leaders of the Fourth International, is the possibility of checking imperialism by meeting its military escalation through effective countermeasures.
In a statement, adopted after the discussion, the IEC pointed to Washington's reaction to Korea's seizure of the spy-ship, the U.S.S.Pueblo, as showing "that American imperialism is disconcerted by counterblows elsewhere than Vietnam and that Che Guevara's appeal for the creation of a ‘second, a third Vietnam' --~ far from being irresponsible or romantic -- corresponds to the opportunities and needs of the moment."
The IEC called on workers everywhere to come to the immediate aid of the Vietnamese revolution and in doing so "to go beyond the stage of passive demonstrations and collecting money and medical supplies, however useful and necessary that may be." The IEC pointed to the example of the Australian longshoremen and Japanese unions in refusing to load or unload or transport American troops and ammunition.
The Fourth International leaders also appealed to the Soviet Union in particular to step up material aid to Vietnam, to reaffirm its alliance with the People's Republic of China and to abandon the strategy of so-called "peaceful coexistence." [For full text of the statement see World Outlook, February 23, p. 167.]
Among other points on their agenda, the leaders of the Fourth International considered a preliminary report on the tasks of the revolutionary Marxists in Western Europe, where new opportunities are opening up, particularly in relation to building support for the Vietnamese revolution and mobilizing a new generation of revolutionary-minded youth.
The situation in Latin America was likewise discussed, particular attention being paid to developments since the conference of the Organization of Latin- American Solidarity in Havana last summer. The setback suffered by the guerrilla movement with the death of Che Guevara in Bolivia was held to be temporary. The latest events in Cuba around the case of Anibal Escalante were assessed in the light of the preliminary information.
The report on the international situation, presented by