N.A.L.5.0, School against U.S. intervention
Two moves were made at the Kessingland Summer school to express oppositio#° any kind of attack against Cuba by the U.S. imperialists. The first was a general resolution oppssing intervention which was passed by a meeting of participants (with only one or two votes against and a handful of abstentions) with the idea of this being sent to Cuban -imbassy, U.%. .imbassy, etc. The second was orgenised by two Italian delegates to the school who collccted the signatures of participants to the following:
"The International Socialist youth Seminar which has met at Kessingland from the 7th to 14th Septmeber, expresses its solidarity and unconditional support for the Cuban Socialist Revolution, the tulwark of the struggle for the freedom of the Latin American countries, in the forefront of ihe struggle against American imperialism.
"We oppose the continuing threat of aggression to the freedom of Cuba on the part of mercenaries in the pay of American imperialism.
"We register our determination as intornationalists to fight for the building of Socialism in each and every country, and the overthrow of capitalism," West Indians demonstrate outside U.%3. lmbassy
liombers of the West Indian Committee for National Sovereignty, which has members from all the Caribbean territories controlled by British imperialisn, last week organised a "Hands Off Cuba" poster parade and demonstration outside the U.S. ‘imbassy in London. Among the posters carried were ones roading: "Viva Cuba Socialista," "Yankees Leave Cuba jlone," and "Cuba ‘fants Trade Not ar." A.i.U. call for industrial action if Ai.ericans invade
At its last meeting the Gladstone Park, No.2 branch of the Amalgamated unginsering Union protested against the campaign against Cuba by the U.S. imperialists, and demanded that the T.U.C. should warn tho Government that industrial action would follow armed intervontion by the U.S. Government in Cuba. Glasgow Young Socialist writes home from Cuba
Sydney Williamson, former chairman of the Govan Young Socialists, who Gave up his job at Rolls Royce, Hillington, Glasgow, to go to Cuba in July, has written home. He is working in a drawing office along with a Russian and an american helping in projects to build up the economy of the Cuban workors! stato, He is learning Spanish and has joined the militia. About the food situation in Havana he writes:
"No one is starving. Some people have never been so well fed, in fact. The one fault I find is the shortage of milk which is only available for young children and invalids. Still I am quite getting to like black coffee."
He goes on to say that living in Socialist Cuba is "...the most wonderful experience I've ever had." Tribune and the defence of Cuba
Although Tribune is doing valuable work in drawing the attention of wide layers of Labour Party members to the dangers of U.S. intervention in Cuba this is marred (and could perhaps be completely negated) by its condemnation of Russian aid to Cuba. In an item on the back page of last Friday's issue (14/9/62) it says at the end of the articles
"In the meantime, the Soviet Union does not help matters by strengthenin: her arms shipments to Cuba and threatening full-scale war in her defence. Of ourse Cuba must bo defended. But, as we argued last week, this can be better done by United Nations observers than by Soviet weapons, The non—alisnmed States should propose U.N. intervention in Cuba at tho forthcoming session of the U.N. Gencral Assembly,"
This approach is a good flustration of the dangers of a non-class anal-ysis of world events. It can only have the effect of teking the sharp edge off opposition to U.3. intervention, it takes the problem out of the realm of class intorests and into the realms of psychology (as though tension is caused by U.%. fear of an arms build-up). The suggested solution by the U.N. is particularly unacceptable ~ the U.N. is dominated by govern ments representing capitalist states, hence in the last analysis it always comes down on the side of proserving capitalism (and usually acts in the interests of U.3. imperialism). Our Cuban class trothers need Sovist arms to deal with mercenaries and who can doubt that but for the threat viet intervention Cuba Would have already been crushed? One letter has al n sent in protest (wich suffers from being a little too pro-Stalinist) should be followedby many more.
Vers wet de