Part 014 - PAMPHLET 001 014

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number of beggars in the streets, and the number of people sleeping in the streets. I gather from the newspaper this morning that the problem of beggars and homeless people is very acute in the South of India, and that in Madras alone it is estimated that 7,500 beggars are operating in the streets. I mentioned this figure to a comrade from Madras and he said it was a gross under-estimation of the actual number, as everybody living in Madras would confirm. It is heart-breaking to see them. I only hope some of the old Indian hands on the steamer going home will start telling me of " the progressive and beneficient role the British have played in India". The Congress opened this morning with the reading of fraternal greetings from the Communist Party of Indonesia, amid great applause. Discussion was then resumed on the resolution on Party organisa- tion after a clarification of certain points in it by the general secretary. I was struck by the splendid speech of a woman comrade, in which she showed the great positive role the women of India have to play, and why the Communist Party should give greater attention in help- ing the women comrades and in winning more women into member- ship of the Party. It was then announced that many amendments had been received to the organisation resolution, and it was decided to refer both the resolution and the amendments to the new Central Committee. I had had an interesting exchange of opinion with the ten women delegates, and learned much from it. I undertook a number of obligations on behalf of our own Women's Department, which I am afraid will keep them busy for some time. A night session of the Congress commenced at 9.30 p.m. and ended at 12.30 a.m. It was on the very complicated problems arising out of the agrarian crisis and there was tremendous interest in this dis- cussion which at one time looked like lasting all night. However, in the end the document introducing this discussion was also referred to the new Central Committee. So back to my hotel. I tried to count from my window in the car how many people were sleeping in the streets. I had to give it up. There they lay, men, women and children, amid dirt and filth, with cows and donkeys walking on them and over them, with rats crawling round them. Dreadful! And that ended my New Year's Day. January 2. TODAY delegation after delegation at the Communist Party con- gress asked me to visit their provinces and towns to address "the largest demonstration you have ever seen." I would be in India another year if I accepted these requests. It's a bit thought-provoking, however, when one comrade used what he thought was a clinching argument why I should stay. He 26 said, "Comrade Harry, you are an old man, and this may be your last chance to visit us." Well, well. That shook me. The congress opened this morning with a resolution on the Pakis- tan Pact with the U.S. There was no doubt from the discussion of the concern of the common peoples of India and Pakistan about the proposal of the U.S. to tie Pakistan to its war chariot. After an exhaustive discussion in which stress was laid on the importance of strengthening peaceful relations between the working peoples of India and Pakistan, the resolution was adopted unani- mously. Fraternal greetings were also received from the Workers' Party of Rumania, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, and the fraternal delegate from the Communist Party of French India also conveyed greetings. This makes a total of 26 fraternal greetings received by the Third National Party Congress of the Communist Party of India, revealing the importance attached to the key position India now occupies in the international situation, and the work of the Party. A resolution was adopted demanding the release of all political prisoners, and one protesting against the refusal of the Indian Govern- ment to give visas to the fraternal delegates of the Communist Parties of Australia, France, Indo-China and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. There was a late session of the congress tonight, commencing at 10 p.m. and ending at 5 a.m. At this session the new Central Com- mittee was elected, and also the new Control Commission. The Communist Party of Madura organised a cultural evening and I would dearly like to have gone, but a stern sense of duty made me attend the congress. I am told it was a remarkable success and was attended by over 40,000 people. Tonight, in preparation for the congress rally, every street in Madura seems to have red flags out and illuminated five-point stars with the sickle and hammer on them. Across every street there is bunting and at many points arches welcoming the delegates have been erected. I saw one tonight, "Wel- come to Harry Pollitt." It looks like being a great day tomorrow. January 3. WELL, well, it has turned out to be quite a day. As I went through Madura on my way to the Communist Party Congress, I found the town literally transformed. You talk about decorations for a coronation. They weren't in it. Every house and shop, rickshaws, stalls, windows, buildings and streets were red with flags and bunting. The delegates, after ending last night's session at five o'clock this morning, look a bit tired (I know I was) as the congress session was opened. 27