LONDON LETTER
Ever since I got here last fall I have had an odd sensa–
tion of watching the newsreel for the second time: the atmosphere
in ·many ways is much like that of America in the 'thirties. Ques–
tions we used to worry about then but have not thought of for a
generation--of means and ends, of engaged literature, of social
realism, of revolutionary politics-these are now on the agenda in
London.
The most extraordinary instance, of course, is the capture of
last fall's Scarborough conference of the Labour Party by the ad–
vocates of unilateral nuclear disarmament. The conference de–
manded that Britain dismantle her nuclear installments and pro–
claim, regardless of what any other power does, that she would not
use such weapons henceforth. The resolution was passed, over the
opposition of the party leader Mr. Gaitskell, and most of the Labour
members of Parliament, because a bloc of trade unions, led by Mr.
Frank Cousins, swung in behind it. No one knows just what this
vote means and, short of a Gallup poll, no one can say to what
extent it represents the views of the Labour Party masses. (And
even then . . .) Some put the proportion of unilateralists among
the rank and file at 15% or less. Certainly there are many more uni–
lateralists among the active party workers than among the ranks-–
unilateralism is here what Marxian socialism was in the States in
the 'thirties, an ultimate absolute solution that appeals to intellec–
tuals and the young more than to the man in the street. The Scar–
borough vote was also mixed up with the resentment of the old–
line trade unionists against Mr. Gaitskell because of his efforts to
modify the party's commitment to nationalization of industry. While
I
think
he was right, I can see that this was taking away the one
great dream left to the Labour Party; had he been able to propose
some emotional substitute, equally sweeping and positive, he might
have done better:
The Scarborough vote was the culmination of the Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament, which mounted the Aldermaston March
