ide Notes The following report was written spocially for the Bullotin by a delegates to the conference — the comrade also sold twulve copies of the Fourth Intcrnational at the conferences.
Attendance was in the region of 80-90 (a record). Fraternal addresses were delivered by Tony Greenwood, M.P., N.A.L.S.0. pros ident ; Alan I‘ullarky, on chalf of the Young Socialists; J. Collins, on bohalf of the Vo—op movements; Fred Mulloy, M.P., on behalf of the N..i.C. of the Labour Party; Wolfgang Ilitsch, for the S.D.5.3 and an Indian womrade of the I.U.Y.5.
Broadly, the right wing numbered only some half dozen but avowed marxists wore in the minority among the rest.
A motion deploring the refusal of tho Parliamentary Labour Party to condemn nuclear tocting by the West, was carried nem. con, and one calling on the Labour Party to support popular action against them, with one against. Only one supporter of Polaris bases declared himself and a resolution from Liverpool affirming suvport for the 'Blackpool! defence policy was defeated (13 -52).
-. motion affirming complete support for the aims and methods of the Committse of 100 was defeated (13-39 with 8 abstentions). Ksolc's motion deplori~ ; ng proposed intervention by C.N.D. candidates was carried (50-15 with 10 abstentions) on the grounds that it would split the labour movement. Alan Williams of Transport House hinted that unless tho motion was passed, Labour Party gold would be cut off!
A resolution urging cooperation with the neutralist nations was carried (45 - 12, 14 abstentions) in face of criticism of repressive regimes in many of thom. The resolution on the Common Market, carried 53 - 10, with 10 abstentions, was as followss
"N.A.L.S.0. urges the Labour Party to oppose Britain's entry into the Common Market on the following grounds:
The Treaty of Rome indicates thats
(a) The essential basis of the Suropean Bconomic Community is competition which mst necessarily prevent the establishment of a genuine socialist society, founded on the principles of co-operation, in member states. ie
(b) All mombor—statos will...lose....financial control, which is nocessary prerequisite for building a socialist economy,
(c) It will become increasingly difficult for momber states to follow an independent..foreign policy.
(a) (provisions) for internal security...might involve a future Labour Government in the suppression of democratic movements in “urope.
Far from uniting Suropa, the 3.4.C. intensifies the present divi-ions imposed on tho peoples of urope by the cold war.this.....weakens the prospect of international socialism......ewill (not)....solve the intsrnal economic diffulties created by Conservative mismanagoment...e.ewe consider that the 3.8.C. is primarily he economic manifestation of the militaristic policies of N.A.T.0.. Furthermore it is a mechanism for the political, social and oconomic injustices of ‘ropean capitalism..." moved by Cambridge.
The discussion itself was not on a high level. Sconomic arguments of a nebulous kind prevailed, in national,rather than class, terms. liany comrades who did not get a chance to speak believed discussion should be conducted in the light of almost certain entry, An emergency resolution, framed by your correspon~ dent, was put down, with strong support from the marxist wing. reading:-
"N.A.L.5.0. considers the §.4.C., is a reorganisation of capitalism to bolster it at the expense of the working classes, Thorefore, in the event of the Tory Government taking “ritain into the 2.N.C. a corresponding reorganisation of the labour movements will bo urgently necessary.
To this end N.A.L.5.0. advocatess
(a) That education work be done, to demonstrate that the pay—pause is a proliminary manifestation of what we might face.
(b) That the T.U.G. consider calling an International conference to form jturopoan trade unions to combat capitalist Gurope.
(c) That in tho event of entry it will be necessary to form a united left front working for a united socialist #urope."
moved by Nottingham, L.S.. and Loeds)
On grounds of lack of tims, and that the 0.:3.9. had already bsen discussed, conference (this was 10.45 stig’) decided not to put the motion (28 — 24)..6 Conference continued for a further hour to discuss Welsh T.V. and Sunday drixore
#6.3.0. 1962 conference continued/
Debates on N.S.D.C,. and'Signposts! wero of a high level. N.A.L.5.0. condemned T.U.C. for joining the N.}.D.C. (31 - 21, 14 abstontions) and affirmed support for industrial action to combat tho pay pause (46 - 5, 16 abstentions). 'Signposts! was criticised for boing vajue and lacking theoretical basis, and a motion urging support for it, and an end to "factional battles" was doefoatod (25 — 38, 2 abstentions),
Support for tho 5.D.S. in their struggle with tho S.P.D. and the I.U.Y.5. was oxpressed unanimously. Wolfgang l'itsch, fraternal delegate, hopod 5.D.5. and the 'official' youth organisation, itself moving left, could yst get together. He did not fancy a now left party boing formed on the grounds that it would be infiltratod with Communists as, he claims tho D.F.U. (German peace union),is.
Confersnce voted for tho uxpulsion of tho Mollet youth organisation from I.U.Y.S., in favour of tho P.3.U., nom. con, N.A.L.S.0. condomnod the immigration Bill and callod on the Labour Party to launch an oxtra-parliamentary educational campaign against it, unanimously.
Tho education debate was of a high standard showing awareness that prejudice in the education system could not bo divorecd from social pressures as a whole.,, Tho comprehensive school idea was supported while reoconzising that at prosont ho 'deformed! by tho results of competition with grammar and public schools.
Gonferenco oxpressed unanimoulsy support for the Young Socialists in their struggle for autonomy and condemned intorfonunce by officials and iiegional Youth officers (2 against). Alan Williams, rotiring Youth officor said he favoured more automony and admitted sertain Regional officers wore not fitted for thoir posts. The Hull resolution advocating a merger of N.A.L.S.0. and the Young Socialists was defeated overwhelmingly with a numbor of abstentions.
A motion demanding the romoval from N.A.L.5.0. constitution of the clause restricting delegates to individual membors of the Labour Party was defeated, 3 for 12 abstontions. Alan Williams made the N.11.C.'s position cloar — thoy did not insist on actual mombership but delegates must not be ‘ineligible! Undoubtedly, fcar of being cut off from the Labour Party was a major factor in defeating the motion.
On Party domocracy, conference deplored tho refuaal of the N.u.C. to cndorse lirnie Robert's candidature (3 against). Howovor the motion condemning the expulsion of Jack Shepperd was defeated by a two to one ratio. It was said that Sheppard is at present supporting the candidature of Lort-Phillips (Liberal) for the Pombroko constituency.
Conference sent messages of support to the Algerian people, the Commit tee for the Restobation of Democracy in Pakistan, and tho studont domonstrations to be held in the U.S.A. on the day atmosphoric testing is resumed by tho West. There were many other resolutions on the agenda, mostly of an irrolevant and trivial kind.
Organisationally, N.A.L.S.0. is in a bad way, though membership is up to 5,700, being in the red and thus not able to undertake much activity. Glarion, the magazine, is being wound up, now that many universities produce their own mas. It is hoped that News of Nalso will bocome a 4 page broadsheet of an organisational nature, appearing throo timos a torm and selling at ld.
liike Rustin was elected the new chairman. Overall impression was that while satisfactorily loft noises were made, not much action can be expected from N.AoL.5.0. as an organisation, in the near futuro, DO YOU KNOW FRENCH?
We are urgently in need of translatozs from French into Unglishe Anyono who can help in this respect should inform us immediatoly. You can do a really worthwhile political job of work in this respect, ABOUT THIS ISSUG OF THS BULLUTIN
There is unfortuaately a preponderance of long articles in this issuo. This has meant that many smaller itoms,have buen crowded out. However tho big articlos contain iformation which is roadily available from any other sources and wo trust comrades will apprecints the reasons for publishing them. Part two of the 'Battle of Radcliffe! (the most interesting part) will appear in the noxt issae.
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