LAPOUR STUDENTS SPILL Lk? "TING by Chris Arthur (NALSO chairman)
NALSO conference, held from April 6th-1lOthymaintained its left wing position. Tho highlight was a standing ovation given to a momber of tho Venezuolan FALN who oxplained his organisation's fight for national liberation. Conference drew the Labour Party's attention to its concern over various aspects of the repressive poleies of Detancourt.
Conferonce passed a policy statemont on disarmanent which criticised the MLF, demanded withdrawal from NATO (only one vote against), and reaffirmed its support for CND. The closest vote in this section occurred on the clauso advocating the replacomont of British forees abroad by “peacckceping" UN forces, This was however carricd.
Delegates voted decisively for nationalisation of tho major indus~ trial concerns, land and transport and banks, without compensation. No less than 3 papers on workers control were presented, two of which were rojocted as corporate-statist and paternalist. The succossful one from Hull asked the Labour Party to set up a Committce to study how best to impleaont workers control and suggested some principlos.
A working paper on the Young Socialists demanding more organisational freedom and a more tolorant attitude from the Labour Party was passed nem con and in the light of the threat to tho chairman of the YS, conference expressed itsclf against political oxpulsionse
Owing to peculiar difficulties students have, NALSO is to ask the Labour Party to set up machinery whereby students could join the L.P. at their place of study. Tony Greenwood brought fraternal preotings from tho L.P. and assured conforence that thore was no danger that conscription would be reintroduced, and also that public schools would integrated into the state system.
Conference welcomed the Newsome report but considered Robbins to be noocapitaliste
The right wing wore vory subdued throughout but this wes mainly Lecause the two largest right wing clubs have formed 2 soparatist movement in the North West. A sorious aspect of this is the support given to them by tho L.P. Regional organiser The IC is drawing Transport House's attention to this incorroct tS tho official Labour youth organisation, The Intcrnational Secretary reported that IUS has sw ng back to the right again, not only accepting tho affiliation of tho Botancourt youth organisation but considering thom the spcarhead of their appeal to Latin-Amorican youtht!!
fi. message of solidarity was sont to the Bloomington students, conferonce condemned the iniquitous "Riviona” trinl in South Africa, and olocted one of “defend mts (who may be executed), Nelson Mandela, as an Honourary Vice Presidont. The Young Socialists and NALSO wore recommonded to co-operate in port towns in canvassing dockworkors with a view to starting a boycott of South African imports.
Concern was cxpressed at reeent events in the courts undermining. the position of the trade unions, and MNartell's and Gunther's suggestions in this mattor were respectively condenned. 65 dolegates and some observers contributed £20 to the Labour Party election fund a concrete way backing to their indignation at Home's running away from the cloctornates