L.A.’s Young Peoples Socialist League had a hall and 400 members in 1913.

‘The Los Angeles Y.P.S.L.’ from Party Builder. No. 58. December 13, 1913.  

Next to Rochester, N.Y., the largest young people’s league in the United States today is that located at Los Angeles, Cal. It has more than 400 members.

The Los Angeles Y.P.S.L. was organized in 1911, about the time the city threatened to go into the Socialist column with Job Harriman as mayor.

Young folk joined the league in large numbers and it grew steadily till it numbered as high as 800 members. The organization then took a downward trend, owing to many new situations arising in Los Angeles, and numbered only 300 members for a time. A renewed enthusiasm has now seized the organization and it has again started on the road to 1,000 members.

The league occupies the entire second floor at 116 East Third street, Los Angeles. It covers almost one-half a city block–11,000 square feet. Half of the space is occupied by a dance hall and auditorium with a stage. The rest of the space is divided into the league office, billiard room, library and reading room, music room, check room, rest rooms and a hall.

When it was first decided to establish the headquarters the matter of how to furnish it was a puzzling one. There was only a limited amount of money on hand and the furnishings would be expensive. The problem was soon settled, however. The league consists mostly of young workers–carpenters, electricians, painters, etc. They got together and began to hustle. Soon the place began to take on a new appearance. The floors were cleaned and polished; the walls were painted and decorated; the woodwork was stained; mission style furniture was constructed; electric lights and wires were installed; and when the opening night came the league headquarters rivaled those of many of the big clubs. And it had all been done by the league members themselves.

The league is now under the department form of organization, a manager being elected to direct each line of work–music, education, entertainment, athletics, etc.–and is held responsible for the work in his field of activity. He is allowed to select assistants. The department heads, together with the officers, comprise the executive board. All are subject to recall.

Applicants must fill out a card on which, in addition to the usual questions, they are asked, “Are you a member of the Socialist Party?” “Are you a member of the I.W.W?” “Are you a member of a trade union?” “Do you believe in political action?”

A library of 1,500 books is maintained by the league, while it also has a branch of the public library. One of the big features of the league is the dramatic club which is under the supervision of a dramatic teacher. They also have a public speaking class under the direction of R.A. Maynard. A business college is now being established under the supervision of the league, having classes in stenography and typewriting, bookkeeping, commercial arithmetic, spelling, English and commercial law.

In the line of social features, dances are held every Tuesday night, while a special dance is held occasionally. In the summer they have truck rides to the mountains and along the beaches. A climb up Mount Wilson will be taken this winter, while snow is on the peak. Pool and billiards can be played at any time and tourneys are arranged occasionally. The girls have their own club, which gives a dinner once a month for twenty-five cents a plate.

Business meetings are held every Thursday. The meeting is opened with a talk by some outside speaker and after the business has been transacted the rest of the evening is given to dancing.

There is much to be learned from the Young People’s Socialist League of Los Angeles. The manner in which they brush all obstacles aside and accomplish the thing which they set out to do is a splendid example for other leagues to follow.

Internal troubles occur in most organizations, resulting in members losing heart and dropping out, just as has been the case in Los Angeles. But there will also come a time when they will take up the work with renewed energy and carry it forward with success to even greater heights than ever formerly attempted.

The future of the Los Angeles organization is sure to be brighter than the past.

For a variety of reasons, the national Socialist Party of America did not have an official publication until May 1904 when the national convention mandated the monthly Socialist Party Official Bulletin as a way for the Party to communicate to its members. The name was changed to Socialist Party Monthly Bulletin in October 1911. The Party Builder became the name in 1913 and also became a subscription paper and a weekly. In 1914 the Socialist Party replaced The Party Builder with a regular propaganda newspaper, The American Socialist. These Party paper contain National Committee and National Executive Committee minutes, National Secretary reports, membership figures, financial statements, letters from party members, articles by prominent party leaders, and the figures for election of party officers and internal questions.

PDF of issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/spa-bulletins/131213-partybuilder-w58.pdf