Evening star., 1940-02-07
Youth Congress
Refuses Purge
0fConlnlunists
Leagues Spokesman
To Voice Ideas at
Assembly Monday

Young Communists will partici-
pate in the forthcoming American
Youth Congress Citizenship Insti-
tute here, executives of the organ
ization revealed today, despite sug-
gestions from a number of Sena-
tors and Representatives that the
"Reds" be thrown out of the organ
ization.
Representatives of the Young
Communist League will be given
chance to voice their ideas at the
assembly Monday, following the
institute. Unlike the rest of the in
stitute, which will bring some $500
young people to Washington, the
assembly is a voting body.
Refusal to throw the Communists
out of the congress was expressed
by three executives of the organiza-
ton at the White House gathering
Monday night, Frances Williams,
administrative chairman of the in
stitute, told group of reporters to-
day. The three young people who
attended the meeting Monday had
refused to reveal what took place
there until some of the Senators and
Representatives invited by Mrs.
Roosevelt to come to the gathering
made public comments on it.
Erroneous Impression Seen.
Miss Williams said she felt an
erroneous impression of the meet
ing had been given out. None of the
Senators and Representatives. she
said, felt that the American Youth
Congress is Communist-co controlled,
but they did suggest that the youth
organization would be more effect
i've if it eliminated it's Communist
members.
The reply to that, she said, was
that the organization was operating
under the Bill of Rights. which pro-
vided protection for all minorities.
I'VE told them," she went on.
"that we are concentrating not on
'isms,' but on the main issues which,
If not met, will turn young people
away from the democratic form of
government"
No Republicans, it was revealed,
attended the meeting, which fol-
lowed Immediately after the refusal
of John Hamilton, Republican Ma
tional Committee chairman, to send
g representative to the institute.
Twelve Republicans had been in
vited.
Letter Made Public.
An answer to Mr.. Hamilton's let
ter also was made public today by
Joseph Cadden, executive secretary
of the Congress, to whom Mr. Ham
ilton had addressed his refusal.
Shooting at Communists instead
of shooting at the problems doesn't
kin off the real enemies of Ameri-
can democracy and American youth:
Unemployment, lack of adequate
educational, housing and health
facilities and the threat of war;"
wrote Mr.. Cadden.
"The four and a half million
young people cooperating through
the American Youth Congress do
not share your lack of faith in the
Bill of Rights, which, if you re-
call, contains no ifs and butts
to exclude Communists or any other
minority group (such as your own
from the American scene.
mo one can seriously contend
that the expulsion of the fractional
number of young Communists from
the American Youth Congress can
provide jobs for the four million
young Americans who are out of
school and out of work. The ex-
perience of other countries leads
us to believe it can only result
in the elimination of every type of
dissenter.
Il need hardly add that if ever
your party has program which it
feels can stand the test of full,
free discussion, we shall be very
happy indeed, in accordance with
our principle of permitting all
points of view, to have a repre-
sentative of your party at any of
our gatherings"
Mr.. Cadden told reporters that
Representative Corbett of Pennsyl-
vania represented the Republicans
at the annual congress last July and
that two years ago Senator Taft
was the speaker.
To Represent Democrats.
A request for a representative
similar to the one sent to Mr.
Hamilton also was sent to the Demo-
cratic National Committee, Mr.. Cad
den said. Verda Barnes, national
vice chairman of the Young Demo-
Gratis, will represent the party.
Meanwhile, plans announced for
the parade from the Capitol to the
White House opening the institute
showed that suffrage for the District
would be one of the slogans.
Led by Miss Luise Rainer, the
screen actress, dressed as Joan of
Arc and riding white horse, the
parade will consist of three Sec
tions in support of jobs, peace and
civil liberties. A special 1--WE want
the ballot" section will be staged by
UIle WdSIllIleJOll 1OutIl NOuIlCu Ill
its effort to win suffrage for the
District.
The parade will end on the
White House lawn, where the dele
gates to the four-day conference
will be addressed by President
Roosevelt, speaking from the south
portico.
Songs written for the occasion to
the tune of popular ballads will be
sung by the marchers. The principal
song concerns the American Youth
Act, a bill recently introduced in
Congress by Senator Murray of
Montana to provide $500,000, 900
for vocational training and job and
educational nnnortllnitieS for Young