Yorkshire C.S.E. conference

Over 50 people crowded to the founding meeting of the Yorkshire Centre for Socialist Education. mong those present were representatives from groups in Hull, Sheffield, York and Leeds, together with individuals from other towns. Contact had previously been established with persons willing to organise Centres in Doncaster and Scarboroughe Dan Hussey of the Hull Labour College took the chair and opened the meeting. Tony Topham then outlined the scope and aims of the C.S.E., and after speaking of the progress which had been made elsewhere, called for the formation of a regional centre to co-ordinate the work of town Centres about to come into existence, and to set up new Centres wherever possible. John Milne of Sheffield asked for details of possibilities there and was told that Pete Smith had arranged for a preliminary meeting for people in the area, Ron Taylor of Leeds was anxious that the Centre should conflict with existing bodies, IER Roche, also of Leeds, wished the miners to be involved as much as poss= ive, and wondered if the present Steering Committee would help to secure this participation. Mike Kidron proposed a Conference of Yorkshire shop stewards to consider the effects of the Incomes Policy. John Saville, in @ most constructive contribution, warned against over-optimisn, reminding the meeting of Marx' remark about Ernest Jones, thet he "mistook his om emotions for a mass movement." If we were prepared to develop systematic work on a modest and practical scale, as had been done by the Labour College in Hull and the ‘Humberside Voice!, we could meke a substantial advance. Nigel Harris, of York, outlined a three point programme of activity for the Yorkshire Centre : it should convene a conference of trade unionists as already suggested, it should set up a county-wide newiork of Labour Colleges, and also a functionel administration for the co-ordination of work on a regional scale, Harry Lewis, a Hull councillor, explained the work of the Hull Labour Coll~ ege, and appealed for a drive to get in ordinary workers at grass-roots level. Dealing with the problem of apathy, he said it was necessary to make repeated efforts to run classes on matters which were close to the workers' needs, Jim Roche described the work of a Leeds group, and warned against trying to conduct educational projects at a purely abstract level. Dave Godman of Hull said that the Incomes Policy itself was educating people very fast. After a number of other contributions, short descriptions were given of the possibilities in the towns represented. It was then decided to set up a Regional Centre for Yorkshire. The following Committee was elected :- Nigel Harris * (York), Jim Roche *, Anthony Uden (leeds), Nick Howard, Pete Smith * (Sheffield), Dan Hussey, Tony Topham, Harry Lewis *, Dave Godman, Alen Rooney, Mike Kidron (Hull), Peter Barnes * (Scarborough), Harry Newton (West Riding), Colin Livett * (Doncaster). (* = Local Convenors) It was then agreed that the new committee be charged to look at the problem of students! socialist co-ordination, of lidson between left wing specialists, and of the collation of lists of socielist contacts all over Yorkshire. Tt was agreed to convene a conference on "Incomes Policy & the Defence of Trade Union Rights", and to approach Trades Councils for advice and help, especially with address lists,