IN A TWO PART SERIES, Brian Heron looks at the issues facing CND in the run up to its annual general meeting. With the closing date for resolutions on 19 July, a course needs to be mapped out re-affirming CND's mass action, labour movement orientation its extraordinary success to date.
Building nuclear bomb factory in Aldermaston — that's the latest proposal to emerge from the best and most expensively armed government ever about as sensitive as awarding Begin Nobel Peace Prize.
Even atter the lessons' of the war in the South LOe message clear Thatcher intends COBLInUC nucical build up. Meanwhile reports gather oi radioactive contamination on beaches the South Atlantic from the wreck of HMS Sheffield.
- the basis for Tatera nuclear disarmaNICOL. CHOLOCH argument. It fundamental class question.
The movement as a whole has prospered laking Ine opposite line to peaceful persuasion of the ruling class. mass action orientation is the secret of tremendous advance over Ine past year.
visit brought More have opted for unilateralism.
Inside the movement itself there have been advances with the rejection OI multilateralist approach, a commitment in principle to seeing the movemen as arto all struggle, and the beginnings of a special orientation to the labour NOCIRCUL.
Underlying these advances has been an inforsuccess clearest expression in election of Joan Ruddock as national chairperson of the movement. This persget Labour government, now that the Labour Party formally committed unilateralism, and through mass action supported by IO force it to implement its pledge. Roots As the Tories tremendously unpopular, there appeared chance to turn this scenario HALO the real thing.
Today that view
been shaken to the roots.
of Michael Foot and the Labour leadershin's sun port for Thatcher's war in Lic DollI Atlantic has been crushing defeats in the local elections.
Of course the present polls will not continue to register overwhelming Tory success for ever. The polls will settle again to a point which underlines the unpopularity OI this surelicul Even so, for ruture prospects are declining Foot is more intent on leading fight Sune the party's left wingguardians of commitment to unilateralism than heading assault on the Tories.
That's the backdrop to 80000 elel gillg within CND for a line of which would lead away from a mass action perspective, based on the fight to win the labour "The argument goes: 'We have gone as far WC demonstrations and formal trade union mitments.
Find The apparent unlikelihood of turning trade union SuDOUll dustrial action against the missiles and the shaky prospects for a return of the Labour add fuel to the fire. A new line of action is being forged by some sections of the movement out of this pessimism: that of direct action and civil disobePartly this response is a reactión to the Communist Party leaders in CND, and their line on the labour movement. The CP's line amounts persuading arms workers to change what they produced, while CND 'experts' aid process by drawing up plans for socially usell production.
This wet proposal has the additional disadvantage of forcing workers in the ai fis industries shoulder ine buraen and responsibility for a labour Movement response to lit missiles. It's not surprising Wal suen a perspective gels The annual meeting OI CND has to decide where to go from here to develop the growing support for unilateral Immediately, we should re-affirm a mass-action, labour movement orientation. The reasons sumore. no orie class supports 150/0001 лике us. No other class in society can win our unilateralist objectives.
Line 'Out Now' movement in the United States around the Vietnam war showed, direct action and civil disobedience only have a place in the context of mass action, where such actions are not portrayed as merely those of a tiny minority.
Secondly we need a realistic trade union policy mitment. CND brancies are oscuss me unt call for a national day of trade union and industria.
led by the action azallist the perspective for 1983. Such thinking is exactly on the right lines based on taking the trade union movement into national political acCAMPAIGN FOR