Led action. He concluded. "Many. will 1. an enquiry into why these refugees:
3. the withdrawal of recognition of the We would be very pleased to learn of Yours fraternally, Jen Williams REPLY TO TOM LETTER phlets: 11.40 BOOKER NOTE FRATNE in Germany E1.65 Colonies: s Boavida -Exploitation 95р Chaliand Davidson -FRELIMO -Dos Santos 25p We wish to correct some of the errors made by your nameless correspondent reporting the TOM national delegate conference (Red Weekly, 1. You claim that TOM has not increased its membership. In fact, since February its three groups have expanded to 18 groups, and five more are in the process of forming. Many other individuals and groups have shown interest in TOM activities.
2. You say the TOM has erected barriers to involving other forces (which you call sectarianism). In fact the decisions reached are aimed at involving the widest possible representation - including those forces who will never do consistent work on Troops Out - in united fronts on all main TOM initiatives. In line with this TOM and the BPC will soon be jointly calling for an ad boc commitice comprising all forces prepared to work for a demonstration in October.
TOM set up a national committee so that, besides major initiatives, it could continue consistent work, NatJonal attitation is unnecessary, since organisations doing consistent wuck will be represented on the committee. there would be no purpose in including those not so engaged, and all will be encouraged to join thead hoc 3. With regard to the IMG being the only major political lendency at the conference: (a) members of the Communist Federation of Britain, IS. Workers Fight, RCG, Big Flame, the women's movement, ete were present; [b) no groups were in vited at a national level; since (c) TOM is discussing a call for a meeting with delegates of all left groups. For the MG the key question is how lo build a mass movement in favour of the withdrawal of British Troops and the self determination of the Irish people. This will never be done without the TOM organising in such a way as to facilitate bringing in the trade unions and political organisations of the working class.
The Movement can only be West 60p MPLA new trom 50p books PLUS Alter E1 IMG "Struggle for Health' pam- pẩp 1. NHS - a suitable case for socialist 2. Crisis in the NHS - Action Prop ramme for health workers 10c RED BOOKS on Fascism Guerin - Fascism and Big Business Trotsky — The Struggie against Fascism RED BOOKS on Portugal/the Angole: Five Centuries of Cabral - Revolution in Guine 45:
Armed Struggle in Africa 90 • The Liberation ot Guine 35 Ferreira - Portuguese Colonialism 75p Interview with Marceling initiatives. The crisis of imperialist strategy the derisions inside the Labour Party and the consequent agitation inside the workins class lay the basis for forcing the big orgun bations of the working class into activity. The recoed of the TOM so far indicates that this might very well be the instrument for achieving these nima Unfortunately, at its last conference, the TOM insisted on forming an individual membership organisation. This wäl take the TOM in the opposite direction to that of being a united front. This will tend to prevent if from involving the trade unions and political organisations.
The TOM has less sacal weight than even a small Trades Council Instead of developing as the wrafier of the movement, it will simply he one organisation alongside others. The TOM may then very well he by-passed by bigger and maybe even reactionary forces.
Given the present support of the TOM an effective united front can only he boilt by the TOM linking its own growth to broader initiatives - broader initiatives which include those forces which of this stage do not support the TOM as an organisation hut only suppurt this or that initiative set up by the TOM.
It is wild over-optimlem to think that this support has already heen achieved. The ROG, WF and Rig Flame are tiny organisations, The 'women's movement"
were (literally) one or two members of the IS present at the conference, the IS as an organisation doesn't suppart the TOM It is a task of the TOM to win that support. By rejecting national affisation and the fight to get the support of the IS as an organisation the TOM makes it that much casier for the Is lendershin to ah stain from united fronts and concentrate on its own secrarine netivity on the ques tion of the Troops. The TOM, outside of a couple of individual cases, will not involve the members of the IS unless the IS as an organisation agrees to participate.
When the ING talks about the growth of the TOM, it is not taiking about how many more individuals TOM has recruited Ir is very good that the TOM now has 18 branches. It is probably the fact that they are being farmed so rapidly which account for the type of sapport that these branches actually enjoy. Not one branch of the TOM at the conference reported more than tacure members and bot one had the support of any trade union organisation.
don'T report chis to denigrate the TOM, but we must be realstic as to where the TOM is ar. A number of TOM union forces. In some instances, this will be aclieved through propaganda work But the TOM will be built most effectively locally around the initiatives which it promotes at a national level. The type oi organisation now constituted by the TOM will not facilitate this.
Having said this, the joint initiative of the TOM and the British Peace Council to call for an ad hoe committee to mobiles for an Detober denio is excellen The IMG will be pulling out all the stops for this and building local ad hoe committes which we will try to constitute on a more permanent basis in support of the TOM. And it is gratifying to leato that, despite the conference decisions, ail the major TOM initiatives will be built through broad-based united fronts.
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