It is clear that a real outbreak of brutality is taking place in British politics at the present time. ‘Jilson's with-hunt~ ing and use of secret police and informers to smear seament is only a start. Now we learn that ‘filson “was having a private talk with right-wing trade union leader Sir ‘illiam Carron to consider how to prevent the Communists getting their grip on his even more important ‘£U'. This is what Nora Seloff wrote in the Observer on July 3rd. -he says that ‘Jilson's neeting with Carron took place on ‘ednes:'ay June 29th, only one day after the stear on the seamen. ind only the same week it was announced that an ultraright wing “engineering-group'' has set up an office in London with the explicit aim of denouncing left-wing trade unionists in engineer= ing. This group is not just simply anti-communist. Along with Carron it denounces “Engineering Voice". The BBC's itadio Newsreel programe gave Sir William the unchallenged freedom of the air to spread his smears. Nobody on the Left was invited to reply. Similarly the "Sunday Times" allowed Carron considerable soace to attack “Comuunists - Trotskyist - Leftist clicue (July 3rd)
Ultra-right wing szear journals (of dubious finances) such as Iris and Coimon Cause attack any militant trade unionists. The Bconomic Leasue, with big business backing, is trying to build up its right wing campaign inside the trade union movement. Nationally the League was given space on the BBC's Panorama to spresd unnuendos about Eumberside Voice and The Yeek, etc. sain, the ™BC had noone present in the studio to attack the Leazue for what it is. And so the atmosphere is being built up; the BSC again have dug out that man iir. Crawley, who makes mrt of his living from his anti communist activities. He was given a few minutes of unopnosed McCarthvism on the BBC's World at One. Hore recently the Observer showed its true colours and the limitations of its liberalism by suggesting that if only newspapers were privileged to say what they went, as ilson is in the House of Commons, then lots more names could be named. (Plot behind the Strike', June 26th). nd the Guarcian's reports are of such a right-wing icind (especially June25) that Wilson approvingly refers to them in his smearing attacks: "an article in the Guardian last Saturday, indicated the pressures to which any moderate member (of NUS) might be subjected in his strike committee ....."
But looming up as the mo:t brutal of all in the growing attack on the trade union and labour movement is the Prices and Incomes Bill. The Implications of this Pill have been clearly stated in a piece in the Observer, July 3, page 3: workers will be fined if they fail to give notice of wage claims; if they don't they'll be put in jail. ‘s the ‘lull seamen's pemphlet "Not Janted on Voyage stated "the unholy alliance of Labour Government, Tory opposition, Press shipowners and international bankers is both frightening and politically very revealing...."
Socialists mst step up their campaign in the Labour and trade union movement with organisation worthy of the struggle. We need to orgunise ourselves into a movement which conmits itself in the cause of socialism to a level of propagandising, educating and demonstrating activity unknown in British Politics.
eatin