First Published: Revolution, Vol. 2, No. 1, October 15, 1976.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Broad support for the Conference on the International Situation, War, Revolution and the Internationalist Tasks of the American People, scheduled for New York City on November 13, is rapidly growing. A call has been endorsed by some 40 organizations and individuals and is being circulated to further broaden the base of the conference.
Responding to requests to make it easier for some groups to participate, the three lines that the conference was structured around were changed to four. The first line was divided into two. Both lines, as before, view U.S. imperialism as the overwhelming main enemy of the peoples of the world but now the conference committee recognizes two lines: first, the view that the Soviet Union is a progressive force and natural ally of the peoples of the world; and second, that the Soviet Union is a reactionary, oppressive, much lesser imperialist power.
The other two lines around which the conference is organized remain unchanged. One is that the contention between the two superpowers is heating up and pushing things toward world war while prospects for revolution are increasing, and inside the U.S. the main blow should be directed against U.S. imperialism, while opposing it and social imperialism on a world scale. The other is that the contention between the two superpowers is the chief determinant of events, while the factors for revolution are also growing, and that the USSR is variously the main danger, the main enemy, the most dangerous, etc., and should be the focus of the main blow of the peoples’ struggles around the world, while opposing U.S. imperialism.
Many more forces are now anxious to participate, but several problems exist. In particular some forces, out of narrow organizational interests, refuse to participate and discourage others from doing so. Several smaller groups are waiting for tl.ese forces to move and are encouraging them to participate so that this crucial, life and death issue can be broadly discussed. The sponsors of the conference are firmly united on moving forward at this point, building off the advances that have already been made and providing every opportunity for further participation. In this way the conference will happen, despite efforts by those who place their own interests before the clarifying of these issues to prevent it.
The staff of the conference will be putting out a brochure- a spectrum of views reflecting the different lines and will be shortly putting out a list of speakers, workshops, participants, the structure of the evening debate, etc.