The Young Socialists: a Plan for Survival

(Editorial notes this statement was draw up by Martin Presmge of the Oldbury and Halesmwen Young Socialists as a contribution to the discussion of the future of the Young Socialists. We are aware that there are many controver= sial ideas in the draft and, accordingly, would welcome comment and further discussion, ) "The Labour Party Young Socialists is in danger of collapse for the following reasons $ (1) The movement has never been consulted at any time with a view to solving its problems, and specifically was not consulted on the change in its constitution, (2) Due to the changes in consti fon recently agreed by the Labour Party Conference, active members of the movement see no political future in the Y.S. and will leave to devote their energies to the adult movementeces (3) The movement has no p2id permanent officials at regional level, Assistant Regional Organisers are too busy and often ill-equipped to act as organisers of a youth movemente (4) The lack of purpose of regional conferences, and the lack of power of regional committees of the movement, coupled with a non-existent area organ= isation, means that branches are forcal to function merely as isolated unitsSeeece (5) The average age of the movement is too low, and the Y.S, is often treated as a children's, rather than a youth movementesece "We believe that the movement can be a successful organisation within the Labour Party, provided that..the Party"(recognises)" that the movement must, in the main, be responsible for its own organisation, and by the Y.S,. that participation in a privileged section of the Labour Party" (presupposes) "certain responsibilities. "We believe that the following actions should be taken at the earliest possible moment by the Labour Party: (a) The age limit of the movement should be raised to 30, and the N.E.C. should use all its influence to induce members of the Labour Party to join the movement. This step would greatly increase the membership of the Y.Se, bring in more politically mature members, and reduce the influence of political extremists in the younger Y.S, members. (b) A regional and national levy should be imposed on each branch, on the basis of membership. A minimum membership figure should be included in the consitution of Y.S. branches. This would give the Y.S, more responsibilities and a certain amount of financial freedom. ‘Rotten branches! would be discouraged, and Annual Conference, and other conferences, would be more representative of the true membership of the Y.S. (c) Paid, permanent regional and national officials must be appointed to be responsible solely on the organisation of the youth movementeecceee (a) Regional committees of Young Socialists, should be made responsible, with the Regional Youth Officer, for all Y.S. organisation in the region, and should be given control of a fund created from the regional levy. (4) All branches should be required to register annually with the Regional Youth Officer, and to submit a report of their activities to hime.. (f) A national Young Socialists! newspaper should be set up under the editorship of a sub-committee of the Y.S. National Committee, The movement should accept financial responsibility for the running of the newspaper, and the sub-committee would accept responsibility for editorial policyeeees (h) The right of a Y.S. branch to decide its own delegate to conference and right of conference to discuss all relevant resolutions must be restoredeses