HEALY'S FRENCH FOLLOWERS STRIKE A BLOW AGAINST HUGO BLANCO
On December 14 a demonstration in behalf of Hugo Blanco was staged in front of the Peruvian embassy in Paris. [See page 2.] All the French organizations that consider themselves to be in the Trotskyist tradition or sympathetic to it were represented save one -- the followers of the Socialist Labour League headed by Thomas Gerard Healy.
They sent a representative, Stephane Just, to a preliminary meeting. He objected to the demonstration for Hugo Blanco on two grounds: (1) Some of those participating were involved in the campaign "One Billion for Vietnam" the drive to get funds to help the National Liberation Front, and this campaign is also supported by some Gaullists and priests; (2) action for Hugo Blanco should be carried out by the unions but with the exclusion of the Catholic-dominated Confédération Frangaise et Démocratique du Travail.
When this sectarian view failed to be accepted by the others, Just walked out. He was not merely showing contempt for those who proposed an action in behalf of Hugo Blanco. Healy's French followers boycotted the demonstration!
[Next week we will have more about this stab in the back to the defense of the Peruvian Trotskyist leader whose life may hinge on the capacity of his supporters to organize a broad international movement in his behalf. ]
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JEAN-PAUL SARTRE