from Pat Jordan As readers of The Week will know the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign carried out a variety of activities on and after the Easter March, Apart from getting itself into the national and international press (The Guardian described its contingent as being, after the Anarchists and along with the Young Communist League, as the best organised) the campaign was brought to the attention of people from all over the country. One of the clearest indications of this is the number of letters the campaign has received and offers of help. Here are a few examples: From a Taunton Young Socialist: "I am writing to ask if you could provide me with propaganda.e»...l would happily distribute literature in this araaeee"” From a Lancaster Universit 7 student: "I.eeehave organised several demonstrations, film shows, etc., against the American war in Vietnam and in support of the National Liberation Front. I support the aims of the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign completely.ee" From an Edinburgh lecturer: "If your organisation were considering holding a public meeting in Edinburgh, I would be glad to assist in organising such a venture..." From Loughborough C.N.D. chairman: "On reading your leaflet this Easter the Loughborough CND were greatly impressed. They have asked me to write to you for further information,e." From Shefficld: "TI am very interested in the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign and would be grateful if you would send me more informationseee." From Ipswich: "I would be grateful if you will forward me details of your ..conference..." From St. Austell (Cornwall): "Please send details of your conference.ee.e." Fr m the Printers! Movement for Peace (Vietnam): "It is clear that we are working on very mch the same lines. Please send delegates credentials...." From Horley Council for Peace in Vietnam: " eeeewe would be very interested to have more information about your campaign." From Dunfermline: "On Wednesday night a motion that I proposed was carried with one dissident at Durfermline Burgh Labour Party, This was (1) to congratulate our M.P., Adam Hunter, on opposing the resumption of American bombing; and (2) calling on the Government to renounce completely the support of American policy in Vietnam, This motion was sent to Harold Wilson, If every Labour Party in Britain kept hammering in resolutions of this type I feel that we would get some place..." Other letters came from every region of Britain, all except two were amt imatles aewmnathoatsia i el
CARD on the General Election "Card welcomes the great success at the General Slection of candidates who
adopted a firm and unequivocal stand against racialist pressure, despite
the fact that two major political parties had pandered to it. The victor~
ies of Andrew Paulds at Smethwick, Reg Freeson in Willesdon East, Joan
Lestor in Bton and Slough, Ben Whittaker in Hampstead and David Winnick in
Croydon South, amongst others, clearly demonstrated that candidates who
stood firm for sound policies on race relations were able to carry the
voters with them.
Elsewhere in the country, if racialism appeared to be a dead issue, this was
only because there was little to choose between the two major political
parties which have outbid each other in making concessions to the racialists.
The Tory record on iumigration was more than matched by the Labour Govern
ment's capitulation to racialism embodied in the Immigration White Paper.
If immigration did not loom large in the election it was not because
racialism had been defeated.
Unless the real problems are tackled, the racial issue will once again
become alive. The real problems ara not problems of immigration, They
are problems of discrimination, inequality and exploitation, and of wrong
priorities in public expenditure and inadequate investment in social welfare.
They are problems of British society for which the coloured immigrant has
been chosen as the scapegoat.
This, therefore, is the moment when the root causes that produce racialism
have to be firmly tackled. If the Government or the political parties,
under the mistaken belief that race has been killed as a political issue,
refuse to confront and solve the real problems, they will have to face the
forces of racialism once again in the future, but under immeasurably more
difficult circumstances.
CARD calls on the Government to get down now to the real problems in race
relations."
For further information about CARD, please write to: 23, St. George's
House, Gunthorpe Street, London, E.1.
VIETNAM Call to a