Socialist Press no. 24

COWLEY: WAY FOR CHRYSLER WORKERS

PRINCIPLED LEAD

DEFEATS RIGHT WING

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

Only 19 months after being victimised by British Leyland management and removed from office by the T&GWU bureau- during a national witch-hunt, Alan Thornett, a leading cracy member of the Workers Socialist League, has been elected Chairman of the 4,000 strong 5/293 T&GWU branch in the British Leyland Cowley Assembly Plant.

The working class is strong. If His election is a heavy blow at and the trade union leaders the right wing, who in the 19 for the Chrysler convenors months after setting up occupation of the Chrysler plants branch as the instrument of their with mass supporting have knifed struggle астоп mn

COMBCOR

backed by the defence of jobs after stre ele risthe plant pre- full strength of the trade union shop floor VerteeXeSe movement, there is no doubt that Indeed, since they were power. the response from workers would the leadership, they have handed almost every hard be overwhelming. won agreement over to the man-

POSSIBLE

This defeat of the right-wing The widespread support for a is also a complete vindication of Trotskyist leadership in Cowley, the long struggle carried out by arising out of a struggle in defence the Workers Socialist League, , with of jobs and conditions shows that at times only a handful of sup- is possible to lead workers for principle and pro-

DOEL.CIS.

against management attack.

gramme in the plant in defence of of the Cowley The details agreements, and in particular branch therefore voting are opposition to speed-up and to the the the important. meeung, Ryder Report, "worker-participations along with biggest since the founding meeting fraudulent scneme. it was this struggle alone 142 voted for out that laid the basis for mobilising Thornett and 64 for the other broad layers of support in recent Tom White. White, months against management at- но исс. leading of the Workers tacks, without which the right-

TECHOCE

Revolutionary Party, described as wing could not have been beaten.

a 'moderate' in the national press, secured

VOLC

RECORD

organised, in a determined effort It is in this sense, based on this record of struggle, that the Cow- ley election results point the road forward to workers throughout tne car inaustry, ana in particulai at Chryslers, where trade union leaders and convenors, having col- laborated with 'worker partici- pation' for the past six months, now offer not a single policy 1n defence of jobs beyond the treacherous demand to "renegoti- ate" the redundancies. Varley was quick to snap this suggestion and turn it into a manoeuvre offering the Linwood plant scraps from the table and.

drive a wedge attempting LU between Linwood and Coventry.

Morris and other convenors knew opening the door to they were thee then the their refusal mass meetings. confront the Labour government now places the future of Chrysler Chrysler Stoke convenors Simpson (AUEW) and Morris (T&GWU) workers in great danger. Faced with the world crisis of to beat Thornett, by plant the which the capitalist . system, convenor, extreme right wing sharply affects the motor industry witch-hunter Reg Parsons the workers in The rout of the right wing the choice: every plant continued in the for election the that the accept argument branch secretary, in which current company must be 'viable' or start secretary Jim Barson from a fight for the political and with the T&GWU collaboration organisational independence of bureaucracy played a key role in the working class and the right of their of the powertul break'up 5/55 Branch 19 months ago) was every worker to a job. British Leyland's Cowley Assembly Plant defeated 81 votes to 54. Frank Corii, steward from sub- assembly record of

WILD

opposition to Parsons was elected in his place. These results, together with the militant majority elected onto the branch committee, now challenge wing stranglehold the T&Gw in she town. Five or right over Assembly Plant seats on the T&GWU District important Committee Automotive 5 BL in represents the plants by Oxford) are now held militants, reducing the right wing majority to two. contrary to the absurd

ANTO

claims of the local and national press that the results were affected by closure of part of the South Works during the afternoon the branch meeting was outside working hours, these are an accurate election results of the sharp swing reflection the left the factory, which emerged dISO me elecuon tol weeks earlier. In convenor two

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

ORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

NO 24 * 31st December 1975 * 10p works ballot (held on the the factory floor during working hours), Bob Fryer (regarded in the plant as a Trotskyist) came close to defeating Parsons, winning nearly 1,000 votes, while Parsons support slumped from 1,800 at the last election to 1,200.

MANIPULATION

Indeed Parsons' position was only held in that ballot by combination management and tactics bureaucdue manipulation - as a result of which the Marina assembly tracks (predominantly pro-Parsons) was given far lon or periods fos voting Works (pre- than dominantly pro-Fryer). The massive vote for Fryer in the North Works, which had beer the main target for managemen the in recent period,

ATTACKS

forced the T&GWU bureaucracy to hold back the elections for deputy convenors, fearing a defeat of the right wingers. Fryer's vote was the result of the sustained fight by the WSL and principled stewards for leadership opposition to speed-up. This took support around the O11 Bulas demand to force Leyland to open the books.

COMMITTEE

The fight by the WL for this demand, which began on the shop stewards committee with the the open esta0 isiment placed at books committee, was of the asthe management offensive heart struggle speed-up when the drive for began. Such a fight stood in stark contrast to the collaboration the in convenors (who swung complete support of Ryder) and abstention from the ballot to elect Ryder committee delegates This principled lead, strengthening the growing moo resistance against compan attacks, forced the right wing in deeper isolation. The rejection of Ryder by ti majority of workers emerged mo Meduv m me NOTE WOrKs wI a mass meeting, following a peric of disputes and occupatio against speed-up, voted down convenendationor from

CULLYCHOL

management-union committee conditions on the Princess The meeting voted instead for th the books • open committee investigate manageme allegations of "shoddy work" an "skivers paradise"

SIT-IN

These important developmen culminated shortly before convenors election in a sit-in opposition to layoffs with demand for work sharing on fu pay. After two days the battle w won with full pay conceded the company and the work havin been shared the worke • out by themselves This had begun at which th mass meeting convenors obtained a total of or 700 vote from the worke for their resolutio present accepting management

LCHI

They argued that resistance w "impossible". Such events confirm the pow of the method and demands o Trotsky's Transition Programme and demonstrate th powerful connection between ti all-round aimed programme mobilise the working class in t end capitalism struggle to establish socialism, and the dai fight to organise workers defence of jobs and conditior These struggles show how extremely high level of politic consciousness can develop und such conditions. Chrysler too, though in mative way, shone the tinuo importance continued on back page, col 4

INSIDE

Why the right wing all votec WRP.......... Page 7 Was Shakespeare in IS? ...Page 5 STC Closure Threat Page 7

VIETNAM CP backs bishops lage2

ARGENTINA

danger of coup Ever since the general strike July forced President Isabel eron's right-wing government withdraw its plans for mas- ive wage-cuts, a military coup as been a major danger. This anger has in no way receded ince the abortive Air Force coup of December 18-23rd.

The armed forces have been about what form the divided only oup should take. The ultra-right to impose envisaged a pomplete military rule combined it savage general stall poposition Chilean junta.

"MODERATES"

The 'moderates' wanted to over- of Isabel the government inTOw with but to govern Jointy politicians combining on minty ome freedom political organ- oI and on the the Collie right with an intensified campaign left, repression against guerrilla specially the two major groups, the ERP (People's Revol- Army) and the Monton- ationary aros (part of the left-wing of the pparently working together.

The conflict in the military led the crisis in when moderates under won control the present Com- eneral Videla, Chief, who is in close ander 1n with the right-wing op- lance oxiaon kadical party• attempted coup on Decem- The 18th. was work oi bart o Tane he defeated ultra-right group in the Air Force. A small group of officers

PORTUGAL

Further evidence has been weeks, building up in recent since the so-called attempted coup of 25th. November, the repressive measures being taken against the Portuguese Azevedo revolution by regime and its military back- ers. The aftermath of the 'coup' has repression been Tonoweu of Many hundreds Kine

CYCLY

leftists, not just from the army, are now in prison, though few of them have been named. In the Azores. Communist Party leaders are claim- ing that they have to work under- ground in the same way as under fascism. At the same time, the Azevedo government has introduced a series The Vietnamese Communist Party in the South is seeking the the collaboration Roman Catholic hierarchy in the work of "construction of a society" revolutionary new chief official of the Nugyen Ho, Party machine for the Saigon area, invited main Tras one speakers at the conference of South Vietnamese bishops and clergy on "Important 17th. December changes have taken place within the throughout catholic church ahat morld". he said "The Vatican

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

calling themselves the Blue Condor demanded that the Commandos military overthrow Peron and take full power.

RELUCTANT

The rest of the military moved slowly and reluctantly to Soone the revolt, hoping that it would precipitate Peron's resig- any CaNC her disillusioned nation. But when in the leadership of the supporters called general the

CGI

leadership took military steps to bring the rebels to heel, stressing that they should not be however, regarded as defeated and themselves openly. demanding Peron's immed- iate resignation. The Peron clique has been forc- ed to agree to advance the 19p7 5o- dential elections due 1976. This is not enough October for the President's opponents who hope to unseat her before this.

BIDING TIME

The military seem to be biding their time a little longer to see if Senate investigations tne present corruption in the Ministry of into Welfare - previously run by Social Peron's sinister advisor Lopez Rega and still in the hands of his hench- will lead her impeach- men ment. Aside from these scandals, Peron faces charges over having signed a 750,000 dollars made cheque Ior Peronist charity to her oule by a own personal account. It was, she says, a 'mistake'. of of corruption brought out- Peron's regime ItaN aimed at of 'austerity measures' dealing with the economic crisis by the the conditions attacking working class. There are to be public spending while some rationing,

CURES

increases are to be allowed.

price At the same time efforts are being "boost exports' especially made to in textiles, but there have been expressed at the pos- great tears of import con- sible introduction trols in Britain, where 80% of the textiles are bound. changes being in- The political considerable also of troduced importance. The dissolution of the Forces Armed Movement ana COPCON do not indicate an end to military dictatorship. "hev do sno however, an attempt to strengthen the rule of capitalism. The political parties, especially return towards the people, people". the fact that Underlining Vietnam intends to Stalinism have the closest possible 'peaceful and coexistence' *with religion claimed Nugyen Ho superstition, that "our countrymen rejoice in the freedom attend pagodas and to churches". imported Catholicism, into Indochina at the point of a French imperialism, bayonet by promises to be - like the Church in of defender Poland Stalinism within Vietnam.

And, as though to confirm that

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

spoken support from leading figures for a "purifying' the church The major factor military coup. delaying an attemo ate companied organised military's strength of the workers. The leaders however, Peronist that strength through prostitute with their constant compromises the corrupt, right-wing regime.

SPLIT

The enormously powerful meta vorkers' union (UOM) has recentl!

with Victor split down the middle, Calabro (who is also Governor of Buenos Aires) leading a breakaway opposed to Isabel Peron. faction The Peronist UOM leader has him- self been forced to distance himself somewhat from the President Similar pressures face the leaders of other unions as the workers find that the general strike victory of hollow since real July has been wages have been slashed by the inflation continuation of rapid (over 300% in 1975). It is estimated living standards have that workers fallen by 15 to 30 per cent in the abortive coup attempt. repression continues the PPD and the Socialist Party, be given legal powers to go will back on the platform of consti- tutional accord' signed in April last and to form a government with greater pretences at democratic and legal support. The promised elections, like the EEC referendum in Britain and the General Election in Australia, will be fought on ground chosen and dictated by the capitalist class.

The working class and peasants in Portugal will only guarantee their by building their own revolution organisations, factory and tenant have remained which committees. intact since 25th. November. They their leaders demand that must the power, and if they will take must build a leadership not, they that can push them aside and do so itself. continued Nugyen Ho country' "before being believers in a religion communists, we revolutionary are all Vietnamese, springing from united people traditionally one against all foreign invasion and to safeguard the independence and the unithis christotas and"» "turn' Christmas by the Vietnamese leadership is one of the confirmations that, striking most far from having broken tied to it. they remain Stalinism, Despite having thrown imperialism own country, they out political continue to contide SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday December 31st, 1975 months (40% for state On December 24th the Monton- last six eros and the ERP staged a desperate employees) The growing splits in the unions raid on a military barracks in which and irrevocable follow the major their members are about Peronist last year I he breakaway reported killed. split A second raid, two days later, Justicialist Party. of the has bodies left wing movement aed, it is ye to red, ver Party it is reported, to the death of established the Authentic with close links with the Monton- well over 100 more guerillas. This is eros guerrillas. he way, not to build a revolution face of the extreme waste and the ary movement, but to dangers facing the working class of destroy the strength and political Argentina this left-wing of Peron- along power of the working class offers no way forward. with the lives of courageous mili- political keynote is a demand for a tants. policies of General the Peron! Its methods combine the

INDEPENDENCE

left electoral manoeuvres The struggle must be fought to Authentic Party (declared illegal by from its Peron on December 26th) with the break the working class provocative and costly military links with Peronism, and establish its clear political and organisational adventures of the Montoneros (even independence of the employers and though recently the guerillas have fight for the state. In this, the of their activities to unkea some sliding scale of wages and for armed the worker' struggle - for instance, workers' defence squads based on Mercedes the kidnapping the committees to defend the factory released last week was executive workers' movement against ultra- successfully linked to the conces- be central the demands of striking right musi of ATTaCKS points of programme. workers in the Mercedes plant) Rebel airmen patrolling the streets of the Argentinian capital during their

ANGOLA:

CIA'S SETBACK

the disarray of the American ruling The struggle of the Amer- class. While all sections of the bour ican ruling class against Afri wish to defend America's geoisie capitalist national independence stake international can in are frightened received a major setback when exploitation,

SO SC

by the prospect of fighting another on December 19th., the Sen- economically Vietnam from an ate voted to halt CIA expen- weakened position, and with a dis- diture in Angola. and militant working contented class breathing down their necks.

The CIA's latest counterrevol- It is this fear which moved the utionary escapade, the funnelling of Senate to curb CIA activity. Presi- to the reaction- and arms Holly dent Ford's public statement abou ary FNLA and UNITA through the "loss of credibility" and Kissinger' "friendly" neighbouring govern- manoeuvres were ment of Zaire was long an open back-room enough to keep the Senators from Secretary of Henry secret. State forbidding, by a vote of 59 to 22, Kissinger fended off criticism by Defence Department the use claiming that American funding was for clandestine operations temperate response to growing money in Angola Soviet intervention. Chinese Stalinists, support- claim had two de- Kissinger's ers of the FNLA until the tide be- fects. First, the sides in Angola are out howls of gan to change, let no sense on an equal footing "capitu- Washington's dismay at People's The army the lation" to Moscow. And the British public Angola, the MPLA, is of Tory press (The Times, December the only force fighting imperialism, 22nd.) made a thinly veiled call for and has the broad support of Ango- continued American financing of lanworkers and peasants. It is on this side that the Mos- Angolan reactionaries. Their call will not go unheeded.

cow Stalinists have intervened, hop- threatened bring forward Kissinger immediately a sympa- ing to ask the House of Representatives thetic government in West to overturn the Senate's action next and probably in the long term to channelling the month, meanwhile gain naval facilities in the region.

through Zaire Kissinger's statement is remaining money Second, demanded that 26 million dollars was ear- Ford successfully a lie. Gulf Oil suspend operations in oil- marked for Zaire as early as last rich Cabinda and withold payment January, and the arms it put into of royalties from the MPLA, which the hands of the FNLA were major factor in stepping up military has control over the region.

Current levels of Soviet This is a particularly dangerous conflict. move, which seeks to provoke the aid largely a response to , thi are pro-imperialist

MPLA

against American backing of to act CIA's defence o: its legitimate capital in forces

SPAIN: CP ATTACKS INTERNATIONALISI

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday December 31st, 1975 Spanish fascism has behaved ion in which post he supervised the phenomenally profitable develop- in the six weeks since Franco's ment of the tourist industry, took death like a desperate, wound- charge of government propaganda ed animal alternating be- designed the present and tween apparent quiescence ship laws under which Spain's newspapers imposed self-censorship and snarling savagery. and get confiscated if they go too So, the one hand, Prime far. Minister Arias Navarro's new gov- Fraga now claims that for his ernment, announced on December internal 'democratisation' he needs contains the most prominent 12th., 'two weeks to decide, two months so-called 'liberals' of the regime; it to plan and two years to imple- has hinted at an extension of the ment'. 'amnesty' for in the prisoners; The decisions, presumably, possible words it promises vaguest made and probably include in the and it invites the political reforms; participation of "all Spaniards" in political which is defined to include "responsible criticism".

"Tes- on the other hand, ponsible criticism" does not include strike action by Chrysler workers in Madrid (ejected from the plant on three successive days by heavily armed police): nor a peacetul dem- onstration of 500 actors and law- outside the Ministry of In- yels 16th., formation December on (participants savagely beaten up by police); nor a peaceful demonstrat- ion of 2000 outside a jail in Bilbao Euskadi (Basque country) on December 14th (dispersed by police assisted by ultra-right thugs of the Guerillas of Christ the King using Fraga whips, chains and medieval spiked metal balls). short-term the release of some pol- itical prisoners, , the legalisation of

'LIBERAL'

political parties but not. it has been clearly hinted, the Communist Party) and perhaps the abandon All this has happened since the ment of the 1975 Suppression of grotesquely-described 'liberal' Fraga Terrorism law; and in the longer- Iribarne : became Minister of the term a project for some form of Interior. Fraga, like the rest of the parliamentary elections to bring cabinet, has spent his whole

LIC W

back to the western spain political life as a servant of Franco's bourgeois-democratic fold.

fascism. 1962 Fraga though the to 1969 From he was knows that. Minister of Tourism and Informat- ruling class of the major capitalist

THE WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League was formed in December 1974 of the principles of to struggle for the continuity Trotskyism in Britain and towards the rebuilding of the Fourth International. In the daily struggle to take the demands and principles of Trotsky's the WSL has been at the Transitional Programme into the trade unions, forefront of the fight for the sliding scale of wages, and work sharing on full pay - demands which at the T&GWU Conference were the only alternative to Jones' treacherous £6 pay plan and the wholesale accept- ance of redundancies by the bureaucracy.

In the Health Service, WSL comrades have led the struggle for the sliding scale of NHS spending and for trade union committees to open practice - policies adopted by ASTMS National Conference.

WSL comrades have tested and developed the resoonse. At the same time we have put forward a policy to fight unemploy- ment, calling for unity of employed and unemployed through the fight to mobilise the trade union movement.

The WSL is the only movement that fights consistently for transition- al demands, going beyond mere trade union militancy to pose the pol- While these practical interventions have developed the League's grasp of Trotsky's Programme, there has been a consistent drive to deepen and enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present crisis of the Fourth International, as an essential part of any serious initiative towards its reconstruction.

We urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary leader- ship and the demands we put forward to find out more about the WSL and join our fight in the labour movement.

Simply fill in the form below: I mould like more information about the WSL COMPLETE and SEND to: 31 Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Name.... Address. Socialist Press Subscriptions 6 Issues... 12 Issues. •£2 24 Issues... ....fA I would like to take out a subscription to Socialist Press; I would like .... closed. Name. .... Address.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

countries has never been the enemy it Spanish fascist regime, can be made into a firm and neces- sary ally through such a plan of 'democratisation ministry in the new government is Foreign Affairs - occupied by an- other former Franco minister, Jose- the liberal' image, developed con- clandestine parties direct administration days of old-style Francoism seemed unti a lew weeks ago ambassador to Britain; between them they have developed close contacts with inter- ence in Paris for the energy con- ference relatio condecise by give numerous interviews promising free elections, a passport on demand for the exiled leaders of the Commun- ist Party, and so on. the Spanish government is in the hands of a group within the fascist working class can most effectively be kept from power through the own but one in which the ruling classes of western Europe and the advisors has been French President most direct and immed- iate sense, therefore, the advance of working class interests in Spain is a workes ment internationally. For the Span- either with the nationalism of some sections of the Spanish bourgeoise ment which would like Spain to be reconciled with the Western Europ- ean democracies through entry into ment the significance

WHOSE

made by Santiago Carillo, Secretary General of the Spanish Communist Party, published the Italian paper here am be no common 1 be no common line between the communist parties of marched through the centre of Birmingham protesting against the cuts in local government stration was supported by con- ASTMS, NUPE and NUT, as beginning to break down. promised to turn up to address the rally at the end of the march failed to come. This can be explained by amon had opposed the march . as an un complete lack of policy to fight the cuts in face of their refusal to fight capitalist countries and the party- states of Eastern Europe... You can- not have a global strategy.

If one existca It wowa be a violaton ol in coexistence, _of non-interference the affairs of other countries; in fact would another be not communist party but another state would which giving the opportunity to be mixed up in our involved our strategy.. [In the Europe of 1975] we cannot base ourselves on what triumphed in Russia in 1917....I believe that the old internationalism is a histor- ical residue, destined to disappear.

Although Carillo speaks fo some 'coordination of our action with that of the workers movement ir Western Europe' it is clear from that the this statement indepen- of the (capitalist) state is dence more important to Carillo than any international unity of the working class movement. internationalism rep- Of course. resented by the Stalinist parties has Areilza never been more than a deformed of real working class caricature But it is not this internationalism. which Carillo is arguing against but the principle of internationalism itself. No workers' state, he Says interfere 'our affairs must his affairs and those of fInal Is, Spanish fascists).

STRATEGY

Carillo's statement 1s a more extreme version of the position of the Italian with which the Cr Spanish CP has signed a joint state- ment on strategy. position • was carried into 1 ne practice in a meeting organised by the Italian and Spanish CP's in Rome on December 14th., where a representative of the Portuguese CP who was present was excluded from the platform in favour of Portu- Party. leader guese Socialist Mario soares The Spanish CP has also issued a joint communique in France with the opposition Gaullists of the so called Progressive Front.

Socialist Party Birmingham March against Cuts prevent outbursts •of unofficial anger, the Regional . Council of the was in moties, agreed too manise while meeting march official demonstration against the cuts in early February.

Yet some officials

ROW

claim that they have heard officially' from Len Murray that no further cuts in expenditure are to we should said be made, and careful not to 'embarass the Labour government. This nonsense the secretary Council, David the Regional Parris. As chairman of the region- authority he said he had al health already been told that the most severe cuts in the health service would be in 1977. Rumour It is pathetic to see these sup- of the working class posed leaders scraping around for any rumour or gossip from high places to pursuade themselves that their inactivity justified Regional

TUC

agreed to Page 3 in Spanis are the Paris itsel lead betweer

WOLACE.

wh wanted sce Galva at al thoug remains an struggle in Spain for workers united front to call gener strike action, and for the orgar isation of armed defence squads fo all-out confrontation with the stat the fight to remove the ner is therefore fascist junta polit ical task which can only be led b a Trotskyist party. Trades Council. Thi Birmingham will be held in February, and i is hoped that both employed an wil unemployed young people attend. Motions Two from

TAS

motions demanding action over unemplos ment. were also passed. Unfortur ately both concentrated solely ente and the La pressurising the our government rather than initia ing a campaign amongst the preser the trade and fighting to recruit the uner ployed into the unions. It is only if a struggle develop around a sackings which challenge th can control of the employer through fight to open the books and worl sets of workers can be protected workers can be protected think that the "reasonablenes of argument will deflect the gover ment from its present course an defend the : working class. vali

WRP FRAMES HANSEN

police raid the on education byshire centre Workers Revolutionary the subsequent and the the Home walling by ce and police authorities, increase the erline and harass- attention t directed at organisations be revolutionary left. same point was highlighted Labour MP right wing ember, who spoke amentary debate on the public congratulating ding cuts, mutilation of the but pleading that services, ading on police forces should be ntained to the full. And indeed the two go hand in the Labour leaders are As economic crisis to by the the all-out assault on ch the working class rement, the state apparatus itself up for disruption DeTS of and frame-ups ssment and left olutionaries wingers. At the same time the economic political crisis thoroughly tests 'revolutionary' every anisation its cadre, its ramme and policies, its defence inciple, and its ability to fight build within the workers move- 'party which Any repared, in which routine has ferment aced dutionary politics, in which the everyday has become an of polemic, must HI CiEl fitably be thrown into a severe mal crisis. it is with the Workers dutionary Party, which a year political the seal to ration by expelling wholesale (later to opposition tendency the Workers Socialist League) was fighting for a return metode and to the munist the mitional Programme arth International. It is against this background that must assess the long series of published by its General icles Gerry Healy together retary,

WRP

the leadership on Fourth the and aurity (Workers Press: ernational icles April 19th-26th, 1975, and articles August 14th-September 1975).

PURPOSE

prime purpose these The is made simple, as ies very ar in the concluding articles. It is frame Joseph Hansen, along with members - alive and dead - of world Trotskyist movement. is now a leading Hansen,

WARTO

of the American Socialist Party (sympathising of the 'United retariat of the Fourth ernational') was in charge of the Mexico, adyguards at Coyoacan 1940 20th, when August was murdered by Stalin's hotsky t. The articles in Workers Press (in assertions thinly him questions OI as since before nuations) of being, 40, an agent of the FBI, or of the tinist GPU, or both The preceeding articles - which materials almost entirely on published and have been are for some are to this gned. to lead up clusion: that for forty years the has had a police spy Nitical leadership, and that the split of 1963, egle, since the Hansen Healy and in reality, a struggle against ice provocations. As the WRP leadership say, their cusations (if true) raise very grave

SWP

and roblems for ord Trotskyist movement. But it these worth noticing ANall pcusations also seek to solve some and the WRP roblems for Healy them of relieve dership • - thev a political need to carry of what is the point

FOI

the obiising and convincing if world Trotskyist movement - your principal adversaries are not opponents genuine political police spies? none! And that is hand-in-hand with the WRP's why, political degeneration and paralysis, has come a rich harvest of such accusations. himself Hansen? Hansen against Press 24th (Intercontinental demolishes the We take just the mountain example. one titbits under of from Robert McGregor, US diplomatic of his official in conversation Hansen on 31st. 1940 - ie Saturday, ( murder. 11 the memorandum State by the US Consul) Healy's 'fact") McGregor by on overseas enkccu following work), and the inferences: with him

FBI

met probably and deliberately which planned the from In journalists ConCIusIOls unfortunately them are the facts in the most way. disguise the only one fact of the at least four Charles being two O'Rourke, and who had private discussions McGregor

DOLI

before These were all, to the State Trotsky's life by the (and and This is then used to bolster the additional accusation that Hansen deliberately covered up the role of the most important Stalinist Trotskyists in Paris in the 1930's, spied on the Trotskyist movement were excellent reasons for the Trotskyist movement to try ren partic ulahen pita iststa tes and clandestine Stalinist activity in the USA (the country where the FB murder of Trotsky. In August 1940 both be an agent of the FBI and loose end in the WRP This is the case even though Healy's include at least one man - Mr Alex Mitchell, editor of Workers Press - with detailed knowledge of And what they make no attempt to explain is why - if Hansen was the with them (as is implied) this contact should be sent using his correspondence, to later finish up «lull. Department papers - while Hansen walle meeting with McGregor was wholly does nothing to suggest otherwise) neto he PBT simultaneously undisclosed contact quite different channels - through but the WRP produce not one shred such a SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday, 31st December, 1975.

As our recently-pul document Fourth shows clearly, the political difference Party. But our differenc in a principled man members of the SW and scurrilous attac Revolutionary Part who and Stalinist agents handling facts and evidence carries operate in the ranks undoubtedly through the series Security right and the Fourth International. For of the Trotskyist movement.

divert from example, they uncritically accept serves only political struggle the life-and- all aspects of the testimony (before facing the criminal courts and death issues now Ancill of international working class - of the witch-hunting committees Congress) of a range of ex-Stalinists struggle for revolutionary and for resolving the stool and exposed Soviet programme pigeons save their crisis of leadership within the 'singing' spies, busy • LO and the Trotskyist working skins. movement itself. One such is Louis F. Budenz, the Healy's calumnies, therefore, run notorious Judas throughout a. one-time parallel to one of the main pursuits US labour movement, of the police agencies themselves -

GPU

and subsequently agent, and editor of the American the circulation false 0] managing that accusations CP's Daily Worker distuntive

OCLOOCI

announced his revolutionaries involved in internal 1946 Budenz themselves renunciation of communism and his political Catholic the police provocateurs. return Koman Church. month later he was a star witness before the McCarthyite

PROVOCATION

Home Un-American Activities slinging mud at every Committee, brand of 'communist'. For years he made a living from inventions, mainly slanders and legal moves taken by the leadership against the Stalinists. But this is not of Hansen's Socialist Workers Party (according to all - Budenz played congressional before testimony big role in driving committees) of the FBI attempted an elaborate Norway Trotsky to Mexico from provocation which involved feeding in 1936. the SWP leadership forged evidence It was Budenz, then New York the Jack Arnold, (a member of the editor of the Daily Worker who TenOeICy supplied the 'confidential evidence of violent plots by Trotsky which was used by Stalin's ambassador in Oslo twist the arm political struggle by having Arnold to Norwegian government into placing Trotsky under house arrest at the In fact, it appears, height of the Moscow purge trials, scheme got nowhere because the and then expelling him. SWP leadership refused to act on Press Mr for Workers But They are Budenz is all good stuff.

to fragments content use quite and testimony from his writings leadership, as we have seen, readily their cobble together to resort themselves to the faking of "investigations' Trotsky's OI murder, and to help frame Hansen.

Budenz his autobiography now includes Alex Mitchell who has opens 1957) with a St Mother Drass m the studied in some detail the methods God, to of prayer Magnificat" and Mary OT nt rejoices that "but for her amazing that such frame-ups are a standard assistance" his story could not have been told. Precisely the same can be said of the story told by the WRP's "investigations"! a journalist on the employed as matter even What makes the Times. And in the late Sunday more serious is that the slanders to research 1960's he acted as replies are by which Hansen writing of a book assistant in the means an isolated instance.

In the by members of the Sunday Times similar last two years Slaughter (right) Healy (in front) , behind WRP CC banner with staff on the Philby-Burgess-Maclean insinuations, in writing or verbally, widespread affair and its have been levelled by Healy and the British WRP leadership against a number of repurcussions in the (Philby, the individuals and tendencies the intelligance services Spy Who Betrayed a Generation, b including: labour movement, Page, Leitch and Knightley, 1968) 'Bulletin' The group, Prefacemakes cleai, As sympathising organisation in Britain research for this book involved not of the 'Organising Committee for of publically available only study the reconstruction of the Fourth 'off-the material, but extensive International'. record' contact with those prepared 2. Members of the 1974 opposition 'inside' account to after its to give an within the

WRP

wnlch reliable. journalists regarded unconstitutional expulsion by Presumably Mr Mitchell no Healy, fought on to form the WSL longer involves himself in Saturday Wohlforth, former leader of 3.Tim sympathising the Workers League, * Philby was the Soviet agent who Healy's organisation atter the war, was put in charge of 'International Committee' in the operations British intelligence

USA.

Union, the Soviet and "International against 4.Members of the

CIA

His with the Spartacist Tendency' in Australia. later, 12100 exposure caused, to put it mildly, a This cascade of mud-slinging major shake-up in the methods and substantiated nOI neither

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday, 31st December, 1975.

«hed International Perspectives aternational - Problems and Tasks orkers Socialist League has major with the U.S. Socialist Workers Shakespeare analysed the class contradictions of capital- s do not prevent us speaking out er to defend one of the leading believe the of P, Joseph Hansen, from a lying "Socialist snippets k from the press of the Workers Paul entitled ent morning conversations with such characters. We mention his past O'Flinn accessible" employment not in order to accuse him of anything (given the WRP's leadership's scrupulous attitude to authors 'security' they W1|121 We Golding, Orwell, investigated his past in the most Forster, Thomas Hardy, thorough manner before recruiting Conrad Joseph Shakespeare hịm, never mind making him editor of Workers Press). The point is rather that, if other tendencies were to adopt the method of the WRP school of falsification (of whom Mr Mitchell has shown himself an The able sts dress himself would be on student), then the editor of booklet is who anyone novels obvious and easy target for slander thumbs through and insinuation. and As we have said, the slanders and frame-ups of Healy and the WRP accident. causino nOt their how to They are part of a swift political Hallel writers, of degeneration. attacking Turning their backs on the fight and generally the for principles and programme in writing a load The made by membership despite Lenin and committees corporatist fully-fledged under and that any leadership head into an work which falls that they are £50,000 in debt, denicens amount can be raised by February, Workers Press will be in jeopardy.

quotation Pete Seeger's

SLANDER FUND

Talking Union the 1941) which Ford this huge debt incurred? Part the lid supposedly on was (as is stated in Workers Press) the inadequate and counter- used in the 'special fund' allocated the International Committee to "Liter send journalists to France and the andre special series on epics •ПІТа Anol nantes Al ie to manufacture slanders against Joseph Hansen and This kind damaging workers OI implication of the WRP's £50,000 'crisis fund' - if their own published It as Marxists. we're told, Joseph was a Dickens Conrad publically claimed 8,000 members.

With an active membership of this size it should be no serious problem to raise £50,000 in two months (it O'Flinn thus virtually defies the books he membership was and is clearly a lie.

This is shown also by the fact that a reactionary hurled numerous that organisations and from his zinc bath. demonstration in November against of in the written the police raid on their premises sickeningly and its ex- Socialists the whole question down to they But the issue is not simply how class bCC big the WRP membership is or isn't.

abysmally and politically It is that the WRP has, since at least backward. 1974, inflated its real "active with a huge 'halo' of literature, membership clean "signed up' paper membels " many workers, on street corners and on doorsteps might corrupt Igiving in the WRP's liquidationist election These "recruits" campaigns. never it really had any political agreement that really matter with the WRP, are inactive most of they whether to read time the of the leadership, under the novels, not Trotsky discipline attacked 4110 the 'crisis fund' bears who (as Partes Wild even on cite to to think that 1S funds. 'membership' uncontrolled and What the politically responsible to no-one - is precisely the environment in which police spies provocalcurs flourish. passions and WRP members who are being feelings, a asked over halt their wage packets for six Workers Press to hand and the role weeks have a right to know what Cle. the money is being used for. And the true answer is - not for the building. leadership - but to have journalists for the manufacture of frame-ups, , in a speech in More s class lyd a lease of life to the and to give Trotsky 1924 Class Art politically bankrupt clique which attacked those who just see literary has lead the WRP into its present works as historica documents or acute crisis. political statements:

WAS

In 1.5.? works of literature of merely as study, approach this of the in of that circum- extent stance. class There no of of expression the to worker: encountered Spring and Autumn? This element is, basis. But the particular that gave his expression with the leeungs Is and artistic, with the of cent- uries, is times lasted down our to literature than simply viewpoint'. and discus vigorously lo by bourgeois The over- whelming of material the capitalist artistically and But have risen some above this level. for Thomas Hardy's example, of his ignoring, the great body moving lyric novels and thrown into that his the torm Dickens when we as a when we Dickens Imaale class to seriously confront the of the class capitalism? working of revolution? he writes, "What had sensed through the of Stephen way that capit- didn't alism needed hands." Chapter 8). "dis nonest" for to his middle-class and in the But the of perversion Marxism by far roach which tells us, standards to they were preconceptions the twentieth century. One thing any new reader

SHAKESPEARE

by Paul O'Flinn. each of them. Modern plays have long ago discarded such formulae.

Why should Shakespeare have stuck to them? The answer is of course because the change and eventual abandon- ment of Was Shakespeare's process. plays were written at a certain hist- orical point in the development of English society, English literature, English theatre, and of course They an enormous different in the form and from Restoration which was 1640. could tragedies ignore precisely these concrete conditions in Shakespeare His when he writes; writing & tragi drama Forget all take usual hero... would openly So any nonsense issue. lalse "models". on This is "Marxists" Ine situation. tells us: instead category", seeks analysis" of some of the the historical within which What Shakes.

COUN

brings peare interaction reflect in ways the late lengths of to account for King Lear in these and

ZOSARCI

LOUIES

of his whole makes approach

NOT

This play, we are solemnly told is about the conflict between capit- alism and feudalism! For some reason (not explained) King Lear, the chief feudal ruler, decides to end feudalism and set up capitalism with free market competition. The devious (extremely and obscure) "competition" takes is form this between his three daughters who Which of you shall we say doth to answer best the question love us most?" According to O'Flinn (who seems to have produced his Page 5

"THEM AND US IN LITERATURE",

PLUTO PRESS

60р.

REVIEWED BY JOHN LISTER.

ive industry, no working class and only the manoeuvres of a group of some forty years before the hundred and fifty years before even of industrial capitalism, avocatice O'Flinn tells us that Shakespeare is depicting the emergence of a capit- conflict with feudalism, but set up Even had Shakespeare ventured visions in his 1604 play, it is hard who in his audience would nist Manifesto by 233 years, Shake- speare foresaw the development of contradictions because that sounds a bit glib [!], yet in fact that's We get ...in the second halt of the No would accept it and see how Shakespeare's is turned conflict development of imposing Shakespeare the Shakespeare was advocating in any speare would O'Flinn's of Shakes some the method I.S. to His I.S. refusal to side draw the lessons from them to alley union and and fileism militancy lessons that have that tion. political flows over fight to raise its to raise an the «The made man complex enriched him in achievement culture. past is, , for communisn minds of the DaS to

REVIEW

"The Treasure of the Sierra ladre" is conscious, aterialist of account the of poverty, labour, sture lue and money in capitalist aciety; it is also a riveting dventure story about three mericans' search for gold Mexico. To have made such a complete convincing synthesis of these yo things is the great achievement Traven's novel on which aston's film is based. Traven, Chicago in the born in of Swedish 390s immigrant arents, began writing in Germany îter the first world war.

Wanted police his political the it Germany ¿tivities, he left and ventually 'disappeared' to live as a cluse in rural Mexico, where most his major novels were written.

MARXISM

was deeply influenced by He he though politically anarchist regarding to the American mself as close the andicalist movement, ternational Workers of the World "Wobblies" about whom he rote the novel The Wobbly). Traven's of Characteristic riting was the sensitive portrayal working class peasalil rooted in a real, and The mass meeting at Central Halls, December 16th.

CUTS PUT

Railwaymen from all over demonstrated country joined trough .London and lobby of Parliament mass 16th, protest- December against government plans slash the rail network by O.c. The numbers involved in the were artificially low, cut by rotest refusal of the rail union leaders call strike action against the this it crowd of espite was a ousands that thronged the Cen- al Halls Westminister, and heard General Secretary, Sid the eighell

ZUMCIALT

ent's proposals.

CARRIED AWAY

Carried away by the occasion Weighell for a ad the response, overstepped oment ane dundary between his henced abal protest and actually embark- on action to fight the cuts. He eatened the government that if would cuts went ahead, they the loss of support from the NUR-sponsored MPs, telling the We shall not hesitate to say to ten MPs that you will no longer ort the government." Bars of gold, capitalism's 'universal equivalent'.

sometimes uncannily detailed, of their understanding malcula situation. Good examples his are two novels about the brutal exploit- ation of workers in the Mexican mahogany forests the in years before the Mexican revolution (March to Caobaland and Rebellion of the Hanged) and the intricate accounts of the alienation of

WEIGHELL IN SPIN

cipled statement are obviously far- reaching and dangerous for leaders like Weighell are committed ing terms" within to simply seeking the because capitalist system, draws attention to the real social of the Labour Party - and base directs workers towards the quest- in the pontical Icaucisilp defence of their interests.

STRUGGLE

what for Weighell, in the heat of the moment, was just a turn of phrase to add to a moun- demagogic

SLALOCILS

found a ready echo amongst the militants in the hall, and could have transformed real easily into struggle within the workers move- ment to make workers' elected and paid representatives accountable to the labour movement It was clearly this prospect,as much as the instant outrage Tory statement caused amongst MPs and Laboar right-wingers in which caused Weighell Parliament, snivelling make his instant, retraction next day. But the it lestion still needs

NUR

the cannot answering: demand its sponsored MPs defend the interests of NUR members and STARRING HUMPHREY BOGART and WALTER HUSTON (1947) r the attacks of the bankers, then what advantage is there in support- FILM SHOWN ON BBC2 ON SUNDAY 21st DECEMBER, producers through the market in his short stories, Assembly Line and Burro Trading (published in The Night Visitor and Other Stories). But it is in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre that the consciousness of the characters and their objective being are most perfectly integrated; where the structure and twists of the narrative itself, rather than MPs who will vote for massive rail interests of big closures the business, is it not time these people were kicked right out of the labour movement? doubt that Tory MPs act consistently day in and day out in the interests of their class and their sponsors - yet as soon as a union leader calls for the same from Labour MPs it is portrayed as a scandal. The record of 'left' and right MPs on the other hand, shows that no faith can be placed in their willingness to fight Wilson in the interests of the working class - they every policy which nave voteen has created the 1,200,000 unem- ployed.

PREPARATION

But of course even if the Labour MPs were prepared to fight, the rail closures could not simply be fought in Parliament. It is vital that rail- men themselves take up the struggle to defend jobs and wages and adopt a programme to do this. Of course there is much to be gained from taking Weighell's up impromptu cue and putting down the areas and constit- demands in uencies of NUR-sponsored MPs that forfeit they defend rail jobs union support. And it is necessary MPs still to demand the 'left' lead the closures and oppose the union sponsored MPs in fighting to remove the Wilson leadership.

But most centrally, railwaymen every must prepare defend jobs and remove the existing state managers. This fight must begin with the struggle to demand full access to the accounts and secret plans of the British Rail Board for elected trade These commit- union committees. meet in every tees must then with delegates from other transport the ser unions to begin to assess necessary integrated VIces IoI an state transport system in which all available work would shared between the whole workforce on full under workers' pay ment.

OCCUPY

Where closures are threatened, key facilities must be occupied by railwaymen and the full support of the trade union movement enlisted in the fight to defend all jobs.

Those union leaders who peddle that cuts and closures the illusion acting on can be endea without these policies are disarming betraying their members in the face of the biggest ever attack by crisis- SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday December 31st, 1975

THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE

commentaries, reveal the graphically shows how these words didactic are borne out. The three find gold, nature of reality. extract it It is the great virtue of Huston's work "like convicts? to film and finally lose it all. In the process beautitully made tense that (apart from the sentimentalism their initial relations of of an comradeship based on poverty turn of the spurious introduction who killed, as they amass wealth to suspicion extra prospector 1s and violence. behind a tear-jerking letter leaving. They divide and hide their from his wife in Texas) little of the Dobbs, character of Traven's novel is lost.

from each other; who put up more than his third of the money to buy the tools, claims

DESTITUTE

a share of the produce according to size the 'capital' advanced; crazed and paranoid he in ones and curtithe the twe kill Curtin. eventually tries to Dobbs Curtin, the two Morality is dissolved by gold, the destitute Americans Mexico, universal equivalent. attempting with little success to get money by all the means open to

MONEY

'free' them as workers: begging, shining shoes, buying lottery tickets work for said, "transforms and construction an Money, Marx employer who is only prevented fidelity into infidelity, love into from cheating them of their wages hate intelligence into idiocy by physical assault. Or, as Howard, in Traven's novel They decide to search for gold puts it, "Gold is the devil, It alters Your character" in spite of the warnings of Howard, The film of The Treasure of the the old-time prospector who agrees Madre Sierra shown fairly to go with them. It's not because it valuable, that men frequently because of the is innately Howard of Bogart work hard to find gold, popularity Humphrey is the (whose characterisitically abrasive explains; on valuable only because men have to and unsentimental performance as Dobbs is at least equalled by that work so hard to find it. The value of gold is established of Walter Huston Howard). as It is unfortunate that the other by the labour time not only of those who strike it rich but also of films of Traven's novels (especially those who never find it. And when The Rebellion of the Hanged, 1954, Death Ship, 1959) have The they do find it, they begin to turn and against and hate each other.

vanished almost without trace. The rest of the film tensely and They should be rediscovered.

SCOTS CO-OP

COLLAPSES

the category commiser The Scottish Daily News workers of the Scottish Daily News workers' cooperative was two into the who put savings finally declared scheme less than a year ago!

weeks ago workers' Not only has the bankrupt. The financial cooperative failed to save jobs; it settlement imposed after the has also led to the robbery of the iquidation is a arine pres workers' own savings. why workers' A workers' cooperative is forced to sell its products in the capitalist cooperative provides no with market in competition solution for workers faced capitalists; it must obey the ruthless with redundancy as a result of laws of capitalist profitability. It the economic crisis. wage-cutting the cannol prevent and sackings which capitalism in crisis demands. The alternative path

CREDITORS

shown by the transitional demands for no redundancies and no loss of pay offers the only way out of the The courts have divided the crisis. It is a path going forwards assets of the cooperative among its away from the needs of capital, not creditors. There not backwards capitatism an towards enough to go round so the creditors which "workers' have been divided

INTO

every bit as exploitative as that it categories: the Inland Revenue will aims to replace. get 100% of the money due to it; The crucial fight therefore is for Beaverbrook Newspaners and the Department of Trade and Industry nationalisation if jobs are be To will get 50%. The third . category defended. all gets nothing at and that Order Now! Starting in the next edition of Socialist Press: A 15-part series of the political and on the Russian Revolution, drawing articles ine working class as a wnole agamst This is vital reading for all workers engaged in today's struggles.

Number 4 of Trotskyism Today, Also in our next edition: theoretical supplement to Socialist Press.

BACK ISSUES!

LETTERS

We welcome readers' comments We have back issues available and criticisms on Socialist Press articles. Letters should be addressed of both "Trotskyism Today' to the Editorial Board, and of "Socialist Press' c/o 31, Dartmouth Park Hill,' London NW5 1HR

WHY THE RIGHT WING

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday December 31st, 1975 The election for chairman of the 5/293 Cowley T&GWU Branch was national news. The day after the election millions of readers of the national press saw reports that Trotskyist Thornett defeated Alan challenger" "moderate Tom But for hundreds of White. Workers Revolutionary Party this description of members White - a leading member of that party - must have come as cannot simply be put down to the of the capitalist White's practice in the plant, contains more than a grain of truth.

Rather it is a measure of the deep degeneration and mortal crisis now received the "moderate' label. Out ot men Des other nominee. A breakdown of this vote shows how White, who is in constant personal Secretary Gerry Healy, secured the

WITHDRAWN

Firstly, it was no coincidence that White was the only opposition Thornett. Originally there were four nominees for the chairman's - Blake withdrew, leaving Thornett, White and Paintin. But on the afternoon of the election the right wing had a problem - the anti- Thornett be split if vote. would Paintin After nasty discussion the decision was taken by the right wing for Paintin to and full withdraw, throw support behind White. The right wing hoped that White pull some would militant votes from Thornett, Paintin whereas could only win the committed right wing. In the event they overestimated White's credibility among militants.

The meeting polarised completely the militants voting en bloc for Thornett, and every single right winger for White. That this was the case is shown by the election for secretary where Parsons' right hand man Barson was defeated 81 votes to 54 by Frank Corti. four extra votes for A new and vicious blow against jobs in the East End of London was struck on 15th.

with the sudden December announcement that the 1050 Standard Telephones jobs at and Cables

(STC)

in North Woolwich will be 'phased out' over the next year. STC is part of the multinational Telephone and Tele- International which, graph Corporation (ITT), activities, has amongst manufactured arms for Hitler, and with the CIA to worked actively overthrow the Allende regime Chile.

CLOSED

In recent years it has rationalised its British operations by closing down its factory on the south side of the Thames, , and it now says it is making in Britain moving all cable

ALL VOTED WRP

of Parsons. We Corti over Thornett was the result single criticism of 3 Stalinists and a supporter, who quote it in full: voted with the right though they White against wing for With reference to the voted with the militants for Corti Brother R. PARSONS, written by against Barson. Senior Steward concerning the elections. complete Steward Deputy Senior

MOSU

answer yet to Healy's fraudulent I wish to completely disassociate claim reiterated time after myself from the list on the letter Workers Press that the WSL offers I wish to make it clear that I had support to the Stalinists and their of the said Petter. I do not believe that the the Defence Liaison Committee for Unions. Given of Trade membership should be insulted by choice between supporting telling myself or anyone else leading WRP member (the bitterest them who vote the to for in enemies of the Stalinists according forthcoming Deputy Senioi Healy), or supporting a WSL Steward the elections, as (who supposedly candidate the membership have right supports them 'uncritically'), they choose seven (7) Deputy Stewards unhesitatingly vote for the

WRP.

of their own choice from the total Workers Press has only No wonder nominations. just reported the Branch election!

15th December 1975 We emphasise the anti-political

NO ANSWER

statement about "insulting members" by campaigning for slate of candidates - because this In our last edition of Socialist line is deliberately chosen to attack Press (in an article again taking up the. panel of militants who were the WRP for entering White for the campaigning anti-Parsons, on class collaborationist Ryder White refuses anti-Rvder nattorm Cowley), we asked Committee in the right wing but Healy to explain to his members instead aims a blow at the left. The White's appeared nOW branch election shows how clearly Parsons' recommended list of right the wing got the message. for candidates deputy convenor Workers Press not Not only has • - it even answered this question suppressed all news of the convenor elections, which it still has not reported! And no disclaimer was issued from Parsons' list prior to the elections. This not through lack of opportunity. Parsons' list circulated the plant on December 8th. The election convenor was held on Wednesday December 10th.

So White and the WRP had two full days to leaflet the plant and Parsons - if separate himself from they had wanted to. Two editions of Workers Press were printed and sold a thed on Whites - postin.

gates - carrying not a word on

'LEFT'

The outcome of this was that Parsons stood for election as of the ConvenTor auvantage having 'left' his published on The whole factory knew Ryder - advocate of joint committees.

had not been repudiated. It was not until a week later, on December 15th, after the Socialist Of course Workers Press has not Press article reached

WRP

been totally silent on Cowley. On headquarters Clapham in High the it has provided contrary, Street, that White began limited further ammunition for the right distribution of a letter dissociating wing by unstintingly supporting the himself from Parsons' list. This Joint Union/Management letter was not given out on the gate, investigation committee sent not carried in Workers Press, but under the Ryder set-up to head off It given selected individuals. the struggles of workers on contained not a political word or a Princess track.

STC CLOSURE THREAT

This new threatened closure is a have decided that enough is enough further step in the destruction of and that the time has come to stand the entire dockland area. Not only up and fight for the right to work, have jobs on the docks themselves by whatever means are found to be been gradually eroded over recent years since the Devlin report, many This of feeling determination parts of the docks having virtually was strongly reflected at the first ceased operations, but there have mass meeting of the workers from been large 22nd December. Tecome ce the factory on Tate and Lyle's as well as in most Speaker after speaker at this meet- of the other main enterprises in the ing drew attention to the oppon- area ents they had to face, fighting the The once great industrial com- job-cutting policies Woolwich North and national firms like ITT, and of the Silvertown echoes with the nOW Labour government. ounds of demolition, and the di sed factory immediately next t

NO ATTACK

STC, owned by speculator Harry Hyams of 'Centre Point' fame, was knocked The talk was militant in favour of in the process of being the retention of cable making at the down in the days before Christmas.

Meanwhile, the North Woolwich works. The even before work- announcement of the record Dec- ers have said that they have no de- sire to attack jobs at Newport ember unemployment figures and the STC closure there were 5000 anywhere else, but they have the Newham skills and the equipment to produce unemployed and the East End of London, and only cables needed modern ally. A mass meeting had rejected the convenors' recommendation lor tne setting up of this committee, and called for a report to be prepared the Open by the Books instead Committee. The convenors ignored this decision and sent in the joint which was boycotted committee, on the track by the stewards and members, and was only able to talk the Books Committee, put a leaflet into the plant praising support to its findings! (The leatlet committees findings had been used together in practice their support Committee - which is in essence a contro independence of the working class.

question Healy not only rejects this polar opposite - a joint management faults and plant malfunction fills exposes the jungle of management model at the Cowley, Oxford, cal for Tory tycoon Lord Ryder of the Board (NEB): National Enterprise Will he now sack the management?"

GOOD MANAGEMENT?

une the report already published on the management" - almost as if there are goou managels Workers. Press also conceals tha investigation were extreme the report itself contains an absenteeism, which was splashed all the local and national press.

On the contrary, the leaflet claims document is a catalogue of pare a catalogue of Leyland's investment have been systematically factories bled for profit, and how workers are now being made to pay theprice" Although the WRP are forced to STC is the Post Office, which shows the clear case for the firm to be nationalised. While Nigel Spearing, (the local Labour MP), however, promised in general terms to help the struggle clear he would not fight he made for immediate public ownership to defend action jobs at the factory began on 23rd

STC

December. Since then, been allowed eguipment has leave the plant. Arrangements are in hand to allow submarine equipment to go to the factory at Greenwich to emphasise again that there is no quarrel with other workers.

FURTHER ACTION

A meeting of the Action Com- mittee is due on the 2nd January and the first proper discussion with the 6th. These meetings will have to be a prelude to further action at the plant.

In the first place, elected the committee of trade unionists must opening of the books demand the of STC and ITT to discover what the employers intend to do about cable making production been entered dear nave acknowledge that workers on North side refused to cooper with the inquiry, they quote one collaborationist sectio its most "There is common cono all that the qual amongst standards of the ADO 71 (Princ must be improved in the inter of everyone if the future prospe Assembly Plant is to of Cowley preserved" Healy's only criticism is to cl worse on the pl things far are than the joint inquiry indicates he follows this by announcing t Workers Press document" which seri component faults and how they have existed.

1 MONTH LATE!

Its not surprising Healy has docume last obtained such month earlier, since, thousand copies were published distributed in the plant (causin stir in the national press) by Open the Books Committee Only Healy's desperate grot alternative to the Open I0I an Books Committee could reduce WRP to this level. Indeed the lea even ends up in the absurd fas "Leyland workers" calling demand an "opening of the bool What this must have meant to hundreds of Princess track wor who had rejected the report pra Healy and fully supported by the Books Committee Open only be at Wh complete lack of support amo militants in the plant must be indication.

SQUALID

But what set the seal on Wh isolation scene of him drinking at the s small table as Parsons the In next the factory immedia following the Parsons' reelection The squalid opportunism of He politics all lead to this conclus WRP members We ask all you prepared to tolerate this | of treachery being enacted by y leadership behind your backs the WRP is made the tool of wing and Stalinists against the working on the plant?

FIGHT

The time has come for members to begin a fight to ch leadership and for their the demands of Transiti Programme to be fought for in not cynic working class, exploited for propaganda purp

WORKERS SOCIALIST

LEAGUE

PUBLIC MEETING

AYLESBURY

Tuesday, 6th January, 1976, 8 'The Plough and Harrow" Stoke Road, Aylesbury. is built? Why are the proj developers so interested in the near the site? Are they intendi build the big pleasure ground the rich in dockland that has so strongly rumoured? The answers to these ques can only be discovered throug struggle of the workers at Woolwich, in cooperation with workers in the other factori the company, and other threat factories in the area.

NATIONALISATION

Nationalisation, cannot be "long aim as claime at the mass meeti is something he and other well as the union leader fight for and is the only way i end of guaranteeing jobs.

AI begin the nat

IOI

isation the workers must pr to take possession of the plant At the plant itself, full occ ion will be necessary to enfo policy of work sharing on full and to achieve nationalis Twelve hour shift working largely ended by trade union a during the last year. Further a will needed to

"LEFTS'& TUC HELP WILSON

PUT 1,21,460 ON DOLE

UCATT

SMOUTH Nº3

6 BRANCH

The full treachery of the Labour government's deal Chrysler with the Corporation emerges more dearly with every day. In a matter of weeks, if the plan is allowed to proceed, the first of the 8,000 workers to be made redundant will be signed on at labour exchanges, while tax the tune of payers' to £202,000 for each redundancy is Chrysler to be paid to management.

JUDGED

trade union official and Every MP judged must be on Labour their attitude to this deal, which Wilson from flows directly the determination to government's and British capitalism preserve bolster the profits of the bankers kind of rather than adopt any the crisis. socialist solution Indeed, while the market value of Chrysler is so low that chief Riccardo John £35 offered government million to take it off his hands, Vilson chose to spend 5 times as bribing the employer stay on and help the generalised drive to step up exploitation in the motor industry.

THREAT

Chrysler is The streamlined designed act constant as a threat to British Leyland workers will be played and each against the other in the battle to impose speed-up. The for the complete case without compen- nationalisation sation of Chrysler, as part of the the nationalisation of whole motor and components industry, one and an glaring trade union investigation by committees into the books of the multi-national would prove how beyond doubt profits extracted from the British been exported and the figures cooked to show a boss. Workers on the 20.000-strong November lobby against unemployment.

ACT TO STOP

CHRYSLER

DEAL

convenol, o1 Every 'left' develop the fight against redundancies. week. Instead, which of short time grasped Call details. Management know only too well that without the influence of of the officials and Culls time would face imposing the terms of the deal - closing the plant in Maidstone, slashing the Ryton workforce by 60%, Stoke by almost 30% and Linwood by 3,000. The Financial Times (29.12.75) points out their the officials: reliance on the terms continue not to be negotiable, then factory occupations cannot be excluded, though full-time union officials are likely to damp down any calls for it".

NO RISK

The full-time officials of course are the only ones who do not risk losing their jobs in the plan! It is not too late to reversethis position and call to the action stop completion of the deal. But to do sO an & all means out fight to expose and remove those traitors within the labour movement who now jeopardise the future of their members. There are no other jobs to go Factory Coventry Linwood. occupations must begin to defend all jobs in Chrysler and force in work-sharing on full pay, and those leaders who refuse to the nationalised that there is no let up in the redundancies in industries and savage cuts of government expenditure all alc causes of unemployment. unemployment. In December And Donce supported to the hilt by Michae "not so easy" Foot. What is really for Foot is finding new forms of words to his clothe hypocrisy. one in twenty of the total

CONSCIENCE

between November and December conscience. It is the 1¼ million shows that there is no shortening consequtnces total to nearly 2 million over the they begin to take some kind of they find themselves condemned the strongest resistance is put up 26th The present figures are already worse than in most of the 1920s; was that they are glad that unemployment grows "We do regard sale speedily to bring but Foot Connel no one going to that this The truth is 'intolerable' of unemploy- wants to ment

WHICH

of natural disguise a deliberately disaster has created by ot the part of its CrISIS, British capital. the £6 wage Tax cut workers' cont from page 1

STEEL

fight for programme preparation to defend jobs. Far of consciousness rom the level being raised in Ryton and Stoke,

AGREEMENTS

fostered confusion was by the refusal of the convenors of the opening the

TORN UP

books; their acceptance of bogus management figures (designed to the redundancies and justify appeal for government cash); theil of the Labour dejence workers, wages claiming that conditions of Chrysler management are threatened the pincer "misrepresenting" government British Steel their intentions, Corporation, the Labour for nationalisation fight government. Stoke demand condemned by convenor Bob Morris). Bill Sirs, Confederation secetary.

HEAD OFF

or employers. Chrysler In every way the has sought to head off leadership members, the struggle its the hard-won scrapping reducing the fight to a haggie over much redundancy pay they how should receive. Without this dead weight of These must be reactionary leadership around its defended. Sirs nor any neck and given a lead from even a the other union stewards number small prepared to fight for the opening All for nationalisation BSC's figures of the books, of the whole motor vehicle and must rejected, and cuts component industry and for work full and and to sharing public works programme full full keep the factories to workers' enduction there is no doubt that SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday December 31st, 1975 government's own admission to make so much as a small dent in rising prodien unemployment. Foot used to cultivate the image of a 'left'. Now he acts as Wilson's henchman in every attack This is just the most on workers. open expression of the complete every one collapse Labour 'lefts' in front of Wilson.

The demand must be stepped up in every union branch and CLP - make the 'left' MPs fight Wilson, and vote against call Dale reactionary policies and force him this their resign. way betrayal be most sharply Can exposed The WSL says that the problem of unemployment must be fought the labour movement through divide different capitalist countries and unite employed and unemployed * No emplayers bpen the books and subsidies nationalise! * No spending cuts - public works programmes to create new jobs at trade union rates under workers management! * Stop cowering to the bankers - open the books and nationalise ine banks. * Fight all redundancies - demand work Full rade union rights for the sharing ek unemployed! * No £6 limit - fight for a sliding scale of wages! € 500 monthly fund This and coming editions of Socialist Press show the incr- easing strength of the WSL since we began publication nearly a year ago. Our monthly Fund is to help further ex- pand and improve the paper.

Send all donations to: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR. the Chrysler would work force fight tenaciously in defence of working conditions jobs and providing a national focus for the closures, against redundancies and speed-up.

pessimists. While the and apologists for opportunists management will point at Chrysler and claim "the working therefore, class won't fight", the practical lesson of Cowley shows that with a fight for principled leadership and a programme for action, it is possible these to change conditions and defeat the management's main support in the the class present Crisis collaborators within the workers movement itself. These developments could not have taken place simply on the basis of a principled trade union fight in aerence or agreemenes wages and working conditions. It was only at the point where thes waged in the struggles could be context of a continuous struggle demands for the Transitional Programme that the basis of a new stage in the struggle for leadership could be laid. And with redundancies, speed-up and closures emerging a the constant threat now in every industry, it is only in its struggles of the work force defend itself, and the to building of a leadership prepared principle that to mement beaded. stand on