From Workers! Vanguard Juno. 1613 In Canada, Vancouver area New Dewcratic Party loft-wingers have taken further steps to organise a permanent caucus in the party in preparation for forthcoming provincial and national conventions, ina meeting attended by 70 people, it was decided to : 'Blect a 14 man committee to propare a draft socialist manifesto, a statement of aims for the left wing, to be brought before the next meeting of the caucus, Set up a 12 man committee to prepare as a project for the left-wing Einstein pamphlet "Why Socialism" Hr possible re=publication, to bo sold throughout the movoment. Tho committesc will contimie to function in an educational capacity.'
Jack Scott, of the beailermakers speaking on the project to republish Einstein's essay, said that if present trends in the party continue, "we will face « orisis in the very existonce of the partyecedits’ fate will rest in the hands of groups such as ours across the country", He took two statements —- the recont CLC statement on defence, and Liberal Cabinet member Jack Davis's and compared them to show that basically there o was no principled differance betwoon them, "Sccoialists in the party", he said, "should fight for and take the lead in recruiting mombers to the partys They should try and establish individual memborship clubs." He pointed to his owm experience when he and a group of shift workers were . refucod a charter just becouse the views of the group were not acceptable to the previneial leadership,
The publication of Binstein's work and its circulation throughout the membership would raise discussion to a higher level. He called for a restatement of the NDP's position on nuclear weapons — that the question was not one of not being able to afford them, mit that opposition was for political reasons, "We are against all imperialist ware" he said. He urged a positionof non—particiaptaon in the Organisation of American States and said that socialists should keep aware of the trend towards tho Liberals in the party. Speaking on the noed for a socialist manifesto for the left-wing, Hugh Clifford, NDP North Shore, said that those in tho right-wing often accuse the left of upsetting harrony in the party. They are right, he said, “we upset the harmony of the Graveeses«e". Hoe added, "We want a manifesto we can nail to the mast — an outline of broad principles", 7 He proposed that the preamble to a sacinlist manifesto should be linked up with the Regina minifesto and should state that “capitaliamess.by no manner of adjustment and manipulation can contine to serve man's purposdsee.."
He soid that a socialist manifesto should be based on throo central concepts: 1. The inherence of unemployment in capitalism,
2, That the Cold War has its roots in the fight to
control markets.
3e That war psayechosis is part and parcel of a
conspiracy to co-erce support from the workers
for billion dollar armament industrics, Such a manifesto, he said, should “should appeal for support to all who believe that the time has comm for: far reaching changes in our economic and political institutionsese.."
The need for a pool of leftewing speakers was also discussed and a call was made for socialists to get themselves elécted to club and constituency executives and as delegates to conventions, in order to broaden support and influence (in tho N.D.P,. a i ake