Congress Is Marked by Disputes

The Congress provided two forms of participation: (I) autonomous conferences or seminars based on and confined to common interest groups (churchmen, trade unionists, writers, artists, academics, educationists and citizens) ; (2) seminars based on common interest top- ics open to all participants. The Sydney Daily Tele- graph leader article of Oct. 26 stated that the Congress “had hardly got under way yesterday before its Com- munist controllers showed their hand. At the prelimi- nary meeting of the Education Section, an Australian Labour Party member, Brian White, had sponsored a motion urging “free dissemination of pacifist literature” in Soviet Russia. It was immediately objected that spe- cific mention of any country was “divisive.” It was agreed to substitute “all countries of the world’ for “Russia.” But even this watered-down motion was re- vised when it reached the Education section to read “dissemination of publicity for international co-opera- tion and disarmament,” and was not put to the vote.

Another resolution urging the U.S.S.R. to pay its over- due contributions to the United Nations was rejected by the drafting committee because it too was held to be “divisive.” While the drafting committee was dis- cussing a suggestion that the social and economic effects of nuclear armament should be studied, a steering com- mitee member said, “Kill that motion.” Of course it was killed, the Daily Telegraph reported. This sugges- tion could have been interpreted as an attack on Red China’s development of nuclear weapons, while many of its people were starving. The paper pointed out that speakers at the stadium meeting had attacked Great Britain over Cyprus and South Africa over apartheid. “Any mention of Russia or Red China it seems is ‘di- visive,’ but you can say what you like about the non- Communist countries.”

Originally the Congress was to make a general state- ment to be endorsed at the end of the proceedings. A non-Communist group had insisted that if the general statement was incompatible with its viewpoint there should also be a minority statement. The non-Commu- nists asked for a resolution demanding freedom of dis- semination of the pacifist viewpoint in all countries [including Russia], and a resolution deploring Soviet opposition to a proper system of inspecting. Although the citizens, churchmen, trade unionists and academics conferences voted in favor of a general statement, the writers’ conference rejected the proposal put forward and vetoed it 30 to 6. Later Dr. Lawes said that he did not think the lack of the statement was vital to the success of the Congress. (Daily Telegraph, Sydney, October. 2 7).

Press Denounces the Congress

A report issued by the Congress stated: “We deplore the role the press has played in its smearing campaign of the Congress and those wishing to associate with it.” The Sydney Daily Telegraph of Oct. 22 carried an arti- cle by Geoffrey Fairbairn, a lecturer in history at Can- berra University, entitled “Cry Peace to Catch a Dupe,” in which he described the kind of people who backed the congress as “feeble-minded ‘liberal’ intellectual, moral Pharisees, and generous but politically unedu-

International Communist Front Conferences APRIL 2nd International FIR (International 13-15 Conference on Federation of Resist-

History of Re- ante Fighters) sistance Move- (See Communist merit A~&s, H/5, p. 9)

APRIL 4th World Confer- FISE ence of Teachers

MAY 4th World Confer- WFTU ence of Trans- port Workers’ TUI

Prague, CSSR

a3+-, Algfxia

Sofia, Bulgaria

JUNE 1st Afro-Asian AAWC Workers’ (Chinese controlled) Djarkata, Conference Indonesia

JULY World Peace (World CounciI of Hel.&lk& IO-17 Conpess Peace) Finland

AUG. 9th World Youth W’FDY and IUS Algiers, Festival (World Federation Algeria

of Democratic Youth and International Union of Students)

Additional Developments

The Red Chinese resumed their full-scale disruptive ac- tivities in the Soviet front organizations and caused the IUS Congress in Sofia (Nov. a8-Dec. g) to continue two days longer than planned. Though the Soviet Russians steam- rollered their policies through, the Chinese appear to be gaining support among the Africans and Latin Americans, and the Romanians led a revolt of moderates. The extent of the opposition to their leadership in the youth field must cause them considerable worry over the World Youth Fes- tival due in August in Algiers, particularly as the Algerians have their own ideas about it. (BTA, Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, Nov. 28, 30, Dec. I, 5 and IO.)

The WPC is trying to exploit the widespread opposition to the proposed Multilateral Force for the purpose of infil- trating non-Communist organizations, including the Inter- national Confederation for Disarmament and Peace. (Peace News, London, Nov. 6.)

The Delhi Conference for Peace and International Cooper- ation (Nov. 14-18) was noteworthy for the tact displayed towards Red China (which was not represented), particu- larly by the Soviet delegate. He refrained from mentioning the Chinese nuclear test in a speech deprecating proliferation of nuclear weapons. (The Statesman, Nov. 17.)

The resolutions’ emphasis on anti-imperialism reflected the determination of the WPCin line with recent Soviet prop aganda-not to fall behind the Red Chinese as champion of national liberation struggles. (Statesman, Nov. 18-19, Times of Indiu, Nov. lg.)

The WPC and other Moscow-sponsored front organizations took part in the Hanoi Conference (Nov. 15-29) for Solidar- ity with Vietnam, which was also supported by Chinese- sponsored fronts. The Chinese delegation used the opporttm- ity to attack those who gave “lip-seivice” to support for the Vietnamese while advocating peaceful co-existence with “U.S. imperialism.” (New Chinese News Agency, Nov. 27, 30.)

A meeting of the International Preparatory Committee for the World Youth Festival was held Dec. 1618 in Algiers, where its headquarters have now been officially opened (NOV. P I) in the presence of government representatives. (Algier Rkpublicaiq Nov. 23.)

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