One of the techniques used by the Stalinists in their attempts to discredit their political opponents (and especially those of the left) was, and is, that of the amalgam. Trotsky,who analysed this technique in the 'Stalin school of Falsification and who perhaps coined the term, was one of its chief victims. Tho whole purpose of the trials of the 30's, new denounced by Krushchov, was to establish a 'connection' between the old Bolsheviks and the worst enemies of the working class — the fascists. Constantly, the Stalinists used this techniaue up to the time of the 20th Congress, and now some of the diehards still attempt to settle the arguments of the left against the C.P. with the charge of being 'police agents! and 'evont provocateurs!. Unfortunately, it is not only the Stalinists who use this “~.c.onique, moreover our tendency has been the victim such amalgams. Uhen the Internationalist dared to criticise the Newsletter National Assembly of Labour, the editorial of that paper, relying on the fact that most of its readers had not read the Internationalist completely misrepresented what the paper had to say about; the Assembly. It moreover linked this criticism with an attack made on the Assemb': by I.R.I.S. the extreme right-wing pressure group.
In the last few weeks the Keep Left been pushing the line that the Tribune and other lefts have assisted the right wing in its proscription of Keep Left despite the overielming evidence to the contrary. The line of Keep Left seoems to be that they have some kind of 'divine right' to criticise,sometimes in an oxtremely vicious way, all and sundry, but that the moment anyone criticises them _ is lining up with the right winge An all time low has been reached by Keer Left in this campaign wnen it says in the October issue that it has heard that all articles in Young Guard have to be submitted to Gunther. This is,as the person who wrote these words Knows,a complete and utter lie. Only the right wing profits from this kind of thing, and the general effect is to cause demoralisation and an undermining of the fight against the witch hunt. Healthy indignation on this matter should not cause us to let up in any way our campaign against the proscription of Keep Left and other publications and we should to these things as a political phenonena anc not as personal failings. That such techniques are used arise from the wrong politics of the supporters of Keep Left and the extremely undemocratic nature of its supporting organisation, Nothing would please the right wing than for the r) supporters of Young Guard to indulge in a counter-campaign (or for that matter the supporters of Keep Left).