The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-11
Party Life
Youth In Unions
A Center
Aid from the Oldsters

no u TILES S resolutions
y have been passed by our
Party to impress on the mem
bers of the Party that, with
out decisive turn of the
Party to work among the
masses of young workers, a
successful struggle against the at
tacks of the capitalist class-against
fascism. against the intensive prep
arations for war, for the estao-
lishment of a revolutionary workers
government-Soviet Power, is i'm
possible"
Young Communist League men,
bers have taken the floor at meet
ings of mass organizations and
unions and have attempted to get
the leadership to do something
about the youth, Unfortunately,
instead of offering concrete pro-
posals, they have too often made
eloquent but vague general speeches
accusing the leadership of neglect of
youth work. AS a result, decisions
have been made to do youth work.
Often a comrade with comparatively
little ability is assigned to work with
the youth and after a week or two
forgets all about it.
In textile, metal, marine, needle
trades, laundry, ETC.. where youth
have participated in strike strug-
giles their militancy has been un-
questioned, their unfagging spirit
and enthusiasm have very often
been the cause of many a strike
victory. Through these struggles
the youth have been drawn into the
unions, youth who are not class
conscious, who know very little of
trade unionism; Republican. Dem
ocrat, Socialist and every fascist
led youth who fought because they
knew that it was their bread and
butter that they were fighting for.
Finally, after the struggle was
over. after their demands we're won.
what has happened to these youthp
They have been promptly forgotten.
A perfect example of this was the
strike of the floor boys in the fur
industry. After a splendid victory.
we today find that the floor boys
union exists only in name. that
there is no floor boys union. be-
cause no plans we're made and no
form of organization created that
would keep this union from disin-
tegrating during the slow season. I
simply give this one example, but ali
OF us can point to dozens more.
Are the reformists and reaction
aries "youth-conscious?" Yes. they
are doing everything in their power
to win the youth.
At meeting of the youth section
of the T. U. U. c.. we decided to
work for the establishment of a
Trade Union Youth Center. This
center to be open to all youth
whether they be T. U. u. L., A. F.
OF L. or independent union mem
oers. The aim of this center will be
primarily to educate the youth for
leadership in their unions. We will
have complete facilities for all
sports activities, including a gym
which will contain basketball
court and other gymnastic equip
ment, all forms of social and cul-
tural activities, discussions. forums
and lectures on trade unionism and
topics of the day with prominent
speakers.
But we need a start After hav-
ing explained the Importance of
this project to leading Party COM
rades in the unions and showing
how 1t will assist in building their
union we have asked them for their
cooperation. With abo.t 5000 we
could establish such center. We
have planned on ways and means
OF making it self-supporting. Every
comrade we spoke to said it was
grand idea, some even told us
that they had thought of it years
ago, others scolded us for having
waited so long before starting such
progressive venture. All saw it's
potentialities and promised their
help.
We gave them only two tasks:
l-Publicize the center in the union.
See to it that we get the quota
assigned to your union, immediately.
Nearly six weeks have passed and
less than $50 has been collected.
What About 1t?
Not one union has met its quota
despite the fact that the highest
sum requested from any one union
has been $50. The metal, food.
marine, shoe (whose executive board
voted us $3.50 and other smaller
unions haven't contributed one
penny, to date, and you will note
that it is especially these unions
that have a very high percentage
of youth.
1t is the task of the Party mem
bers in the unions and in the first
place the members of the leading
fractions to see to it that these
tasks are carried out, and we are
sure that if this question is brought
into the unions, it will receive the
fullest support. We would suggest
that our leading Party comrades in
the trade unions should reread the
decisions of the Eighth Convention
Of the Party which state: