THE CND against the missiles takes place next weekend in Manchester.
Socialist ference's publicity HERON, about his personal views on the conference.
SC: What has been the response une conference?
BH: We're very pleased with the response. have 1Cccivcu backing from the Labour Party national executive, and the executives of the TGWU. the Furniture Workers, the Fire Brigades Union, the Agricultural orkers and the Sheet Metal Workers.
At the moment it looks as if there will be more than 800 delegates at the conference.
What significance does the conference have?
Fi wo unings First, the labour movement that really has Lne power stop the Tories madness.
Secondly, we have to start the fight inside the labour movement Io win the clearest possible posiDURING 1961 the '100' initiated a series of mass sit-downs the bomb: February Square, April Whitehall, al Whitsun at the Polaris base at Holy Loch, in September both Holy Loch and Trafalgar Square, and in December at the US bases Weathersfield and Ruislip.
By the end of the year more than 4000 people had been arrested, and leading members of COMMULLCO wet awaite trial on charges conspiracy which would eventually bring them jall sentences of up to 18 months. Decline But by the end of the year the Committee was already in a decline, from which it never recovered.
Yet in the course of the year thousands of activists had been prepared to take part in illegal activity personal cost. honestly conclude that the net result of this activity was nil.
The Committee of 100 was a descendant "Direci Committee' which was formed in the 1950s. Labour movement conference Challenge talked to the conorganiser, BRIAN tion within these organisations. There's still a lot of confusion.
Last year the Labour Party passed 'composite which SUDOOILS Ullilaltidi and multilateralist disarmament. Foot This ambiguity has allowed Michael root to retreat on unilateral disarmalicill. tor example by appointing unilateralist Brynmor John his 'war' The TUC's position, supported by the Morning Star, calls for 'a campaign education the dangers of nuclear war'. In fact, Betty England pointed out in her recent pamphlet, they have done precisely nothing.
TWENTY years ago the previous wave of British anti-nuclear weapons protest was at height. The year crisis over Berlin and the resumption of atmospheric nuclear tests. In this situation the Their notion of direct action was heavily influenced by the Ghandian philosophy of 'satagraha' - non violent civil disobedience and passive resistance. How have left-wing parties soones Tne conference?
In my view, the Comfashion which could be at described lukewarm support.
Consistent building movement' wada coesar concentrate on the labour movement Denne middle class opinion, the CP has 1961 saw the USCuba, the prolonged members like Bertrana kussel insistea inal the purpose of civil disobeorence pathy and support, as a dramatic form of publicity. done very little to build the conference For example, the promised feature article in the Morning Star has never materialised.
The best builders of the conference, as far as I can see, have been supporters of Labour CND.
Despite amany differences that and Socialist Challenge • would have with many of these Committee of 100 emerged, pledged to direct non-violent action to stop the bomb.
bridge University various times a full-time worker for the Com mittee of 100, tells the study of the campaign and analyses the reasons for its defeat.
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mobilising the military and state machine.
But it was completely unrealistic for us to believe that our action could bring the and military machine to a halt, as increasing numbers of our passively resisting bodies went to jail comrades, they have consistently taken the most BUSILIVe towards the conference because they understand the need carry the struggle through the labour movement.
What do you expect to come out of the con.
ference?
In my view the position narrowly adopted by the committee against having a statement chairperson of CamCND from 1960-62 and at
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sponsored attempt to overthrow the revolu- tionary government in