The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-19
Must Seek Out Youth
InsideBourgeois-Led
Mass Organizations
Dung Communist League Still Isolated From
Centers Where Large Masses of Young
Workers Are Gathered
Bv IRVING HERMAN

hF IN INV hEhNlAN
The Draft Youth Resolution for
le Party National Convention
ute correctly emphasizes the abso-
Ute importance Of penetrating the
n2ss bourgeois controlled youth or
anizations. These organizations
lay a vital part in the life of the
lmerican youth. The majority of
american youth are either directly
or indirectly influenced by these
movements and their activities.
Role OF Bourgeois Youth Organi-
nations in Drive Towards
Fascism and War
In the present situation where
the class struggle is rising, where
huge strike waves are the order of
the day, where the bourgeoisie fran
tically prepares for war, greater at
tention by the capitalist class is
being paid to the further develop
ment of the influence of the mass
bourgeoise-c controlled youth organi-
cations.
The main means used to attract
the masses of youth, in this connec-
ton, is the numerous sports and
recreational facilities at the dis
posal of such movements. Many of
these institutions have set up voca-
tional training courses, various in
dustrisl groups industrial US,
Railroad US, etc., conduct meet
ings of unemployed groups, etc.
While in most cases, due to the
crisis, there has been a curtailing
Of various expenses, yet these move
ments have been able to increase
their influence and develop all
kinds Of non-eXpesive mass activi-
ties.
Such institutions as the various
settlement houses and Community
Centers attract large numbers Of
young workers. In many small
towns, these movements are the
central attractions for the bulk of
the youth, welding a tremendous
influence on the whole community.
In the labor struggles of the work
ers, these organizations have gen.
orally been used to discourage par
ticipation Of youth in strikes and
in a number of instances, actively
acted as strike-breaking forces for
example, during the marine workers
strike in Duluth and Superior in
1o3n.
Y. G. L. Isolated from Masses of
Youth in Bourgeois Controlled
ORGANIZATIONS
The sectarianism of tho American
Y. c. L, is most strikingly illustrated
by its general isolation from these
movements. The entire Party and
mass organizations have likewise
stood aloof, having little or no I'M
Outstanding Of the significance of
such movements. Already at the
December 1882 Plenum of the &c.
Y.C.I,, the question of penetrating
these movements was raised very
sharply, Following this, there was
some talk in our League, a few
feeble attempts to make a begin
ming, and then the practical col
lapse of what little was started.
We must make it very clear to
the entire League and Party that
We can never hope to build a mass
vel, to win the majority of the
youth, to smash the existing bour-
geois influence over large sections
of the youth, until we consciously
and consistently wage a mass cam
paign for the youth in these or
CARNATIONS.
While we very correctly must lay
the major stress on developing the
economic struggles of the youth, of
penetrating in the most important
shops and industries, of building
revolutionary unions and opposi-
tons in the A. F of L., under no
circumstances can we COUNTER pose
these activities with work in the
mass organizations. They are in
terconnected. 1t is clear that if we
are to win the youth at the shops.
we must combat those influences
which are instilled into these youth
and act as barrier TO building
shop organization. Further, within
these mass bourgeois controlled or
carnations are to be found young
workers from the basic shops and
industries.
Very typical Of our sectarianism.
has been the unemployed youth