Young Czech Socialists in the U.S. form a gymnastics club.

‘Young Bohemian Socialists Do Fine Work’ from Party Builder. No. 76. April 18, 1914.

The young Bohemian Socialists have an organization of about 1,200 members in the United States formed into gymnastic clubs. These organizations are located in St. Louis, Cleveland, Elizabeth, N.J., North Braddock, Pa., Neffs, Ohio, Baltimore and Chicago. There are three clubs in Cleveland and seven in Chicago.

Participation in gymnastic exercises and the formation of gymnastic clubs is to Bohemians what baseball is to Americans. Practically every Bohemian youth belongs to some gymnastic organization. The Socialists therefore decided to form their own clubs in order that the young workers whom they could reach would not join clubs dominated by supporters of capitalism.

Attention is not only given to gymnastic work, but also to educational work. Gymnastic work is limited as much as possible in order that more time. can be given to educational and organization work. Thus lectures are constantly held and literature distributed and sold. During the past year, for instance, the Cleveland organization sold more than $225 worth of Socialist literature.

Active membership in the organizations is limited, to those upwards of sixteen years of age, though gymnastic classes are conducted for both girls and boys over five years of age.

These clubs all own their own gymnastic equipment, one of the Chicago organizations, for example, having apparatus valued at $1,200. Furnishings for a gymnasium are exceedingly expensive, but all the organizations are constantly adding new pieces.

Money for the maintenance of their clubs is raised by dances, athletic exhibitions, entertainments, etc. During the past year the Cleveland organization above referred to took in $1,396, and expended $1.292. They now have on hand a total of $454.

The young Socialists have departments in all the Bohemian Socialist papers. In this way they constantly keep in touch with the Socialist movement, reaching not only members with news of their organizations, but also many new Socialist converts.

A national convention of the clubs will be held in Cleveland July 4, 5 and 6. One of the principal. matters to be decided will be the sending of a gymnastic team to Bohemia this fall to participate in the national contests there. At that time the Bohemians will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the burning of John Huss, who was put to death because of his religious views. It is expected to be the greatest celebration in the history of the nation. It will cost approximately $3,000 to send the team to Europe, and a bitter fight is expected on this expenditure. Those opposed to it claim that it is foolish to spend this amount in such a venture when it can be put to much better use in spreading Socialist propaganda and strengthening the organizations in this country.

One of the principal features of the young Bohemian Socialists’ activities is the holding of outings of various sorts. These events are arranged weekly and consist of picnics, excursions or walks through the country. Games and athletic contests of all kinds are held in which both girls and boys participate. The idea is to give them an opportunity for physical exercise and recreation in the fresh country air.

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/140418-partybuilder-w76.pdf