The YCND ‘demonstration' of Sunday March 2), was a soppy, sloppy affair. Watching the sombre procession of U Thantists towards Dewning Street I was immediately reminded of a convocation cf Cistercian monks returning to devotion after a day's mushroom gathering. hat were missing were the prayers and incantations. But the funereal atmosphere cf the procession was wholly relevant. For on the afternoon of March 24 the blessed remains of holy pacifism were laid to rest at the Cenotaph, or somewhere in that region. Old Mother CND and her progeny YCND have departed tris world, though doubtless from time to time the CP will invckecthe ghosts, amid a loud clattering of chains, Yet in Monday's press YCND got the best coverage in years. We expected this. It is now part of the policy of the British press to undermine the solidarity movement by presenting the CND as ultra-respectable (or how to protest politely) and VSC as the leadership of the ‘irresponsible’ fringe. What will heppen (or so the bourgecis press hcpes) is that the more ‘respectable! elements in the solidarity movement will be taken in by the apparent new lease cf life of CND, the prominent publicity, ete and will go running back to the ever open arms of Momma Pacifism, But this bourgeois notion pre-supposes that the new militancy is a child of 'frustration' -— frustration from not being listened to, frustration from being regarded as a spoilt child rather than as 'somecne with a grievance', This cf course is attempt to represent the solidarity movement as
a rabble of mods and rockers, and refer to us as people with a prievance
is to encourage anti-student hysteria by showing us a crowd of selfish,
moody alolescents with chips on our shoulders, They completely ignore the
phenomenon that new confronts them, The phenomencn cf the new militancy,
a positive political development engendered by a realisation of the true
nature of the Vietnam war. This is a political awakening and represents
a new and formidable force in British politics.
Returning very briefly to Sunday's demonstration, it is interesting to note
the various estimations of the num>er which participated. The Telegraph
estimated 5 000; the Times and Mirror, 3 000, but the Dailv Mail quite con-
fidently estirated 10 000! If there were 10 000 in Trafalgar Sqvare on
Sunday then the number on the 17th March must have been in the region of
50-60 000!