Socialist Press no. 82

TANKER DRIVERS.

POWER WORKERS:

STRIKE NOW!

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 82 * January 11, 1978 * 15p March backs metal workers strike As 40,000 metal workers in Turkey enter their seventh month of strike, march their in Britain will travel supporters from Birmingham to London next weekend. The strike, based on factories, brought virtually has the whole meta urolcar inoustry of manufacturing industry to a standstill.

in opposition to IT Was Caned attempts by the Metal Employers Federation (MESS) to impose a centralised system of pay single, barcainina and scrap -exIstIne plant negotiatións. Avoided This would have the effect of weakening the 80,000-strong metalworkers' union, which is one Communist Party control in the Turkish unions. high stakes Despite involved. the turkish stalinists have steadfastly avoided attempts extend the strike unsons and nave actua nanada over contro or the strike to the bourgeois leaders of the 'left union confederation DISK.

CP-dominated rowever. une solidarity this march in with struggle-which from and passes through Coventry and en route tor London- should be supported by British trade unionists and cash aid for FBU Executive in session, chaired by Terry Parry Ene Strikers raised union branches. Turkish Prime Minister Ecevit's Bulent new coalition government has the won approval President Koruturk. The new government consists People's Party, Republican backed by two small right parties and eleven deputies recently resigned from the Justice Party. Thirteen 34 out Ecevit's ministries to partners in the coalition.

Two deputies In order to secure a vote of confidence Ecevit Ecevit increased the number of ministries and government The 10 the 11 right wing combin- LayC

DOSLS LO

resigned deputies. aton in une coalton and its National reactionary policies openly Confidence Party illustrate its anti-working now nave the govern- class nature. two acpunes in the The 11 right wing deputies ment and Democratic Party one ministerial post.

ana te two small right wing This gives Ecevit's govern- with Ecevit parties agreed New right wing coalition- formed in Turkey policies and "unite the nation" to get through the crisis. One of them said: "This is the last chance.

We to solve the are trying crisis of economic the country. If this fails, we must try convince the generals to take over". task the govern

ABO LEEL

ment must face is to end the political Violence has Inal greatly increased over the last two weeks. But the reactionary nature of the government is exposed when it declares both left and right extremists responsible for the violence it will use Stale forces against both left and right. This clearly means police and army will be used smash struggle ally WOLKeLS. Independent fight There must be no illusion

HOTO

Workers can only defend their standards and Iving democratic rights by taking up an independent fight against the government and its policies. The trade unions must be forced to break their support lor Ecevit. and workers must be mobilised independently to overthrow it The workers parties, the Communist Party, the Labour the Party, Socialist Revolutionary Party and the Turkish Socialist Labour Party must be broken politically from the RPP and its government and fight for an alternative government.

But the fight must begin today, mobilising the working class against the fascists and government allacks. United front The fascists can only be disarmed and smashed by building a united front of the Inside Ireland: the troops go in Centre pages Coming Out. • p.8 Councils of Action • p.9 Lessons of Metrolpole strike • p.11 goes through the motions votes in support of the fir men and verbal threats to t government. Thousands of oil drivers, who petro. recently took unofficial stri action, have been manoe vred by TGWU leaders in the way timewasting meetings wi goes at the FBU vote

ACAS

whilst Moss Evat General Secretary ele recall conference in seconded the motion at t Bridlington on Thursday TUC supporting the firemer the crucial question Both these sections facing the working class workers have enormo is the willingness of the industrial power and cou shut Britain down with leaders of unions with days. outstanding claims to call If the isolation of the their members out in month rule was ended a support of their claims. another section of worke joined the firemen on strik If the

FBU

conference both sections could be unit votes to stay out, such action through councils of action will be essential to break the struggle extend isolation imposed on the fire- break strike and wa men by the TUC controls. If on the other hand the This the only poli

TINAT PIOT 04101 2083191109

which offers a way to win t to work, the result will be strike. outcome of the squalid manoeuvring by the Discuss claim FBU leadership, have critical point calculated the Firemen must take to move in and recommend initiative and approach oth a sell-out. workers who sections Parry and his cronies on claims have been rejected.

the executive allowed Go to the tanker depo militant members anger to the drivers wane after the TUC refusal

DOTES

Contact the pov support them.

-DUL

•1IU discus workers ana demands those who claim. claimed to support the fire- The longer these sectio men and began carefully to delay, the greater the chan cultivate the view that that they too face betrayal "nothing more can be done" the uc and by their o Impression leaders in the fight against t And by leaving a week Such a campaign wou between their recommenda- completely Credit tion for acceptance and the conditions for the fireme recall conference they strike and show the way f allowed the press to build up ward for the whole work an impression growing class. forces for acceptance only acon to destroy L Whether or not firemen 10% limit can prevent defy this pressure and vote on Callaghan-Steel governme hursdav to relect the offer.

with its plans proceeding their first job must be to clear impose Phase 40I Wa execu- Out me reacondy controls, and force a split tive committee which from this wage-cutting Lib-L the outset opposed the strike and after losing the vote has spent the whole nine weeks Beware biding their time for a sell-out But one lesson trom attempt. FBU strike is unmistakeab Scottish FBU militants hit strike by even 98% solid offic the right note this week when a whole unic they lobbied their regional showing the utmost committee with the demand tenacity, sacrifice and det "Fight on-with

LICW

leaders". mination of its rank and Their next job must be to members can tounder it t leadership shrinks from step demand that consequences of ponucal all-out fight. claim to support them put Power workers and tan their words into action. drivers beware! Militancy 100,000 power workers not enough. politi who took unofficial action leadership last November are being held prepared t front the bureau back by extended negotia-

CONGRESS SPLITS OVER

Page 2

- INTERNATIONAL

TACTICS

The tensions within the Indian Congress Party reached breaking point By DAVID last week with an organ- isational split in the party

WHITFIELD

ranks. Strain has been increasing since the electoral defeat last as hostile to the interests of March ended the the walkin its working Class Gandhi dictatorship. Congress predecessor. Atter failing to gain The thousands of workers control of the who have moved into strike wally duudi- atus, Gandhi called a meeting action in attempts to regain declare the living standards slashed 'real Indian National by the dictatorship, have met Congress'. with betrayal and repression.

Already a third of the this has movement Working Committee (the gathered strength, landless party's highest policy-making peasants have come into body) was in support of the violent conflict with the big former Prime Minister, and landowners, they have this is probably an accurate tried to implement the long- reflection support retorm ortised 1a00r throughout the party measures themselves by land save them- Build party seizing selves from starvation. At the meeting Gandhi announced that she had been Dramatic growth 'elected' President, but only for In this turbulent situation while, and that she would build there has the been a aramatic 'Forward to with the slogan growth support for the Socialism' radical parties of the peasan- Both groups and those which claim groups LIy. to be the 'real' Congress have struggline regional

LOT

autonomy or independence as now expelled each other. These moves the the misery open up imposed by the international possibility of re- Major alignment of the dominant dominance of capitalism The developments same political parties. The last major split within have had a major impact on the parties of the working- the Congress took place in 1969 class. engineered by The Socialist Gandhi. Party George Fernandes has found Landowning itsel: not only Ormous anti-working class character Janata coalition Lne which it participates, but also squeezed into insignificance industrial by struggles within = cuestion ol the coalition. anilicts, despite practices of the Huge fall a dership. The fate of these :=0:s iav in a disagree- which tactics collaborators been has i he applied to preserve paralleled by the huge fall in the pro-Moscow bourgeois rule. support for Gandhi's Communist Party of India, zere clearly seen in the CP(I). * zorking class policies CP(I) provided The the :: == 'Emergency' dictator- most outspoken backing for 5=3:9 5-77 the Gandhi dictatorship, and Man: of the forces which now continues to hail ever is :a: struggle in 1969 are fallen the be found in three of of the 'progressive Header *= are parties which form bourgeoisie', though its pro- == -ing Janata coalition.

nouncements have become 1•2 janata bas been under less frequent and more feree internal pressure since cautious. ottice, and sections There have been mass But this agreement appears =i well seek to renew their resignations from the party's breaking to be under Istraton with the Congress base, especially in the states pressure from *a led by Brahamananda of Gujurat and West Bengal, • Lie tank and file membership: Reds: inere was where they the have taken no such alliance in the recent defections to Mass opposition form oi state elections Tripura Communist Party (Marxist).

where the CP(M) won a The coalition was swept = power last March by the Denounced link Neither has yet party apposition to the declared its intentions for the Ga= it: dictatorship. In West Bengal the CP(I)'s February elections five offered youth has any organisallor Karmataka Slales. *... → programme to resolve ucnounced InK with where the Janata government either faction of the Congress and social has imposed direct rule from chems of the workers and may well luse with the Delhi, claiming that the fight- CP(M)'s youth organisation miseris. and its ing within the Congress had shuitle in pathetic The consistently made the state government struggled against the dictator- _encour- ineffective. =e=: of imperialist invest- ship, but its reluctance =e=: ind ald. to attempts at mobiise independent Complete chaos sashing a stronger native strength of the working class But nothing reveals more 1s as determined as that of the CP(I). sharply the development in 1: is moved to abolish the the political situation than Popular front Mainten- the of 1m nated regrouping the 29:e :: Internal Security Act, Naxalites. wno were inrowr While the CP(I) remain in E a i nas ensured the political and into complete Fate star. if less fragrantly the popular front organisational chaos during state powers with the government of Kerala, the CP the emergency, with sections C-==a Picredure Code. (M) used its absolute majority supporting Gandhi while the T== MISA was consistent- in West Bengal to institute a regime impsoned and killed with lent iront government mcinders dna sympatnisers n leaders. Ine Janata and h25 a concerted campaign The socalled Central 1rd enes 2E0:0 Mrs Gandhi. She split the party after failing to gain control.

doubt attempt resurrect the CP(M-L) in the image of ancestor peasant- as based guerilla movement. As the Indian workers and peasants are drawn daily into conflict the increasing with formidable array of Stalinist and other forces striving for their political controls, Callaghan has combine a relaxing tourist with business

LILD

designed aid the Indian British bourgeoisie, and betray the international working class just little rurther. British Labour MPs such as Foot and Lee were notorious for theit eulogies the Gandhi regime, and Callaghan even sent her a telegram of her electoral defeat! His an vIsit so include with this architect Interview of oppression, a step not yet by any visiting diplo- taken mat since legal proceedings were instituted against her But Callaghan his SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11 January, 1978 The British PM will also be attempting to enforce further trade restrictions such as have already been imposed by the protectionist policies of the

EEC

the Indian textile industry. The economic interests of British capital and the British for state are vital the the of Indian bourgeoisie. the heavy aaaltion to of British investment based multi-national companies, aid for 1977-8 is to total £144 million -ar increase of 30% over last year and of all cual tel bilateral aid provided by the British government, which is the largest single donor of aid to the Indian State. Major advance This im perialist interven- tion is central to the oppres sion of the Indian masses.

major advance in the fight for internationa! 3:0l213=20 revolutior Bates: CP bids for place in Tory cabinet It now seems certain that the Italian Communist Party is on the point of sliding one stage further into the slime of class collaboration. Since last July Italy has had undeclarea coalition government, the ruling minority Christian Democratic cabinet Dele supported in office by the CP and other parties in exchange for an agreement the government's programme. This agreement is now on the point breakdown because the essennially working class is saying louder and louder that the govern- ment's unacceptable. The CP and trade union leaders, therefore, see their leadership the working class threatened unless they can wrest what appears to be from the concession Christian Democrats. Convince workers The only ways in which they can now hope convince workers that it is furthering their interests is by demanding a formal place in the government. popular front this grand coalition has been the official aim of the CP since Italy's last general election in June 1976 Now, however, is the first ume inat its leaders have been seen to push for seats in the Cabinet as an immediate objective Now is also the first time that some oi the Christiar Democratic leaders who have been publicly hostile seem to be changing their oper class coalition governmeni including the CP would te the first of its kind = 37: VATO country since the anti- ill dul Communist alliance in 1948.

German loans Until very recently however, it has been vetoed by imperialism whole, as a Nixon, Wilson and Brandt (who has arranged German loans to meet the more pressing needs of the Italian ruling class).

Carter Callaghan, and however, appear to have more flexible approach and the improve- ment in Italy's balance of payments (the result of the country's slump) has deep treed Italy from its financial dependence on Schmidt. The expectations of the capitalists and the CP leaders the 'historic compromise government cannot be high. Wage cuts would be explicitly committed government austerity measures, wage cuts and measures to force speed- • up in order to restore Italian capitalism's catastrophically low rate of profit. As the CP and Christian Democrat leaders deliberate on how best force the class accept the sacrifices required by capita! we union leaders nave pos the poned threatened genera! sike ig=s

Pakistan martial SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11 January, 1978

INTERNATIONAL•

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Dictator Pinochet's 'referendum', held on January 4, was mainly a manoeuvre to strengthen his personal position in relation to the rest of the dictatorial regime. of Under renewal working class pressure the Junta is beginning to show of strain. Over the last few weeks Pinochet has come increasing pressure from two 'Weakness' among the military from officers Pinochet has been 'weakness' criticised for the face of the rise in labour militancy of the period. The of the sympions 'weakness are seen to Pinochet's offer at a meeting of 600 stooge race union leaders faster oi a rate ol increase (at money wage time wirel liliallon falling), and officially promise at the same meeting "review' of 60 case Ine who were cacked Hilli Defiance of the Martial Law Regulation, restrict- ing political activity and strike action, still contin- ues in Pakistan. thousands 2op industrial thousands industrial on wOrKers Multan, killing five and injuring two. workers protest, Multan have demonstrate 2ve3 day Arrested figures The issualty feared be much higher. the trom

CHOLACIS

textile factory in Multan are still missing. 10: arrested people were Peshawan Mandan, under the charge of "planning = demonstration' CHILE: yES

FASCISM: NO

DENOUNCE

THE RIGGED

REFERENDUN

Chile referendum according to plan during the recent strike at the El Teniente copper mine. Pinochet has

CONC

from fire former of the members Freedom hatherland and whose leaders movement, want to become the heads of a civilian base organisation in support of the dictatorship.

Too isolated The military, they say, is too isolated from the people.

Pinochet these answered with his internal asseuicis referendum. Voting and voters were asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' to the following proposition; the face In national aggression unleashed against the Government our country. I support Presi dent Pinochet in the defence of Chilean dignity reaffirm the legitimacy of the Government of the Republic with sovereignty the to lead country's process of democra- tisation'. 'Result' Pinochet decided that the most convincing result for contain made in order demonstrations for the PPP's Democracy Day planned (January 5), for calling Bhutto s release. • ana lor an early general election. has ate governeal continued manoeuvres to such a referendum would be 'no' and 5% 75% 'yes', 20% spoiled papers. So that is how the 'result' turned out. Oust rivals Pinochet clearly regards this as a sufficient answer to certainly his rivals and in 'successfully' ahead going he the referendum WIll have scored appears victory over OLel Generals of the Junta who had publicly opposed the referendum. It could be, therefore, that Pinochet is on the poml or attempt to oust all poten- tial rivals in the military.

'No more elections' dum he gave an example for the 'democratisation' which 75% of the population had allegedly voted. There would be, he said, 'no more elections, no more voting and no more Chile for another tations 1n ten vedis, be in no He seemed to doubt that he would by then « be ccrac law defied leader before the promised election. Pakis As the pro-Moscow since proved inability to provide a viable Wali Khan, 'national' leader, leader of the the defunct National Awami Party (NAP) has been bailed out of jail by the Hyderabad Special Tribunal as an alternative to leg! weze. 14 of its leaders. his upon immealatery Wali Khan release began the with negotiale Statements far show SO Page 3

WAR IN

S.E. ASIA?

chean ambassador in Pek The all-out verbal war equiped than the Vietnamese, announced that Vietnam who have Soviet and captured which broke out ten invaded deep into Kam American arms including days ago between chean territory. many aircraft. Kampuchea The Vietnamese leaders (formerly Hard to believe has admitted that Cambodia) and Vietnam but t It is also hard to believe occupied certainly reflects many it has said, was in self-defe widespread reports of a full- months of sporadic continued food r 'Vietnamese invasion of against scale border fighting between by the Kampucheans Kampuchea whose objective call the two countries over is to seize the capital Phnom- Vietnamese negotiations on the disp install puppet the last year. Penh and has been echoed by Mos government. It is at the present time which has blamed the disp would Such move impossible to know whether on provocation by Peking contrast very sharply with the than this more Hanoi began by presen leadership's Vietnamese of the because continued stress in its public the dispute as one of the unreliable nature countries and ca brother statements on urgent Tone reports. on the present Kampuch government to join an Ir Chinese federation of state Vietnames, Thailand newspaper later characteri the Khmer Rouge "reactionaries'. The Chinese Vietnar has hinted that noStrung Treng territorial ambitions fanned by Moscow, Cambodia has called for tiations. 10 Kratie It is a few only Pe since delegations and Ka Vietnam 15Loc Ninh trom Phnom Penh chea received dramatir different receptions. Neak Luong of Ho Chiminh City Taken • New alliance Pol Pot, the Kampuc leader, was public honou PossIble the Chinese leaders, who arranged new between the Kampuch and the military dictato in Burma

HIGHWAYS 7

Peking also tried to closer relation mote between Kampuchea and need for a negotiated settle- It is almost impossible to pro-Chi right-wing ment. believe, for instance military dictatorship of fighting reportedly made Most the claim by Thailand been in Kampuchean radio appears to have And Vietnam too has 30,000 region known as the Parrot's that January out its diplomats Beak, a part of Kamphuche Vietnamese (and

SOIRE

in capitalist support had been which juts into Vietnam and soldiers Soviet) within sixty miles of region. killed or injured in one day's Vietnamese fo The Ho Chi Minh City. fighting. Nguyen Duy T The Kampuchean leader- minister Astounding hurried long made the has ship has around the countries of nationalist complaint that This would be astounding reactionary imper Vietnam over the last in view of the fact that the sponsored ASEAN allia century confiscated rightfully Vietnamese armed forces con Indonesia, Phillip Cambodian territory. sist of an army of 615,000, and Thailand Malaysia plus 50,000 frontier security It has rejected plans by the dispute Behind this armed militia guards and Vietnamese leadershin for an the desperate material I of 1,500,000 while the Indo-Chinese federation of the Indo-Chinese m "Vietnamese imperialism" Kampuchea Kampuchean army not especially 80,000 much than The latest words wal

COT

11101 C is calculatea to lave . and much less well broke out when the Kampu- the most economically ward countries in the wo The leaders of the K - In brief - Rouge from their imposed isolation the entirely internatiol perspective which woul to resolve necessal y

TUNISIA

Build leadership The leaders of the UGTT (the state-sponsored union Nor, despite their call federation) have called off Vietnamese Stalinist bur federation, can General Zia-ul-Haq the phosphate unions' dispute He might not however, be even though the government racy tied up with the inte able to enjoy the leadership Stalinist bureau has granted only some of its the of the National Democratic of the

USSR

offe demands. But the atmosphere Party

(NDP:

front for the convincing proletarian of dispute has now spread to illegal NAP) as a single organ- nationalist conception o agriculture 24-hour ised formation. socialist unity of Indor

NAP

Some prominent agricultural workers' strike the unity leaders who were granted bail part of

MOZAMBIQUE

socialist state of the worl him, have refused to Both Vietnam and Ka leave prison until the martial The of governmen chea must be defended b authorities agree to law Somara Machel has workers' movement the consequences of compen. nationalised-with attempt by imperi any operations the military sation-virtually all the inter- to exploit this conflict jazed out by Bhutto from national banks. the the vici against imperialism in 19 are moves towards and bur lt i omy wroug

THUGONCEL.

POLAND

building of truly revolu sphis affecting the PPP and ary leaderships in Kampi Fourteen leading CP mem- Omer and Vietnam and a pol factions jockey for position.

bers, including Edward Ochab overtur Meanwhile General Zia has First Secretary of the Party bureaucracies that Drol managed to secure diplomatic for a time in 1956 and later internationalism and economic aid from the Head of State, have written material needs oi the I "third western bioc and trom

World slump at root of dollar crisis Trade war measures stepped up to cut US deficit These figures show that the At the bedinning of 1977 WalteR ortes oogonie orowrt here was much discussion in the severe rate, which was also compara- •roblem was most rapitalist the forth- Western Europe and worst of all tively high, was maintained only press of dre al mne kos ou a oasc tode one year later, they deficit. Treduenty tor experience. Ie looking back on the wreckage economic miracle 1977- At the beginning of the year Britain. a coke wnaever noodenea. the official forecast was that the One characteristic common Manufactured goods USA would have a balance all the major capitalist deficit in 1977 of 3 bountries in the last year has been Japan's high illion dollar: relativery allure от ine crowin or ine growth last year was economic i ue event ir turned out to (onamy reach the levels to despite fairly stag- be 20 billion dollars, an unforseen thich were being officially pre- disaster once nant home walker

LOU U

„o e ve oc. again been shattering confidenct Share Increase une export manufactured goods which has in the dollar given it a huge trade surplus.

The international value of the dollar in terms of other currencies I VUe tade wal wicasures recently taken against Japanese Talen about liro in tne lası exports the and the six months. US European Economic capitalists have been Community wil make it increasingiy ditticult •vlee our yao to coolu this growth this fall. through exports. Some, fearing domestic infla- wanted it oTOle _à•ove NaVE the world capitalist economy stopped. also shown by the fact that the Others, especially exporters Officially expected Outcome for growth of Gross 1977, latest Product National OECD estimate earv vel

USA

4.75 Japan 6.5 W. Germany 2.75 France 4.5 UK 1.5 0.25 Healey Jones talks his way to a wealthy retirement on full pay Asked he why was warded the Companion bf Honour award, TGWU cader Jack Jones British investments aDrod Innounced it was because ana allempling io win trade of his national role in co- union bureaucrats overseas to his own class collaborationist with the peralng buslIuls porernment. He treading well- ine searl! correct. worn path of many American *resucratic actions labour bureaucrats who nave e mainstav oi the accepted lavish CIA handouts ihe government's international speaking 10] aaas s: wage control. tours. Lib-Lab coalition Recompense Except that Jones will be Jones role paid not by the US bourgeois government but by the Ludi British Lib-Lab coaliton. Not tr.em- much Companion Falt:y Honour as a companion of Capitalism. Jones has had ihe nerve to Jones that claim he accepted the litting a finger to do anything royal bauble behalf of' to raise pensions-has made 'on the trade union movement.

preparations for a well-heeled Workers had who have :ettement tor himselt He that he more than enough of Jones' has arvedu should join together policies doing some with one voice - through lecture tours for their branches This ve:nneni UlIUN shop stewards' 10e a lor

CUR HILLCCS -

and give Jones clear scr vc[ ions as to what he should do and those that compete with imports, have seen the fall of the collal _orotectionisi device which also cuts real wages.

The Carter administration has Imcit V cone aiong With ine tater position be dot lars verin dollar's value, also nooite That worsenie international position would twist the ang oe energ onir ss into.

which, passing barte Hints WIll solve Ine oro blem by reducing oil imports.

Carter Fleet Street had a field day last week 'exposing' the doctor who allowed lesbians to have children through artificial insem- ination. The dreadful threat to their immaculate conception of family life was supposed to chill the marrow in our bones - despite fact children born to lesbians who have no sexual contact with men are by definition wanted children. The .papers dragged out their right wing 'outrage' including Jill spokesmen Knight. Acceptable? As one lesbian mother told the Observer, (which rejected the gutter press approach): "Does she think it would be acceptable for somebody like admitted myself-an lesbian-to have sexual inter- course with a man-which I find repugnant, and then give birth. Would she like me to resort to picking up a man on the streets?" Women and who mell offices invaded ot the London Evening News to protest at the story made lesser headlines. The Daily Mail for example, (which operates from the same building as the News) did not carry a single word about the Cheered Orviousi! they fee! it petter keer 3000T thess :amds is:mes But last week Carter same up against the contradictions in the policy of 'benign neglect" told i •articular e Arabia that unless firm Nauo was taken to stop dollar's slide, Saudi Arabia woute cease to argue tor stability in the oil price monetary 'swap' arrange- ment Was nurriedly made witt West Germany, and old reactivated, give

LI HE

• Federal Reserve Boaro AMerICu (the equivalent of the Bank of England) of reserves foreign witn wuch to dollars in the market and hold up the price This policy worked wonders- zor orecsev one cav On Friday last the value of the dollar fell back about as much as it had risen the previous dav Relunctant The announcement of the West German baling-out operation was, marerore. not enouo The Government seems reluctant to actually use the new toreigr exchange r nas • ace utrec to buy dollars. doubt it fears that the

FLEET ST. LAYS DOWN

PHOTO. Mark Ruches TE. Confrontation at the Evening News as protestors demand the right of replyto the witch-hunting article.

The protestors were cheered by some of the journ- alists on the Erening leirs and suceeded in forcing the ÷ the rege s luanase ici! sieh: : iner. .: .. the STERrE ihe ittiie 30. 3• *- *=*:- MP !# Kege 1::2r:= wechescor e sondor.yi material forces putting down the dollar that these extrd reserves mav last no time a all and so worsen the situation.

Contradiction the Federal As an alternative, Reserve had raised interest rates attract speculative finance castai lute une lo This new measure carries the contradiction that it may tend to H•i dowE une cerev re wreed level of capitalist investment It has that at been calculated 2.36 National Product of the Gross

USA

will thanks partly Inulatio!

, VOT LH

Tikt ulme ermi the annual level of 2,000 billion dollars The fall of the dollar and the valure or the united ties cron talism to lay any new foundation for secure expansion and accumulation NOWeYBT. succes this 'event" not greeted with much waving of the stars ano stripes One symptom of capitalists reaction to 1978 is that last weel exchange The Wal treet stoei index fell to below 800 for the first time since 1975.

FAMILY LAWS

propaganda programme, Questions. began bl' dețending the H OIC/l ( () howis protest trom the zultenee String which win d blowing ht us A vnvr rarde rerica nn ¡tcls assure the audien- "i unuis: Wi ?. rose taa!

Audrey Wise retreats again Tribune's opportunistic SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday Il January, 1978

LABOUR

PARTY

The dead end futility reactionary pursued ously of the evolutionary road democratic parties peddled by to socialism every countly is plainly Labour 'Lefts' their collaboration with wage latest illustrated in the job-cuts, cuts, social service cuts of their shabby edition laws union weekly journal Tribune. involvement Contrasting the depth of coalitions-Tribune crisis with the the capitalist around for another answer.

'left', of the fortunes Thinks' Tribune 'What bleats plaintively column 'Why not the Leit in the continues, ascendancy everywhere?'. the Deliberately ignoring Stand by to shed a tear President. for ex-NUR want my expertise Dave Bowman. Up till last week he had all for up the trappings of his £4,000 uniform". a year union post, pius une prestige of an 'important' job.

In short, a man to look up to.

will spend wild Well, And week! months on the footplate. 101S things are not quite so hot for this loyal servant of the trade union movement the Robert Burns As his job came to an end To a Haggis in dialect, forward he formerly reward. Nothing too grand. Just a simple management job in the department, == sonnel Communist strikes and keeping amping and is the kind of wages. But ior some inexplicable former ?e has been scorned member having = management colleagues onto nis Jod back sent nim the pay is so lousy! tootplate of a One reason Sundar leadership id think I could do time to do its job. seems Firemen and their sup- porters demonstrated in Coventry town centre on 6 January as part of their campaign for a 30% rise. Coventry Trades Council helped organise march and there were from Rolls banners Royce and the LPYS small-perhaps Though 100-150 attended-the demonstration retlected the matter of 'leadership'. If only the working class is given the paper 'leadership' then all will be different?. would mean Such a view that the grovelling reformists ranks of the the swell Parliamentary Tribune Group troop into cease lobbies time and again Lib-Lab the support Coalition. Obligation would mean them their obligation to accepting the Coalition and fight break of the for the removal Tribune meeting Callaghan/Healey leadership- socialist putting forward a policies vigour- alternative to wage controls by social and mass unemployment. In allis much for on the globe-

LUC

Tribune to swallow. ing all thought of a fight for speed principles the editorial goes and anti- on to point out the yawning and LuCi left reformist gulf between bourgeois theory and practice that gropes renders them impotent. "To put it very bluntly the left has its utopian vision and 'Leadership' analysis its very proper capitalisms failure, but its 'Is it possible', the column from of transition as some

LIC

Conccol ultra-Left argue that it is all a other to the

PRESS GANG

End of the line that someone in the Depart- moment the Execu- The ment of Transport does not tive sellout became known As it is the strike went into the past I have already been measured the newspaper his engine columns and Parry and elevated were The Express felt sympathy the status of statesmen. for poor 64 year old Bowman Sunday Times- But the support for resolute policies-was cutting wage "Mr Bowman, a lively and having any of this soft nOl cultured man, who can recite The promise of pay next talk. epic poem year outside the planned 5% W do much limit was

LOC

of the member swallow. Communist Party and fought seven elections on its behait.

'It is right to be pleased But he resigned from the that the firemen's strike looks Party in 1970 but not with the like ending, now regarded wav it has been resolved ..

from being a trouble maker".

Even as Ministers are them- It is not just indignity of a that yet selves Party of pay restric- another phase back it 247 a week : to tions will be needed, they are special out exceptions'. solution? If the The ** * * * why the FBU unions want to avoid wage must learn to control needed week s their claims- wage grace before the recall con control using the Basnett formula or ference was to give the press permaneni wage iontrols. on firemen's pay fight highlighted by a speech at the determination of the firemen the to continue their strike.

end MP Audrey Wise looking The interviewers, for cracks in the strike came wnse organisation away disappointed. Wise refused "Indefinitely" should To the blunt question government's offer (although "How long can you stay she did ask firemen to look received a blunt out?" they with considerable skepticism reply "Indefinitely" on promises for the future" of But the problems and "take note of the public political perspective and the support they had"). of the firemen's Hiducuudly In place self-styled supporters' was dead end fying . . "minimal' of decadent Fourth advances a system tional demands, PHOTO: Andrew Wierd Renom fact that decisively they and directed The the transitional of the task systematic revolution'. Heffer What incoherent. For these cynical oppor- offer to tunists this is simply a round- tive? abore should be not or saying about way They 'capturing policies But for socialist appealing Trotsky showed in the Transi- the tient for Programme real tional the fight nature of such 'socialism'.

Two parts Social win out. 'Classical Democracy, functioning in an progressive epoch of nineteenth capitalism [the divided its century two parts into programme of each other: independent the minimum programme doing itself which limited within the frame lation reforms bourgeois society, of ageing work maximum virtually and the which promised tacit support programme substitution of socialism for policies indefinite indefinitely: capitalism in the 'In political nIC. Between the minimum and the maximum programme no existed. And indeed policies. bridge No has Social Democracy way. need of such a bridge, since theorists alternative'. word socialism is used the holiday speechi- only for Two million and suffering hand of government whether alternative. PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report ship' will But "majority' 'minority' Tribune lead. scorned such a gramme Callaghan of denunciation wage "left controls and rejection of the march by firemen line that case" merely praised the "special she threw in the remark that she of the strike, take doesn't view government pay whether the fire- policy "with any particular sympathy accept Pernicious But Wise sidestepped all The the questions. whole emphasis was on the of her earlier the claim was fact that "just" the "skilled" and the even more pernicious idea that: way "There's can defeat the government whatever form the firemen, struggle takes". But Wise did call on the trade movemen financial support

TUC

the and Casuale General Council for views of the reflecting labour movement. She finished her speech by calling the firemen Insofar as the old, partial "keep united, keep deter demands of the for faindakes because nin masses clash with the destruc- fair wages because you job is important to us" tion and degrading tendencies capitalism-and this occurs at each step-the International of transi- me sence of which is contained in the openly will be the very against bases of the bourgeois regime.

Superceded old 'minimal' programme is superceded by programme, which lies in mobilisation the masses for the proletarian (Transitional Programme Wise Folrose Ed. • pp8-9) Her speech, for all do the weaknesses, was well receive Tribune opportunists have to by the firemen but this clear perspec- they are wa dilemma summed • up afterwards whe to a T blather about of them said Orie minds' and and "Our problem is we ve go characterising getting at no way government" socialism in grand armchair debate Wise could ha Audrey which the best arguments will solve that dilemn begun to with a strident call for indu trial action on wages alon Gradualists side the firemen and a cle of her intent statement Like the gradualists of the break the Lib-L fight little-known Socialist Party of coalition, drive out the coal Great Britain, who believe in ionists and fight for a ne until a Labo nothing in the leadership majority of the whole popu- Party. to its She was not able to ma has been won banner, Tribune call because she such its that clearly not prepared to leac auces for Lib-Lab struggle with such revolutio will

COLLUC

ary implications. that terms means the Left working hard Colquhour to convert the majority to its other 11U little band of -baled out provides an Alternative? Labour's national organis ion committee has ruled ti unemployed the successful attempt to fifteen million the move Maureen Colquhoun cuts at Wagi the Callaghan-Stee Labour candidate for

• VOI

wonder North at the will hampton election was unconstitutior Tribune offers an leaders The Labour 'No self appointed 'leader- have learned much from lead Tory infiltrators at desh be where the majority will not the way of tactics follow, blusters Tribune: have paid particular attent the the kind of techniz neither to Cal used by McCormick and L follow unless prepared to is in the courts. come forward and give a clear Having lost she fizar i has openly task, thus constituency. ramming home the need ior eaucrats hare rulad is: ward meeting a bere the i a Trotskyist leadership based process began had bees st on the method and demands Pro- with insufficient 201k* Transitional The commitie commending ibe: To build such a leaders is the task undertaken by he executive houn'sappealse Jean Workers Socialist League

reland

ROOTS OF

TODAY'S

CRISIS

PART 10

BRITAIN SENDS IN

THE TROOPS

The in capitatem op flict of interest and a period disfranchised him. of North-South economic co- like Derry capitalism places the Unionist operation began. Party only and, which contrasted nelo Talks between the two control by gerrymandering heavily industrialised Premiers, Lemass and O'Neill the electoral ward boundaries • in the North-east of began in 1965. of (30% the Reaction Unionist and with an agrarian- to these talks elected 12 within Unionist Party while 70% ed the councilors. economy in the was extremely hostile. elected 8 anti-Unionists).

of the country, was Right-wing petty bour- gradually alter after Homeless elements led the geois by establishment of the Paisley used these lan Resentment among the thern State in 1921. talks as the platform for Catholic community against campaign to remove O'Neill, he decline of the this discrimination broke out who regarded as being itional Northern was

1H0US-

the question of millany over (textiles, ship-building housing. engineering) in the face Housing Action Com- acreasing toreign compe• in Derry Mullet wan set up continued throughout agitating tor homeless period, but reached families to squat, and organis- point in the late 'fifties ing various protest activities.

large scale lay offs of cers However this was these restricted to minor incidents ted unemployment such blocking the road skilled ng Protestant kers as well as Catholics.

The Civil Rights Campaign only developed Into a mass Subsidies movement after the demon- stration in Derry on October the time the 5,1968. inern government was soning its traditional Barricade ectionist policy and ting a strategy of attract- This march had been foreign the Home Affairs Investment banned bv William Craig. Never- minister 1958 Control of the theless the organisers decided ufactures Act, which to proceed. that majority 2,000 strong march holding in

RUC

any was stopped by 200 should remain in barricade about possession of Irish capital- from its starting point. Paisley police cordon moved was repealed n Anglo-Irish trade agree- "soft on Catholics". behind the marchers and the i was concluded in 1960. police front launched a The actual progress of of development baton charge. O'Neill's policies stment and trade between This attempt to smash the did not bear this out. Civil Rights O'Neill had campaign at its Lemass, LIKe not only Brians 1963 been inception opposite since wooing ude towards both effect to that intended. multi-national plations of Ireland, but march over the same to invest in Northern Ireland ically changed the However, his route on November 16. 196& policy between North and attracted between 15,000 and

IVILS

establishing efficient trans- th as well. 20,000 people. facilities port to mainly Protestant areas in the East of Attack Opposed interests the six-counties, rather than the depressed Catholic The crowd was only crucial factor in the like Derry, demon- prevented from attacking the areas. oi the Northern State in strated continuation barricade protecting irs: place was the diamet- the policy of discrimination the city centre by the inter- opposed of Protestants. vention the Citizens of Belfast Action Committee, an organ- Discrimination of middle class Isa liul. hie the Southern native Catholics. whose role was Lo alists needed Male unemployment the demands of the in restrict Derry and Newry remained at colley ( a maior part of Civil Rights movement to the and subsequent around 20%, democratic ones of "One Man whereas in the e Rule campaigns), such Protestant towns -One Vote". exceeded 3%. would have meant They attached themselves death for Northern Discrimination also to the movement in the hope was s:. wholly dependent applied allaining Suare with existence of a housing qualifi- their Protestant power council CaLIOl Better nam ¿evelopments of the The elections meant that refusing other main demands intermined this con- a person a house effectively of the Civil Rights movement, "One man, one job" and house" "One man, showed its real content. aspurations Catholic working class were not for formal legal equality with the Protestants, but for end their economic an deprivation. The demand for "One man -one got sharp nouse edge not from discrimination Catholics, against but from 1967 the fact that houses at all had been built in Derry! "One man, one job" The demand derived its force camonn mccann alter the reopes Democrac from the increase in unem- ployment i almone areas While it was necessary for socialists to demand an end discrimination privilege, it was even more important to recognise that Protestants many had the of living in "privilege" 19th Century houses, unfit for human habitation, "privilege" the and working for wages one third lower than that in the rest of Britain many socialists willie formally recognised this, they y march from Belfast to Derry in /Y?.

failed to develop this recog- programme Illion which could have provided a concrete alternative to the legalistic of the Culiar Catholic middle class. Demands for a programme of useful public works and for work-sharing without loss of could have pay posed solutions to the housing and unemployment • situations which could have decisively broken the endless protest demonstrations the Stormont pressurist government 'redirect investment' to Catholic areas.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11 January, 1978 Protestant by their houses that The develop party the Civil Protestant republican conspiracy. These organised Civil physical Ised Queens from The hundred Loyalists, large gang these emerged Michael graphically Square called United of an alternative this Hisalle reliance on bourgeois on Derry by

RUC

OI people lne alca "vigilante' even provided the establishment defence guards. measure strong over and within Catholic 3T21. Lne Isolated But the failure of the lett wing of these bodies, notatly Derry Labour Party the Young led Sonalists Eamone MiCann. to develop realising their :: Protein and isolated their influence to the Catholic ghettoes. The crisis of August 12, 1969-after the Apprentice Boys march through centre of Derry provoked full scale rioting in the Bogside...

CAPA1 41 041641 O

The RUC besieged the area but were held at bay for three days by stones and petrol bombs. This challenge to the Northern state machine by Catholic LNe the Chichester-Clark government into chaos. The Southern Ireland under Jack government by forced strength of for the support Northern Catholics to dema- gogically Stormont wall that: . that the Irish government can longer stand and see injured and innocent people perhaps worse. he However merely established field hospitals on the border to look after the injured. had the actually but over the important

RUC

that Northern This not to Was the protect volatile where the The of both Ireland cies and Britain. The of the Bogside the of the The of the Derry While claimed this recognise their immed- drawal. engaged in SuCH "Remember what qualitative

RUC

the the British However bowing the Conscious- ness of the by groups became the Group Its paper, 30. August sagely viass. The was but way as a 'leadership' be 'exposed' The working class Northern Ireland would supposedlv have to experience to teach them the *83: nature British The IMG certainly weren't EMere en inem. he article actualiy states this: "Bogside as well as Belfast will learn that real indepen- aoes not come in tne form of British troops. International Social- the SWP, in ism group noW their usual slavish response to the eusting consciousness of the masses retused to even adopt the equivocal

IMG

stance. their thered are Soondi state- Protestant working class and the astounding state- demanded their immediate unconditional ment that: and with- "The intervention of the drawal. British troops only allows a The failure of the tiny temporary breathing group of SLL members exist- space which the defences of the ing in Ireland in 1969 was to Catholic community can be relate this principled position strengthened.' concrete practice of to interventior around asemes Tacit support transitional demands The IS went on to carry an have brought would interview with a Mr Ray Bur- them into head-on collision with the demands and tactics nett, , saying: of the Civil Rights leadership.

"When they | the troops] arrived it was Little different they were a lot better mean than the bastards of the RUC Outside of the develop- and the 'B' men". ot demands for class This tacit IS support for of the jobs and

SOULIONS

the

HULCVENLO

housing questions, their case involved them almost for workers' defence guards, comic reversals policy. although formally correct, In the period before the seemed little different from military intervention in Ire- the existing defence organis- land, Socialist Worker carried A military policeman watches a parade.

constant statement of The Anglo-centric orienta- general policy called "Where of the British

SLL

tion We Stand' leadership prevented the Before August 1969, its development of such programme for the Irish secuon on erasm rea "The Labour Movement ov their wholesale export of the positions of the must demand ine immeclare recall of British Troops from British organisation. abroad as first step 12-14 the August towards ending colonial situation also precipitated a exploitation". crisis within Republican movement. Their orientation after the 1956-62 defeat of the campaign had been under the influence of British Stalinists concentrate on economic and social issues. Stageist Under the leadership Cathal Goulding, the IRA had adopted a stageist conception 'first' reforming the Northern State and 'then' fighting for national indepen- dence. Their turn to reformism had driven the hard-line nationalists opposed to any pontics- particularly of Cathal Goulding wing variety-out the movement. Even within ranks Their dissension the political But after August 1969 the existed. The turn August We Stand" column where 1969 situation brought this read: conflict to a head. "Opposition ism and support for all move Vindication The inability of the IRA to defend the Catholic areas, neither at the time nor since, particularly in Belfast where reveals the deep-going oppor- two Catholic streets had been of this group burned down vindication views contusion within the working that section who favoured a purely military approach to objective needs. the national question This section found support The Socialist Labour unexpected League (fore-runner of the three Fianna Fail among Workers Revolutionary Party) the Southern correctly the use of Sa W government, Blaney, Haughey troops by britain as the pre- and Boland. Tude increased repression right iand- wing Page 7 ..Newsletter The

WEEK

END

Lucas

ULSTER-ANOTHER

workers fight on

VIETNAM?

OLD By The Ei Tory-Labour support for Chichester-Clark Withdraw or Prote

PUBLIC MEETING

Conny fastered a saure, W. C. 1 SLL's Newsletter of August 23, 1969 denounced the sending of troops. The Newsletter Withdraw troops NOW! Czech workers

MILITARY RULE

courageoushy fight Stalinism

IN N. IRELAND

Strike proposa

PUBLIC MEETING

conway Hal, Road Lon at ?

Starts 1:30 samar. W. C. machinating behind the army convention the 1K A scenes from early 1969 for a militarist section walked out split in the IRA. the against proposal to end abstention in Financial support the elections to Stormont, the Dail and Westminster.

They offered financial The dissenters formed the for separate

SUDDUTI

Northern Provisional Army Counci o1 command, which the IRA under the leadership would drop the left-wing and of Sean Macstiofain. orientation on the North. In December 1969 at the "Choice" A similar split occurred in the Sinn Fein, the political The split was in no way a principled one. The "choice" was merely between a bankrupt Stalinoid straight- TeL OTISM anC forward nationalist, anti-com- munist militarism. Neither wing offered the revolutionary leadership to defeat imperial- necessary ism in Ireland. Concluded next edition

IN REVIEW

REFORMS AND

THE FIGHT FOR

GAY RIGHTS

A review of 'Coming Out-Homosexual politics in Britain, from the present by Jeffrey Weeks, the nineteenth century to published by Quartet Paperbacks at £3.95

VONENS -

Ten years the ago,

CONTINGE

NEENE

Sexual Offences Act legalised homosexual between males activity 21. But since the over passing of this 'liberal act, there has been an increase in prosecution of homosexuals. *Ossment shin line sachine police barrassment and of who 'come. out' gays the day-to-day deprivations and restrictions experienced by gay and men alike. The recent prosecution of blashphemy Gay News for followed the press witch-hunt 200,000 join march against Anita Bryant and for gay rights in San Francisco.

Thorpe, and in the US. Bryant has launched sexuals, who resisted all these fascism. Anita the campaign against homo- attacks in various ways. form of self the major different in character-slowly • Crudly "decency'. defence was the creation of coalescing during the long thoroughly the homosexual retorm move- Localised

DOOM

War Over the last century, in its politics and ments. reformist If we see them separated generally these have fallen into three conser valve from real historical develop- especially so in Britain, where distinct phases. ments, there seems to The first emerged in the its activity centred on of the 19th establishment new about such last lobbying the qualies attempts to. and closely with discretion and decorum.

century -was homosexuality. with both the This polite relationship bound up Homosexual behaviour has was rudely shattered in 1969 growing terrorist movement been present throughout and the beginnings of Liberatien history, and the reaction of Movement scientific study of sexuality.

different societies has ranged the Stonewall riot New York. from total acceptance to the associated most vicious repression. Increasingly But the with the counter-culture and social 'the Movement, Gay Libera- homosexual орестів and sub cultures tion emerged along with the groupings and the Women's 'New Left' has been far more localised the advanced capitalist Liberation Movement, placing In nations the late a neavy emphasis

I YOUL

century the growth of such a bravado and individual was deeply liberty. iTooted in the massive trans- Chaos 'formations of society were produced by the petty-bourgeois Typically Industrial Revolution. politics at once utopian and reformist. Crucial Liberation Move- The Gay ment has been in a state of Urbanisation, and above political and organisational all the changes in the struc- chaos tor several vears now.

of the 11u ¡unction and Coming Out very family were crucial in shaping of that closely produc this Foress crisis. curgecisie did moi in numbers of Increasing 25! Particularly Germany, in recognised that nave tmta..... where the movement was at attempting to reform capita- homosexual STONeCOL. list society way 11u formed dist resolve their demands links socialist 11050 They turned in adve movements. varying degrees, towards revo- From 1897 until the split socialism, and as a seneer. reformists and revo- member of Left (ral W..Ra2es. German Eric: Weeks represents collective Democracy consIs- part of this new orientation.

C accu Ene repeat ol =ase iegislation. and the Partial story Party continued Reform movements - machin up to 1930. remadonal move- In Coming Out he -e=: chapse: almost totally attemots to provide a history the seteet indicted on of 'Homosexual Politics in =:: ©=::: • .... the the Nineteenth stenghen moring Britain, from .111 Century to the Present', but, Betrayais Sialri= the as he comments himself, the Gay Rights rally in Seattle last June.

MIMENS

partial book only a story'. It is not so clear that he the recognises why story 'partial' in a way that makes as frustralig it is informative. Material basis reform homosexual movements cannot be under- stood without analysing both the material basis from which they have the sprung and political of widen Tante responses and activity which developed alongside them.

Weeks partially recognises this necessity, and surrounds the move accounts with framework ments them commecls and political social wider developments But this framework too robust itself 11011C and provides only occassional flimsy support for the central structure. enticingly However Militant/Karl Bermann garnished, the book remains a collection of essays on related themes in social history.

Weeks not whal Ilas the recognised Could which is fundamental diction to the attempt to present a history of the reform move- by concentrating

SINCE L

the movements heavily themselves Basic failing do They simply sufficient autono- DOsses.

CULMILL!

of tradition for this to be a viable approach basic failing

ABCI

accurately parallels the p pol- tical weakness of the lutionary elements in the gay liberation movement who insist autonomous political organisation. This position has its origins as much in the atti tudes of supposed revolution- socialists the recent past, as in the internal history of the gay organisations.

Weeks points out that the socialists for the support of demands of homosexuals has exclusively been U1. the basis of support for legal reform The inadequacy of such a position was sharply charac- terised by Lenin: 'He who forgets his obli- to be in advance gation bringing everybody up, sharpening and solving every democratic problem gentldl is not a social democrat' What is To Be Done This level of support was expressed clearly enough 1917 the Bolsheviks wate repealed all the repressive of the legislation Tsarist autocracy, and only • coercive sexual behaviour remained punishable But democratic legal code does not ensure tree- Garde Cotalusi dom and equality-at level the dictatorship or ine proletariat was merely accom- nishing the democratic tasks of the bourgeois revolution Sexual oppression and the of sexuality distortion are inherent in all forms of class society. They can be abolished finally only by a development of forces the productive sufficient universal end and allow the develop- walll. ment of socialism. Hampered But in different societies these forms of repression are present to different degrees, and the task of the dictator- ship of the proletariat is to life and socialise domestic replace the bourgeois family

UNIL

Advances undoubtedly made Russian direction by the Revolution, but they were by the severeiv hampered economic and political blems lacing te revoration Even these limited gains were ruthlessly and inevitably by the Stalinist swool away bureaucracy: in 1934 homo- sexualitv once more became a criminal offence, with heavy penalties Opportunities The lessons of the Revo- lution and Stalinist degenera- tions in Russia must be fully developing thorough Marxist analysis of sexuanty and sexistl The opportunities to make such an advance greater today than they were for the Bolsheviks. experience of the restoration of the family in the Soviet Union must be enrich our political used to of sexual undelstanaug oppression In developing and putting into practice gation analysis, investigations bourgeois science (particu- and anthro- larly psychology pology) cannot be completely Insights They also be need tc employed the alongside insights provided by the feminist • recent movement in Out way 120 completes that vital project.

together his but in Digg own research with previously Weeks scattered information, has provided a useful source.

The homosexual reform movements do form a signiti 20th cant area century politics, and at present there is no fuller account of their history in Britain. be cannot

BOOK

recommended for its analysis (or its price), but comrades will find information a valuable contribution. By DAVID

WHITFIELD

Militant/Lou Howort

OUR

POLICIES

COUNCILS

OF ACTION

First part of a two part series on the historical experience of Councils of Action. Councils of Action was small, isolated, and Party, Tom Quelch, was divided, were the names given to especially before the Chairman of the National setting up of the Communist Committee the all-inclusive local workers set up by Partv in August 1920 Convention establish the organisations set in up In the meantime the new councils. Britain on a number of horrors of the imperialist war, Banned the inflation and the speed up occasions during the in the factories increased the great class battles in the Conferences councils militancy of ordinary WorKers years that followed the workers and soldiers were the union branches, the held in a number of towns 1917 Russian Revo- Labour Parties and the Trades throughout the country. lution. Councils. In Glasgow, a meeting was They represented banned by the police and the First impetus advanced form of organi- one in London was broken ur for struggle and by hired hoodlums. ILP like implied challenge to the The first Leaders the

COT

reformist leaders the expand on the local workers' Phillip Snowden were also working already hostile to the new organisa- moverrent orcasanons even to the running of capi- was provided by tions, and the existed Leeds Trades talist society itself. meeting known as the Leeds Council was driven However, because they did Convention, May called in that their conclude 1917 to commemorate the propagandist' not mature in a way lal was promising promised at their birth, it is February Revolution could 'best be done by work The Russian Revolution was the inspiration for British Councils of Action.

necessary to say something Russia and attended by a existing organisations about their Wide range of delegates from The ambiguity of function nature limitations. various working class organi- of the all-inclusive organi- The treachery of the sations including 207 from sations 1917 ot not CHOl leaders of the trade unions local Labour Parties prevent the development of a and Labour Party trades councils. number similar bodies supporting the imperialist war The most important during the in 1914 and agreeing to limit decision of the Leeds Conven- struggles of the period. wage increases and strikes, led Lon was to set up councils to a series of revolts amongst of workmen and soldier Strikes rank and file workers. delegates. According to one of the January 1919, two Outmanoeuvred future founders of months after the end of the Communist par Transport Robert •war a number of strikes took stewards' The shop Williams of the big engineering place movement provided the most Workers Federation, these centres for forty hour militant they "to break the influence response, were

BUT

working week. were defeated by their lack of of the industrial "machine" Belfast the Trades political perspective and out- Council and according to Sylvia Pank- constituted itself manoeuvred the end by hurst Workers of the 'Council of Action' to run the and Socialist Federation, strike. they leaders. were to prepare for a provi- was apparently the Many militant sional Government like the first but use of the phrase, looked leadership in the Kussian Govern- arrangements were seen for example in Hudders- Indette. bu: tield during the railway strike len Council November 1919 committee compri- :. presenta directly affiliated' which dis- dealing with the cussed regard existing situation in provisions and other necessanes The first time that Councils of Action leapt to national prominence was August 1920 during the cul campaign against the War of Interven- tion imperialist forces against the Soviet Union.

Development It is significant that the development of new organi- and new Salions poncies in the workers' movement coincided with the defence of the first successful workers' revolution. In May 1920 dockers in London refused to load a ship called the Jolly George with munitions • to be sent to the Poles to fight the Kussian Red Army. Later in the summer possible that the seemed British Army might itself be sent there to help the Poles.

After a series of local demonstrations, a meeting on August 13th of over 1000 representatives of various different working class bodies and including all the main trade union and Labour Party leaders, agreed to strike action in the event of the against

CALCISIO

wal Russia. 'Strictly limited' national Council Action was set up to support and propaganda for MaKe these policies. The national leaders of the unions and Labour Party who were members of the Council began to negotiate with Prime Minister Lloyd George him to call off the persudue war against the Soviet Union.

the same. time, they called on local organisations to form all-inclusive Councils of Action, carefully pointing out that their Manuale was strictly limited', and the new local bodies were 'not in any usurp the functions Trade Union Executives, ot especially so far as the with- drawal of labour concerned. Councils of Action The local Councils of Action set up during the next few weeks usually by urdues executives, Labour Parties anu union orancnes, louna l necessary to go beyond their instructions in a number of ways. Firstly they did discuss action. Ernest Bevin though they did not carry it out. The Liverpool Trades Council Executive for example decided to use all possible means in its power to stop recruiting and transport of munitions'. Secondly, the Councils of Action tried to up Lake other those than for which they were originally established, notably opposition to the war against Irish independence and unemployment. The third way in which Councils of went

ACTION

beyond the limits set by the was organising Beauers themselves perform functions not generally considered by local workers' Sub-committees Thus at Merthyr Tydfil a network ot sub committees was set up to cover every of life the Outast workers. This to be salo necessary because 'the normal functions of trade unions are over and there no to take up the machinery functions in a systemic way, preserve order and carry out necessary administrative work'. It was actions such these that led the Directorate of Intelligence to write to the Cabinet on September 16th that the Councis of Action 'taking on more the form of Soviets' and that in some places they wett 'forming plans for the seizure private and property means of transport. TUC 'left' Cook This was not really true but what obviously causing concern in the highest circles was evidently the plans to exempt essential services in the event of strike Speaking in the following October, Lenin drew out the significance th same setting up of the Councils o Action. Although it did not cal itself a soviet: 'that is what it was. It wa the same kind of dual power under Kerensky from March 1917 onwards'.

Possibilities words, it opened up revolutionary possibilities.

though it did not necessarily get near to achieving them Even though local Councils of Action remained existance until well into 1n 1921, the national Council of Action was disbanded as soon as it became obvious during the previous thai British troops would not be war against vo ver in the Soviet Union by Poland.

In the years from 1921 to 1925, various forms of joint activity showed the momen.

possibilities that

LOUS

remained In April 1921, before the leaders Railwaymen ot the and Transport Workers indic ated their refusal on "Black Friday" to support miners in their fight against wage cuts, many local forms of joint action were discussed tor the widely expected general strike. Prepared permits In Birmingham "Joint Trades Emergency [IO] Committee' was set up which prepared permits to allow the essential goods transport and also food vouchers to be issued through the cooper- alive sociely. well as a number of similar schemes during other struggles in this period, National Federation Trades Councils was also set up during 1922-3. This came increasingly the influence of the under Communist Party and opened the possibility of a chain of within the command trade movement separate from the reformist leaders.

Control However, since neither the rank and file trade unionists who set up the new Federa tion nor the Communist Party could see the possibility of acting independently, the bureaucrats set up in 192 a so-called Joint Consultative comanile Councils which has served to retain their control unti the present day. By John Docherty.

CP defeated on policy

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

SPEKE STAYS OUT

AGAINST SPEED UP

Shop feel that the full time officials who have supported the 9-week 4,000 workers at British Leyland's Triumph plant in Speke, Liverpool, are beginning to change their position. The reason for those doubts the leaked statements claim- HOTO: John Sturrock, repor no at Leyland's new managing Director, planning sudden the ment last October to honour the provides for manning levels to agread prior imple.

SUDACI

agreed temporary arrangement. The following clauses are at asud. "Difficulties associated with Manning Levels, methods, equip- men lavour eva orou ability which are raised will be discussed objectively and genuine and constructive attempt made to resolve them. "If these difficulties cannot be resolved representative of management and the steward (s) agree temporary arrangement on which will continue further study conducted." The conference called This section of the agreement last Sunday by the Liver- Was Substantial _oostacle Trades Council pool in Leyland's drive for speed-up and total management control of man- support of the firemen ning levels. provoked a very import- ant discussion on the way forward for the strike. The motion from the organisers in front of the 160 delegates-half of them fire. men-called for general support including a one day solidarity strike on January 16; this was modified by the authors to read "a one day strike it by the caned lor

FBU

recall conference Ull the 12th". opposition this policy was an amendment, moved by and Bucks seconded by Darlington FBU, calling those trade upon Edwardes Liverpool dockers on The January 8 of mutuality on voted over- manning levels whelmingly _ a demonstratoe to continue we contin sendean working the strike which has shut Ford's Halewood and in the Triumph Spake down Merseyside Docks Harbour Company. as Leyland attempt This to attain is the first major strike by Liverpool dockers itself imposing for four years. The strike was provoked before by Luristmas management refusal to pay men of the twilight shift who Talessin

THIS CALLS FOR

DESPERATE MEASURES...

AT union leaders who say they support the firemen to call their members out on their own claims now. main Moving Terry resolution, Fields new member of the

FBU

from North the execute West voted who against acceptance of the deal, made tanker oIne mention 110 drivers or power workers in a 45 minute speech. The successful amendment said: 'In order to break the isolation of the firemen and win the full claim it is crucial that other sections of workers action now on their own claims. This conference therefore calls upon all sections with claims outstanding, in partic- Dock strike continues they claim left early to catch neur buses. The two involved men went on strike and manage ment reallocated their work to other gangs without going through establishec procedure. involved The issue management clearly challenge to the measure of control of allocation oi gangs. Dock Company have The

WE FEN

-, 57. 2t

...DAILY RAG? LOOK, THERE MUST BE

A WEAKENING IN THE SIRINE SUMCWIL

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE

FIND IT AND

(COVER IT!)

Scanlon attacks firemen last Sheffield At the the

TUC

Finances

AUEW

Shop Stewards General Purposes Committee decision to accept the 10%.

December 4, Hugh on they were the Hugh Scanlon was AUEW we would lose no time invited to give his retiring getting them back Stalinist- speech by the work", he added. At this point uproar broke dominated District Com- out, with militant stewards A speaker from mittee. shouting him down, much to the FBU was also invited the embarassment of the to attend. communist rarty members The meeting of well over Scanlon had the audacity to publicly attack the fire-- 100 stewards then voted full support for the firemen and men's strike for not accepting ular the power workers of the was wrong to point the finger EETPU and the tanker drivers at particular trade come out leaders. What was now alongside the firemen to was "general solidarity break the 10%. Moving the amendment, Further delay would not Mick Rowlinson from Bucks only the

FBU

leave brigade argued that the only would isolation but make effective way break the their own claims much more isolation of the firemen was difficult to win if the firemen for those sections with claims are ocalen outstanding Both the

TGWU

and now. supported the hare One day solidarity strikes men at the TUC. Now is the he said would solve nothing opportunity for them and the and direct away from real rest of the 17 who voted with action. the firemen on the General Supporting the amend- put their words Council to Alan hornett. a dele into action" gate from the 5/293 Branch The amendment was that since the pointea out Lib-Lab coalition was formed bitterly opposed by the Com- munist Party controlled plat- in order to continue the wage control policy it could well The chairman said that it that policy was destroyed This motivated the Tucand the fact he and the official leadersnip ot the trade day unions since one of the strike, to ensure its tried to force independent isolation. arbitration but this has beer No mention rejected by shop stewards On January tug- No-one who held the view boatmen, shore gangs and gig that the present government boat men voted to black any must be supported above all ship attempting to leave the else could in reality support port, so the docks are now at the firemen a complete standstill. Eddie Loyden, Today the remaining pledged "left' MP his full 2,000 dockers who work for support to the firemen but independent firms came out that the went to sdy in support. must government protected at all costs He defended one day strikes and made no mention of the tanker drivers or the

MORE MASS MEETINGS...

power workers.

MORE EGGS FOR

WRP

The moved 6 al.

POOR LEN.

calling for «scheme. "campaign to bring down the coalition conspiratorial which government was narrowly defeated The conference, although small, provided the forum for important discussion on the forward for way the .. SO IYE DON ALL I wi strike.

NOW IT'S UP

is essential. now that the perspective in the Bucks- Darlington amendment, which was carried overwhelm- ingly the concicie taken into the recall confer- ence on Thursday and used as the basis for rejection of the offer. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday Il January, 1978 passed overwhelmingly WRP-sponsored motion calling for the setting up of a Council of Action based engineering union branches and stewards committees back the firemen against the 10%. The Stalinist-dominated District of Committee done nothing about course, Not a single AUEW banner seen on the local was to be firemen's demonstration the following Saturday week despite official invitations from the FBU. In fact the District Com- mittee in its minutes covering the quarterly have seems to meaning of the reversed ane stewards' vote. Clearly, however, most of the stewards who voted for this motion also want to fight for it. Action This fight for a delegate council of action must be taken up in every engineering branch in the area,

WHUN

directing against the treacher ous District Committee and fighting for real support for the firemen. means engineers organising action to smash the 10% themselves. Only in this way the fight be broadened to include out other areas of the local labour movement-most importantly the Yorks miners Camden Council of Action The of development support for the firemen's beyond mere struggle words was shown by the setting on 3 January up of a Council of Action in Camden. This followed • discussions within the rades Council local Labour Parties and the FBU in the area, all of which coordinated and centred on real action in support of the strike. Meeting A letter from the Kentish Town FBU sent to the rade: Council December during urged setting up of Council of Action and Camden Labour Party Secre- John Braggins, the tary as result of discussion in the North Party

GMC,

wrote to the Trades Council Secretary Dunnett urging joint action. The result was a meeting held on 3 January between the Trades Council Executive four of the representalves Camden FBU branches and the Labour Party. Demonstration The Council Action have now published a leaflet calling demonstration on Tuesday 10 support January, and in general terms for industrial action. What is necessary now is for a further development of this policy directed at those union leaders and 'left' MPs who have expressed support Other groups of workers in Camden can now approached notably the large number of NUPE members in the area to take part in joint action to defeat the 109c This struggle will go on whatever the outcome of the Firemen's Recall Conteren=

Harsh lessons of Metropole strike SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11 January, 1978 Wednesday front in support for previous On the wage control policies, played before Christmas the 11 a leading role in forcing the week old at the strike 12-month rule through the London Metropole Hotel

TUC.

ended in defeat and the Wages Council sack for the seven members of the General Aside from this, they have for Municipal Workers many years actively and participated maintaining Union still out. low wages in hotel and cater- Since 10, after October ing by propping up the class over 200 voted to strike for a collaborationist Wages minimum wage, Council which sets minimum une Metropole dispute passed the industry wages for and through a number of phases had by October and inevitably, critical turn- already produced proposals in points where decisions its Green Paper for a paltry had to be taken. £4 rise rates scarcely above £30 a week. Tendencies Quite apart trom their dishonourable Tested out in this struggle, long 10% record of sell-outs and 'sweet- which challenged the limit and TUC's heart-union' style agreements the pay with the likes of Trust Houses -monin rue were nor ony the hotel workers themselves Forte, was inevitable that 1t they would take any measure and the fight against their

METROPOLE HOTEL

SLAVE

LABOUR IN THE

HOTEL AND CATERING

PHOTO: Mark Rusher, IFL

E50 MİNIMUM

INDUSTRIES,

• FOR ALL

WAGE

WORKERS

OlE. leaders, but also to defeat a strike own necessary of challenged number political strangle-hold on the indepen- tendencies. Drawing a balance sheet of dence of their membership.

the strike and in particular No support it holds for the lessons militants who will be involved the Despite assurances to the struggles from hotel industry, must mean at officials before the Llle ine same ume an assessment strike began, within days it the method and pracuice had become clear that otticial of these organisations. from support It is important to place the would not be given. of the Metropole strike On the contrary, Tilston, in its political context.

the union recruiting officer, who had led negotiations 12 Month rule with the management, Lib-Lab The coalition secone night trea unsuccess- 3 strategy of a 10% Phase fully to get the strikers to dis- limit on wage rises had been band their picket lines. shortly The following day regional nIroonced Delore along with the 12-month rule.

Romp instructed official The GMWU bureaucracy, them to return work. who had been Though these attempts failed the tore- Steel sackings plan 1200- 20% of the complicated by the fact that workforce will be strong at moraLion held at the Weir Group's Hadfield Osborn steel- major Cathcart complex in founders in Sheffield are Glasgow. threatened by a manage- The likelihood is that the ment of Communist Party announcement will follow planned redundancies. 40 leadership there the notorious example of staff and 250 shop floor Airlie their comrade James jobs are to be axed. at Govan Shipyards and turn Management are blaming a blind

WULATIO

"fall in orders for this latest problems in order to "save" attack, which aim Will their own skins utilise 'natural wastage' and But the fight remains vital.

There must be no question of voluntary crudit v erode resistance in the plant.

blindly trade unionists The necessary tight accepting they made an impression on the weaker sections who had in the main not been active on the picket. combined effect of The back these being driven to work and others who left jobs elsewhere found only 60 strikers remaining.

from then on it was clear that this which number, was by to awinale hunter. themselves could not win.

But what had happened Metropole was the not taking place in isolation from eisewhere. In fact 11 soon became apparent that a wages movement was build- throughout the 1112 London hotels workforce raised mass aCLO around the £50 minimum wage as a real possibility The fate of the Metropole claim was to depend on the spreading of the fight to these other sections of the working class. It was this assessment and which had been perspective fought for by supporters of the Workers Socialist League within the Hotels Action which, from the Committee, earliest days of the strike, naa given assistance of strike bulle- Production tins, appeals for finance and for the pickets was organised from its regular and Action But it was on the key issue mobilising action on the £50 wage other of groups catering workers that the Action Com- mittee concentrated. orders. And if orders are falling, then the answer to be fought redundancies for not "voluntary" otherwise- full pay but work-sharing on divide the reduced amount among WOrK existing workforce with no loss in earnings Nationalisation This must lead the the nationalisa- demano loI all tion the remaining private sector firms steel industry. Workers in a majority of the city's largest hotel chains, including Centre, Rank and Grand Metropolitan had, by now, submitted claims for this demand. That this figure though GMWU official policy considerably below what could be considered a decent living wage vital call for an inflation proofed cost of living clause) is not, in itself, the issue The fact was that a strike already Was unuciwar this policy and its unifying effect created conditions for many thousands more to be brought out alongside them.

Super-profits In this sense the stakes high under threat were not only the super- profits of the hotel owners but the far from remote possibility of such a move-

SAYS

CATERINE

HOTEL AND

WORKErS UNTE

THE

FIGHT TO SPREAD

SUPPORT STRIKE I OFFICAL BACKING

Now!

STRIKE METROPOR

THIS

Mass picket of the Metropole ment spreading beyond the industry and linking up with those others opposing Phase 3. All this was not lost on the GMWU national leader- ship and they quickly organ- ised to head off and derail the pressure that was building up.

Adjourned Centre Hotels, among the best organised of all the hotel chains, were their first and biggest problem The workers London branch had a policy of action unless the claim was met and negotiations seemed unlikely to produce conces- sions from the employer. The GMWU's tactic was simple; to prepare a claim in excess of the £50 send in Fred and Cooper, the National Officer, play The outcome was three-week adiournmen the

TOI

to 'reconsider' and company setbacks

UTSI

ol similar left the Metropole Which isolated. Grand Metropolitan's claim, submitted as far back was two months as Augusl later, found suddenly by union officials to have been 'mislaid'. Rank Hotels, And whose workers had previously thrown out compromise deal were then able convince leading shop stewards in the company to argue for the 10% rapid balance ing was clear that the balance forces was swinging heavily in favour of the alliance of bureaucrats and employers, and Metropole were not slow to recognise it Pag:

•INDUSTRIAL NEWS-

MELY US

HOTO: Laurence Sparham, It u

OUT SAVE LIT

IN THE HOTEL FLATE

ESTABLiSHMENTS GREAT BRiTTAN company had sent out letters urging the remaining strikers to return to work. With a new •situation developing the danger of isolation was grow.

and the possibility of ing saving the jobs of those still

E NEED

out would not last long. Sacking A report at the beginning €50 of November that the GMWU officials were attempting to reorganise the union in the hotel was further indication that sacking was imminent.

Unlike struggles over basic where union rights - the SINGer numbers involved are almost subordinate the principles at stake, a fight on wages provides room for Centre Hotels, they 00 tactical retreats have been an important f Certainly, when forces preventing the sell combine to make victory there impossible the major consid- Support eration must be to get back inside and begin the work Though she argued t when the to prepare necessalv came the new situation the strikers at every opi the view taken Workers Socialist tunity for a return to w by the League, and in fact (while at the same argued by a WSL organising and decla openly Action Committee public for member at support meeting on November 5. strikers' continued fight to stay majority voted Accepted By the end of the follov week the company circula The only option open dismissal letters to the do apart

ITOM

unis would be in the unlikely event of the or so wiio remanicu By the fifth week of Kank Hotel membership over strike the main questions their leadership's been fought out and deci support for the 10% at meet- At about this point and f ings early the following week.

then on the Socialist Worl Ranks voted to accept. Party began to A battle then broke out dispute towards Ine between those who argued increasing activism. the tor

LOTS

position Metropole Strike leadership Echo itself, and in particular John

GMWU

Bruce, Senior Their anti-polit Steward, who refused combination of Discos accept either the assessment fund raising activities at or the conclusions. expense of any attempt wl was, however, not the soever to offer either anal first time the call for a return or perspeclive. not sundas to work had been made. In ly found an echo with th sha fact atter the first tew strike weeks Cleatel it had come from the Workers their distaste for a scient Revolutionary Party, who assessment threw considerable resources Unfortunately, struggle into the strike and had now even for those who influence within it. not, it was too late. The strike ended in dem Counting heads alisation and defeat, all more so as what was ther Their call, based complete- be salvaged was lost as w ly on an impressionist 'count- experiences are method ing heads' giving time to consider ne allu tailure to grasp the dialectical For theless. those relationship between forces lessening of pickets at inevitably be driven Metropole and the build-up under different c

CONTICE

of a movement in the other ditions new strug hotels, was correctly rejected emerge. with justified hostility Subsequently, WRP's the involvement was negligible, though supporters in WIll

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

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More Phase 4 talk

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Racist speech from bench High Court Judge Neil McKinnon placed himself clearly on the same platform McKinnon, stretched out as kead belore and aller une the hand of friendship to Jury acquitted him under the fascism last week by dis- 1965 Race Relations Act of missing a charge against intending to incite racial hatred. National Party leader John Kingsley Read. No doubt Read-who told East an His summing up left no End audience 'One down, way one million to go" when an He told jury was to decide. Asian youth was murdered in them: 19/0-was sel Tee "You have got to look at words "I wish you well". the circumstances and Rubbish have got to dow loicialiul and freedom of the individual otherwise we are al caught in Judge McKinnon delivered the of dictatorship, grip a statement lauding British repression and slavery. and saving that "The fact is that a large racists were right to protest number of our forbears went agalist Infilligta lion. They their abroad. took "By all means propagate families, they made their the views you have but try to avoid invoking the sort of homes and they worked with the local indigenous coloured action which has been taken against you". population. the affection Such was McKinnon had already (!)engendered by those told the all white jury. forbears the local defence objected to one black indigenous population-in the that the evidence McKinnon against was wes hones. Jadica. Guyana and many Bermuda, rubbish and vague In June 1976 400 people other parts the world- that no sooner did the white nade sitened on eas Read make man grant independence and jokes about wogs freedom to govern themselves well as the and coons" as than the black man wanted to infamous remark about an the man youth who had been England. knifed to death. Never week is a necessary-and obvious- without further of economic passes Doncul and social signs that a fourth phase planning of crippling wage Wilfully ignoring the bitter controls is being prepared resentment that rife the Lib-Lab throughout the ranks of the by govern- trade ment and TUC leaders. union movement, Rodgers camed Last week was "mood of the country" was exception. Transport minister "ripe" for: William Rodgers, speaking in a constructive discus- the convivial atmosphere of sion of how a settled incomes meeting in industrialists' evolve alongside, policy Lexester, announced: and conjunction with The time has now come substantial measure of collec- sop thinking of incomes tive bargaining". polk! as a temporary exped- TUC backing "would be ient and to berin to accept it Monthly Fund December Fund Fally dosed ai £538.42-over £60 The are ode rs me das but a peter effort January started well with £130.40 will have to be made i me are to achiere our fund target of £600 a month. Offord car sorkers. Arroar the dorations recened «ere Hackaey. {13: Health Service workers, £50: Oxford EA-S5: Istingión. £12: Portsmouth. 0.50: Hall 24.

All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31. Dartmouth Park Hill

66IN THIS ENGLAND OF OURS

AT THE MOMENT WE ARE

ALLOWED TO HAVE OUR OWN

VIEWS STILL, THANK GOODNESS

AND LONG

MAY IT

LAST "9

crucial Judge Mckinnon has laid tis moments. cards on the table. Turnvers Other judges at other times would have delivered the same content of ludge- disguised ment in a much form. True nature Communists do not look to the to deliver us

COBILS

and McKinnon fascism is to be thanked for revealing rather than disguising the true nature of the judiciary and state apparatus. McKinnon has demon- strated the nonsense of 'im- partiality the 'laws that judges rule on its outcome but tor its open political verbal content.

The abstracted from social conditions bourgeoisie keeps the fascist card up their sleeve ready to The labour protests delib- essential", he added-clearly that it could confident engineered. Rodgers' speech came hard heels of similar state- on the ments by Treasury minister Joel Barnett, and both those hirelings of the capitalist class PHOTO: Andrew wiara, Report were echoing the words of Healey and •Callaghan over the holiday period. Repetition The figure widely predict- ed for this new straight jacket on tition of the Phase 2 rmits which cut living standards by unprecedented amount during 1976-7. the TUC has Meanwhile turned all its energies to up- holding the current 10% pay Healey limit-thus easing the way for Phase 4. the Lib-Lab coalition hope to impose it next year. Take action Workers must take action these plans Len Murray's appeal to the to ensure that the 10% defeated, and that the are tremen effer must be seen in this coalitionists that support from the them are driven Only if wage control can Labour and trade union be kept in tact this year can Shooting war in US miners' strike erately ignore this Like the infamous Challenge Socialist scoop (where one magistrate was moved and ten more took her Labour MP Martin place) demanded that Flannery McKinnon be replaced. Presumably by a judge who will be more careful not to sound off so loudly David Lane-head of the Commission for impotent Equality-called for Racial brought prosecutions to be under the stronger 1976 Act where motive does not have to be proved. Bewigged Dennis Skinner, 'left' MP for Bolsover declared that the judges should be elected; thus presumably promoting those trade union and Labour magistrates into the bewigged world of the high court where impose longer they wall sentences on workers. 'Stronger' Acts will solve Fascism is the last noting of bourgeoisie class. against working choose between «rorcea lo the working class and fascism the courts will choose fascism every time. It is a breach of principle as grave as that of Scargill the who turned to courts with equal lack of success

NUM

claim wage „ove like the Labour lefts, and used the courts as a substitute for action. Defence squads Those who oppose fascism oppose mobilising must by the working class against it- the only class capable of dealing with it. Defence squads must replace defence lawyers and full be support given to Asian and black communities wao organse acience so lads by the drawing whole labour movement to join them. The answer to Read and his little bunch of fascists is not Race law. stronger When the working class ha: dealt with him then will be the time to say 'one down, not many to go'. In the fifth week of strike action by 188,000 US coal miners, a 65-year old picket died after being shot five times by a pit security guard in Kentucky. Mack Lewis was gunned down as dickers manne• a lever cross!

trucks. guard been charged with murder. miners are sive produce 60% of US coal output Dynamite Teams of flying pickets up to several hundred strong and armed witn ouns. ock-nanales ana avna Ohio On one day alone last month teams caused five truck these loads of scab coal to be dumper by the roadside. And last weekend 500 strikers firing and throwing dyna battle with riot mite tovont a police at a wharf in Indiana which from three scab handles coal •IT. Three and two cars i Sorries were blown to bits and two offices haulage company were causine camero

BSLI

. 194 strikers mated at £700,000. charged with arrested and •isorderly conduct Railway depots and powe stations have also been picketed to by miners determined ensure VICTOrY InE emolovers whose strategy is to starve out the while relying on union Coal

UMW

president meanwhile Arnold Miller has been doing his the action best to sell out negottations conceded employers a concedeo fire cathe have enabling the automatic sacking oi miners who initiate in officia strikes participate Token support for the UMW voted at last month's AFL. far

CIO

convention-but •tricia acron to back the miners has been called Strikers must challenge this and demand that steel, power anc transport unions are mobilised to black scab coal deliveries their life ensure me miners and death battle on pay. conditions and union rights.

the indep And in moolising endent strength the

TROO

Take a lead in the figst for se miners union movement, dISe political party represent independent interests working class-a labor party based on The UntOs

GERRY LARKIN

AS WE went to press details were coming tragic building accident in Dartford in which four tunnel miners were killed and five injured seriously their lift plunged 140 feet when down a shaft on Monday after- Amona the dead was Gern Larkin. union activist well known to 'Socialist Press' sellers recen unionisation fight. We extend our Sinpat of those vi rela, ves and relatives noot tne accient will sou on the fight for unionisation in this sector of industry.