YS members spoke in the panel discussions on their experiences both in strengthening the discipline and efficiency of Pathfinder's printshop, which produces the revolutionary periodicals and books that working people need, and in working-class fights like the battle for a union at Dakota Premium Foods in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In addition, two YS meetings took place during the conference. The first was an expanded National Committee meeting that voted to dissolve the NC and elect a new leadership body called the National Leadership Council, which incorporates those leading the most important political fights and activities of the organization. The second was a meeting of the YS membership and those at the conference who were considering joining the organization. Over the course of the conference, four young people requested to join the YS.

At both meetings, the YS was able to generalize the lessons from its recent accomplishments and gain a deeper understanding of the type of youth organization needed in the fight for a workers and farmers government in the United States.

Much of the discussion at the two meetings centered on the importance of building an organization of cadres. Doug Nelson reported on this theme. "This means maximizing the development of political consciousness, discipline, selflessness, and competence of every individual member," he stated.

"We will see great openings and mass social protests," he continued. "In this context a cadre organization will be able to expand rapidly and lead broad layers of youth to join the working class and farmers in their fight for socialism."

In the meetings the YS recognized that there are two main places it is developing cadre today.

One is in Pathfinder's printshop, working alongside members of the Socialist Workers Party from different generations. The Pathfinder printshop produces books by revolutionary leaders that workers and their allies need in order to fight effectively. Reporting on this in the leadership meeting, Olympia Newton said, "We have decided to concentrate some of our leadership in the printshop. The hours are long and the work requires a high level of discipline. YS members are helping to lead the printshop in building a disciplined, efficient factory today.

"YS members have taken on responsibilities in organizing production, training, and increasing our efficiency," said Newton. "Members of the YS are part of the leading body of the printshop and also make up two out of three members of the probation committee, which is responsible for integrating new employees into the shop, monitoring their speed of training, safe work habits, and discipline."

The other place where the accelerated development of cadre can be seen is in joint fractions with the Socialist Workers Party, like in St. Paul, Minnesota, where YS members are involved in the fight for a union with vanguard workers at Dakota Premium Foods. Newton stated in the National Committee meeting, "We need to internalize the fight at Dakota Premium. We have YS members in the center of real class battles. They are working with a cross-section of comrades with decades of experience."

YS member Roberta Niles said, "The future of the YS is in the front row of that picture of Local 789," referring to the young workers from the meatpacking plant in a photo taken the night before the union victory there. "I have been in the YS only eight months and I have learned from this experience. Other members here in the Twin Cities involved in this fight have transformed themselves through participating with their co-workers in struggle."  
 
Reaching out to farmers
Justin Hovey commented, "My parents are farmers, and I know how important the struggle of working farmers is today. In Alabama we have been working with some of the farmers from the BFAA [Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association]. I'd like to know what YS members are doing to reach out to farmers."

Amy Roberts, a newly elected member of the YS National Leadership Council and participant in the fight at Dakota Premium, where she works, responded, "The Twin Cities chapter of the YS is learning to work together as part of a broader vanguard. Our next step in the Dakota fight is winning a contract. As part of that, we will figure out how to reach out to working farmers. They're an important part of the class struggle in Minnesota."

Young Socialist Arrin Hawkins had just returned from a July 26 rally in Denver of coal miners on strike against P&M mines in Wyoming and New Mexico, where she talked with young workers interested in revolutionary politics.

The meetings discussed the involvement of the YS in working-class struggles breaking out around the world. A YS member from the United Kingdom, Frances Smith, reported that she was on a team that sold 120 Militants at a plant gate in Scotland. "The best way to recruit is through talking to workers in struggle, it convinced me to join the YS," she said.

Nelson also spoke on the themes of discipline, comradeship, and recruitment. "What we see growing in the YS is a craving for this discipline, driven by our increased confidence and imagination of what we can accomplish together. We are breaking down the different prejudices that exist among many young people and learning to relate to each other in an objective, undifferentiated way as fellow fighters and comrades. This is a precondition for building a proletarian youth organization."

"Our biggest problem is the same that faces the working class: not recognizing what we're fully capable of. Understanding this doesn't come by will or explanation, but through experiences like those we are part of today."

The YS took steps just before and coming out of the conference to put itself in a better position to respond to the increased openings to build the organization. YS members Roberto Guerrero and Romina Green have transferred to Des Moines, Iowa, to be part of building a fraction in the meatpacking plants there. Arrin Hawkins was transferred from Twin Cities to Chicago to help build the chapter there, and another YS member left Los Angeles to be part of the Twin Cities chapter.

The National Leadership Council elected a National Executive Committee of five: Jason Alessio, Doug Nelson, Olympia Newton, Jacob Perasso, and Elena Tate.  
 
 
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