Evening star., 1952-01-21
/ Led Three Lives
Communist Line Takes Hold in Youth Council:
Choirmun Finds Himself in Clever Trup

INTO lIIlMeulaGe CrOuDle. Inc urSG
sign Of strain came on the same
question Of job training In which
Art Solomon was particularly
interested. From time to time dur
ling our organizational phase, let
tiers and circulars on a wide variety
Iof subjects had been drawn up
over my name, given to me for ap-
lproval, and sent out to individuals
and groups. But now came one
that by-passed me entirely.
The specific issue was the Ma
Itional Youth Administration S
work experience project then just
getting under way with the aid of
Federal funds. It was felt that
the Cambridge School Committee,
despite the availability, of public
money to help young people OBJ
{ ain part-time work, was delin-
quent in not taking advantage of
the program. I discovered one day
that more than 1000 leaflets, or
flyers" sponsored by the Cam
bridge Youth Council-and bear
ing my name as chairman-had
been distributed in the city. They
urged that the mayor be petit
toned. and that a public hearing
be held to start the ball rolling
on local aspects of the National
Youth Administrations program.
I was shocked that the leaflets
had been circulated over my our-
ported signature without my
knowledge. It represented to me
a lack Of scruples on the part of
those involved, and brazen
usurpation of the authority vested
in me by the membership, to
whom I was responsible for all my
actions. I determined to be more
careful. :.....-
Difficulties Arise.
But one meeting of the cabinet
proved how difficult that was to-
be. \
Alice Solomont was unable to-
attend. The session comprised
the two Solomons, Stan Beecher
and me as chairman. The key
point on our agenda was a. report
to the American Youth Congress
regarding our councils position on
a major issue of the day, military
aid to the Allies.
When the issue was brought be-
fore the four of us for action, the
Solomon brothers and Beecher
all made their positions plain.
The were in agreement-and they
were directly opposed to my view.
They rejected all programs Of any
kind to give military aid to Brit
ain. I was in the opposite camp.
I believed aid to Britain and her
allies was urgently necessary.
Look" I said, thinking now of
the job-training leaflet, II appre-
ciate how you feel, and you are
entitled to your opinions. But
there was meeting of the council
ten days ago-remember?-and
the opinion of the majority then
was. :"
YOU'RE crazy!' Stan Beecher
seemed ready to use his usual bat
tering-ram technique, but I was
in no mood to temporize. I got
on my feet to face him down.
"As chairman of the council Il
can see no choice but to :"
s aSit down." Beecher leaned for
ward and punctuated the orderl
With u light but firm push against
N.Y. chest which caught me of
balance, and I plopped back into
my chair. Look" he said, before
I could recover myself, "the ma
tional board of the American
Youth Congress has already de-
cided to go ahead. We got mol
choice but to send in our hundred
per cent approval"
"After ALL" Sid continued. still
smiling, ''the national board is
sitting right there in Washington.
They've studied the situation at|
first hand and they know what's
going on better than we do. Be-
sides, here's another thing, the
Massachusetts, Youth Council, our
own parent organization, has al
ready approved this thing"
His line of reasoning flashed on
a light in a far corner of my
brain. What was it called, this
method Of thinking? The Com
munists had a word for it-dem-
ocratic centralism? The top poll
icy makers establish the 'line"|
on a particular issue and pass it
down through channels to the
mob. They agree with it, rubber
stamp it and pass it back. The
policy makers then call it "the
will of the people," Democratic
centralism, that was it. Com
democracy.
My mind was suddenly clear
bitterly clear. The answer to all
my doubts and questions became
apparent. I had walked into al
cleverly laid trap. Communism