The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-19
By JAMES LERNER

The keynote of the draft resolu-
ton is the immediate menace of
imperialist war. And linked with
this is the great stress laid on the
necessity Of winning the youth. 1t
is not the purpose Of this article
to review the numerous steps to-
wards war made by the government.
It is sufficient to point out that
300 900 young unemployed have been
regimented in army-ruled camps
under the blessings Of the jingoists
who see these youth as potential
fascist forces and the first line Of
troops in the oncoming war. Al
ready these C.C.C. men have been
used as strikebreakers in the ma
rine strike in Boston. Military
training is increasing in the schools
where an immense officers caste is
being trained. One million have
received such training in ten years.
So intense is this war drive even
in fhe press, movie and radio that
large masses of youth are becoming
increasingly conscious of the future
that awaits them. Although many
are infected with jingoism. with
preparedness propaganda, we can
definitely say that there exists a
distinct hatred of war and every
thing connected with it. Since the
U. 8. Congress Against War with
its five hundred youth delegates we
have done mighty little to harness
this sentiment for organization and
struggle. Although some work has
been started, the results gotten and
the sentiment existent. show ire
mendous neglect on the part of the
Young Communist League.
Why We Fail
The reasons for this are several.
u is the lack of understanding Of
the situation; D the tremendous IN
derestimation of the desire of the
youth to fight war, and 81 a right
opportunist attitude towards tffe
united front and its application.
At present the methods and speed
of our work have not been adapted
to the objective situation. In the
past few months several city-wide
conferences have been held. One in
Boston drew in sixteen non-left-
wing youth groups. These included
religious and settlement house
groups. A total of 40 groups were
present. In the Bronx, New York.
a conference was endorsed by as
social, athletic, political groups. In
Los Angeles an active group with
connections in churches, and Social
ist organizations has been built up,
In a number of colleges large, mass
conferences have been held with the
program of the American League
accepted. But in spite of these sue
cesses we can as yet point to no
snti-war committee in a C.CC., or
war factory. In our anti-war cam
paigns we have as yet to start using
the factory as a central basis. In
Chicago where couple of confer
ences with no definite plan of action
petered out, third conference has
decided to investigate the packing
houses, where it is rumored food is
hling prepared for the Army. If
this is true campaign to use the
food for the unemployed will be
started. This is the first sign Of
ORIGINATING towards fighting war
production.
Anti-War Sentiment of Students
In the schools and colleges there
is at present a tremendous anti
war and anti-fascist sentiment. How
we still underestimate this can be
seen from Columbia University
where rs to so delegates were ex-
pected and over 200 came,
The united front Is of course the
most important tactic towards the
mobilization of the youth IN
struggle against War and fascism.
Here very serious mistakes have
been made. The maneuvers of
some right-wing leaders who tenn
porarily joined the anti-war move
ment were not utilized to get to
the members OF their organizations.
There was feeling of satisfaction
that we could point to this unity
from above. 1t is only now, after
several of these leaders have de-
serted that we are making a drive
to win local groups. In the Y.P.SL.
the U. S. Congress created a good
deal of sentiment for unity. In
circle after circle resolutions to this
effect we're adopted. One circle in