\ h ! S NQUIRY
(1) Young Guard is a monthly paper produced exclusively by Young Socialists for Young Socialists and for youth at present outside the Party. Our circulation has risen steadily since the first issue of September 1961 and is now 3,000 per month.
(2) As is clear from the contents of the paper and from its programme it reflects editorially on major policy questions the decisions of the Young Socialists! own annual conference.
(3) It advocates these policies for adoption and implementation. by the Party as a whole.
(4) On a whole range of questions not covered by the policies of the Young Socialists those who support and write in Young Guard take differing and contrasted points of view.
(5) Young Guard is not in any way a 'pressure group! within the Young Socialists. We receive support from comrades with widely varying political omphasis such as Unilateralist, Christian Socialists, Marxists, and members of V.F.S. and N.L.R.e There has also been wide support for the paper inside NALSO.
(6) The only organisational existence in concerned with the production of the paper. Open and democratic readers! moctings are advertised and held to discuss the paper's contents and to elect a National Editorial Board quarterly. This group in turn clects a Working Editorial Board which is concerned with the month to month publication: of the papor,s All involved work on a voluntary basis.
(7) The finance of the running of Young Guard is collected only fron ro aders of the paper as sales money or contributions. This can be verified by accounts and balance sheets available for inspection. We emphasize that we roceive no financial assistance whatsoevor from any outside source.
(3) It has never been alleged that Young Guard has any connections with any proscribed bodies.
(9) The aim of the paper is to build the Young Socialists as a power ful force for socialism and to convince the Party of the vital need to adopt the sort of socialist programme wo have campaigned for, but abovo all to york for the return of a Labour Government.
As mombers of the Young Socialists and as members of their constituoncy parties, Young Guard supporters work for the Party on. the basis of its present policies. They do, of course, within the Party campaign for the adoption of the sort of Socialist policies which are supported by the Young Socialists.
We know of no. organisational or cons .titutional reason for possible proscription. Nor has any at any time been intimated to us. Wo therefore can only assume that the motives behind the proposed proscription are completely political.
We believe that any clamp down on tho rights of Young Socialists to produce and read their own papors, whatever ideas thoy propagate, would be disastrous to the morale and healthy development of the movoment. We believe that such development is essential in tho interests of the Party if it is to attract the support of the youth, as voters and Party workers. Because of its advocacy of militant Young Socialist policics, Young Guard has been receiving growing and onthusiastic support from all sections of the Young Socialists in every part of tho country.
Until the official Young Socialist papor Now Advance is run by Young Socialists and oxpresses the policios of the Young Socialists wo fool that thore is a vital neod for a paper liko Young Guard.
If our Party is to remain domocratic and is to encourage and stirmlate discussion on policy and the horizons of tomorrow, there is also a nood for tho Party to permit the oxistence of papers like Young Guard.