Draft Thesis on the Youth Question The Danger of Left Reformisn ind PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1931 FOR OUR NATIONAL CONFERENCE The British Scene tant part of League activity will continue to yield no results.
The can make real progress only by the readmittance of the Left Opposition youth to its ranks and the opening of a thorough discussion on the tac tics of the present leadership of the With the accelerated speed of Eng. and that failure was not stue to lack Capitalism draws the youth of the The official today utilizes its ilitarist tactics.
proletarian families into the productive slogans and demands only on holiday of the struggle against the withdrawal League, and the policies of the party land growing decline from its world of efforts or lack of me ty. bat be of the second class mailing privileges which affect the At the same dominant imperialist position, the lines cause it was a capitalist objective, car process. The cheepness of its labor casions, power. Its physical and intellectual im. These demands should be put forward a statement into the party of the expelled contest of influence over the British of capitalist machinery. Very well, if maturity, its lack of trade union organi in the sense discussed in section fallure. This was predetermined by the Left Communists and a free and thorough workng class. From the point of view it was a enpitalixt ohjective, how can one zation makes it particularly profitable present they can at best he agitational weakness of the paper, ita inability to discussion of its strategy and tactics. of total population, the great majority then speck of failure to achieve the end to which its polley was directeel? And characteristics and the needs growing portunity offers itself, cither in an in worthless character as an educator and complete change in the leadership of the history it has long ago been invested with granted to the hilt that this objective out of them need for physical and industry or in the country as a whole collective organizer of the young work party and league and a return to Mars the decisive role. But while the Mac was carried out through the medium of tellectual development for play, social they can be put forward as concrete Im ers and the complete abandonment of Lnt policies in class struggle. Donald type of workers leaderuhip is capitalist machinery which is entirely Hfe were left almost wholely unsatis mediate slogans of action.
the united front by the League as a THE WORK OF THE OPPOSITION approaching the end of carcer, it would true Maxton or the other lefts fled From a position of helpers and ap. The struggle for the youth demands method of winning the youth.
be folly to assume that the influence of draw the proper conclusion, namely to The work of the League among the prentice the youth was absorbed ever should be accompanied by a comparison Since our last conference very litreformism is about nt an end. In this destroy this machinery and replace it mere into the general Industries and of the conditions of the young worker children is best Judged by the results to youth work has been conducted. We respect, the sharpest contest is still to with a proletarian machinery of governрrоссия capitalism.
under capitalism and what it would be a sharp decline in the membership of the exception of the irregular appear take place between the forces of social ment? Of course not. This is not their These exceptional condition of explot under a proletarian rule as fllustrated the Young Pioneers a complete absence ance of the young Vanguard as a ser reform and those of social revolution. oljective.
tation the development of militarism as by the Soviet Union. The slogan for an of Communist child education in its tion of the Militant, and some youth It is still to ho fought, with the Bri motion for infiliation from the a support of the growing imperialism, annual month vacation with pay for ranks.
work in New York City which ended tish Communist Party becoming a much labor party at this conference suffered and the need for the education of the youth under 23 can be made a powerfullIn the economic field, the League has last year, this part of Oppositon activity more serious contender than its present youth for socialism resultert in the early weapon against the Citizens Stilitars had exceptional possibilities for growth, has been neglected. This is partly ex small numbers and untufluential post indefeat of conterande rappears formation of young worker and social ist youth organization.
At the same time a struggle for the are outside of even the legal Jurisdic in the first period to consolidate the sen developments will inevitably count hear was held after the experience of the The was founded in Nov unionization of the youth should be car tion of the of unions. In the eral Left Oppositon fretion, that is, de ily in it favor even though it will first labor government and at the time ried on. In textile coal, automobile. needto trides where most of them do vote ourselves almost exclusively to the face a much more cunning and much of a rising wave of working class reember 1919 out of a need for an organixation which would attract the working radio etc. the youth should be organ auxiliary work, the so called youth sec propagation of our general views and more Left appearing form of reforuNistance. Il approved, after much erityouth townrils Communism, win, organIzed into the revolutionary untong ortion of the Industrial Union confines it their application to the party policies ism, quite distinguished from the now cixm the MacDonald policies 38 to it leagues. Special youth forms of organ sell to several open air meetings in the and activities. Added to this is the fact outright and open imperialist agents of les. The need for a special organization ization committees or sections) should regular market. the distribution of a that otheride of New York there are only the Nacionald, Tenderson und Snowden terece that same year the best ser Is called forth by the psychological pec develop apecial form of activities to tion loomed strong init completely capi Reformism, having become pretty well tulated when under fire. Not only wns uliarities of youth its immaturity and attract and hold the young workers. In No real or consistent work in the shop in our ranks. That in New York itself most of the young comrades, not having discredited in England hy the continue there no split as some of the more sul Impulsiveness, its special activities industries where the of has or. factory.
The present West Pennsylvania and been members of the are inextion of outright imperialist polieles by be had expected but the conference, sports, socal affairs, and its physical come centrol (men clothing, building, the MacDonald government, is bringing after settling the Left criticism, prointellectual requirements. These rat manufacturing, etc. and large secohlo conl strike contronte a difficult task perienced in youth work.
in the organization of the youth. While At the same time, we must recognize forward new champions and new detenilceeded to exclude the communists from can be satisfied only by particular methods: activities and organization.
almost completely harred from the unthe latter is in the forefront of the that the National Youth Committee anders. The Left wing within the labor the labor party.
among them is extremely struggles of today they can be held at the National Comittee seriously neglected marty is feeling the new breeze of workThe Ls are brond educational Sons. Work Today 10 the prospects of splits are ter the strike only by concreto youth to carry on the work wible in this ing class discontent and is endeavoring being whispered. The Lefts are le organizations of youth. Communist train important. It can be an aid in the bulld Ing and education requires the intimate ing of left wing groups in the unions. forms of activity and organisation. To field. Steps must be taken immediately to set its sails accordingly. Many et coming more radical in their utterances linking up of the themretical with the Further, the most persistent strugele wards this end, the should do to make up for this unnecessarily lost forts are being made by these lefts. Daria Kirkwood as an achitate to the relike Maxton, Lee, and Brockway to turn cent Second International Congress de of the class struggle. The y. la criminatory rules and practises in all its organization throughout the mining the left opposition youth pnts for the labor government failures into capi clared that the labor government pre districts. These can serve as directlex ward as its main tasks the winning of tal for themselves. They sense the dancerred to coalesce with liberals and conin the forefront of the struggles of the traile unions, working youth leads and organizes it THE EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS groups and bases for the formation of the members of the L, especially ner of growing working class dissatisfac servatives to maintain enpitalism instead for immediate economic and cultural The working youth is especially onth sections or committees of the Nathe Communist cadre within it for our tion. They want real and true reform of overthrowing it. The same Kirkwond needs and slemands; struggles inside and hard hit hy the present economic crises.
outside the armed forces against capi The miserable wages previously received the young workers for communism. tion in the activities and work of the out of the present situation their slo party disciplinary committee for having tallst militarism; develops itself in the hg the young workers made it impossixouth demands should not be imposed Communist youth morement: carrying anns and demands are becoming ever atated that the conditions of the work by the leadership upon the youth buton of Communist educational activities more Left in appearance. They are struggle against the bourgeois and pettyhle for them to save any money. Unno bourgeois (especially reformist) organl employment which has resulted the Father parlee, out of the ranks of the inside and outside our organization and finding important allies amongst the ment. The New Lender, official organ zations and influence, as the cultural throwing of over two million youth out young miners.
wherever possible, teb conducting of in trade unioa bureaucracy who, in their of the entered in his defense. center and politien lender of the youth of industry, reduces them to poverty, In OPPONENT YOUTH dependent youth work. The results of deadly fear of any developing working denial of Nis lying made yuch state The Lengue which aspires to be the creases their misers. The conditions of ORGANIZATIONS such work will mean the organization class struggle, have always endeavored ment. It would then le pertinent to nk leader of a section of the working class, the employed youth are being worsened In the United States, the ideological education and consolidation of a revodun all hopes toward the labor party why not? genuine Lot wing leader and the labor government. The record not only state no but also draw the pro the youth. ir politically subordinate to by wage cuts, and speed up. The abs: control of the capitaliste over the young olutionary, capable and advanced Comof this process of failurex and defeats of per conclusion therefrom. Seren the proletariat as a whole. The strategy legislation makes thelr position a virtual network of youth organizations. Towards this end we take the fol the workers is now, because of the site of the Left section are als and tactics of the party are the strategy tremely difficult.
There is hardly an age or interest of lowing steps: fenr, turning trade union leaders toward cited before the labor party disciplinary and tactics of the Tengne. This politi The crisis has the effect of driving the yonth which is not covered. The criticism of the labor government. committee becanse of their voting to The selection of a National Youth While a definite split is unquestionably table the Anomalies Bill (the bill to car cal subordination is accompanied by the many working class students out of the proletarian children, while being taught organizational antonomy of the League, schools. It helps shatter their illusions in the schools to be good wage slaves.
Committee of five hended by developing within the labor parts, a rarect the abuse of the dole. youth organizer youth represen dieal and a reactionary differentiation. e. its right to elect its own commit about the simplicity of getting out of are attracted to such groups as the Roy tative on National Committee to a closer examination will soon prove that The in the Past toes and officers, and regulate the Les their proletarian condition and Girl Scouts where they are further he in charge of nationnl youth the radical section is merely a Leftist gue inner policies and life. Political The plight ht of the young workers today imbued with a military and patriotic work.
Tinder pressure of the events of th subordination is maintained by capable is the best refutation of the much glorl spirit. The one million children within variation of the same old miserable Fab world war the Left diafiliate party cadre Inside the League, which dirfied American democracy, fair play. the ranks of these two organizations are Every branch to have at least one inn type of reformism, comrade in charge of local youth from the Second International. It al ects and leads it, exchange of represen and equal opportunity for all which developed in the spirit of subservence General Politieal Fermentation work to be e responsible to the branch most proposer joining tatives on committees, and a sound the powerful bourgeois agencies, schools and obedience.
the Two and a hal Marxian policy in the class and the National Youth Commitstruggle press, church and youth organizations Tecause of the outstanding purlinmen. found satisfaction in the comintern, hn The with its over one and tee.
tary character of British politics at International, to return a little while la which the Leaguers will readily follow. have hammered into their heads. The a quarter million members, the home made possible by her ruthless non ter to the Second. This excursion to th thorough discussion of the party ques. youth are beginning to see this. It tur Nix hundred thonsand strong, with Wherever feasible and beginning Marliamentary politics within the colonial Left followed the working class pressur tions affecting the League should tako nishes the best objective conditions yet their yearly budgets of over sixty and a with New York, an endeavor should empire, the manifestations of political of the stormy struggles of 1917 10:20. Th place during the latter pre convention known in this country for the winning half million and thirty millon dollars be made, with guarantees against ferment are first of all expressed in the ebb of the period found them returnin disenssion.
of large sections of youth away from respectfully are powerful Institutions its degeneration to organize a pen parliamentary sphere. Growing opposi to the original camp where they.
The restatement of these elementars bouregols ideology, the the for holding back the youth from strag.
uinely broad club of young worktions, halfway splits and regular splits, course, belong. Again with the workin and fundamental principles of the Couny. II. the Boy Sconta, etc. and gle. The sports clubs and teams, or ers and students, under the influare taking place within all three major claw rise and the struggles growing tu munist youth, Iaid down by the first three for the Young Communist League. To ganized by the bosses in department ence of the Opposition, but assured parliamentary parties. These, of course, wards the general strike of 1990 the congresses of the is made im nccomplish this requires correct tactics stores, mall order houses, factories, the of a wide Initiative and self activ. all rettect the growing cconomic and poll Lefts became critical they leam perative by their revision, in theory and in the class struggle, realistic youth de American Athletle Union, with its two ity on the cultural, social and teal decline, the change of issues, and more radical, they again addressed le practise, hy the present leaders of the mands and activities, a courageous, cap million members, as well as the religioun sports field.
indicate that new problems are develop ters to the Comintern, some of them Comintern and able Marxist leadership in the Lyouth organizations which have millions The regular issuance of the Younging problems which in the final analysis in conferences with the Russions in th Limited experience with Commun THE AMERICAN LEAGUE of young workers in their ranks are Vanguard as a semi monthly see all bent directly on the question of clasy Anglo Russion Unity Committee. Ths ist youth work requires that youth taction of the weekly Militant which rule and the ability to hold the working was upon invitation of the Stalin Buel.
of splendid organized and supported for the same or ties, demands, slogans and special organ. Even in this period would coordinate the youth activ class in subjection.
arin bloc. leal with the Left not ity outlined above.
izational forms should be put forward opportunities for Communist youth work, similar purposes.
The petty bougeols organizations in The already greatly cleclining Liberal the workers genuinely moving towards not as dogmas or finished products which sindow of the party (claiming 2, 000 this country are at present wenk and The preparations for the launch party has practically lost a parliament: the left hat the laſt coverings of the have universal validity but rather with members) but has lot more than Arts un afluencial. However, with the growth ing of a separate youth paper by ary section under Sir John Simon, to Fabian imperialist agents. They quickly view of testing them in prnet ise, exthe next conference.
percent of its membership since the last of youth miiltancy and activity, the posthe Conservatives, while the balance of returned from this prcond cxcursion with amining the results, and thereby laying convention two years ago. The crinis Nibilities for the development of such The publication of a regular inter the group still hangs on to a horse trad the defeat of the general strike, in whleb the ground for more effective tactics, which has been gripping the internation groups as the Young Peoples Socialist nal youth bulletin.
slogans, etc.
The Comintern under al Communist and revolutionary move League at presnt having no more than ing support of the labor government, they had played their treacherous part The immediato organization of Within the Conservative ranks there is Workers discontent is agnin beginning Zinovlev and later Bucharin and Stalin ment for the last few years is especially one thousand members, may be realized. fraction in the Young Communist developing the new united Empire party to grow and this time with more genuLeague.
of Lord Rothermere and Beaverbrook. Toine, more real possibilities. It is ocmwne. Youth policies were completely The reign of Stalinism in the Comintern some extent on the activities of the Young subordinated to the factional require Establishment of correspondence an extent this has hampered the Conser curing in a period of growing working ments of the moment.
its false strategy and tactics Its Incom Communist Leagne and its ability to with the youth of the Left Opposi vative party from taking immediate ad Class disillusionment with the vervile petent leadership, Internationally as well effectively combat the young socialist tion in Europe and elsewhere. vantage of the Labor party weaknesses. Crown lackeys in whom they had YOUTH IN AMERICA as nationally, combined with false youth organization.
But it is within the labor party that the long placed their faith, The glkantie network of bourgeois most important fermentaion, opposition in Due to the increased mechanization tacties, are responsible for the present period when comrade TrotAmerican Communist yonth organizations is reinforced by the and splits are taking place.
and rationalization in American Indns condition in the Because of sky predictions, made in Is Whither military and semi ilitary organizations try since the last war, youth Inbor 18 youth movement.
its contradictory position of a party supongland. bave inerensing likeliness of to be found in every important indusThere is not a single field of its actiw in the high schools and colleges (for posedly representing labor and yet belax coming trne: On the day when the Eng try of the country. Over one fourth of Itles in which the League can show example, the Reserve Officers Traning In control of a capitalist government. lish proletariat frees itself from the the workers in the are under the substantial accomplishments. No real Corps. the Citixens Military Training by Leon Trotsky its fermentation has become the deepest mental laveness of Fabianin, humanage of twenty five about twelve mil. educational activity is carried on inside Camps (38. 000. the National Guard THE DRAFT PROGRAM OF THE and the most clearly expressive of the ity, particularly in Europe will increase lion. Of these, five milion are between the (180, 000) and the Army and Navy (120, League: discussions on youth tacCOMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL recent evolution of the British cnpire: in stature by at least a head.
the ages of 10 and 19. There are over tics, on trade union policies, etc. nro 000 and 80, 000 respectfully exclusively both in respect to the colonial field and also main beginning a new xigang, on Rut the gentlemen of the Left are Criticism of Fundamentals of officers) The struggle for the Amone million children employed under the a thing of the distant past. The soIntroduction by Cannon In respect to events at home.
erican youth means a fight against these Age of 16, exclusive of those under 10. called leaders, appointed by the party dearoring to arrest this growth. Dialec140 pages hard paper cover 356 The present economie decline became tically, it may he contended that it neFor the youth hetween the ages of 18 bureaucrats, are incompetents whose bourgeois youth and millinry organizaTHE STRATEGY OF THE WORLD expressed frst in the split off by the Mor and 24 who are being drawn in increas chlef trait is their subservience and tions.
REVOLUTION ley section going to the extreme Right least on a higher plane of maturity of cars this time on a higher pinne, ing numbers into the basic industries of obedience.
To date, the has falled in 86 pages, two colored paper cover 25 Both in the character of this group as the English proletarint. While these the country (coal, metal) doing the In its most important function, that sich work. The Labor Sports Union, Introduction by Max Shachtman well as in its proposals for solution of Left coverings and their aparent radisame work as the unskilled adult, in of educating the youth for Communism, which can serve as an effective auxili THE SPANISH REVOLUTION England plight, are undoubtedly many cases getting the same my and the has completely falled. This ary to the League, consists of a handful con calisation express the workers discon80 pages, paper cover 10 tained serious ascist elements.
suffering from the same oppressive con The tent and to this sense records progress is best exemplified by the fact that the of clubs completely divorced from the COMMUNISM AND SYNDICALISM elles petty pilferings of the labor they, of course act as a brake on the clitions, the special forms of exploitation rapid and constant turnovers of member American youth. Since the 1930 Plenum The Trade Union Question government in its efforts to continue capi movement a reformist brake. The Left to which the young worker is submit ship in its ranks means, not that the of the Executive Committee of the Young Introduction by James Cannon talist policies under different label phraseoloks ennnot be separated from the tet under the apprentice and helpers party is recruiting from the League, but Communist International, the American 64 pages, paper cover 15seems to have helped to lend a glamor important question of baste program.
systems are substituted for hy the great rather that the youth are turning away Lengue has attempted to organize a THE PERMANENT REVOLUTION of reality to the Mosleyftes demand for Penner Brockway, for example, now pro, in 208 page book. cloth bound tensity of exploitation. The youth in is the major and most serious weakness Liberator (young Negro organization. 00 a aytsem of economie planning and a poser hold socialist program. which paper bound. 50 semi dictatorship. And it is not surpris. would contain the casentials: Assume these industries are being increasingly of the League.
the Young Defenders youth section of SINCE LENIN DIED ing that the former Left leader Ad control of finances by nationalizing the absorbed into the unskilled proletariat. The youth leagues which in the early International Labor Defense. Youth By Max Eastman Cook and the former Communist symbonks. Reconstruct basie Industries This strengthens the solidarity between days of the Communist movement were sections of International Workers Or1024 500 rathixer, Horabin could become under national ownership and direction the adult and youth (present coal strike) in the forefront of the struggle against der etc. The young workers attracted to 168 page book printed in London signatories to their manifesto. Perhape. Meet inerensed productive power Speal yonth demands in such cases, opportunism in the revolutionary move there organisations can easily be won dir THE REAL SITUATION IN RUSSIA the member which this group gained of rationalization by concentrating upon do not arise out of the special economic ment are today blinded to the growing ectly for the The need for these Introduction by Max Erstman position of the young workers but ra from the parliamentary fraction of the increasing the consuming power of the dangers of the complete degeneration of groups does not exist. On the contrary, 364 page book formerly now 00 Conservative ranks, Allen, most masses of the people. on socialther out of their psychological and phy the Communist party. The real strug their formation has resulted in the al MY LIFE 600 pages 00 clearly expressed the methods by wbteit ist basis to be fulfilled by national conslological peculiarities and requirements gles and difficulties of the Russian Commost complete stripping of the League of Just the Press Fancient aims to get a foothold. In altrol of Imports.
thelr immaturity, need for developmunists are unknown to them; they are cultural and sports activities. The restatement: eulogizing the Mosley platment, etc.
It is, however, well to remember the taught to put unquestioned faith in the Sult: The deprives itself of THE SPANISH REVOLUTION IN DANGER form he said: Let us save the admitted shudder of these mental offspring of the In these as well as in the light in statements and policies of the leading the possibility of becoming a mass youth pages paper cove 15c y capitalist ship and wh hat ship Inel Fabian school when in 1926 the dustries (electrical, radio electrical parts faction in the Comintern and the Rus organization; it conduets a minimum of production, foods, etc. educational and cultural work; it com PROBLEMS OF THE DEVELOPis saved we can discuss without pre Comintern tersely stated the problem of special attention stan party.
MENT OF THE judice the datribution of the cargo.
the English proletariat as the one of should he mid to the youth under the In anti militarist work, tho League, pletely immerses itself in practical Age of 18. Special hours of work, wages, although it has carried on some work in activity, that is, activity which the party 48 pages, paper cover 150 At the April Scarborough con armed revolutionary force. This is not conditions of labor can be determined the armed forces in New York, has been breaucrats lay down for them accord Special Rates in Bundles of or more forence Jimmie Maxton and the other) at all the program of the Left only on the basis of the particular in extremely negligent. Little more than ing to their factional requirements of They intend merely to repeat the enrly Order from Lefts taunted the labor government but in a well measured moderate tone, hopes that their projected embellishMacDonald career of reformism in vain dustry. At the same time the a few cries about the war danger in the the moment, should put forward demands which link Young Worker have been the sum and thorough examination of the fone.
PIONEER PUBLISHERS 84 East 10th Street Jeaving sufficient loopholes open for a tions of Youth auxiliaries, and the se.
up the struggles of the youth in the substance of the anti militarist campaign.
New York City rotrent. Maxton asserted: The labor ments will make it more palatable.
government has signally failed to achieve shop factory, mine and mill with the Even its own members are not taught tual activities of the existing ones is the end to which its polley was directed ARNE SWABF fight against the capitalists as a class. the fundamentals of Communist anti needed. If this is not done, this impor3.
Wc are Books at