Evening star., 1940-07-05
Rival Group Pondered
By Faction Barred
From Youth Conqress
Convention, Meanwhile,
Tukes Up Peace and
Foreign Policy Issues
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press,
LAKE GENEVA, Wis, July ST.
The American Youth Congress today
regarded as a closed incident its
refusal to seat an "anti-Red" group
OF 40 would-be delegates claiming
Gene Tunney's support. 1t went
today with a program that included
two plenary sessions on peace and
foreign policy questions.
However, the disbarred faction,
while abandoning attempts to OBJ
tain a voting voice in the confer
ence, met at nearby Williams Bay
to ponder possible formation of a
rival organization to be drawn from
membership of the Junior Associa-
ton OF Commerce and the Young
Democrat and Young Republican
Clubs.
The congress possibly attitude
on peace and national defense
questions was indicated yesterday
by Chairman Jack McMichael of
Texas. conference keynoter, who
asserted that peace is still the best
defense OF American democracy"
Opposes Conscription.
He called for a national defense
program in which youth would
not need to be conscripted''-a pro-
gram to meet the crying need of
the one-third of the Nation who are
ill-housed, ill-fed and ill-clothed';;
a program to defend the people
from the real fifth column of under
nourishment, poor housing. few OPP
portunities for health, and jobless-
ness"
The Tunney bloc, which had an
nounced an intention of Kidding the
congress of Communists" was re-
fused voting power or a voice in
conference deliberations yesterday
because its members had not made
"any application as delegates or
presentation of credentials" an A.
Y. c. spokesman declared.
This, however, was denied by
Samuel Mines of New York, who said
the 40 sponsored by the former
heavyweight champion had at
tempted to present credentials, but
had been given the "run-around."
Charges Red Influence.
Mr.. Mines, former A. Y. C. ex-
ecutive secretary, charged that
few Communists who were leading
the rest of the group around by the
nose" had prevented the seating of
the Tunney bloc. The 40 individuals
planned to present resolutions con-
demning 1.-The Russian invasion of
Finland, Rumania and Poland" and
demanding an adequate national
defense for America and suppress
sion OF "flfth-column enemies
within"
The A. Y. c. Credentials Commit
tee accepted the credentials of 482
persons as voting delegates, and lib
as observers with voice but no
vote in congress affairs.
After rejection of their applica-
ton for credentials, members of the
Tunney bloc issued a statement
asking the country to witness 1.-The
total failure of the A. Y. c."
The statement charged that the A.
Y. c. for five years has been the
spearhead of Communist organiza-
ton and infiltration in America"
and that it had consistently mis-
represented the true condition and
the true temper of youth"
Party Support Seen. -
1t is now blatantly obvious" the
statement continued, that the A. Y.
G. is incapable of taking any atti-
tude which disagrees with the Com
munist party stand American youth
Is not communistic and it is not
fascist In character. -" The A. Y.
G. can no longer be allowed to con-
tlnue on its path unchallenged."
Tunney followers took with them
from the Youth Congress session six
Detroit Negroes who had been offered
seats as representatives of the
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored Peo-
Pile. The group, under the
leadership of Onslow H. Parish
OF the Detroit Appomattox Republic
an Club, declined the offer. Parish
oeCIdIeu Ills group was d1SSa atlSf1ed
with the communistic domination
OF the congress and with the way
members of our own race in the
congress were being led by the nose
by Communists"
McMichael, keynoting the con-
gress, declared the organization
continues to welcome the partici-
patton of young Communists because
they, like our other members, have
abided by the rules of democratic
procedure and have supported our
program for the abolition of the
poll tax, the abolition of lynching
and the passage of the American
Youth Act insuring jobs for workless
young Americans"