I have tried, go far as poseible, to make a comparison between roughly equivalent resolutions, (m the issue of Vietnan, the key vote 1965 was the resolution, moved by John Mendelson, which called for the Government to dissaolate iteelf fron U.S. policies and military action in Vietnam, it also strongly criticised the American bombing of the North, It was lost by: 4,065,000 votes to 2,264,000. This year the nearest comparable resolution, from Epping, called upon the Government to diseociate itself entirely from the present American policy in Vietnam and urged peace negotiations in Vietnam, ts include the represent— atives of the N.L.F. This waa lost by: 5,899,000 votes to 2,473,000, Thus we see a small ewitch of votes, but the switch would have probably been bigger if it head not been for the fact that some smaller unions could claim that they carried out conference policy by supporting the F.B.U. resolution, This called for the ending of the U.5. bombing of the North and urged the Goverment ta bring all presaure on the 0,5. to end the waa, It wae paseed, against the advice of the platform, by:
ta 3,851,000 votes /2, 644,000,
On the incomes policy question, it is more difficult to make an assesament for a number of reasons, ‘The most comparable resolutiona are firstly, the 1965 emergency resolution from the Tia disapproving the decision to enforce advance notification of union olaime, this being lost by: 3,643,000 votes to 2,540,000; and the 1966 TGW] resolution protesting at the interference with free collective bargaining, this was defeated by: 3,925,000 votes to 2,471,000, This apparently shows & small shift te the right, but there ie es simple explanation for this: in 1965 the AE voted for the emergency resolution. This year they voted against the Tow] reaclution. As readers will knew the AEDT delegation has some degree of demoorsatic control, and it temle to reflect rank and file .opinion more accurately than the mandate it receives, ‘Thus when the TOWD emergency resolution this year, on work-sharing, was voted upon the AEU delegation voted againat the platform, ‘The resolution waa oarried]: byt 3,289,000 votes to 3,137,000, The vote on cutting overseas expenditure should also be noted. the resolution, moved by Cousins and seconded by Mayhew, called for substantial cuta in overseas military expenditure! withdrawal from Malaysia, Singapore and the Feraian Galf by 1969-70, It wee carried agninet the platform by:
3,899,000 votes to 2,473,000,