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From The Militant, Vol. IV No. 23 (Whole No. 82), 12 September 1931, p. 4.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
The August 15th issue of the Militant contained the thesis on the youth question proposed for our pre-conference discussion by the National Youth Committee and the National Committee. To date we have had only one discussion article on it.
What do the other youth comrades think about the thesis? Is it adequate? Are we too modest in our proposed steps?
How about the adult comrades? Are they frankly disinterested? Or perhaps skeptical about all youth work?
Both youth and adult comrades should send critical articles on the thesis to the Militant. In this way the coming Conference will be in a better position to make plans for our activity among the young workers.
The Young Communist League districts are again making plans. This decision was arrived at following the letter of the Y.C.L. to its sixth Convention which apparently served as a substitute (!) for a youth thesis. It makes one sick to read this letter (Young Worker – 8-31-31).
Once again we hear about “‘Left’ and Right deviations”, “failure to” do this, that and the other thing, incorrect leadership, “we must”, etc., etc. It is an identical repetition of the Y.C.I. letters of the last few years. The proposals are the same. For example: “The ‘arm chair’ system of work, the making up of unpractical bureaucratic plans of work must be done away with. At the same time it ts necessary to decisively remove from the leadership those elements that have become bureaucratic and are incapable of struggling in practise for the line of the Y.C.I.”! A novel suggestion indeed!
Everyone was frightened. Some districts started “plans” without figures! The Chicago district put for itself the goal, among numerous other things, of 150 new members in the next three months. The N.E.C. criticized this as too modest. If the number is substantially increased at least one blessing will result: The members of the N.E.C. will not function in the Chicago district!
Neither the Y.C.I. letter nor the Chicago district plan says as much as one word on the need of the education of the youth inside and outside the League!
Our youth comrades especially in New York and Chicago should get busy. Speak to the Leaguers; organize them into study groups in Communism, youth problems, or the platform of the Left Opposition.
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Last updated: 24.3.2013