
presented their decision to join the
Young Communists en- bloc. At the
same time, the question of continu-
ing the struggle for the united front
by those left wingers in the YPSL
or Socialist Party was discussed.
The decisions of the convention, far