The pathetic attempt by the Tories to creat some kind of a new inage with the so-called National Incomes Commission is so obviously a mere gimmick to try to keep wages down that even Voodeak, general secretary of the T.U.C. and no left winger, turned it down flat. As Woodcock pointed out, in practice the body fer from being an incomes commission will concern itself with one type of iacome only - that of wages. Thinly disguised is the fact that it will be a propaganda device to mobilise ‘public opinion' against wage settlements which have won by decisive action of sections of the working class, e.g., the dockers victory. In this way the Tories, no doubt, would like to give a regectable veneer to the press campaigns on this subject,
In itself this gimmick is likely to be quite ineffective but it could mark a stage in the development of real ‘incomes policy', one which would have tooth in the form of legislation against unofficial strikes, etc. 'Public opinion! is of course what the Tory minded press creates through its distortions, and if 'public opinion! impressed upon the Commission that wage settlement after settlonont was not in the national interest, the stage w pid be set under pressure of this same 'public opinion' to legislate. Like every tiie Tories do it is on the one hand basically in the overall interests of the capitalist class, and on the other is as a result of various pressures on the Government. Just now, while the by-elections have made the Tories want to adopt more 'popular' policies, they had to give an undertaking to the I.M.F. to continue with an incomes policy before the 'stand—by' agreement could be made.
The series of measures and the Government changes will do nothing to solve the crisis of British capitalism or its political expression the crisis of policy inside the Tory Party. Sooner or later the Tories will be forced to take nore decisive action — which will boil down to an attack on the working class in one form or another. 3ither that or make way for a Labour Government which at present the capitalist class is not prepared to risk. No matter what happens the task of marxists must be to help to create a situation where first, sectors of the working class, and then the decisive sections of the working class draw the correct conclusions -— and from this a mass socialist consciousness emerges.
Young Socialists coming out of the "Save the Young Socialists" rally caused a panic reaction by the police. By coincidence well over 200 of them turned out just as Mosley arrived at his H.Q., two doors down from Denison House where the meeting was held, just back from his unsuccessful attempt to speak in Trafalgar Square. The polico mst have thought that this sudden descent was a detachnent from the crowd which had broken up the fascist meeting in Trafalgar nquare. Anyway, tha started issuing instructions left, right and centre about getting a move on, and were in such confusion, that when they sent people along one side of the road, the people were blocked éthor police who told them to go back again. Not unnaturally when word got around what was happenning, the Young Socialists didn't 'get a move on' and were determined to take advantage of their proxinity to the fascist H.Q. to add their voice to the protest against fascism, Things reached such a state of confusion that the police sent for mounted reinforcoments.e. Theserode in and out of the crowd in an attempt to enforce dispersion end acted in the typical cellous way the police have when dealing with left wing demonstrators. At least one person was dragged off held by four policemen, and if there wasn't a large number of people hurt by the horses it was pure luck. It was altogether and interesting, and for some who had not scen the police in act= ion before,an enlightoning experience.
Arising out of spontaneous reaction by Young Socialists and others an ad hoc organisation has been formed to orgnaise a meeting of protest for Sunday the 29th of July. Leaflets have been produced, slogans whitewashed and a series of preparatory open-air meetings held. Along with this the Young Socialists have organised a petition campaign in support of Fenner Brockway's Bill to outlaw rac= ialism. The petition also asks for donations which will be givon 'to the victins of fascism'. It is hoped to have repesentatives of the Labour Party, Trades Council, etc. speaking at the meeting.
ans ~*~ N.U.C. introduces 'guilt by association! proposal.
Thwarted in its attempt to purge the four sponsors of the Moscow Peace Conference, the right wing struck back by making a proposal to amend the const ution of the Party which would almost give the right wing a blank cheque to expel who they liked. Adopted by 16 votes to nine, the proposal would make 'assocjation with' proscribed bodies a crime punishable by expulsion from the Labour Party. In tho broad labour movement of Britain with Communist Party members, and other proscribed organisations! supporters, active in the trade union branches, etc., it is virtually impossible to consistently be on the left without ‘associating' with menbers of proscribed organisations.
The move was opposed by the left, and two attempts were made to modify the proposals by putting in 'persistently' or ‘actively supporting' instead of mere 'association'. Fred Mulley, right wing member of the Clerical and Administrative Workers' Union proposing the first, and Harry Nicholas of the T.G.W.U. putting the latter. The left wing proposed the reference back of the organisation subcommittee's report and this was supported by Crossman. Indeed, the latter writing tn the Guardian of 27/1/62 launched a bitter attack on the proposal under the heading an 'Insulting anachronism'. Comrades should cet hold of this article and use the information and arguments it contains to the full.
The proposal will need a two-thirds majority to be adopted and it would scem likely that the million odd votes of the T.G.W.U. will be cast against. This Gives both the possibility and absolute necessity of defeating this vicious attack on democratic rights. As much noise as possible needs to be made on this question and despite the start of the holiday season no effort should be spared in getting the maximum protest against this move. "Save the Young Socialists" meeting packed
The room booked at Denison House last Sunday for the above meeting was so well attended that there was standing room only. Will Griffiths was the main speaker (although he seemed to be under some inisapprehension as to what meeting he was attending), Dick Clements, editor of Tribune chaired and two members of the National Committee of the Young Socialists (one of whom has been suspended) also spoke. There was also a considerable amount of time given over to discussion from the floor.. The audience was predominatly Young Socialist with a sprinkling of members from the adult party. The meeting was not really conclusive and such propasals as were made were of general kind, e.g., that the Young Socialists should integrate themselves in the adult party. However, even the following of these recommendations would have a powerful effect in the struggle against the witch hunt as there were comrades from many parts of the country,in addition to pretty well every area of London. It was announced that this was to be the first of a series of meetings to be held up and down the country commencing in the Autumn, i. campaign on these lines would be useful and would probably have more effect in the provinces. When leaving,the audience got involved in the anti-foscist activity and a report of this is given elsewhere in the Bulletin. llorseyside protest meeting against Young Socialist witch hunt by V. (Liverpool)
Readers will know that one of the four suspended members of the Young socialist National Committee is Liz Thompson,the North West Regional Representative and Secretary of the Merseyside Federation and the Wigan Y.S. A protest meeting arranged by the Federation 2.C. was held in Liverpool at the Walker Art Gallery on Sunday July 22nd, the speakers being Liz Thompson herself and Tommy Birch, the Vigan Youth Officer. The meeting was open to all young Socialists and Party members in the North West and about 100 actually attended.
Liz Thompson gave a full account of her grilling by George Brown and his investigating committee and two resolutions were passed. One, calling for the reinstatement of democratically elected representative was carried unanimously by the Young Socialists present. The other, deploring . the attack on democracy was passed by the whole meeting with only one abstention. Although called to defond party democracy the meeting developed at one stage into a chorus of praise for the Wigan Y.S. A climax was reached when the principal speaker was interrupted by fervid cries of agreement from her mother who, as it happenned, was seated in the front row. A further speaker maintained that Liz Thompson was the only person capable of leading a mass youth movement in the Labour Party. One or two comrades attempted to keep the discussion on general lines, and pressed for a proper delegate meeting; but they were accused of splitting the movement at a time of crisis. b Despite these sectarian aspects, however, the meeting was an advance in the fight against the witch—-hunt.