Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

UNITY OF YOUTH
The Leninist YCL denounced all other movements as enemies of working-class youth.
The Popular Front YCL unequivocally rejected this notion. Young communists were
urged to work locally in "gathering of all democratic forces of youth in your area" in a
movement where "clarity, conviction and actions" were to count more than "correct"
slogans and ideology. 92 John Gollan pleaded that now was not the time to contemplate
the "maturity of ideas," but to "seek and find ways and means to speedily bring about the
betterment in life of the young generation which all of us must agree is so urgently
required." 93 Another article by Gollan reflected on the implications of this position:
Unity will win, and to all prepared to travel this road to a peace alliance, no matter who
they are, with them we will loyally work for the agreed-upon programme. They are not
asked to give up their principles. All they are asked is to unite on a common programme
of action to save all of us from destruction. 94
The mantra of the Popular Front YCL centred on identifying common goals and enemies
to initiate coordinated youth actions instead of focussing on "correct" theory and practice.
The YCL used Challenge to facilitate greater bonds and democratic discussion among
the youth, beginning a weekly "Youth Forum" column in October, 1938 that contained
guest articles from other youth leaders. This "Youth Forum" enabled "young men and
women of differing religious, political and social organisations will discuss the problems
before the young generation, and particularly the problem of genuine co-operation for
peace and social justice." 95 This column discussed British problems and solutions to
youth issues that were being advanced in other nations. A Challenge article by John
Moon, the head of the National Association of Boys’ Clubs, discussed the development
of the National Youth Administration in the US. Moon urged that a similar organization
be established in Britain in close consultation with the united youth movement. 96
The YCL's unity program promoted discrimination against Trotskyist youth. Here the
YCL's position was based on both Soviet slander and a sincere conviction that Trotskyism
was incompatible with the Popular Front. 97 Trotskyists promoted traditional Bolshevik
methods. The YCL insisted, "No democratic youth organisation will tolerate the
presence in their ranks of a known Trotskyist." 98 The YCL condemned "all expressions
of Trotskyism and the sectarianism upon which Trotskyism fastens." 99 YCL statements
further exposed how Trotskyist influences were "trying to bring about desertions and
splits in the League of Youth;" a tactic that the YCL said "no true supporter of workingclass
unity can support." 100 Such strategies were central to the old Leninist YCL, but
were now denounced during the Popular Front.
The YCL contended Trotskyism intentionally deterred the progression towards broad
unity. The Trotskyist publication Youth Militant was quoted to show the "real intent" of
Trotskyists stating, "It is the duty of Militants to carry on the exposure of these dangerous
delusions… raising the issues of class struggle and the overthrow of any government." 101
The same YCL article continued denouncing Trotskyism stating:
They called on their supporters to go into the BYPA, not with the object of co-operating
to build it, but to discredit, disrupt and wreck it… they are beginning to worm their way
89