Free Speech or Law Suits ?

The scan: The Week v6 no21.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

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We understand that a number of individuals and journals have received a solicitor's letter because they published a letter on the question of the beating up of a seller of literature. Indeed, this week's Newsletter carries an item saying that it is unable to comment upon the incident for legal reasons. This is really astounding ! Week after week, the Newsletter carries strident articles condemming in the most savage terms the Communist Party, the "Pabloites", the social democrats, et al, for allegedly setting the police on to members of the SLL. It accompanies these attacks with characterisations reminiscent of the worst days of Stalinism: imperialist agents, etc., etc. Now we learn that this same organisation is to use the law courts of the capitalist machine to suppress criticism of alleged actions by its members. It has been a saying for a long time that if you scratch a sectarian, underneath the paint you will find an opportunist. The Newsletter seems keen to prove the point !