Socialist Press no. 25

BEHIND COWLEY

the every ing class ana a existence nunt like involved deputy such every tions standard fast and see it as resistance. Parsons - old lies for a emergence new problem.

SPANISH STRIKES

Police in Madrid arrested 20 alleged strike leaders in dawn raids on January 10th.

police. This followed two weeks which have seen an explo- sion of militant actions by Spanish workers most not- able of which was the four- day strike of workers on the least Madrid Metro (underground).

workers' This first complete stoppage of the Metro for forty years was sup- ported by the 4000 workforce in its entirety. It was no stay-at- protest but involved MOTe almost continuous meeting of the majority of the strikers, first of all occupying an underground depot and then in tumm three churches, from each of which they were forcibly removed by the police. are not The strike produced instant demonstrations of solidarity from other workers in Madrid, in part- icular from workers of the ITT subsidiary Standard Electric (16,000 on strike), Chrysler (5000 political reforms. strike), Kelvinator and Sie- Workers from these factories, who have themselves been on

WULKS.

since December, demon- strated openly in the streets or

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

WITCH - HUNT

The unprecedented and hysterical witch-hunt of the Cowley elections carried out over the past week by every section of the mass media raises issues which confront entire working class. As thousands of workers are sacked in Chrysler and British Steel, every Tory, every employer social democrat and trade union leader knows that the work- will fight if given a lead perspective. Their entire is dedicated to prevent- ing this developing. There has never been a witch- this one. All that is is seven positions for convenors. Hundreds elections must take place day. Yet the election witch-hunted day after day by every section of the mass media.

his is the

WAGE BARGAINING

The working class face condi- where free collective wage bargaining is under attack The living dropping trade union bureaucrats their job to search for ways to implement mass redund- elections. and speed-up without *Sell out all The ruling class know that the ments principled and determined leadership with a pro- workforce gramme of action in defence of the basic rights of the working tion committees. occupied churches, in most cases Rio several hundred agricultural suffering brutal assaults by the workers were violently attacked by police several of them being Madrid, at least 50,000 wounded) while workers were last week either on against unemployment strike or locked out; the indus- trial suburb of Getafe was at an support of their minimum almost complete standstill.

(about £6) a day. After negotiations in which the Metro company agreed to pay at This wave of the underground part demonstrations demand - for head-on challenge to the political what amounts almost to a 50% wage authority the striking The granting of part of the Madrid agreed to return to work tempor- worKers Metro workers' arily, but have given notice that the rigid wage control law which they will strike again if the whole strengthened demand is not met by January 19.

WaS months ago; and it forced the Metro company to negotiate with the leaders of

AMNESTY

totally illegal under Spain's con- stitution. The strikes and demonstrations . to Madrid Though the government kept Throughout the country demon- the Metro in strations of several thousand have through the use taken place in almost all the major ed troops, it did not dare to carry cities demanding immediate com- out its threat to call up the strik plete political amnesty and other ers and court martial those who refused to work (as Franco had Oviedo, 7000 workers done in the previous less struck at the important steel- Metro stoppage Ensidesa, and a major police baton and tear gas attacks shipbuilding firm in Valencia de- on workers' demonstrations have clared a lockout for a week. In completely failed to subdue them.

the Cordova, village of Palma-de- Since the end of the Metro strike class, even if initially only in one But recent struggles in Cowles have shown a very different lead jobs all oventhe coat in Cowley emerging, which has mobilised resistance to speed-up and lay-offs all there is a real possib- North ility of breaking the grip of the in the Works demands of "open the books" and Leaded chich crushed the right on full pay" against the employer's offensive Si293 TWU Branch and won elections for 1,000 votes in a factory ballot for raised the political consciousness Bob Fryer, regarded in the plant in the factory to a high point.

as a Trotskyist, in the convenor elections. A leadership pledged to fight the bureaucracy tooth and nail in defence of the independ- ence of the trade unions and of hard-won agreements, which before the witch-hunt was certain to win representation in the elections resistance and the cockpit of a for convenors this week. in This is the development the

TWO-PRONGED

eaucracy and the Labour govern- Panicked British Legland therefore raunch, this ed a two-pronged offensive to with the policies of the Labour prevunced going ahead. They announced would recognise Alan Thornett as deputy *Allow management and the convenor even if he was union democratic ballot. And they *Abandon free wage bargaining had witch-hunting convenor Reg factory agree- Parsons calling a. "news confer ence" to unleash the Tory press *Actively assist in smashing the and TV "extremists" and speeding produc- the plant. tion through the Ryder participa- Not a word of Parsons' "sens ational' revelations was new. He

THREATEN CARLOS

their size and militancy has grown. These events have shown both demonstrating the weakness and confusion of the regime and the courageousness demand for a and solidarity of the wage of 700 pesetas working class. The only which can stand in the way of the rapid and complete overthrow of of surikes and Spanish fascism is the treacherous constitutes position of the leaders of the Stalinist and reformist organisat- of the fascist regime. claim threatens

COMPROMISE

two

ULLY

a strike which is They have shown in numerous statements the death since Franco, their readiness to compro- mise with the regime and their complete unwillingness to lead a operation principled and independent strug of specially train- ale of the working class. For in- stance, while the Metro workers were on strike, Marcelino Cam- acho, the leader of the Workers' Commissions wich are allied to the Communist Party, in 1970). And was giving a press conference in Paris. •We have decided', he is re- ported to have said, 'to find a peaceful road to freedom...Chan-

NUMDER 4

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No 25 * 14th January 1976 * 10p

INSIDE

Beginnings of Bolshevism...

IMG: Why we have resigned.

•pS Cuban CP........... •p3 Reject steel sell-out.

UNION RIGHTS

UNDER ATTACK

just dredged up the same old lying allegations about Trotskyist leadership groups supposedly "going to any all-out "disruption cause and "destruction". He named in around the particular the Workers. Socialist League, the Workers Revolution- ary Party and the International Marxist Group.

SUPPORT

What was new was the balance of forces inside the factories - the real of base support for the policies fought for by the Workers Socialist -League in the plant. which are policies not of "destruc- and one tion" but of all-out defence of jobs, wages and conditions.

calling in the gutter press Parsons deputy was admitting his own inability to hold the line for management. The been nave openly backing the right-wing in the elec- tions. But last week's witch-hunt reached a new level. After creating prospect, the hysteria, lists of names so-called "moderate" candidates appeared day after day in the national dailies - violating every principle of democracy. Yet the factories themselves WIthIn elected there is growing awareness among workers of this role of the capit- alist press. So great was the revulsion within the union that even TGWU Regional Secretary, Brian Cont'd on back page, col 5.

ges can be obtained without insurrection or civil war.

Although admitting that only nuances or policy had so changed he added: Spanish *We salute every step towards thing freedom taken by the regime.

He refused to make any strong criticism of it because: I have not come to France to denigrate Spain. I am a patriot.

Workers in the demonstrations however, were increasingly advan- cing political slogans for the resig nation of the government along- side their economic demands.

Now it is essential for the workers' organisations to unite to call a general strike to bring down the fascist regime and re- place it with a workers' govern- ment. Preparations for this strike, in particular the arming of united defence squads drawn from the workers' parties to protect strikes against the attacks of the state must begin at once. In Spain the only way forward closely is to carry through the struggle for workers' power: the treacherous "compromises" and Popular Fronts of Stalinists and reformists with the fascist ruling class must be rejected.

is the Secretive paralysis est description of the Italian ommunist Party's policy in crisis that government upted last week. The immediate cause of the fall Christian Demociat Aldo the oro's cabinet (backed by a parlia- of Republicans, coalition YIElT calists and Social Democrats) as a slight shift to the left, under on the part of the Social-

LASIO.

with- Party leadership, which ew its support until the Commun- Party could be brought into. sort of governmental 'under- anding' the Moro government - a But of big business and of ibinet american foreign policy - has been 'since the early to collatse

ANGOLA

Class conscious workers and pponents of imperialism in ery part of the world will been delighted by the ave from Angola in ews coming days of the New early Not only were the claims of the African mercenary forces of buth NITA in the South to have made ritorial gains shown to be false subject to independent veri- uen cation, but at the same time, in the cap- North of the countrv. e by the forces of the MPLA of (formerly Carmona), a capital northern province next to and Negage, ther important town in ine aren, Zaire border, ere conftmed. the "capital' Vige was formerly the pro-imperialist FNLA forces the Northern part

HUTUY

of the racists, The

JASONC

CIA puppets of the balists and NLA and UNITA rested with the Unity Con- ganisation of African erence that began at Addis Ababa a 10th. January.

CONSERVATIVE

Here it was hoped that enough extreme conservative poli- the foreign troops' line ro-Western groups in Angola.

ecognitions of the MPLA govern- ceesg of their military ie CIA-backed FNLA and UNITA, As revolutionary Marxists, we in any possible material support to petty-bourgeois policies of the hey have from the urban working .hs. curity of the motives behind the upport given to the MPLA from It is our elementary duty, how- to join in solidarity with those tho are fin the front line of oppos- at the same me as exposing their own inade- nate policies. We this at the same must co as exposing the machinations

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ITALY NEW GOVERNMENT CRISIS

and was summer,

ANI CKLA

of life only by the refusal of lesse the Stalinist leaders to demand general elections and to force the Socialist Party leadership into an dóțce

SWING

Ever since the June 15th region- al elections showed a big swing to the left, with the Communist Party Paan the Chrilan Damonrats marginally less the various factions in Ene Demoratic Party have been using their breathing space to prepare themselves the most advantageous political bargains possible with the Communist and Socialist Parties.

And in this they have had every ounce of help from the Communist

VICTORY

TO MPLA!

seeking reshuffle the simply to diplomatic pack of cards internat- ionally. said this was elementary We but it is not obvious, apparently, to some who claim the mantle of rev- "Trotsky- olutionary Marxism' ism'.

SCANDAL

since independence on 11th. Nov- Party of the United States and the trest been little short of a scandal, sully- ing the name of all the traditions to Intercontinental the three Angolan organisations in equally 'seking support both from the imperialist powers and from the He also alleged, though the evid- 'have a iong history oi resistance to Portuguese colonialism'. wrong and dangerous political con- paper Militant of 12th. December against the intervention - direct or December contains a plece by its record *Get Hansen's concluding slogan, them out before thev get us in' nothing than an appeal to moIe pacifist and even chauvinist feelings in the American petty-bourgeoisie.

The battles in Angola not by Marxists. take a form chosen However, it is their essential duty to take sídes in a conflict crucial for the future of imperialism.

However clear we are about the inadequacies of the MPLA, however well we understand the counter-revolution- ary role of Stalinism, we must take sides in this struggle. For our part we repeat our sup- port for the struggles of the MPLÀ, we applaud their successes, and we ot thei • Io

TACONHO

The military defeat of government. pro-imperialist and The

FNLA

UNITÀ will be a step forward in the struggle against imperialism.

Even if not the end of the battle, this is a step in the struggle against imperialist control of Africa, which ply the complexities of political in- trigue. The economic crisis in Italy - one of the Western European the world economies worst-hit by recession - permits of little very for reforms. Over forty manufacturing companies thought to face bankruptcy if the government crisis holds up the sub- sidies and loans they were expect- ing for more than a week.

And the massive strike by public all employees in three of

NEOICC

Italy's three main trade union Party historiea ip, promi polle f leadership, whose confederations last week was fol an • i.e. a lowed by a threat from the main tristan Demoral- themselves government engineers union to launch a nation- and the Christian al strike if there is not soon places them in some respects to the governmental agreement which right of the Socialist Party.

offers some protection on jobs and President It and osse le that wages. the political chieftains Leone can cobble together such a cabinet.

OPPOSED

But it is not likely to have much greater stability than its predeces- Yet still CP leader Berlinguer is sors - on average post-war Italian opposed to an election - despite the governments have lasted well under his gains it would certainly bring a year. And the intricate manipu- own Party and the Socialists. He prefers to wheel and deal - in the anon reç e cąc y well exceed the several weeks which interests of 'democracy - with the are usual in such cases. Italian Tories and the Pope.

For the same reasons the CP press has played down the wide-

CRISIS

that the CIA has spread reports chanelied six million dollars in this The reasons for this are not sim-

CONTRO ICAROVITA

SCIOPERO-GENERALE

Militant Italian workers demonstrating against rising prices.

VIETNAM

REACTIONARY FRIENDS

DF THE BUREAUCRACY

compensation for the lack of fuel leadership The of the during a hard winter, rations should Vietnamese Communist Party is pressing ahead in its efforts to establish a single, effective administration throughout the state. South cannot be first half of 1976) the old frontier at the 17th parallel is being changed in the reorganisation of provincial borders which began recently.

Thus the former two provinces of Quang-Tri and Hue are to be combined with the northern masses. Quang-Binh, single new province.

'RELIABLE

At the same time ten thousand anemiseye from the North to the South and stay for some time. In Saigon, the crime and black marketeering, with

CHURCH

unemployment still high and food shortages still not eradicated.

their ever-closer littor. death sentences were announced on relations with the Roman Catholic the VCP leadership seek three men found guilty of armed hierarchy, their support not in the masses but And in the North, miners at the among the enemies of the masses.

the main Hanoi daily, Nhan Dan,

WEIC

reported to be staging a go-slow at savar excange core aige twarmest warmest exchange They were protesting at the fact between Prime Minister greetings that the whole 5 milion tons per Pham Van Dong and the Catholic year output of the pits - one of the archbishop of Hanoi. most important sources of foreign Yet a measure of the reactionary SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 14th January 1970 coffers of a year alone into the broad range of politicians - after all Berlinguer may find himself within weeks sitting a tew rouna a pro- table with the gressive cabinet Washington's 'slush recipients of funds'! Events in Italy were echoed last week by a marked shift to the right the leadership of the French Com- munist Party. In an effort to shore up the rickerty Union of the Left' the aim of the 'dictatorship of the February Congress of the Commun- petty be Communist Party 18 not dogmatic. It knows how to adapt to TA ce today, the word 'dictatorship' does not correspond to what we want. It has an intolerable significance, con- majority of salaried workers. But wedi abandoning the objective we have made our own: socialism in French

OFFICIAL

This change, which does no more than make official what has been Stalinist policy for years, nonetheless represents an important step in the continuing adaptation of the Western European Communist their 'own capitalist

TONACA

classes. coTtry policy t st award oe forward Stalin in 1924 can now be seen in its true COlOUrS workers to capitalism in every other country the interests ot the Stalinist bureaucracy. Constitution outlaws those religions - including Catholicism - 'which to the destruction of indivisible character of the revolution in South developments in au nTT- moving more and more closely into tension and provocations continue along the Thai-Cambodian

'ADVISERS'

the sixteen thousand Although in US presently stationed trOODS Thailand officially to withdrawn by March, a US 'military helped group continue to provide will "advisers' the Pramoj regime with military supplies, training US imperialism In other words, will continue in its efforts to prop puppets Vietnamese and Laotian leaderships wil not stand in their way.

They thus set themselves against the masses of workers and peasants Thailand, who on January 2nd launched a massive strike against a government-backed increase of 25% bringing the in the price of rice cost of this basic food up to more than half the income of families on the legal minimum wage. though limited by LIe SOnNe the leadership of the trade union federation workers in certain state enterprises - still brought out demonstration Bansko en Janpar over ten țhanne a

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 14th, 1976

CUBA: FIRST CP

CONGRESS

PART 1: ORIGINS OF THE

PRESENT CUBAN CP

December 17th Between Party (PSP). The period from 1959 to 1965 and 22nd the present Cuban had continual attempts Communist Party held its first unite these three organisations. All Congress. This has come ten of them failed for the same reason: years after the formation of Castro and his supporters were in the party. control of the government and had considerable but support, That, in itself, is some indication their political organisations were of the non-political nature of the derisorily the PIP had little mass support but disorganised; Cuban CP which in the ten years of its existence has functioned as an were far better organised than any the state, other political tendency.

Union of the organisations which give an organised base to the Castro's government and exercising government would inevitably mean a rigid control of any opposition or the overwhelming dominance of the production targets. it has party: up to now the members of its leading bodies have not, even in After the fall of Batista, a formal sense, been elected but are perpetuai leadership: its origins hostility between the Castroites and are not in open political struggle Calc since lt was establisiieu o yedis allci ambiguous and largely inactive role in the struggle against Batista, but also from the open and deep rooted

UNIFICATION

The party was established through the of Fidel unification Castro's 26th July Movement, the Castro's adventurist and putschist Revolutionary Directorate (the two bourgeois reformist movement in the late forties and organisations which had supported the armed the struggle Batista disastrous attack on the Moncada azainst dictatorship between 1956 and 1959) and thirdly the od Cuban CP, known as the Popular Socialist been the peaceful

THE WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League was formed in December 1974 to struggle of the principles of for the continuity Britain and towards the rebuilding of the Trotskyism in Fourth International. In the daily struggle to take the demands and principles of Trotsky's Transitional Programme into the trade unions, forefront of the fight for the sliding scale of wages, and work sharing - demands which at the T&GWU Conference were the only on lul pay 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 the books of the Authorities, along ASTMS National Conference.

WSL comrades have tested and developed the demands of the Transitional Programme, putting forward in every case, the only real opposition to the Stalinists and the right-wing. Our struggle for the 'open the books" demand in the motor industry has won a mas!

response. 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- itical issues to workers.

While these practical interventions have developed the League's grasp of Trotsky's Programme, there has been a consistent drive to deepen and the movement's understanding of the nistory 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 WSt and join our fight in the labour movement. Simply fill in the form I would like more information about the WSL COMPLETE and SEND to: 31 Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR Name... Address Socialist Press Subscriptions 6 Issues.. 12 Issues.. ..£2 24 Issues • LA I would like to take out a subacription to Socialist Press; I would like issues, I enclose fo... Name. Address

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Castro's policies in action: Jamaican dictator Manley welcomed in Havana abject attempts to forge alliances seemed to be Castro in late 1959 therefore was quite in keeping with its political line for 25 years astro. forced by pressure of tr policies and so losing the American support which had helped bring to the Power, turned increasingly political organisation to control the demands and actions of the masses, and required its support as backing In 1961, in the Declaration of Havana, Castro the declared socialist character of the revolution, and confessed previous "errors' in his attitude to the PSP; the way was cleared for the establishment of a The trade union leadership at Chrysler have now succeed- ed in obtaining votes of sup- port for the Labour govern- ment's so-called 'rescue' plan under which 8000 workers will lose their jobs. At the time of writing the Coventry ASTMS and Maidstone factory were the only sections yet to accept the plan. weeks of selling the plan to the shop floor, pleading for the right to 'push ahead with negotiat- ions' arguing for a realistic' atti- tude, Ryton Convenor Pat Fox, who had done possibly more than anyone else to head off a fight, had the cheek to blame the workforce for the defeat! "You can't run an occupation without an army. If you're going to need people оссиру YOu attending these meetings", he said.

No one can blame those who did From the start it was clear that Fox and the leadership were determined to accept the plan and the absence of a clear An important development toward fight against local Government spending cuts was when Camden NALGO branch passed a resolution calling others to support a special conference which would discuss action to be taken unless the Labour government decision the reverses its on cuts. IS dominated united organisation. This was called the Integrated Revolutionary Organisations (ORI) and in March 1962 its national of the 26 Directorst and to ten (13 members July the trom the PSP) was announced. The ORI lasted in this form for 8 days! by members of the PSP (which was almost inevitable since a good deal of the 26 July altogether for the US); he described The speech was followed by the enforced exile to the USSR of the organisation secretary of the party, Anibal Escalante, and an immense purge of PSP members carried out Castro and his close allies in the expelled from the initially 15,000 CHRYSLER CONVEnORS

CRUSH JOBS FIGHT

alternative policy what was the point of going to mass meetings to find out what you could read in the Coventry Evening Telegraph?

And for any who did attend, there was the same abysmal display of impotence hopelessness and from Fox, to ensure they didn't return. Losing a battle, however, is not the same as losing a war. Those who voted against the plan should push forward with a campaign to resist its effects. At Ryton only the Chairman's casting vote decided support for the plan from the stewards: at stoke there was a large vote against and at Linwood, stewards' acceptance was only due to the white-collar repres- brought in to swell the vote. At Linwood, International Soc- Willie Lee spoke ialists member against acceptance at the mass meeting despite Convenor Carty's ruling that he must resign his stew- ard's position in order to do so.

Lee's principled action and the stand taken by other workers, in- cluding those at the Maidstone fac- tory where 600 face the sack, show

NALGO INACTION

GROUP

NAG members should reject the steering committee decision and fight for the re establishment of living standards, services and jobs.

Geoffrey Drain. the General Secretary of NALGO and other made prominent mem bets •have threatening toward the noises the cuts issue, now is the time to bring them and other so called Labour lefts into an arena where positive action is the order of the day. In this period, it is on their "left' actions that groups and individuals must be judged, and not Page 3 strong organisation. At the top, beavy Bias Roc other ol PSP leaders, especially the secretary general of the party Rodriguez Carlos Raphael and remained in an uneasy alliance wit Castro. In 1963 the all but defunct OR had its name changed to the Unite Party of the Socialist Revolutio

(PURS).

Purges of the old PS until Leade She nameto the organisatio continued when was finally changed to the Cuba Communist Party which by tha ' time Castro and his close allies wer able to dominate.

NO MEMBER

Politica Romer mentor of these and a member it has continued until the presen were Secretariat from which they hav 7-mai come to exercise increasing power This has been particularly since 1968 when Castro declare unequivocal support for the Sovie invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Sinc that time the oscillations in th Cuba and th relations between Soviet Union, and in the relation between the Castroites and what i left of the old PSP leadership, hav ended. Both have become, both verball increasingl and practice, the intimate even to point fulsomeness.

NEXT EDITION

PART 2

CASTRO

PREPARES FOR

THE CONGRESS

that fighting spirit does exist. A that is missing is a concrete polic and a principled leadership.

DEMANDS

All those who voted against th plan and argued for nationalisatio should now consider strongly th demands such

HITOOSLOIEE

work-sharing full on pay an particularly 'open the books demands which strengthen and der elop the resistance and militancy o workers, and around which a rea struggle to defend jobs and condit force nationalisation ca "ions and "begin. The present leadership has bee shown to be completely bankrup Those like the Communist Part which built-up the so-called 'lef at Lit convenors, such as Carty wood, and attacked the demand fo occupation as ultra-left have playe their part in knifing the struggle.

They, along with all the othe so-called leaders who have betraye the campaign to defend jobs an onto the dol led their members forced out an must Lucase replaced by those who will fight.

FIGHTING

RAIL CUTS

This motion was passed by th Oxford

NUR

Branch on Januar 6th: "This branch demands that thi NUR executive refuse to negotiati with the BRB or the governmen th cuts economies railway service. Furthermore if an cuts are proposed we insi that Brother Weighell mak instruct the 10 NUR Sponsored MP threat of December 16th all support from to withdraw Labour antil tha Labour government takes steps the jobs and condition guarantee

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Part One: THE BEGINNINGS OF ithout revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary vement." Lenin CW Vol. 5, p. 369.

Russia, October 1917, gave birth to the first workers' state - andmark in the history of the international working class. Yet • successful storming of the autocratic state of Tzarism under germinated in the 1890s leadership of the Bolshevik Party, th the formation of Russian Social Democracy.

The working class, though itself

NARODNIKS

ing no part of the great produc forces in capitalist society.

pro- Bolshevik Party through its labour the whole Although Ine did not arise until the 1903 split in of society. It 1s an me wealt! and exploited class, Social Democracy, the foundations ressed upon which it was built were laid in ch can only overcome these to the preceeding years. It was from ditions the struggle throw capitalist state power the late 1870s onwards that the emerged institute socialism. working class afirst the Yet despite this revolutionary significant force, and its attempting to organise of the working class. workers were formed; but it was to erial oppression prevents the Narodnik organisations that the ikers spontaneously understan- the political tasks they face.

first politically aroused workers y need a political leadership turned. with scientific The Narodniks talked in terms ipped "the people" (in effect hod of Marxism which enables of the peasantry who constituted 80% oi analyse the contradictory the population) not in terms of rement of the classes in society classes. They dismissed the leading that base programme on working class in the role of the lysis. Trotsky writes: coming revolution. Were the proletariat as a whole They argued that Russia could able of grasping its historical capitalist it would need niether party or bypass the stage Revolution union. would development - factory production, of capital, and the with the accumulation

STEEMONY

etariat.' (Marxism the growth of the working class. Instead, the Narodniks pointed to de Unions) the peasant commune as the future germ of a socialist system.

TASK

FIGHTERS

made it clear that Lenin, too, task of a revolutionary party is introduce the science of Marxism of The earlier generation Narodniks were courageous fighters the workers movement: We have said there could not against Tzarist repression. But with Social Democratic (ie. the rapid emergence of the working olutionary) consciousness among to they looked increasingly

CANN

workers. It the liberal brougeoisie who talked wolla nape to ught to them from without. The fought to but "democracy tory. of all countries contain the proletariat, and ¿ Russia] shows that the working openly reactionary views.

exclusively by its own effort, Writers like Krilenko glorified the ble to develop onty trade union independence" of the "economic ie., the conviction peasantry - in reality exalting an sciousness which t it is necessary to combine in economic system firth the employers, and were tied to the large peasantry

VID.

ive to compel the government to andowners. early in 1889, labour legislation, when no necessary AS '(What is To Be Done? pp. 31- workers party yet existed in Russia, Plekhanov at the First Congress of -32) Democratic) The early debates in Russian the Second (Social Democra determining ithout stated were therefore International, that: *The will either isive Revolution come of the revolution. revolution of the triumph ås a working, class or it will not triumph • ruthless struggle led by Lenin to scientific principles of end the cornerstone Ixism, the Russian proletariat Bolshevism which assigned to the ald working class the leading role in the acquired have THEre cipline or political consciousness democratic and socialist revolutions first articulated by

TENTS

The Russian working class Plekhanov. forged lieved Marxism, through volutionary party, only

CIRCLES

experiences of half a century of disappointment, trial, -rifice, heroism, party (disputes The embryonic Russian Marxist the splits in 7amlt movement took the form of the oking class for the tasks history discussion type of fight to ced before it. organisation. Steps in the direction leadership revolutionary an All-kussian of the must on the working class went apace with the struggles and of those 'North founding of the Russian periences, understanding that the Workers League' in 1877-78.

dy circles of intellectuals and the Plekhanov, the father of Russian ates they waged, though they established with Marxism, also. political ten appear berett of Axelrod the 'Emancipation of nificance, contained the seeds of Labour Group' in 1883. This was a 17. decisive break with the Narodniks because it recognised the need to build a party based on the working

PRESSURE

class. It also produced, in 1885, the first draft programme of the Social Democratic Party. the continuous Without the The first attempts to organise coretical struggles agamsl workers' circles were tentative and forms of rious opportunism successful. Many always nich evolved in response to

JOL

of bourgeois collapsed and were restarted later.

atinued pressure But these initial efforts to organ- on the world movement. голоду been the Russian proletariat were would no ise have given impetus by the strike move- rolutionary movement in Russia.

in the mid-1890s which ment The history

COILELUI

involved half a million workers therefore with the start

BOLSHEVISI

Vera Zasulich: Top right: Lenin Top left: Leon Deutsch (left) with Paul Axelrod.

was formed in 1895, and involved several members who were to play a leading part in the future party, including Lenin. The result of these efforts was the first Party Congress of Russian Social Democracy in 1898. Eight representatives only were present. Before the work of this congress was disrupted by a police raid, it did manage to issue a manifesto written by Struve.

LEGAL MARXISM

her ponent of tole usan opponent Russian arch revolution but during this period and other future representa- he. tives of the liberal bourgeoisie, were prepared to accept Marxism because it was able to demonst- Plekhanov rate, in opposition to the Narod- that Russia could not avoid niks, path develop- the capitalist ment. But Struve and the other 'legal as they came to Marxists', recognising known, future danger of their own class position, for its leading role in the coming

INDIVIDUAL

TERRORISM

It was coincidence that of the "legal Marxists' some individual applauded Whereas terrorism assigns to the individual the prime Marxism agency of social change, looks to the working class, raised to its politically independent role to lead the masses Plekhanov and Lenin did not reject terrorism inclina moral grounds but on the grounds FOr of revolutionary expediency.

terrorists, political activity is the confined to an individual or small and their organisation is groups inevitably conspiratorial.

The heroic act of self-sacrifice of such individuals is supposed to 'stimulate' the masses into activity but in fact reinforces passivity and self-appointed reliance on underestimates the 'heroes'. raising of the political conscious- ness of the masses by means of a revolutionary programme; and, in place of the programme, it substi- tutes the bomb. Whilst making these criticisms of individual terrorism, the revol- utionary Marxists did not reject the use of mass terrorism in the form of the armed uprising, not in the defence of the revolution against the armed counter-revolu- tion Like the legal Marxists and the the of 'Economists', advocates terrorism denied the leading role of the working class. Politics was the privilege of particular individ- uals or of the liberal bourgeoisie; to be the working class were restricted to their role that of economic struggle. waging the

ECONOMISM

which Tenin SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday, 14th January, 1976.

need to that both denied the the working class as the organise vanguard fighter for revolution. As an attack on the Marxist method, Economism arose sharply in the Russian movement during the strike wave of the 1890s.

the roots further in spread its changeover from localised circles and discussion group activity - to agitation and mass intervention of class Democrats struggle. The developments The centralised political party. advocated a division Economists of labour: that politics should be the concern of the liberal bourge.

workers should and that oisit, nothing interest themselves more than narrow trade union and wages struggles. They saw no need therefore for a revolutionary party based on the working class. Their aim was rather to drive the workers into the kennel of the wages struggle. One of the earliest tasks of the Russian Social Democracy was the winning of workers voro reflected the these people influence of the bourgeoisie in the labour movement. Lenin took up the struggle 'Economists' in two against the ways: the call for the All-Russian Party, and the political news- paper.

THE PARTY

PRESS: ISKRA

Lenin fought for an all-Russian Party of dedicated revolutionaries when the movement was still dominated by propaganda circles a practice Lenin christened 'primi tiveness. Zinoviev summarised Lenin's from What be argument to Done: "To limit yourself now, in this means day, to discussion groups primitive handicrafts engage in we need and hair splitting when revolutionary factory production.

We need to create an All-Russian Party with a division of labour in it where everyone knows what he and what his obligations must do ac. But Lenin's proposed division was very different from of labour' that of the Economists. It centred on a firmly-structured party func- the lines of tioning along democratic centralism. would be aimed at Decisions and party leadership elected after full democratic discussion within the movement. decisions had been made, centralised discipline was strictest to binding on all members. be could the Only way

THES

itself against movement steel hostile pressures and act decisively at crucial points.

NEW

At that time Lenin's view of a centralised party in order to com- bat the spontaneous movement of the working class and raise its political consciousness was new. clear-sighted all-Russian enin's i perspective contrasted with the blurred localised vision of the old discussion group mentality.

to publish Iskra The decision in 1900, under the editorship of Plekhanov, Lenin, Martov, Axel- rod, Potresov and Vera Zasulich, was precisely for the purposes of campaigning for a centralised all- Russian revolutionary party of the working class. Iskra was seen therefore as a breaking collective organiser and focussing the down localism struggles of the spontaneous working class into a struggle for state power. polemic was continuous of Iskra waged in which against economism workers' separating politics from trade union struggles bowed to the of workers and sought spontaneity the grooves of trade unionism. In What is to be Done? published by Iskra in . 1902 Lenin argued: much talk of "There Bụt the spontaneous spontaneity. development of the working class leads the movemen bourgeois to

MG: WHY WE HAVE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday, 14th January, 1976.

May Day demonstration, Russia 1917..

unionism and trade unionism means the ideological enslavement of the workers by the bourgeoisie".

ROSTOV EVENTS

1902 The final blow, however, that discredited the 'economists' was dealt the practice of the movement: in the city of Rostov November 1902, powerful of what initially was an economic Meetings grievance. several days attracted over 40,000 people whom the police were unable to disperse. the head of the movement were two Rostove workers, also Iskra comrades, called Stravsky and The demonstrators took up the arguments of Iskra and many were brought forward and trained for leadership in the future This movement had nothing in with the common subordinate role the 'economists' had assigned for the working class.

BOLSHEVISM

OR MENSHEVISM

composel • major Icienticssy, mat a the Mard perik, but a party ng not a vanguard party, but a party the reareuard. following the tai of the masses and therefore prey to the liberal bourgeoisieS enin liberal bourgeoisie. showed this clearly when he opposed Martov's that proposal Martor «every striker" "proclaim could himself a Party member": "In this statement Cde Martoy instantly carries his mistake to the of absurdity, lowering Social Democracy to the level of We could mere strike-making only rejoice if the Social-Democrats succeeded in directing every strike, their plain and unquestionable duty to direct every manifestation of the class struggle ... But we should be tail enders if we were to identify this primary form of struggle, which is no than trade unionist form, more with the all-tonna and conscious Social-Democratic struggle".

OPPORTUNISM

At each stage in the development of the Russian party, opportunism sought to dissolve the character the Although movement. the Second of Russian Social Congress Democracy ended in a split, and its forces halved, it was the faction fight waged by Lenin defended the political and organisational independence of the party against the Mensheviks.

The leading role of the working class, the political and organisational independence of the party, are inseparable: a weakening in one of these spheres results, reactionary history of Menshevism demonstrates, in the abandonment of all three principles. Through sometimes complex factional strife conflict, the essential weapon of working class revolution was being forged, a party steeled in principle. by Julia Kellett.

RESIGNED

The world wide offensive of leadership necessary precondition, generalised the working class puts to the defence successful and counter- test all those organisations attack" (emphasis added). So the which claim be to 'realist' Mandel informs the "revolutionary'. The central thousands of who have workers taken action against the policies of tasks which face the working the Labour government that their class in carrying through this struggles will only be successful if offensive to the end, to the Benn, the 'left' and revolutionary of seizure bureaucrats replace Wilson.

This falls power, is blocked in the main into line with the posit comrade have yes developed not by the strength of the Clynes comrade capitalist class, but by the 'Perspectives' document that feebleness of the counter at the National appeared revolutionary labour Committee meetings in September bureaucracy, both Stalinist document Novem del. spells out the nature of the "class and social democratic. struggle left wing" that it is claimed going to resolve the crisis of leadership. has to be able to put forward a

SPELT OUT

programme which can combine the The Red Weekly has spelt out against capitalism and at the same the forces of such a 'formation', as time resolve the crisis of leadership Party and the Communist Tribune group, as well as militant revolutionary party. workers In Portugal the because the Stalinists and Socialist bourgeois Armed Forces Movement and lead independent action of the in Italy they plead for a "historical Trade Union bureaucracy which leads the attack

DEMOBILISE

attempt to demobilise the offensive of the working class which poses a threat not only to capitalism but to IMG National Secretary Pennington with Tariq Ali.

movement is to outline and to take National Abortion and Canpaign he institute for Workers Control for engaging in all the struggles of and also left' groups, Clynes says: the working class and challenging in the last analysis, the project of the class struggle left wing signifies the the struggle for leadership by the Marxist vanguard. revolutionary But in the process broader forces 1976 Conference through opening a will contribute to the building of discussion on a "Draft Statement of the class struggle left wing". (Clynes ormatives Bulletin, Fourth International" - The British Information Internal undated probably October but 1975). In short, Mandel and Clynes propose to evade the burning balance sheet of the line of the IMG question of the hour, the building an alternative, revolutionary leadership. For the time being they Ross leaders positions of the John meekly stand aside for the 'lefts' of the Tribune group. (Lict Signed the act fortion Pop-

PABLOITE

Such positions the direct are of the Pabloite heritage outcome which has always 'projected' other forces than Trotskyists to resolve affairs, yet in the document drafted the crisis of leadership just for the moment'. These people have been the experiences of being used as a saying the same thing for over twen- ty years! bureaucratic manoeuvres, he offers The correct the application i practice the Labour Party in Britain. method of Transitional Programme, has been explicity Teadereship of the MG rejected "majority'

MANIPULATION

In place of a clear fight for a This takes the form of subjecting which bases itself programme the struggles of the working class to the independent mobilisation of the working class, they counterpose the and particularly "Action Programme" which Clynes has described as a series of lefts'. "centralised State measures".

12 de moan ever only credite all the talk about only credible 12-18 months transitional demands in the Red is merely propaganda, and WeEKLY alternative policy, programme and is not based on a struggle in the unions for the workers control emphasis added). demands of Trotsky's programme - the sliding scale of wages, Open the Books, work sharing without loss of workers that "the pay. None of these demands can be of such an alternative achieved just by resolution-passing or articles in newspapers; definite organisational methods have to be put forward which can actually impose them.

WHICH CLASS?

Each of these demands poses the question of which class will rule.

But for the IMG and Ernest Mandel such questions are only for the «transitional in its totality" the action programme! We are told "the idea of generalised workers control over the of workers bourgeois state institutions" (page

COUTHIS

E VIII of USFI document) is to be kept back for propaganda only.

Thus for the IMG the 'Action Programme', far from being a series of transitional demands, is merely souped-up reformism. At the beginning of December, the Second Conference of the Trotskyist Opposition of the IMG took place, at which there was unanimity Workers that the Socialist League represented gain for the 1140E Whereas the

IMG

liquidated the rot and tie da che NAC, the WSL fought openly in the unions for the Whereas transitional the IMG continually complained of the unfavourable balance of forces between the revolutionaries and the reformists, the

WSL

understood Trotsky's advice the French Communist League in the 1930s: "The relationship of forces has to be changed, not concealed. It is necessary to the masses". go (Writings 1934-5).

RESIGN

We therefore decided to resign from the IMG in order to take part in the building of the Workers Socialist League, knowing that in would contribute that practice we more to them benderstanding of the membership Transitional Programme, than all

IMG

the documents the Pre-Conference discussion.

We appeal to all members of the

IMG

and especially to remaining Trotskyist supporters the Opposition to join the real struggle against those like Mandel, Ross and Clynes who tie the working class to the of the "left" manoeuvres of bureaucracy, in • front the working class, in the actual practice of the struggle for leadership in the For the Workers Socialist League!

For the Fourth International!

John Strawson. Mark Hyde. Dave Rafferty. In addition, on January 9th. three further comrades resigned on these positions. These are: Maureen Hector. Joyce Cleaver. Martin McClean,

age 6

REVIEW

The Blues:

• IF VELY

however the blues had drawn

OIL

Vincila aspect cuiture ine these "heathens" about teach neir God. This was soon reflected in the rusic that the blacks began and in particular in the egro Spirituals and Gospel music chich the slaves sang in the fields hile they worked. Having been denied the use of musical instruments,

OWE

lack man was forced to resort to instruments of the white man the American civil rovided the black man with the lance to pick numerous usical instruments abandoned by various armies. Adapting the use of syncopated the for the Two L.P. records by Robert Johnson, "King of the Delta Blues Singers", reviewed by IAN SWINDALE.

Timeless songs of protest came to be known as rag-time. This it music later formed the basis of the result of a combination of the the blues and blues singers. Nor was rythyms and melodic lines of Africa this done solely because bluesmen with the form and structure of the about booze and women. The blues to his own purposes. could provide no answers, but no tend to link up to tell a story but which was almost exclusively based problems confronting blacks. Blues twelve bars to each verse and the criticised and protested against the same chord sequence in each of the world, even if unable to change it.

sexes feature predominantly in the blues and represent a very largely music sounded very strange indeed.

unconscious This was largely due to the fact that

CKN

SURICEV

relationships. Under capitalism, the of the seven notes were played flat.

Moreover. it was common practice relationships which gives rise on the guitars holding a piece of glass over one hand to a view amongst men the frets and sliding the glass to the function in the home, whilst among various notes they wanted to play.

whining effect and of course many of the notes were slurred together.

accomplished bottleneck guitarist, a Contrary to popular opinion, the which and which still existed at this time, blacks this was a time of increasing searching for employment between men and women were very in the aftermath of the civil war frequently unstable. So blues songs clearly reflect this instability.

"I'm a hardworkin' man, have been of their own through which to fight Negroes set up their own churches never be no more." course not possible by these means Cafe in Mississippi - heart of cotton country to end the isolation imposed on the relationships turn sour also finds its blacks by American capitalism, and since there was no alternative open to the blacks there was a tendency for their frustration "And now babe, I will never forgive and impotence to change things to their attempts at Baby why didn't you tell me so?'

Of the four basic types of black of cultures (gospel, blues, ragtime "I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna and jazz), it was gospel music that shoot my gal and gone, (x 2) in the main performed the function You made me love you, now your of escapism from the squalor of life that confronted the black families decades of this century. The myth was not frequently of an heavenly after-life as a reward misery and suffering Johnson's case: on black church bitter battle against It was a leisure activity of the in the general problems of it usually takes the form of leaving clearly linked with trying to make a fresh start, the search for something "I believe, I believe I'll go back away from it all can have its draw- backs as Johnson relates in Cross- today, by blues and rock groups): "Standing at the crossroad, trying to flag a ride, (x 2) Didn't nobody seem to know me, ment of the "solution' of making a slavers had encouraged concerning any possibility of escap- ing from reality by running away blues form another response to the relations between the sexes as in gon' get me a gambling woman if it's the last thing that I A man don't need a woman, ooh fair brown, he got to give all of his the ete ta blue Gous e ooh well Babe, but that'll broken my winding chain, (x 2) "And we played it on the sofa and But boys, my needle done got rusty and it will not play at all.

seems one way to escape at least temporary, particuiarly when solution at all. In Drunken Hearted Man Johnson expresses what must "I'm a drunken hearted man, my sentiments of Johnson's songs found a response in genera- tions of black Americans. Although after his death his records did not sell particularly well, his songs were After the war when tion became available for the first time and the first electric guitars recorded Johnson's song I Believe I'll Dust My Broom.

The power and intensity of James' and his guitar playing This bitterness can even turn to old and young alike, have recorded have since the war reached a much In fact, where any Americans. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday January 14th, 1976

NOTICE!

STOP

Help Save The Youth of America

DON'T BUY NEGRO RECORDS

(If you don't want to serve negroes in your place of business, then do not have negro records on your juke box or listen to The screaming, idiotic words, and savage music of these records are undermining the morals of our white youth in America.

Call the advertisers of the radio stations that play this type of Don't Let Your Children Buy, or Listen Racist whites campaigning against Blues music the basic inspiration and starting point for every major development of the blues style with the tradi- tional folk music of white America, development of 'rock and roll' growing self-assertiveness of white youth in the emerging affluence of the post-war boom, and at the same lips of the establishment (until it rock and roll were far from incom- and even the Queen asked see Haley's film "Rock Around sixties two things happened.

them on industries such as clothes, records cracks in the system were beginning of the heavier electric blues of such The white groups removed much of the ethnic quality of the original records but what they were able to they developed in the direction of a different directions until 1s love and peace over the frustration of the Stones' I Can't Get No Satis- Who's My Generation, idealist philosophy of flower-power - a disillusionment helped along by the escalation of American involve- batons of the Chicago cops as they beat open the heads of demonstrat- convention, led to a renewed polit- with this politicisa- inantly white generation of singers was Robert Johnson. John Mayall, songs, giving them a modern treat- ment which reveals the timelessness of the blues and its basic adaptabil- Johnson's blues songs are not only selling albums by top rock music- A greater tribute Johnson "King of Delta the

TWO FACED OPPORTUNISM

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 14th January 1976 ened version of the article, they omitted some of its more ludi- positions notably its lengthy of White's "participa- the factory's tion" and its attack ittee set up the Joint Shop Stewards on plant, coupled After just over a year of manoeuvring and opportun- the "Trotskyist Work- ism, workers' Revolutionary Party has ittee". ers now reached the point where distort principled Tom White, its only member question in British Leyland's Assem- bly plant in Cowley, is aptly gripped ation throughout described the the last twelve movement in "mod- capitalist press as a months. foI reason erate".

WRP

from this leaflet. This fact is clearly a major embarassment to the WRP leader- ship whole, and General elections for convenot, as a G.Healy in particular, and Secretary who takes personal responsibility for every one of White's unprinc ipled actions. Even more of an embarassment is the fact that the WRP member- only play into ship and the readers of Workers Press are being given a story com- aimed discredit and pletely different from the

WRP

position in Cowley. This has their point where reached the a "moder- latest article in defence of White White by Workers" ate". They not explain in Cowley) (almost unread includes a number of arguments which would be rejected out of hand by workers in the factory, and branded a , while As a result, when they decided claiming to to leaflet the plant with a short- the FOr

REJECT STEEL SELL OUT

Last Sunday's "Sunday Tel- egraph" has a large picture of Bill Sirs, General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Con- "weary". federation looking Weary no doubt from the task of selling his members down the river. Last summer, after the proposals Monty Chairman of by Finniston, BSC, to catty through 20,000 red- Sits agteed to the com- promise proposals involving speed- up, waiving the guaranteed working 6,000 week and redundancies That was not enough. Now BSC plans 40,000 redundancies in a des- and perate attempt to break even, halt its financial losses of £8m a week.

TWO WEEKS

Over Management's new draft prop- osals which Sirs and the union leadership have two weeks to a battery of prop- osals designed with the sole purpose of making redundancies, speed-up and plant closure on a massive scale The major steel to ducers possible over the coming period. inflict the now attempting Bob Scholey, the chief executive crisis burden this on steel of BSC, stated clearly at the end of workers throughout the world, by the latest round of negotiations: increasing productivity, to produce "We have withdrawn nothing on a smaller output more cheaply and the question of redundancies.

Jobs At the same outbid competitors. still going to go." are have to time they clamour to their govern- "We accept plat there will ments for import controls each Sirs: accent that there Order Now! have to be a streamlining of the Saddled with leadership steel workers can expect nothing but complete capitulation to management proposals. The next edition of Socialist Press will be our first anniversary

SCRAPPED

of publication. To mark this occasion we will The management document pro- be producing a special 12-page the manning level poses to scrap edition with additional articles agreements, end once and lor ai and industrial news. the guaranteed workranteed shift overtime guaranteed

BACK ISSUES!

WSL PUBLIC MEETING

SHEFFIELD

We have back issues available February Ist, 7.30 The Mail Coach of both "Trotskyism Today' West Street "moderate' in distinction to approval. explain why originally convenor «guitable' endorsed White candidate convenot, Chairman why told the his polițics" supporting was "good steward"! 3. "publicly his inclu- Press) that White took a week to Justifiably confident reading the article, they state that denunciation because the deputies' elections were postponed: statement from White therefore, equally until after the New Year when it would have maximum effect ...

original ment had been to hold the plant trying to get other countries to bear the brunt of the slump. British Steel is not well placed to competition. Japan's most efficient plants produce 195 tons per man year and the overall output of the In of industry bese mies es the Even with the closure of less effic- ient plants on a massive scale and a concentration of all production in the top five plants the competitive not be restored. Massive productiv- ity increases involving speed-up and through in the most efficient plants he would be prepared to press for ing week if the other management demands are conceded by the steel the miniscule workforce that would be left after management's savage therefore clear. The strike action Socialist Press

LONDON

Friday 6th February, 7.30 Conway Hall Red Lion Square

BIRMINGHAM

Sunday 8th February, 7.30 Digbeth Hall ballots for convenor and for the seven deputies' PostLIOns all on the Wednesday. Parsons' same 'slate' was published on the Monday in preparation for this. In the event a late objection was raised on the list of candidates for deputy convenor, and these elec- tions were postponed - while the ballot for convenor was allowed to continue. What Workers Press readers would know was that the not deputies' election was not post- poned until half way through the morning of the actual day of - in fact some sections had already voted!

"WAITING"

So when Workers Press tells us White waiting for the post- elections, what they really poned mean is that he had issued no denial at all between Monday and the day of the election. actual And of course Parsons stood that day as convenor using White's name on his election platform! The leaflet goes on fraud- ulently to cash in code the mass mass to Ryder hostility the cipation" committee in Assembly Plant, claiming: 'Step by step we have exposed the attempts of British Leyland to draw the leading shop stewards into the participation scheme." And step by step has charted Tom White's Press headlong dive into that self-same and the

DATACORO

wence. WRP's activities in giving credib- ility to joint investigation 1tS already against cuts under way in Port Talbot and Corby Ebbw Vale, at Sirs and the widespread anger linked together betrayal be Illusl through a programme against Sirs and the present union

DEMANDS

This programme must involve a against management's demands TOI manning level agree- sharing on full pay. workers must pose the necessity for socialist pian for not from the world capit- To make this a reality the fight to open the books of the steel ind- ustry to elected trade union comm- ittees - preparing for full workers' management to run the state-owned as part of an integrated Ist Anniversary Meetings

LEEDS

Sunday 15th February, 7.30 Trades Council Club Page 7 committee! Workers Press contains a lengthy defence of this thoroughly reactionary position - but, knowing it would get scant support in Cowley, this is omitted from the leaflet. to further absurd lies and distort- But Healy cannot account for the fact that the right wing mobilised out of working hours - or for the fact that Parsons himself took the meeting to vote for White. Indeed urging them to attend! dropped out of the elec- voted for White against Thornett, the same right-wing bloc vote of Jim Barsons as had voted for WRP unprincipled role in the election, WRP claim that the election WRP leaflet was issued two days "news conference" that even right-wingers could see of the few people in the country Socialist Press therefore chall

WRP

Healy and the to following questions answer the unanswered from

OUI

previous Why was Tom White drinkin and chatting with Parsons aroun the same small table in The Swan pub in Cowley immediately after Parsons' victory in the convenor elections? did the Stalinists. vote Why WRP when the alternative was to vote for WSL member Thornett?

Why right wing, hours. before the meeting two meeting, decide to 5/293 branch withdraw favour of Paintin White? Is of it nationa policy

WRP

to 'participation* enter schemest the that this is done only to "expose" is it still WRP policy the scheme, enter iomt management mon committees when these are reject- the ed a majority work- force? If it is not national WRP policy, why has it been carried Cowley behind the backs of the membership? For our part we have opposed and still oppose 100% any partici- pation in these scab committees.

all WRP members to We call on take up these vital issues of princ- fight for the iple and remova from the leadership of Healy and White who have done so much to

UNITE TO FORCE TROOPS

In doubling the number of roops operating in South irmagh, and including am- ng the reinforcements 150 embers of the

SAS

who operate in four-man ter- Harold Wilson' squads, indeed move to main- security - the security British imperialism. The immediate pretext for this lassive intervention - the gunning of ten protestant workers splinter from the group rovisional IRA - has indeed been arefully singled out by the cap- jalist There has heen press. attemnt at the same the parallel me underplay ctivities of loyalist paramilitary which in the rec- urder squads, period of "cease-fire" have •med tar more Catholic victims the

IRA

has murdered real concern of British the nperialism has not been so much th sectarian murders (which the AS will no doubt now assist) but he IRA campaign against British oops which had overwhelming Repub- opport in this largely

SAFETY

The safety of Armagh's popu- tion will be no greater with the tention of the SAS, a gang of rofessional psychopaths, mined atrocities id provocations. Indeed govern- by self- aposed censorship of the press, ive not been able to hide their adercover presence all along and eir role in keeping the sectarian at of violence on the boil.

From the time they set up the arder squad called the Ulster cedom Fighters from within the DA in 1972, the SAS have used assination and bombing to fer- divisions between Loyalists Nationalists, and There is growing suspicion Oxford trade union- ong concerning the recent ¿GWU ballot to elect dele- les. to General Executive, atomative National Com- ittee and Regional Com- ittee - positions far more the Deputy portant than invenors elections splashed over the press.

ADMINISTRATION

The General Executive, in part- ar, administers the day to day 50,000 stame union and administration of the and is a sively more powerful position a plant convenor. The results show a hefty vic- two of the three-man of extreme right-wing can- put ates forward by the Ox- d District Committee.

TOP

Bill Roche, conventr of British land's Body Plant at Cowley, ped the poll in the contest for Executive, 3,500 votes of his rival, with dy 11,500 votes. ack Adams, a completely un- with right-winger only a MG Abing- dred members at topped the poll for Regional with well over 6,000 And Assembly Plant convenor, Parsons, who only polled 280 own plant, second to nationally known mph convenor Eddy McGarry.

Over 6,000 polling again What is unusual about these bate tension within: both the republican and loyalist ranks, all purpose of nipping in the the embryonic of most

DELA

moves towards class unity.

When it felt that the was Dublin government needed a little take a tirmer line against the

IRA,

special Kenneth agents crossed the border to rob banks and blow up public buildings; and night Birmingham pub bombs went off, who should be spending the night with the agent National Front provocateur, member and chief prosecution Watts? None other than witness, ( special army agent Littlejohn!

BRANCHES CALL

FOR INQUIRY INTO

'IMPOSSIBLE' VOTES

results is not so much the overall size of the votes, but the fact that in the local area, where the sup- port for these candidates should have been highest, there was an extremely low turn-out - much lower than in the last such elec- tions two years ago.

REFUSAL

This, combined with the adam- ant refusal of the 5/60 T&GWU branch to declare the figures from the plant ballot even to branch members (in breach of T&GWU rules), has prompted the growing enquiry call for a union into the This call was taken up first in a resolution passed by the 1,500- strong 5/55 branch at its meeting a week ago. The branch has dem- anded a complete breakdown the votes cast for Parsons in the Branch Secretary Tony Bradley "practically im- has described as possible". Commenting the 11,442 votes attributed to Bill Roche for National Executive, Bradley told the Oxford Journali "Harold Wilson wouldn't get that sort of vote. We want to know what branch returned these votes in favour of these people".

SUPPRESSED

But up to now, the branch Bradley's state-. resolution and ments have been heavily suppres- sed by the capitalist media, intent on witch-hunting Alan Thornett.

The demand for a full enquiry was backed yesterday by a unan- imous

YULE

won alreed

OUT OF IRELAND

The frantic activity which the murder of ten protestant workers has inspired in Harold Wilson does not indicate any concern for the What people of South Armagh does concern Wilson is his imper- strategy up and scrutiny in the Com- deadle mons on January 12th.

REPORT

This is the day on which the Secretary 0f State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees, the government position on the Convention report. Loyalists demand the return of Stormont government and

NEIT

reject out of hand the possibility of power sharing with the SDLP.

West the leader of the WUU con- Only a few days Harry firmed in interview that the position was unchanged: "How could any government work if it was forced to include people dedicated bringing down the state? It is a ludicrous the British To emphasise to government that it is determined own government and to have its to control its own security forces the UUUC have called their sup- rally at Inniskillin on Saturday, days before the debate on the Convention report.

obduracy, the Faced with. this British government dare not reject the per of its pint to ford the and it is part of its plan SDLP to accept it that the recent intervention in S. Armagh must be seen. The SDLP have so far capitu- Loyalists on every lateo to che issue bar two: they have demand- ed that they be included directly Cabinet the governmental level; and they have declined to meeting of the 5/293 branch, who also voted send the branch committee to Birmingham this week to lobby the Regional Committee support enquiry. €500 monthly development fund Even though the WSL is still a relatively new movement, and Socialist Press has only been in publication for a year, we have already established a clear pos- ition in the lead of the fight for principle and programme in the working class. Our monthly development fund is to enable us to expand the work of our paper to keep up with the growth of the WSL and its work. Please send all donations to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR.

WSL EDUCATION CLASS

LIVERPOOL

Wednesday 21st January 7.30 AUEW Hall Mount Pleasant "The Russian Revolution" to do (and we reject their meth- ods precisely for this reason), is bomb itself into a united socialist.

republic. give full support to the security Fighting for working class leadership in Ireland against the forces (the RUC and the UDR) while they retain their sectarian conspiratorial and terrorist pro- gramme of the IRA, which effect-

SLUCELIG

ively has no political perspectives By putting extra soldiers, esp advance the consciousness écially units like the SAS, into S.

of Irish workers, is inseparable from Armagh, government calculate that the SDLP will come our tasks in Britain. to terms rather than see national- ist solidarity surging back to the

BANKRUPTCY

SDLP

against the The situation in Armagh must outcome be seen as tne combined treachery of the SDLP Cooney's statement before he left and the complete political bank- which in the ruptcy of the IRA of its necessary whole history against British imperial- struggle ism has sought and found no way to mobilise the strength So after 6½ years of military fight for the working 1n national liberation. of political It 1S cess if they can manage to restore leadership which must be resolved the sectaman structute in the next period. A first step in this is to take up workers' defence in the fight for been the The huge non sectarian Armagh. march last week called by local trade unions to protest against the resistance to imper- sectarian killings must be made only be successful it led can the starting point of the setting up joint protestant-catholic independent strength of the work- workers' defence patrols with the preventing ing class - the class aim of sectarian murders The fight for workers' self- defence must be accompanied by the demand from both protestant and catholic workers that the

PROGRAMME

of sectarian troops, division, be withdrawn from Northern Ireland. Only in this But the unity of the working way can the road to class unity be class in this fight can only be se- opened up. cured by a political programme representing the international int- Cowley, cont'd from front page.

erests of the working class.

Even Mathers, was forced to go on ATV if we were to believe the

IRA

Midlands and denounce Parsons as British of cond bomb the an "alarmist, dismissing his alleg- Ireland, what it would not be able ations. This is clearly not enough. Trade union elections are not the

COVENTRY

property of the capitalist class or their They press. protected from such outside inter-

MARCH

ference. The Oxford 5/55 Branch of the TGWU (with members in the Cowley Assembly plant) has correctly objected to the factory ballot going ahead this week, Coventry Confederation of partly because of the atmosphere Shipbuilding and Engineering which it is of witch-hunt under Unions has called a demon- being conducted. Workers must fight within the trade union move- stration against unemploy- ment for any election which is the ment for Saturday January subject of press intervention to be 17th demonstration until postponed members are intended to be a harmless allowed to make objective of choice which candidate to support. And a renewed campaign was only thanks to mass must be launched against the postal ballot system of election.

stewards meeting that the Confed- These demands come into eration leadership supported the conflict of the will tae slaeg bureaucracy, the Labour govern- and since then no lead has been ment. and the employers. The independence of the trade unions mounting unemployment. from the employers and from the With only 401 vacancies in the state emerges clearly as a political unemployment now stands at principle which must be defended redundancies at Chrysler (5,000) if there is to be a fight to delend The WSL is in the jobs and wages. Alfred Herberts (1,200) and GEC forefront of this fight. These _Coven-

*FOOTNOTE.

As we go to press, it is clear in school leavers without jobs.

• Cowley that the new technique of the right-wing and the employers called for a Saturday rather than a - publishing in every paper a "re- weekday when the massive 'indust- commended list of candidates in rial strength of Coventry workers conjunction with a national witch- could have been mobilised. Every hunt - will produce a very high effort must be made to turn the poll and have a marked effect on demonstration into the ooposite the way many workers will vote.

ihtended for it by the Confed- Leyland's statement that if Alan eration leaders Thornett is elected it would mean Only a combination of working an automatic confrontation over strength and a clear policy his recognition, seems to make his can deal with unemployment. The unlikely though there election WSL is mobilising for the demon- will undoubtedly be a substantial stration around the demands for solid vote for him redundancies; occupations; Among the militant candidates, work-sharing on full pay; open the Bob Fryer seems in the strongest books; nationalisation under position to gain a deputy post. warkers' management and His election and every vote for a of useful public bloodile under these militant

CONCHA

works. would be a major blow at the All those who want a real fight employers and the bureaucracy.

defend jobs should join our The brazen perversion of dem- contingent and attend ocracy by the press in these Cow- meeting afterwards at.. be met by a elections must The Sir Colin Campbell fight throughout the unions to Nr. Odeon kick witch-hunters and those who Jordan Well open up the union to such inter- Coventry terence or condone it, out of the 1.00 pm January 17th labour movement.