The first conference of European vanguard youth organizations met here March 11-12 to consider joint action in defense of the Vietnamese revoluti- One The 153 delegates came by foot, car, bus, train and air to sit down for two days of serious discussion in preparation for international co-~ ordinated action. They represented several thousand young people who are in revolt against the opportunism and passivity of the European Social Democratic and Communist parties.
Despite their differing political backgrounds and different experiences there was remarkable homogeneity in their outlook and their determination. They had no time for empty rhetoric or entertainment. They came to work. They were eager to meet and get to know their counterparts. And when they completed their business at the end of the second day they closed their very impressive gathering by standing with clenched fists singing the "Internationale." It was a stirring sight. Among these youth there was already evident the cadres of a new generation of socialist leaders. The corference was initiated by the Belgian Young Guard Socialists (JGS) and grew out of the Liege demonstration sponsored by them last October. The hosts had secured two modern meeting hails equipped with simultaneous translation equipment. Originally scheduled for April, the date was advanced to provide time for co-ordinating actions in support of the April 15 demonstrations in the U.S. A young American present from the antiwar movement across the Atlantic gave a description of the work and movement of his country. It was clear _that the courage and the dedication shown by the American youth movement against the war in Vietnam, have made a profound impression upon youth everywhere. Eleven youth organizations in Belgium, France, Italy, Great Britain and Ireland, and Holland were officially represented. Observers were present from Germany, Spain, the United States and Canada. Other organizations which could not send delegates in time sent greetings and offers of cooperation. The conference was also officially greeted by a representative of the north Vietnam delegation in Paris. The conference authorized the organization of a Coordinating Committee of seven members representing the youth of the United Independent Socialist party of Italy, the Socialist Students of Belgium, the Young Socialists of Belgium (FNGS), the Revolutionery Communist Youth QCR) of France, the Socialist Students of the United Socialist party of France, the Socialist Students of Holland and the left wing of the Labour Party Young Socialists of Great Britain around the organ, Rebel. The first coordinated action will be preparation for demonstrations in solidarity with the April 15 demonstrations in the United States.
The conference closed with a call to all young workers and students of
Europe tos-
".- Organize volunteer ‘brigades prepared to go to Vietnam when asked by North
Vietnam.
".- Reply to the imperialist escalation by escalating political and material
aid of all kinds to the Vietnamese people.
".. Fight for the unconditional withdrawal of imperialist forces from Vietnam
and an unconditional and definitive end to the bombing of North Vietnam.
"~~ No to the Atlantic Alliance!
".. Not a man, not a penny for imperialism and its war!
"- Long live solidarity with the Vietnamese people!
".. Long live the Vietnamese revolution!"
Nalso Annual Conference continued/
for the SLL supporters. In the election to the new executive, the SLL were
reduced to a minority, losing most of their previous positions.
The line finally adopted by the conference was by no means clear and at
points was even contradictory. Its position on student radicalism was
ambiguous. The sharp sectarian hostility of the Socialist Labour League to
the Radical Student Alliance left its impression. Many resolutions were
adopted by unanimous votes.
In the debate on the constitution, the delegates defeated a move by the
SLL to delete all references to the Labour Party, but failed in preventing
the "eligibility clause" being eliminated. This would have insisted that
executive positions could only be filled by people who were eligible for
Labour Party membership. In the past this clause has been ignored by NALSO
but was a statement of its main orientation. The SLL argued that this was
a principle and meant acceptance of bans and proscriptions, whereas it had
been argued, especially by the Sussex delegates that it was necessary to
accept such devices if one was to be in an effective position to fight
against them. It was pointed out by Oxford delegate, Bernard Reaney, that
in the past the SLL did not consider this question a principle, because they
accepted such clauses in the Young Socialists constitution before they split
from the Labour Party.
The problem for NALSO now is to work effectively in the broad labour movement
and cultivate support for its readmission to the Labour Party, especially at
the Labour Party conference in October. It also has to seek ways of inter-
vening in the current wave of radicalism among young people in order to play
a role in making socialism a key part of the students’ armament against the
conservative educational establishments.