Socialist Press no. 185

GENERAL STRIKE! TORIES OUT!

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League

SAVE STEEL

SAVE PITS

VENALS

FEEL

SAVE PITS

SAVE WALES

Massive support for Welsh Day of Action Classs battles are won or lost not in courtrooms but lines at the oint production: yet ast week's decision by the House, of Lords to overturn ee a war have a the D it on the marked impact on the coerse of the class struggle.

On the one hand, the ruling that the ISTC is acting within the law calling out its private steel firms members in alongside, the BSC strikers will redouble the morale and militancy of the steel workers.

A clear reflection of this was the way Committee which

ISTC

Executive General

OUSIV

voted cown ing new anti-strike and anti- Secretary Bill Sirs. picketing laws. "Stay of execution" Under these conditions the Tories hastily are even now Sirs had proposed that the preparug amenaments to rhol s private steel firms be given a anti-union "Employment Bill"- "stay of execution". which will further 10-day Executive calico allack Hard won tale their 15,000 private sector rights. out on strike at once. The pressure on the Tories members considerable Ama mme mean total resconst Cicales

LICH

Príor renewed strike call is problems. himself also a gauge of the level of admitted that the sup- best port

JOT

une stee workers corruions lo ram nome anu- struggle against the Tory govern- union laws is a period of "rela- peace" which But, on the other hand, the Lords' ruling nas , iorcea

OUT

Dur.to me test. raged employers into an all-out Yet the scale of the resis- hitherto largely political tance from bid to press-gang their cer ants he ure rory caomer anto moactate the rapid legislation of sweep- cates that the Tories can have hopes of any such peaceful Union leaders thát actions not already on se wide-reaching steel workers and other sections to fight the Tories, but to the 'of Icaculary

TOIC

union leaders. have stretched every sinew since the beginning of the steel sake me we elors to spilling prevent 1u General Strike which would une enormous

WOTK

ing. class hostility to the Tory government. efforts have focussed in particular on Wales, where Prior * No. 185 * 6. February 1980 * 20p

EXTEND THE

the Welsh TUC had initially called a wenera sinke or stee- related industries January 21 from aimed the

BSC

SLavine

OLE

closure programme. Massive Len pressure from Murray and British TUC leaders finally forced the Welsh bureau- postpone their all-out cracy action to March 10-bv which time they hoped the steel pay struggle would be over. Frantic bid Now, with the strike more sol lobminger, and with March closer looming day Welsh TUC

MUTTAV IS

mee General Secretary Wright again in a frantic bid to get this exten- sion of the struggle called off Yet the steelworkers have gone into battle not only on the but also in resis tance to to sack 50,000 workers. like other

UNCY

sections of workers, are full weight of the against Tory government and its irantic moves to drive up ine pronts or British industry at the expense of the working class. Not one iob will be sate, nor arendeds lining standards can be defended, this Tory down, and a government forced into that will itself answerable to the working class and carry through a programme of socialist policies. the Tories' Would you say this is a political strike? Yes, of course it's 3 political We are under attack from an extreme ngal wing tration and we must fight back.

Sure are demanding bette stop to redundancies, etc demanding these thing • are dedicated

LION

depriving these oi. al necessities through • vicious economic policy The Tories' economic polici is a political policy and by going on strike policy affected us directly

STEEL STRIKE.

A she To pice as his closures home, countless thousands o' workers, youth, housewives and unemployed are looking for a lead . the struggle to defend and their families. unem ce ver The Welsh Day Action last 200,000 week saw workers on strike in solidarity the with jobs struggle: such action General ouill

INTO

all-out Strike! This why we call workers throughout une race union movement to fight for the extension of the steel strike into General Strike that demands the removal of the Tory govern- We call for resolutions, to Terry Eagleton on Karl Korsch Centre pages • p.5 Benn's politics. • p.9 Police violence. Steel interview. . p.4 We are at war with A Socialist Press interview with Mick Skelton, strike coordinator, Corby Strike Committee. striking against that political industries that are coming under policy. That makes it a politica ece ataek strike. How could it be other- reactionary Tory government in wise? • generations. Ils not just a quesuon o Would you welcome a decision wanting support from Leyland We fight by the Leyland negotiating com- workers. must

MIRCE

Teconnene Loseter action to coincide with the steel Our positions are so similar; strike? identical. We dis our pay almost Yes, of course we would wel- decided to winning come l Ano we tike to • see ane Ignt and we are the miners and railway workers the fight. If Leyland You they support uS see what joined that fight would /Leyland workers must realise 1: help to guarantee victory bou for themselves and us. T02T Leyland are giant twins. They both • nationalised If the Leyland workers were to smike aoneske me see worker.

there would be upwards 200,000 workers actuall laid off. Would you say that this could be as a potential general strike? Yes would be and we would welcome it. It would be a mineneral strike situation and ment down. Callaghan has repeatedly stated that this Tory government should only be replaced through ballot box. What do you say? This is what he says yes; and way, he's right. Through in a massive strike • action we can IoIce covement to u and they would obviously lose a general electior so Labour would be reinstalled.

Under whose leadership? Tories were to fall would be now, .Callaghan. if they But survive Tony Benn a Labour government. I would like to se Lonv bem as came Minister 1 the near future. I think when the media use the word 'political' they're probably section of the relerring to a workforce actually threatening existence of a government.

. woud you agree! Well, , yes I would and much like looks very what it's come to Thatcher-can be brought down by General Strike action It was lory madness wnici led to this confrontation and responded have the union leaderships and the TUC demanding a General Strike be chauenge as we nad to. Now it's them or us Caned! Time calling And this is a solid strike councils action which gainin the time. ind alad intensifying time extend strike action independently of mistrucuun the TUC leaders. to stop the flying pickets after When Len Murray last week Denning's ruling; if anything we warned the Tories that the TUC increased our activities.

meant that it as tin mg it ard breaking point" not going to be NO, Il's that gives in. You ser restrain tne millancy or the fighting a war: a war against the membership Tory government. And in a wa The task the comin somebody's and lose "struggles somebody s colto win no or these conservative must ' win. With help we leaders, and to forge : a revolu- from other sections the leadership capable of tionary British we shall win of

HO011SN9

tne lun strengtn And that could well mean that the working class in defence of the Tories lose everything.

its interests.

Bani-Sadr seeks to rebuild Iran's state machine Tunisian despot under attack Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL•

"This is not an election but a new revolution". Bani-Sadr is clearly not one underestl the significance of his mate landslide victory in the polls for Iran's first brescen Khomeini's 'Islamic Republic'.

With the three-quarters in his lavour. Bant votes cast cosest ovall Admiral Madani, 5-1, with by so much as % ni tne total Ayatollah to Khis result frame Khomeini his blessing his hospital bed, and called for all Iranians to rally behind the Bani-Sadr For his parl, actively campaigning for now the first elections new mears auve assenoly cally March. He aims to secure majority in parliament building political through the supposed TrONT 1800 groupings and organisa the country tions throughou for the him which supported presidency: Central authority Undoubtedly a main theme will be of this cam paign the central neet to su a united o holland nazie orin "parallel' ment which Bani-Sadr has. like Bakhtiar. Bazargan Kh mis course whim rite bani- Anti-American.demonstration in He has already «ne era Sadr into direct conflict with a Islamic students for the varied range of forces that have because of criticism specific chase me", their attack on Icatle s scandalous at the Islamabad "degoite the

DORSIS

which they Islamic Conference, bias of the radio and television, the insidious campaigns of the -not incorrectiv-characterised as a 'counter-revolutionary con- papers,

LISPORCI

aid the interests of from the head clergy, soracy the fight against me led by the US imperialism. Republican band of fascist Outlived usefulness reality by its midst woo clerics in wrong- of the But the occupation has out- Lul make

USC

*noment's namer even despite ved userness Litt political campaign of filthy Khomeini regime in providingla diversion the slanders.' temporary Now fighting has flared up again Kurdistan between the exploitation and oppression nationalist militants on the one survived the destruction.

Shah's dictatorship Islamic tand. ane

DOLE

militia of the Pasderan and units Doli mie lIeW of the state army. LOlIS. wake of the But before seeking to resolve Now, in the Soviet Afghanistan the national question, Bani-Sadr Ivasion hopes to sweep another obstacle and the presidential elections, the regime must act to destroy out of his road to power by end- ing the occupation of the US pole oi attrac- tus alternalive tion and centre of authority.

embassy. after the legal party in Tunisia] and the Two years of neo-colonialist commaton general strike and proletar- which ian insurrection Algerian regime was shook its foundations, Presi- quick to deny any complicity the raid, suspicion swiftly dent Bourguiba's one-party Tunisia's other fell on dictatorship parliamentary dictatorship bour, ute multaly suffered Tunisia has of Libya. of violent Algerian involvement had another form likely: seemed very attack. neve] the relations

EWU

, a commando Ten days ago, regimish as toy mach baser entered the country from group have been recently The werem Dorder Will Igell increasing to share Call and launched аттаск range or common mierests vy capture the town of Gafsa.

international developments and were the within their own lalsols

VIVOSUL CO

military and police headquarters borders. and barracks. The attack seems Tunisian the Hostility Ilave lanci armed forces completely surprise, but after twenty hours On the other hand, Gaddafi's of fighting and heavy •losses they regamea controi or tre cown deepening hostility to the Later, an organisation pro- Destour dictatorship tself the Armed claiming claimed long been Resistance within the Tunisian this responsibility training armed opposition, historic •event' marked forces inside Libya. 'starting, point of a mave- the Indeed at time of the final goal _tne ment raid Gafsa, the Tunisian liberation Deopie trom army was largely massed on the dictatorship of the Destour Bani-Sadr himself has never secret of his oppos made any the occupation. and seems certain, to judge from the trown up by the escape of the information which has six Tehran, leading figures from the Khomeini regime have been involved in costat cussions with the US imperial-1 of the ists through the medium Canadian embassy on now extricate themselves from this Cavallassicall Now the conditions exist for a concerted move to release the exchange for . a postages patently farcical "enquiry" by the administratoa ato cre history of its crimes against the people of Iran. Rani Sadr's oboonents have quick to make advantage been this looming threat, and Party Keouoncal Ilan "Islamic for called loudly the students' to publish every docu- ment me urer possession su as lu incursion of armed opposition on the second anniversary of the insurrection against Bourguiba.

unmask all collaborators US imperialism and defeat the themselves against consolacy ana the revolution had But the president already stolen their thunder by announcing that he intended to relieve the Ayatollah Khameini [sic] of the SAVAK records, then criticising the 2106 summary trials and executions of the Shah's agents before they could give information on thei accomplices "be," he suggested, Can it "that there are people who have infiltrated the revolutionary movement

LIC

publication of the

SAVAK

documents?" Leader Khameini is a member of the and Council' "Revolutionar] leader of the Islamic Republican Party. But the IRP's present tactics expose its desperate crisis. Atter Gaddafi entered Once th Armed Gafsa, the Tunisian called for force Nostalle SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 Bani-Sadr puts himself for- ward as the champion oI Int oppressed layers Iranian but radical nus oell bourgeois nationalism cannot tolerate the revolutionary chanenge boseo Dy ue maepel dent class interests of the prolet- ariat. It is not just the Pasderan its candidate had been forced. to that he will seek to disarm bu withdraw from also of course the militants of the elections the ayatollahs who lead the IRP and the redaveer LIlt Hassan Mujaheddin. gave unel Habibi, Mujaheddin have who tralea a miserable 3rd, with less .than 5% of the already experienced a foretaste cone

LION

interview with Le Khomeini's 'spiritual son' when Monde, leader Masoud Rajavi was result as defeat for a large the Darreu slanull. the section presidential elections. and argued that the Iki This move-designed to head clergy was 'dead from the day of the off the danger of Rajavi drawing elections' massive support hom surdistal plan is clearly to areas-possibly even exclude the Islamic clergy from challenging Bani-Sadr himself- government organised week essential protest force. and this 100,000 strong par state nover tos sito ne Tehran. state into asparatu. The Iranian Stalinists of the efficient tool Tudeh Party • have shown what "The new president will not are prepared to edaersmo uncy tolerate the continued existence offer Iranian workers in the new of decision-making centres other struggles to come than the State", he proclaimed.

There are already signs of a new aralls Disbanded developing Bani-Sadr , between the chief Islamic bigots and the Once the parliamentary elec otallllste Mujaheddin tions had been held, the 'Revol After Tne would be dis- Fedayeen and Tudeh party hac шона counCE condemned the Iranian particip mittees' would be dissolved as ation in tne Islamic Conerence • soon as regional government and they were joined by the theolog ians of Qom who warned of the the police had been reorganised and purified of their imperial 'Americanisation of Islam'.

This was promptly pand brandished past themselves taken The up nascerar great delight by the Stalinists of would be abolished once later military had been reforged and Tudeh Wnd announced their critical support into Lason Bani-Sadr-but only as lore popular army. the for

SAVAK,

he followed declared he would establish mising "line which Khomeini"! intelligence service will have as its sole gathering and analysis of infor Hampered hunting down mation. not the But their latest and oppression of citizens".

the around programme This ambitious manoeuvre reactionary bigots of the Islamic oppos will serious clergy, the Iranian Stalinists will and ham- find themselves the left. certany pered by The process of constructing tnetr • POSITIOn

_ OI SUD-

port for r the Soviet invasion of a reliable state apparatus will ol involve Bani-Sadr ruellallslal IRP nor Bani- . attack on more than simply Nelner. une the power of the Islamic clerg Sadr shares though the ; Iranian resolution to he will also be forced to tackle conference the organisations of the working Islamic class, all the strike and attemote• wre a certam ucci which still Lity ent roma posti super Collittevo from 'super pendent remain existent alle blaming the \ positions of authority powers imperialists for creating the government Where the new the Middle East conditions in does not move arrecay lo un which led to the invasion (which band these committees, its aim into itself was strongly condemned).

will pervert joint class collaboratonist management committees' with em ployers and the state.

been discovered by the army in popular support: We are from their continuing full-scale milit- committees the 2100 occupation since the raid.

to liberate you from have come al! But it seems that though the a dictatoria regime; nere are the Armed Tunisian Kesistat c arms. fighters met with a sympathetic Their expectations unable sparking a rising were based on welcone. lead any • major uprising. the objective conaton. forces are now scattered, hiding or concealed harsher the town by supporters. repression nas been eniorced by Bourguiba's regime nas sul the dictatorship since the insur- another violent blow. Its vived rection of February 1978, with to increase been of trade union TeNDOls ange military (supposedi) spending leaders and militants still serving against the threat of heavy prison sentences. aggression' is, Libyan call the and on Price increases imperialists for help- French French of price The recent state increases on essential commodi- This : would show oI lorce intensified undoubtedly be enough to repel the working any projected Libyan attack Destour led by Prime regime Minister Nouira as well as Bourguiba and Nouira centre of a major threat . Te mining area, has a long history una ocratorsio conies lui proletarian struggle-both from the 'socialism' of Gaddati's against French colonial rule and dictatorship, but from the might against petty of the Tunisian proletariat and DouIsCUl nationalists who have controlled . its struggles oppression agains Tunisia since independence and imperialist exploitation of arms have Large caches

Crisis rocks Castro's bureaucracy - Police invade Euskadi The history of Fidel Castro's regime in Cuba in the last twenty years -in conmon with that of nearly all other Stalinist regimes-is one of violent and pared shifts and lurches in policy. These lurches have mostly been concerned with ot queStion OCCULIVeS work ('moral' or mater- Tal Ine role or ne mærker and money, and the extent decentralisation of the state administration. No solution The fact that the regime, ike its stalinist petis, been able to find a never stable solution to these problems reflects the contradictions bureau- cratic rule in a non-capitalist economy. Though in Cuba the changes are usually made in the name of struggle against bureau- cratism, they always embody the hostility of the bureaucracy to giving up its privueges 4110 and to unleashing, political- and economically, creative power of the work- ing class. The last few weeks has seen a new upheaval in Cuba which reflects these unsolved problems. The combination of the sluggishness world price of Cuba's main export (sugar), the rapid inflation of import prices, especially oil, along with the perennial bureaucratic deiormations of Cuba's internal economic "democratic» Suarez, Adolfo the Francoist premier in Madrid, has used the ambush of six members of the Spanish Civil Guard, to launch what amounts to an invasion of Euskadi (the Basque country). by of "anti-terror- thousands ist" armed police and Civil Guards. Government statements say That wer ave been bestowed on the police commanders making clear that a form of martial law ano paramilitary occupation of Eus- kadi has been imposed. this state of armed It IS in ranco st borice that Euskadi approaches the 'March 9 for elections due on basque parnament, lished under the recently approved fraudulent Statute of The pretext used for last invasion was the killing week's Civil Guard in an ambush near San Sebastian The attack (bringing to 12 the mailed to yee beak all marks work

LIA WEL.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980

INTERNATIONAL

Castro with brother Raoul the distribution of leaflets; as a result of the Soviet administration has meant a invasion of Afghanistan. resumption recent though none of them report of Cuban reaction this the political content months ot severe economic austerity in the island after these was delaved: and when came was extremely muted Whatever that is, the a period in which there had been easier possibilities Castro regime has used such compared with the delirium of and enthusiasm obtaining consumer goods.

developments as a prelexi usually given in Havana for to step up the outward signs Political opposition the actions of the Kremlin.

of repression. Havana at the end of last This is perhaps one of the things which led to a be Though Castro happily was reported to bristling with armed police, in Ethiopian geno- connives political opposi- cide in Eritrea, he may stil!

Castro in December and security patrols by the tion to Committees for the Defence have been little and early January. Correspondents of bour- the Revolution embarassed by Moscow's were stepped up: geois papers have reported blatant political gangsterism The in Afghanistan, particularly the painting of anti-govern- . bureaucracy might have faced another problem because of his chairmanship ment slogans on walls and The such provocative will certainly be regarded by the vehicles in which it is

IWO

the six Civil Guards were travell- gesture thal mUSt vast maonty or basques as a ing machine-gunned in that the Suarez regime believed vicious attack on their national such such a way that the two civilian that the alternative rights. It is bound to provoke a «nivers were unnarmed. would nave It is this kind of military coup. new wave of militant mobilis pin-point

ETA

ations by the working class and accuracy of (military)'s But the invasion, although belL-bourecorsit DusKau. contributed to the respect against Francoist national cane our mn me ame or the the organisation has in fight terrorism, and repression. although Suarez says it does not At the same time workers Luskadi. Licate unit arrements doou in. the rest or spair Contempt autonomy and the elections, increasingly aware of the real dangers of militars

COLO

Its renewed campaign takes Suarez lets up in the slightest on then or Euskadi. repressive military occupa- DIace as une adma government is only too well aware, in an atmosphere of dis- The and most massive mobilis- tilusion demand the end of Fran ist Basques for Suarez's professions support for Basque auto- police repression in Euskadi and nomy. Virtually none of the very in the rest of Spain and agains the dangers of military coup.

limited powers promised to a new Basque *Troops out of Euskadi! Dissolution the Francoist in fact been oI Lovellell laye devolved. repressive apparatus! absence of any progress *Build workers committees on devolved powers has severely to combat any military coup! bourgeois em harassed The "ror national sell-determin- ation in Euskadi! nationalists of the Basque (PNV) to the *Force the Communist and Nationalist Party vocaust rames to car a eenera damaged prestige has been against repression strike driven to boycott the Madrid Euskadi and against a military coup They franco ist invasion is "ror me ouloing the new Francoist invasion Trotskyist Party in Spain and Suarez All Cis H Conference of the non-aligned confer- ence which he recently dominated with a pro-Soviet line. The fact that many of the countries which voted Havana with Cuba in ine Conference last summer imperialist succum Dee pressure against anc voted the Soviet Union in the UN general assembly two weeks was one of the factors ago Cuba's which accounts for cautious approach to the Soviet invasion. The international and pontica picssure. seemed to combine with the growing economic difficul- in January to ties early produce a new shift in the and regime's SLIuCLuIC policies. Without and warning, only three weeks after a sig- nificant ministerial reshuffle, Castro suddenly announced a major restruc Lume Several ministries were abol-

HELC

others. Eleven Cabinet ministers lost their jobs and power was concentrated more than ever in Ine nanas or castic himself along with the two second most powerful men the regime-Castro's brother Raul and veteran Cuban Stalinist (a minister in Batista's "popular front" in 1940s) government Carlos Rafael Rodriguez. Fidel not onl President but remains the also becomes Minister of the Armed Forces, the Interior, Public Health and Culture- a sign that he does not even trust the rest of his top bureaucracy with wielding power, let alone the work- ing class. move towards centralisation is the reversal of the direction of policy in the few years 'since the disaster of the 1970 sugar harvest. It appears to coincide, however. with a reiniorce. ment rather than a reversal Page 3

PRESIUENTE

Castro in the chair as Tito speaks at the Non-aligned of the policies economic which have been implemen.

ted since that time. all insistence that Cuban enterprises ol tne nationalised economy must policy show a profit-a new introduced 1975-would Inl logically involve as we predicted at the time ine possibility of renewed unemployment in Cuba This appears to be what is happening. And the trend a few boost Was weeks ago when the head of planning CommoNer

JUCEPLAN

(Humberto Perez) urged that 'excess' workers should be sacked Under a new scheme unem- ployed workers are 70% their last receive OI wares. the same time the bureaucracy is encouraging a new development of the private sector in retail trade and other small scale activ- ities. This whole approach to allieviating Cuba's economic problems may demonstrate a further reason for Cuba's lukewarm reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanis.

The economic 'reforms' were undoubtedly scheduled to culminate the reestablishment of trade relations between Cuba and United States-a the step which has been under diplo- matic preparation by bott sides for the last two years The development of cold war policies in the United States, however, may now be a serious threat to the lifting of the US embargo trade-in force since 1961. while for the first So, time over ten for years, Fidel Castro doesn't seem quite so willing to shine the shoes of Brezhnev, for the first time in even more years unemployed workers have been forced to try to earn a • offering to bit oi cash bi shine the shoes of Castro's bureaucracy on the streets of Havana.

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Eight pointers to Benn's reformist 'alternative SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 By John Lister Workers look to who Labour's left wing as socialist alternative to the policies of the discredited Callaghan leadership would do well to look closely at policies the kind of endorsed recently by Tony Benn. Benn, of course, as an obed- ient cabinet minister under both played a Wilson and Callaghan. shaping crucial role their programme implementing of class collaboration, wage- cutting and public spending cuts. ;But detecting the ground- swell or mutant opposition to such policies within the broader and its workers' movement reflection in the Labour Party Benn has shrewdly attempted to himself from separate Callaghan leadership, and 'left opposition. Yet despite the odd radical turn ol parase, Tendin -as much as Foot or Callaghan the notion of -committed to reforming and capitalism piecemeal, through Ladentaly Icasuics, ulu d socialist democracy. i time and sain Ben and again Benn that direct the working class, towards the strengthening of its struggles-the formation of strike committees, n, and ees councils of action, struggle for a General Strike to bring down the towards dreams of eventually legislating sweeping reforms.

Thus midst of the The steelworkers' strike, Benn stood Fund at a Newspaper Press annuai dinner and pur lorward what he called a "constructive reform programme". "The decline of present Britain (i.e. British capitalism] inevitable, added not spelling out eight points which thougnt were central reversing it. *Full employment: this is no more than a utopian pipe dream while wortd the capitalist continues to system break-neck 1OICe process rationalisation and oI increaséd exploitation the drive to raise the rate or prolit While the press and mass media rumble on in their efforts to blow the smould- ering witch-hunt against the Militant group into the flames of a public heretical burning, the question most taxing Labour's right wing is who replace can Callaghan?' He has already clearly hinted will duck the that he out he value no or las Parland if he estio be replaced And if he is to Party and run no risk of his successor being elected by any Parliamentary Labour Party, indeed he must go in the next 18 months. Lack-lustre but nis potental successors all such lack-lustre are performers that there appears Benn Capitalism anarchic and drives unemployment an and the rate of exploitation.

which system production And the expansion of indus now acts retter further development Tne

DION AMAZINEISA

slump and productive forces in Britain and capitalist the evel of profitability in a system talk of that produces goods not to satis- went "reforms" that could create full needs but sampiy lo employment is to sow the most accumulate capital. *Planned trade: Benn calls wild can The only answer to unem-

TOE

measure. is the mobilisation of industries while they are being ployment re-equipped" the working class in delence oi is simply a disguised all jobs and to struggle for a This system of work-sharing on full version of the Labour 'lefts' old nationalist policy import pay work avall able amongst the whole work- Controls seek "protect" force. jobs in British industry at the expense of jobs Such a solution can only be attained in the overthrow overseas. capitalism and the establish- As some of the most reac- elements of planned, socialist tionary U1 a Britain and steel economy. employersu *Re-equipment: Benn calls poses i the use camour more for North Sea Oil money to be toed yet the seemed pose o "modernising, defenders wing averica expanding and diversifying m vort contos uma renseve.

manufacturing industry therefore in an unholy alliance with their "own But such "modernisation", is sections taking place now waole capitalist class against tne mier sections of industry: it replaces national working class. *Industrial workers by modern machinery democracy: Labour's right wing weigh their options While by no means all such new recruits will be ready-made left wingers, there is little hope that. they are joining to help support of Dolster une trace the right wing leadership context crisis for Labour's right That we must view ast week's announcement that the extreme Democratic right wing Social stand candidates against Labour in the next General Election. The SDA, scenting defeat for the right wing in the inner-party Callaghan fight, power attempting no obvious candidate who could reacuonary ground from which it can invite moose me necess mo arian grip on the Party In orde Shirley to crush the mounting swell of opposition socalsu Labour and wage an open battle ranks. Particularly worrying for the against the organised working right wing must be the fact that Whether crypto- une

ABOUTS

influx of thousands new Tory right are willing to take radicalised by the such desperate members, political gamble will depend on develop and ments in the months leading up looking • Lavour as a means to fight back. to this year's Party conference.

resurrection of the attempts to

SUCK

vulcaulials and shop stewards into manage- ment that were spearheaded by Industry •while Was Secretary auring the arst. vears of the Wilson government.

bitter fruits of this policy were the "workers set-up nrouent British Leyland under the and the "worker Ryder Plan, directors wno nave nerped tall home successive closures in the steel and shipbuilding industries.

HO I

ment decisions, development maepenachl working class bodies to impose control over • management, ana ensure that basic rights, conditions and jobs detended *Expansion public in the Benn-style services: another separated the struggle for the overthrow of the Tory government and the Crisis nader Capilalls sy sicill which requires a frontal attack on the living standards of the working class. Benn includes here not even •з гететепсе to me tion of the profitable suppliers.

and bankers icea on ine puonc services. ne looks forward to merely an industries

LICS

creating new jobs! *A self-govern return to calls for ment: 'Benn here partial break least a

LIOL

EEC,

but focusses not on the struggle to smash international class bloc of EtHS European capitalists, but simply on the patriotic issues of British

PRESS

GANG

Fusilier Stuart Smith- Blaine has been severe by but has been assured army has a good that still he career ahead of him. The soldier's picture was so shost or the he fional press press last week for hangıns 110lk6 lamp post, screaming abuse an0 igns to the Sinn Fein giving Sunday Com- organised Bloody memoraton March In burming ham symbol of resistance to verto a Page 5 the power of the sovereignty, and the House - The: Commons, right to levy taxes. *A fairer society: ignoring invisible the of record (La Doul government of which he was a member, gap between rich increased the ana poor in snilam, and stasner MPs workers living standards, Benn calls vaguely democratic tolerant society Socialist Press readers But equality and genuine and Labour Party activists democracy tor the mass ot the population can onl come on might be interested to probe the basis of a material change in the exploits of Jim Tinn, class society-the expropriation MP for Redcar, and Arthur

COTI

the wealtn and means red by a telen, mod poe {Bottomley, Middlesbrough few, tiny Teeside MP. developmen socialist Tinn's non-appearance in the society under the management caused i steel strike has many of the working class where 1 stee workers *The right this union-sponsored MP? Benn's old populist moan about certainly He has not been Tory transformed Into an abstract call for picket lines in Cleveland.

• Dette. ays ther communicating with His branch has party remained remarkably quiet over such a change this, in contrast to Guisborough, Ice unes a struggle against the absolute where Socialist Press supporters power of the press barons, for won a vote to support the strike and hand over he local premises workers control over une oress and mass. media and, of course, to the steelworkers to coordin- for the expropriation of this key alc activity. might be Perhaps • Mr Tinn section or maustry Only through such policies ¡ asked about allegations can the working class achieve about Bottomley being a stock- meaningful heard" steel firm who aren't on strike In yet but where seven

ISTC

consistently, every directing away from the arrested poit, members have and towards necessar

.:SLO•

private getting in or out. Pat lamentar capitalism Benn, like his fellov Whatever else happens, there his inabilit to into shows investigation

ILLS

Bottomley's onel ne meter consoun political alternative to the non-activity with their striking Callaghan-Healey leadership electorate. ism'-a good honest uniform he was so proud of to squadale who let his enthusiasm run away his friends and had promised and had promised with hịm (Pre go near the march blood Wal forgotten. The Birmingham pub bombings ressurected all its makes it easier to order drinks).

• in She went on: carnage. niceous "He have consistently denied res- sympathy ponsibility for the bombing anc with the National Front, , I sup all have. At least the was a blatant frame- pose we The • Tr12| up). opposea unis event .. But "We can understand how he the story of Fusilier felt. Some of the demonstrators Smith-Blaine did not start that Saturday and spat at For the previous week ATV form' The this had been a witch-hunt against the march Interviews with fascists has undoubtedly not were harmed his 'career'. relatives , and injured victims of the bombing-including one Pedigree with Smith-Blaine's sister (who was one of the injured) and who douBt and on instead Such we she won not be concon the march but she could under stand those who would keeping tours of Northern Corner cementor Ireland. were then portrayed by The Peter Simple column of press as a "spontaneous" oppos- the Daily Telegraph was of a ition to the march. Smith-Blaines like mind to the fact almost all the counter-demonstrators as to une virtues or fascist thugs After saying that the march supporters of the ought, to have been banned, the NF or one of its split offshoots.

with Smith- column remarks "You see members of bodies Blaine's the Daily like the National Front, what- In spect as part of Mall firmlv ever else be may said about much space, as part this fascist periphery this country as a country."

Mrs the Smith-Blaine told •Mail that he had put on "the

MAKERS OF MODE

2. Karl Korsch Page 6

MARXISM

In 1923, two theore- tical works appeared Nieder mit den Bli which shook the Third International and have ill 200 continued to cause Mela mit des controversy to this day. The first was History and Class Consciourist othe Marxist Hungarian the second, now Lukacs; was Marxism lesser known, and Philosophy, by one of the most prominent mem- German Com- bers of the Party (KPD), Karl munist Korsch. Both books sprang from the upsurge Illassive working class activity which characterised the years following the first imperialist world war. The Second Internation- al, sunk in the most craven reformism and revisionism, clinging •all ossified 'orthodox Marxism' while betraying in practice all working class militancy and to be dead appeared buried; and a new period of advance and defeat called for a renewal of revolutionary theory. Hegelian For proletariat. of the Spirit' 'Absolute Hegel, Both Korsch and Lukacs develops by negating actual found that theory in 'Hegel- society; it is the antithesis ian Marxism'-in a return to of all that appears to considered the what they real. dialectical, historical truly If 'Absolute Spirit' what Marx had thrust of translated into 'working German the class, its utter opposition to Hegel, philosopher becomes society mechanical, against clear: its very "essence' con- dogmatic nature of Second sists in 'cancelling' capital- International orthodoxy. and The unity of theory. For Hegel also, theory or practice demanded by both philosophy is no more than then, Lukacs,

KOTSCH

altu the expression of the move- above all in can secu their own writing, basea as Theory is no more than the political practice becoming conscious experience of the proletariat itself. Once of again of their time. (thought) 'subject' and philosophical In his 'object' (practice) are inter- writings, Hegel had empha- dependent. sised the dialectical inter- 'subject' and of Theory and practice action and the 'object' in history It is easy to see how this related dialectic of theory and practice. •re written

LOU

Call For him, idealist Marxist terms, as the unity as an theory practice. philosopher, Spirit', If Hegel and return Absolute allowed Korsch and Lukacs 'object' its self-realisation in history; but it is not hard to to launch a powerful assault re-write such ideas Second International on orthodoxy, it also ran them Marxist terms. into a good many problems.

For it is clearly absurd to Working class can merely think that you full-blooded 'Subject' then becomes 'translate' Hegel idealist like into the working class, materialist terms. seizes the 'object' (capitalist To see the working class society) and transforms it as a 'subject', actively creat- into the means of its own ing history, is to risk reduc- self-realisation. ing it to some single meta- What such theory restores is a recogntion of physical essence, ignoring its complex material conditions the active, practical nature and unevennesses. class, which grasps Hegel, subject For history and refashions it in history; for its own image. Calen only Marxism, i it does It also revives the funda- SO Revolutionary German soldiers in 1919-the placards denounce Soc material concrete conditions. 'dialectical material- ism' of Hegelian Marxism, as see in the • case of we shall Karl Korsch, is therefore likely to be more dialectical than materialist. Nor is. it true to claim that theory, for Marxism, is more than. the 'expres sion' 'reflection' of practice. Marxist: theory is not simply the sell-conscious of the revolutionary working class: 1O1 revolutionary self-conscious- can itself only ness formed, , as Lenin insisted in What Is To Be Done? by the 'outside' intervention from of Marxist theory itself.

Marxist theory must the closest develon possible relation to the prao- tical struggles of the revolu- Lenin tionary also insisted; but it cannot be reduced to the conscious- those struggles, ness will which any Cast always be uneven. Reflection There is no in sense which the theory of surplus value in Marx's Capital can said to be merely be 'reflection' of revolutionary even though it is struggles, clearly worthless unless it is put to the service of such struggles. the see here we theoretical assumptions of Hegelian Marxism Can to fatal political consequen- thenry is equivalent to revolutionary what consciousness, becomes of the role of the party? Either revolutionary the superiluous, or party is no more than an 'expression' or 'elaboration of revolutionary. conscious. ness -in which case the dial- relation between ectical party -and class is complete- ly ruptured. Ultra-leftism political Another fatal which may consequence flow from Hegelian Marxism is ultra-leftism. For if the working clas is seen as Hegel's 'negation' then is possible this assump- politically tion regardless of the actual material cone mous state of consciousness of the class itself. concrete working The class is reduced to a mere counter in some metaphys- ical scheme of history: it is the idea' of the class, not its reality, which is at stake.

The political career Karl Korsch graphically illu- strates some of these points.

After the suppression of the Spartacist uprising in Berlin Munich (1919) and the soviet (1919), Korsch, like Gramsci, was leading theoretician of the widespread movement workers' councils. Gramsci defeat. of from the learnt councils the urgent the necessity for revolutionary leadership, K orsch much less emphasis on the importance of the party: SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 A new From the 1920s to tributions to Marxist thinkers indifferent or occasional revolutionary heritage George Lul From Antonio Gramsci to J series to Herbert Marcuse, Marxist' theory has be to receive full critical themselves. How are the Stalin these writers to be wei contributions to Marxi In this series, Terry of the theorists named a full evaluation of the gether at the height of ti Cold War Korsch's politic then, development, ultra-leftism from tionary disillusion. He recogni _ rensea o of Len the conclusions and Trotsky after 1921: that the tide immediate revoluționa opportunities had ebbe that international capitalis had won itself a breathi and that the Cor SaCe munist Parties, • rather th their forces coups whi adventurist lacked mass support, mu turn patiently to the tas united fro of building with reformist working cla organisations. No setbacks This blindness "related to the nature of l view of Marxism. For Heg the subject can know real set-back: as the essen of universal Reason unfolds inexorably throug cancelling t out history obstacles in its path Trotsky, in contra turned his Instead, denounced such an idea attention to the problem of 1921 as a mechanistic m interpretation which Marxism Marxist approach Philosophy was the major mankind had history: product. always and inevitat Denounced as a revision- upward, but moved ist at the Comintern's Fifth World Congress 1924. Korsch moved into increas the ing opposition official Communist move- ment. After a prominent career in the KPD Che was Com munist Minister of Justice in the Thuringian 'government of 1923, and later one of the leaders of the party's Korsch was expelled from the party in 1926 for denying that capit- had stabilised alism demanding renewed workers' emphasis and criticising councils, foreign for Soviet policy accommodation with world capitalism. Independent For two years he main- tained an independent left group, which supported the Russian workers oppost- but opposed the Left

T1OI8

Opposition led by Trotsky.

In 1927 the Left Oppos- dissociated ition officially itself from Korsch's Soviet the positions OI Union Exiled from Germany in 1933 the victory of by Korsch Nazism, proaucer his second major work, Karl Marx (1938); from 1936 to his death in 1961 he lived in States, finally the Soviets spanned German) Marxism alto abandoning

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 RN present day, major con- ory have been made by aplacahly opposed to the Trotskyism. Louis Althusser, to -Paul Sartre, Karl Korsch owerful body of 'Western developed, which has yet sessment by Trotskyists or revisionist politics of.

d against their theoretical theory? gleton examines the work love, as an introduction to vork. known long spells of stag- nation. of not, Armed workers took control of the streets of Berlin at the end of 1918 was Lenin Trotsky end of the relatea to te Lenin's own onslaught doubted that the Bolshevik revolutionary epoch of the neo-Kantian and revolution had opened an against European. bourgeoisie, petty-bourgeois era of international prolet- whose political hopes that 'Marxists' in Materialism arian revolution, for which philosophy embodied. the Communist Parties must ana impiotricism. The heir to Hegel was To this extent, but to no ceaselessly prepared; it Marxism-but Marxism is in was rather that such revolu- other. For Lenin's own that sense not itself a philo- philosophical writings : tionary processes were sophy, but the inheritor of receive quite as much of a likely to prove compiex and philosophy. savaging in Korsch's hands protracted rather than auto- In the hands of Marx and as do those of the reformists Engels, Marxism is, indissol- and 'orthodox' Marxists. Errors ubly, a scientific analysis In postscript to and a revolutionary critique: Marxism and Philosophy, Korsch's political errors but just as Hegelian philo- 1930 his written in do not completely invalid- fragmented and

KPD,

SOony expulsion from the ațe his theoretical writings.

degenerated once the bour- Korsch fiercely The relations between geoisie had passed from its of Lenin's : interpretation politics and theory are not heroic revolutionary phase, dialectical materialism Marxism GOes unLO fatally mechanistic follow that a politically in- in the Second dogmatism In stressing materialism- correct strategy can involve International, given the Inal ine malenas object 1s valuable theoretical of the proletariat prior to and independent of • 110 insights. «Tom ozo onwards. the subject-Lenin, Korsch Marxism and indeed claims, sacrifices dialectics, Philosophy and Karl Marx Supplement dialectical ignoring the are both works of outstand- unity of subject and object ing theoretical value, among And once Marxism has involved in the act of know- the masterpieces of 'Western been thus reduced, it seems ledge. Marxism'. possible to supplement' it Knowledge becomes In Marxism and Philo- with scraps of bourgeois mirror of sophy Korsch sets out philosophy: thus it to Is not social In _conse find perform a uniquely original unusual to Second quence, divided task to apply the Marxist International Marxists who from theory privately, followers of of method to the histor dis- Marxist philosophy itself idealists like Kant Schopenhauer. death of Hegelian To this extent; Korsch's philo- reality. in the 1840s was critique follows upon sophy The result Korsch's wild Coldlees be against must placed in political context. victim process of munist undertaken by of dogmat- Dogmatism But his Hegelian

OWH

understanding of dialectical materialism led him inevit- ably to read back this ideol- ogical dogmatism • into the work of Lenin himsel It is quite true, as Korsch perceived, that a naive, dis- undialectical astrously theory of knowledge was certain quarters current in of Communist the MOVe ment. The notion that truth "copy- consists in a simple 'photographing' of the object by the mind, the deny

LOISS

LaKen EO of the necessary activity mind Knowing the process of change which produces the object (what Marx called practical con- sciousness'), inaeea no 1918-19 revolution more than a variant of bour- geois empiricism. himself, influence of under une are points where have subject tion and (Nọt sur- Hegel prisingly, for root unreal). this Korsch's against mechanical keels over into assault on of Korsch's and of the He Lenin of the examining relation temological standpoint' as a question of ideological run distinct. properly such 'con- relations tions. relations view and prac- more practice no of becoming itself; it no movement, sion. Thus, criticising the Second International, Korsch that in the 'nothing sense real historical / of philosophy with the ledge, foundations, takes from Marx), but is instead an 'ideology' impor ted dogmatically from out- side. Korsch is correct to see that the Second Internation- al was indeed crippled by a dualistic separation between 'philosophy" and practice: the one was a set of lifeless dogmas held in almost total isolation from the other, (as Kautsky's work most vividly illustrates). Defeat deter- grasp the minants of defeat class his only material- ism: a monism. 1 ne criticise Second can also Marxism philo- only that it bourgeois he philosophy, claims, sophy, autonomous existence No exas this does mean Marxist is nothing Korsch's ultra-leftism sophy itself. Marxism Philosophy, Marxism insistence 'transcends' takes itself *Page 7 By "philosophy' here he ideological Korsch systems; •ane properly scathing his those Second attack on International theorists for whom such somehow 'unreal', mere "illusions' or figments which will wither away once the mode of production is revol- utionised Korsch, on the contrary, underestimates the stubbomess and tenacity of such systems, their reality as and their orce power to resist changes in the economic base. In this, once again, he is a forerunner of some of the most productive conlein work on the nature porary of ideological institutions in class society Georg Like Lukacs, will

WHOSE

WOrK examined in a subsequent article, Karl Korsch acutely raises the problem of the relationship between Marx and Hegel Clarify It is a relationship which has yet to be fully clarified within Marxist theory: how Marx did remain an 121 Hegelian (as the quotation from him used by Korsch above might suggest), how far does historical material- ism break definitively with Hegel's method and system?

In Marxism and Philoso- phy, Korsch writes that Marx and Engels': "only problem was how to change the Hegelian dial.

ectic from a method proper idealist, to a superficially but secretly materialist con- ception of the world, into the guiding principle of an explicitly materialist view of history and society". Whether things are quite as simple as that can legitimately • doubted: Korsch's own theory and politics stand as living testi- mony truth that to • is not to be easily discarded.

NEXT ARTICLE:

WALTER

BENJAMIN

Trotsky: architect of the Red- Page 8 Army Review of 'ihe Mrlitar Writings and Speeches of Leon Trotsky Vol. Revolution

UIC

Armed" , pubusnea Dy New Publicatións, Park price £10: By Phil French centralised command structure Part Two with military specialists, appoin- Trotsky built the Red ted because of their Lecanca skill. Army by conscious applica- elected army with tion of Marxism to the situ- officers who had no specialist ation where an impover- training could not win major Since there were no ished and exhausted Russia battles. Officers, Trotsky faced the armed might of tranen made use cornicers On imperialism-weakened by former Tsarist armies. war it is true, but possessing Opposed all the advanced industrial which technology Russia The vast majority of these lacked. were opposed to soviet oticers The old Tsarist army had no but in fact a number of will to fight and had in effect them came forward to run milit- demobilised, the eatont y bo arv training schools, and to take command of armies. TOTTICd VaSI ma orly soldiers returning to the land.

Some officers undoubfedly Trotsky completed this positions took collal demobilisation of the old army order to try Red ana detta when he was forces to the Whites, but some appomica com- for War March 1918 gave their services for motives of missar the problem of turned to patriotism, anu wanne elcoy ment in their chosen profession, buding tne nea almy He realised that he had or even because had beèn with volunteer Red start impressed by the discipline and Armv and called for the most moral authority SovICl self sacrificing factory.

worker power. poor peasants to form the Indeed some of the more LucIus conservatie antaly socclalisl. April 1918 a decree. was became time loyal Red introduced compulsory officers. military training of workers and desertion prevent betrayal by military specialists, poor and moee Deasallls preparation for conscription at a political commissar appointed to each army unit.

tater date. the Bourgeois elements in The military specialist (com- and kulaks (rich mander) was to make decisions towns, countryside the peasants) purely 2 0011 mmtary mallis were but political control was in the •TanIn olamoe lou training or possess arms.

hands of the commissar. The first call-up of workers the Moscow region Responsible from occurred in June 1918 and was Both commander and To owen

COSCEDUUN

for other areas. MIS Ti

ECSDOIS UIC

realised: that diścipline Trotsky the armv ane and would have to face severe pen- defeat counter-revolution evenț. of betrayal the armed aLCS imperialism, a regular trained or disorganised retrat. Trotsky called for the most and disciplined Red: Army was ruthless discipline to be applied needed. Guerrilla bands, while dişloyal commanders anu Indeed a number of useful in harassing. commissars. Dermaos for consolidatie, those who betrayed were snot were UsC Ss consolidating Soviet power A lurtner measure to prevent bętrayals by officers was and forcing back imperialism.

introduce a register of families The Army . needed. a Ked Phoenix Stories Ernie Stubbins reviews 'Phoenix Stories', pub- lished by the Federation of Worker Writers and 'E' Floor, Milburn House, Community Publishers. Dean St., Newcastle-on-Tyne, price 50p itudes over the last Stories' is an 'Phoenix of children's •v 0 ycals anthology The other main strand in the from the Phoenix writings 'movement starts at the other in East London. School end of the age scale Teachers like Blair Peach and the Feder- It is published by Christopher Searle have made ation. Writers worker anlu use of the facilities of the school Community Publishers to com- work Blair create the liciluiale children's writing the local Phoenix redes cace the community, before his murder by the self confidence last year. chlore s Over recent years there has ways which good exam result: achieve, , and which the cannot been a growing movemenl U1 • system seems cutting through worker cuucaliol the constraints imposed by the designed to avoid. 'Phoenix Stories' is a collec- culture on decaying imperialist from Peach's tion the ability of the working class pupils. Its recurrent theme is the to express itself openiy.

way of the growth points in whien living condition.

Manly East parțicularly this LOlLOS cultural deve o oneal destroy high rise housing, have been in the collapsing inner cities of London, Liverpool and human relationships. Manchester. Spiky the impetus behind from comes the mover The witing and drawings are growing concern „mone weke sharp and spiky and have a very for their own history, and many method expression. direct writers became involved

WOIKOI

For readers not yet acquaintea inrougn local mistory projects.

with the worker wIJers volume would make ment Autobiography refreshing and excell introduction. a substantial There is now will be sven to the thai oleace body to the Blair Peach OT macpendcnuy given produced workers' autobio- Memoria. Fund graphy, which give vivid insight into work who could be taken hostage in the event of betrayal. Harshest discipline of all was reserved

TOT

communists WIl! • betrayed the struggle. were ordered Local soviets ane men asalst invading White armies forged Red Trotsky the Army with inspiration and harsh discipline. He carried the fight behind into enemy Appeals

••DOSIS

aries Czechoslovaks, soldiers of White and invading armies armies change sides and support sovie Rower: all med Aots con a. Army ered purely a Russian army but at army of the international work- ing class. Conflict Trotsky's policies came into conilct witn cellam backwaiu layers in the working class and Trotsky (centre) in conference with Frunze, Bela Kun, Rosmer and Gusev in the Civil War and this found its cocasanliy own reflection in the Red Army and in the Bolshevik Party and the Soviets. particular there was opposition to the employment of military specialists and to the centralisea comman surucur of the army. Conservative was under- This. reluctance standable with backward layers peasants, but oi workers ard the Bolshevik Soviets it : represented a conser- vative and bureaucratic laye entitled

STOLSKY S

ICElV "Scientifically Somehow' included in this volume illumin- ates this point clearly. It was no accident that Stalin ane vore shilov in. command of the Tenth Army at Tsaritsyn (later Stalin- grad) were opposed to Trotsky's and tried to sabotage his policy overali oracls Youth in Liverpool SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980.

They become the Of course in their introduc- were to later tion the Workers Revolutionary Soviet bureaucrats, Party claim that they . the destrov nearv all the leaders o: the October Revolution and Committe Inte atona alt decimate the leadership of the carrying on the struggle begun by Trotsky. Keo Anny does not of course But Trotsky at this point sot ada with the pere o nge still had the support of Lenin adapting to petty bourgeois who sald governments and movements ir "Show me another man able to organise almost a model army the Middle East, Africa, Nicar aguaut despite this, New. Park within a single year and win thi respect of military experts.

Publications and the translator have such a man". military Trotsky's writings

STAT

Pearce core tremendous service the They are erener redons working class be a powerful weapon n OU available. this reconstruct International the Fourth

OOK

TOTWATO

encel other four volumes. wond party o s cast {cvr . tion on a democratic centralist basis. The Battle for rOTSKV SI Second edition of the opposition documents presented inside the WRP by the present leader ship of the Workers Socialist League With a new introduction Price $2.50 plus 20p postage and package from Workers Socialist League; 31 Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 IHR

THE TRANSITIONAL

PROGRAMME IN

TODAY'S CLASS

STRUGGLE

Founding document of. the Trotskyist Inter- national Liaison Committee Published in the International Discussion Nov. 1979 Bulletin No. 1. No. 1 Available, price 75p

INTERNATIONAL

DISCUSSION

including postage from

BÜLLETIN

WSL, 31 Dartmouth Park Hill, London

NW5 1HR

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 Februar: 1980 Labour movement must probe By Jeff Harris police violence ever-increasing The political pretentions police chiefs were outlined 157 of Socialist in issue ("'Keep off the Press Streets").

KUT

WIl? leadership is bound to give full licence to the most vicious and backward among the police rank and file, men and women who already definition brainwashed effectively mOSL and least class-conscious of all workers. recent weeks the case of battered to death Jimmy mercevsice DOUCe. Ilat crystallised many of the central issues. week an extremel! important ceveooment

LOOK

place when Liverpool Trades Council decided organise conference on the Kelly murder and numerous other allegations against the Mersey- of brutality side police. "Neutrals" The importance of this intia- tive is that it gives a lead to a labour movement investigation when of the a time • &t these noble "neutrals" are being prepared to physical direct socarlical assauts on workers through the anti-union laws. But enquiry or conter- by possibly ence Ca11 Succoru concentrating on one particular or one particular aspect incident Ked to dlathain frient od front kicked severa witesses wilo saw Wildl happened from windows over- looking the waste-ground where him. "arrested None of the witnesses weri police inquie evidence to the police November 1978 Jimmy McGeowan battered to death in a Glasgow eye-witness station. account by a young TeCIUl implicating, the duty sergeant was ignored. Probablv the best known case in recent years was that of Liddel. Towers, a Geordie who nospilal attack-officially. But his heart recovered from internal injuries For instance, inflicted during his arrest and constantly toid that the home is attack might have with questioning place something đo the four coroner's verdict recerved was accent ce or le or arrest and being the astounding "justifiable ner weenna homicide" taken to hospital. There is also the question of Mind you, Towers was a fit police station than in the home.

release and nealtny sportsman, not. like Ano since most nome acor Norman Barr from Barrow, dents involve poisoning, fire and custody. of which it is very which difficult to compile figures whom police were informed was.

asphyxiation, are not suliering irom a latal alseast sources ol danser when he was arrested. Barr was Ce stady, serious questions must Charade raised about the accuracy of shaken and slapped so severely that he died. On average four people a day suen coroners verdicts Another statistical let-out is through ridiculous go open verdict'-in Scot free the other charade of filing official com the plaints against

WOTOS

Donct sufficient evidence assault. His brother is now serving Douale how died in lack of about someone Tht total police iwo years arter the boice. That who killęd accountability is shown bi tneu own custouy. Police policeman is still There were fifteen fact that last year the brother. recorded between Complaints Board heare incidents 1970 and June January 13,000 Such cases must be seen in of Case conjunction with the record of In only 15 did they recommen sallt the SPG in recent years, whose total of 62 people suffered disciplinary action "death misadventure", police Occasionally the clubbing to deatn or blal reach an openly political killing, usualv hvpothermia or sutioca- force. sake of abDear "riot ting in their own vomit. ances, purges its most openly and the shadowy squad corrupt members. -the bunch "Natural causes" "Operation present Countryman" riots (such as the one at worm Metropolitan Many more deaths in police where wood Scrubs last year winen pillars of society are 30 prisoners were hospit- cassedy are ascribed to natura over in running a "firm. involved in • alised). robbery, and appropria In addition, lurking beneath One such was Ronald Blair the more publicised incents the entire examples of (those involved in the Towers Three years ago many direct brutality or vicious negli- murder) early .E. 1979. night-shift police sub- died a heart Northumbria was gence. Blair LUlI cone loi a Such pantomimes are staged to divert attention from purels little more than giving Hitler a ing ticket oatside a concen- Now we are told that there is to be a Parliamentary enquiry into deaths in police custody the meve Tribunite MPs like Meacher and who have agitated around Cryet the Kelly case Such enquiry can. do no thing land will lead nowhere. Labour Party's hypocrisy :waojo questam dand condemned in the person of Wilson, amugly Harold Posig relations of Jimmy wadat musne on his own of using the police to smash up workers struggles.

Political murder We in the Workers Socialist support the Liverpool League Trades Council conference But such an event cannot be hone-off thint Any Any es oth tat death the hands ol state last The conference overwhelmingly carried a resolu- disbanding of the SPo; but what has the 101 L

TUC

actually done about since then? national workers' inquiry into the police would be a start as it wole begu to tas central questions within the labour movement the from labour movement

. LIE

socialist alternative to the bour- forces must emerge geois

WOMAN

WORKER

1HR, price 15p including postage.

Разе 9 in the form of workers' defence squads. The formation of such be as very squads must seen much on the agenda in the com ine phe thatche governmen shown in its. immediat grantins of huge pay rises for the police and army what tactics when the major confrontation with the working class occur And the question of which Leur Party and trade unioe Date cols leaders will be on is given a clear answer in the use of the Preven tion of Terrorism Act intro- duced under Labour and now a weapon in the major state's armoury 4,350 arrests have now been made the PIA I charges actually under the Acto the reformists and the civil liberties lobby there is no connection between the deten- youth and the murder of Jimmy Kelly. State But such mass arrests and such murders are not isolated "enseges", of the are the direct bourgeois conseruenc state's use of trained and armed bands of men and women to all defend capitalism forms. At in Britain the moment the police force simply show. ing that it has the utmost ruth- lessness and that it is a law unto itself. also has the necessary conscious pollica within its owni ranks. In this context the liberal reformist cry is for greate accountability im ply dangerous naivet We fight for the democratic demand of full only as a means of raising the • political questions involved.

Starting with the 'police machine must be entire and replaced uis paruet workers defence squads The building of such squad from the proceed . only vell struggle to link u• •alles or jobs, wages and the cuts through councils of action. Women's paper of the Workers Socialist League.

Articles on: *Chile *Textile Industry *Meccano *NUPE and the cuts Araslable from SL, 3,1 Dartmouth Park Hill, London NIS

Page 10 danger Unless principled leadership emerges shortly Civil in the two main Service unions, the pay struggle for 1980 will turn into a charade of posturing from the union leaders and a shameful sell-out. badly-publicised and At a members of CPSA and SCPS in Leeds in January as part of a Stalinist Peter Palmer ol tne

SCPS

executive spoke spiringly present and

CUTS

public services and in the civil service.

then proceeded to recite He calms ol between for which his union is supposed.

fighting with the enthus to be reading out his 129m one telephone bill! The CPSA speaker detailed nis nopes lor the clerical grades in the light of the union's assess-

JOIN THE

With by the workers thousand taking the Tory to oppose

SUCCES

policies there is plainly no lack of militancy the In organised working class. yet the existno tade union bureauce and or er ears 'left'-have -whether especive EnOS workers See parad fight living stan- defence jobs, •aros. socia services ano cemo.

cratic rights. These can only be defended policies start from the independent interests working class, class, notnine то cain ano every tine to lose from attempts to restore the profitability of their "own" emoiovane class In a period where the contra- dictions of anarchic capit- force the wholesale ast System cosure ano cestruction or In productive forces society socialist oniy economy on a word scare overs .a way forward. To achieve such a perspec- tive needed which, in today's struggles fights Please send me more details of Workers Socialist une League. Name . Address Dart-

WSL,

31 Send to: mouth Park Hill, London

NW5 1HR.

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

Civil Service pay ment of the PRU comparability Perceptive listeners who disparity out the pointed between the hoped-for tises of £10 per week for the lowest grades and £2,000 per year for the top executives and suggested flat-rate increases would ThaT help to unite both unions in a

SOON COTTIT

as ine leaders ol both unions refused their adherence to moved from resenten method of bargaining. Manipulation Even when it was pointed Pay Research rides on out how Ine DaCKS will actually fight for their increases, ana is open to manipulation and distortion from the government civil servants' keeping pace with inflation, the leadership proved itself deter- break the from workers oevone trade union militancy, protest politics and illusions that capit- parliament. The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist ment fighting day in and day out to build such a principled Icauct sato in use working bids: in Britain. Internationally, we are the newly-formed attiliated _ rotskvist internationa biason Committee, which fights for the 01 Fourt! Internationa anothe of revolutionary parties in every lead courtly the parasitic bureau- Stalinist and degenerated workers' states.

we Invite reacers Sotails of the VE Socialist Press seek more and its work, and to join us in the struggle for

RED YOUTH 18

Monthly paper of the Socialist Youth League

NUSS

Articles on Week of Action; anti- fascist activity in Leices- ter; steel strike; Tory laws; review anti-ynion of new Clash album and more. price 15p Available, including postage, from

SYL,

Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR. Would you give Socialist Press some details of your victimisa.

Vosper S.R. in South- 1i0n at ampton? Yes. I'd already been unem- before ployed for two years applying 'spark' at Vospers _as a 1972. in Management were opposed, and it took industrial action by the electricians to get me in. systoill Since then I've been a stew- Palmer suggested that even

EETPU

fighting the ard in the for the members refuse to light their PReal or ap roast in crease unless i pas te within our union Vospers tried to this at a time when the And through acceptance of force cost or nousue. rue ana wals Added Valut soonst cared port alone are outstripping the Bonus' scheme, a productivity proposed increases! The spent scheme. company, Such despondency Was £100.000 in lost produc over engengered this tion in hiring a cinema, coaches, thật the few left at the end of etc. so as to hold a meeting of the meeting did not even tee ТІПО СЕМ ПОШМ АНІОНОМ АВ of pledging themselves capable chaired by management and themselves to a fight against the unions. proposed government s Casi I'd printing spent 18 on limits of 14%. leaflets opposing raised T01S the call is instead calling for a 30 hour immediately flat-rate 101| doublé paid overtime, . wecK. increases cross 1e fore total rejection or ciosures and are protected from inflation by demands for workers' control of index linking to a working class will pally

COST

giving moex. evIl yard, Vospers servants will continue to be led (Woolston) voted it out, down blind alley of Pay the against 763. Next day I was sacked!

TEESIDE

CUTS FIGHT

As part of the build-up movement of "from the labour for the February 9 anti- Teeside. and to help to extend their struggle. demonstration culs Middlesbrough, the Consistent fight Area Anti-Cuts Langbargh Campaign is holding two This is the first step towards help mobilise a consistent fight to remove the meetings support the call trade unionists and Labour Tories and to the South Yorkshire Trades Party activists in the area.

Council for a general strike The local anti-cuts cuts on February 18. calll- against the paiding hose being cri ne redma demonsta including carried being tion should be the start of a campaign not only to figh

OUT

Lanzoaren counci clear which Labour controlled. ne cuts our to poor our lit This follows the right wing of the Labour Party.

Whitby GMC to Cleveland and February demonstration! *AlI support try and force the Labour Group not to implement the cuts.

Labour Langbargh

"LODDV

Socialist supporters councillors. fighting consistently *Extend the struggle-for a nave been in the local anti-cuts campaign workers' inquiry into the public and have been leading the anti- sector. inside local Cuts walu *Kick out the Tories! parties. Build councils of action.

The demonstration The anti-cuts demonstration February 9 needs full support wil assemble at 11.30 a.m from trade unionists in the area Saturday y rebruary at Alderl for a number of reasons Park, Unthorpe Road, Middles. to bring to the atten- march to a rally at tion of Labour bureaucrats that the Town Hall. local still on steelworkers StIIKe alle Iccu

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Six months (25 issues). One year (50 issues).. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 Victimised spark speaks out Yes. How have they pursued uns attack on ue worklorce Well, as expected, 'VAB' has now been forced in, and I know Wild pay out. productivity was sweet ГА. Added this the bosses have vicious. announcer une sacking intend to 400 up workers the next few Socialist Press inter- months! These are the fruits of betrayal. Pearse, views 'Ginger' recently victimised Do vou view vour sacking a having any parallel with Derek shop steward from Robinson's victimisation S.R. Vosper in Yes, of course. The similarit- Southampton. ies between Robinson's case and Hie ale

• DOLI DELSI

Leyland and British Shin- builders are 'nationalised" and both are facin of thi most savage attacks by Thatcher and her 'gang of 14' Did the electricians strike in Workers face 'speed-up', , and yours. pot? massive both redundancies in electricians' shop This will lead to total closures of shipyards and BL plant stewards decided unanimousy on immediate strike action if I We must oppose all redun- was not reinstated and called a dancies and demand a real cut in mass meclue or sparks Scanlon ine working week, occupanon Area for instead closures, EETPU) started his speech by workers' control. saving "Brother Pearse has beer political differ This is the blatantly victimised". Trotskyists ence betweet But he then spoke again workers like myself trying to act It's hopele: as Trotskyists and Stalinists lik any suike deton The fight will be long and hard supported There will be no official recog witch-hunts of militants at BL What about and in doing so paved the way

ILLION

families " He finished off with Tor us own sackie "A strike will be bad publicity of Nevertheless spite for our union"! Robinson's political betrayals After this the meeting voted this ruthless attack by Edwardes against strike action and I was

HIM CFISTADPAT MANH AIT DUE

left with no alternative but to blatantly retreated at the time case to an Industrial take my when

TGWU

workers were strike whole Tribunal. official already on Have you heard the result o on vicious attack Tne this Tribunal tradinson must be reinstated ot union movement Yes. after two adiournments I was found to have been "justi- anted sunke accon. fiably sacked" Yes, in solidarity with the steel workers and all other sections of as an elected steward? Of course not. We can only the working class? see the hostility of Yes. We expect workers JustIce courts. I had sixteen witnesses workers to ta acro so clearly in this strike, the first treachery steel shutdown since 1926!

Scanlon and the lies of manage- developed me they sat through a 'political' suake into the most crucial confron tation with the Tories' mone trial and were disgusted by the Now, policy. not nex! bias of the Larist Tribunal week, or next month. give full support to the steel and extend picketing workers No, although my branch of the EETPU and Southampton of any bourgeois court ruling.

Trades Council have passed strike must be resolutions demanding reinstate- developed into a General Strike with the sole intention of bring ment unus can ot won by strike action and that is opposed down the Tories, replacing ing by official scabs it with a government mandatec resistance to to carry out the the Value Bonus' prote must Ander management and their be turned into a HEUs have won lacAcys illa us polltical strike victory at Vospers.

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

SOCIALIST

For a £2.00

GET

* clear

PRESS

lead in the £4.00 struggle againsi £8.00 wage control, cuts £14.00 and redundancies Send cheque/P.O. your to £9.00 Socialist Press, 31 Dartmouth £16.00 Park Hill, London NW5 1HR £10.00 £18.00

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 6 February 1980 BL set to reject 5% It looks as if BL workers ntonunately tor tnem such argument was no deterrent 5% plus will reject the of the offer; it rejection they have strings which are looking tol workers been offered on their annual anyway! TV team stood for an review. Cowley hour outside the dropped Assembly Plant MaST through workers' doors trying g. find worker Saturday morning. massive publicity cam- intended

VOLE

#i lavoul the package; but they. couldn t paign invo vine statements even find one opposed to strike delivered by post, half a dozen action against it! different displayed Postes A mass meeting earner tnal TIne day had an enthusiastic thirty minute slot for Edwardes the convenors TV just before the ballot, they advocated a massive rejec urged mancement acclality tion of the deal. of the deal. Rover At Solihull a mass Their Maun a ment Was meet no nee a une same tame that to reject the deal would be voted unanimously to reject the tantamount to a vote for strike 5%. Cowley victory League-a revelation which The election for deputy could hardly have convenors in the BL Cowley them, since it has been said at Plant Assembly have every election for the past 14 resulted in a further impor- years. The right wing branch, tant victory for the left.

TGWU 5/837 circulated a leaflet The left candidates strikes led by pointing the im orove• Ener positions ano Ene Thornett Alan oast right wing all • lost votes predicting conflict in the future compared to the previous ballot. if he was elected. Ine most strikine. result wa The attacks were of no con the vote tor alan: nornett. He sequence. BL workers are no came third out of the list of 25 looking for weak leadership. for candidates the looking are militant and They seven avalaole cositions.

strong senders wine The right wing main conten- con have policies on which they confront employers Jim der, Barson, who was by Bob Frver recent y can fight and win. for the convenor position, was reduced to fifth place. *Following the election BL held under Alan Bcognise Thomett, saying that they have typicall sharond nail on The Oxford Mail the not changed their position since reminded he was victimised in 1974.

previous asked workers that in voting tor Alan were voting for a for more time to consider their and and will be giving a position Trotskyist member of the Workers Socialist

CRACKDOWN

AT FORDS

'enting the sacked worker called Line workers from the I0г a series or one sake Phase 2 heavy truck assem- until the threat of steel lay-offs bly area at Ford's Langley was over. the possibility of lay- Plant walked out last olis at 8u pay needed serious Wednesday over the sacking Socialist Press of a colleague on a trumped supporter argued for immediate up charge of "not declaring maernie sunke acuion only effective way to win ie- a hernia condition" when he instatement. joined the company nearly a vote split the meeting. year ago. with indefinite acron. I narrow majority for all 100 out The sack at we thant and in a week plant and

WUIKCIS

section out and the an international 'get company has lost £1 million in tough policy by Fords manage- ment. production Three weeks The shop stewards commit- ago six leading tee has called for official recog militants Denmark weIt company nition of the strike. ov ,the hosting last year's 'International any manning up or the inase z meeting; and as we go section, and called for reinstate- there are uncontirmed reDOrIS steward being sacked the Southampton throughout the Plant which has plant. pushed the convenor and TGWU At Langley, stewards repres- officials into passive support.

Chall

AT THE TOP...

DUES

Yet the leadership given to workers has been a disgrace.

only just handed the ravine contro or the secret danot ove to the management, the Leyland Joint Negotiating Commit- nave resooneed to manace that the ballot da as to ring ts that •• win sinke action corervin Hawley). deal receives a massive rejection they say they will seel negotiations. Turner mat eme B issue • Tano ee up strike! Such talk is a betrayal. defeated BL workers will facera steel difficult task If BL workers join the stee workers adast toe coveramen -together they cạn win. If the ballot rejects the offer The LONG MUST act. The review has been negotia.

ted coroorate sisis. membership ted on a corporate basis, goes

LITE

unions there must be a decision from the LCJNC endorsed by a Concent immediate all-out strike throughout BL. "Is the TUC changing its emphasis on nurseries and directing towards workplace because it won't provision to a fight against face up cuts in the public sector?"

unis queston ron me noo at the SE Region TUC Seminar Workplace Nurseries pointed to the key issue at stake. It forced Jack Dromey, 'left' speaking Secretary of SERTUC to hurriedly change his set-piece up speech in order to reassure une soeaker mar there was no change of emphasis.

Of course, he blustered, "if" the foI call Daisy. work lace and the fight against nurceries the cuts weren't proceeding side "today's seminar side then would of course be a dangerous diversion." Welcome Yet is was clear throughout the seminar that the workplace nursery cam paign, m une present political climate-with the 'ories hellbent on an ideological right women's allack work, dis and determined mantle the welfare state-is indeed seen as a welcome diver- son by une wade umon ouredu стасу. Speaker after speaker, from

STAT MALS

PFISHALL RUNDO

ASKY ARE YOU RUNNING

LAWAY FROM?.

SWP endorsement for Stalinist line thrust of the decaranon the wake of the In towards protest campaign bureaucratically disrupted aimed at changing the minds of of the Liaison conterence the lores on tner package anti-union laws, rather than Committee for the Defence forcing Thatcher out of office.

of Trade Unions, the yet vocaly worker encous Socialist Workers Party has iastically states that "before the delegates Declaration declared its full backing for was the political line presented spelling out tne way to light the Tory proposals" by the Stalinist platform.

And lest there be any In a one-page feature headed confusion, the passes as John Dearon, Writen on "Let's fight the Tories letter spokesman

TOGETHER'

• Socialist Worker behalf of the SWP-run "Rank and File" reprints the entire political state- ment presented to toe conler Detend our Unions commutee ence, describing it as "A fighting to Kevin Halpin on the day after declaration"

LCDTU

: the confer- The statement-to which the ence. "Kevin" Stalinist Deason Conference would allow Kevin Halpin, no that: opposition-contains no demand "The Defend Our Union Committee fully supports that for General Strike action to declaration-indeed bring down the its substantial demand is nise that the Liaison Committee included in that declaration for "Teal action of general strike of our previous Ital tions." •the "day of action" on May 14-3½ months time! Deason goes on to complain

LCDTU

has ignored with the that the conceivily record of the LCDTU under the repeated emers onone calls all Heath government, the entire personal approaches from the

A DIVERSION FROM

FIGHTING THE CUTS

of intents paying for all nursery introducing local NALGO and NATHE ranches in particular, detailed provision. to force local councils to accept responsibility Closed down employers' providing work- place creches for local The same speakers also the and college workers. showed now

NALGO

policy of workplace Yet some of these speakers had allowed the local LuISCTICS day nursery and nursery school NALUU leadersnip to turn tnel backs on the nursery nurses and nor how these were threatened by cuts. • assistants in Oxtordshire nurser!

classes-who face redundancy when the nurseries are all closed Axed hospital In July 19o1 Bere Saxby, ASTMS speaker aelegat she intentsis of the aban the Heathrow Airport the bureau. nurser event mitcall announced that this campaign was asking permission to use the been answered by the explicit statement paper axed stales nUsUlla Terry Marsland of Ashford School for workplace submitted by parents the Tobacco Workers Union: nurseries! (Al i a cost to of at least £15 per week!)

"There is no hope over the Oxford Speakers from the next five years of achieving any Save Our Nurseries Campaign child care facities novi sidocaf explained how the tory Counci care facilities Local Southard is and our only tnere nas exponca ne insula.

nature of workplace creche persuade class offering emplovers Who have ane room should financial resources available, , to watch has axed sin haries count hat establish creche and axed in the round was the place

DIO NOT

the local Polytechnic cuts) work. Student Nursery Campaign with If this is not a diversion from a chanis had 2 treat ents.

the fight to defend and extend had driven wedge existing state nursery provision and the between then what is? nursery campaign in the

TOWN

prepared ground for

IS IT THE STEELWORKERS MARCHING RIGHT THROUG

DENNING'S JUDGEMENT - LET ALONE BILL SIRS JUDGEMONT?

(NO, IT'S THE LOOMING

POSSIBILITY OF A...

Page 11 Rank and File Committee seek- ing united action. And he pica- which formed the only issue of

SWP

between and the any

LCDTU/R&F

conference to be convened Communist Party working militancy class into a succession of aimles.

one-day and protest actions their supposedly wing' rivals in the SWP abandon any struggle political them -in the name of "unity" respect Deason is richt a id There doubt that this Halpin wrong The SWP and CP are, in a politically united, in Tea sense opposing the development of a political leader- revolutionary snio in une workme cass. and u seeking to confine the anti-Tory Rank and File fight to what the • calls "a cam paign of committee protest and defiance against the new laws"

NUT

sell-out NUT leaders in Notting- ham appear to be attempt- ing what must be one of the most despicable sell-outs ever. Last December Nottinghan sacked dozens of its nursery large leaving very uses nursery. Casses since ony by d teacher and one assistant One Eileen Crosbie teacher of the Robert Mellors School in Arnold reticed to take a cass of 40 children under these con- and was suspended. in authority put a probationer in her place seven other teachers in The the school came out on strike and the boycotted the parents The NUT Notting held an official nall-day strike in protest But with Mrs Crosbie 10 W still suspended, the NUT leader- ship has sent the other teachers in the school back to work, and Council with the 1s necolalul: reduce ine children 26-to comply with the DES 1:13 ratio! through the cuts they have the full

NUPE

and support NAIGO leaders who the autumn and did nothing to prevent the wholesale sacking of their members Nottingham

MUSI

show their solidarity with Mrs all-out Crosbie and for strike action sacked nursery assistant are rein- and educa stated. and nursery Toned ca

WELL IS IT LEN MURRAY SAYING THAT

THE T.U.C. IS AT, BREAKING POINT?.

GENERAL

STRIKE

STATE SURVEILLANCE

'A woman's right'-say

SOCIALIST

PRESS

EXPOSED

All "source" who bointed out that "civil liberties" of sudden last rolling band. every public phone in pubs in week, after the revelation wacon. there is no doubt that the area of Kilburn was tapped Whitelaw is substantially right by the New Statesman of as part of the state surveillance argue that phone tapping of the IRA. the secret service phone- under coverument tapping centre in Chelsea, Grunwick : continues in the same way under the Callaghan and Wilson the press began to act as if Instances of phone tapping such widespread surveillance governments Trom The machinery of the capitalist state 1969-72 through Peter Hain's was common knowlędge. Anti Apartheid The Sunday Times, for Campaigli -the intelligence services, article Juite Harts acavities on benall major instance. •oice. ano tne arme forces of Chilean exiles while she was pointed out that the capacity of operate continually against the Minister 1974, Labour the Chelsea and centre was probably oniy ever been notionally under nor loo simultaneousonone the Grunwick Strike Committee calls-as suggested by the New ine democratic ConTrol leaders in 1978-have now been Statesman- -but 5,000! Parliament. Drouent to tient. Labour governments, which Aro u went on to quore one The Sunday Times points the "reform' seek Merel out that Carrington capitalist system and its state, able to bludgeon the Patriotic themselves pre- rront leaders the more success• lesser PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Stole will createl fully at the knowledge-over the self-same House talks on Zimbabwe secause was orejee Witn toplession up-to-the-minute • secret service Tortest: anscripts of their every phone call and private conversation: Offensive meanwhile the pubicity on the issue has brought evidence rolling in from strike leaders and Thatcher government The of course committed to a class

A COUNTA

of extensive telephone offensive designed to dropping during industrial dis- demolish workers' living stan- •putes. and ane: socia services Thatcher, 1930s levels of unem- Parliament, on ployment, has set out to extend i ine. issue in the powers and strenath of the vane even to cent acou MPs' phones are tapped state, beginning with huge pay Former Labour Home Secre- readiness of rises for police and army thugs But despite the tary Rees: -Labour leaders to climb on this and new anti-union laws. Zimbabwe violence A rocket attack killing introducing socialist measures His abject compromises are 13 in a civilian bus is the one why latest in a long Lasoli series of numerous ZANU members are violations of the cease-fire refusing to follow him in co- As John Corrie's anti- in the Zimbabwe war which operating with the imperialist abortion Bill comes up for plans. are being attributed to the Despite many fabrications, its Third and final reading ZANLA guerrilla army. of the ceasefire violations many the House of Commons Robert Mugabe, of uv retic cans movement akansu this 5 have shown that it two new compromise by the rank and file LANU(Pr) wnch is politically linked to ZANLA, says that it is of the ZANLA army surveys have Bishop Muzorewa's capable of directing hat nove- But militia' leadership flies in the face of the which is responsible for most of wishes of a majority of the violent incidents. ment towards socialist adults. hard Zimbabwe has still to be built.

from les in thesep separate truth Calls

FUND

reports. But it is certainly true that after the Lunaituous recoolon for Mugabe when he returned to the country there has built up alliance ZAN from getting an stop With over £2,000 pledged to our £3,000 Special Func and a total of £636.90 already received, the fund is off to a majority without actually tion The Fund was launched at a recent. Special good start. banning it Conference of the WSL to develop our work both national- The alliance consists of the Soames dictatorship, Muzorewa, ly and internationally with the founding of the Trotskyist veteran white racist leader International Liaison Committee and in order to buy Ian Smith and, more tentatively Joshua Nkomo. It is important that we keep up the pace of the fund to ensure that we reach the half wav stage bv Easter. At the Demanded same time we have to find ways of raising the extra £1,000 Nkomo, leader of the ZAPU not yet accounted for in pledges.

Readers should consider branch of the Patriotic Front, whether they can/send a donation to the fund and fund also demanded that ZANLA has raising activities must be organised around the country to tie coastic vulatons ensure that we are able to conclude a successful fund drive.

But far has gently In the meantime, the £750 Monthly Fund must not be reproved lan Smith for calling forgotten. We have got off to a good start on the February either to the Marxist o2AN with £142 Func the first four days of the received in either to the or to the racists old and now month. useless ally Muzorewa. All donations for either fund should be sent to: Socialist Press Fund Mugase respond by bending over back- 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR wards to deny any intention of Published by Folrose Ltd for Socialist League, 31 Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Only the Blunt Anthony scandal torpedoed Tory • through

• DUST

"Protection Information" Bill that would almost ly have made the New States.

man revelations illegal. Last week saw the first mass the steel arrests ot pickets ir strike-and the use of handcuffs to shackle workers, who were ottering no resistance And Home Secretary White- law revealed that the Tories are consocine viciou. Now Jerusid- tion that would oblige demon- 80% in 'Corrie' poll One, conducted by Woman's magazine, showed that a massive asked believed that 80% the choice • anemner

TROL

abortion should be an issue to be decided solely by the woman concerned and her doctor And a Sunday Times opinion Phild of her thate alad tee of the public wanted the aboron law ngatened up, wnue 50% want it left the way it is or made more liberal. According the Sunday Time: 54% of the public as a whole agreed with the shoud

ADOTTON

made legally aalit, available for all who Horrors But course the lone: have other ideas. Not only does Corrie's Bill set out to condemn WOme and chidden But ready childbirth, savage Health spending

CUTS

Service are ensuring that The facilities for free abortion are inadequate even under the exist.

ing laws. For Tories like Corrie and his allies 11 TMi Icacuonar catnoue church. women are aspire to no more than to be housekeepers and child-rearers.

reactionary values DUt subl are shared also by the gang of as Social reser Anvil Printers, London ruling means Lord scarman: Is ul a necessary implication of your submission Parliament by this section mas mane a senerat nike unaw- ful? Counsel (for private steel firms): I would say that acts, the object Home Secretary Whitelaw pay StatiOn Couganisels LItt cost or porcing street • •emon strations and putting down hefty advanced cash deposits danst bossiole camare With employers now scream.

ing their demands for new anti. working class legislation there is doubt unat tne only way to curb the of police next period is powers down the Tory government and removal of Labour's reac- Labour right wingers that argue it is against then conscence 'to allow women the elementary right control their own bodies, their own lives Corrie's nas Proceeded this far with only token oppos ition from trade unions and has been actively fought by only a depressingly small section of left wing Labour MPs. Majority The Tory majority in Parlia ment seems now certain Bill Corrie carries through its Third Reading, to emerge in the near But it is not too late for the labour movement to prepare the defend cloud lol alliul abortion rights against the new legislation This means fighting to: Labour Party Ene to enforce its policy of "free abortion request" by a) on • a three line whit

I1DOSI:

Labour MPs to vote against the Corrie Bill and b) pledging the next Labour cover mical lo lac repeal of all anti-abortion legis lationall on trade unions to ensure that sponsored Mrs vote accordance with • Labour and TUC policy: : and Party national UnlOT What the Lords of whick was not to set up a chain of trade commercial conscumence pressure to bear on the govern ment of the day to alter economic policy might not qualify as acts in furtherance of a trade dispute The decision by the House Den Ling has stil left room rot overturn Lor the law to be used against strike action While the Law Lords have not yet published their detailed reasons for overturning Denning ility injunctions being granted in the event of a genera strike (Such injunctions could Then legitimise the use of Do ice and army strikers as against strikers rather than against DICKeLS based bernd tehess from tion their the dispute Appeal Cour itself (firstly Lord Lawton and then Lord Denning) that came with the concent outer been B5C two disputes-one with the and with the one government. It was this notior that the House of Lords over- Counsel for the private steel firms damaging to the "wellbeing of the country" (i.e. the • wellbeing argument has not been definite- ly set aside Lord Scarman in overturn- ing Denie omaker harone of the factors the court must consider was it would be pos sible before the damage develop.

ed irretrievably for the govern

LOSHC CORO

another by legislation or what- ever-to toy the avert damage wellare of the state' In othér words Scarman is that the should sayın! a strike illegal-so not declare governmen capable acting by other means against the strike But. • should the court tak‹ the view that the government is not capable of so doing it could then declare the strike illegal The Lords' judgement is thus not so much a licence to strike, decision to hold back on as a recognise must be a weapon of last resort. executives, particularly ASTMS/ to commit their unions to strike in the event of member being tot contumg to provide abor- tion in defiance of the law *Support unionists who stnike action or occupation, defence of abortion health service facilities • threat- ened by the government's public spending cuts. NUPE leader Fisher-must be forced to act on Corrie