WHO ARE THE ‘LIQUIDATIONISTS’?

The Newsletter, vol. 2 no. 76, 8 November 1958 · scan pages 5, 6

Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: headlines and words can be misread, and a caption or advert can run into the text. For anything you quote, read the scan.

and you will not find one major finding in our favour.

Bold leadership is needed Yet when the men on a job take action they are told they are acting ‘unconstitutionally’, and if on occasion the men don't act, the organizers use this as an cxcuse to castigate us. It is essential that we put an end to this.

The situation that we are entering will’ demand a, bold leadership. and the extent to which we will get it will be determined by how hard the rank and file fight for it.

Towards this end, I believe that we have got to extend the hand of solidarity to every dispute that arises and pour in resolutions to our union offices demanding that they make all disputes official. Solidarity as shown by resolutions and finance is not enough however. These are only a poor substitute for solidarity action.

The Shell Mex dispute shows that unity in action can smash any employer, no matter how big. No power in the land can defeat a united working class who are determined to defend their conditions and right to a job. Last week-end’s national congress of the Young Communist League revealed that membership~has fallen from 5,000 in 1951 and 3,500 in 1955 to 1,387 in January of this year, plus 200 more at the end of August.

One of the few critical speakers in the discussion, Keith Bailey (Paddington), said the political report failed to spotlight the realities of the critical situation the Leaguc was in.

He strongly attacked the report for only calling for a cut in conscription to twelve months, instead of the policy decided at the last congress, which called for ‘cutting the call-up to twelve months, with a view to speedy abolition’.

Except for six non-controversial ones, branch resolutions were not submitted to congress, but referred to the new national committee. An amendment which would have permitted discussion on items rejected by the standing orders committee but not withdrawn by branches was defeated by 70 votes to §2.

John Moss retired as League secretary after seven years.

41 YEARS AFTER THE OCTOBER REVOLUT ION, from arduous manual labour’, ‘shortening the working day’ and ‘eliminating the essential [!] distinction between town and country’ conceal the aciual extent of the long road which has yet to be travelled, and the obstacles in the path.

Stakhanovism in the background