‘xy Alan Rooney,
About 350 people attended a protest meeting on Vietnam in Mnnchester last Sunday, organised by the Movement for colonial Freedom and Labour Pence F:l!owship.
Sydney Silverman, MP, introduced the meeting as Chairman. He made clear that he did not think the 100 per cent support which the Labour Government was giving to United Siates actions in Vietnam spoke for the British people. H: felt that the present concern in Britaan over the Far E:st is as great now as was concern over Europe before the Second World War, He ¢escribed the Vietnam war as "The War of Jehnson's Folly", adding that "it was impossible to know what the Anmericang think they are doing." As for the morality of U.S. action he had this to say := "There is no-one in the world, with .the possible exception of the British Forcien Secretary who thinks that the Anerican action is right..."
Mr.Silverman, like all the speakers, urged the Labour Government to tke independent peace initiatives, Britain should do this despite our financial dependence on the Uirited States. He posed the question- "You don't inve to liek the moneylenders' boots every morning, do you?"
Stan Orme, MP, indichted the concerns of the 104 MPs who have signed motions on Vietnam, pointing out that they do respond to pressure from their constituents. H: urged everyone to extend the campaign for British peace initiatives in Victnam throughout the country. He was worried about L*bour's 'Exnt of Svez! slicy, with its military strategy of bases and 50,000 troops in M-'~ysia. He «sas worried too about Btitish -bombers in Asia. Were they equipped with nuclear weapons ? When will Labour abandon the independent 'ctterrent' ? Mr.Orme opposed the idea of Britain attempting to set up "nuclear umbrellas over vast areas of the ea th", L oorr may very well be getting so involved with an ever increasing arms bill that it would lose support in the country (»s the Korean War brought the last Labour Government down). "We cannot allow foreign policy to become the Achilles Heel of the L bour Government again." Beitain could not take an independent peace initiative, "tied to the coattails of A-erica", We should work to strengthen the United Nations and, as socialists, condemn colonial actions in South Est Asia.
Poul Rose,MP, one of the new Labour MPs, said that he had, "fought the last election on an independent initiative for peace" policy, adding that as far as Vietnam was concerned, "I am profoundly disappointed and shocked at the one-sided speeches in the House", It was still Britain's duty to act independently despite "cconomic fetters'' with America. In this respect he welcomed the action of the 17 non-aligned nations.
Frank Allaun, MP, put out the most urgent message - we may very well be on the brink of World War Three. It appeared to him that American and Russian planes could soon be in direct confrontation in Vietnam and there were rumours from Washington that A-erica may be confidering the use of fluclear weapons on China. Two fanatics has blown up the Aierican Er-bassy in Snigon; who was to say that two American fanatics could not
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THE WEEK Vol.3. No.14 Powe 5
Anti-Vietnam Wer Relly in Manchester - continued
bomb Poi:ing from a Polaris submarine in the China Seas ? Mr,Allaun
also stressed Jritain's involvement on Vietnam: Britain is training
South Vietnamese government troops in Malaysia and Brigadier Tompson
is in South Victnam on a "olice" ~ission., He didn't accept that Britain
could not speak out in condemnation of American actions in Vietnam
because of the 3,000 million dollar loan that the Labour Goverriment
received last November, His appeal that everyone should work to make
this year's CND E:ster M rch as effective as possible was met with
applause.
Another speaker, Hugh Se-nlon,of the Amalganmted Engineering Union
Executive, emphasised the anti-colonial nature of the Vietnam crisis.
He was convinced that the histop}yof our time shows that military
expenditure does not hold back progressive political forces around the
world, When he came to the Labour Government's position on Vietnam he
accused Harold Wilson of "double-dealing", quoting the speech he made
on Vietnan as leader of the opposition last June and contrasting this
with his recent remarks 4s Prime Minister. It was factually incorréct
for Mr. WilsoOh to say that the present Vietnam crisis had been caused
by North Vietnamese ‘infiltration'. John Forrester, Manchester district
organiser of the Draughtsmen's Union, spoke about his Union's opposition
to American policy in Vietnam. He suggested that the United Nations
should deal with the Vietnam-—crisis,
The meeting ended with the audience unanimously accepting Sidney
Silverman's comprehensive resolution which has been sent to the Prime
Minister and the Foreign Secretary,