‘Seattle Young Workers League Activities’ from The Young Worker. Vol. 2 No. 3. March, 1923.

‘PREVIOUS to July 26th, the form of the League was provisional. It was more or less an informal group of young people who recognized the class struggle and sympathized in general with the point of view of the National Young Workers, altho the matter of affiliation with the national group was still a matter of question. While in its tentative form, the organization participated in certain activities of the local labor movement chiefly in the work of the Labor College and the Russian Relief.

‘As a definite organization the history of the Seattle branch begins with the vote to affiliate with the Nat. Y.W.L. on July 26th. At the same meeting the following temporary officers were elected; Organizer, Lillian Reiseroff; Sec’y Treas., Clara Reiseroff; Educational Director, Sam Krieger; Remaining members of Ex. Board, Carol Bristol and S. Borgeson.

‘The By-Laws of the local league were adopted on July 30th. On the same date, the following permanent officers were elected. Organizer, Lillian Reiseroff; Sec’y Treas., Clara Reiseroff; Educational Director John Williamson; Other members of Ex. Board, S. Krieger and S. Borgeson. Charter members received membership cards during the first month.

‘On August 10th it was reported that there were branches of the Y.W.L. in Aberdeen, Astoria and Portland.

‘Following out the principle of keeping in contact with the actual labor movement, various efforts have been made to place the activities of the League before the unions. Several members have spoken to the Laundry Workers, Blacksmiths, Machinists, Boilermakers etc. Members of the League sold literature at several of the meetings of the striking shopmen. Over a 160 copies of the strike edition of the Voice of Labor were distributed there. Volunteers from the League sold and distributed literature at the Stadium Grounds on Labor Day.

‘In support of the work of the Nat. Labor Defense, the League turned over to the N.O. $18.50 from assessments and proceeds of the dance.

‘The League has taken an active part in the work for the Russian Relief. Our membership has helped in the June Bazaar of the F.S.R., in the collection of instruments for medicinal aid, the F.S.R. picnic in July the F.S.R. Tag Day in August, the Russian Anniversary Celebration in Nov. and the recent Bazaar on Dec. 14-16. We also worked at the Bazaar given for the relief of the striking miners.

‘As regards educational activities, we have distributed and sold a large amount of literature, and have held regular study classes for our own membership. The class work has been based on such pamphlets as the “Manifesto”. “Youth under Americanism” and assigned topics on the Near East conflict and certain theories of the State. We were represented on the Labor College Board during the period that it was a delegate body and at present our organizer, Comrade Williamson is a member of the Board of Directors.

‘A bundle of 50 Young Workers is disposed every month, as well as other publications sent us by the N.O.

‘Looking back over the activities of the League in the last six months we have every reason to feel encouraged. In the face of adverse conditions we have kept an active and interested group that could always be relied upon for whole hearted work. We have kept in touch with the progressive activities of the Labor movement of this city and other organizations look to us for cooperation with a good deal of respect, and a large measure of faith in our future. Our study classes have been well attended, altho in this matter as in many others, we have been feeling our way by a process of experiment. We feel that we have at last hit upon an effective method of dealing with this problem as well as that of recreation and that with the coming term we will begin a new systematic way of conducting these activities. The Open House was a success. We hope that the Liebknecht Day Celebration will be an even greater success in another field (it was). The League is growing. The Executive Board believes that the next term will see a strong enthusiastic Y.W.L. that will play a significant part in the Labor movement of Seattle.

‘Fraternally submitted J. Williamson, Organizer; Clara Reiseroff, Sec’y Treas, Milda Krauklis, Educational Director; Ben Mottleson, Executive Board.’

The Young Worker was produced by the Young Workers League of America beginning in 1922. The name of the Workers Party youth league followed the name of the adult party, changing to the Young Workers (Communist) League when the Workers Party became the Workers (Communist) Party in 1926. The journal was published monthly in Chicago and continued until 1927. Editors included Oliver Carlson, Martin Abern, Max Schachtman, Nat Kaplan, and Harry Gannes.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/youngworker/v2n3-mar-1923-yw-G-LB.pdf