Picrro Frank, one time secrotary of Trotsky and ono of the carlicet Wm members of our movement, will bo speaking at two moctings in Nottingham the 11th and 12th of this month.e Tho first on tho Sunday will bo at tho Co-op Education Centre 3.00 pem.s, on the lionday ho will speak at tho Univorsity at 4.00.
Pierre subject will bo Trotsky today, no doubt with the recent death of Natalia he will speak upon her contribution to Trotsky's lifo too. Few people could be more suitod to speak on this subject. Pierre is in this country to go ovor Isaac Doutscher's third volume of Trotsky's biography on factual questions before it is printod. “hat finer compliment could be paid to his knowledge of Trossky's life and ideas? Piorre is no armchair theoretician as tho heroic part he is playing in France on the .ilgorian war demonstrates. When the oditor visited him recontly it was necessary to walk over the rubble and other debris from an 0.1.5. attack on the aprtment block.
The tuym meeting will bo by invitation only but wo want to ensuro the widest possible attendance, Wo must aim to got along all those who are sympathetic and intorested in our ideas, Comrades from outside Nottingham who would like to attond please write in if accomodation is necossary. Anyone who wants to invite somcone should gst in touch immodiatoly. Piorro't‘s presonce will gives an opportunity to discuss many questions appertrining to the movement as a whole. We are tape-recurding the speoch to provide the basis for an article.
Please regard this opportunity as a moans to assist our movement and spread our idoas by giving the maximum support to the meeting,
A number of comrades como into contact with the S.L.L. and especially in the 125t fows weeks have had bad cxperiences of the oxtreme sectarianism and factionalism of iat organisation. (in example of the lattor is that in their report of Natalia's funcral in the Nows letter thoy list only 3 of the 7 speakers, the rest having become 'unpersons' boeause to report their presence at the funoral would be damaying the claim of tho S.L.L. to bo TI Trotskyist movomont).
Most comrades are not familiar with the history of the S.L.L. and find the situation somewhat confusing, it is thoreforo rocommonded that all comrades read the following: (1) itecall to Order, an open letter from the International Secrotariat of tho Fourth International to membors of the 5.L.L.. This is especially important as it outlines the origins of the - split and very accurately appraises the politics of the formation of tho S.L.L. This costs 3d. (2) Statoment by the Nottingham disaffiliated branch cf tho S.L.L.. This documont produced by rir wno disagreed with tho formation of tho S.L.L. and other aspects of the S.L.L. policy examines these questions politically -— also oxposes tho bad way in an their political differoncos were dealt with. Comrades should also try to get hold of Poter Fryer's Open Lotter to liombors of the §.L.L. and other Marxists, Tho latter whilst it is not a prefound political document ¢ivos a very clear picture of tho internal set-up of the League. Peter Fryor founder and formor editor of tho Nowslottor with his highly skilled journalist's descriptive writing outlines what led up to the formation of the Leaguo and his reasons for breaking with the League.
Ye should approach this question not in a factional spirit and should avoid at all costs being drawn into inter—factional warfare. in oxamination and a discussion of the political difforonces betwoon ourselves and the 3.L.L. can on _ tho other hand bo of benofit and will enrich our undurstanding of tho probloms which face us.