( in its first issue, the new Itelian political magazine La Sinistra (The Left) published the minutes of a discussion held at the Institute of Karxism- Leninism between historians and members of the General Staff of the army. The discussion, which wag held behind closed doors, concerned a book entitled sizply June 22,1941 ( the day Hitler launched his invasion of the Soviet Union. ) (The editors of La Sinistra explain the importance of this document: " In the months preceding thea Twenty-third Congreas of the CPSU, a furious political struggle developed around an attempt ta undertake at least partial rehabilitation of Stalin. News of the struggle eventually reached the West; aud a letter which a group of Soviet intellectuals sent to the Central Committee of the CPOU expressing their concern over the feared rehabilitation, received consiflerable publicity. The book by Nekrich, which was published in the Spring of 1955, and which had become a significant olement in the struggle of these tendencies, was subjected te violent attack because of its anti-Stalinist position. I+ became the topic of a debate that served as a testing ground in the attempt to move toward a condemnation of the views contained in it, and thereby to a reversal of the position taken by the 20th-Congresa. This attempt at rehabilitetion falled because of the opposition not only of broad groups of intellestuala but alao of high-ranking representatives of the army: 4s the reader will see, the diecussion published below, besides involving Stalin, touched on the policy of the U86R in the period of the nonageression pact with Germany, es well aa the repressions to which the Polish Communists fell victim and the polioy of the Comintern in the so- Called Third Period. This is the firat time we have heard = even by way of rumorthat Soviet historians wers engaged in reviewing with such breadth end daring the official theses about Soviet policy." (The text below was translated by World Outlook from tha Italian version in the Sotober issue of La Sinistra- The footnotes are those supplied by the editors of La Siniatra: )
OO Oe ee en oe Agenda: discussion on A-M-Nekrich's book, "June 22,1941." Present: Major General E-A+Boltin,Major General B.S. Talpuchovaky,Frofessor G.4-Deborin and 4-lH.Nekrich, academician in the historical sciences. Chairman: Soltin- Deborin: The central question is the research into the causes of our failures in the first period of the war. In hia sention, "The Warnings that Were Disregarded", the basis of Nekrich's thesia is incorrect.He reduces sverything to Stalin's stupid pighesdednesas. This is superficial. Thia means that with Stalink.. death the problem ceased to exist- Hut this ia not accurate. It wae not only @ question ef Stalin. In one instance the author beses himself on = statemest by Marehal Golokor, who, in thoes yeers was the head of the Intelligente Sarvice of the Red Army. (He cites that part of the book.) Solikey 44d net inform the Sovernment as much ag he deceived it. Altogether his reports were a complete deception. These reports are divided into two parts: the first consists of the reports that Golikevy onaidered reliable; these include information about the German preparations ta invade England. Thea second part consists of reporte which ha considerad unfounded; for sxample, the report fror R. Gorge on the dates bracketed for the German attack on the USSR. It is necessary to go more deeply into the oriticisma of the cult of the personality. There were persona whe altered intelligence reports to please Stalin, to the disadvantage of the truth- The Tasa communique of June 12,1941, was a normal diplomatic naneuyer. Lt was necessary to test the reaction of the German fovernment- ut beceusa of the
situation that had been created in our country this was taken to be true. (1)
In evaluating Stalin's behaviour it is not necessary to base ourselves on Krushchey's statements, which are often not objective- Thus, for exampl, it is diffloult tovagree with the statement that Stalin feared the war. Since he received incorract intelligente, hea reached inoorrest ¢onclusions. Stalin placed too much hope in the pact, while the Germans, under cover of the pact, were preparing to attack. ‘nd Stalin's judgment waa conformed by all those who surrounded hin. We cannot blame eyarything on Stalin.
thera is a series of errors of fact in Nekrich's book. Among other thinca Le-millineter cannon were useless againeat the Gertan tanks and because of thia the government decided to atop producing tham-
4 voice in the hall:That's not true! The 45's were used throughout the war and worked splendidly against tanks. It was a crime to stop production of the 45's. We fought the German tanks with our fists. At the beginning of the war we didn't have any anti-tank weapona at all.
Deborin: Besides Rlucher and others kmew that the Tukhecheysky-lakir group were innocent and still they condemned then.
& volce in the hall: Of course they kmeaw it.
Deborin: But, comrades, I do not believe that it can be doubted that Voroshilov and Budienny, who ware there at the time.were mon of conasience and honor! (2)
Outraged yvyoicesin the hall: Voroshiloy waa not at the trial. What honor and conscience did these persons hae? Cowards and bootlickers! (Deborin leaves the podium amid tumult in the hall. }
Antiloy, of the General Btaff: Firat of all, on the honor of Budienny & Voroshilov - these persons neither had nor have any honor. Considerable material in our arshives, which is barred for the time being from being mada public, compels ua to draw decidedly nerative conolusions concerning their activities. I will cite only one minor epiacde. Toward the middle of aS at aA yery representative gathering, otalin esid: "And VYoroshiloy and I arrived at Tsaritsyn in 19168 and im a week we unmasked tha anemies of the poople-" And he said this about many of the ex-officiale of ¢ha Gensral Staff and front-line forces who served the Soviet government with honor.
dnfiloy: "While you," Stalin continued,"are not even abla to unmask your neighbours." After Stalin, Voroshiloy joined in, declaring he’ wea in complete (1) Tha communique referrad to was written,according $0 A-Tasoa (Due anni di alleangza gercano-sovietica: —The Two Yeara of the Garzan-Soviet Allianca), by Stalin himself. In it the British ambassador, who had tried to warn Stalin of the imminant German attack, is accused of spreading falae rumors, the proproduct of propaganda emanating from powers hoetila to Germany and the Uask. (2) The tritunel which condemned the Tukhicheysky-Yakir group was presided over by Ulrich and was sompoaed of Alksnia, Busienny, Sheposhnikor, Belay, Dybenkov, Kashirin, Goryachey and Blucher- Veroshiloy, whe auppaottad Stalin in the decapitation of the General Staff, did not take part in the tribunal. However, it wee he who announced, June 12,1937, that the Boviat senerala hed beon shot on charges of haying been in sontact with an Bhany power.
agreement with Stalin and he called on ua to denounce our own friends and eollesgues. My heart beata with anger when I sea Voroshiloy on the mausolaum during parades: (3) And now, as regards the beginning cf the war. If all our forces had been prepared for battle, something that depended completely on Stalin, wa would not hare suffered auch a disastrous defaat in the first period of the war ard, in general, the war would not haya bean so long, so bloodly or so costly: Cf courses it is necessary to take into account alao the degree of reaponsibility of our most important military leaders. In their speeches,Golikov and Kusnetacr aeemed to be heroes. In reelity Golikevy passed on to Stalin a report in which the entire Barbarossa Flan waa outlined, writing, however, that it was a provocation emanating froz those who wanted to seo us go to war against the Germans. Kuznetsov writes that when he received the communication from the naval attache in Berlin,Yorontsov, on the dates and plans of the German attack, he immediately referrad averythgng +o Stalin. It is true» Sut in which way did he refer it? You should read hia story! He writes that Vorontsoy's report was a provocation sent us by counter-eapionage- Stalin ia still the main culprit in the tragedy. Sot long seo, I spoke with Zhukov. He told me that Golikoy wes directly responsible to Stalin and did not report at all either to the head of the General Staff (Mershal Zhukov!) or to the People's Commisar of Defense(Timoshenke) - he doesn't speak with any of tes. Zastavanko,from the Institute of Marxism-Leninism: The people around Stalin did not help to evaluate the situation properly. In tha baginning of June (June 5,191) Kalinin eave & Speech at the Political-Military Academy. He said: "The Germans are preparing to attack us but we mre ready- And the sooner they do it the better. We will wring their necks." Voice in the hall: The old windbag! Zavatavenke: That was the way the Politburo judged the situation; they underestimated tha power of the Germans. Stalin was net tha only one ragsponaible for what heppened- (Murmurs in the hall.) Dashichey, of the General Staff: Deborin has said some incorrect things concerning the 45 cannons. At the beginning of tha war this cannon shot. elear through all kinds of German armor. To step production amounted to dissareing the army, since the other type of cannon (the 82 millimeter} was not yet ready for production. The army found itself without antitank artillery and without ammunition. Ag for our sources = the worst thing Is that the Soviet sources hare not yet been published. For example,to consider the communication of the Soviet attache on the fact that the war would be begun om June 22, it is necesaary to quote from the book by the English historian,Ericson. When will all the sourdas finally be openad and mafle available? Berazhkoy records the meating of Ambassador Schulenburg and Molotov in the prasence of Payloy when Schulenburg betrayed hie country by revealing that Cermany would attack the US32 on June 22. &chulenburg wept and begged him to mcbilise the Soviet armed forses in the hope that Hitler would ba frightened. But toay did not want to believe Schulenburg (4) 3) Voroshiloy, who Was commander of the lOth Army on the Taaritsyn front, wags the chief opponent of tha kind of eiliteary organisation projectod byTrotaky: (47 Schulenburg,German ambassador to Moscow at tha time,leter becane involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler and was executed in 194).
On the trials of our military leadares (the Tukhachevaky-Yakir groun) - the falee evidence was prepared by the Gestapo but the idea came from Stalin, who Caused it to be suggested to the fascist leaders through Generel Skoblin. Our misfortunes is thet these documents are inaccessible. Golikoy committed crizes, not only because ha doctored intelligence to please Stalin, but because he had the bast agents of our counter=eapionage abroad arrested.
VYotee in the hall: Inoluding Sorge!
Dashichay: Are the causes of the tragedy of Juno,1941, cpmpletely clariffed in this book? It is necessary to explain them still mora profoundly. Stalin was the one chiefly responsible for thia tragedy. He was tho one .who created stich a situation in our country. Stalin's gres cat crime was to usurp power, to destroy our best cadres in the army and the party» None of our leaders, although thay understood the international situation, bad the courage to fight for the measures needed ta defend the country. This is their terrible guilt before the party and tha people. Thera ara still people today who say We must not speak il] of Stalin, that Stalin was not the only one. This is wrong For » driver of a bus, any scolident that happens is hia fault. Stalin took the responsibility of leading the country on himaeif alone» And his guilt 35 snormcus.
It ia necessary to define with more precision the positions of Churchill, Schulenburg, Rider, Halder( the latter two in Hitler's staff were opposed ta a war with the USSH., It is necessary to explsein the motives for their actions; they were not exactly lovers of our quntry- Hitlar strongly influeneed the decision of the military. Ouring a meeting at the highest level, Hitler seid: "The Hed Army haa been weakened as never befora; this is the fundamental factor which leals me to make thia decision. It is necessary to go to war to prevent the formation of the new cadres.” Every historian must have the murage to-apeak the truth:
Roshchin,of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism: Some hold that we muat spesk only of the victories and that it is better to remain silent with regard to defeats, but.we must. not do this: Such a procedure damages not only the science of history but causes enormous harm to our state. It-is necessary ta analyse and to understand the causes of the defeats in order toe prevent miatakes in tha future. Stakin was the one chiefly reaponsitle for the defeat. IT do not aeree with Deborin with regard to the Tass sommunigué - it-was- not a diplomatic maneuver but a crime. Thia communiqué disarmed the people morally. Stalin end those around him did everything to prevent the Soviet people from readying themselves for war- When Eugnetsov informed kalenkoy that some defensive measures had been oerried out by the fleat - it wee dune 17,1941,=- Malenkor Taughed at him and said: "You ast as if the war was going to start tomerrow-" Zhdanovy was present at this maeting; his attitude waa more saricua, but aven he did nething. Kalonkoy rovyoked all the measures taken. Hut even our military leaders cannot aroid responsibility-
Malnikoy,of the Inetitute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR: According to Peborin, it would saem that Nakrich over-rated the neg— ative role of Stalin in his book. This ia not true. The role of stalin ia under-rated in fact.
Let us speak about a problema that still cannot ba raised to-day beosuse $4 18 taboosed, that is the negotiations between Molotey and Hitler in ferlin in Nowember,1940. Lat us examina the situation. The Barbarossa Flan was ee ee * Insert:..decapitated;S0 of its commanders have been liquidated The Red arny has been ... .
nearing completion. the movement of German troops towards the frontier of the U335 was beginning. The Eitlerite diplomata were stepping up their activities in the Balkans and Finland. To hide these preparations from tha Soviet \ government, Hitler proposed a to-leyel meeting. Tha shairman of the Council of People's Commissars,Molotov, goes to Berlin. Hitler conveya to him a plan for partitioning a good deal of territory in generel. Molotov aake concretely for the Dardanelles, Fulgarie, Zumania and Finland. Hitler did not want to initiate a discussion of this type becauas ha feared that the news would lesk out to hia future allies- In response to Molotoy'a reqieata he proposed that the Soviet Union should join the Rome=Berlin-Tokyo Axis. (5) This femonstrates his principles of action. Vasilenko, of the Institute of lisrxism-Leniniam: Deborin's ooneern that the book puts too much emphasis on Stalin's role ila without foundation. Objectively we had every possibility of resisting the Germans. But Stalin Trained everything- “hen it was too late to justify his shameful defeat, he put forward the commonplace notion that the aggressor ia alwaya better Prepared for war. Kulish? We are witnessing the birth of a "new" understanding of the Ostises of the defeat at the beginning of the war, proposed by Beborin. It Waa not only and not so much Stalin, he seya- This ia in the line of the cult of the personality. That Stalin is guilty or not too guilty is a typical notion of the cult of the personality - it is always Stelin alone- I+ ia necessary to study the problem more deaply- Why did auch a situation develop? How did cur government, ruled by Stalin, rule the muntry? How dia it defend our people against the danger? Was the govrernmart fit for the position it ocoupied? No, it was not fit. It is necessary to analyse the process that produced Stalin, who was not fit for hia position as head of the party and the state, with unlimite’ powers. Still another very obvious error: in all our historical Literatura; the reunification with the western Ukraine and western Belorussia ia always held to be a factor that improved the defensive capacity of the country O5till we Know that things were different. These areas, for a series of wall-knomn reasons, weakened the frontier defensive capacity. Therefore in judging the reunification of the western regions, it ia batter to apeak of the libereting and internationalist functions of the Red Army. Gnedin: It is a good book. I do not want to speak but the discussion but the discussion has forced ma to take the platform. For two years I gava intelligence reports to Stalin and Molotov. All these reporta pasaed through ny hands. Golikov,of course, was a deceiver, but that is not tha question: All the "reliable" parts of the reports wera usually reflected in ene way or another in our official press, but Gtelin paid attention fundamentally to the things considered "dubious". He knew everything and his polioy was to do nothing: Golikoy waa responsible for the repressiona among tha cadres of the GFU, but it is not his falut that defensive measures were not taken» In cur historical literature it is claimed that Stalin became head of the goverrment (5) Molotov remained in Berlin on the 12th &13th November,1940. Hitler tried to convince Holotoy that the Soviet Union's natural sphere of interest waa in Asia, while Molotov asked instead for Burepean territories-On Hitler's offer to join the Jocis,Molotey replied, agcording to the testimony of the interpreter Schmidt( Statist auf dinlomatischer Buhne 1923-.5)that this was acceptable in general but only on the basis of equality-
on May 5,1941, to prepare the country for defense. Sut we do not have a Bingle fact te confirma this evaluations And Stalin, in-fact, did nothing ta strengthen the defenaive capacity of the USGR-. We have every reason to believe that Stalin beoane head of the government not to prepare the country for war but to make a deal with Hitler. (6)
Slegrin, of the Institute of History of thea Academy of Sciences of the USSR: I waa at the front and when I was 19 years old I participated in ths battles of the frontier in 19}41-
Stalin acted in a way that can easily be described as criminal. The situation of the cult cf the personality = provocations, renpressione =created A Fitious tirgle. Byeryone strove to please his own bossa, piving him only auch information as would please him, or adding « negative commentary on information which wuld not please him. Everyone tried to acid expressing his own ideas. All this brought immeasurable harm to the sountzy. Everyone is guilty for mot having decided to say what they thought- The more important the officials, the higher you go, the greater thea responsibility. ata certain level the renunciation of truth in the name of one's own privileges ia a crime, and. the higher the level, thé greater the orime- Tha obief culprit was Stelin. The 1939 pact was perhaps necessary. It was a crime to | base one's hopes on this pact, md above all te cesse, as a result of it, to fight againet fasciem( and this was done on orders from Staelin. |
Yakir, of the Inatitute of History of the Acadeny of Sciences of the USSR: (7) The book is very good.» Some apeakers have dealt with the Tukhacheysky-lakir affair. I believe that the. speeches on the fascist provocation,on the"red fascicle" end the documenta contained in i¢ are useless and even haraful, in that they draw the diseuasion away from the central point- There was no red fascicle st the trial and the red fascicle waa not brought up» #ll of the accused were found gpoilty on the basis of aocusetions in= Spired by Stelin which were made to the Wer Council of June 1-4,1937, and of the desire openly axpressed by Stalin to te rid of thez. Some among the preceding speskers have spoken of Gtalin as “Comrade Stalin". This is improper. Stalin ig no ana's comrade and still less ours.
Stalin impeded the development of our arsamenta by liquidating many eminent techniclans, among others the founders of missile aciance, Tkomirov, Langeman (the inventor of the katusha, a multiple rocket launcher used as ground artillery), Eurchevaky, Bekaury. I+ is necessary ta study the probiem of the concentration campa: taudy it from the econenio point of views Jt waa wartime and in the @neentration camps were imprisoned millions of healthy men, who were specislists in all sectors of the economies and military life of thea country Furthermore, considerable forses were requirai to guard then.
Zelecin: The author has a noneritical attitude towards foraicn sources, in partiouler toward memoirs which oomtsin few elementa of truth...>
Yoics from the hall: And in our momoira?
Telegin: In our monoirs,too, thera are samy outrageous lies- (Laughter) >) Before May 5.1941, Stalin had no official responsibilities in the government of the USSn. Shortly after, the Bolgian,Norwegian & Creek diplomats, Rep= resenting countries ocoupled by the Garmans, were expelled from the USah. At the fame tise, Sogomolcy was sent as awbassador ta tha prollagi Petain government. {7) The son of the Yakir mentioned in the proceedings
|
It if necessary to remember that there are obyious traces of tha exaggerationa of the Erushchey period in these memoirs. (Murtura in the hall. ) Telpukoveky: The political leaders of all countries underastimeted. Hitler. However, after tha fall of France, these evaluations were reconsidered, except those of Btalin- Stalin relied on the hope that Hitler,if he did not break hia neck, would become entangled in thea war in the West. Clearly, whan the war began, Stalin was still making attempts to avoid the conflict. Otherwise it is difficult to axplain the three separate strategic directives of the high command of the Red Army in the first days of the war. Stalin ia the Balin culprit, but there werg othars too, each in his comm Sphere. Petroveky, of the Institute of Historic Archives: It ia necessary to keep in mind that fascism emerged while Lenin wag atill alive. Mussolini took powar in Italy, the Kapp putach,ete. Lenin pointed out that fascife was the main enemy» Stalin did not pay any heed to Lenin's warning and declared that the sociel democracy was the main enemys Thia "theory" was widely disseminated and divided millions of workers throughout the world. Stalin is a oriminel. Boltin: Comrade Potrovaky, in this hall, on this platform, it is necessary to choose your words. Are you a Communist? Petrovaky: Yas. Boltin: I haya not read in any document, in any directive of our party, obligatory for both of us, that Stalin was a criminal. Patrovaky: The Twenty-third Congress of the party voted to remova Stalin from the Mausoleum for his crimes against the party. Therefore, he is a oripinal- Snegoy: Nekrich's book is an honest and useful book. When there is disorder in a military unit, when the breechblocks are in one placa and the guns in anothar, when the patrols and sentries are asleep, the unit is defeated. When headquarters orders it, the commander of the detachment of this kind is shot. And none of us has anything to laugh steut. 2telin was in the sama position as the commander, but his detachment was the entire country: @talin ought to hava been shot and instead they are now trying ta justify him. Why is Nekrich's book, where Stalin ia attacked, submitted so quickly to discussion and even condemned, while the book of the notorious falsaifier af, the history of the party,1-Petrov, which. attributes positive acta to Stalin which he naver did, has awaited discuasion for some years already? Why did Deborin attempt ta justify Stalin? ‘ihen Hitler was preparing to attack Poland, Stalin helped him. (8) He shot all the Poliah Communists in the USSR and outlawed the Polish tommunist Party. dhy is the fourth partition of Poland defined as a liberating expedition? How can you ba s Communist and apesk calmly about Etalin who betrayed and sold out Communists, who liquidated almost all the delegates to the 17th Uongress and almost all the members of the Central Committee elected at that Congraas, who batrayead the Spanish Republic,Foland, all the Communists in all sountriea? (6) It is evident that it ia considered that the existence haa bean confirmed of the secret August 23 protocol which granted Germany a free hand in attacking Poland {the partition ef which was provided in the protecol) and which promised to furnish Soviet supplies for tha war against France and Englend.
Deborin (in conclusion): I have not created any new theory and I have not taken on the task of defending or justifying Stalin. It ids necessary ta exaning- all the aspects of the oult in ereater depth: As for 8nepov's re= Marke, we have heard what Snegov said about Foland more than once. And these claims came from the enemy camp- It is atrange that Snegov alao sharea this point of view. Somrade Snegov, you must tell ua to which camp you belong-
Snegoy: I am from Kolyma. (9)
Daborin: All these things hare to ba yerified.
Voices in tha hall: Do you want his telephone number? Like the old daya?’ (They do not permit Deborin to continue. }
Nekrich: Thank you for your observations. There'a.na doubt that Deborin doas not hold the ideas thet have been attributed to him. One often exaggerates in the heat of the discussion. The main one responsible for the erave defeats and the whole tragedy of the first period in the war is Stalin. However, one should not give his own chief incorrect information just to please him- Staliniam begins with us, with the Little people. Stalin wanted to outwit Hitler and instead decolved himself ani the whole business ended in a catastrophe. He knew better than anyone about the liquidation of the leading cadres and about the weaknesses of the army.
Snegovy (three minutes on a point of personal privilege}: I thought thet I was participating in a scientific discussion. Deborin, instead of sclentific proofs, has introduced “arguments” vintage 1937- But it 1a not easy to frighten us with concentration camps! Times have changed and the past will not return. (Asplause. )
Boltin(in conclusion): This meeting has produced many new and interssting things on the antire problem in its complete context.» The remarks of comrades Snegov and Petrovaky were very impaasioned- I can agree with much of Comrade Snegov's remarka but not all. Gur country cannot be sacused of desiring to deprive the Polish state of its independence or of partitioning it- This is the point of view of the bourgeois hiatoriana ani the White emigrants. It was up to ua to defend the independence of Polend- Some comrades haye described criticiam of the cult of the personality aa an exageeration of the Krushchey period. This is fundementally wrong. The resolutiona of the twantisth end twenty-second congresses on the quilt of the personality are not exaggerations of the Eruahchey period but are of vital nine a for every honeat Communist. (He thanka the author and all those present.
The sessions lasted from 10-15 to 4.45, with an intermisgaton of one hour.
a
———
9) Kelyma waa a famoua concentration camp in the Stalinist pariod-
A Letter to Trifime ty Ernest Tate on the Beating He Heseived
Outside The 3,L,L.8 Meeting on November 17th .
8 Toynboo Stroat,
London, Bale fo Tha Tribang Docombor 20th, 1945, Door Editor,
Recently Francis Flavius referred in his column to ay boing physically nssnulted outside the 17th Novembor mooting of tha Socialist Lebour League held, ironically enough, to commemorate the tenth amniversery of tho Hungarinn Revolution,
I don't undorstand why Flavius oteacks me as a: 'sectarian' without. knowing my views; I hove never discussed them with him. Perhaps ho has Ris own reogons, But I'm sure if were to venture outside tho genercl area of St, John Street and mole contact with thea cthor currents in the Left ho might loorn aomething from thom andthe micht elao discover what "sectoricniam' really monna,
However, having said thet, I think it ia good that tho question has boon raised for discussion in Tribune, Flavius makes the point that he doesn't Snow what cccurred outside tho SLL masting’, Lanving naida hie possible foar of legal action, this would seom to east somo doubta on the truthfulnosa of the informtion I related tc him and which Ponto Newa and Tho Socialist Londer couragocusly printed. Many otheom havea soon ny Tiilure to go to.tha police and-onko a complaint omoinst the Attackata sa only Strongthoning theso doubts, Bevertholess, I wiah t¢ mintain my right not to enll tho polica as I feel that such oaffreirs ore matters betwoon various sections of the working elnss movement, and for what are to mo sbyious raagons, not betwaen the state ond the socialist movement or any Ssepmont of it. Someone hos yot to rationally explain to moe what good purposa would be served in heving some mistaken ondmisguided individuals throw inte prison, The problam ia o political one, cf people hearing the wrong ideas, tharefore it hie ta bo desalt-with on that level,
The day socialists onll the police to arbitrate thoir rolstians with otfr socialists will be an sad ono imlood, Tt has beon tho oxportonce of the working cleasa movement that stata intervantion into ita affairs dcss not solve anything, but instond makes things vory compliested, Wa should bo strong onough, ond meturo cnough, to aqttla our own disputes. I an convinesod that on indepoandont anguiry inte thea aventa of the 1liTth Noveober wlll prove thet the statomenta I hove mada on what took place aro truthful,
When I spoke to Flavius he mentionod that although I, Ernest Tate, moy beve som. scruples ebout calling upon the stata to prosscute follow sociniists, Garry Henly would not. 4a it now opporra, Flavius would sean to ba Proven correct. Poace News, The Socialist Loader and myself anch roceiyed solicitors’ lotters from Gerry only tivontening legal oetion. Rather thon face the proapost of 1 long logal fight, Perea News and The eocioliat Laader rewarded Healy with on apology and, although they aro not tha richost journals in Engiami, he took from than an additional ten fuinsas cach,
The leadere of the Socialist Labour Longue hope to shut ma up by Tesorting to the courts, aftor having failed by more brutal means on the Lith Nevanbor, The issue is still’ freedom of speach end freedom of discussion within the Left, My reply te the legal threats has baon to rapoat my original charges in detnil, informing the SLL lendorsa that I rofuse to be intimidated, I heve posted my reply, over 1,000 copies, all over the country, and to tho addressee of 21] the Labour and socialist journsls to which I have access, If any Tribune readers wish to heave copice, write to mo at the above addrosa oncloaing pn aelf=nddrossod stamped anvelopod,
Fratornaliy
sipnod
Ernest Tato
Oe ee ee tibia ccna
From World Outlook, Deo, 16th,
Text of a Letter from French Trotekyiste on the Tate Cese
( The following letter was made public by Ferrell ‘Tobbe, National
Searetary of the Socialist Workers Farty. ‘The letter referred to in the
first paragraph appeared in the December ? World Outlook together with
related correspondence, |
fiaeaee
Decerber 1, 1966
National Committee
Botialist Workers Party
New York
Tear Comrades,
We heave taken copnigence of the letter which you sent te the oLL
(Socialist Labour League) of Great Britain November 21 following the aga-
ault on Comrade 2rnest Tate during a meeting held ty that organization,
The Political Bureau of the Parti Communiate Internationaliste { French
section of the Pourth International ) joing in your protest against methods
that ere outrageous in the workers movement in general and in the Trotekyist
movement in particular, i
Tne employment of these methode if, in the case in question, the result -
of & deliberate polioy, since it is not an isolated incident, During Noverter,
the group that calls itself the "““resanigation Comminieate Internationalicta,"
and which publishes La Yerite, held a meeting in Faris at which the main ._
apeaker woe 0, Healy, He devoted most of hia speech to attacking the Fourth
Interna. tional (whieh he claims to have unmasked as heaving gone over ta the
camp of the bourgeoisie) and the Jeunesse fommamiste Herolutionnaire de
France ( Revolutionary Commmist Youth of france), levelling egainat them
slanderg suoh as he printed in his paper against the majority of the partic-
ipante in the demonstration in Liege, After this verbal eesault, members of
the JC who were present in the hall, asked that ane af them be given the
floor, This was sufficient for the sergeanta at arms to set upon them with
blows, Members of the Voix Ouvriere, who objected to such methods, were like
Wine attecked, We are attaching toe this letter a com of an. article which
appeared in Voix Ouvriere testifying to the Fecteesss