A Criticism of “Labour’s Foreign Policy”

[p004] A Criticism of “Labour's F oreign Policy” By G. HEALY. During June, several important declarations on war and — peace came to the attention of the Labour movement. In the middle of the month, Tory Minister of Defence, Field-Marshal Alexander, on his mission to Korea, told _ the sailors lined up on the carrier ‘Ocean’: “ ‘What you are doing is a rehearsal for World War III.” On June 19th, the General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen, J. B. Figgins, warned the annual _ conference of its Woman’s Guild at Newport: “‘At this - moment I am convinced we are on the brink of one of the greatest catastrophes the world has ever seen.’’ For some - time he had seen that the country was marching forward, _ rather than drifting, into a third world war. “It is not now going to be a question of years. It is a question ' Of months. The task is enormous, but the forces at our disposal are immense,” he said. During the parliamentary debates on the Yalu River bombings, Aneurin Bevan called out to the Tory de- fenders of the raids on June 25: “If you want to go to war, why not say so?” In his spe ech the following day he repeated: “If there was no political solution in - sight and a military solution was the only one left, then World War UI was On our hands.”

[p005] Meanwhile the statement on ““Labour’s Foreign Policy” unanimously adopted by the National Executive had’ been put before the party for discussion and for decision by the Annual Conference in September. What attitude does this official statement take toward the threat of a new world conflict?