Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

NATIONALISM
constitution stated, "The American people will realize tomorrow its historic American
dream—a land of a free and equal people, of peace and plenty, a land of Socialism." 87
YCL propaganda ceased to demonize American national traditions, instead positing that
US States political culture and traditions represented universal progressive values.
The associational rhetorical techniques used by the YCLGB to demonize Chamberlain
were adapted to American conditions by the YCLUSA in support of the Roosevelt
administration and the New Deal. Popular Front propaganda associated Roosevelt's New
Deal program as the personification of the "will of the people." The American YCL
adopted slogans of "constructive associations," portraying themselves as allies of Roosevelt
and the American people as the New Deal increasingly came under attack. The YCL
insisted, "Big Business forces in America are utilizing the crisis to defeat the progressive
measures of the Roosevelt administration and negate the will of the people… they are
now out to spike the President's proposals at all costs." 88 The YCL also scorned "left
opponents" of the New Deal and Roosevelt:
Today, we support the New Deal, and some socialists are completely confused. They
overlook the new factor, that today Big Business has split away from the New Deal and
is its most bitter enemy. This change in class relationships changes everything, and only
a foolish pedant or an enemy of the people would apply the same formulations to the
New Deal today as in 1933. 89
The YCL expressed it was its duty to help "the process of lining up all reactionaries in
one party and the progressive majority of the people who support the New Deal, the CIO
program, the American Youth Congress program, in another party." 90 In addressing the
World Youth Congress, the YCL associated the New Deal with the aspirations of the
youth and as the embodiment of the American democratic spirit articulating, "The
American youth of today is a different kind of youth than you may have heard about. It
is the youth… which wants a new deal, wants to preserve democracy and wants to enjoy
it." 91 The YCL continued to critique some elements of Roosevelt's administration, but
generally contended that the New Deal represented the national "will of the youth" and
"the people" and deserved YCL support. 92
During the 1938 election the YCL shifted the emphasis of its domestic political rhetoric
to nationalist appeals of citizenship. The YCL insisted active citizenship and participation
in national politics were vital elements of the anti-fascist struggle. Popular Front
rhetoric asserted the YCL was "the best organization in America giving youth training in
the principles of American citizenship." 93 Reflecting upon the results of the 1938 election,
Carl Ross lamented that the "education of young voters in their responsibilities as
citizens remains a central problem of the progressive camp… it would appear that the
large percentage of young voters still do not vote!" 94 In 1939 YCL statements took on an
increasingly patriotic tone with statements like, "Our members are not only good citizens
of the YCL but loyal intelligent citizens of the United States of America." 95 Such slogans
were framed to deflect the attacks of "redbaiters" and to counter the tactics that anti-New
Deal forces were employing for the upcoming 1940 election:
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