Clubs and Things

The Left is all Right

A long discussion on the future of the V.U.C. Left and the screening of an excellent Polish documentary were the chief events at the Socialist Club's a.g.m. on Tuesday, May 7.

Discussion chiefly concerned the future role of the Club, and relations with the Social Democrat Society. Attendance, though small, showed that at least a few younger students were still interested in socialism, and that the Club could rely on continued support in the College. A motion supporting a committee decision to seek amalgamation with the Social Democrats lapsed for want of a seconder, but another calling for closer relations with the Social Democrat and Free Discussions Societies was carried unanimously.

The Polish film "Spring in October" (it is usually autumn in October in Poland) told the story of Poland's peaceful revolution against Stalinism last October. We say "peaceful" in the sense that there was no shooting—maybe all that had been got off their chests at Poznan—but we saw thousands of troops and workers' militia (evidently called out to prevent a coup back to Stalinism) marching through Warsaw, cheered and garlanded by the populace. On the way to the huge demonstration to hear Gomulka outline the new Government's policy, we kept seeing among the crowd a group carrying a coffin labelled "Natolin"—the name given to the Stalinist group on the Central Committee of the Polish C.P. (from the Warsaw suburb where most of them lived).

The quiet personality of Gomulka and his firm break with the "horrible distortions of socialism in the past period" (when he was jailed for five years by the Stalinist Government) evidently had strong support among the Polish working class, and made a deep effect on the audience.

Croz Walsh was re-elected Chairman of the Club (although he declined at first: "My academic and other lives are so full. . . . Sometimes I feel kind of lonesome in the Socialist club. . . ."). Others elected were: Secretary. Dave Patterson; Treasurer, Bob Taylor; Committee, Miss Lambert, Messrs. Ben Goffman. Steve Cegledy, Bryce Evans, Snow Williams, and Ian Robertson.

The simule delights of Extrav.
Caused an innocent fresher named Gav.
To be so very hearty
That after the Party
They found him head-first down the lav.

There was a young girl of Hataitai
Who had a slight cast in her right eye.
When she said, "Now my dear,
You may kiss me right here."
A dozen bystanders said: "Might I?"

6 PM

A young fresher caught in the mesh
Of festivities after Procesh
Was seen to be reeling—
They asked: "Howya feeling ?
Still fresh?" Said the fresher: "Oh, yesh."