Labour history

because they were carrying Young Socialist banners. The policy of the Communist Party was that no political banners should be carried on the march. This shows the opportunist type of campaign they intend running against the legislation. le fight against the legislation, we repeat, is a political fight and can only be waged under Marxist political leadership. In order to placate the fake-left MPs, the Communist Party wants to keep politics out of the campaign. This means that it will be defeated from the start.

The Communist Party official who called in the police against the Young Socialists, said over the loudspeaker van that it was 'in the interest of the police' to throw the Young Socialists out. That does not surprise us. Long ago the Communist Party ceased to be a revolutionary force. Its leaders are today a left cover for the right wing of the Labour Party. As such, when it comes to a showdown they will betray the struggle against the legislation. That is the main lesson from the lobby. SEVENTY students from universities all over Britain attended a school in London last week-end on the theme: "The Historical Roots of Labour's Crisis'.

The school was organised by the University of London Marxist Society.

The discussion was opened by a contribution from Cliff Slaughter, editor of the 'Fourth International' and Central Committee Member of the Socialist Labour League, on 'Social Democracy in Britain'.

le stressed the importance eeing the history of the Britis labour movement in its international context and opposed empiricist methods of looking at history.

The latter point was the subject of the next paper, 'Empiricism and the Labour Movement' paid particular attention to the current discussion on this question in 'New Left Review'.

Geoff Pilling's paper on the question of the 'labour aristocracy' led to a lively discussion • Nationalization of all the basic industries, including the banks, without compensation to their present owners.

• Freedom for all colonial peoples, withdraw British troops from overseas.

• An end to the war in Vietnam. No more support for U.S. President L. B.

Johnson's criminal massacre of the Vietnamese people fighting for their independence. No support for the H-bomb war policy of American imperialism against the USSR, China and Eastern Europe.

• Withdraw the anti-tradeBill.

We ask you to fight with us for these demands on the Labour leaders, so that you can appreciate their . record of betrayal. Then we ask you to join with us in the building of a real socialist leadership.

That is why together with you we are voting Labour on March 31.

about the effects of imperialism on the British workers' movement.

A paper by Mike Woodhouse dealt with the trade union work of the Communist Party up to 1929, and the discussion was summed up by Geoff Pilling.

Many of those takng part in the school were able to see more clearly the importance, for the building of a leadership, of a thorough study of the history of the workers' movement.

YS Conference movement. This was why it was so important to gain support among all trade unionists, workers, and youth for the Morecambe conference of the Young Socialists on April 2.

It was finally resolved to work in all union branches and other organisations to obtain support for the lobby of parliament called by the Lambeth Trades Council for April 27.