The Brit

..turn to the working class!

leadership. Thus the crucial decision of whether or not to contest the forthcoming Convention them? elections in the North has been left in the hands of the Ard Comhairle of Sinn Fein. As long as there exists a leadership tied to such concepts of politics and organisation Sinn Fein can never hope to be able to intervene successfully in the crisis that is occurring both North and South.

Although no clear political polarisation was evident it was made obvious that thany delegates were clearly dissatisfied with Sinn Fein’s present course. Resolutions from Long Kesh and Roger Casement Cumainn calling for a purge of right-wing influences along with the many left-wing motions on the programm indicate the beginnings of a revaluation by the membership of leadership policy. Much of this leftwing trend came from the North, especially evident in the debate on elections and the courts. Northern delegates felt that there was a right wing current in the southwhich was in favour of participating in Northern elections. To counter this threat of railroading the struggle into parliamentary debate two main arguments were used: (1) that participation in elections leads to reformism and a watering down of principles. (2) the traditional republican abstentionist =e oe se position on elections.

While the fear that the right wingers in Sinn Fein will attempt to divert the struggle into a more constituional and middle class framework is well founded, the arguments used aganst these people did not provide a revolutionary alternative to them. To . participate or not to participate in elections is a tactical question — not a question of principle, Revolutionaries must use all means necessary to push the struggle forward. Elections can be used by revolutionaries as a platform to popularise their views and to discredit their middle class opponents. Would the SDLP be in the powerful position, it is today if the Provos had not decided to leave the electoral field wide open to Need for.a revolutionary alternative It is not enough for leftists in the Provos to simply condemn right wing influences in an abstract way. It is up to them to pose revolutionary alternatives in all fields. There was evidence of some progress at the Ard Fheis in some of the discussions e.g. on the question of small farmers and the agricultural crisis also in the call for more trade union work made by the Robert Emmet Cuman. The fact that many of the right wingers Danagher etc. had to “sound off" as left as possible in their speeches shows that they are very wary indeed of treading on the toes of the more conscious and active northern membership. However if a really revolutionary political organisation is to be built there must be a change in the structure and leadership of Sinn Fein. A revolutionary programm.must be developed through open discussion which would not be utopian, like Eire Nua is, but which would be firmly rooted in the needs of the people. It remains to be seen whether this can be done within the organisation of Provisional Sinn Fein, RORY MC NEILL THE PLOUGH — PAGE 3