bout a dozen mass organizations. The Socialist Unity Front is
not typical of the group, as in theory it encompasses all of the others
as well as the party--although it supports and serves the party. It
functions as a coordinating agency in such things as running the
national elections.

The largest typical groups are the General Union of Trade Unions and the
youth groups. There are three of the latter: the Union of Communist
Youth (Uniunea Tineretului Comunist--UTC), the Pioneers Organization,
and the Union of Student Associations. The UTC is a general group whose
members are between fifteen and twenty-six years of age, although
members in leadership positions may retain their affiliation beyond the
upper age limit. The pioneers are the younger children, seven through
fourteen years old; their program is designed so that they move
naturally into the UTC when they become fifteen. The student groups are
organized in universities or in schools beyond the secondary level. They
have experienced difficulties in attracting members and in persuading
those they have attracted to accept all of the principles set down for
them (see ch. 9).

The other organizations are a miscellaneous aggregation, including a
women's organization, the Red Cross, a sports and physical education
group, one that involves the various ethnic nationalities, another that
is a Jewish federation only, one that is designed to foster ties of
friendship with the Soviet Union, and one designed for the defense of
peace. Although they are highly dissimilar and vary widely in
importance, all are designed to attract groups with special fields of
interest and to guide such groups into activities that promote harmony
and order.

The labor and youth groups, in addition to being the largest, are also
those most actively charged with supporting the regime. Labor union
members are active in auxiliaries of the militia and in the military
reserves. The UTC membership spans most of the age group that is drafted
into the regular armed services and the security forces. Within the
services it forms units throughout the organizational structures that
either direct or actively assist in political indoctrination programs
and manage sports and recreational activities. Where a party cell
exists, the UTC is guided by it; where the military unit is too small to
have a party cell, the UTC functions in its place.

Youth Programs

Although the economy has improved and the intern