Uncle Ho becomes NALSO Sponsor IXTY delegates at the National Association of Labour Student Organisations were in an angry mood at their Conference held from March 29th to April 2nd. Many resolutions criticising Government policies were passed overwhelmingly, for example the following resolution moved by Alan Richardson _ (Birmingham) on the Vietnam crisis had only three against. “NALSO considers that the American intervention in Vietnam is a blatant attempt to protect the the interests of Imperialism and therefore demands: that the British Government takes part in no secret negotiations to apportion spheres of influence in South East Asia; that all British troops be withdrawn from South East Asia; that the Government withdraw all support from the American intervention; that the Government should urge the terms of the Geneva agreement of 1954 be implemented immediately, with particular reference to the holding of elections in South Vietnam. Conference wholeheartedly supports the popular movement of the Vietnamese people (the National Liberation Front) in their struggle against American aggression. As a further mark of disgust with Western actions, NALSO elected Ho Chi Minh an Honorary Vice- President of NALSO, with the highest vote of all the Vice-Presidents. In order to emphasise what damage this issue had done in the movement, Conference carried by a narrow majority a motion proposed by Regan Scott, warning the Government that many people are so disillusioned and angered by the sycophantic support of the United States in Vietnam, that they cannot be counted upon to work for the Labour Party at a future General Election. Solidarity was expressed with the Madrid students’ campaign for freedom and a protest about the Labour Government’s inaction in the case of Vic Allen was passed. Vic Allen was elected an Honorary Vice-President. Ian Mikardo was elected Honarary President in place of Tony Greenwood. In the education debate it was suggested that the campaign against
public schools should be taken into
the streets, say by marching on Eton!
Home Secretary Soskice came
under fire for his actions in the
cases of Bert Bensen, Delgado and
others, and a motion calling for his
replacement was carried.
The economic and _ industrial
affairs debate centred round three
resolutions which were all carried.
The first ran: “NALSO would
Oppose any incomes policy of limit-
ation on Trade Union rights to de-
mand higher wages, shorter hours,
and better working conditions, except
as part of the implementation of a
programme of nationalisation under
workers’ control of all major sectors
of the economy.”
The second: “NALSO would
oppose any attack on the shop
stewards’ movement, or any other
limitation on the right of workers to
organise themselves and __ strike,
officially or unofficially.”
The third pledged NALSO to sup-
port all workers in struggles for
workers’ control and management.
In moving the resolutions
Tony Brewer (Cambridge) pointed
out that it was impossible
to limit profits in a capitalist
economy without distorting the
mechanism of investment and hence
producing inefficiency. Therefore the
proposal amounted to a wage res-
traint measure. In any case there
was implied in such a policy control
over the Unions by the State which
meant a blunting of the power and
initiative of working class institu-
tions which is quite unacceptable.
In the closing hour, the Confer-
ence was united in indignation
against Wilson when the news came
that half-a-million pounds was to be
given to the Churchill fund. A tele-
gram was despatched to No. 10,
condemning the gift to the anti-
working class reactionary’s fund,
especially in view of the alleged
shortage of funds for pensioners.
The new Executive is going to
convene a Conference towards the
end of June to which all Labour
Party members are invited to discuss
the Labour Government’s record.
The new Chairman, Mike Harloe
(Worcester College, Oxford) would
like to hear from anyone interested.