The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 7, 1924, Page 10

pachitn executive committee of the Ger- man Social Democratic party dis- covered that the revolutionary youth movement could not be suppressed, the young workers all over the world have formed seperate organizations. The revolutionary youth always abhorred opportunism and reformism. When in 1906 Karl Liebknecht began his anti-mflitary agitation he relied almost entirely on the working youth for support. The revolutionary youth movement boasts a glerious and unsullied history of valiant struggle in the front ranks of the working class. In 19097, the first International (socialist) Youth Congress took place at Stuttgart; another world gathering of the youth followed im 1910 at Co- penhagen. A loose international fed- eration resulted from these world conventions; and a secretariat was established which had no directive force. Even before the world war, the youth of the various countries affili- ated to the socialist parties were fore- most in the fight against increasing reformism and the reactionary trade union bureaucracies. Came the war Gece the early eighties when the The six-year history of the Young Communist League of Russia especial- ly has more than vindicated these rea- sons for separate structure of the re- volutionary working-class youth. At the first congress of the Y. C, I. there was represented a world mem- bership of about 250,000. Internation- al connections at that time were very poor; Germany, Hungary and Russia were engaged in civil war. But the Congress met and laid the basis for work. Willi Muenzenberg was elec- ted secretary, in which position he acted until July, 1921. “Willy, as he is known to every one,” says Oliver Carlson, is.a veteran in the revolutionary movement. He worked with Liebknecht in building up the Young Socialist International.” Comrade Muenzenberg is now head of the International Committee for Workers Aid; and I had the good pleasure while in Berlin of meeting this incarnation of revolutionary youthful enthusiams. Between November of 1919 and July of 1921, when the Second Congress of the Y. C. L opened in Moscow, oceans of water had passed under the bridge. The communist youth move- ment of the world took tremendous strides forward. with its shattering of the Second In- ternational. But the socialist youth of that time did net completely fail. In October, 1914, the youth organi- zations of the Scandinavian countries, Italy and Switzerland took the ‘initi- ative in calling a world congress, which, however, could not meet un- til the spring of 1915 at Berne, Swi- tzerland. The world congress of socialist youth that met at Berne, represent- ing 10 countries, was the forerunner of the Young Communist Internation- al. Arvid Vretling says in his pamphlet “Youth in the Class Struggle,” “This conference of Socialist Youth at Berne shone out in the darkness like a flaming beacon.” By autumn of 1915, nineteen youth organizations had de- clared their willjjngness to abide by the determination to wage a war against the imperialist slaughterfest and “to force the ruling classes, by revolutionary action on the part of the proletariat, to declare peace.” “The International of Youth” was founded in 1915 as the organ of the revolutionary youth and is published to this day by the ¥. C. L Such writers as Lenin, Trotzky, Radek, Zi- noviey, Bronsky, CKollantai, ‘Lieb: knecht and E. Bernstein contributed to it. Aft@r several international confer- ences, the first congress of the Young | Communist International was held in Berlin, November, 1919 and a program and rules of organization adopted. The Y. C. I. affirmed strength of the Y. C. I. at 49 sections with well over 800,000 members. The than at place of residence. 3) Economic struggle of the Young Workers; taking part in the daily and immediate struggles of the toiling ary youth of the world set down very Clearly the reasons for organizing separate youth bodies. These, @ mass organization of the working readiness for sacrifice and action), |youth. c) The necessity of special|world was beginning an offensive methods for its socialist and revolu-|against the working-class. In Ger- tionary education (independent organ-|many, an attempt was being made to izational work, active participation in |abolish the eight+hour day; the un- political struggles); the application of }employment in The World’s Red Yout of child workers rose... For~a “short period there was a sort of butter-fly prosperity. But the end of that was in sight. j The problem of the Y. C. 1. at ‘the third congress was to arouse the mass- ' es of youth to fight in their own inter- ests for immediate demands which would develope into revolutionary, slogans and aims. { To broaden the battles of the work- ing youth in every country, the Y. C.' I. at the ‘Third Congress laid especial’ stress on the economic and trade union struggle of the youth and for- mutated .a series of concrete demands for the campaigns to be carried on in the individual countries. At the third congress the two American delegates took the position that the same demands that were applicable to Germany and to central Europe would not achieve the same results in the United States because the revolu- tionary tempo was not identical in all these countries. However, the resolu- tion on the,economic demands was unanimously adopted and has served admirably as a guide for arousing the working youth to battle on the econ- omic field in their own behalf. A new world program was present- | b- with a disciplined section of the Y. and the reputation of the E. HERRIOT Possible Premier of France As seen by French Communists. which it made reports and acted as One ©. 1; |not @ loosely bound federation, |Sodomei, General Confederation of By Harry Gannes | communist youth organization for its disciplinary strictness has been more than maintained since the third con- gress. ; Another world gathering of the re- [ volutionary youth is about to take place at Moscow. The fourth con- ets gress had been set for about the ist : of July. Theoretical problems are now fewer; but detailed matters, the task of putting into effect the resolu- tions and theses of the second and third congress will undoubtedly form the bulk of work te be undertaken by the fourth congress. For a time in October of 1928 it seemed as if the German working- class, under the leadership of the Communist party of that country, would settle with its bourgeoisie for all time. Here and ‘there spontaneous outbreaks occured. The left wing of the party imsisted that the time for revolution was rotten ripe; the center and right urged caution and an inten- sification of the every day struggies. During this fervid time of working- class action, the Young Communist League of ‘Germany grew by Teaps and bounds. Where before one shop nuc- | - 6 lei existed now twenty lead the battles of the working youth in the factories. In France the league has grown; in Denmark and Sweden the leagues, be- sides building up their own organiza- ‘tions thru putting into effect the Y. C. I. decisions, have taken a foremost role in party struggles on behalf of ‘tthe Communist International. Everywhere the young communists ’|have asserted themselves as a motive force in the class struggle and as an important section of the Communist International. In the United States the youth movement is now a reality. In 1922 is was but a scattered sentiment for @ youth organization. It had no cohe- siveness. There were elements in the Y. W. L. who were still for an “in- dependent,” and against affiliation to the open Communist movement. No- where had the youth actually carried on external work in the interests of During its short existence, the Y. W. L. has grown-from a membership of about 1500 in 1922 to between 3500 and 4000 today. Where at the the league “has no members t in the rural districts,” we about 19 branches in the agri- sections of the couniry. a before the Young Worker was a magazine of limited appeal, the x Worker, today a es E : thing is certain. F ‘the battles of the working youth and jtogether with the Communist Inter- national is paving the way for world ‘Communism. (Special to the DAILY WORKER) TOKIO, Japan, June 6—The Rodo