The Chicago-based Fort Sheridan Civilian Military Training Corp (something less than the National Guard that existed between the wars) receives the anti-militarist attentions of the Young Workers (Communist) League in 1928.

‘Communist Work in the Fort Sheridan C.M.T.C.’ from Young Worker. Vol. 7 No. 11. September 1, 1928.

CHICAGO. The Young: Workers (Communist) League carried on an intensive struggle against capitalist militarism directly in the armed forces. The campaign of the League resulted in mass arrests of our comrades and in an offensive of the War Department against the League. Particularly was our anti-militarist work successful among the CMTC recruits in Fort Sheridan, Ill.

Our League members in the CMTC camp established very good contacts with the CM TC students, particularly with those coming from working class families or who are young workers themselves. In addition to leaflets, personal contact and agitation we get out the League CMTC bulletin “Camp Holliday Rebel.”

This bulletin was prepared by members of the Y.W.C.L. in Fort Sheridan. It first explained to the students the real purpose of the CMTC. The students learned that the CMTC is an organization to prepare the young workers and students for the coming war and for strike-breaking work at home. The League in this bulletin called upon the CMTC recruits to use their military knowledge and skill to defend the working class. It exposed the anti-labor propaganda of the citizenship courses. It called upon the CMTC boys to fight for the immediate and unconditional release of John Porter.

In addition to these matters the “Camp Holliday Rebel” also raised local camp problems such as food, and the fake promises of a four-weeks vacation. The speed-up in the camp and the constant all-day drill convinced the students that the League was correct in the leaflet that was given to them the day they left for camp, that the CMTC does not offer a free vacation, that the War Department is using this word only as a means of tooling the young workers and students into the CMTC.

Upon return of a long day’s march the boys of the Fort Sheridan CMTC found about 450 letters addressed to the members of the four battalions. All began to read the bulletin. However, the camp authorities were immediately informed of it and orders were issued that anyone found reading the “Camp Holliday Rebel” and other communist literature would get a dishonorable discharge. The contents of the bulletin spread like wildfire all over the camp. The bulletin was read and discussed in groups; all young workers agreed with it 100%. The students immediately learned the League songs printed in the bulletin and the “Camp Holliday Rebel” was passed on to every one of the 2000 CMTC recruits.

The League propaganda certainly had its effect. In the mess half the boys refused to come to attention when the officers came in and put out outside the hall the League slogan “Officers keep out of the mess hall while we ate eating our lunch.” The whole camp became demoralized, drilling suspended for the last four days. The slogans of the League printed on gummed-back leaflets were spread all over the camps. Upon the closing of the camp, the boys were called upon to sign a pledge of allegiance to the US government. After a two hours wrangling and threatening that they would receive a dishonorable discharge and lose their jobs the boys were forced to sign this pledge. Quite a large number of boys received dishonorable discharges. When the commanding officer in his last speech told the students that he expects all of them next year many exclaimed: “The last time! Never again!” The camp authorities suppressed all the news of the activities of the League. The capitalist press did not say a word about it. The League will continue the anti-militarist work. We have secured a large number of connections among the CMTC boys and we will continue our work.

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.

For PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/youngworker/v07-n11-sep-01-1928-YW-grn.pdf