Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

YOUTH AGAINST FASCISM
sons" about unity; the YCL was now using "numerous occasions publicly" to criticize
their past mistakes and to show "its sincere and consistent efforts to achieve unity." 144
The NSL and SLID capitalized upon the success of the AYC to advance their proposals
for amalgamation. In September, 1935 communist and socialist student representatives
met to recommend "immediate unification… to their respective conventions" to
create the American Student Union. 145 The YCL propagated that they would not ask
students to adopt "a Communist program," but that they wished only for the ASU to be
"opposed to war and fascism" since American students could all agree on a minimal
program of "struggle for the defence of peace." 146 Upon returning from the YCI Congress
in Moscow, Gill Green praised the ASU initiative as a "merger that will create tremendous
enthusiasm in the ranks of youth and attract thousands who today remain outside of
our respective organizations." Green contended that youth unity stemmed from mutual
recognition that fascism threatened "the very existence of humanity, of culture and of
progress." 147
Joint youth activities produced dramatic results that were not previously possible.
After the student Armistice Day protests of 1935, the YCL observed the "anti-war
movement is too powerful, too militant and purposeful to be evaded" which culminated
in a series of meetings with President Roosevelt and "a greater spirit of cooperation from
school administrators." 148 The YCL contended the ASU was vital for "the whole growing
peoples movement against fascism and war;" it represented a true "coalition of every
progressive force on campus against every reactionary force or interest affecting the
student body." 149 The ASU quickly became the most influential Popular Front youth
organization in the United States.
The YCL and YPSL achieved poor results in unity initiatives between their organizations
outside of the ASU and AYC. The YPSL dismissed many of the YCL's proposals
for amalgamation. Gil Green outlined a unity program intended to create a "genuine nonparty
youth organization." The unified league would utilize "the greatest diversity of
organizational forms." International affiliation would "be decided democratically by both
organizations after joint discussion." 150 Kuusinen urged the YCL and YPSL to reject
their "separate identity," forming a new league that would reject "the principles of
democratic centralism," opting instead for a "self-imposed discipline" and a "greater
degree of autonomy." Under the unity proposals, the YCL and the YPSL would "cease to
exist," leaving only a "single unified youth league" in the United States. 151
The YPSL exhibited an extremely hostile and unreceptive attitude towards the YCL's
proposals. Ironically, the YPSL was shifting its outlook towards traditional Leninist
outlooks it had previously scorned the YCL for. The YPSL mocked Gil Green in its
press, referring to him as "Ex-Revolutionary Green." They further denounced his new
positions for rejecting the YCL's "working-class character" and for asserting that a new
organization should "cease to be a disciplined movement." 152 A similar article from the
Young Circle League asserted the YPSL was correct in rejecting YCL unity. The Young
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