LiaaGU.s IN WEST NOTTINGHAM YOUNG SOCIALISTS
(We include this report in the Bulletin for the information and guidane of comrades in their doalings with the S.L.L.. We must stress that tho individuals concerned are young and inexperienced, that consequently, the real responsibility for the terrible action of going to the right wing bureaucrats in an attempt to stop a left wing resolution going through , rest with the local loadership of the §.L.L.. Furthermore that we mist take overy step not to be provoked by these actities into retaliation. Particularly it is important for us to protest the comrades under §.L.L. influence, no mattor how misguided they might be, from the witchhunt. We trust that comrades will treat the following information as being in confidence when it refers to people buing; members of the S.L.L.: id. Noto)
The comrades of West Nottingham Young Socialists, who had a somowhat naive outlook towards tho 5.L.L., have, over the last two months, been receiving woekly lessons on the tactics of that organisation. Trouble began shortly before 4mas when two 'Keep lefters' and one sympathiser in tho branch carefully selected a poorly attended meeting, on a cold foggy night, to foree through an 8.L.L. program of speakers and weekly anti-capitalist dances, This was inevitably amended at the following meeoting. It is notable that the £.L.L. comrades insisted on the nocessity of holding rival socials at tho same time as tho Young Socialist Federation and Y.C.N.D..
arly in January the branch hold a meoting which discussed matters relating to the Young Socialists' National and Regional conferences. The members decided unanimously to send a resolution to National Conferonce on the subject of Algeria, The resolution called for aid and support for the F.L.N. and G.P.it.A., a comrade who had spoken in support of the resolution was ovorwhelmingly elected as delegate (after ho had soconded a 'Keop Lefter' so that a vote might be taken, ) i.fter learning the Healeyite line on Algeria our socialite faction appeared at the meeting tic following week, and insisted that the previous weok's meeting was unconstitutional, as they had not been given seven days notice of the mecting (the branch meets the same night every wook: ed. note). At this stage thoy maintained that their roason for objection was that the constituency party might discover this irpogularity and so prevont a loft wing resolution from appearing on the conference agenda, They couldn't think, whon questioned, who would inform the adult party officials. It was decided that the secretary should enquire whether or not the constituonecy standing orders stated that seven days notice of resolution must be given, No reference was to be found in standing orders, and the dispute should have ended thore,
4A short time later the branch received a lotter from Simmons, the iipgional Youth Officer. The letter stated that the Regional Office had bcen informed that a considerable number of the members were dissatisfied with the manner in which the mesting in question had been convened. Tho next two woek saw the situation where League mombers wore to be seen paying regular visits to the bureaucrats at both constituency and regional level. Ono wonders if the Loague comrades wore so naive as to think the right wing buTeaucrats in the Negicnal Office too stupid to realise the great possibilitios of a full scale faction fight in a left wing Y.S. branch. We have no doubt that the right wing was most grateful to the excuse for intor ference presented to them by the 'Kea@p Left! supportors,
To cut a long story short, the squabble was terminated when the issue was put to a vote in tho branch (The 'Keep Lefters' said we could not vote on this issue). The result wis decisive, only the two S.L.L. supporters voted against a motion declaring the previous mocting valid.