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International Socialism, Spring 1962

 

[The Editors]

Letter to Readers

 

From International Socialism (1st series), No.8, Spring 1962, pp.13-14.
Thanks to Ted Crawford & the late Will Fancy.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.

 

Since our last issue, Mike Kidron has fled to India to recover from his spell as co-editor; Nigel Harris has replaced him. Great pressure will be brought to bear when Kidron resumes the chair to ensure his Indian experiences reach the columns of IS and are not lost in pub anecdotes. Reactions to IS 7 which are coming in as IS 8 goes to press are as usual contradictory. Nigel Harris’ piece evoked the descriptions ‘brilliant’, ‘dull’, ‘useful’, ‘just as I thought’. One of the members of the Editorial Board confessed himself unable to finish the piece, and a Scottish comrade ordered ten extra copies on the strength of it. Mike Kidron’s article prompted strong suspicions that his denial of disagreement with MacIntyre papered all the important cracks (MacIntyre we hope will be commenting in IS 9). Otherwise, many were delighted to find all the Kidronese exposed at one time in one place, and most of us have had to read it several times to get all the implications.

Depending on the flow of information, anti-Junco plots are being brewed in many places. We wait to see what results. For IS 8, German comrades have been particularly prolific – two articles: one on the fate of German Social Democracy (the first of a series of two), and a contribution to the debate on Left Reformism. Our translating capabilities have been strained to the maximum – if any comrade would like to help in future, the Editors would fall over themselves to contact him.

Articles for IS 9 include the final salvoes in the Reform and Revolution war, capped by Henry Collins’ reply, and an examination of the prospects and problems of British Labour in the Common Market, the concluding piece on German Social Democracy and whatever else we explore.

Final paragraphs are repetitive – we need money and help to keep going. The Editorial Board has suggested we set up a Readers Association that will attend Editorial Board meetings and discuss past and future issues, policy and direction, will hold weekend schools at which the issues in the journal will be probed more deeply. Looking at the success of the recent IS weekend schools in Glasgow and in Dublin, we think the idea is worth pursuing: we hope you do. The next IS EB will be held on 5 May – all our readers are cordially invited. Details may be found in the front of the journal, or from Jim Kincaid, 18 Kent Terrace, N.W.1.

Editors

P.S. We are delighted to see the new direction Peace News is taking – comrades should hasten to explore its new Liberation look.

 
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