GAITSKELL MUST GO, CLAUSE 4 MUST STAY!

SOUTH AFRICAN BOYCOTT p.64 HULL DOCK STRIKE p.65 Weekly Journal ‘of the Socialist Labour League Vol. 4, No 140 Threepence By G. HEALY Right-wing trade union leaders and Mr. Gaitskell are mobilizing their forces to get rid of Clause 4.

when the National Executive meets on March 16. That is what lies behind the heated conflict at the National Executive meeting on February 24. .

This is no side issue; behind it stands the retreat on the 40-hour week and the dropping of wage demands by the engineering unions. While the employers and the Tory government prepare a new offensive against the trade union movement, right-wingers such as Mr. Sam Watson from the National Union of Mineworkers are retreating pell-mell in front of the Coal GAITSKELL’S CONSTITUENCY REJECTS Board’s campaign to sack more miners. There is a HIS POLICY real connection between the industrial struggles and By our Political Correspondent the fight to retain Clause 4 inside the Labour Party.

Mr. Hugh Gaitskell has received a slap in the face What Mr. Gaitskell is proposing is to follow the German from his own constituency party—the South Leeds Social Democrats and ultimately get rid of all references to socialism from the Labour Party. This is to be done by stages. C.L.P.

After Clause 4 has been removed, or amended in such a way After the Leeds City Labour Party had passed, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution calling for more that it is innocuous, other proposals will be brought forward nationalisation, Right Wingers in South Leeds put which will give the leadership power to play down the nationaldown a resolution supporting Mr. Gaitskell’s policy. ization question until it is finally removed altogether.

The resolution read :

Gaitskell’s strategy ‘Despite the recent decision of the City Party, this A.G.M. of the South Leeds C.L.P. reaffirms its supGaitskell’s reference to nationalization at the Nottingham port for Mr. Gaitskell and for his policy and the promeeting was meaningless. His talk of renationalizing steel posals which he outlined at Blackpool.’ and road transport amounts to nothing more than undoing This resolution was defeated by 17 votes to 12. what the Tories have done so far as the 1945 programme of The shocked Right Wing hastily moved another the Labour government is concerned. The only new piece of resolution expressing confidence in Mr. Gaitskell as nationalization proposed is the nationalization of water. What their MP. This was passed with three votes against.

Gaitskell is saying, in effect, is that the Labour Party can The defeat of the first resolution shows just how go no further than it has already gone.

deep goes the opposition to Mr. Gaitskell’s policy.

Nationalization of water is just a cover for evading the South Leeds Labour Party has for years been regarded need to nationalize basic industries such as engineering, shipas one of the most right wing in the country. building and aircraft where monopolization proceeds almost At the time of the expulsion of Socialist Labour daily. This fact alone argues for the nationalization of such League members from the Leeds Labour Party, the right wing in South Leeds succeeded in suspending the credentials to the City Party of delegates who might Left unity can defeat Gaitskell vote against the witch-hunt—and restored them when Gaitskell and the right wing can be defeated if the left the voting was over. wing of the Labour Party and the trade unions unite their But not even they could get support for a blank forces for the defence and the strengthening of Clause 4. At cheque for Mr. Gaitskell. Life-long members of the _ the National Executive meeting on February 24, Mr. Boyd Party who up to now have been prepared to support of the Amalgamated Engineering Union viciously attacked the the leadership unconditionally are now beginning to jib. left wing. But Mr. Boyd was not speaking for his union,