PAGE THE MILITANT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1931 THE YOUNG VANGUARD Struggle of the Boston Shoeworkers youth notes The Question of Youth in Industry our tasks of Picture of the Party Inner Life BOSTON Lynn Cutters groups, McCaey and other From the time of the big strike up members of the rank and file Confertill last June, shoe workers just acence Committee, who were not members cepted one wako cut after another with or sympathizers of the Only In the front ranks the recent economic position, today they are in the out any resistance, in the absence of any a few remained to answer the denuncia OUR YOUTH THESIS struggle of the Pennsylvania and Ohlo overwhelming majority in the loss skilt The youth members of the Left Op leadership capable of leading them in tions of the party and lead.
conl miners was the proletarian youth. ed industries. Still more. In Industries position must realize that big respons struggle. The Shoe workers ers against their group. These also left.
The August 15th issue of the Mitant on the picket line, on the pit commit such as coal, the youth formerly were bilities rest upon their shoulders. They croup kept up its office on Washington later on. The conference then clected a contained the thesis on the youth questees, in the locals and on the General to a large extent engaged in auxlllary must understand what their duties are Street, satisfied to maintain itself as a committee of fifteen to call a huge con tion proposed for our pre conference dis Executive Board, the young miners were work outside the mine Itselt; today and what the Opposition expects from revolutionary union with its twelve ference for August 18, to organize the cussion by the National Youth Committee playing active and leading roles. By largo nection, it not majority. the them. The fact that they are members stalwarts. lot of talk still went ou, Shoo and Leather Workers Industrial But Union. One meeting of this committee and the National Committee. To date their presence and integral participa latter has still to be determined state of the Left Opposition implies that thus how to organize the unorganized?
we have had only one discussion article tion, the strike was assured of heroietically. of the ydung winers do already understand the historic role that no definite plans of approach to the work was actually held, which was at the same time the first and the last. The What do the other youth comrades molitancy, determinal battles, Iron clad. ldo work. From this we can conclude the Opposition must play in the Comers was laid down by the that the tendency at work is that of romunist movement in returning it to the June 7, a conference was called by organization Conference never took place think about the thesis? Is it adequate?
This is by no means untariat ducing the problem of the proletarian road of Marxism. They understand that the Cutters local in Lynn, section of and the Shoe workers group Are we too modest in our proposed steps?
wa ubout the adult omrades. Are carence. Since the world war, practs youth to that of the ceneral unskilled for this is necesary the creation of Marx the old United Shoe Workers. All crafts slunk back into its isolationist sugness The Lynn Cutters reorganized their they frankly disinterested? or perhapsbas found the youth playing an impor automobilo, metal as well as the courades mould themselves into these cal purpose of discussing ways and meats local into the National Shoe Cutters Unres? How can they train themselves for of organizing a New England shoe worklon. They have led a number of strikes Both youth and adult comrades should tant and even decisivo part. Witness Industry mentioned above the steel striko of 1919, the Passalo send critical articles on the thesis to strike, New Bedford, the New York duced considerably. They arise Youth economte demands are being to the ble tasks which they know will come unlon. Over seventy rank and tile in Lynn. In Boston, they have a great delegates attended. The initiators of the following among the cutters, as well as not front them?
conference had made no preparations. In other shoe towns. The leadership of Conference will be in a better position needle trades, Fall River, and Gastonia. from the special economie position of The first thing they must understand they only proposed one question to this union is conservative, entrenched in to make plans for our activity among the plays in the class struggle, its probleme physical and paychological characters the Communist movement is not a mat conference. The delegates workers have little to expect from them youth routh In Industry, but rather from thola is that their training for leadership in cussion: when and how to call a broader the old craft union ideology. The shoe young workers.
and needs; how it is to be attracted in tice. The physical and mental matur ter merely of personal desire but a ser had an opportunity to bring forward in their struggle to better their condigreater numbers to revolutionary union Ity of the young worker under 18, lous obligation to the organization. All their program of action. Every single tions. All through their little strikes, THE fam: how to win it for Communion specially under 16, calls for the love youth comrades must strive towards fit one of the representatives at the meetings in which the workers as The Young Communist Lengue districts the require careful and deliberato Ance of such demanda as: Establishment ting themselves for leadership. Second spoke and all the delegates responded sembled, nowhere has the voice of the are again making plans. This decision study. Before this done, one can of work schools in factories: abolition ly, they must participate in the activities assentingly. The conference committee Left wing been raised.
was arrived at following the letter of bardly expect much organizational roof night work; an annual four woons of the organization and in the movement was enlarged and three mem In the shoe industry, the Left wing the to its sixth Convention which sults from the spontaneous militancy Vacation with pay: abolition of child generally under its direction, Thirdis bers were added to it. The situation and the are once again at apparently served as a substitute. top of the young workers.
labor under 14 with state support of they must engage in intensive study of was full of promise for the building of the bottom of the lader. The work a youth thesis. makes one sick to Such study in order to be of real these at present unemployed and similar Marxism and Leninism, that is, equip a union on militant premises, despite of must be begun all anew. First of all, read this letter (Young Worker 31 31. value, should begin with a statement demands which may arise under spects themselves with the weapons of revolu the few fakers that were behind the the policy of mechanical control of the Once again we hear about Left and and examination of the most recent stat conditions. The demand for a slz houstionary knowledge.
move, such as Meed.
party leadership of the must Right deviations. failure to do this, stick on the youth in Industry. dlecudd day with no reduction in pay. which the In the past the education of our youth 21, in Boston. The group circles of late in this direction, but noth.
The second conference took place June. De rejected. Much has been said in party that and the other thing, incorrect lead the specific problems of the young work Party and LI call a stagger nye ership, we must. etc. etc. It is an er, narrate some of the experience in tem when lsued for all worker. comrades has been left too much to came to the meet with a definite standing has actually been begun to bring ters of the last few years. The pro martxo by stating the general tendencial League. For us, It se demand for the comrades have learned much and adder the unconditional leadership of the Secondly, the Leninist united front the posals are the same. For example: Thel of the development of youth in Indne entire working class including the youth time that they have been in the Left ence. At a time when the shoe workers in action while imposing merciless criticvanced themselves considerably in the or else to leave the confertic, the tactle of uniting all the workers arm chair system of work, the making trs its numerical strength, strategic up of unpractical bureaucratic plans of importance, growth o dimunition of mands of the young Communists, that in all the activities of the Opposition to propose to them in relation with their temporary reformist allics, so that all The above are also the political de Opposition. The serious participation were eager to hear what any group has ism in the course of struggle upon the work must be done away with. At the special youth problemas demands of the capitalist state. Added to largely assures this. But this is not sul conditions, the wage cuts, etc. the party workers involved may see with their own same time it ts necessary to decisively recent attempt to fulfill this need this is the demand for the right to vote ficient. Better progress could be made, and Left wing forces made the main is eyes who their real friends are this remove from the leadership those ele are particularly in the sphere of theoretical Nue: Blanket endorsement of the tactic must be revived immediately, in Are incapable of struggling in practisaldustry by Grace Hutchins, Internation. Applied as immediateIndustrial knowledge, if a systematie supervision and a guaranteed acceptance of its the shoe industry as well as in all the ments that have become bureaucratic and falls short of the mark. Youth in ID for youth of 18 or more. They al Pamphlets. manda when the concrete station rel of the education of the youth comrades leadership.
for the line of the novel qutres it. At the same time the more were introduced.
other trade union work. Only on such suggestion Indeed!
Most of the statistics used are taken The party had concentrated all its basis can the organization of the shoe Everyone was frightened. Some dis from the 1920 census. Although having seneral demands of the workers (social some value for one who has never look Insurance, Negro equality) are propag. In my opinion, this function should be forces for the conference. As soon as it workers be effected, only in this way tricts started plans without figures!
placed in the hands of the National became evident, that in this mannbr, the can they he led into militant strugele The Chicago district put for itself the value for those who want to answer the od Into the question, they are of uttle ated among the youth.
The meaning and importance of youth Youth Committee. What would be its left wing was in control of a majorits. under revolutionary leadership, goal, among numerous other things, of 150 new members in the next three points rolnod above. That is, for the while the strength of the bourgeois youtal have to protect, so to speak, the option opened fire against the leadership of the SHOE WORKER.
sections of unions is hardly mentioned duties in this relation? First, it would the leaders of the group months. The E. criticized this practical youth organizers of today. The too modest. the number is substant author tries to overcome the ditculty organizations are given those of the tunities of the young comrades for education. It must prevent that all routine ially increased at least one blessing will by referring to the increased mechanin petty bourgeois ones, which although not work he heaped on the young comrades.
result: The members of the wution process, the growing speed up Anal Influential, are by no means unimpor so that they are left insufficient time for not function in the Chicago district. the goneral tendency towards the strapll. tant.
The Youth League for ReconciliaNelther the letter nor the flation and intensification of the Industion the Young Peoples Socialist League Study. Secondly, it must elaborate an extremely comprehensive course of study.
Chicago district plan says as much as trial process, whleb requires an ICT etc. are not as much as mentioned.
In summary, it can be said that the Thirdly, it must demand regular ac.
of the youth inside and outside the labor power. This means the growing pamphlet has little valuo, elther state counting from each comrade as to the aull. Sometimes, something flares up in coal strike. And that is a bopetulsiga League!
tically, or as a substantial factual guld be responsible for furnishing all docu strike. But whatever it is, it seems that PARTY MEMBER.
Our youth comrades especially in New Ilowerer, and this to of utmost im for youth policies and activities. It ments and books necessary in portance, the numerical increase of the falls upon the youth of the Loft Oppost where comrades cannot afford to buy man land from the real currents of cases we are divided by something like a no York and Chicago should get busy Speak to the Lenguers: organize then youth in Industry is accompanied by a ton to make the necessary study of the where political and trade union life miere How Articles «Happen» to into study groups in Communism, youth decrease of the special youth problema problems of youth 12 Industry and to problems, or the platform of the Lett Whores formerly (and it is important draw the proper tactical conclusions. The This work must begin immediately strike, we heard from our unit leaderOpposition. JOS. substantiate this statistically) the sooner this task 1s Accomplished, the after the National Conference.
ship that the heroic strike of the mixBe Written young workers were primarily appre creater will be the possibilities for the ers against starvation must be won.
tices, and helpers, that is, bad speciel growth of the Communist youth.
GEORGE RAY.
How? By throwing all our forces into Readers of the Daily Worker may reWhat IS International Youth the strike, by bullding the by call that a few weeks ago an article helping the in its relief work, appeared by a certain Frankfeld, one Day?
by exposing the social fascist Muste of the lesser wheelhorses in the apparWhat is International Youth Day?
to the question of how to expose them in Chicago. In the article, there were The El Obrero Del Caribe. official we heard again that we must do it by some revoltingly venomous attacks mado Inseparably connected with the first building the and the upon the Left Opposition, and also a organ of the Carribean sub committee of cause, is the internal regime of party by helping the etc. sort little welf criticism in which the author the Latin American Trade Union Federabureaucracy, the Stalinist translation of of a vicious article out of which the very thoroughly revealed that he has tlon (afiliated to the reOne of our party comrades has sent where the bulk of its machinery, press party democracy. We have said a huu party does not seem to be able to issue, made nothing but mistakes and has been plies. The 6th of September, 1914, one month fork district of the party for a days of the prosperity. of the boar does not feel at home in his own party. that artificial, anti Leninist isolation to the time of writing the article. Tho after the commencement of the war, the revolutionary socialist youth held a con.
ference in Switzerland with the partie. July 1, 1931. Since the Stalinist bur York district had some 000 members. at anyone but the lowest official, at any of the third period. social fascism article were combined, and the insane pation of Liebknecht, Russian Bolshevikeaucracy in the Russian party, after hava Today, in the period of revolutionrything but the least important item in democratie dictatorship and the rest fury with which the Trotskyists were suspect that more was rotten than apwho in tace of the treason of the social arguments of the Left Opposition for a the third period. the principal district outside the parts will be well wake up of the spell binding outeries on the moon, assalled, were good cause event them to peared on the surface. Now, we receive democracy. Set themselves the need of systematic plan in economy, and having of the party has not one serious advance ton of brleks had hit him on the head.
been taken completely by surprise by the in membership to record! Worse yet: At best he will be tolerated in his unit Especially do things become bad when a letter explaining it all from a thor.
struggle against war and Imperialism, for the totally unexpected by them, a veritable gained no members, it would appear that claring 100ks from the section organizer when it came to the reorganization on Frankteld, appeared one evening in the successes of planned economy which were instead of merely having stood still and only in the uncomfortable atmosphere of the top kicks of the unit try to conceal oughly reliable Chicago correspondent: by the international proletariat to the party in the Comintern. One year plans, 200) workers made their way towarda flunkey with the constant threat of Con the basis of the three months plan. party bookstore, considerably the worke Since then, this date has been dedicated mania for plans has swept over every hundreds upon hundreds (a minimum of sneering criticism from some agit prop six months plans, three months plans, Communism and the Communist partytrol Commission Inquisitors hanging it was still worse. There and then the for an unsuccessful bout with Mr. Capyouth, having been converted into Intes three days plans all of them are ad in the last 17 months, but so radically over his head. Only the greatest devo bureaucratic attitude of our leadership one principal commodity. Being usualnational Youth up. time for the roly more loquacious and frank in this Can one believe his eyes? Can this fewer pitch and having been bureau. that these 2, 200 hardly remained in 16 its victory in the Soviet Union keeps the involved, was given between 15 and 30 himself as follows: Who was right on party member inside monks In How can this be explained. executed they are brought to a success dues.
of this state of affairs. But it does not But wait. let us plek up the Dailyful conclusion in the columns of self The bulletin gives 13 reasons for keep all of them. The bureaucrats very sion about 40, and all of this at the end Trotsky.
Who was right on the Spanish of a lifeless, tiresome meeting filled with situation? None other than Worker of September In the leading criticism in the party press, where the this calmitous situation. The Arst OD planfully drive thousands away routine Trotsky.
editorial entitled, September Youth appointed leaders seek to prove that the is highly significant: We failed to with a metal tipped scourge.
The astounding. almost unbelievable Ret out when everyone wanted to And who is the one that can turn out plans was indeed a good one, only the explain to the workers who made out soon as possible. As it was correct theses on Day. we read: Trotskyism? Why.
stated even in the party bulletin: The none other than me, Frankfeld. The The anniversary of the founding of membership did not carry it out proper application cards what the Communist decline in the New York district unmia. the Young Communist International on 1s. Never do these conscienceless om party is, what it stands for. How to takably typical of what must be a worse low political level of the units, the mechanical hypocrisy aroused a League. September 8, 1919, 1s Atting time to cials endeavor to make an honest effort this posible? Who were these workers situation in the less fortunately situated anal discussions without any prepara, member, who later brought charges sharply point out the shortcomings of the to explain to the party members why who joined the without know either alstricts is a signal whose warning note on drive away very large numbers of against the party organizer, Gebert for whole revolutionary movement in nes they have such a miserable record to what it is or what it stands for? Where can be ignored only by the totally deal forkers At the next meeting, another bartoring a Trotskyist on the district lecting the task of winning the working chalk up for their regime. caso in did they come from? Who fooled them and hopeless. The drop has occurred in trict office is working on the three dismissed and Frankfeld was whitewashtople for discussion. Perhaps the dis committee. The charges were finally and into signing card about whose signif period of favorable opportunities for months plan. but for our unit it remains ed. But one of the conditions for the class youth to their own class side of point, which speaks eloquently the class struggle and to initiate an en tragically about the state of affairs in cance they did not have the groggien extensive growth, the like of which the Chinese, with the exception of one Chin coat of kalsomine was, evidently, that ergetic correction of this remnant of op the party. Is cotnained in Attached Ma notion? We have no doubt that in the American Communist movemnt has rare ese comrade, for whom it remains Greek. he degrade himself a few more notches, portunist blindness toward youth pro terial: Fluctuation of the Membership course of one of the plans during. If ever seen before. What policies is blems.
which is appended to the bulletin refr one of the tragi comle burlesques mis. the party pursuing that they produce so! In Latin America, the proletarian red to above. We quote the opening named socialist competition, some of such catastrophie results? What regimel tie attitudes at the top naturally give He probably figures that he got off This and Innumerable other bureaucra This is the task he accomplished with such skill in his Dally Worker article.
youth celebrate International Youth Day paragraph the harassed party comrades simply curses the party that drives thousands rise to smaller bureaucrats at the botlightly.
as an anniversary of a meeting of soe The comrades who brought the talist youth on the 6th of September, Since January 1, 1950, when all without either party to the bargain been indifeted upon the party which, in party bulletin for members and toppere 1914, in Switzerland, while the Daily the old membership books had to be knowing much about what was up and the face of such victories. does not tunist and sectarian decision of the unit charges has subsequently been expelled calls upon them to demonstrate for the exchanged for new ones, the New York probably not caring much, either. But come humbly to the membership and ask bureau. bureaucratie atitude of the from the League himself? No comment!
same holiday but as an anniversary of District tasued about 6, 000 books. The surely that cannot account for the mem to be removed from office as hopelessly leadership in the unit and so on.
the founding of the Young Communist in number of new membership books made bership dropping in 18 months like incompetent, which even were it called ternational on September 8, 1919 in out in the District and not given out to the other 12 reasons ob of there are and amusement upon the impudent folome real reasonregiven except on the ticipated in the parade held by Nor can In the draft of the three months plan LY. IN NEW YORK Berlin!
stewardship would look with contempt one failures were enumerated and not Almost six hundred demonstrators par new for And such Ignoramuses head the Com one reason or another, amounts to all typical of the official contemptible Towers who presumidols consecrated have had such bad experience. But it York. Of these, more than half were deavor to blame everything on the munist movement! The most elementary hundred. duplicate membership books. ranes even if put together, account ority of the e to question the authstyle of self criticism with which we the Young Communist League in New knowledge of Communist youth history about 200, altogether about 800. This for the fall.
by Stalin himself?
would suffice for one to know, that: means that we actually gave out 5, 200 The Roots of the Evil is easy to see that the questions: Why adult workers. The party had called The conference of the socialist youth mombership books during the period of are we continually falling? Why do we its various meetings in the city, and its took place at Berne, Switzerland, April January 1930 to June 1, 1931. Today we We believe the causes lle elsewhere THE MILITANT meet with one major defeat after an members were told to participate in the 1915, while Karl Liebknecht was te have in the porter words about 200 lishment of the party for the false polnot more than 3, 000 In the first place, It is warning pun. Published weekly by the Communist in 17 months in the New York district can easily see that the League, which other? Why did we lose 2, 200 members League demonstration. From this we prison.
League of America Opposition)
At that time, the first Sunday of every workers left the party in the period of Scies of its leaders. The stifling, mechanalone? are forcing themselves on those claims three hundred or more members at 84 East 10th St.
ical atmosphere in the party makes September was established as Interna. 17 months. Our emphasis. of the party members who really want New York, did not succeed in mobil tional Youth Day. Why the 8th, a Tues. It a discount is made for bureaucratic healthy discussion of policies Illegal for EDITORIAL BOARD to know what is wrong fundamentally izing the youth against capitalist militar.
day, was picked this year, is hardly ex. Agure Juggling and for passive members. the members. They are obviously voting and who cannot be satisfied with the hotism and war.
the number of 3, 000 members would with their feet against the wisdom of Martin Abern James Cannon air of the third period explanatioas.
The Young Communist International doubtlessly be even smaller. But assuin Browder, Foster and Co. Despondent md Max Shachtman Maurice Spector The singing and cheering of the demonwas founded, not on September 8, 1910. Ing that there are 3, 000 members in the discouraged, they seek the easiest way out Arne Swabeck Especially is this state of mind bestrators, which was very poorly organbut in November 1919.
dlatrict, then we are involuntarily given of the swamp of defeats, blunders, los coming evident with the resistance the ized, was none too enthusiastic. Our own After this nothing they say can sur crushing Indictment of the whole load of prestige and influence into which the Subcription rate: 00 per year; for bureaucrats met with in some of small group of young Opposition onth prise us!
ship, for New York is where all the leadership wrong course is constantly elgh 50. Hve conta per copy. the units when they tried to give the rades who particiuated in the parade statesmen of the regime are concenrtated, pulling them. In the second place and JOSEPH CARTER.
Bundle rato, cents per copy official explanation of our defeats in the cheered and sang heartily. IN THE RANKS OF THE PARTY: The Startling Turnover in the Party to plainable