An Extraordinary Omission

[p005] AN EXTRAORDINARY OMISSION “Labour’s Foreign Policy’ does not mention this im- minent catastrophe at all! To be sure, there is a section on “The Cold War.’ But this does nothing to indicate how very speedily and suddenly this could explode into a war of atomic intensity. What a singular omission! If we should be told that the main purpose of the document was to bring forward those measures which can maintain peace, the answer is obvious. Peace cannot be achieved, or the war-makers: fought, by disregarding the fundamental facts of world politics today. But, as Aneurin Bevan’s remarks in the Commons de- bates show, some Labour leaders are well aware of the peril. Indeed, every thinking person in Great Britain and the world over sees the war-clouds thickening overhead. Are not U.S. generals, admirals, the Secretary of the Navy, politicians and businessmen openly advocating a “preventive war’ against the U.S.S.R.? Can the bomb- ings of the Yalu River power plants, when only one issue remained in the truce negotiations, be interpreted other- wise than as a deliberate provocation? It holds the danger, even if it was not inspired by the intention, of expanding the Korean action into an all-out attack upon China. In the West diplomatic and military preparations are being stepped up by the hasty conclusion of the Bonn— “contract’’ with Adenauer’s government and the integra- tion of a revived Wehrmacht into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Here at home living costs are going up and living stan- dards are being cut down by the exorbitant military budget which is Britain’s contribution to the arms race. :

[p006] The bulk of the working people of Britain, members _ and loyal supporters of the “Labour Party, are opposed to _ participation in any new world war. They hate it and fear it. They realize that such a war will not. be undertaken in. their interests, but for the benefit of the wealthy, the munition makers, and all those reactionary forces in the wealthy class who detest Socialism, denounce Communism, and are enemies of the Labour movement. This makes the failure of the N.E-.C. to deal explicitly with the war question all the more unpardonable. Here is a life-and-death issue on which the Labour movement cannot remain silent. In fact, the war question should occupy the centre of discussion on foreign affairs. This - article has been written to call attention to this neglect and help the Labour Left rectify it.