Turkey: the "lull" before the

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Turkish troops-martial law period extended including tax increases as well as geoisie reflect uncertainty as to In the aftermath of the carrying out the massive repres Shah's fall from power. the sion of the working class that attention of imperialism has the imperialists require. been increasingly focussed on The imperialist powers will the need to stabilise Turkish. be eagerly watching the progress capitalism. of the fascist offensive But the delays in piecing Demire!'s anti-government and together the massive economic paign in the next few weeks package necessary to bale out before finally putting their the bankrupt Turkish bour- mohey on their chosen winner.

solutio Ecevit government has used its renewed martial law powers to suppress all. left-wing publications In Istanbul.

On the other hand Ecevit's supporters in the trade union and labour bureaucracy refuse to raise even a whisper of protest against this and other forms of state repression.

The right wing, however, is far from silent. The fascists whose series of terrorist murder attacks recently succeeded in forcing the imposition Of martial law over major areas of the country are stepping up their violence in a bid to have the clampdown extended nationally:

Among the latest murder victims was the editor of a leading liberal daily: paper, causing alarm among the liberat middle class.

Fascists preparing The fascists are Clearly preparing further risings along the lines of their brutal massacre of religious minorities in the town of Karamanmaras.

But the silence has also been broken by Suleyman Demirel, leader of the right wing Justice Party-who has called on the people of Turkey to overthrow the Ecevit government.

Ecevit's response was to describe Demirel's statement as "a sad declaration for our democracy". Meanwhile he has himself proceeded with new anti-working Crass measures an extension of martial law. whether Ecevit is capable of olt But for the workers' movement neither the preservation of Ecevit: nor: the horrors of military or fascist rule offer any hope: the, only way forward must be through the fight for armed workers" militia, political break from Ecevit by the unions, and the demand for a workers' and peasants' government.

As we go to press Spain's second • general election since the death of dictator Franco is about to take place.

Public opinion polls confirm that the two major parties in the election will be Adolfo Suarez' governing Democratic Centre Union (UCD)-an alliance of the "enlightened" Francoists and the most opportunist sections of the old petty bourgeois "opposition"-and the reformist Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) led by Felipe Gonzalez.

The predictions are that the PSOE may come out on top but without parliamentary majority.

Its leaders have not ruled out in those circumstances entering a class collaborationist coalition with the UCD.

This-or any other collaborationist government set-up would be supported by Santiago Carrillo's "Eurocommunist'" CP which once again looks on the way to getting about 10% of the seats.

These important elections (to be followed in a month by municipal: elections) will be fully analysed, beginning in next week's Socialist Press by an onthe-spot correspondent.