29th November 1937
Dear Comrade,
SPAIN CAMPAIGN
As the Spain Campaign Committee has not met since November 4th, I have had no opportunity of raising there various points which seem to me urgent with regard to the Campaign, and I should therefore like to bring them before you before the next meeting of the Committee.
The Campaign has undoubtedly been, so far, very successful on the relief side, and also as regards the actual organisation of the meetings.
I believe it will be agreed, however, that from the point of view of its primary purpose, namely the exertion of pressure on the British Government to change its policy on Spain, the results hitherto are disappointing. Had the Campaign had the influence and publicity that we might have hoped for, it would, for example have enormously strengthened the hands of the Ministers of the French Popular Front Government now in London, in resisting the efforts of the British Government to sell Spain to Hitler.
If, in the vital period immediately before us, the Campaign is to mobilize public indignation against the Government's policy on a scale which it will be impossible to ignore, (such an agitation, for instance, as the L.N.U. organised over the Hoare-Laval Pact), a radical change of method is necessary.
Over and above the public meetings which are already arranged, I propose that we organize:-
a) Public Demonstrations in the streets, and Marches. (It is extremely regrettable that, in spite of appeals for central organisation, it is being left to the spasmodic efforts of local parties in the London area to organize marches of protest on the occasion of the Albert Hall meeting on December 19th).
b) Thousands of Resolutions, demanding the end of " Non-Intervention ", and the restoration of the right of the Spanish Government to buy arms, to be passed by every organisation that will pass them, local parties, women's co-operative guilds, T. U. branches, L.N.U. branches, peace organisations of every kind, student and cultural bodies, teachers' and other professional organisations, churches, etc. etc.; and sent to members of the Government.
c) Letters and telegrams to M.P.s and to the Government and F.O., from individuals and organisations of every kind - the more diverse, the better. (Anyone in touch with events at that time will remember that it was this factor more than any other which terrified the Government and its supporters at the time of the Hoare-Laval agitation).
d) Poster and press propaganda, wherever we can place it, not merely to advertise meetings but to demand the Lifting of the Embargo.
e) That we should consider asking the T.U. Movement to investigate the possibility of organising one-day protest strikes. This would probably be more effective than anything else.
There are no doubt objections to each and all of these proposals, but if the Campaign could be extended on these or similar lines, it would receive infinitely larger press publicity than it is now doing, the Government would be forced to take account of it, and our comrades in both France and Spain would be enormously encouraged and strengthened.
Yours fraternally,
S.D. Wingate
