Summer of 1923 reports from dozens of Young Workers (Communist) League chapters and organizers from around the country.

‘With the Leagues’ from The Young Worker. Vol. 2 No. 8. August, 1923.

The reports which the Leagues throughout the country are sending into the National Office are most encouraging. In but few places is there a noticeable slackening of activity; on the contrary a number of the Leagues are expanding their work. Especially is the idea of a children’s or Junior organization of the Young Workers League taking hold. Junior groups are springing up swiftly. Comrades of the League and Workers Party write in asking for information. There is a need for a children’s organ and there is hope that one can be in the field in a couple of months or so.

The organizing trip in Minnesota of Comrade Max Salzman is proving very fruitful. Four new branches of the League have recently been organized by Comrade Salzman–Cloquet, Nashwauk, Orr and Chisholm. To all appearances Minnesota will soon have more Leagues than any other state. What is being done in Minnesota can be done in other states, and the National Office will make all possible efforts to put more organizers in the field.

In addition to these branches, a League has been organized in Frederick, S.D. by the District Organizer of the Workers Party in Minnesota and Comrade Miller of the Finnish Federation. South Dakota is new territory for the League and an organization there indicates the tremendous possibilities for the League. Comrade Harju, the League secretary says: “The prospect for active branch are good.” In the Leagues newly-organized are many, if not most, comrades who work on the farms. We are now beginning to make headway in agrarian sections. All of the secretaries have written in for a good deal of literature and promise to keep always on the job. The average ages in these branches are 16.

Comrade John Williamson is on his way back to Chicago after a trip to the coast where he reported to the Leagues and visited other cities. In Seattle, though some of the active comrades have left town, the League is working steadily. There was a thorough discussion on comrade Williamson’s report on the Second Y.W.L. Convention and hearty endorsement was made of the actions taken at the Convention. In Portland, Oregon, the League is defunct, but later with the aid of the Party, an attempt will be made to reorganize the branch. Comrade Williamson aided James Cannon at Tacoma, Wash., in the formation of a Workers Party branch. After the Party branch is on its feet, the older comrades will turn towards starting a League. It was at Aberdeen, Wash., however, that Comrade Williamson found much to enthuse. The comrades in the Aberdeen League are young and don’t know it at all, but they are more than willing to learn. They are willing to pay the expenses of a comrade to come from Seatle, 120 miles, twice monthly to have the comrade take charge of the educational work. The spirit among these comrades is very fine indeed. All of these north-west coast Leagues chipped in nicely to help defray the heavy expense of bringing a comrade to the coast to report on the Convention. Further, both Williamson and Salzman have obtained many subscriptions to the Young Worker.

The Pittsburgh, Pa., League, after a more or less inactive period of a number of months is now getting again on its feet, due in a large measure to the earnest efforts of comrade Morris Pasternak, who is acting as organizer for the National Office in that territory. The comrades are responding to the Day’s Pay campaign in fine shape, as are many other Leagues everywhere. The field, as stated repeatedly before, is overripe for organization in the Pittsburgh territory. Comrade Pasternak writes: “A call should be issued in the Young Worker for:

“Wanted-Wonderful Opportunities, Not to Make the Boss Rich, But to Get a Foothold in the Most Basic Industrial Workers in the Country.

“Come Out of Your “Marxian” Cellars and Into the Light of Revolutionary Youth Organization. On With the Work!”

The Buffalo, N.Y. League is forming a Junior section and have already selected a teacher. There are some very young comrades in this League and the problem of paying dues is a vital one. Nevertheless, Buffalo is the first League to answer the Day’s Wage call of the National Organization and expects every member to contribute his or her share before the end of the campaign. The Secretary, comrade Jackola gives us some very interesting information regarding economic conditions in Buffalo during this period of “prosperity.” The Laborers in Buffalo have been on strike for six weeks, 4,000 union men. Their rate was 55c and they are asking 75c per hour. The Street Car men are still locked out. They started a year ago, June 29.

The Los Angeles, Cal. League has organized a large Junior section with over 50 members. For Children’s Week both mass meetings and entertainments are being planned. The Junior League is also to hold an outing under its own auspices. The older League is conducting weekly classes, lectures and forums. When comrade Schneiderman reported on the Second National Convention of the Young Workers League, the hall was packed with Party and League members. The League is wholly behind the program of the National Organization. Most of the members are students and they are now nearly all organized on the School Nuclei basis. The League is aiding in the school academic and free speech fights, for instance, it engaged in the Upton Sinclair controversy and got much publicity out of it. Naturally enough they are, since the comrades really began school agitation, now meeting with persecution from the school authorities. Nevertheless there is no letup. Los Angeles is booming something else besides the “movies.”

In San Francisco, the comrades of the Y.W.L. are very young, some could even belong in a Junior Section from the aspect of years. The Party has promised to give more help in the future. Meanwhile, comrade Winup writes, they will manage to get through these difficult months and try to strengthen themselves. There are many League members hiking westward. They should make it a point to stop off for a while in Frisco and help out the League as much as possible.

The youngest League members are in the Y.W.L. of Worcester, Mass. The age average is approximately 13. But it is a very active branch. Bloomfield, a very capable comrade, has devoted a great deal of his time to the League. Education has been steady and systematic for many months. The comrades have staged plays, given numerous programs, attended W.P. conferences, etc. Their entertainments, hikes, etc. are given an educational turn. As an instance, a museum was visited; the comrades took notes. At the next League meeting, each comrade had a little composition on what he or she had seen at the museum, their opinions, etc. The discussion takes a sociological turn. The Worcester comrades issue a hand-written paper to which every comrade must contribute. At a meeting, the issue is read and discussed. An elaborate program has been laid out for the League and all indications point that it will be carried out. Concluding the report on the activities of the Worcester League, comrade Bloomfield says that his work with the League “has convinced him that America is ripe for a powerful Young Communist League and the only way to make it grow is by rolling up the sleeves and putting both hands to the wheel. That is why I have joined the League and am devoting more time to the League than I am to the Party.”

New York writes in briefly that it held a hike recently, 200 comrades turning out, is sending in some pictures for the Young Worker, holding many open-air meetings, preparing for International Youth Day. The June-July local organ, “The Yowl”, is easily superior to the former numbers. It contains the news of the branches, newsy articles, good cartoons. Comrade Zam edits the paper ably and is assisted by Comrades Kitzes, Nat Carmen, Carrie Katz and Ida Dailes. New York is collecting steadily for the Day’s Pay Fund.

The Bethlehem, Pa. League was unable to send a delegate to the National Convention. However, comrade Green, the Philadelphia delegate, went to Bethlehem and gave a report. Comrades from Easton, Pa., were also present. Bethlehem plugs along steadily. In Schwab’s city of steel there is no peace. Our comrades keep agitating and educating.

From the reports of the League thus far, there are possibilities or reorganizing branches upon a Shop Nuclei basis in about 15 of the cities. The National Office is proceeding carefully and slowly. In Chicago the first attempts are being made at reorganizing. The particular problems of each city are being studied and acted upon according to those conditions. Just as the League is going ahead with the reorganization upon a shop or industrial basis, likewise the Party realizes the necessity of this form of organization for the Party and is proceeding toward a change.

Cleveland is moving ahead rapidly. It is handling large quantities of literature at all kinds of meetings. The “Child of the Worker,” “Youth Under Americanism,” the “Young Worker” are being pushed a great deal. Comrade Keas, W.P. Organizer is a strong Y.W.L. supporter and helps out at all times.

Other Leagues, all cannot be spoken of at length here, are on the job. The Young Communist League of Canada is laying out its activities for the coming months. Paterson, N.J., Hanna, Wyo., Minneapolis, Minn., New York City Jamestown, N.Y., South Bend, Ind., many others are going ahead with their work. From some we have not heard lately–purely from summer inertia on the secretaries parts, for we know the League are active. For instance, the Boston League is now doing things, but only a few notes come into the office, but which tell much: “Boston will put over the Days Wage, says comrade Harry Tamer. “Enclosed please find money order for “Young Workers”, writes comrade Katz. Work among the children is being carried on with comrade Marks directing. These things we gather from the notes sent in by Boston. Some of the Leagues are having their difficulties–Philadelphia, in instance. But it can only be temporary in a center so auspicious for League work. We predict that in the next Young Worker there will be some real news from Philly.

As an aside, it may interest the comrades that comrade A. Valentine claims that the first League organized on a Shop Nuclei basis was in the Thomas, W. Va. Y.W.L. over a year ago. Comrade Valentine is in Meriden, W. Va. at present and will try to organize a League there.

Sophomore-like though it may sound, we are growing larger and better every day. The League work is extending. When we get a children’s paper in the field, we shall soon attain a large Junior organization and it will help make the Young Workers League grow faster. We believe that the League will live up to the possibilities. Meanwhile, send in the news, send in letters, suggestions. Let’s all know what is happening in the League. Don’t be stingy on the ink or lead. Let us have news from the Leagues which will prove are a revolutionary Young Workers League.

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/v2n8-aug-1923-yw-G-LB.pdf