 In 1928, Matthews was one of approximately 500 delegates to the first World Youth Peace Congress, held in the Netherlands.He was elected as chairman of the gathering and later earned plaudits for his efficient conduct of the group's sessions.While Matthews' support of the 1924 La Follette presidential bid marked his first formal left-wing political activity, his real political career began in the summer of 1929 when he was named one of two Executive Secretaries of the pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation (FIR).