THERE IS A grave danger that the gigantic movement building up against the Vietnam war will

be diverted into new liberal protest channels dug by the pacifists, centrists and revisionists.

The purpose of all pacifist protest and pseudorevolutionary phrasemongering on Vietnam— and there will be plenty of it this weekend—is lo separate the problem of the deepening economic crisis, which is radicalizing millions of workers, from the problems of war and peace which have so far been monopolized by the middle class.

The obsessive fear of the middle-class protesters in Britain and the USA is that the working class will begin to see the connection between inflation and unemployment at home and militarism and colonialism abroad-and act on it.

When the working class 1 llowed to enter the arena o the protest movement it is allowed to do so only under the banner of the middle class.

Thus when the National Guard was used to break the mailmen's strike there were no protests and no support from the protesters.

Never then, nor during the ghetto repressions, was the demand ever raised for the disarming of the Guard or for any break with the Democratic and Republican parties which dominate state and federal legislatures in America.

During five years of protest the protest leaders have made certain that the working class remains hog-tied to the apitalist political system There is no ground for believing that they will do othertoday — despite their ultra-revolutionary talk about overthrowing Nixon Agnew.

Sinister

By this we do not mean to denigrate the massive movement of student and middle-class protest, but only to point out its inherent weakness.

Although in Britain, unlike America, there is a political party based on the trade Sheffield s SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY students' union voted overwhelmingly at its general meeting on Thursday for a one-day strike and demonstration on Wednesday, May 13, in solidarity with American students fighting the Vietnam war.

The meeting, attended by more than 200 people, also called on the executive of the National Union of Students to organize a national day of student action against the British government's complicity in

Plain and Mr Robin Blackburn. nions, the dangers here are qually sinister. aign for Nuclear DisarmaThe labour bureaucracy- ient (CND) and the Vietnam right and left-and the re- olidarity ' Campaign (VSC)

visionists and Stalinists, re- ave attached themselves to main silent on the economic lis meeting, which promises crisis while being garru- › be another carnival of lously vocal on Vietnam. liddle-class protest.

They do not want to mobilize the working class. or them all when it urges Mr Michael Foot, spokes- veryone who can • • to nan of the House of Com- Lae part in the meeting and nons centrists, opposed the Cambodian war not because ressure on the government was aimed against the Vietnamese revolution, but ar secause it would provoke esistance. ayal and defeat.

'The United States action n Cambodia has played into he claws of the hawks all ›ver the world—in Peking, in Moscow, in Hanoi (!) d States iction of the United las gravely injured the pos- class. ibility of securing a reasonible settlement. Vital demand 'The aim of negotiating ettlement was supported ill sides of the House and nost would appreciate the Il demonstrations, meetings liplomatic consequences nd campaigns which, in howsdded.) May 6, 1970. Emphasis what had occurred (The ver limited a way, help to lobilize the workers in fac›ries to take action against Foot folowed this com- le war. This means that all liment to the Tories with an ade union leaders who are ippeal to the imperialist ivolved in the anti-war moveeopard to surrender its fangs ient should take concrete claws and change Idustrial action against the 'ar.

For all its pathetic pleading, he speech of Foot no lat people like Bill Tones and ess a betrayal of Cambodian awrence Daly should state ind British workers than the 'here they stand on this vital itatement of Stewart, which emand instead of providing was on a par with George 3rown's 'don't weep-fight eneer to a movement which he war' remarks at the time i nothing more than a safety My Lai massacre alve for the middle class. evelations.

Foot's line was further deIn the Vietnam war from its reloped extended by Tribune', ', whose faith in US iception. The Cambodian inasion now renders it even mperialism remains unshaken lore urgent and immediate. despite the traumatic events of last week. e defeated in the struggle to lobilize the working class on n internationalist and revoluionary programme of struggle Full subscription Two editions £10 a year (For any two days £2 10s. for three £1 for three months I would like to subscribe to Workers' Press for ›st to: Circulation Organizer, Workers Press, 18 apham High Street, London, SWA. (Tel: 01-720.200 Shipyard "rescue'