Vol. 1. No. 28 Price Threepence ‘July 2nd 1962 NOW STAGE IN FIGHT AGAINST TH WITCH-HUNT
The climb dowm by the N.3.C. of the Labour Party over the four sponsors of the Moscow Peace Sonference represents an important victory. The determination of the Gaitskell wing to go ahead with the purge is shown by the 11-10 vote on the question of moving against Russell on the grounds of non-payment of subs. iiveryone is aware of the hypocrisy of this move and yet 10 people on the N.L.C. were prepared to use it. However the climb~down and the retreat stage by stage from the original proposals to immediately expel the four represents a considerable thwarting of the plans of the Gaitskell/Brown axis.
Those members of the right wing who did not support the extreme fomof witch-hunt are frightened of the effects of a thorough going purge, but also to a certain extent they are a tendency which leans on the left. The Crossman types owe their position to the fact that can mancouvre on the basis of left wing pressyre on the leadership. They want to keep the left inside the Party so long as it is under control. In a period of upsurge in the workers! movenent they would make some left noises and they realise that a left is necessary for them to adapt themselves to such a situation. The Gaitskell/Brown tendency, on the whole, do not visualise such an eventuality at all - they are frank and determined representatives of move to turn the Party away from all the'old-fashioned' kind of socialism. The left is main obstacle to this, but maybe the Crossmans realise that after the left had gone they would have to reappraise their position in light of a rapid evolution to the right. In such an evolution there would be no place for a Crossman tendency.
Whilst we should recognise the role played in this by the barrage of resolutions, protests, etc., in stiffening the left on the N.u.C., making others hesitate and generally making things difficult for the purgers, we cannot be complacent. The attack continues against the Young Socialists; Keep Left have been proscribed and its supporters are facing disciplinary action, four members of the National Committee of the Young Socialists have been suspended and face further investigation, and three other mombers of that National Committee had to give guarantees (including that of not participating in 'factional' activities) before thoy could attend the much delayed National Committee meeting.
The left should use the climb down . over the four to the maximum to seek force some concessions on the Young Scoialist front. A fresh round of protests and resolutions should go forward — the N.E.C. have shown tolerance and commonsense over Russell, Collins, “oottton and Chorley, we calli upon them to show the same tolerance and commonsense in relation to the Young Socialists. A mighty campai - n on these lines would succeed in ispjating the witch-hunters completely. We mst insist on the commoners getting the same treatment as the lords, Hand in hand with this should go an attack on the whole system of proscriptions,each Labour Party organisation should ask for a list of proscribed organisations, and when this list is read out, laugh it out of court. In this new situation, which has led to a change in the atmosphere of the Labour Party, we have a great opportunity to inflict a big defeat on the Gaitskell clique and to strengthen the whole position of the left and the Young Socialists. .