The summer of 1923 saw a reorganization of structure away from the language federations and geographically defined local bodies to the industrial and activity nucleus. The conference also elected a leadership: National Secretary, Martin Abern; National Executive Committee: Martin Abern (Chicago), Alfred Albright (Chicago), Sydney Borgeson (Minneapolis), John Edwards (Chicago), Harry Gannes (Chicago), Nat Kaplan (New York), Max Salzman (Chicago), John Williamson (Seattle); NEC Alternates: Nat Carmen (New York), Natalie Gomez (Chicago), Paul Klein (Chicago), Max Lerner (New York), Barney Mass (Kansas City), Rebecca Sacherow (Cleveland), William Schneiderman (Los Angeles), Max Shachtman (New York).

Here are the submitted reports, of varied depth, as part of that reorganization to the ‘Young Worker’ for October, 1923. Included are branches San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, South Bend, Hammond, Gary, Boston, Fitchburg, Worcester, Bridgeport, Providence, Detroit and many towns in Michigan Upper Peninsula, New York City, Daisytown, Rochester, Buffalo, Paterson, Newark and Plainfield, Chicago and a slew of Southern Illinois mining towns, Pittsburgh, Monesson, Eaton, Bethlehem, Allentown, Minneapolis and Minnesota’s Orr, Cloquet, Cromwell, Hibbing, and Florenton, St. Louis, Cleveland, Toledo, and East Ohio mining villages, rural South Dakota, and in Ontario.

At the end of 1923 the Young Workers league claimed (optimistically) 4000 members, with 1000 in New York City alone, in 150 branches with Junior Section claiming 2,000 in 30 branches.

‘With the Young Workers Leagues’ from Young Worker. Vol. 2 No. 12. December, 1923.

There can be no doubt that the branches of the Young Workers Leagues are realizing much better than ever the work before them. The past month was especially favorable. Instead of letters arriving at the National Office, telling of a social affair here, a dance there, letters streamed in in which the comrades wrote of matters close to them — of bad job conditions, members joining the unions, plans for reaching new young workers, the possibilities of organizing shop units, of propaganda in the schools, the surprisingly swift development of the Junior Sections, etc. In other columns appear brief reviews of the activity among the children or Junior Sections and industrial, trade union and shop unit or nuclei activity. Chicago and Daisytown have shop nuclei functioning. The comrades report that working thru the shop nuclei, activity is greater, simpler and more young workers are interested than thru the general territorial branch.

San Francisco League Reorganized.

A number of new members have joined the San Francisco, Calif., Young Workers League, and Comrade Manya Reiss, organizer, believes the Frisco Young Workers League is on the upgrade and hopes for the strong Young Workers League, a la Los Angeles Young Workers League. The “home guard” is being depended upon to push the branch forward. No more depending upon the fly by night, Greenwich village reds(?) hiking to the coast for the kick in it.

Little news from Los Angeles except of children’s work, but it is safe to assert the League there is yet among the best anywhere. Oakland, Calif., has no Young Workers League yet, but Comrade Cowdery, of the Workers Party, carries our message by disposing of about 75 YOUNG WORKERS and 75 YOUNG COMRADES each month. So many active comrades have left Seattle that it will be necessary to rebuild again from the bottom. Up in Aberdeen, Wash., the League, in need of educational work, has laid out a program which. Comrade Laukanen writes, the League is closely following.

South Bend, Ind., Employs Smashing Tactics.

The Young Workers League of South Bend is gaining ground at a swift rates these months. Comrades Polishuk and Schklar have written in a few times for more application cards. They expect to have 50 members before long. The Junior Section is thriving and has sent in reserve funds for the YOUNG COMRADE. The Young Workers League has organized a football team and has licked every team it has met thus far. It declares to the capitalist teams: “‘Come on and play us if you want to get licked.” Look out, Notre Dame! Dozens of young workers have been attracted to the Young Workers League thru the athletic team. Once in, their economic and political education begins. The additional registration recently sent in shows that young workers from all sorts of trades and industry have joined the League.

The Hammond, Ind., Young Workers League, a Hungarian speaking branch, does work steadily and hopes that soon the comrades will not have so much difficulty with the English literature; then their work will also expand. Comrade Steve Redl is always on the job. Gary, Ind., is having its ups and downs. Some comrade have left for South Bend, others for Chicago. However, Comrades Cunovic, Rusak and others are holding to the mast. Gary’s mills make steel-ribbed rebels.

In Massachusetts, the Leagues work steadily. Comrade Louko, secretary of the District Executive Committee of the Young Workers League, will visit the Leagues. In addition, it is likely that an organizer will be toured shortly thru Massachusetts, and then watch Leagues spring up as they have in Minnesota and Michigan.

Boston doesn’t write long letters to the National Office, but they let their actions talk. Comrades Winokur and Sharof sent in recently nice remittances for the Day’s Wage and literature. Many of our comrades there are active in the Trade Union Educational League work. A pretty large order for Gypther’s pamphlet, “From Isolation to the Masses,” showed, too, as they wrote, that they were preparing to get busy with the Shop Nuclei work. Incidentally, we have exhausted our supply of this exceedingly fine pamphlet, but hope to have another allotment soon from Berlin.

Fitchburg, Mass., has organized a Junior Section, which has proved very popular. Comrades Meimi, Wesoja and Aune Koivu sent in a number of subs for The Young Worker and The Young Comrade. This small branch is now receiving more attention and aid from the Workers Party; soon the Young Workers League will be giving the aid and building the party there. Gardner didn’t report during October. Worcester, Mass., organized its Junior Section.

Detroit Organizing New Branches.

Detroit, Mich., Young Workers League sends a most enlivening reports. Two more branches, writes Comrade Hollander, are in the process of being organized. A permanent headquarters is being contemplated, which will be of inestimable value in reaching and holding newcomers. Comrade Mollenhauer says the League will utilize every means of reaching the young workers. All the way from chess boards to rifle teams to get new members and keep the old ones. The industrial report is encouraging, and the Detroit League expects to show something in the way of Shop Nuclei. Co-operation with the party there is excellent.

Michigan Leagues, South Range, Mass, Paynesville, Ironwood, North Ironwood, Eben Junction, Hancock and Negaunee are doing well. There are prospects of Young Workers Leagues or Junior groups in Ishpeming. Munising, reorganized, is chirping again. Comrades Hilma Sahinoja, Carl Norberg, Laura Kangas, Martha Kortes, Frank Walli, Leonnard Sakkinen, Helmi Laitala, Hilda Stark, E. Lilley, Peter Pekola, Bruce Wuolikainen are some of the most active comrades in these Leagues. Most of the comrades here are students and farmrs or rather student-farmers. Comrade Wm. Lehtinen, of Sault Ste. Marie, Canadian side, writes that the comrades hope to unite, to amalgamate, to use the term known today, the Bai De Wasai, Mich., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, into one league. No national boundary lines for them! Comrades Charlie Fors and William Lehtinen are now discussing the proposition.

New York Holds City Convention; After 1000 Members.

New York Young Workers League held its fifth local convention on Sunday, October 14th, 23 Young Workers League and two Workers Party delegates present. Comrade Zam writes that it was about as good a convention as any city organization ever held. New York will begin the reorganization of the League thru the formation of industrial branches. Industrial branches can be one of the means to arrive at the Shop Nuclei reorganization and organization. ’’The comrades all realized,” says Comrade Zam, the need for this reorganization of the League, and we can expect the heartiest co-operation of all the membership in this work.”

A CHILD LABOR CONFERENCE has been called for November 18th, to which many young people’s organization have been invited. This will be a conference preliminary to a later all-inclusive and larger conference. We hope to have more details in the next YOUNG WORKER.

Buffalo Starts Another.

Another Young Workers League branch, with Comrade Wm. Breger as secretary, has been organized in Buffalo, N. Y. Junior work, in charge of Comrade Kalke, goes well. As in Daisytown, here also and in other cities, the problem of Junior Nuclei in the schools will assert itself. This means of propaganda will be dealt with more fully very shortly. In the Rochester, N. Y., Young Workers League are to be found some of the most dependable comrades, such as Comrades Charlie Stoltz, Ralph Komorowski, Hyman Actor and Emma Lilien. Under their guidance, a strong League is being built up. Jamestown, N.Y., has a small, but alive, League.

Paterson, N.J., Young Workers League sends in another Day’s Wage contribution. The Jewish Young Workers League paper, to be published next month, will be of good aid to this and other Jewish-speaking branches. Many Jewish youth are to be found in Paterson’s silk mills. Newark did not report last month. Plainfield is holding its growth together well.

Chicago Prepares for Big Industrial Activity.

In another column appears more detailed news of industrial work in the Chicago League. Prospects for three or more Shop Nuclei are good. Shop Nucleus No. 1 is showing results. The industrial registration is most favorable, 40 per cent of the comrades belonging to the unions. Work in the Junior Sections and Sunday Schools is very good. Literature sales are increasing. Comrades N. Gomez, Julius Jesmer, M. Goldstein, Pete Herd, Austin Sungail, Abe Harris, Charles Erickson and Valeria Meltz are among the most active workers. A gymnasium class, in charge of Comrade Harris, has been started.

At the recent Chicago membership meeting, means were discussed for putting over the $1,000 campaign for The Daily Worker. Methods for co-operating in the HANDS OFF WORKERS’ GERMANY CAMPAIGN with the Workers Party, Trade Union Educational League and other bodies are to be worked out. All Leagues must get on the job in this campaign of NO INTERVENTION IN THE GERMAN WORKERS’ REVOLUTION! HANDS OFF! PROTECT THE GERMAN REVOLUTION!

Pennsylvania Leagues Keep League Furnaces Roaring.

The Pittsburgh League is holding numerous debates among’ its members to stimulate interest and discussion on important economic and political problems. Comrade Pasternak, Young Workers League, and Fred Merrick, Workers Party District Organizer, recently staged a debate. Two hundred attendance; much interest. Soon a revolutionary play by the Dramatic Section. Comrade Pastemak; *‘The conditions in the branch are very encouraging.”

Daisytown, Pa., will speak for itself in another column. What goes for Daisytown can ordinarily go for the twin — Monessen. They have found what co-operation means — not in the dictionary, but thru working together. Shop Nuclei, School Nuclei, Junior Nuclei — Monessen and Daisytown are very much ”ON THE JOB!”

Indeed, all our Pennsylvania Leagues are doing fine work. Bethlehem has announced itself in other columns. The Bethlehem comrades have helped in organizing the Easton, Pa., branch and are also trying to organize in Allentown. From Millvale, to the contrary, we have heard nothing lately.

Minneapolis, St. Paul, Orr, Cloquet, Cromwell, Hibbing, Florenton are some of the Minnesota Leagues which have done good work. The political situation all over the state is favorable to progressive and radical thought and the Leagues are reacting to it. Minneapolis will make every effort to put over the Shop Nuclei. A Junior Section with Comrade Eva Stone in charge, has been started. Cromwell also has organized a Junior Group, and also has a class in the A.B.C. of Communism. Cloquet comrades are coming across with Young Worker subs. Orr has done quite well, a recent celebration being well attended and most successful. Hibbing is soon to stage a play. St. Paul is helping The Daily Worker Drive, writes Comrade Warner. St. Louis is entering into union activity much more than in previous months.

The Bridgeport, Conn., is growing swiftly, reports Comrade Szabo, and expects to have 75 members soon. Comrade Barney Mass has organized Young Workers League branches in O’Fallon, Collinsville and Marissa, Ill., all mining towns. Most of the members are miners. Comrade Mass is now out organizing for the League. Chisholm, Minn., held a successful celebration in every respect on September 22.

Reports from Cleveland and Toledo have been sparring the past month. However, Cleveland is among the best in reaching new young workers. Comrade Joe Kobylak has organized a branch in Dillonvale, Ohio. The Warren, Ohio, League, says Comrade Maki, is reorganized and again on a well-functioning basis. We did not hear this month from Neffs, Waukegan and Frederick, S.D. Hanna notes activity. Phelps, Wis., has subscribed to a number of Daily Worker shares. Superior, Wis., is reaching out for new members. It had a tendency toward remaining within itself, but now it has lost its bashfulness. Providence Young Workers League has been holding various meetings with Comrade Wicks, Gurley Flynn and Arthur Giovanitti among the speakers. The Anti-Fascisti meeting was so large that “it was hardly possible to breathe,” writes Comrade Kominsky. “This meeting surely opened up the eyes of the community.”

Across the Border Activity.

The national executive committee of the Canadian Young Communist League is beginning its great campaign of activity. Many important decisions were made during the last session of that body, Leslie Morris, secretary of the League ,is to go on tour thru Ontario to organize new branches; another organizer is to be sent in the near future to organize nuclei in the mining towns, where prospects are extent for communist work, the miners being among the most radical in the industry, and that yet another organizer be sent out West as soon as possible. A youth paper is to be started soon, thus giving the Canadian league its own organ. For all these things finances are needed and so the members are being urged to give a day’s wage on November 7th, the anniversary of the Soviet Republic. If the league had more finances, the opportunities for a splendid growth would be realized in short order. In spite of all the difficulties, such as finances, youth of the organization, vastness of the territory to be covered, and so forth, the league is continuing to grow rapidly. Junior Groups being organized in many cities, educational activity is being increase and the organization of shop nuclei is being started in the larger cities.

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/v2n12-dec-1923-yw-G-LB.pdf