[p. 15]
Dear Farrell,
Please excuse the delay in my report on the Paris meeting. At the moment we are having to cope with the building work on the print shop. The start of our National Campaign, and in addition the libel suit of Mosley, which has been hanging fire for some time, has now been served upon us.
We had almost a two day discussion on my report on the Toronto meeting at the IC. I covered the ground fully and the discussion centered around ways and means to end the deadlock between ourselves and those elements in Pablo's ranks who wanted a genuine reunification. We had in mind the position in Italy and Germany in addition to the very urgent situation in France. We also had a report from Japan where there are two groups operating, one supporting us and the other Pablo. This report stressed that the Pablo group were anxious to link up with us and that any attempt towards solving the problem on a world scale would have the wholehearted support of the Japanese. We discussed the position in India, where as you know, the fused group hangs fire so far as its international affiliation goes.
We had in front of us the latest letter from Pablo on unity, together with his most "informative" information bulletins, and it was agreed that Pablo and Co. were anxious to provoke a situation which would maintain the present division. It was the committee's opinion that Pablo was manoeuvering because there were people in his ranks who were desirous of a genuine unity.
The general opinion of the comrades was that if we present the parity proposals on world leadership, Pablo will be able to continue with the present stalemate. It was felt that a new approach was necessary and the following is a resolution which sums up the opinions on how it should be done.
1) The International Committee will issue a call to Trotskyists all over the world to regroup themselves in one international organisation.
2) The International Committee organises a conference—it proposes to Trotskyists all over the world to prepare, in common, that conference.
3) The International Committee puts forward the proposition of an Organisation Committee for the preparation of such a conference. Each group, each section could send delegates to that Organisation Committee.
4) Naturally such a Committee would be based on parity with the sections supporting the IS for it is not in the plans of the sections members of the International Committee to impose their views.
5) That the Organisation Committee could meet in June, in Europe, and start proceedings for the preparation of a world conference in [blank]
6) Between the publication of its call and the meeting of the Organisation Committee, the International Committee will issue a discussion bulletin, open to all those who accept the constitution of an Organisation Committee.
7) By this way, the rebuilding of an International united movement of the Fourth International can begin, starting from the sections. It will be based on the Transitional Programme, rejecting all the brands of revisionism which pretend that the Social Democrat or Stalinist apparatus can be reformed and used to forward proletarian revolution.
8) Such a conference would define a political line for the movement and would discuss new statutes for its reorganisation.
The Committee would like to have your opinions before February 28th if possible.
There is a genuine desire to resolve the world problem on the part of all the comrades, and it is felt that a Congress of delegates from the sections could help do this, rather than intercommittee relations with Pablo who is seeking to maintain the division. If there is agreement with yourselves then this resolution would become the basis for an international call to be made by the IC. The resolution is quite specific on the question of new statutes and in suggesting parity for the Congress organisation committee. It desires to set up a precedent for the new leadership. Flowing from this of course would come the request that the new secretary must be resolved by agreement. We do not raise these issues at this time because we wish to avoid giving any handles of objection.
Our appeal, as I said, will go to all sections and groups, and representation on the organisation committee must come from them, and not from the committee as such. The visit of the Italians here will give us an opportunity to sound them out. My opinion is that we should be able to break through with such proposals, but the comrades are submitting them for your consideration so that our next move will, as far as possible, bring results.
I will be sending you a report on France in a few days.
Yours fraternally,