Socialist Press no. 173

Prague show trials

CZECH STALINISTS

FEAR TROTSKYISM

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 173 * 31 October 1979 * 15p Sentences totalling 19½ years have been passed on the first six of the ten Czech dissidents facing show trials in Prague. This is a gauge of the fear crats who deformed rule the workers' states view any oppos- ition. defendants were charged as a result of their work "Committee to Defend in the Unjustly rroseculcd

(VONS).

This takes up body cases of ordinary Czechs, using une creen consuluon and unc United Nations covenants the Czech govern- adopted by ment in 1976. The defendants are alSo of Charter 77-the members majority of whose 242 signa- tories are workers. Czechoslovak bureau- clearly sees in such bodies cracy the danger of a political oppos- ition that, while originating amongst the intelligentsi the powerful Czech working class. Any such mass opposition could fuel a political movement challenges That остатота! and material privileges of the bureaucracy -their vals, sumptuous standares. their private flats and country houses. Jail sentence And this danger must seem the greater is Peter Uhl, a defendants Uhl DrOTeSSed TOISKVISE. Is d supporter of the United Secre- Fourth Inter- nauonal He nas already served one four-year jail sentence for organ- as a Trotskyist ising the RSP party in 1971. Though he now appears to have gone backwards politically ane no longer beneves it neces- to build a revolutionary fact that Uhl is the an Trotsky ODeN supporter represents to the He Czech crowds vent their hostility on Stalinist soldier in 1968 received the longest sentence of all-five years. World famous playwright Europe, em barassment • TO Czech KnOW That Then Vaclav Havel received 4½ years; Stalinists, they are a deliberate position is far from stable in the Poland, a semi- and three others received 3 year next period. In move to wam oll any would-De sentences. political opponents. orricial report nas pomtea out The Czech bureaucrats, like that there is: Though the trials will be a "An acute crisis which has source international their fellows throughout Eastern Martial law in Norfolk Yarmouth Great quarter a maton "trouble makers to stay awa pounds was spent by pólice on Norfolk was turned into a and who pathetic •called this exercise as barricades were demonstration of 200 or so well virtual police state at the out alone we beach and police away from the 'closed' area weekend for the first rans To mount a peaceru The conference national conference OT picket on the pier were called permitted by Tory council the fascists of the National off after police objected.

last April. In May Labour gained Front. The WSL does not call for control and sought to have the legal or state bans to prevent Police from Manchester, Front banned. the fascists meeting and march- Valley and other areas Thames Denning judgement InG OUT TOr united working clas. Doureo into the town to deTeno action to deny them facilities the conference held the and where confront necessary Wellington Pier. Lord Denning in another of his classic anti-working class order ame area or ine town deny them a platform for their was sealed off. Residents were Appeal Court rulings said that racist and anti-working class to present passes to get the rights of contract overrode the powers of the council.

to men own nomes. and tose The Great Yarmouth fiasco Who were not at nome when ine donce were usine us a is a good example of where they were issued had to apply to training exercise. hey had attempts deal with fascists little fear local the police station before being who told irouen me law ena up. labour bureaucracy anowea in. embraced basic fields of social, political and economic life The socialism which people see Is comparea with une socialismo they would like to see and the difference between and themodelis painful reality Living standards The report also anticipates a fall in won the 1 225 standards over vears. ne same is undouoted- ly true of Czechoslovakia.

The trials are thus a move to Trotsky Vaclay Havel forestall of an explosion the DonEcal angel agals bureaucracy whose parasitic and dictatorial power holds back the potenua development or une productive forces and acts on a world scale to prop up imper- The Prague trials follow the method of the Stalinist bureau- cracy that emerged in the isol- Union after the ated soviet death of Lenin. To preserve its unstable pol- ltical power against the poltcal had by the late 1930s executed the majority of survivors of Lenin's Bolshevik Central Committee.

A local point of this political terror was the notorious Moscow Trials And in 1940 Leon Trotsky himself, in exile in Mexico, was murdered by a Stalinist agent because he represented a fight not for liberal reforms but fo the continuity of Leninism and in particular for the exercise of proletarian power through the soviets- councils-from which workers bureaucracy would excluded.

MANAGERAL SIAFTS

GRO

GIANT MARCH AGAINST CORRIE

Back page Jiri Nemek Trotsky insisted that, though warped almost out of recogni-

"LON

unde Dureau. cratic dictatorship, the Soviet Union remained a workers' state in which the historic gain of the 1917 Revolution-the national.

isation of the economy-remain- ed intact. What was needed was not the social overthrow of a capit- alist class, but a political revolu- which the working class must drive out the bureau- cracy and assert its management over the economy. Key to struggle It is this approach which remains the key to tne struggle against Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union and Eastern BurODe to us day The post-war period and the extension bureaucratic over Last Europe

COLLIOL

seen Stalinist rulers use various tactics to maintain control of suppres masses. sion led to a wave of which Czechoslovakia brought the execution in 1952 of CP General Secretary Rudolf Slansky and leading other prains in K111 the 1935 Germany and the death Stalin by the saw an attempt Kremlin leaders to put forward a more liberal' line in order to placate the masses. The real iron fist behind this vever giove was reveaed m to brutal invasion of Hungary by Russian tanks in 1956 recoonised that, in forming workers' councils, smashing the police and secre setting up a workers', soldiers' and students' militia, the Hun- masses Dosee a arecT threat to bureaucratic power and privilege-a threat that had to be crusnica u it was not t Europe and the US itself.

throughout Eastern Prague Spring The 1968, on the more the product of much i Deral. bureaucrat ouncer who attempted to appease bott he masses and the Kremlir movement not adare toker councils and the level the advance signs 110172-0IT Tne Warning pointed in that direction.

again Stalinist tanks rolled in to snow une tea lace or bureau- Cont'd back page, col. 4

TURKISH WORKERS MUST FIGHT

RIGHT WING THREAT

Communists' back new Zimbabwe climbdown Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL-

The leader of Turkey's passivity of the leaderships of _kev to the religious National Salvation the working class parties and the right wing Justice Party, Party and the fascists as well as trade union Suleyman Demirel, has been some maeendens electoral SUOOOrT called upon to form a new will effectively be a re-run of Ecevit, have offered lead National Front government following the previous Prime resignation coanttion DouracoTs ane Deasant masses Within the RPP camp Ecevit There was independent Minister Ecevit. has faced mounting political alternative for whom CriTICIsM Ecevit's buourgeois liberal trom opposition factions.

they could vote Republican People's Party While conceding that he is In this sense the political responsible for the electoral set- bankruptcy and class collabor- suttered a massive deteat at the October 14 elections, in which Ecevit remains Dacks alon oi workers redgers can o there was a 20% swing tant for his antiworking class confused and seen orive and economically ruined sections of ront wine carties ano the hor of the vote fell from 47% the chare endorsed petty extension

JILE

to 29%. extreme right restrictions

TOT

The The tascist party the NAP Turkish cities for another two wingocialist Press has consistent- increased its share of the vote to months. The fascists have in the last ly warned of the dangers posed The Justice Party won week stepped up their campaign the growin or tascism and tive parliamentary seats and 33 of violent the shift towards military rule in seats in the Senate, Turkey.

OUT OT

the imposition and extension of giving Demirel control of that znese restrictions unger the Thypat body. fals upon the labour merement military takeover, backed up by full weight but ne still does not have a tascist onslaught or a miassive clear parlamentary majority. and left wing papers are made the organised labour movement, An early election illegai while fascist bands greater than ever seems ukery the latest function freely. consolicate betore electoral successes. continual discussing the way Tene Tace

COTI

In the terrorist attacks and aggressive forward for the new right win Justice Party government seems policies from the fascists, government Demirel, the NSt junta The "reformist" colonels the capital, San Salvador, nor in who two weeks ago over- 311004102

TAOS

WOO

offered resistance to their junta.

threw the Komero dictator.

Forty have people died ship in El Salvador have, so far TeDoTTed far, proved worthy minions every day clashes between of the State Department. the and army popular demon- They have not hesitated to suallul. cola de the

BELIZE

kill workers in clearing occupa• colonels have sought a tions of factories in and around cratic face recorms CP TaulCal estao isaing a civilian cabinet and stocking it with eminent bourgeois demo-

QUATEI

crats'. election CP Ministers une new covernment Roman Mayorga composed mainly of Christian . Social and EL -collapse Democrats orawa bom seru and MNR-but it also

SALVADOR A

ministers from the Com- The open enthusiasm of the In last week's Danish Stalinists to enter the bourgeois elections the workers' verament. assiste Pacific Ocean parties received a majority that is totally reliant upon the of the votes but because of militant workers, the way the seats are allo- legacy the me communis style by being heid hostage cated, up with a enaea Party's explicit ten-year alliance his own Ministry br minority of seats. with the forces of democratic' members the BPR (Bloque The Social Democrats are capital in E Salvador. Popular Revolucionario) who tormina a minority government.

This will not resolve the crisis of remaining political prisoners.

Washington Danish and certainly The government claims there Not a word of consternation true means that The working class-since Ine this main of Anker has been hundreds of militants have been Joergensen's policy was a social oi these "Communists by the.

sulllllardy ten days. contracı wa ine unions simia to Callaghan's. wrath Salvador The election took place after workers. The issue political The CP Labour the oreakuo ot the sociar bemo orisoners is the oniv one ubor crats' coalition with the which the popular organisations wabriel vallegos, nas begun nis Liberals. term of office in uncomfortable ale unilou in each of thest partiec seats-tour extra to the Social: Democrats and one for the Liberals. There can be no doubt that Ine Joergensen government wil enter its crisis long before the four year social contract with The latest dispute also "rely on" the governor. une unions is comoleted. between the Patriotic Front lack liberation of The major event of the elec- armies the Danish tion was the loss by and the Tory LANU ana LArU (tne compon• government ents of the Patriotic Front) and communist rary or al seven ol does not involve a question that acceptable its seats. sent bJ of principle. because of the face of imperialism. the Uniter comes It is essentially about which Nations. development ot a major crisis The leadership have taken an supervise the elections Fighting PLO Which extreme rightward and will pave the way to imperialist course like Zimbabwean These Copen. recognition would be the

LUVVTI

Curitils troops which are currently fight- have with the nacen voted regime. Social Democrats such The difference between Palestinian national ing the Tory Foreign them that "novement by no extra Middle East and which in many o aces 10% with secretam staff or buildings. elections to take place with a parts of the world have been put British military There have been a number of dictator having Servict tull reaction in the name of peace.

splits and expulsions ot leading DOWel tne reotessive figures who often only apparatus the Carrington reportedly consisting half-heartedly, opposed some of existing racist police and army. opposed to mixing the light blue ine cr sactions. ure ratnoue perers or ine UN with tae true Clearly the Danish electorate from implacably opposed to this Tory and racist blue of his did not see the CP as any alter- racist, imperialist plan.

chosen forces of repression.

wants to dilute it But there remains room to Tativo seri-contessec reformist workers' parties.

letting the. British-installed compromise on UN "observers' and fascist leaders are not o ovo e de dos parliamentary majorities, but of question ensuring the sldo hity necessar or a tronta offensive against the Turkish working class. As Demirel has stated: Ine probiem is not to ge1 the parliamentary arithmetic right, but to have the forces to alow us to rue. But, while the bourgeoisie • debates tactics, it is still not too ior une workme Clas. moolise and deteat the enor. mous dangers it faces. new wage agreement short!v for • ue multions workers: an offensive struggle in defence of living standards could form the tocu: arouniu could gain con- which workers fidence in their independent class strength, and organise united defence squads to repel fascist mounting attacks The demand must be raised the Turkish Communist Party, . the other workers' parties and the trade union leaders that Caribbean Sea

NICARAGUA

~ Managua

COSTA RICA

FAPU,

having desnite several shot the in the last lew days. nas Issuea no public statement or the government, but is reliably discussion reported The Bloque, the other hand, has announced full oppos

OTO

duced no concrete demands or programme and itself to its traditional guerrilla ano occupation of the cathedral in demand for the release of the Carrington as a way of keeping the Patriotic Front the at Conference and comunica Lult imperialist "settlement" SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 31 October 1979 they Break from Ecevit and the bourgeoisie! workers wiyallist against fascist violence!

• POLISARIO

VICTORIES

As the Polisario Front continues win military victories over the Moroccan army, the imperialist powers have moved to play a more direct part in the war of the Western Sahara. Two weeks ago, a large force of the Polisario took the town Moroccan reinforcements sent to the garrison. Last outpost Mahber was the only position surviving , Moroccan lands in the north-east ot the western sandra.ov « une boreel with Algeria. For years, : garrison Ine had isolated beer LOvVIl stronghold, from which the Moroccan army was completely to control Ene surtouno ing territory occupying army had been mostly engaged in fendind attacks from the Polisario

OTTI

Front More recently, Mahbes has cannes a new imoortance since the Polisario Front extended its military operations into south of Morocco edredens This is probably still what Carrington most wants. But he after the Patriotic way the caved see his In on ine constitution way to by-passing the : Patriotic Front altogether. Disorientated It so. it wil be because he believes that the compromises and betrayals into which he has

SLCCECU

Patriotic Front leadership sufficient disor- have TO iented allu armed freedom fighters. He will be proved wrong only if anch ornem cu teatro car be built to fight uncompromis- ingly for national liberation of Limbabwe as part of a socialis programme under tne leadersnip of the working class. State repression in Turkey *Defeat fascist-military repression! *Fight for a workers and peasants government in Turkey!

SAHARA WAR:

year, King Hassan has seen the •ovious need to sirenetnen nis advances Polisario ano distuot fes subdiy lines into Algeria Major blow The fall of the town ha been a major blow to Hassan's strategy. and a major victory in the war tor une moeration oTtot Western Sahara from colonial Opres Polisario claims to have killed 767 Moroccan troons and have driven the_occupying forces back Zag inside Morocco "nis news must have giver President Carter the final spur announce his increased sup- dictatorial port for Hassan's monarchy Carter's latest proposal that the US imperialists should provide Hassan with more sophisticated military equip. ment. inciucine orouno suooori aircraft and Cobra helicopter gunships-or, words State Department officials.

allow Morocco to enouen to impose a military solution' King Hassan, like his model the Shat nas peen a faithful friend to US interests in the Middle East. But the US #werlarsts nave not rushed with massive offers of help to support him despite the dangers of a war which the Moroccan army is steadily losing. Lost cause Even today Secretary State vance o•posed Carter's proposals and argues only supplies the • present range of weapons or ofter from the Us Vance has no desire to see the US to yet another lost cause, , at the

COST

grea Tinantia and political losses-particularly when this will undermine strength of Hassan's dictatorshir and antagonise the Algerian a major supplier of ga: regime to the US But giving Hassan too little too late is no way to resolve thi crisis, and can at best serve only death-agony of •cone une the Moroccan occupation of the Western Sahara.

Carter and Brezhnev in new balancing act Basque referendum: a broken a crutch for Franco's heirs SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 31 October 1979

- INTERNATIONAL •

comings and Recent metnoos goings on the military front And at a time of economic indication of the offer an dislocation within the way in which both Stalinist ano oter varsaw ract countries in which they plainly fear grow- and imperialist leaders are class militancy ing working to preserve the attempting nence lne wave i snow tridis!.

existing balance of forces.

it makes sense to the bureau- cracy attempt to carry out Each feels threatened by the defence cheaply such possible. working class, which on the one hand shows the possibility Cutback cavilalist expellation Were

NATO

accedu cerencent economies or centid Brezhnev's proposal, the Warsaw and Latin Africa and Pact not only be spared Asia, on the and added expense and privilege of Counter Ino ine new missiles. out could Tne parasitic ouredu- also cut back the deploy. cracy in the deformed and ment of conventional ground degenerated workers' states.

TorCes. Innocuous studan "hawkish" Carter The existing military balance increasingly "peaceful coexistence" tne could be and the preserved "Communists" act, Cuba and SiE. Asia Menan Thatcher government, however, cost, material placing bureaucracy under less pressure seems likely to ensure that the Tirmiv committee to une dreser Brezhnev scheme will be at home. vation of capitalist stability over rebuffed. of by an earth's Intensive lobbying flaurity surtace This is their way of protect- ing their own balancca di lucy

DC LVECTI

the externa. torce •т imperial- ism and the power of the work.

ing class in their own countries.

Offer to withdraw It was, therefore, no contra- for diction whatever Kremin oureauciacy to extend recent offer withdraw Eastern and tanks from Germany exc nande TOr by the updated alliance not to deploy rersnine missies one nearly six hundred deadly ground-launch- ed "cruise missiles" in Europe Stalinist FOr oureaucracy are defend the nationalised proper- it base of theit frivithe m they seek to carry out such detence by means- not of inter- mobilisation the national class audinst the capitalist class each • bureau- country-but through diplomatic/military cratic, Last week's referendum on the 'Statute of Auton- omy' for country provided the regime in broken crutch. tne regime and of the PNV had Though of those voting there to acknowledge that the refer- was majority the tor though it gives the go. statute-agreed ahead to implementing the new ruling Democratic Centre Union statute, has by no means laid to

(UCD)

rest the threat which une pourceois nacond- ists Basque National demand for oI the real national self Party (PNV) and Doses The and Communist reactionary plans of the Spanish Dally OPDOsi" and capitalist Basque classes was the high number of absten-

PNV

leader, Garraiochea. tions. immediately after recoonised Only 61% of the population the results were issued that voted, implying virtually ETA (militar)'s war ould con- much support tinue.

VLULUDI

aostentions as are тететепаин Anger of December 1977. And this time the traditional What he did not sav. Darte Will

SUDOON

DUT

Euskadi were all actively cam- must undoubtedly fear, is that paigning for a 'yes' vote, the sero the ngue work be stitute for the building of revol- in December 1977 they were all utionary proletarian (i.e. increasingly; the Trotskyist) which repre- The abstentions, therefore, statute is implemented, against are clear testimony to the grow- the PNV and the reformist and of the working class and whose ing influence of the left wing of Stalinist must include acau says TOe programme Basque nationalism represented country itself rather basque short 11U U at the military level by

ETA

than against the Francoists in uncompromising struggle for the (militar) Madrid. at the right to national self determina- coalition Herri Despite its remarkable tion in Euskadi revel Batasuna (Popular Unity).

success the military level, The Madrid regime and the ETA's guerrilla strategy Although. of course. not al PNV are now hoping that the the abstentions can be counted ally represents the most radical statute will head off this explo- as conscious political ones, the wing of petty bourgeois nation- sive ucinana by providing man) figures that Herri alism, the trappings of eteves working class independence with none of the Ratana nas maintaner geneani bulk of the support that it won reality in parliamentary and muni- has no answers to the buskadı Wil nave a locally cipal elections earlier this vear.

problems faced bv the working elected parliament of 60 seats tried to put a class and is, therefore, no sub- (20 wnue they each of the Brezhnev and Carter Kremlin leaders Yet the know that course also such brings political problems to the imperialists who, with their own economic difficulties at home; tar a linously NATO tanks on manoeuvres in Germany Suarez officially recognised Basque pro- vinces-Guipuzcoa, _ Vizcaya and Alava) and a local government whose Prime Minister will none.

nominated by the Ine esc he King , in Madrid! will Basque language become an official language and there will be Basque TV channel. The government wil have responsibility for educa- tion, transport, health and tour- with certain limited powers Ibil. of taxation and other respon- sibilities for the economy.

But apparentiy the most sig- nificant provision of the Statute is that which allows the Basque have its own government ponce loice enthusiastic about publicly chalkin the 'arms race' democrats, including Brandt and partv Bahr are arguing for Brezhnev's plan to be accepted and other NATO governments have showr themselves reluctant to have the new US missiles based on their 50H Why, intent upon pressing come this carte costly arms build enormously The answer clearly lies in the increasingly desperate plight of post-Vietnam US Tacho with a wore ee vesure n of revolutionary struggles in the semi-colonial countries. Carter s „recime nas peer forced impotently witness profound setbacks in Angola, in Nicaragua. iran mineral-rich Zaire, pro-imperial- dictator Mobutu had to be out French and Belgian intervention Despite noisy sabre-rattling the politically unable simply to dispatch the marines to impose military solution in almost any part of the world America now potential powder-keg revolutionary of strugales Carter has been look ing for means of reasserting US military and flexing his actually being forced to follow through with an actual major confronta- tion. Humiliated Prudently advice reactin from defence advisor Brzezinsk send us troop. crisis-wracked Carter has nevertheless beer publicly humiliated following the "revelation" 3,000 Russian troops in Cuba during une navana sonauene summit The noisy and well publicis- landing of a fen hundred ed US marines. tanks land appar It the repressive omni- present Francoist police which not without reason, , the bour- geois nationalists believe to be a builder for the rac i suppo (militar). They hope that a change in the responsibility of do valwill tne repressive forces will neip to guarantee the capitalist order ir the Basque country But it is certain that the consciousness of the Basque working class runs much deeper than the nationalists hope.

Workers will clearly change of regime, or not a even a change of personnel, but clande It is planned that the officers of the new police force will still be appointed from Madrid and that the Madrid forces are to continue to have main respon- sibility for the fight against ETA (militar). So this fraud will be exposed long before the first time Basque national policeman shoots down a basque worker The provisions of the Basque statute paralleled that for Catalonia also receive relate yes ma poll.

The relatively Catalonia reflected not an active campaign boycott as Euskadi but mass indifference towards a statute that is widely seen as conferring Page 3 Pershing missile ently a battalion of TV camera- long standing U Cuba was a pathetic and inade- quate face-saving attempt.

ever This 'cesture wa out-trumped by Fidel Castro's triumphant return to the United Ivations, wnere ne arew rapur assembly chamber for a cred applause from soeech Drum up support is why the NATC This plan has become Carter and why important to Us mutary Bovisors have beer jetting around European capitals attempting to drum up support of Brezhnev's proposals on East Germany is designed to reassert also to make a positive impres- on the average American sion red neck and commun ist vote Carter is keen to attract in 1980. And, after all even if he wett reelected need hardly worry about the colossal cost : of the new missile batteries. taker

LO• OT IN

recessionary policies imposed by his administration, and historic levels inflation eating deep into workers' living standards, the added COs1 to Us workers 01 financing this latest lethal threat to their own safety will scarcely be noticed. more than cosmetic auto- nomy on the region. 'Reforming Francoist was premier hoping to use an overwhelmin yes' majority on the referenda lucassure me crown secur bourgeoisie who • The increasingly new military ist generals in the army.

what he On paper that is got. But no-one last week, not even himself, could present the results as decisive. Unemployment The working class in Euskadi Catalonia, and well Intoughoul spain, continue make the same demands before, unemployment con- as • wages Lulus lo ano rea ; fall. And the referenda have done , precisely nothing Spanish bourgeoisie in a bette of these •busion lo meet dny demands is in Huskadi that the working class struggle against Francoism and Spanish capital- its highest tas Credenied point. There every sign that atter the reterendum as before it, the Basque working class will continue to be in the vanguard a growing struggle through- out Spain.

TORIES GET DOWN TO WORK

New failure for Humphrey Who Page f

SACK THEM

Last week's rise in the unemployment figures produced the first empirical evidence of the impact on jobs of the Tories" recessionary policies and spending cuts.

Most economic forecasts the dole queues that will grow rapidly over the next 18 months as high interest rate!

and a soaring pound sterling force the pace of factory closures and millionaire Environment Secretary Michael Hesel. But the jobless total will rise even more rapidly tine has his way, from mass sackings in the public sector.

The government is determined to cut the number ot people employed by local authorities, he declared.

"Public this country is overweight and, overweight organisation can, with a little effort, other like every afford to lose afew pounds."

authority As for the forthcoming claim by local pay employees, Heseltine has announced that there is "no way" the Government would countenance a day aware eoud to tne current inflation rate of 17½%.

SQUEEZE THEM

As Parliament reopened, the substantial worried Tory ministers were united increases conceded to workers at the Times, Independent Tele- in evading any attempt to vision ano two maon encineer- forecast the future develop- ing workers, pressed the same ment of inflation, now on point. the 17% mark, and certain He quoted the recent defeat!

to go further upwards in the or the vav strike ov carysier Talbot workers and the union next few months. with Michael collaboration But they were also united in Edwardes job-slashing plans tor Udy british Leviano as examoies oi by "reality asserting itself."

Tinanced On Thursday Thatcher In a real senseHowelis right.

attem oreo to ram nome lue now Thal traditional Tory-Labour black- home to workers struggle against the Tories is that, with- mail declaring: "ne createst torear tooes

OUT

endersnie orepared in this country. is extravagant challenge the concept that the must kept profit- pay claims which employer they whats warranted ey increased dole costs. 1acc productivity." wave runaway intiation Friday Chancellor which will squeeze their living on standards still further. Geottrev howe. dummitteury

OUR POLICIES

*Factories, bankets these suppliers hostitas private threatened and contractors profit- schools, must be occupied with closure eerine wonbe Vital services are slashed! Expose the inadequacy to provide Tne

TOCUS

TOr The struggle to defend all jobs and of state health services •rovision: rian tor te restor- Fight for supporting strike ation ot all cuts and the protec public service spending through Open the books those inflation slidina scale of spending based em olovers Inar treaten recurr- dancies or refuse wage increases figures compiled by the claiming they tabound unemployment! For a cornelLets the Jinks between Drivate crash procramme UseTul employers, and their relation- public works undel workers provide work ship with the banks, suppliers management For unemployed an• contractors as tne basis tol

TOT

the fight back. shorter working week and a *No redundancies! Fight for massive programme of training tor adult workers and vouth Work sharing pay, under the control living " Detend standares elected trade union committees. Protect wages against inflation through cost-ot-living clauses in

DOORS

public services and nationalised agreements provide elected to keep with industries assessed by movement committees! Unmask and fight for the nationalisation committees

*TROOPS OUT

NOW!

IRELAND

resettlit Thatcher unionists and housewives.

protection to unemploy. equal ment and sickness benetit, social security, grants and pensions!

*Bring down the Tories! force Prepare action to mass covernment ou office. Build councils of action in each area to link and pay battles.

CULS.

• COSUrES

KICK

out • traitors Demand that those who claim offensive oppose read a nant tor socialist porcie.

or stand exposed. *For socialist planned economy! None Inese policies can. be achieved while crisis-ridden capitalist system ot production tor private profit continues to rule the Fight lives of the working class.

TOt industry and the banks, without under workers" compensation, managemenu chapter in the new of disastrous the Tory Minister for Torture, Humphrey Atkins, opened last week. Atkins-a nobody from the Tory been woods-had

DOCK

rudev cable• sto the me- light by the surprise demolition his predecessor, the unlamen- tee Are weave. Stepping into the shoes Roy Labour's Torture Chief Mason, Atkins immediately of found himselt at the centre growing worldwide DUTCr against the barbarity of British repression in the six counties of Ireiand. Top American bourgeois politicians in particular began to pressurise thes to adopt more more colleagues to adopt subtle techniques contain- ing the liberation struggle. This pressure brought a ban on US Prior Jenkin

STARVE THEM

Carlisle arms see the sectarian RInG.

New York Hugh Larev party" talks on bourgeois democratic solution to the war- only to be rebutted by Atkins He realised that for the British imperialists engage ; at all would appeal talks to the Loyalists as a sure sign of forthcoming republican which moverell gaining strength, fighting capacity and mass support both in the North ane in tue co counte Mountbatten The summer brought the dramatic execution LOrO Mountbatten and the ambush of 18 soldiers at Warrenpoint-the diocest smole maltar dereat tol the British army since Korea.

Britain itself defeatist of capitalist clas elements began voice concern SOCIALIST PRESS. Wednesday 31 October 1979

CRACK THEM

With Tory still piling precedent-setting up judgements limiting the right to picket and anti-union impose blacking action, Employment Secretary Prior is lining up new anti-union laws for the end of November.

Part of the propaganda smokescreen designed to force through this new legislation will centre on last week's Torv report on the union recruitment techniques employed by the print

SLADE.

But at the centre of the Torv offensive are attemots to smash the power of the closed shop, to prevent solidarity picketing, and taking votes to crack the class strength of the working class by out or ne arena or ass meetines ane substituting individua postal ballots. The recent court injunctions against picketing by strikers from Ellesmere Por v duxnalt s CEne (TO "extortion" levied against a Scottish TGWU official for demanding a cash payment in exchange for • dispensation for lorries to cross drivers' picket lines last winter both show that even before the new aws are mocuce te ones are me coi ae cetermine• t‹ increase the use of the courts against the unions.

The fine for "extortion'" in particular sets the scene for a barr.

age of court actions against the standard union practice of dem- anoine unal unose wn cross bicket unes lorre adays wades

FREEZE THEM

More than 2½ million people will lose government cash help with their electricity heating bills this winter, as the result of a Tory economic measure.

Three million had been benefitting from the discount scheme which •Wal introouces tne ast Lavour covernment d cosmetic measure to offset the plunge in working class living standards brought about by Healey's IMF-dictated policies-at a total cost ot £38 million but social services secretarv ratrick jenkin nas scrabbed int and substituted a pathetic 95p per week handout to scheme, pensioners over 75 and to families on supplementary benefit who nave a child under o. the total in these two categories Is oniy 345,000 people The saving is thus a cool £22 million per year -while thousands 18% im cover snee Tamele TaCI a staceerine increast electricity bills and an overal! 17% rate of inflation this winter.

Jenkin smugly pronounced that "in general, people's incomes are keeping pace with rising fuel bills."

And, if not, why should he care?

working Thousands of the comprehensive system. class children at present Hand-picked "bright" receiving free school meals Cheren in state schools wilt of because of the poverty of siphoned off and state funds their parents will receive no will be provided to send them to meal at all as a result of the viding a direct subsidy to these £200 million cut in school bastions of class privilege, meals subsidies announced Meanwhile class workin! last week.

VOUTE

cruelle Education buildings, crowded classes and As expected books and Secretary Carlisle put forward a using ageing will be bombarded with tion Local lying Tory coucatIon propaganda assuring Authorities to provide school them that high-priced baked beans on toast and similar snack meals at a set price and provide them free to certain children.

meaisare as nutritious as the old-style school dinner with condemn- School closures Not content will also be made more straighttorward Some of the sungies a o Tories savage spend- bit alongside ing cuts the Tories are actually to spend up to £70 million more their lives intoree to reintrocuce celec poor prospects and high cost of • He knew betore he spoki the war-and that the scheme was a non. militarily winning spearnead ec

OUT

starter move at the Liberal Party The •divided Unionist camp united in rejecting his proposais conference. ala even | 41 careerist lout Labour leaders ot Gerry ritt souLr This left Atkins talking to Party confer- The Labour himselt key ence, to finding indicated a growing CONe "party" involved. (but never for Provisional to ha participate)-the movement labour declared immediate withdrawal of troop: -though still resolutely opposed response as tu Tuc leaders. pro-imperialist Party and war goes on to drive the British army from the six counties The British class mounting pressure wusth from all Atkins felt must TAke a Tirm sane in this of British war for the obliged to appear to do some withdrawal the thing last troops week in an absurd seit determination the Irish Duolle rectors exercise people as the basis for an Irish announced to Parliament that he was proposing to workers' republic. "the main partie! in the North" to discuss transfer powers from London

Bonanza for bankers-but watch • Last week's abolition of controls all exchange the pound relating sterling was the unexpected- ly dramatic last step along a the road on which last Labour government first set out. It is the road to the ruthless unrestricted pursuit and capitalist rationarity The lifting of controls will for capitalists to open the way funds in the lact Inel the •race around world without any restriction imposed by the British state.

The move is a logical part of the whore economic strategy to rescue British capital desperate crisis profitability. Howe he nener coverner however, is approaching That problem in a different way from Ine callaghan governments. Thatcher and Howe are all sides dismantling the controls which nave been otten set up tu protect particular sections of capilal. consciously nave decided that the long term served interests of capital are sacrificing une weaker sections of the British capitalist You are now free to buy gold-at £75,000 a bar!

out for your job! class and by making sure that every avenue to possible profit It is a strategy which threat- ens large sections of the working both in class with loss inoustv ane une ouble seclol the came • TInse elimination of the accepts weaker sections ot capital.

Protection foreign controls exchange and capital move. ments, like controls on imports, protectionism are attorded to a section or capit- alists. either Socialists cannot support or oppose the abolition ot such contros as suct. not invoive ourselves in disputes to help the about how best casitatist class. Socialists must raise a pro- gramme which defends the inde- pendent interests of the working class. That means redoubled insis- tence on the same activities in New York demands such as work stair on full pay (the sliding scale of •' •onth Africa The go hand and "left" hand the Labour blacking to oppose and prevent closures; nationalisation without and Stalinist support tor import controls as part of a nationalist capitalists so-called "Alternative Economic declaring redundancies and Strateav" It is a strategy based on all alliance with the national sec Central demands tions of capital and encourages These are central demands of the international division of the class struggle in working class the working The working class cannot be •i capitalist defended adverse crisis. coals! tilt effects They will become even more Howe's _ economie by defending the dis- strategy important as a result or rowe s carded measures of the capitalist lifting of exchange controls in that this will anything accel- state. the "lefts" "rationalisa- But that is what erate rather than fight for want to do tion being carrieo out ov Ine capitalist class. socialist DolICIes Of course, So while we recognise that a socialist econ omic programme in Britain Howe's move is an integral part will include state the overall

VICIOUS V

ally trade working strategy of the state Control ou and finance we But this has as little in com- Torovaro policies

WICH

fought for consistently through- mon with capitalist import and movement, can exchange controls truly out the workers' socialist nationalisation has •erene une interests or wurkcis part of international common with the state owner- struggle for the establishment ship of British Leyland. •i socialism I his is the opposite of the way in which "socialists" of the 14m and Communist Party LaUUUi Party nave creeted howe s measures. Nationalism poor — They have almost univer. sally greeted them with a wave which has na tonialisiti 14 million people -26% nothing in common with social- ism. of Britain's population-are The shouldn't controls living in poverty, according new to major survey because British capitalists be forced to invest published last week. Up to 49% of all one- eloping British industry.

parent families live on the Dennis Healey, the borderline of poverty, while Labour 'lefts' the million people are Stalinists ot seven better for capitalists to spec- incapacitated to the extent on the British social of needing wellare British tric provision. property market Enan The survey by Professor Peter Townsend largely on 1969 figures, and stresses that under succes- sive Labour and Tory governments the situation has got steadily worse, not better. A profound further lurch towards poverty is certain until the Thatcher government is defeated and removed from office.

PRESS

GANG

The story so far. Princess Margaret, intrepid sister to the Queen of England is in the shit. Filthy rich, spoilt and notor- ious she is seeking to get back in her sister's good books by tour nel Torme

COONS

America, opening supermarkets for a London money Lu also music hall. All is going well until in careless honesty at a societ after sne tells hostess that she thinks all irish are pigs. Her Irish hostess storms fury and poor rancess is tonowe ever wnert by nasty ruffians making grunt- ing noises Her holiday lies in ruins. All seems lost Now read on: Deep throat has a plan to save the day. He picks up the phone, dials number and begins to speak. All over rleei Street editors stano to attentior as they take their orders.

The next day: The Telegraph: 'IRA plot to kill Princess' The Mirror: 'Margaret Defies IRA Death Squad' Two of Labour's brazen most crypto- Tories have been expelled by the Kensington constituen- cy Labour Party. Haseler and Stephen Roger Fox of the extreme right wing Social Demo- cratic Alliance were promin- ent in the campaign against the ousting of Reg Prentice Labour candidate for Newham NE. It has subsequently been revealed that funds to back Prentice's extensive legal appeals and wrangles were made available by the viciously anti-union National Association for Freedom (now entitled the Exchange controls lifted European currency dealers on the phone The The Mail: 'How the Assassin next day this ripping : the yarn began to tall apart was toned The Sun: 'Margaret's Day of Agency seams wires the Jackal, with denials, climbdowns and accusations of exaggeration etc. The stories were identical.

sale uney weTt An

"IRA

man"-(naturally "allegations of • investigating involved the Mountbatten threat There was little reflection o the Princess as she opened a car this climbdown in the papers showroom themselves. Police had his while con aparent name and photograph, but for ceding that mystery mysterious reason were leading assassin was Provisiona

THUS

amateur, on necess wes switchco to concentrated a bullet-proof Cadillac. A heli- continuing security copter roared overhead. how brave the Everyone said Princess was. Icav Armed Quards surrounced the wueen out ot this. ine call Mail reported a death threat blood from 'the French section of the group ready. devilish i ne assassin rrovisiona nA I made by i who said that the IRA given himself away by hiring a didn t actually agree with him film crew and then asking them to provide nim with a sketcr map of the showroom! ending. Column Our Princess comes after column • home a detail • heroine—unvieldina in her deter.

•COT

RUC

land Yard and the all mination to open car show professed themselves ignorant of rooms whatever the odds press hac ine roles unev were suooosee To OnCE have played in this drama: but saved the day. paper except Guardian Press freedom is never having took any notice of their denials lo say you are sorry Extreme right expelled "Freedom Association"). wart Michael Foot! But of course well over It was on the basis of 100 Labour MPs also associ- these activities that ated themselves with the Haseler and Fox were defence of Prentice, who is expelled. in But they did not work minister now the lory charge of attacking benefits alone. There remain dozens of for the disabled. equally crypto-Tories in constituen- The Social Democratic Labour Parties up and down the country. Alliance however, over- Many of them are right stepped the mark by public- will wing be ly calling Labour upon MP John assisting voters not to support the Corrie to ram through Labour candidate for Liver- . his vicious anti-abortion Bill in and Bootle the pool the New Year European elections. It is high time Labour's And in the run-up to the rank and file set to the task

SDA

General Election the list 59 clearing out such publicised of enemies of "Trotskyist" inveterate the supposed working class. Party candidates Labour -including right wing stal-

Page 6

FAILURE

The impending split, and unmistakeable present day and confusion disorienta- tion of the United Secre- tariat of the Fourth International, come neither a surprise nor as an accident. nevare the outcome ot a process, in which the

USFI

efforts consistent to evade probiems in tue cast Tol the sake or unity have now created even bigger and insoluable problems oresent which torerten to diow the United Secretariat asunder.

Today's wrong positions and embarassed silence are the result of yesterday's unanswered questions and refusal oraw jessons from yesterday s experiences. The current open and crove no capitulation ov tne American Socialist Workers Party to Castro's Cuban Stalinist bureaucracy began not this year HaST vear-out traces roots back to the 1963 docu- which the United on Secretariat was formed in the wake ot the Cuban revolution.

Wrong positions And the mathoo ot anafysic approach underlying the out- 1963 documents Was wrong ineoretica scs: 2-s :hat emerged from the =53 the tota confusion o= this the USFI •vestion Within indicated by the fact that while the

SWP

and co. minkers unnes tammay backed the Vietnamese invasion Kampuchea as a 'step for the Indochinese

USFI

the invasiond the other around Mandel opposed the the horrific prospect rival trOTSKVISTS •otentialv fighting each other hand to hand in S.E. Asia. USFI Xith WORLD

CONGRESS

SINCE 1963:

A 16-YEAR

RECORD OF

Of course the USFI leaders that:- seeking to excuse uner contu. Dialectica Thinking- sion will argue that the situation Marxist, Bolshevik-takes 5 S.E. Asia phenomena in their complex and objective contradictory. but it is orec sev develooment ar tre samne to analyse complex and contra- time finds the internal dictory that the this develop. contradictions scientific method of Marxism ment a basis Tor ine realisation of its "norms". indispendible-and ThA impressionism and formal And in anavsino ine oroo. schematism of the USFI proves able social processes following itself the Soviet military Lulalty undole ofTe occupation workers a clear way forward.

castern roland Trotsky anticipated that: Defy analysis "This measure, revolutionary in character-"the expropriation Nicaragua, indochina, the ot me exoroonators mis in this Cuban the DoST war social overturns Stalinist-ruled Eastern Europe defy analysis by the bourgeois method commer sense and formal logic. 'facts' of such processes be understood if ther Cannot are detached from the overall of forces that has brought them about The wari eagers however scorn the dialectical method of Marxism. The clearest statement of all Ernest this came from Mandel at an IMG day school on history Internationa Attempting whip up backward merriment against the theory assimila- truCturA tion, which that progressive post-war steps of the property Yugoslavia and 23 S-23 24500 Of cours been-from a formal standpoint "absurd" -and contradictory but larxists must start trom the premise that reality contradiction-a continuing conflict oetween opposing forces. It is impossible to develop Trotsky's analysis of pre-war Stalinism in relation to

DOST

wal event. WIEnOUT grasping this contradiction.

Castro wish un reserving peace sexistence' with imperialism, preserving 'peaceful Trotsky himself pointed out Final part achieved in bureaucratic fashion case But of course Mandel him- self as old pupil of Pablo and defender UnE continuity positions from 1953 1963 grasp this necessity for a dialec- TiCal anaivsis these overturns and the more recent examples of S.E. Asia Without understanding the USFI such an cant отте perspective which Trotskyist parties could be based fight there for political revolution. for necessary SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 31 October 1979 The United Secretariat of We know, of course, that the Fourth the International othor main groupings tha

TIVO

(USFI) is undoubtedly the lay claim to the title of "Fourti International" now largest and most widely smaller than the substantiany known of the currents that have emerged from the post- Both of them-the Healyite 'International Committee" (run war crisis of the Trotskyist the British WRP) and movement. Committee With thousands of members Reconstruction •T E and sections sympathising by the French OCI) -certainly dozons or countre it is viewed by many militants political positions bad or far Trotskyist Fourth than i the USF on mans International. are themselvi due tons wracked Socialis the

USFI)

by inke League does not share this view.

internal crisis. We see the USFI as a movement Disorientation that has departed questions from the -KeV positions and for- method put But the bankruptcy of thei ward Transitional Pro for coco ming in te the Fourth ment recognising cramme on which International founded

USFI

excusIve 1938 Trotskyist movement

FSLN

The USFI's adaptation today to the petty-bourgeois FSLN in Nicaragua flows from its adaptations to post-war Sta Trotskyists to do more than leadership that offers us the put correc •ave means uncersianoine "accomplished fact" of the contradictory progress deformed of revolution in Vietnam. workers states Vietnam the Kanpuche: and analyse (though it is of course necessary events Indochina upside OT to get the label right). from todays -starting "facts' and seekina to fit then essenllal comore. which into a schema drawn from them hend the Stalinism has acted consistently alone-must whether it in the post war period

USF

done the to ster and halt revolutionary strugales and empiricists of the WRP and Rather than exchanging sub.

jective polemics the Workers Party , to a de facto rationalisation of the role of the rival empirical theories-the task Tacing the various tactions anc oldinist vietnamese eders fragments of the

USFI

is to artificial attempts to distinguish work Marxist them from Stalinism. maniet. historicary unroven Inese malo Tidier question questions of the post war role of Stalinism In this way, of course, the Ineoretical they have adopted-the impres- nagging contradiction of reality sionist and revisionist positions appears to be smoothed away.

A much tidier question can suosecueni be posed, in which we would Congresses cannot world provide Trotskyists with unde any decioe whethe formed workers state was (ii) a reactionary created; oT stalanism broke momentary Rationalised Trom stalinism at the point o' the overturn of capitalism And attempts now to work But reality is contradiction, superticially backwards through eliminate ano seekine history from present problems contradiction from our analysis justificatir search S.E. Asia and present simply for day view. inevitably wind up failing Ineottes mosT o estructive particularly when this reality, and liquidating the grasp combined with splitting sees contradiction the basis for processes individual fragments which can advancing the working class be grasped as part of towaros its emanciation But it is not only S.E. Asia The chief hurdle to the post which exposes the bankruptcy war development the the USFI's approach. Trotskyist has been movement are now also divided in opinion the very tact that the question: the nature of the Cubar overturns leadership-which one of sapitalism under Stalinist leader.

5 C save not been thoroughly reunification actually rested.

=C adecuately debated as the "Natural Marxist" 5:350 rare Wh le readily agreeing fo 200-5 reassorst ten vedt. NO1 lessons of the 1953 split the two sides found themselves perfectly "Cubar aurecmen led revolution was E race Statist, revoladerain andra Stalinist as a leadership under key to Yugoslama Castro: that it had produced al The analysis of the particia undeformed workers' state, and Yugoslavia holds that it the ditterences ir the key to understanding China.

potentiality new interna And Chinest develonment Int Liona revolution under rigid Stalinist revolution.

SOCIALIST PRESS, H'ednesday 31 October 1979 whore nostwar neriod has been characterised by profound polit- ical disorientation tinuina series of incomplete and opportunist splits and fusions.

The forthcoming Xith World Congress of the USFI is howover Im sortanu event

OVBTS

Marxists the opportunity sessing in more detail the stage •r •eveo•manı or we dorticar crisis. which has . characterised the USFI's existente since its TormatOn W 00o. At its Tenth World Congress o4 me mal vacon. werd the Leninist Trotskyist Faction, supporting the form pole alye orthodox" opportunist US dosttions The Docans Vorkers Party and the Inter- national Majorit the ultra-leftist cinging or and «uerrelag. sonema oT ine USFI's European Secretariat.

But the untenable positions tism since 1949. Yet the similar alemmel

VOTK

LaCK- "fact" waros Trom the OT Ine and a overturn see the events voa Trom ine combined crisis of The USFI's view, wrong enshrined in •ocuments ied l nOtUy the guerrillaist of 1969 did "ortho- to dox' Cos li0. 1963 of Castro was simply ot their to lall ena within oroorecsive : Stalinism Eastern Western which had engendered bourgeois •atonalsu Clouds throughout America the

UCLLY

ot Ine European should sche.na strategy At the same had resoonced the Cuban 1963 but had trom the long ane Ineir totally Party of liquidating the itself. deathb of Hansen this the and immediate urel most brazen DIVr Ine Castroism to in ulas

USUT:

the COmST •Wa. who their grip now increasing orientation Ene anti-war drawn around

USA.

So from this position. Others-such tanco follies taken by both the LTF and the the Portuguese during events of 1974-6 and the Angolan war led to a sharp re. alignment of force: Walr no the coming Xith World KADeR Congress The bulk of the USFI's Latin American momber and sympathisin actions broke with the line the SWP and the LTF and, lod Dy Nanud moreno S Argontınian

PST.

formad the Bolshevik Tendency. growing challenge from • ud here Tore comane, win yaa complote collapse in the credib.

ility of the

IMT'

guarrillaist 1969

LEBEC IVE

pressured the European

SWP

losders into a hasty of factions dissolution aA HE formation "united" a new leadership prior to Xith Congress join Nith But wanle •uckec the clasions Mandelites drew tion, with fury against vuc lilaisls ovur back leadership Ine castrolte particular had given the for. necessary . such talse swung movement this issue: amouut-dna amount-to Gots TaIs questioning the with historical experience and The from Mandel wing ICenl the the ideo and even rettans an The CO ase altenmol lc cupplant one of set conclusions anotmel witl and historical Ene metnoc HOw, then, has the Ust the working on the dagi the "big YYeTE substituting organisational tactics for within the Derttine programmatic clarily Tida ortatea ocal majority Ceylonese solluli LIte eneney was this new majority sections, pledged to "correct thı loadership drafted the five that of the

BALLIU

Uor main document. tabled for e8• erenle But manifest OnOA. failure to reconcile past political The article below, part ifive disaoreements is demonstrate of series examining the pattern of conspicuous position of the USFI in the run Cmna diplomatic omission: and up to its XIth Congress, Is a ovasions . the documents critique of the five main texts ine bolsevik endency nas presented to the Conaress in the meantime declared itself a the new majority leadership.

dedicated the These deal with: *The amovd ou Nudt World Political an "un "kAtro purrant anc Situation. *European Perspectivs Latin principled bloc" at the head of he USFI and the restoration of *Perspectives "orthodox" Trotskyism. America *The fight against women's Correct errors oppression *'Socialist Democracy the Dictatorship of the Prolet.

much lesser threat is ariat". *Bon n ane saomenc orocmen• 'Leninist Trotskyist d noN endency which has also emer. taa. Win tora. h enumear or ınce caught USFI unprepared from its ranks! bandaranaıke. been

•LI IC

European of deep entry InTO ane socialist Parties empirically be seen to 1974 shifted massive intervenine the une querrlild party had to be effectively And the vanguard" influx of Ine basis 1969 whose adapted students and youth, Was vague political broadened and and inex- illusory the "new com- Inen served TO mass vanguard" basically which pound the bourgeois centrist, ane cemi. and currents paved the for the 1969 thrown of "turn". the crisis spontan- nepd eity of the and channel their drive and

IMT

trailing the Marxist pro- yu toot TOr limply after left, talking gramme, their ted otticers ot Ine as yet Portugal. The took on place „the other of the wanliel "new youth zUrn Ine ist Socialist vanguard" Party. Congress blunders, itself door was _opened SWP's together America. criminal on anao a the Bolshevik baser These with petty

USFI

coupled with flip flops included the Pablo's

PRT/

consequences COStI LOn recognised Ch —te ana vsis Arenan Trotskyism 1971; and cumatee comseri hids bankruptcy the anaiysis Chilean to the tion, positive coup. offer

WOT KINC

HASS-OTMeN ourev ordan. isational talk 5. militia, divorced Moreno TrOM Dortica and easily proclaims has made even Allende! past. But point to Popular Front. number crass It ever demand fol the racon present that •serious Page 7 question this over • world presents Tendency's break oTAe: wo res

OOTT

ismiyne most obvious recent "strapped to cast Was

_OT TRE

our backs' stumps leave lonote TEnE AGain and prior to the again the revisionist opportunist method: and : disorien- Icace They . wrongheaded in testInc period of situations work a cItay tRe ver ont that open• can reach and ing up. act conclu sufis. leading the defeat The of the .whether the Bolshevik : and cracks Isca oooosition cabaoe ou out even wall and voting •PITne i • Thf Healy Lambert and prompted hasty various currents are ihlal flast these tactions WCLeCI Above all the continued Self ulous namme OT Ene America.* Since the five key opportunist sectarian XIth texts for World Senetnd tendencies. ine most studiedly "orthodox" All these con- and chance

LITE

turn

I TOLSKVIST

„ TO Transitional •rotamime Teatvir as the basis for the reconstruc-

LIOM

to the national present. countering the false positions only shape and evasions Ine fighting are forced to the caci

SITUSTION

Workers •Leaou • buldıng of a dialectical democratic internat canne ional tendency the basis of around us througr …i ne oratt ideas-and pro ional Today's gramme into with the The which provide a Poisoned centai Tocus and discussions Well Lilc cemume onal An. analysis by the The today's arstel WSL of the Self-Critic- national proclaiming ism published by the themselves the Fourth Inter

USFI

the basis of which the new majority imum or new dip. leadership was formed. Available in English, crisis, Danish, Spanish, and a concrete C•olennt French from: WSL, 31, Dartmouth to resolve it. Park Hill, London militants

NW5 1HR

Price 35p including which •olElca postage.

More on Marxism and Culture (SP 170) Page 8 Towards an International Tendency On Sunday October 13, the Workers Socialist League adopted the following resolution mapping out positive steps towards the formation of a principled internat- ional Trotskyist tendency, pledged to the struggle for the reconstruction of the Fourth International.

1) Events since the Workers form ordan sational Socialist League 1979 Summel unthinkable without firm pro- grammatic agreement. school have contirmed that the priority the most attached strices principled, taken towards establishing such consolidate international Trotskyist tenden- the dur conclu cy. such a tendency is essential Tormay calls Tine develop and expand of the US SLDC , the the nucleus of reconstructed the Danish

TAF,

Greek

CIL,

rour ruleraloar cavalic ol ano those comraces surkey working leading the in agreement with the politics of words class potential allies with the

WSL,

jointly seizure of the revoluttonary con vene Internationa coree proposed inda 79r Dower anothe wore dictator. ship of the proletariat. proposed agenda for vital that such wach shoue incuce. based on prin- canency a) Discussion and adoption Coee oroorammarc aereement.

both major international document our 'Ihe irans itional Programme general perspec- Class Struggle'.

VICEROUS

WOrk the within The proletariat • noreement on a common countries of member sections.

declaration of intent The

WSI

the and restates out framework time. commitment to the struede tor scale wilkin • Turmer dis the organisational principles of cussions will take place democratic centralism both at a national and international per- anc Internationa soectives ana conditions level. Only such a method membership the tendency. allows all The tendency itself will only organisation sections formed after a principled agree participate Ine interna and struggles other Nte ment ras been reacher oon on sections, each conditions of membership and the national perspectives of mutual international discipline and control. But such memeer orcanisatiols. Letters Dear Comrade detinition quoted above is con- Eagleton's article on fusing, especially Culture" was a and culture does "Marxism

SHOWIT

"ideoloav" we come contriouton to a sud- TunCTION ject which is usually confined to.

means of political agitation. intellectuals' un versilies discussion circles But precisely because of this Presumably he means (like it is necessary that we are aware Eagleton Lukacs, whom too Certain Contractins easy •ismisses Witn ola misconceptions his article. contempt) that culture is those Some of these seem to social productions not necessary immediate maintenance TrON comdut 10T nrevious broad acnerence to ine virtually incomprehensible use Which that the means and idealist was a cultural ' object language Parthenor the French for the Greeks, even It no anilosoonising Stalinist, Louis Althusser.

much an auste one as it na.

become for us. The most important point to So, for example, illake nere Uncl definition of "culture' as "a set capitalism has become totally social practices usually divorced from the real lives of significant symbolising be Carly most ocoDie Eagleton And comrade meanines marked mainly by their primar- the contribu- over-generous non-functional ily tion ot the Futurists and Con Althusserian reminiscent structivists to the dedinnings ot thought cultural revolution in the USSR and anolate-and pretty meaningless to in the 1920s. most of your readers Certainiv some Them so when participated sincerely and valu- "culture" used throughout ably agit-prop of the article as programmes of the state and the "art" which tor declares For the most part, though, caceton "ideological". they were sectarian ultra-leftists.

And it is unexplained why Terms HiKe oreatness ana "genius" by Trotsky They were unresponsive to as used real cultural of the are idealist the all in the same sen. of the ana WorKers state, and too involved in their Trotsky "one personal development Marxist (which was firmly rooted in pre.

oreatest culturdi theorists. revolutionary Russian/Western theorists and culture) and their can be great, concept of why can't artists? abstract and idealist Further, the Idea or non- oro etaria culture functionality" as used In this regard, and in discuss- c) Formation of an inter- national liaison act as the organising centre Tol political discussions prior to the tounding conterence ot the ten dency, and to publish an inter national discussion bulletin and up the document stating membership conditions the tendency. d) The issuing of an appea those Torces internationally any stranged to eat o socialism unis oroces principled Constructi Tendency ot opportunisi and sal. in opposition

JOTTIS

tarianism 5) The organisational details of this pre-conference, within and tone pational ingredope daltone is national aggregate the hands of the WSL National Committee, in conjunction with the leaderships

USA,

Greece. Denmark and Turkey October 12, 1979 Trotsky ing the role of art in socia should refer revolution we Trotsky. He made a valid distinction between that (usually 'inferior') art which is primarily politically sianiticant. and that which has a longer-term value TOr Ene development of a truly new mass-based communist culture. Poverty, cuts kill babies On average, in Britain More than half of the deaths this year, one in and handicaps are due Hypoxia and low birth weight fifteen births is going to -which tend to predominate in result in a dead or handi- une boorer areas of ine country capped baby. Results from Manchester Intensive Care Unit support the Around 11,000 babies will be stiiborn or will ale vociety.

TOI

first few improved provisions Between 15-20% of babies born there are around 30,000 Will sutterino Trom some torm werent ane mey contee Spasti so. have 87% survival rate •Spastic amongst these. report sent, to Patrick Jenkir however. intensive care unit.

maintain that over only treat the effects Hypoxia, they cannot treat the and this where the cause; Ine ack ol ante NPEU report is valid. natal care facilities, particularly intensive-care units. Over the past ten years the number of midwives has been Incubators naved most Ine policy centring maternity care and delivery in the hospital They point out that the as opposed to the home. owi recommend tions require the provision of There are souno. aroument although only 480 in favour of this policy provided incubators that there are adequate back-up They also claim that over a community resources one tach third of the handicaps could be ities. But this has not been the case •reventee over Geolae Come murity-health programmes.

Another report, sponsored Government (also sue lished last week attacks the Spastic Society's call for improved maternity provisions state inat poverty the cause for this high infant mortality country's of the ano nanetcal • rate fone worst in Europe). The National Perinatal Epi- demiology Unit, based nureall believe there is little point investing vast artivultis money ante had care because by then it is already too late. There is some truth in both arguments. Maternity care facilities are not equally distributed and tend to be most lackine in tne areas where they are most needed. Send us a letter, putting your views on the articles in Socialist Press, on the struggles in your union or district, or on any topic you feel is important. Write to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Author's reply To revolutionists the former is incomparably more important. later stages of the tne proletarian world revolution the latter will play its part in useful contribution ot a truiv une which human society Yours fraternally.

debate much ignored by Marxists. But his points are for the most part L. Davidson misinterpretations of my article There is nothing particularly 'Althusserian' about the defition of culture I advanced has never proposed such definition, and indeed has never written much on culture at all Davidsor comicat 'difficult language-in which case it is also 'Marxist' I he sentence ne quotes !: fairly clumsy, as tries it compress a complex issue into singe can't see that it is 'meaningless Vor do I think the language o шле cance l cened an difficult than, say , most articles history of the Fourth on International meaningless, "DretTy perhe arid en famited rejected article terms "greatness and genius when applied to art because they spring straight from bour- geois ideologies of the artist as inspired, eccentric whose 'creativity' is somehow mysterious The idea of the genius' is basically modelled on theology: the artist as the divine creator conjuring up nis nandi work from nothing. Art not creation but production: the re-working 01 certain given materials into a SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 31 October 1979 • The policy of hospital deliv- eries has been accompanied by the most important community asset-the Vis time newle In the poorer areas, third of expectant average, mowers on talent resca clinic soon enough often although, often they enough, hardly blamed, with Cal over-crowded waiting rooms. impersonal treatment, and long Journeys Hospitals ane clinice arl closed are nurseries and schools, wages are restricted and hoos axed The people most crushed desperate the wealthy scroungers This is the light in which we the bureaucratic must view of betrayals last winter slow pay battles and the hypocritica bleatings of a Labour oppositior seclu. Have forgotten the name Hounsiow Hospital! certain product. This definition indeed 'Althusserian'. It also • seems to me to be true. lo call Lenin i 'great genius harmless genius suggest! bourgeois ideology of art.

the word gustion use of the word and then convenienty answer his own question. I did not dis.

Lukacs with "'total miss major contempt. Aultural theorist. simov sale that he was a Stalinist, which is accur alt Comrade Davidson is right to warn us about the ultra-leftism of the Futurists and ot some CONSTrUCTIVISTS I had done the same myself in a longer article of which this com pressin. This is certain apart debate which continuing Terry Eagleton

COMING SOON

A series of articles by

TERRY

EAGLETON

critically examining the Marxists. work of Western The series will include, others, Lukacs among Korsch, Gramsci, Benjamin and Sartre.

Russia's secret atom holocaust SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 31 October 1979 Last week saw the publi- cation of 'Nuclear Disaster the Urals' by Chores in Medvedev, one of the joint translators of Kruschev's secret speech, and a leading biochemist now working in London Over recent vears Medvedev has been at the centre o a over reports of a explosion in the major nuclear SOvieT union al ane eno 1957. Medvedev first brought New light SLUly scientist article, pubisnea on 4 November 1976. The explosion was a result of the underground sTorae nuclear waste from the industrial sites seveldi Uras wnere me soviet nucied industry is concentrated.

Volcano Eventually the buried mass of material overheated and blew up 'like a violent volcano'.

cloud was 1 110 lauivallive numerets oi mies. causing enormous damage. Tens of thousands were affected and autoteos oeu Despite its tragic consequen- incident had some ces the One of these

BOSILVC

cuccs was the end atmospheric of Soviet nuclear the weaponry. Another was tron removar Oi LysenKO positions power in sovieT Soviet power workers that LysenKo's oranu 'genetics' was powerless understand, still less treat, radio- neooc cznze Medvedev was astonished at the reaction to his article, which denounced was widely 'sciencefiction'. Windscale loudest of his One of the chair- • John Hill, Critics was St man of the UK Atomic Energv fot that time busily Authority, Windscale wicallls imis was te ae o that, the thice Mie Hand Three Island that acciaett cave caust 101 concern" about British reactor balvty.. nowever. more evdence wa soon forthcoming, including an by Profes- eye-witness account sor Lev 1 umerman. tommel bcal of the bonnv c brało Institute Molecular Biology Moscow who visited the sealed oft area attel the blast. In fact there had been very little Covel explosion story at the time, and number had been papers translated for the UKAEA Ignorant It is clearly a matter of some.

concern chairman That The the

UKAEA

should either be ignorant of the event or else had uciocraley SOULIL Li "IsIl- form the public about it.

ERNIE STUBBINS reviews "Nuclear Disaster in the Urals" by Zhores Medvedev Control room in Soviet atomic power station In addition, Medvedev found over publisned Boviet studies on the effects of Stron- in and Caesium tiulll natural plant and animal popu- Most of these studies made „o „enccncr SUu1LU the contamination they Geal: were silent with, and on the (with a question lOCaLIUl single exception which mentions location-Cheliabinsk - claimed bv Medvedev) of material From this mass it is clear that Soviet scientists large scale conducting StuOles contamlmdleu area, hilt 1f a n cear Tn21 opportunit- research enormous lost in delays, doubt-

WOIC

The reactor began operation less related to attem pts to cover 1973, up the event Decen oel during .construction alarming The published material also stories were in circulation about provides "TOTMaTON kinds of nuclear contamination inadequate lechlica olala tions encountered, and confirms that and lack of safety pro- cedures. what happened (wase DIo- The first accident occurred sion of a waste dump. loading or new fuel elements.

explosion January

CTIN9

Icaltll

DOMD

wono nave oroduceu valve jammed quite different mixture of radio- sao wsade and the resulting active contaminants. cssure buld up radioactive produced blew the nighly Mercuy Hlas a cloud t ha roactove out great deai cor otmer interesome releasing material on the development of Stalin coolant eas Kruschev and later. Exit locked Not much of it wil stick in the reader's mind quite as the vividly the n te nano be evacuaed slULy during which two workers were cne tisc exison they found asphyxiated when Many of the incorrect prac- tices in the Soviet nuclear indus- an emeroencv exi ocke‹ prevent thefts" can ve hote orelea an •Lilt The second accident also result of political pressure to produce nuclear weaponry e l cob vvr insertior A ion element had nor been the period immediately tollow- ing World War IL overheated, damagec Narrowly averted Which cooling system forced the operators to shut the gener- Nuclear A.T. CHatrOTe ator down. Centre in the US a similar event Radioactive: escaped the Cheliabinsk SLodll! the cooling circuits into from only averted HallOWIy and there wa une amosonere. the 1900S further contamination during Charter 77 has recently pro- the cleaning up process. duced two documentatior the second accident since serious accidents the gas- A1 has not been in use. Despite cooled heavy denial, the early attempts at Bohvnice called Al. lical Czech authorities have recentl Bratislava in Czechoslovakia.

confirmed the accidents that Czechoslovakia has a larger did occur, have but not con- system safety monitoring 01 nuciear programme tnan any ol firmed the detals published bi Eastern European states ane greall Im otoveo

WOTK

the Chartists. conditions for operators in the and the Soviet designed A1 is nuclear generator the bureaucracy's Charter 77 While demands of expan sis phe first operational : these alt

CONTSO

re onane Tne deal with the problem of the Charter 77 for full calls nucical

DOWCI

stallul bureaucracy's growing Czechoslovakia, topping out Ol0 le three experimental plebiscite the nuclear ubile vl uuidl They also call for a is exactly parallel to the capit- violoty pe ivaclols Overturned truck carrying Uranium across US tagey The Three Mile Island plant at Harrisburg Radioactive waste buried in Idaho, USA alists need in the West for cneap nucieal power Internal needs Anti-nuclear protestors both and Stalinist capitalist tha sTates

MOUS

are driven internal stales needs which consider- override

O INO DIR KATE O

life. So far, the woto nas nol experienced • an y nucical accident of the really large scale sort which are possible Harrisburg. Bohvnice. Chella- are tiny compared. binsk. etc., of disasters that type might happen dniu ale micieas ingly likely to happen. Workers management Real safety and environmen- tal

STOICCLO!

Will NO Li achieved without the final over- throw of the -whether state capitaist or Stalinist.

WATCI SUD

jects its citizens lives to the of profit or priorities privilege ot workers alu unc

, INDONIROI

management over the planning and operation of energy produc-

INDUSTRIAL

Officials wind up hospital work-in News of the planned have been handful. closure of St. Mary's Hospital, Hampton, representatives Middlesex attracted 50 people including staff, of a monin s doctors, trade unionists closure trade and local people to meeting in early Lilt October. involved" Attempts by NUPE's local official Vic Palmer to control the meeting failed, The local and decided was the attempt to prevent the Kingston, Richmond and one of the hospital's shop Health Area stewards, Pam Authority from moving out reinstated following protests before the closure walicills about her suspension from date of October 16. "In hand" maker?. The was led workers the by Richmond and for Called Twickenham Trade Union cummunity Council, and was joined on councils and the following day by was blocked at of

COHSE

branch meeting by wie claimed to "have the matter officials-despite in hand" officially proclaimed policy The full meaning of this of organising to prevent hospital closures.

term is now clear with news that patients at the hospital public

JOIN OUR FIGHT-

AGAINST TORIES!

Returned to office after five years of Labour betrayals, the Tory government has immediately begun wielding a sharpened axe on jobs, conditions and social services. Trade Union rights face imminent legal attack.

Prices are already beginning to rocket upwards.

Plum sectors of state industry will be handed to the Tories' profiteering big business backers; and the pay rises to police and armed torces mark only the prelude to increased state against pickets and anti-fascists, and an intensitied army crack.

down in the accupied North of Ireland.

The Callaghan-Healev leadership has made it clear that it will opppose any perspective other than settling down and meek.

ty accepting five years of Tory devastation.

And, though they have once more dusted off their near forgotter speeches, Labour's continued to duck away from any fight to remove Callaghan.

TUC

leaders, Have set

OUT

collaboration with Thatcher and the Tory cabinet, tHeir anti working class alliance with Wilson and then Callaghan working ciass has experienced and overcome such smash through Callaghan's reactionary wage controls in a series of monumental pay battles last winter.

These experiences are not dead. They point to the way that jobs, social services and hard-won union rights can be defended against renewed ory attacks But a principled revolutionary leadership is needed if the Labour traitors, the TUC collaborators and their handers-on ir the Communist Party are to be exposed and pushed aside, and mass. struggles mobilised that can defeat Tne Tory government. such a leadership must fight day in and day out for a pro- gramme of transitional demands which, starting conditions and today's consciousness within the working class, lead workers to grasp the necessity tor socialist revolution And in taking up democratic demands-such as an end to racial and sexual discrimination, that must be played by the working class as the only consistent- class capable of leading the struggle for the emancipation of mankind. must fight an internationa/ basis-mobilising solidarity for anti-capitalist ant morest and Southern Africa wnether i reianoi out the world, and drawing strength, and political lessons from revolutionary upheavals such as that which ousted the hated Shah in fran This means fighting for the reconstruction of the Trotsky- ist Fourth International.

This method of approach, rejecting any descent to simple trade union militancy, or concessions to any bureaucracy, is the method fought for by the Workers Socialist League The next period will see major class struggles in Britain. A principled, Marxist leadership is essential. Our movement though strong in programme rerhains small in numbers.

JOIN US and take forward the struggle for socialism!

NEWS

reduced to a been planned for Monday 5 November in Hampton to: At a meeting of the AHA before assess Ine situation of COHSE, the AHA meeting the next TGWU and NUPE were told day reprieve However OI the eitorts of St. Mary's Hospital workers order to give "time fight

CULS

been consider alternative ways of seriously undermined by the £80,000 prcuiclabie sabolage of the trade bureaucracy, union and provides a tragic nega- Press release of the demonstration need for a principled revol- Community utionary leadership. Health Council has issued a press release opposing the Mary's, and

STILL AVAILABLE

Weeks, was

WSL MANIFESTO

An outline of the her job for being a "trouble- political programme of the Workers Socialist motion from COHSE at St. Mary's that League. support from Price 15p, including zlouDs. from WSL, 31, postage, trade unions Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR regional COHSE's occupations

WOMAN

WORKER

No. 3 Articles on women in fighting the cuts, Irelana. Kampuchea, and the Com- Party's women's "Link" paper, 16p Price including

WSL,

postage from 31 Dartmouth Hill, Park London NW5 1HR

DON'T GO INTO

"left-wing" MPs have for parallelling Phase and remove the from today's

SOCIALIST

through-

GET

PRESS

wing of the laboul

CORBY: CALL

A NATIONAL

STRIKE!

Once again this coming power to resist: Thursday will see the whole town of Corby grind to a shut cown thousands and of workers take to the streets in protest against the British capildilsit ana Inrougnout Steel Corporation's plan to industry. shut the steel works. They have the There doubt that DoWe Corby workers, their lIKE docks orotners and sisters au •notton and in other threatened sections of industry are ready and willing Iner action Such take actIon job-slashing sateguara jobs Nor is there any doubt that ment

ITS

BSC management, facing a Tory sten create conditions too defence ultimatum reverse alreged €300 million annual losses by next determined the imposition spring, and press antdo with the closure the industry Union leaders ted trade union But what is increasingly as the planned closure Couot date approaches is the willing- nes: leaders wage the slightest

I TO

fight to prevent the wholesale sackings, the speed allu biosures are ine essentia component of BSC's plans to restore profitability the expense of steel workers Speeches by ISTC leader Bill Sirs the Labour Party and elsewhere full been fury but signified and nothing in terms of a tangible fight. And TGWU National Organ- Ron Todd-who iser thumper Ene rostrum In orientor • •ec ar ing that the TGWU "will not accept one redundancy. closure annouces the union would "demand look at BSC's books: we will charlene profitability"-has done nothing to build mass action to save the coroy blant This passive acceptance is in keeping with the consistent record of union leaders in every far-be closure British Shipbuilders, British Leyland, Singer sewing host ot other Hates or plants throughout the country.

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

CATAL

Trial sub (UK): 10 issues, only. Six months One year Europe: Six months Rest of the World: Six months For a clear Name. . lead in the Address. struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies the full accounts of BSC to fing private employers and Which bankers receive the benefit from million colossa

TSUU

"losses" Such an examination will But BSC unions have the to the precarious Tutur they have the faced by every steel worker if strength through strike action to this Tory and government its

TOUCTION I TRI

wlans lor une mausty are not industry that is so crucial to the confronted. of payments of British Small percentage the engineering Let nobody be fooled. the numbers and a out nationa strike action n not taken now to defend job mobilise blacking action on the Corby and Shotton, then steel these sackings massive astner stocks being brought in to break •are-wii only be a small percen tage of the jobs will be axed throughout the industry Tory govern- that ¡ nost UnIOn would obstruct such policy have knees • the already consigned thousands of jobs Corby, memoers to une crowing Shotton and other steel plants dought and remoted beretey queues: they cole of work sharing on full pay throughout Shottor into LUll wordy ghost towns. And at the same time elec- For i task a principled committees leadership

ITIUS

should be fighting for access, to Dult in the steer industry.

Bill Sirs

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Talbot bosses put the boot in How is the management opera- ting? had toremen been " ne briefed that they had to change their role, be more forceful and a shop steward tion. supporter of The told they didn't like the tact that the only betweels manace. tion Talbot ment and the shop floor was the defeat of the pay strikes.

shop stewards. •ney wanted to cut out ine meetings between foremen and the shop floor. Was there anything in the pay deal which helped them? about 90 to 100 jobs. The return work agree- Management ment had stated that we would about 90 in the last three weeks accept flexibility on mobility of use• IRis To v the previous levels. the and give steware individual instructions eTTOrE without workers workers being taken on then we The track was not running might get an €8.35 bonus-but and they were telling people to even this is not guaranteed.

What have the Convenors argued One young worker was told He office windows. Tor clean They went over mere ano decause ine had time to staff were taking the piss out of him he refused to do the work.

soent unree weeks ust listening to management. the proposals. Are the stewards accepting this sort of thing? even have a copy so no decisior the company was taken. Dul wanted to susoeno nim and unis held a meeting of shop stewards was going a bit too far even for urce who were going proposals. alone WITh manacement flexibility. Joint Shop Stew- ards Meeting was held and the mutant Stewares argued ThaT using the was the return to work agreement to by- bass ine sroceoure a down in the Plant Agreement. We said that if the company mass meeting on tne company s refusal to deal with us. what _ Tne response or the convenors to this? They weren't there. The The Tory Deputv convenors

FETT

Warwickshire meeting and told management tically following the instruc what we thought. They backed tions of their friends in the cown on te susoension They also called the foremen.

together and told them they had basic social services in their To Intom stewares as to wndi area. was happening. But you've still got foremen attempting to wield Among the Ine bi suck. to poement over 200 teaching posts, a Part of the return to work deal cut was discussion aroune a bonu scheme. What is happening milk and transport. school amal- this? caman are and it is likely that fees will be In the document it says that introduced for nursery independent working party would be set up. Lull The convenors have insisted in all the important services and that the negotiations should do school furniture and equipment through the Plant Negotiating They've been is being cut back drastically Committee. Take to mancemen or toed formally weeks. Litt meeting on Last Thursday they called Outside the meeting the tirst official stewards meet.

lobby ing to give a report back.

Illass trade unions in the area.

What are the proposals? The Warwick shire branch During the dispute and at flas millale the end or it a total ot about campaign of

UNION DUES

They pushed the 'viability' aroument ano takeo aoout the threat from imported cars. That's quite seeing a joke Socialist Press interviews ador s resoonsiole tor imoor ting large numbers of cars from who is a their They plants. european the Ryton Action Group on the situa all the "gentlemen" to join the after trel dl tre oar. How would you sum the

SIMATION!

Management all are out to impose speed-ups and the Toremen are on me omensive Everyday senior manage- 240 left the plant. But then the ment stand on the gates to stop ending of the night shift cut out On carty weenesdav thev susoences tne taken Chairman of the JSSC for a day leaving early. This apparent- This leaves us about 40 short of even meeting. They say if we reached 110% extra The guys on the shop floor are not as demoralised as the manacement mignt think Iney are. They won't take the things management want out of them.

ine situation

MUCH

Ene said that they hadn't same at Stoke and the Ryton Action Committee put ur case-uney was the up "shoddy They just read WOrK strike We did not confident that a joint struggle can be established across both plants Since then management have work. agree- ine return to ment should be thrown out and accept the way opened up tor a new offensive on wages.

WARWICKS

CAMPAIGN

unions and the Coventry Assoc- in Council iation of Trades Councils are enthusias- Isolutor Nuneaton Trades Council calling for the setting up of anti-cuts the throughout attack county. October 22 public meeting organised by Nuneator Council heard speakers cuts they plan • Tades from the NUT,

NALGO,

SPCS,

are he oes o TGWU urge support POEU and for the Nuneaton school meals, ADamST 1OG Cuts Campaign (NACC). The immediate focus of the being discussed Nuneaton campaign is the fight azalls!

LIC

COSUTE

Tne Grange Old ATLeDorougr People's Home. This closure Staff are to go unreplaced so unpopular that many it and it opposed to possible that the Council will keep it open. The cuts are to be voted on • Attleborough Grange November 20. will be forth- not reprieved the the coming meeting organisea by The Policy and Advisory Committee

NALGO

there must be campaign tor supporting united occupanor ana sector strikes to stop the closure.

public

GENTLEMEN, OF COURSE IT'S A SHAME... HAVE

A GOOD DAY'S FLING BY ALL MEANS; BUT LET'S

NOT WASTE TIME IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN!

(YEAH, BUT WE ALL SAY THINGS AT CONFERENCES,

DON'TWE? JUST LOOK AT HIS RECORD, AFTER ALL..

Cowley Road thumbs down For the last eighteen months Oxford's main geria- hospital at Cowley Road, under threat of closure and dispersal of its facilities, beds and has provided an object lesson in both Area Health Authority tactics and in the treachery of a local Union leadership committed to cosy collab- this with oration same Authority. The only meeting expressing The outcome opposition was organised by the This blow. Communitv Health CounCI attracting 400 people. Yet the in the hospital who side the could have given concrete force Tory Meanwhile were hospital selves given direction by their union leaders. result of this AS irs that ther treachery while the Appeal themselves in against closure still being was the AHA was able. keep processed. T.ne support unopposed, to remove all acute And hospital and the patients from

COSE

begun to come in. ment. staff being By this time, the closure build on plans had gone through towards keeping open under appeals procedure up to ine ted one-man 'independent' complete Ene inquiry by a Professor Wilcocks.

Oxford's geriatric service.

NUPE-NO PLAN

FOR ACTION

dorr With a blatant attempt to stifle discussion were during strategy against the cuts, the dispute by London division of NUPE clear lead and held a rally on 22 October Danenes at Portchester Hall. felt like it'. The rally was called to pre AnG hay Divisional pare demonstrations 7 and asked why 28 Drome Keating, from inc ucer Jac menton or tre much ouoricised

SERTUC

and Ron campaign against pay beds since

NUPE

the annual conference. assistant general tary, on the platform. campaign Less than 100

NUPE

launched stewards turned up to the rally Nure oranches —not bad considering that notif.

delegate conference ication was sent out only a week Where the membership can beforehand Jack Dromey, the star attrac- actual strategy tion, gave an exact replica of hi the despondent Paddington converence previous Saturday. Keating was equally pessim protest istic. and the whole selection o1 bureaucrats Tne o attorm seemed to be in a different the actual fight from Paddington area to coincide already taking plac against the cuts, with local with a visit by the NW strikes and mobilisations Thames and more more Authority on 30 October. frequently against hospital and the rundown of The public services stage against the vicious series of health service cuts planned in who were allowed the the area weaker floor almost solid resistance every ially around St. Mary's, demanded to know wny NUrt had refused to call a strike for Road and the November 7 demonstration.

Hospital.

(THIS CORBY DAY OF ACTION COULD PROVE VERY

DIFFICULT... AFTER ALL THE OTHER CLOSURES

MEMBERS ARE BEGINNING TO SMELL A KAT:

WELL YES-WEIL NEED A REALLY GOOD TUB-

THUMPING WIND-UP TO LOOK AS IF SOMETHING

IS BEING DONE... RON TODD IS THE MAN!

• TWO SIMPLE RECOGNITION STRUGGLES LAS

THE TALK OF THE T.U.C!

UGN I DO

Page Il rBL ballot- scandal AS WE go to press the BL on the acceptance ballot rejection of 25,000 redundan- cies and the closure of 13 plants

STUF

comoetion hours the result will be known.

CLOSURE

The management-organised ballot

OWLEY RD HOSPITAL

lives as a scandal Tote union movement coul workers are being urged to vote 25,000 out of their jobs and the leadership ot the Confederatior are strongly urging a yes vote ont recen Interview Edwardes also warned about the consequences of occupation of But to their discredit no-one was a body those plants has 'independent' rrolessor could not consieer the occupations needs of geriatric patients out- So why then does Edwardes limits of the mention it? Because it the my poncy wnich can seriousiv GP the affect his plan. He fears occupations and he support committee has sees a yes vote in the ballot as a oo lamed a peace drom co loca way of ensuring there will be no will give medical such action. the AHA should the staff decide But a 'yes' vote cannot be in hospital open. way noio on workers in from other the plants to be closed. Only they NHS union branches has already take decision on whether or not to Meetings of held this week must fight this strength and look It essential that the their hospital defend the 25.00( struggie to • their control. There jobs goes ahead whatever the outcome of the ballot

TGWU,

dispersal whose Execu I Ne tive have they will said that of members Edwardes opposes plan, must oe pressee to that decision and make it clear that the result of the ballot will bearing on their nave Doney as a union Ealing AHA Seymour, from Camden, warned that the leader- arcade me salut the low pay holds back refusing give • simpły allowinc to take action 'if they West London's Ealing, Hounslow and varnes, Council member, Hammersmith

AHA

there had been no decided at a meeting on 24 October to postpone of £3.7 million cuts must from the Health Budget. throughout In a genuine practice, this means TOr on the cuts, that services this year are to be 'pruned' by some £350,- forward resolutions and plan an :000 while the commit- fight ment to drastically the budget by 1981 will be honoured The immediate impor- tance of the decision is that West hospitals in the A demonstration is being London area are for the while saved from the axe; planned by hospitals in the as are several specialist units which were also immediate- ly threatened Regional Health The question will, of course by the strength decided ultim- demonstration is being ately of national resistance to health cuts which in itself will be , and in support of the decided not by non-elected espec ottered AHAs Harrow rump by the DuT Stephe d's unions in a local area giving a firm lead to the struggle.

NOT HIM!—YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD HIM AT

THE LABOUR PARTY

..HE

SHOUTED OUT "LET A WORKER SPEAK!

BUT HE ONLY

ALRIGHT, BUT THEN HEWENT ON

MEANT HIMSELF!

TALUST GRENINT KAS KOOR

…HE MUST BE DEMENTED!

WELL I TIE DON'T THINK HE'S A SAFE

ENOUGH BET — HOW ABOUT FENNER BROCKWAY...

OR CANNON COLLINS... OR MAYBE

KNe THANKS AGAINS

CORRIE BILL RELIES ON

SOCIALIST

PRESS

ABORTION

ABORTION

KEEP IT

LEGAL

OPPOSE THE

Kurds beat back Khomeini- Even while they declaim their for the support struggles of the Palestinian people, the religious bigots of the Iranian regime are still working to massacre the struggles of the Kurdish If the Tories' anti-abor- people against national tion Bill becomes law, it will oppression. be because the TUC refuses But Khomeini's strateav of military occupation and repres- to mobilise the colossal feeling on failed crush sion the issue in all- -Kuros into suomission. against out action the Returning from the hills, Thatcher government. militants of the Kurdish nation- This was shown when tens of ast movement ave once donn seized control of the streets of thousands marched through demand- Mahabad. London last weekend Bill As army units were power- ena the crie less move which will attack abortion rights Trom The in which they were for women Police Khemeini's forces estimates of a demon- supplies to the town and nego- able. The estimate tiators scurried to and fro.

40,000 also seemed about half the real figure. dire warnings from AilCI Criers. Ene retorous Trade unions tyrants have been forced to inability recognise their It took more than 2½ hours the of diplomatic Tot me mous or banes to necessity pass any one point. methods. The of largest contingent After months trade violent activity, trom and were The next largest from proved Ko neins the women's groups. In a tightly unable impose stable dictatorship against the au surcaucatically Cultivice the nationalist march, all political banners were opposition trom pushed to the back movements The and But at the end of the day the Arabs in Khuzestan, and in face the undefeated what has happened to the tight against the Corrie Bill? massively COnFUSCO impressive marches would strength of the powerful Iranian stop lory reactionary measures proletariat.

FUND

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A good start to the November fund is therefore essential if we are to avoid the sort of last minute rush that we are faced with today. Meanwhile, see next week's issue to find out if we got our money this time. All donations to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Published by Folrose Ltd for the Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Printed by Anvil Printers, London. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office d m5 NU

IRD

aalion

DIVIŞ

Part of October 28 demonstration

TUC TREACHERY

the Corrie Bill would fall.

stamp on a campaign which fails But they won't. the alack and cene castle of identify class nature of press virtually ignored the march while giving a class response. prominence to a march of a few The TUC has no answer to feminists the petty bourgeois bigots au noted Tengou. demanding end to all who ask what the lUC has evel all done to extend women's rights abortion. done Trafalgar on has beecher Square, heard by only a fraction nothing of the demonstrators since they But neither do the petty bourgeois have any about half of the stated wien massive march was still on the answer to the lory attacks on were remarkable for one working class women. streets The National Abortion Cam- Stalk lack while it has taken a step paign, The TUC had invited a lory MP from their plat- anons, sees them as a 'useful ally' and a form means of mobilising, not as the Anthony Nelson, Tory MP delivered means of placing class demands for nichester attack on the Corrie Bill little • at tne centre or the campaign.

majority of

NAC

is calling for strike different from the 5 February against action on his co-speakers. Bill. But despite small scale the shouting when he appeared on forced to give official backing.

But the campaign against the the platform. he was allowed to Corrie Bill is one aspect of the continue his speech unharrassed by the of feminists who group earlier speakers because the Women's Liberation banner was not on the platform.

So a man whose party ha: launched a massive class attack cratic "reforms" still exists muttons oI pounds

WOTA

cuts which will drive women in Czechoslovakia. But it lacks home (and will back into the conscious leadership capable of offering a programme and a above the Corrie Bill) is allowed perspective to the mass move- to masquerade as a champion of ment. women's rights! The Trotskyist symbold the mos developed in a continuity class position struggle for Leninism against all campaign. Stalinist degeneration, Not one speaker had a word

ONLY

programlls large about based the practical and back political the for a Corrie; demand and no three line Labour whip

STILL AVAILABLE

Jo richaroson canne ol ta left, said that 'unfortunately 'Communists' Against the Labour conference demand Revolution for extended abortion rights had Two essays on post-war been carried out by the

JUL

Labour government Stalinism by Adam Westoby She wound up her speech by and Tim Wolforth calling on the demonstrators to Price f2 including postage write to their MPs! from WSL Dartmouth The need to link the issue of 31, abortion Park Hill, London NW5 Ights to on the working class is

TUC

by putting met 110 l

ALL OUT

NOV 7, 28

Despite the potentially huge response against the cuts amongst the working class clear it that the union leadership are doing their best to prevent any open confrontation with the Tory government. SE Region the the London divisior are sponsoring the demonstration and lobby Parliament called by Lambeth are refusing to call for strike action on that day. Mustead tne are merely calling tor support trom trad unionists and, unless there is intense pressure from union •ranches. mey are ukely to out same half-hearted out the for the bigger, mobil- salon ou woveludel co demonstrations on and 28 November are likely to without an official e lame, ou call for strike action they will do little more than irritate the axemen of the Thatcher govern- fight that must be taken ur antal the Tortion class. Union working branches must demand that 5 February be made the long, promised TUC "Day of Action cuts occasion for massive throughout the public action sector and the whole labou If the Bill becomes law then abondon cunes set us Dy woIk defended by guanisatio of stand class organisations of prosecu- action in the event ton must be lougal tol The thousands of trade union banners show that such a perspective can be won withi the workers' movement. Anything else will lead thousands of women • into the blind alley of feminist politics, Tory cuts and backstreet Prague show trials Hungarian experience. reconstructed rattled Trotskyist Fourth International are essential to lead the struggle out Eastern Europe. Here Peter Uhl's real weak emerges. bravery ness clear. But in failing to fight for and seeking a Trotskyist instead simov to link up with forces lighting for democratic demands Czechoslovakia, he is headed precisely in the wrong direction. is the history of the com- not the Hovelical covenants of the United Nation: that point the way forward for the Czech masses will now denounce the Czech trials. We must be clear that we in no way capitalist agree will "democrats" who repress in their own countries workers and wish to reintroduce capital- ism to Czechoslovakia. NoI đỏ we align ourselves with the reformist hypocrites of the Labour Party NEL, who

WENT

The •bureaucrats

SERTUC

headed Jack of a "Day Dromey, are talking Yea which "possibly be held will during working hours" But hospitals amenities will and closed by the time this "Day of Action" is organised. How many sacrificial lambs are Dromey and the TUC pre- pared to offer Thatcher before directing the enormous militancy of the working class into an open confrontation wit the ories. Strikes are taking place now against the cuts and despite the th weaknes taking many aranches strike action on 7 November.

A must campaign launched immediately through union branches TOr a nationa strike to be called on November 28, and this should be seen as a step towards a1-OUT STrIKI action against the policies of the Anti-abortion: Thatcher Against action: Murray while condoning the Diplock and army

LOUTIO

Northern murder Ireland denounce the Prague trials.

Nor but contempt be reserved for those Prance, Sain, Italy and Britain "Eurocommunist" that seek to appease anti-com munist . "publis opinion" by denouncing the trials In fighting for the dropping of the sentences, and the rehab.

ilitation of all anti-bureaucratic the Workers Socialist fighters League takes up the struggle for the independent revolutionary interests of the world's working Cass call "democracy ot for UN-style but for political revolution in the deformed and degenerated workers' states le reassert the power of the work- class through workers and soldiers councils And to lead this struggle we for the reconstruction of fight Inter the national as the world party of socialist revolution.