Although it is vitally necessary to step up the campaign of protest against the British Government's appalling complicity in American intervention in Vietnam, there are very many active socialists who are feeling increasingly frustrated by the inadequacies of demonstrations and lobbies. More tangible aid to the people of Vietnam is needed. But, of course, such aid needs to be practical, and to feed the moral upsurge in the Labour movement here at the same time as it assists the victims of napalm raids in Vietnamese hamlets,
An encouraging step in the right direction has been taken by the group of people who are collecting medicants and bandages for Vietnam. They deserve every support from the unions and Labour movement at large. Could not this idea be extended? The Vietnamese hospitals must be in need of blood for transfusions: there have been so many attacks on civilians, even on leper hospitals, that donations of blood must be welcome in Hanoi, to say nothing of the beleagiered arms of South Vietnam, where both the freedom fighters and the poor villagers who are strafed by U.S. wnits must suffer fearful casualties. Why can we not set up our own unit to collect blood from donors in the British Labour and peace movements, to be sent to Hanoi? There would be both practical value and political effect in such a scheme: the moral weight of a queue of blood donors outside a van in front of the Conference Hall at Blackpool, during the Labour Party Conference, would far outweigh the 'statesmanlike' evasions of platform spokesmen during the debate there. Such a unit could tour the country, appealing for help and explaining the terrible situation in Vietnam,
I would be interested to hear from anyone who would like to help in such a schemee It could be put up to socialist doctors and nurses, and staffed by volunteers, if financial and organisational support were forth-= coming. Letters on this matter can be sent c/o The Week.