[p. 56]
COPY TO JPC
Dear Tom,
Yesterday evening we had a telephone call from Pablo, who wanted to meet me personally. He said the matter was of great importance, but we told him that this was impossible. We offered an alternative suggestion which was to come here to meet the whole committee and this he accepted.
His point was that he had received Joe's letter and he wanted to know what he could do to remove the obstacle so far as his attitude towards our section was concerned. We told him that the best thing for him to do was to reply to you and make clear publicly his position on the witch-hunt in this country. He evaded this by stating that he wanted unity and secondary matters such as this should not stand in the way.
During the course of conversation we asked him what was his opinion of Cadogan who circulated the Fryer document amongst the capitalist press in Fleet Street. He again tried to evade a direct answer, but upon being pressed he said that he would be opposed to Cadogan. However, when he was asked if he would make this clear in writing he simply evaded the point by returning to the theme of unification.
It is perfectly clear that he is embarrassed by the fact that you have succeeded in hooking him so completely on the witch-hunt question. He wanted to try and get a formula to get off the hook. But this, of course, is not forthcoming, so he went away empty-handed.
One of the other reasons why he is in difficulties is that his section here is falling to pieces. They never were much, but what there was of them is now disintegrating. An example of his problem is Cadogan and his friends. They have now joined with the state capitalists, Cliff and Co., and are "threatening" us with the production of a new theoretical magazine. There is not a single Pabloite on the editorial board of this. Once again, as in the case of Lawrence, he supported elements who now proceed in a different direction.
He said that he had something very important to tell us about the colonial revolution in Algeria and we told him to write it down, as well as anything else he might like to submit. It appears in this connection that he was looking for some support from us to impress the FLN from whom he probably receives some financial assistance.
There is no doubt about it but he is well and truly caught on the question of the witch-hunt and we should keep him—in that position. The fact that he came to see us represents a certain humiliation on his part, especially since he knows very well the attitude of this section. At the same time he is quite clever and suave in his approach. He carefully avoids political discussion and tries to pose everything in the form of deals and agreements.
If he should contact you, we should like to know about it.
With best wishes,
Jerry
GM/H