Oscar Carlson, U.S. delegate, reports on the founding Toronto convention of the Young Workers League of Canada, claiming 400 members in 1923. Carlson was Y.P.S.L. National Secretary during the 1919 split in the Socialist Party where he sided with the Left Wing, later becoming the Secretary of the Young Workers (Communist) League, later leading its schools through much of the 20s.

‘Canada’s Red Youth’ by Oliver Carlson from Young Worker. Vol. 2 No. 4. April, 1923.

I HAVE often been desirous of getting on better terms with my friends on the other side of the border. Somehow or other I have always felt that Canada was a place where big things were done. In the days of old, many of my associates as well as myself, looked upon the Socialist Party of Canada as the finest and clearest expression of the revolutionary working class on the North American continent. More than that, I knew of the great influence which that organization had at one time had on the workers of Western Canada. I knew of the remarkable struggle that the workers of Winnipeg had put up in 1919 during the strike there; and I knew of the wonderful fighting spirit that was to be found among the miners of Nova Scotia. All this, in brief, made me feel that I was going to meet some live young workers at the first National Convention of the Young Workers League of Canada, which was held on Sunday, February 26, 1923, in Toronto, and to which I was being sent as representing the Young Workers League of America.

We gathered in one of the small halls at the national headquarters of the Workers Party. The room was cold and none too light. But what do such things matter to such a valiant group of young rebels that had assembled to launch the organization that will rally the working class youth of Canada for the struggle against Capitalism. There were ten regular delegates, representing leagues in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Timmins, Cobalt, Markrori, Green Valley, Sault Ste. Marie and Creighton Mine as well as three fraternal delegates from the Workers Party of Canada and myself.

Comrade A.T. Hill, who had been in charge of the National Bureau for the league until the time of the convention, reported that there were approximately 400 good-standing members in the organization; and that with few exceptions, all the leagues were represented at this first convention. The tasks of the Bureau had been to carry on the preliminary work of organization, and this had been done. Now the time had come when the membership of the organizations must take charge of the work themselves.

The fraternal representatives were then requested to address the convention. I had the pleasure of being the first to do so. Not only did I convey greetings and best wishes to our Canadian comrades, but I outlined some of the work and obstacles which we had been confronted with in the States. This, I told them, should help them to make a better start than we had.

Comrade Bell, representing the Workers Party of Canada, told the delegates that the Canadian Party had at last become aware of the importance of a youth movement, and as a result, was ready to help them to the fullest extent. In the Party convention, just completed, they had spent considerable time in discussing the youth problem. They were ready to work with the young comrades on the basis of organizational independence and political subordination of the League to the Party. He stressed the need of co-operation between the two organizations as well as the special tasks that confronted the revolutionary youth of Canada.

Following these speeches and the report of the Provisional Bureau as the membership, status, and organization that rouse assembled to launch the activities of the Leagues up to the time of the convention, Comrade Mrs. Gustanes, who had just returned from an extended trip throughout Europe and had here been present at the meetings of the various international Communist Congresses in Moscow, gave a most interesting report on what the young Communists of Russia and other countries were doing. She told of her discussions with Schueller, a member of the Executive Committee of the Young Communist International and how he had stressed the need of developing a militant movement among the young on this side of the Atlantic.

“A mass movement of the young, embracing all youthful workers and proletarian students, that is what we must strive for,” were the words of Schueller, according to Mrs. Gustanes. She further told of the need for reaching the children, too. By combining work with play, she thought we could accomplish the maximum of good. Activity above all should distinguish the younger organizations from those of the adults.

Then came the election of committees and adjournment for eats. When we reconvened the committee on Program, Manifesto and Resolutions was the first to report. It recommended that the basic points which it submitted be accepted as the basis for the Manifesto and the Program, but that the National Executive Committee, in conjunction with the CEC of the Party complete the same.

The manifesto is to be in simple language and deals primarily with the economic, social and political conditions of the working class youth of Canada. A special manifesto on Anti-Militarism, dealing more specifically with the invasion of the Ruhr by France and the delicate international situation, was also presented. Both of these were adopted with but little discussion.

The program will be short; and is rather one of principles than a complete outline of the various kinds of work to be undertaken by the League. Possibly the most important thing about it was that it declared for direct affiliation with the Young Communist International (from which greetings to the convention had been received) and calling the League the YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF CANADA. There was a considerable amount of discussion on this point, but it was accepted by a unanimous vote. Hence, from now on our Canadian comrades are to be known as the Young Communist League of Canada and not merely as the Young Workers of Canada. In reference to this point, I can say that I spoke for and urged the change of name.

Various resolutions on Education as well as many other important points were also adopted. The Constitution, modelled somewhat after the fashion of ours, placed the minimum age limit at 15 years, with no maximum. The National Executive Committee shall consist of five members. No reference to foreign language branches is made in their constitution, but it was understood that when a group of young workers cannot be organized into an English speaking group that it is permissible for them to use the language they understand until such time as they have mastered the English language.

Many other matters were taken up, which need not be mentioned here. Then came the election of the National Executive Committee, which consists of Comrades Hill, Roberts, Alquist, Rosen and Steinberg plus one member appointed by the Central Executive Committee of the Workers Party of Canada. Their national headquarters will be located in Toronto.

The meeting closed with short speeches by various delegates. Everyone felt that much work had been accomplished, with a minimum amount of debate. Nearly every delegate came to the convention prepared to lay the foundations for a militant movement of the exploited youth of Canada, and consequently, they were much more interested in outlining plans and getting back to work than in needless “rag-chewing.” I hope that our comrades will also become aware of that act.

Although the convention was a decided success, and though its decisions were of far-reaching importance, still that alone does not spell success. However, I for one feel confident that when the second national convention of the Young Communist League of Canada takes place, it will not be a mere handful, but a large number of fearless and capable young rebels, representing an organization that will be known from coast to coast, and to which large masses of the young will already be looking for leadership and inspiration in the bitter struggles yet to come. I feel that way because every delegate at the first convention went away determined to put into ACTION the policies decided upon there. The RED YOUTH OF CANADA has mobilized! From now on its army will grow and grow until it breaks the fetters of wage slavery forever.

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 when it moved to New York City and remained in print until 1937. 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/v2n04-apr-1923-yw-G-LB.pdf