Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

UNITY OF YOUTH
nists made for a united front." 134 The NSL continued promoting unity with socialist
students during the National Student Strike Against War in April, 1934. The success of
the student strike led the NSL and SLID to begin discussions of amalgamating their
organizations. The NSL and SLID recognized they could have a larger impact on student
politics by uniting their small organizations.
It was at this time that the YCL began to slowly shift its rhetoric closer to the populist
outlook of the NSL. The YCL praised the NSL's initiatives in building progressive
influence and consensus politics among the youth. When the Young Worker announced
the April, 1934 Campus Strike Against War, it recognized the event as a joint venture of
both the NSL and SLID. This article did not attack either the NSL or SLID for taking up
this effective joint venture which was a new phenomenon for YCL rhetoric. 135 This trend
towards unity and populism continued in the YCL press throughout 1934. Articles
highlighted youth initiatives that "have as its aim the unity of the youth in the struggle
against war and fascism," toning down previous class centred and oppositional rhetoric. 136
The YCL used consensus political rhetoric to describe the first meeting of the American
Youth Congress in August, 1934. The AYC concept was initiated by Viola Lima, a
young woman who had just returned from a cordial visit to Nazi Germany. Communist
and socialist delegates questioned Lima's motivations, contending she intended to transform
the AYC into a fascist organization. The radical students convinced the majority of
organizations to draw up a new AYC program, undermining Lima's leadership. 137 The
YCL praised this event as "the most important" event for youth since the delegates had
successfully "united their forces to smash a budding fascist youth movement." The YCL
deducted that such consensus tactics were effective in facilitating the "coordination of
forces against unemployment, fascism and war." 138 The AYC represented "the first
manifestation of the popular front in the youth movement" within the United Stated and
the international youth movement. 139 With the establishment of the AYC, the YCL
shifted its focus away from the communist dominated American League Against War and
Fascism and into more authentic and representative youth bodies. 140
The AYC brought together diverse elements of the American youth prior to the Popular
Front. The second meeting of the AYC was held in Detroit on July 4, 1935. At this
meeting the national executive held a special symposium, inviting top representatives
from the Socialist, Communist, Democrat and Republican Parties to address the question
of "The Position of my Party on the Program of the American Youth Congress." This
symposium facilitated significant communication across political lines on youth issues. 141
Just prior to the Detroit Congress, Gil Green praised how young people from "varied
walks of life" were able to come together to "discuss their common problems – their
traditional right to life, liberty and the pursuit happiness." 142 Once the Congress was over,
a Young Worker headline boldly declared that over one million US youth had achieved
complete organizational unity. 143 Later in July, Gil Green made appeals to the YPSL for
greater unity. Green claimed the AYC taught both the YPSL and YCL "valuable les-
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