Joel A Lewis Youth Against Fascism.pdf

UNITY OF YOUTH
At the earliest possible moment we must overcome the fact of two political organisations
of the working-class youth… we are prepared to do everything in our power to bring
about the speediest possible unification of the Socialist Youth in our country... A few
years ago we felt ourselves to be poles apart… we were suspicious of each other, and felt
hostile one against the other... To-day we feel ourselves more and more to be comrades
in arms, close allies in a common cause, bound by a hundred ties.... We, Young Communists,
declare our readiness to amalgamate our forces with those of the LLY as a
means of achieving unification.... We are prepared to merge on the basis of the struggle
for the interests of the youth. 72
Previous proposals for unity always centred on socialist acceptance of Leninism. Popular
Front rhetoric made much broader appeals, insisting socialist unity could be based solely
on "the struggle for the interests of the youth." Gollan appealed to the LLOY for unity
stating, "The National Government and the Employers are threatening the whole future of
our generation… they are the hated and despised enemies of youth… let us unite all our
forces." 73 A united socialist youth league was the key to developing the Popular Front in
Britain.
The YCL encountered enthusiasm and support from the LLOY in their unity proposals.
CPGB documents reveal the Party also supported this initiative, contending that the
LLOY program "provides a sound platform for uniting the socialist youth of Britain." 74
In 1935 the leadership of the LLOY became frustrated with the lack of autonomy and
political support granted to them by the Labour Party. A young Labour militant named
Ted Willis was at the forefront of these critiques, insisting the Labour Party was stifling
the growth of the LLOY. Willis became receptive to YCL appeals for unity, contending
the young communists were granted greater independence and initiative than Labour
youth. 75
The Labour Party was extremely hostile to proposals of youth unity, dismissing notions
that the YCL's initiatives represented a sincere change of tactics. 76 A pamphlet
produced in 1935 denounced the Popular Front, insisting the goal of the communists was
"the complete destruction of the Industrial and Political Labour Movements." 77 Labour
posited that communists still stood for the "overthrow of the existing social system by
violence" which made any united activities incompatible between the youth. 78 As LLOY
members began working with the YCL, in direct violation of Labour Party policy, the
NEC scolded the youth in April, 1936 for claiming that is "should be a Youth Movement…
independent of the control of the Party." 79 The Labour Party National Executive
Committee (NEC) forced the LLOY's official paper, the New Nation, to fall in ideological
line with Labour's official positions against the Popular Front. 80 In reaction to this,
Ted Willis began publishing an "unofficial" newspaper for the LLOY called Advance,
reflecting the LLOY's growing support of the Popular Front.
Advance immediately came under fire by the Trotskyists and Labour's NEC as a Stalinist
and "communist front" publication, contending Willis was a pawn being used by
the YCL. 81 In retaliation, the NEC disbanded the youth National Advisory Committee in
1937 and prevented the LLOY from holding a National Conference until March, 1938. 82
87