Kilmarnock inspiring

INSPIRING IS the only word I can use for the reception we received from workers in this town S of Glasgow. We tramped 24 miles-the longest haul of the march-but every step was worth it. The solidarity at the end of the day was truly magnificent.

Mike Banda, Socialist Labour League Central Committee member, spoke for the whole march when he told an audience of workers and youth in Onthank community centre: 'Once I thought Kilmarnock was just a name on the map, but now Know it contains some of the best workers and socialists in the country.

'Long live the Young Socialists' march—Long live the working class of Kilmarnock.' He was speaking after workers in the town had provided the 50 marchers with hot soup, meat, potatoes and cabbage in the community centre.

I know the organizers of the maricularly to the ladies to be march Massey Ferguson canteen who cooked the food and served it to the hungry contingent.

Thanks also to the mercy mission from the Red Cross. Two ladies tended to the inevitable first-day blisters.

Above all, our thanks go out to the shop stewards of Kilmarnock, and particularly the men of the big Massey Ferguson plant. They organized the welcome and the facilities. This 1S the meaning of working-class solidarity-a solidarity which will eventually bring the government down and confound the frightened bureaucrats who mislead the labour movement.

The audience in the community centre gave a particular welcome to marcher Martin McDonald. He brought the message of workers' unity from the embattled city of Londonderry.

He told the packed meeting:

I witnessed those events in Derry when 13 of our working people were shot down dead by the British army. But we all know that army acts under the orders of the Tory government And also know that this government is persecuting the people here in Britain.

*It's the same government which attacks the miners and puts people on the dole that shoot down workers in my country. That's why I am on this march-the struggle is the same.' The marchers moved into Kilmarnock after the day's journey in bright sunshine. The children of the Onthank estate ran • before the procession joining in the anti-Tory slogans- 'We demand the right to work! Get the Tories out!' Davie Barclay from Glasgow got a great cheer from the estate audience when he pledged that the Young Socialists were out to build a movement to get rid of Toryism for ever.

This is the feeling of Kilmarnock and it's given us all a great boost.

We are not aloneyesterday proved workers will rally to our standard. Those right-wing bureaucrats way down the route who are organizing against us had better watch out. We will get stronger each day-despite the difficulties-because workers are behind Tomorrow it's Cumnockbirt splace of Keir Hardie. We've the town hall there.