Socialist Press no. 85

PRESS

LIB-LAB

WAR

ON JOBS

move aimed at In destroying trade union organisation in the ship- British Ship- yards, builders management last withdrew work on Vald on Tyneside, with the expected loss of at least 800 jobs. The orders were drawn because retused to give that they would take maustral action auring une contract, the wich Is Ior Polish government. Closure threat With the Lib-Lab coalition government's decision reallocate a further order-for Navy Cruse-une Hunter yard faces the clear inreat or closure situation This is symptom of a new stage in the government's drive to restore the profitability of British drive that is leading to a wholesale massacre jobs the nationalised and state-owned tonnage of ships. industries. plans cut The world-wide capitalist capacity by 50%. crisis and the slump in world having a particular trade 1s effect heavy industries such as steel and shipbuild- slump the ing which produce investment the seizing Full brunt And the coalition govell ment is determined that the an offensive full brunt of this crisis should be born by the working class.

Plans already been flave al-out fight to announced 25,000 axe and conditions. jobs in the steel industry, and There the rationalisation of British firm

IVCI

Leyland expected to would be destroy another 12,000. The 800 shipyard workers under threat of redundancy at Swan Hunter are among country. the 50,000 shipyard workers scheddled for sacking throughout the - European bosses' latest plans But the are put into effect. And while a special Com- ideas. mission proposes closing 46% The Shipyards of EEC shipbuilding capacity, shipbuilders, James Airlie Japanese half world's produce

SOCIALIST

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 85 * February 1, 1978 * 15p

RETURN

LIBRAR

Swan Hunter launches assault on union rights Swan Hunter scab workers by persuading Govan stewards to accept one of the reallocated ships. Dirty work Now that three more are virtually certain to Govan, Airlie has again refused to call for blacking.

Instead he has called for the Confederation of Ship- Engineering building and Unions to do his dirty work and take the decision. Airlie knows that this is tantamount to referring the Airlie matter employers. Indeed one prominent announced member of the Confed, back Boilermakers' leader John Chalmers, is on the Board of Blackmail British Shipbuilders and is a party to the sacking decision Under these conditions of —which will first hit his own employers boilermaker opportunity Swan Hunters. blackmail sections of workers Confed leading into accepting massive speed- figures include union leaders up and worsening of working already up necks in collaboration with manage- The only answer to such ment rationalisation plans is a principled "worker participation and unity of workers both nation- for speed-up in schemes ally and internationally in an British Leyland and the steel detend jobs industry. Sweeping plans doubt that, 110 lead, But whie union burean forthcoming for crats cook up sweeping plans such a volcy and that the to attack their own members.

Swan Hunter ships could be the resistance of the Swan blacked in everv vard in the Hunter boilermakers to this blackmail indicates aliciol Other ideas the mood of the working class. Stalinists of the The onslaught on jobs, Communist Party have other conditions and the indepen- of the dence trade must be resisted, and a leader- at Govan CP ship built to fight for a clear progamne Airlie has already agreed We reject all attempts to

SAVE

SAVE

SHUTION

SHOTTON

SIEELWORKS

STEELWORKS

make workers the victims of the crisis of capitalism, whether such attempts take the form of calling for import controls-exporting unemployment-or involve. reactionary "worker ment m participation" schemes the employer Redundancies must be combatted by occupation the centred on demand Iol the sharing of the work avail- able among the whole work force in each trade-without loss of pay. State-owned and national- ised firms must be forced to open their books to elected committees of trade unionists expose with impose an industry private and the banks, and reveal the from as unused oroductive forces this week. squandered by capitalism.

This the private an important new working government. HOTO. Chris Davies. Report being employers "substantial" the rejection Chalmers recent 40,000 With this information workers can show the need and the basis for a planned the steel programme of useful public works to utilise and expand pathetic productive forces and employers create new jobs. In order to carry through redundancies. such a fight the whole trade union and labour movement Shipbuilders are to reply

ISUSE

Lake claim break the anti-socialist Lib- shipbuilding workers. Lab coalition that is now the main vehicle for the employers' attacks, and On remove its defenders from the Labour leadership. Such a fight-whatever the supply difficulties-offers the only for way forward workers threatened by these mass On meeting takes JacKas. Inside CP's road to disaster Centre pages Councils of Action: Part 4....

..p.9 Reviews. .. p.8 Zimbabwe . p.12

SAVE

SHOTTON

SAVE

STEELNORKS OTTON

LWORKS

Steel workers in 1975 protesting at announced redundancies

UNITE TO

BREAK

10% LIMIT

tanker drivers increase in minimum rates 1 employed by Shell are to the three million workers overtime ban the engineering Wednesday of have offered employers derisory 22% increase! 10% which will offer to 30,0 action, quickly hit petrol supplies to water workers has also be rejected by the unions co motorist marks develop- cerned. ment in the struggle of the Pressure class In each of these clai wages policy of the coalition the leadership are determin settle within the 10 It comes at a time when LU pay limit. claims on behalf of hundreds But they are faced in m ot thousands of workers are cases with determin submitted to the from the rank a file The tanker drive •Substantial claim confront all the leadersh problems faced by sectors On Tuesday the rail unions workers in struggle on wag meet British Rail to submit a over the past year. claim and meeting is due to take place Their 30% claim lacks t necessary demand for cost- with the Cas Board following of the bosses -living clauses against infl leaders offer by the and their ha I01l restricted them to an ina workers in the indust Wednesday, leaders of equate form of action. These leaders w

BSC

leave them isolated - ope unions meet following the rejection of the ing up the danger of defe 6% as happened with the firem rise which had offered Break isolation for 25,000 After all, the tank At the same time British drivers themselves were he • to a back by union officials behalf of 85,000 order to isolate the firemen The key issue in this stri bring out oth 1s again to 40% increase sections, of workers on th Thursday

EETPU

claims alongside officials meet the Electricity drivers tanker order 1n Board on behalf of electricity break the isolation and wa united fight to break workers who are demanding a 40% increase.

10% pay limit and destr the Lib-Lab coalition, Friday further job of which is to enforce it place on the

French Stalinists try to hide from Dictatorship in crisis in

- INTERNATIONAL:

power With France's general Since then there have been few moves to knit the Front election now less than six together again, the it is but at weeks away, beginning of this month the which unclear ever was significantly party or group of parties deepened. will victor; emerge as No decision what government France will have after March 19 Party much in thus very COlO doubt. The former components of supporting candi- the French Union of the Left dates on the second round of fielding sovaldle lounu resulls were known sate as they did in last year's This decision is a marked previous municipal elecuons. The two major compon- practice whereby the CP and ents of the popular front bloc arrangement to led by -the Socialist Party, Call- Francois Mitterand, and the didates on the second round, by Communist Party-led maximising the vote Georges Marchais-split last for the "workers' parties".

ostensibly the This break-up autumn, U11 of the infuriated SP leader Francois question upualilig Union's common programme.

Mass arrests in Tunisia 400 officials and UGT break completely from ailitants of the Tunisian the DSP.

UGT

been Achour has responded to have now their calls for an independent rested by the workers' party by criticising Bourguiba government. the 'methods' of the DSP, but the one- This by insisting at the same time that 110 YE followed the state talks to reach a compromise

MULY

rational general strike on 26 should continue. January. The strike--the first of its kind since independence from colonial rule in 1956 French In reality, termed by the

UGT

-was government kadership a 'warning to the the ruling Destour Socialist Party.

Tunisian the The warning was answered the complete bourgeoisie: by troops and the police.

As. workers subjection the strike developed into 40 fighting, at least killed and 300 prolet- people were Tunisia, nore injured. arian Achour arrested for Massive pressure government's criticising Curfew was imposed ad and hoops occupied Whatever his role may deadquarters in Tunis. Habib Achour, general the and other pecretary, bureaucrats at the head of the anion were driven to organise struggles. this by The massive pressure from workers which as built up over the last few is still series of strikes for

DSP

operation, the higher wages had met witn Macreasing attacks from the government, and of from its support

COCON-ON

'Achour and his companions.

there are plans while Bourguiba and • Il his ranted about ministers [deviationism', they sent conflicts, their troops to break up the trikes, and instructed the litia to attack union party 1 offices in the major towns.

dying Militant layers main base The police protected these is the receives ne thugs of the state before assault the To Libya. demonstrators who had substitute this 'left' rathered in Tunis to support presenl union's independence from the state. 1,000 These workers. represented sostly youth, doe militant layers who have demanding that CP mid-January the edition of his party magazine alleging that the CP L'Unite, had wanted to split the Union of the Left from as early first days tWo WaN formed in June 1972! Hot the heels of the split in the Union is a split in the governmental forces. Un Gaullist leader January 11, Jaques Chirac announced that his the Republican party, Assembly, intends standing a candidate constitu even in artas witle members President Giscard's party are standing This decision brings to an Nicaragua VYds Son orde bartica StoPpare not in andowing forces want Lo nass torm rule orutals attach nasa to WInt For them strucale covare kHometres ou Industries, and of candidates the second abrupt end 10 years on parliamentary partnership round. This Gaullists seemingly strange between the and decision by Chirac seems to kindred right wingers. have its roots in his fear that involves The dangers this Giscard is for Giscard's forces have President now already been pointed out by trying trentre-coalition» Better put between Interior Minister Poniatowski, his own party and Mitterand's out that it who pointed which would Socialists possible for no govern- ment candidate to proceed to exclude both the CP and Chirac's Gaullists. the second round the of minimum In his latest speech, 10% is needed in the first with which Chirac however, round in order to proceed.

has expressed satisfaction, Giscard defended the contin- This, thing despite the has not of deterred Chirac, uation present fact that he has indicated he majority (which opinion polls fact will support governmental show 1s Carly DE

SUP

RANNE

French workers on the march political dictatorship. Chommorc weeks was assassinated, it is presumed by Somoza's agents. which a wave of nation-wide anti-Somoza agitation. popular movement wnich the landowner.

desperately trying to control by put themselves at the head of it Disarray this situation of crisis and disarray for the Nicaraguan class, ruling United and struggle of the independent the peasants working class could overthrow ari the of the capitalists and landowners cut the worker did easoli still lack leadership which undertake that task. ready of Nicar- Stalinists far fron aran communist rarty fighting for workers' struggle, General Somoza - kept in the conservatives with office through the political sice oine reactionarie. of the opposition Somoza Democratic Freedom forces. Union (UDE L). sometimes Close alliance and the mountail. territory of neighbouring Rica and Honduras for shelter. UDEL, which is trying to lead And it has received some material the present agitation, wants to set aid from Cuba. different capitalist govern. Many been captured and are in jail. And members Somoza, will which, US _close alance at the end ot 19/0 some or its imperialism main leaders were killed.

claims to ther leadershiy to the main party Bolder actions •noree cases is Inevastrois Liberation Sandinist Front Imperial i guerina leader of the (named But recently after e or anisater the politica has reappeared or 1930s). scene, carrying 'OU The FSL, as it is known, has guerrilla actions in the towns There doubt that the for the last ten years put up an intermittent guerrilla struggle sL has a good deal or passive popular support against the regime. shown itself com- But it na: Material aid natev incarade or orterino ant programme on which the workers Its small army las used tre more and can unite and go caballle than 200 or so has forward. minority). A poll by the bourgeois daily Le Figaro, last week combined showed right wing vote of 44% and combined left vote for the of 49%. Shelter probably give This would the CP and SP a parnalel if they both tary majority stood down in favour of the other in the second round of the elections. "heir refusal to agree to indicates that neither do the CP nor SP leaders intend to be pressed into an alliance which would produce of government independent the bourgeois parties. Their counter-revolution- ary perspectives require them to shelter behind some form of with bour- geoisie. CP-SP government Workers must answer this by rejecting the Stalinist and reformist leaders' calls for "social peace" during the election campaign by demanding throughout the labour that the workers' parties break illass with the bourgeoisie and be prepared to form a CP-SP of nue benea all capitalist parties. The battle over policies, if government were

SUCI

formed, would create the conditions for the exposure in struggle of the reactionary Stalinist and reformist leaders of and iOI the winning advanced workers to a revol • utionary programme. The border war Vietnam and between Kampuchea (formerly Cambodia) is continuing though most recent reports fail to bear out the earlier ones about scale of the massive fighting. The Kampuchean leaders are now described by the "reaction- Vietnamese aries" clear hint is given that Vietnamese the want to see the overthrow of the present pro-Chinese leadership under Pol Pot.

Franco style elections must be fought by мОЯД On the question of trade unions, as on all other policial questions, "democratic Spain's Francoist government is ins perilous position. unable keep functioning Franco's old "union" the

CNS.

the "vertical known union". This is because the mass of working class has shown time and time again its reiection of the fascist institution and its free workers' demand

TOT

organisations. But the Suarez regime is unwilimg grant freedom to genuinely mucpenden workers organt- sations will because 1421 difficult to make impose on the working class the vast economic burdens which Spanish capitalism needs to load on the working Franco's heir, Juan Carlos Just as the Francoists used the fraudulent guise of parlia- mentary democracy to legiti- June, so now they are trying Cany our a senat poll- cal con-trick in the field of trade unions. In all factories and work- places, the government says, factory elect

WIIKES

TWO USU

committees which will be the only bodies entitled negotiate with the ment. Elections will take place in all factories simultaneously and only when the ment decides. Factory committees are not permitted to form organi- • of liason sations SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday February 1, 1978.

INTERNATIONAL

OBRERA

EL PRETOU MONCLDA

"KL." iT - LKi themselves. action among must confine them- Incy selves the ir own work- place. I here are separate comme ttees for manual workers and white collar ""employees" including management, may vote. Not answerable Workers less than 18 years old and those with less than six WOrk their present factory in may short employees are tern 11101 than 20% of the workforce, which 1n they get Cast separate representation. committees, once June electea, are not in any way answerable to workers' In fact they are the government decides it is time for new elections. But under the regime's new trade union legislation these committees will be the only recognised representa- tives of the workers. Unrecognised That means that all the free committees, assemblies, factory

COUNCIN

40- ordinating bodies, which Spanish workers have already built to replace the crumbling sham Franco's "trade unions" , will be unrecognised and virtually illegal. According to the govern- ment they should now be dissolved and replaced with the new committees elected according to the ment's norms. In factories where workers reluse to implement elections within these norms then the old TAf committees (called enlaces Jurados. or te vertical fascist

CNS

will remain will be the only ollice and legal workers' reDresenta tives. Vertical system It is very clear that these elections seen by the are regime as a way of attacking the independence and organi- sation of the working class.

regime trying to retain as much as possible of the content of the old vertical Francist evstem boycott Carrillo signs the Pact "democratic" up in new frills They do not tire of out that the monting elections will be run "by the workers themselves" (as long as they obey the government norms to the letter) and that independently organised trade sections are allowed freely to put up their candidates lists of for elections. But the elections are designed precisely to weaken these sections of free trade unions by forbidding them to represent workers except through the semi-capitalist COLLeCS Support As in all its other major anti-working class endeavours -the elections general Moncloa Pact and the of austerity measures-the Suarez regime would 1I0l nope of imposin nave anv these fraudulent committees on the working class it it did not have the support of the Stalinist and reformist bureaucrats. Spokesmen of both the Workers Commission and the General Workers' Union (UGT), politically dominated by the Communist Party and the Socialist Party respec- tively, have both backed up the government's plan. Page This contrasts sharply position taken by the section

USFI,

Revolutic the Communist League (LCR Although they say tha norms favour the capi the Criticise Commissions and UGT accepting. them, the the elec characterises themselves as a "gain"

IN D

the government has - "forced" to concede. Unconditional It has therefore, advo unconditional participati the elections along wit effort to make them democratic" It has argued for cha in the much norms in as the UGT same way Workers' Commission lea And its uncannily similar to tho the Stalinist leaders of Commissions. Every opportunity to for the of demands Transitional Programme 1 adopted in the constitt workers' committee discarded by these self-st "Trotskyists" in favou adjustments to the cont some minor Workers march against the Moncloa Pact tion proposed by Stalinists. Opposition Despite 1m DOI opposition to the imple the (especially from the unionists and closed to organised factories management which reject the long ago elected their regime's norms and all state committees without interference), in most p movement must be organised likely to elections are in place of the regime's mock place in the next few w elections. nominally under the reg norms. This does not necessarily But as soon as any stri mean a total boycott of all develops then there take place doubt that workers will t according to the govern- breack out out of the str ment's schedule Workers But on that case vetin A Commission ment's Decree aims to 1 could only justified spokesman said that at last there is a candidacy standing on the workers moveme the working class is going to Over the last two on the platform of refusal to have instruments adequate to workers have not only rat accept of the consti- its needs" allY joined trade es unions, tutional norms of the com- ially the UGT, but also Formal dispute contained number of areas (especial regime's decree. Euskadi) they have for There dispute was practice in great Workers' strike and occupation between the Com- of majority factories the mission and the UGT about mittees and factory cool Workers' Commissions whether the voting procedure the UGT will be standing rival should be based on selecting slates of candidates all fully Prepared to defend lists of candidates committed to compliance selecting certain number with the government's reac- These committees of candidates from any list.

tionary decree. usually sprung up in rela Apart from this formal those circumstances specific anti-governn dispute, both Trotskyists should fight for struggles. Stalinist and reformist leaders active boycott based on They have shown the the Have compicicly acceptea tne campaign mount in which large sections of norms imposed on workers' elections Spanish genuinely free working class representation by the and independent of organs prepared defend Francoist government. workers' representation in material conditions, Workers' Commissions which Trotskyists would fight rights and

DO TRICA

everywhere, along independence, for the Transitional all of w places, with the

UGT,

are Programme of the Fourth are attacked by the regi participating . fully in the International. Decree on factory electior elections. But large sections of the

BRIEF

working class IN seen clearly government interference means and have shown themselves ready to fight it in a principled way.

Boycott

BOLIVIA

state of Maharashtra, further seven million worl The Banzer dictatorship, of local minority joined them in 24h after week's political sections of the UGT, and the general strike. This action concessions, has the

CNT

whole of the Tuesday brought Bombay that restrictions announced anarchist trade union federa- standstill on trade union activity have tion, have declared a position been lifted. Bolivian The boycott towards the

PORTUGAL

Confederation of Workers regime's decree. Soares' coalit (COB), illegal since 1974 has The CNT's position, how- with th government resumed public activity. ever, is a negative one in that Christian Democr Troops, however, still occupy rejects governments minister and no Socia mining areas and there elections without seriously Party "lefts" faces a vote -can be no doubt that Banzer tackling the provision of a confidence this is hoping week lor a moment alternative which concrete Communist Party has offe seize back the concessions he genuinely strengthens the more than formal opt has been forced to grant.

organisation of the working ition to this right wing

HOLLAND

class. ition. The process of building Philip Agee, ex-CIA agent

INDONESIA

elected factory committees and exposer of the Agency's Troops have been pla answerable the mass activities, has lost his appeal on an emergency footing: meetings of the workers, an expulsion order unifying those committees from the Dutch government.

be "ready for

TO TO

thing" after new outbreak.

he was expelled Last year willin maustries and linking against dicta them to other committees from Britain, and agitation France Suharto. Hundreds of peo regionally and nationally West Germany. especially students, have b must continue.

INDIA

arrested and many ne Free elections papers closed down. In Ma As the strike of million teachers and other Suharto faces a presiden Independent, free employees he the coverine l

Green pound fall means prices must rise Defeat right wing attacks Page 4 Agriculture Minister Silkin was defeated last week on the subject of the "green pound"- the special exchange rate at which transactions in takes products inside the Common Market.

The defeat was in the Silkin's Commons where proposal to devalue the green 5% was replaced pound bv by a Tory-Liberal amendment to devalue it by 7%%. At the present time the "green pound" fact that the for 'green exchanges

CHOIC

marks" and "green francs" pound than the ordinary means that food prices consumers in Britain are low comparison with the rest of the EEC. And payments „LO farmers are also lower than in

NEW WAVE

OF FASCIST

ATTACKS

Indications that the Tory leadership are vying with the National Front for the racial- ist vote in the next general election merged last week with evidence of an all-round right wing offensive against the immigrant community. Police in Wolverhampton have ATaSTI hine abds had Barin roaming tae thugs wearing town at niaht and had beaten up ten black youths. Confrontation of these one ouicome provocations was Saturday night's confrontation between black and white youth and police in which were alle sovel arrests were made. Meanwhile youth supporting the National Front were reported to have beaten up a Kenyan-born Asian teacher in Pimlico, London.

West, Greater in the North Manchester knier ConsTA•e Jim Anderton, who gained notoriety out 5,000 police tor

TONEST

lec en VarLIT Mobster, again admitted secret eperations with National Front in order to protect tems-tns time r & meerc n Hyde Town Hall. demonstration: 1,500 turned out, blocking I 6-bSk very road leading to the hall anc arcing police to lengths of carrying the audience of less than 100 through

••HAP

Cos. Fingerprinted later tele- Interviewed Anderton another gave views hintons contica hen he predicted that time everyone would have Tn er erinted ane carly identity cards. should , he eere dealt with bo the law, reporters innocent citizens" would have claimed link 6...

ENIS

between the •olce ano Tine communist, vicious racialism of the National seemed Front acadenta, police in London last Meursday joined the anti- 40

#THUI CAFL

morkers in a move headlined :00, anxious the rest of Europe. The bigger the devaluation the more food prices both in the shops and to farmers will rise. A 7½% devaluation would increase prices to consumels by 12% and to producers by about 8 or 9%. defeat Silkin's was convenient to nim that SO might almost have been planned. the devaluation goes blame he the through Coll higher shop the prices Tories and Liberals. He Callaghan have and played on this tor all lt 1s which not very worth, much. But if the devaluation fails through Silkin can go blame the failure of the nOT to be len out moved sin as if to show solidarity with Judge McKinnon whose sympathetic from the relal ks bench to tascist etcer kinesiev Read provoked such stir recently. Indications Cam- Judge Wild, sitting bridae Crown Court. fined two Libyan students for assault after a fight his all came about because vou were arunk and It is a pity that you did not have the decency to stand up and admit it.

people about inen, the courts know, people origin never admit your any anything", Inine well, ¡araly he declared. These the latest only of a racialist open moratoris ottensive ov these open acents ou the bourgeoisie. The offensive is feeding on the talling living standaras ane mass unemployment consciously govern- the Lib-Lad creatco Dy ment in the name ot boosting tne profits of private industry.

Cynical trick cres athert leaders are these policies, Labour playing the cynical trick of simply •lamine mne tories ano une Nr fo the violence. The Tories have in turn even and lower St00ted accused The coalton govern- ment of creating the problem black allowing youth the roman . or .oe-a IT Lne Tories' own policies would not massively boost unemployment ane racialst vioiencel Workers must respond this sharpening situation.

- Pst ty ano newto oyuie. tought by an end to wage controls and the defence of alt jobs work sharing on full pay through ane mne iaemenaton or a cras programme of public works.

demands coalition. break the Lib-Lab The same Tamme Ene immigrant communities must be fascist attack. TOteCLeU au aisl workers detence souacs must be built wherever the fascists are in order to guard the lives qulive ano oroberty immorant workers well protecting labour moverent organisations ano meetos PHOTO: Johi farmers get their long- Jevenue promised increase lt on the recalcitrant EEC. The reason that the EEC has so far refused to agree to

STOP

THE

(KAZ)

PHOTO. Laurence Smarham. IFI 'Blasphemy and were the charges "Heresv" used by the regularly Christian Church to con- demn homosexuality. But the trial and success- ful prosecution of Gay News and its editor last year were revival of not sim ply nc etE Catos. This initiative by Mary Whitehouse represented part of the gathering international drive towards the complete oppression of gays. Canadian December, raided the offices of police North Body Politics (one of America's major libera- gay tion newspapers), and charges have been brought under the obscenity laws. Reactionary This was followed by a visit to Toronto from Anita Bryant, in effort to Campaign for extend the Decency" she has launched in the US. The main objective of this reactionary crusade has been homo- the persecution and withdrawal of sexuals, democratic the scattered SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday February 1, 1978.

of the EEC, too, farmers, are Steel production in the 29 demanding higher food"prices capitalist most important and those demands can only producing countries fell by over 4% in 1977. be met by a generally agreed increase in EEC food prices.

fallen 12% has over peak in 1974. That would be since the last measure in fact Production difficult; and today is politically doubly so if were being scarcely higher than it was a 1L opposed by a British govern accaue ago ment which had been able to While production in capit- alist .fallen. achieve the same result through devaluing the green has continued to expand in pound and producing a much the bureaucratised workers states, despite their growing lower increase in shop prices than would be needed in the economic problems. rest of Europe One significant result of This, that is that while in 1973 the yet incomplete is a new illustration of story, USA was the world's largest political problems how the steel producer, (with an out- created for capitalist govern- of 137 million tons) in put ments by the economic crisis the last two years it has been lead them not to cooperate dramatically overtaken by the with each other but to try to

USSR

cut each others' throats.

Last year the Soviet Union devaluation produced 147 million tons of the is that the not Other figures released last 113 other governments with

SICC

week showed another million in the USA and 102 the britsn to w alll way of aspect of the world capitalist simply millión in Japan. as lIcasulc extreme problems increasing farmers' incomes.

crisis-the of the steel industry. This is because in the rest Police at Hyde hold back anti-fascist demonstrators on gay rights The campaign provides an rights they have gained in gay groups for a national recent years. demonstration opportunity forge links between the gay move- press witch-hunt of The campaign's central Gune Jeremy Thorpe was an indica- demand has been for the ment and the labour move- repeal of the blasphemy laws.

by showing the tion of underlying develo- This diversionary call offers necessity for common pressures that were against repressive ping in Britain no real perspective for gays to STURt the legislation. counter reactionary Hysteria The specific oppression of forces ranging against them.

The blasphemy law is only homosexuals made Since then, the hysteria one light weapon from the more severe same generated by the bourgeois which crisis of capitalism press on the issue of lesbian arsenal at the disposa

VAIE

of the bourgeois state. threatens workers with all been parents has further comes at a time Its use wage cuts, proof (if mempymen was needed) ally and political expression.

when the ruling-calss, and its of the strength of defence police-force in the labour Wherever the this offensive. bureaucracy, rely increasingly be extended can Candid These attacks have • Mot on the repressive apparatus of into trade union branches and Massive gone unchallanged. constituency ane vale co dack mme nte- Labour parties demonstration gays it must be of : taken up as the pendent struggles the erupted North America, In working-class. basis lor a campagn lo ieped but this spontaneous move- all legislation which restricts ment has now largely evapoa- Counterpart the democratic rights of gay ted. women and men. In Britain, the Gay News Many forms of censorship will employed Defence Committee was certainly

DEMONSTRATION

more frequently, and this is tormed to campaign arouna The Gay News Defence the appeal which will be lesson that must be drawn out of the Gay News Committee has called heard on February 13th. demonstration In addition to its appeal for national case. London Saturday the funds that are necessary if These deve oomens aso have their counterpart in the February 11th two days Gay News is to continue after before the appeal is to be the fine and costs, mounting efforts to restore paying heard. stability family the committee has been of the

LINC

THE

DEMONSTRATION

forces One aspect of that drive is the working to mobilise

WILL

MEET

AT 1.30 from the labour movement.

necessity to suppress homo-

TEMPLE

student unions, women's and sexuality

JOB FIGURES DECEIT

SOCIALIST PRESS, Hiednesday Februari 1, 1978.

LABOUR

PARTY

OF 'PUBLIC

ownership Public is "back on the agenda again" according to that one-time darling of the Labour 'left' Tony Benn. Now a pillar of the Lib- Lab establishment, Benn was have been at attempting to scrape some of Healey's the corrosion off his 'left' mage, in a speech unveiling has consistently voted. what has been grandly des- cribed as a "left wing mani- ingness of the Labour festo for Labour in the next "to ment «do election". Government". Nothine te effer -4 s Bud for those within nt difficulties Labour Party nayt eimeys regarded public represent, and ownership as a topic on the agenda, and the who regard the

ICHIR

Lib-Lab Coalition as a major ment. Something needed and it obstacke such policies, set it out clearly" Bean had predictably, suthing to offer. praised the progress made against inflation-thus implicitly giving his support previously been noted for its to the vicious wage cuts that willingness to

PRESS GANG

Mellow Yellow What has Jack Jones in the mould of an elder states- with Vladimir common "But behind those glasses Klebanov-former Rus- inside sian miner? At first stood a cloth glance not a great deal. pool docker Jones is about to retire hard will to die fighting".

from the leadership Britain's largest trade union comes Jones the to occupy his time on quasi worker, Jones the family man Governmental and finally Jones the patriot.

jobs and counting his medals. Klebanov on the other idealism hand is just traon ha setting out as as in the the leader of the tiny "Trade Union returns: Union Defence of for the patriot, no-one could call me Workers" in the Soviet anything else, who believes in Union. the DoLeanon Yet both were portrayed people"." as heroes on the same day last week (Friday) in the two It most reactionary British to Vladimir Daily Mail papers. the Daily Express campaign for Janice Morley profiled Jones dent trade union under the "the man some' say is more heading of "The real hero of powerful the than Prime the Soviet Union". Minister" under the whimsi- Seen the cal title "Hail and Farewell mirror of the Daily Mail it is Emperor Jones". impossible to make an assess- "With the sober, gold ment what ot rimmed glasses and silver hair, represents-but it possible to jowly jaw and softly nave a shrewa guess wrinkling face, he was set in True Government ministers may deceive themselves with their smug optimism every time the official unemployment figures get worse. But they can hardly fool anyone else. This month the total of jobless once again surged up above 1½ million (over 6% of the workforce). Of the statis- course. ticians always say, the figures "always between December and January-as if that makes it alight that last month 60,000 more people

BENN TALKS

OWNERSHIP'

AGAIN

the heart of clearly. Benn's speech was no exception to this rule. botteled and for which Benn himself Spelling out "six campaign themes for Labour in 1978" And he declared the will- Benn called for full employ- move- and ment better public everything services-while remaining could to sustain the Lib-Lab key element in a government which is attacking both. sobievemente Ll tew Stayed silent tak and perty loyalty are not safficient to Calling for socialism inter- win the support of those we nationally, Benn stayed silent bring about on the Lib-Lab Government's Govern- role in betraying the libera- more struggles in Southern is as well to Africa and continuing military repression in Ireland.

No exception And while calling for "human rights at home and The Labour 'left' has never abroad" and struggle against fascism and set things out ism", Benn diplo- movement workers unions. that suit there capped Liver- with a diamond class. After Jones the statesman, unspoiled movement. "Accused of the sort of the turns into Soviet I'm a applying for the Interna- working trom those is that which links us in Klebanov. The spotlighted his "indepen- an tor a distorting workers are if concerned, tue y Mail knows

TUDW

The Daily nor the Klebanov bases his valciessly were sacked than got jobs.

more than In any case the figures measure which rose even more than usual at the time of year and so the underlying trend of total capitalism. unem ployment still, desmite Healey's promises, shows no sign of falling But further below the surface there are trends which from these look even more alarming. at, but there is evidence for the govern- during the ment's temporary various "job schemes and who Geanon job subsidies the jobless total month would 250,000 be higher 70,000. than it is. These measures are no PHOTO: Chris Davies, Repor.

hint that -mario over the ,govern- ment's continuing policies of opposition to Callaghan's bid immigration controls that guillotine stana as a mao1 European elections might to the racists and fascists.

part of this strategy All sudden Benn power. announced his disagreement with the policy that has stood humdrum than this. Benn had at the base of government dropped from the economic strategy. and become is he told wrong, more than a menial Lib-Lab baffled audience; to think Паск that public spending cuts and higher profits will IC increased by other 'left' mvestmnent private industry. Labour Party, Of course none of this hostility growing 'left' verbiage-which even ranks of the Party extended to an attack on the leadership's brazen class colla- Liberals- was connected to boration-a hostility any kind of attack on Benn's fears political paymasters-the the rule Callaghan/Healey leadership Election But Tory press commen- tators have not hesitated to with support claim that Benn is jockeying Lab deal are Benn's way of for position as a 'left' conten- seeking to head off any inde- der for the party leadership- pendent next time it comes up for smooth the path for further election. years They went so lar as to collaboration Blow to LP Tories The extreme right they have wing infiltration of New- their aim of pouring yet more ham North East Labour cash into court actions. The labour Party suffered another cannot rest until people who setback this week. rely only upon cash reserves After the failure of the and sympathetic latest court action, supporters expelled Lewis and his and for all. MT backers found Last week's court proceed- themselves ings served to indicate only ousted in Branch elections for officers and GMC delegates.

determination Their defeat Labour leadership to obstruct in St. Stephens Branch was seen as the essential work of clearing a particularly severe blow.

out crypto-Tory elements.

However these people who Lewis and have done little to disguise were unsuccessful their intention of using effort to obtain an injunction Newham test run for preventing Transport paralysing the movement (sec suspending them from Party back issues of Socialist Press), membership-but remain in the Labour Party.

because Party With sinister and antel Underhill had apparently unlimited affidavit declaring financial backing, such acton no object. Since their defeat considered! Page 5 a cosmetic ployed (twice the level of 1974 when Wilson's govern- con ced the true size of the mass unem- ment took office) hides the ployment problem created by fact that in several regions the problem is even worse. In the north of reland the Alarming signi rate it now almost 11% (going 30% Close to in towns like Newry Strabane); it is The second alarming sign and over 8% in latest figures Scotland and the North of England; and that although the number out ovet 7% in Wales and the North of work for a short time fell West (over 12% on Mersey. month, the side). numoer of workers under 60 Finally, what jobs there were unemployed for a are are less and less in manu- more TOSe by facturing and more services. national average of 6% neal- overall Manufacturing jobs have dropped by 62% since 1974 alone; Jobs in services went up bv 3% but this was not nearly enough to sate for the decline of indus- try. Healey Dennis Healey, leading architect of the pro-capitalist economic strategy which has produced this intolerable level of mass unemployment says that jobs for workers are prize for good, self-sacri- ficing behaviour

LONCIN

capital For two years this has centred on wage controls. If accepted the pay WOrker controls, said Healey there „Benn's theatrical would be more jobs; if they didn't they themselves out oba lob ""price be In fact, two •vear. oi for rigidly policed wage control have coincided with the The reality is much more doubling of unemployment.

And this policy has been limelight pursued without any oppos- regarded as no ition from Labour's so-called "left wingers" Even when January's enor- unemployment figure But now Benn along with was announced in Parliament elements in the there was not single has spotted a Labourite to within the confront the vicious attacks to the on jobs and wages carried out by Healey and Callaghan. that he Scottish Labour Party MP might end Callaghan's Jim Sillars brought this out next General clearly. The 'left' words combined Near violence for Lib- He contrasted the near violence with which Labour opposition and MPs had greeted Tory government's achievement of reformist one million unemployed. The Speaker had had to suspend the sitting 'Now. with unemploy- 1.5 million there Henr over has been scarcely a ripple of anxiety or concern from Labour ranks", he said Left talker Eric Heffer, already declared who has loyally walked into the Lib-Lab lobby to vote support for every wage cut movement and rationalisation was stung by this home truth ¡ories are As usual he responded not from its ranks once by deeds but by more words.

"Had he been given the opportunity" Heffer he would have amniouncea, produced not ripple of but "a positive explosion" And, as usual, he sat McCormick straight down again in their Eric Heffer and his 'left' cronies must be confronted on their record by the labour Houst and trade union movement.

only they must be told, "Either agent Reg mount fight to break the Lib-Lab submitted an coalition and that oust the Callaghan- no was Healey leadership being stand aside for those that will!'

P chiefs Carrillo, Napolitano pell out their...

IATIONAL

OADS TO

ISASTER

A review of 'Eurocommunism and the State' by Spanish CP leader entiago Carrillo, (Lawrence & Wishart, £2.75) and The Italian Road to with Italian CP economic cialism' interview by Eric Hobsbawm -an okesman Giorgio Napolitano (Journeyman Press £1.95).

Front embracing Popular = most immediately Communist movement, both workers' and bourgeois though this search had been of these aspect right after the parties. undertaken ooks is the similari- Napolitano he end of the Second World War LIKe decision of the the positions argued in Italy. The fends the and not only French and Italian CPs not to Italian Party had suffered par- Carrillo and struggle for power in 1945-47 ticularly, because

IT TO

itano. Both men (when there was a real chance considerably in map. basis of * the very of success) : ping out an original road to continued to dev- Communist had begun to "They move- and chop astroca towards They policies do so in the period between and the democracy. They advocate show how after the the two worked out their own road to Seventh Congress of the Com- have been drawn • Well, democ- socialism based munist International. to solve tempting when the Twentieth Congress racv." like Napolitano, roblems of capital- the

CPSU

presented us And of Carrillo looks back favourab- the with opportunity their own coun- vigorously resume the inter- ly 1956 and that He claims rupted search, to render con- similar policies are series of our there were continuous differ- sistent a wnole way ences between the European positions, including cal ones, the leadership of the CPs and the Soviet

TATONOU

The fact that both "Euro- argues an Italian party did not hesitate to seize this opportunity."

class compromise Communists" look back "historic comp- to the the same historical periods is (pp 26-27) in Italy, the Moncloa It confirms that Seventh Congress Franco's with heirs the positions of these leaders and the Lib-Lab are not the outcome of some Carrillo likewise deTends the the "theoretical" development Contaiualion the Seventh Congress ol Social Contract to the Italian Comintern, which in 1935 Spanish CP. developed the strategy of the Special role link between all these flow

TOCE

ureaucracies within the movement operating requirements of rown" capitalist class. fact that the munist Party leaders can award identical policies the reformist unlike falsely of ent the continuity russian Revolution and Communist that they play a very holding back role in militancy of the working ich book in its own way this. Napolitano's rates the form of a series of dews with British Stalin- Hobsbawm between the 11977, shows and of the immediate es of the Italian CP. the trillo's book, on written hand, was 'Carrillo was still erground" • atheoretical" sch more mach to the position of o-called "Euro Commun- History defended ath of these Stalinist lea- defend the get out ty of their own parties, trying to separate these the history of the Soviet instance, for apolitano, this to say on the origins *Italian Road the Party had Italian red greatly from the fact 1947 inter- lerel, the search for socialism had Armed Italian partisans in 1945: Stalinist policy led to the CP entering a bourgenis coalition.

to cut off by the bruptly Carrillo (centre) at last year's Labour Party Conference.

The Seventh World Con- the Communist the International, of the strategy of birthplace the Popular Front, took place under the control of Stalin.

clearly en- The policy was dorsed by him, and reflected interests of the Soviet bureaucracy. Carrillo falsely claims that it was the experience of the rise of fascism that drove the Communist Parties national to adopt the policy of unity "demo- terms what he cratic" forces. "Experience" As Carrillo writes of 'What the experience fascism really demonstrated- and the Seventh Congress of the Communist International took this into account-was not the usefulness or useless- and of the ness of the vote democratic road, but the ex- working class perience doomed to impotence by div- ision and incapable of uniting round itself and rallying people section of working and the middle strata in order danger." confront the (p92) clearly 'shares Napolitano this view. But the reality was very different. The first experience not

KARONI

Germany but in Italy. Yet the Communist Stalinist-led International drew no lessons from this whatever. It was not the inability of the workers unite that of the danger fascism- in France workers united spontaneously. 'Social fascists' Rather it was the criminal- ly laise ana alvisive poucia.

German Communist of the partne implementing the line Inter- Communist and declaring that national, Democratic workers Social were "social fascists" asserting On this basis, "social fascists" were worse than open fascists, the German CP opposed any uni- ty in action with social demo- crats against the Nazis. As a result of this disast- rous policy, Hitler was able to crush the entire German wor- kers' movement, including its social democratic glant that, Communist parties could easily have de- united, feated him. United front The "social fascist" policy opposed by Trotsky and was the Left Opposion-and tor doing so they were hounded by the Stalinists. Trotsky continuously countered Stalinist ultra-left- ism by a call ior a workers united front against fascism.

country the from directive the Communist International caused obedient CPs to call for alternative setting up "red" trade unions in opposi- tion to the existing reformist unions, and to brand social democrats as social fascists.

this line continued And German the even alter No debacle. lessons were learned from this catastrophic defeat. The very lack of any res- Do the hominter showed Comintern showed that completely it was bureaucratised body, dead for of revolution, the purposes and brought Trotskv to the conclusion that it was nece- ssary to prepare for the buil- ding of a new, Fourth, Inter- national to give leadership in WOrKOIS SLIUBBIes Deal with Hitler The 1935 "turn" by the Comintern to the strategy of Front Popular the the outcome of the German so much as the result deteat. of Stalin's failure to reach a diplomatic arrangement with HiT eT a means of "pro- Seeking Union tecting" the Soviet without mobilising the wor king class at home or abroad, looked instead Stalin treaties with the "democrat- ic" bourgeois states. for the lesser mollve Popular Front turn was the CP member- massive tall ship brought by the ultraleft policies of the "social fascist" period. From the outset, then, the Popular Front policy can be seen to seek not the unity of the working class in struggle, but an attempt to tie the wor- king class to a section of the claimed to that bourgeoisie oppose fascism, in the inter- ests of the Kremlin bureau- This same policy led to the defeat of the Spanish working class-just ultra-left as an Comintern line had led to the defeat in Germany. The Popular Front line ob- fight for structed could win the demands that Spanish middle classes-and the particular peasantry that made up much of Franco's armv-to tne side ol the working class. This was because the reformists' Stalinists' and bourgeois the partiers Front refused to Popular accept any policy that threat- ened private property. The thus ended up opposing peasants who took over the land, and suppressing workers uprising Barcelona. This kind of "unity", ven- Carrillo and erated Napolitano, led to the victory of Franco and the 38-year illegalisation of Carrillo's own party. Yet the only criticisms ne voices of line now are this that the CP were not actually in the French Popular Front governments. benefit of his For the "liberal" today. supporters "Trotsky- and his self-styled ist" admirers in the Pabloite "United Secretariat"') Carrillo also criticises the murder ol centrist leader Andres Nin.

And he tries to claim that Stalinists' atti- the Spanish tude to Trotksyism was diff- that other erent from countries. Suppression Yet specifically defends Stalinist involvement in the brutal suppression the Barcelona uprising-dem onstrating that his defence of "democracy" means no more than defence of capitalism, as

"executives". development organs workers' "law and "multiple order" Having that they votes for that further and argues Allende's was not bringing the extreme right of complete Unity" Chilean alliance left workers he signing of the Stalin-Hitler Pact, 1939.

tion of the class struggle to ell pointing his of 1948, and the increasing disarmed resent-day attitudes to the independence of the Chinese in the face the proletariat. ruggles of Spanish workers.

torship CP. Tactical divisions also An earlier series of articles difference Soviet most the his cabineț, Socialist Press traced the arose 11TA17 bureaucracy itself as how best branding as "workers dual ordinary (as well as Communist to combat the working class.

in uniform' ressure divisions arties in the capitalist count- Each these oI interacted with the bourgeois es. pressure on the national CPs.

Carrillo, On the one side there re- Napointano and Carille both lained the control exerted while both Napolitano the increasing the Soviet opposite bureaucracy point to the importance of CP While the brough the Comintern, while n the other was an increas- 1956, for both ll was 20th Congress of the Soviet ig accommodation to their Dwn" CP and not the Hungarian promise" the Italian ruling class in their of the that the main iforts to "peaceful uprising 1S Desisten reserve democratic countries of event. no current within Indeed Diplomacy has ever been able (P 154) Stalinism too, talks of draw strength from Stalinism workers Tne independent struggles of the the need to The Communist Parties bllowed the twists and turns Hungarian workers' councils Or discussing has brought He drawing nothing disaster and the so-called "democratic" countries. wrote: "To every once On for today, of multi-national is the real corporations. however, specific He constitutional muen cary relations income (P 54) workers and Calecome Lenin replies Kautsky, of the which He "each the by winning majority in • converting of making Stalinist tanks in Budapest 1956 diplomacy against the Kremlin Moscow hroughout the war period.

bureaucracy. Lenin vigorously the classes can be the "Euro- From the Today s signing or italin/Hitler pact in 1939 to communists" support objective of Nazi invasion of the 'liberal' section of the same cipated the formulation in overcoming along crisIs

JSSR

in June 1941, bureaucracy because they see Road todavs to lines profound the Communist Party denounced in such a course a further Socialism): weakening of Moscow control "For hose nations waring against and branded it an their daily increasing termanv. So argued for Imperialist war. collaboration with their the "master continua- acceptance "own" bourgeoisie. bul, Just as unanimousiy; all switched direction object, hey Most of the points argued most and allied by Carrillo and Napolitano with their "own" bourgeoisie which cynical плететоте echo in each country in what they of the Popular arguments "people's of bourgeois ermed war' bounds Front period and in particu- gainst Germany. class collaboration of lar the (PP 141-2) 19434 Cold War Those two years saw French Stalinists taking This collaboration ministerial the posts Kautsky course pontinued even after the end French coalition government, was If the war, until in 1947 the from one the most and voting war crealts to "democratic" advanced

USA

launched the "Cold the of support repression Var" against the USSR. countries. Vietnam and Algeria, while But throughout this period CP ministers lined in italy mother process was at work up with monarchist forces The the wrote his behind

SUCTICS

His Same line book. were exercised by the control was ourcaulidey No more than the and tortured while he was and the bond veakening formulating call for CPs and their ditions today are changed between peacefully capitalist from that period-the bank- was Cass 1 W11 through and for trengthening as the working rupt line is the same. lhis 1s why the taking over class engaged more and more "Eurocommunists' apparatus" trongly on the scene, threat- closer ever "own" bourgeoisie, are now television. ning to disrupt the cherished engaged co-existence" systematic "peaceful attack on Lenin and Marxist the family force bureaucrat and boss. against and even This grew more theory.

DIOCOON

Lenin, for instance, wrote rapid with the divisions sections of the Francoist clearly: between the bureaucracies In and police force, "Only he Marxist he deformed workers' states, 1S alllly including officers, as well as who extends the recogni- Bitter fruits of Popular Frontism - Chile specially the Stalin/Tito split the example worsenme contrary, to upon especially groups. "In fact, problem subjective fices the crisis. At grounds have

SCCLOIN

point between correct the politics alignment forces." emphasis). whereby protects Christian government. as IO the society and weakness oI backs and working class. As a The League books in other They points This 15 these praises the escalator only the sacrifices in the middle the and equilibrium make sacri the middle same time. the middle now to equilibrium con- of the of the democratic (Ou CP right-wing calling for than that this of of the Socialist same way "Trotsky- eagerly of their deeply the hope that a spontaneous the development Stalinist movement or among bourgeois nationalists will throw up a ready-made with which they can simply and dissolve For us, on the other hand, the arguments of the Stalin- ist bureaucracy flow Iron their counter-revolutionary role in the workers move- Common Market Carrillo for instance now against the age-old argues "socialism tenet ot country"-only one argue of capitalist Common Market!

It the poncies aavocalec by these Stalinist leaders were implemented they could only workers to crushing defeat at the hands of fascist throughout Europe. answer to the The only consistent line of complete class collaboration spelled out books is the in unese development of conscious Trotskyist parties in Spain, Italy and internationally.

Only the Trotskyist move- ment is equipped with a pro- capable of leading gramme of capitalism and overthrow the establishment of the dic- ta party in to be laily hese CP their class ork- ights th and its standards. eter- that m movement maintain capitalist that keeps th hand or the other their "own capitalists. shows the rking ly to , ne the join workers them that government. en if tical CP and that they break from rm government, key ‹pose ns to who LAne still mistakenly follow them, Trotskyist and in building on the basis of the parties Transitional Programme. By Tony Richardson.

ORIGINS

by Richard Leakey: Macdonald & James £8.95 Christian Church The has always believed that God created Man in his and that image, UWIl Man is therefore on different completely and higher plane than the animals. Yet Man, they say, has "fallen" from God's grace the unanding struggle daleat "original of this mediaeval supersti- tion by Darwin ana olners way for major opened the advances in anthropology, of which the greatest was made by L. H. Morgan. Drawing upon his study of American Indian societies, he came to an understanding of the developinent

SOCCLY

similar to that of Marx very and Engels. Not surpassed That "classical" period of probably anthropology not been surpassed. In recent years an attempt been made has to resurrect (in tne name or science) a of Original Sin, conception Konrad Lorenz (a Nobel by and Desmond Prize winner Morris (who at least had the of money out of it) amongst others. They maintain that the evolution of Man as a hunter for meat has condemned him to eternal conflict and war, since his primitive aggression remains in his genes. In Origins Richard Leakey, eminent one anthropologists today, attempts to refute this theory using the latest evidence about Man's early develop- ment. Tree living apes In his book he uses much of interest that is to Marxists. Leakey In the first part shows how Man's ancestors evolved from tree-living apes, into hominids which moved out into the grass lands which Africa million years about twelve ago. He the correctly sees division of labour as the key to Man's development from

ETERNAL WAR

IS NOT ONE OF

NATURE'S LAWS

this Ramapithecus compelled to co-operate and share the fruits of labour by the necessity to hunt and defend the troup from danger. As he points out, the first permanent division of labour in society was that between the hunters, and women, restricted by almost unceasing responsibility of childcare, to the role of gatherers of wild fruit, nuts and roots. Regulation believes In fact evolved firstly women, since like amongst Marx Sanguage for living primarily tool socially for the better regula- tion of the complex relation- ships within human society.

Men, more concerned with problem the technical would hunting: require silent sign-language, as used by hunting peoples today. Women would therefore (and have greater need opportunity) to evolve To prove the barbarism of primitive man, some antito.

have cited the pologists evidence of cannibalism such Chouboutien near Peking.

TIM

he fails to go on to Leakey that property,

SOONES

these practices show clear analyse the development and the private property evidence of ritual, and rather than the indications of Man's contradictory process in which it changes. innate savagery, they appear To equate the petty strife of Man's the indications of Bronze Age tribes with the superstitious attitude towards catastrophic struggles of the his own body. he imperialist epoch is patently Indeed cites several ridiculous. examples tribes which ritually avoid conflict with Since Leakey the others. development of the human For him warfare amongst primitive peoples is caused by mind, human culture, as of smooth process pressures-snollage of food, of hunting enlightenment, he is left with OI the humanistic "solution", of grounds-rather than natural rapaciousness in Man.

any "co-operation" and "under- standing" between Perhaps one of his most nations, beliefs is that for the crisis of humanity interesting imperialist epoch warfare became a real part of that the only with the represents. numan society The brotherhood of man development of agriculture, of which he talks will only be which led Man to settle down achieved by the world prole and acquire private property tariat under the leadership of (in the form of land) for the revolutionary first time. new party. for This permitted a massive There lies the hopes the future of the human race.

growth in population and the beginnings of accumulation vigourous understanding ol wcaill. Thus a material basis to human society in order to scientific war appeared and indeed this formulate period history is gramme. This book will assist human by marked its extreme in that Despite its violence. price, every weak- Here lies the main class-conscious worker should read it. of the book. Having ness understood warfare as a result By Mark Alexander of the development of private The Transitional Programme action "It is a programme for the beginning of from today until the socialist revolution.

And from the practical point of view what is now the most important guide the different how we can strata of the proletariat in the direc- tion of the social revolution

TROTSKY

30p plus 10p p&p from WSL. 31 Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR

IN REVIEW

NO HONOUR

ON THE RED

TERROR TRAIL

"The Lost Honour of only mildly political (he Blum" Katharina was deserted from the army and made in 1975-before the robbed the regimental safe) "anti- but Totges and the police wave of latest seize on every slight indica- terrorist" repression and tion that Blum might be a hysteria which press "red" followed the kidnapping distant relative of Hans Martin Schleyer Blum's voluntarily emigrated "the other part' to last year. Germanv: she kept a quota instead the reflects tion from Marx as a book- period which the this Baader-Meinhof original woman has the most politi- group were being rounded up cally dangerous opinions.

and imprisoned. The film is based on the Thinly veiled of the book same name by The main purpose of the Heinrich Boll who has him- thinly-veiled film self been a victim as ot press attack on the newspapers of attacks for daring to suggest ex Nazi Axel Springer. that the German state's treat- the Bild ment of people awaiting tria ole Zeitung in thin disguise.

for "terrorist" activities was Bild Leitung is the mosi somewhat excessive West Ger- popular daily many, notorious for its witch- Deaths in prison of militants, communists, homosexuals That treatment not. only "dangers other and involved torture safety" denial prisoners' demo- It is also the paper respon- cratic rights but has led to the sible for the prosecution of deaths in prison mysterious Boll himself. of Ulrike Meinhof, and more We the are left with recently Baader, Ensslin and general impression that there Raspe. 'good bourgeois news Despite the etforts papers and "bad" ones. "prove' forensic scientists to that they committed suicide, Crude line the events surrounding their policewoman tries those made comfort Blum by showing her public, point towards murder.

cuttings from other bapers- This deal f1m which only mention with the treatment of politi and show no "Katharina B prisoners, OI with photographs. clampdown on democratic Of course not all papers rights which the Social-Demo- line of the crude crats, liberal Free-Democrats, attack of Springer's, publica- and Christian Democrats alike tions, but the German capi- have called for and enforced talist press has been united (after all these anarchists in its advocacy harsh OI "threaten our democracy").

against anarchists, Hysteria and others who terrorists "endanger democracy" Instead, it is a study of the Police methods and creating role of the oress in touched brutality are only the atmosphere of hysteria upon, although at the begin- which is a necessary prelude ning of the film it seems that that attack. be they might main the Katharina Blum target. innocent. She meets Ludwi the collusion However Gotten (an "anarchist' and press is between police according to police and press) made clear with the swapping at party and takes him of information between the home to her flat. police chief and public prose- He under police and the reporter surveillance and the morning the flat is raided by Totges mob of police, complete Mutually beneficial with marksmen armed with sub-machine guns. Gotten gone and the They have a cosy, press campaign gets underway beneficial relation- mutually as Blum dragged the ship The police give the police station for questioning.

details about the reporter Everything about her case in return for the handy life private is distorted (or titbits which Totges digs up simply invented) and splashed makes up) about Blum's (or all over the pages of the mass background. Die Zeitung-her Despite limitations, circulation tne "political views" (actually the Lost Honour of Katharina "callous- her Blum is highly successful in ness" the hysteria of (untrue) and, recreating particular her sex-life. which Katharina Blum is the the fear and victim and Obnoxious persecution she suffers Perhaps the signifi most Although all this press German cant comment shown democracy is bourgeois to be the fault of one paper associates. He points Bt that one of Blum's and particular one 1n assoclalts. Totges, obnoxious reporter, he is the only person the film shows the power knows Katharina well and yet of the mass media, not just to has not been slandered in the destroy, innocent individuals press, and adds: like Katharina Blum, "Perhaps that's because way for attacks prepare the I'm an ex-Nazi". on people who are "radicals" "crime" By Ann Evans Gotten's turns out to be minor and

What the camera saw in the Mirror SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday February 1, 1978.

OUR

POLICIES

COUNCILS OF

ACTION

PART 4

By John Lister "How are the different demands harmonised, even if only within the limits …oT one already answered this question: through soviets.

These representatives of all the fighting groups. For this purpose, no one has yet proposed a different form of organisation; indeed it would hardly e possible to think up a better one. Soviets are not limited to an a priori party programme. They throw open their Through those doors pass representatives of all strata, drawn into the general current of the The organisation, broadening out structle. movement is renewed again and togetner with the All political currents of the proletariat can struggle for leadership of the on basis of the widest democracy.

herefore, crowns the programme of transitional demands' Transitional Programme P.28 (Folrose Ed.)

Three councils Soci the way in working class, the up forces heavals leading to the General at sever the creat as all-inclusive bodies drawing delegates from trade organisa- the correct tions and class political parties. militant They spelled the that the polnt formation such organisations tions. not in mass correct Heath leadership. summer of 1972. The working shown from the The Stalinist-led British its willingness Communist Party took its Tories-who had been elected incorrect line on the General to office in the Strike into the treacherous -action and created as much.

ments of 1964-70. mason aere as e sewnere Huge demonstrations in the workers' movement.

protest Since that time there have place against been few occasions where an upsurge of working class though at each point the TUC militancy seemed to offer the necked phe limits off ting Communist Party, fought to the limits trade union confine these struggle the of point peaceful protests directly confronting changing the government. Lories rather degeneration of Ana the them down. the British CP in the 1920s to the point of acting as more than a counter-revolu- Moscow's tionary of arm At the foreign policy of "peaceful level co-existence" has meant that defence revolutionary strategy Clyde implicit the call 1n generated "I for one certainly technology feel sorry for the position Group. The Dixon es and the preparing national panel are put in addition to the equipment- million cause they are certain- money. ly prepared to settle". They stood to regain their The speaker-addressing the rate money at TV camera in his board room million each year. yas Ted Blackmore, produc- Already installed tion director Mirror Group of Newspapers-the Theoretically man trying to push through about $1.5 million worth of new conoment technology. introduced. His sympathy was for the In fact dational president the lovingly reveret National Associa- equipment, • Grapnical pon, who, in theory at least display vas his opponent this tronic keyboards, was already rive for 'progress'. installed in a brand new print off Dixon was The camera, room. being merely haggling givell the FoCs by price. ammering members jobs he was The film elling. Elwyn Parry-Jones, The question sadly, was specialised in TV films about only how long it would take the newspaper industry. Dixon and the Mirror While nanagement to wear them allowed the cameras to film lown. the most intimate discussions This was the plot of the on tactics and while the NGA documentary last week executive voted the introduction cooperation to the film, the oi new is Strength and forms of struggle to be city? History has will unite the door to all the exploi- Council of Action banner on Oxford march in Spring 1973 again in its womb. within the working class- which was again defused with The slogan of soviets, the aid of the Stalinists.

The use on power and the to mass confrontation the the enquiry to concede the were a "special case" Industrial Act under pickets conditions, can attempting prevent using non- unionists, registered was the members and biggest single

TOT

confrontation between the working class government against the the After the leaders had class had succeeded holding back workers' anger at the levying to fight the fines on the

TGWU

the National Industrial Rela- wake of the tions Court, five dockers were Wilson govern; jailed in July for "contempt court" when they and continued to picket a non- taken registered container firm.

hated the The was Relations responst BIl immediate Hundreds of thousands by the sections of industry stopped almost worker actions work. «med Dockers, print of the workers, line" engineers and thousands more than bringing huge demonstrations omeo to Pentonville jail where the Huge support five were being held-without the slightest official lead from same time the union bureaucracy. struggle The TUC leaders were so jobs at Upper alarmed at the dimensions of Shipbuilders had the mass movement that they huge support were pressed into tentatively Mirror FoCs threatened to walk out company was of the talks if the cameras out-in were allowed inside. Parry-Jones stood ineffec- redundancy tively outside Mirror building, his waving printers

HICODEONC

of £2.5 coming out and being ignored by them. His ingratiating manne and sly insinuation of know- the talks 1ng more , said whether the more about the habits of would be Fleet Street than all the Mirror board's moans about the cameras "Spanish customs" and new, ane "Bingo nights' with complete Class position and elec- Despite surtace slime his class position spotted immediately by the printers.

ViLELCES the The rapidly programmine developed into a cosy trium- was made by virate of Parry-Jones, Black- who has more and Dixon, broken only at the point of contact with the working class Dixon, of marcement coming out ahead of the FoCs flung up his hands in horror saw the camera ween give full His expression was straight from formula ot those

NOT

O AC

EA calling for a one-day general for the strike. programme Despite the fact that it was Yet it the height of the holiday shut down period industry, that In peak resolutions from union bodies began to were flooding in to show that with or without this call a in several general strike movement was

SLL

had on the way. strength-in Oxford Arena North London. In Oxford under was these for resolution that conditions the Trotskyists of the Social- Confed, and League took up ist Labour endorsed by the call for the formation of councils of action to offer an within the growing within branches could fight

PHOTO: I

Wadham, IFL Holywood films where the it, the 97 jobs that were to be big time gangster is visited by lost. one of his "Obviously small time hench- like a higher rate" Ich du doe "How many times have I told the camera you not to visit me here?"

ularly hard shop floor. quite clearly. make it clear that as far as the Mirror management were

OR EXCLUSIVE

114) concerned, of it' The programme Margaret an inside view collaboration and Tony... bureaucracy and

HOW SIR

AROLD

HELPED

Executive

THE QUEEI

Despite endless Te Begins today TRE and sympathy for Dixon, the management at times looked . giving inKe up softly said: "I think we The programme played up call the national executive of from the printers the claim the NGA and ask it what they (over £200 week, want to do about it. We can't day, 28-hour week, and eight go on like this weeks holiday). It played wagging the dog, down to the point of ignoring The Page 9 Transport House, Oxford 60 delegates from «hen over 40 labour organisations including the

YLAND

Confed, the Morris Motors Joint Shop Stewards

VISION

Committee, British Levland Service Joint Shop Stewards

RENGTH

the two biggest

TGWU

branches in the town, several

AUEW

the branches, Party, Communist Labour Party Young Socialists, the and other political groups. After a battle with the Stalinists it adopted a policy of fighting for the removal of the Tory government But the conditions for such a body to establish itself at the head of a growing mass movement were longer no present. The Tories had been forced to use the pretext of the "Official Solicitor" in order to free the "Pentonville 5"-and were subsequently to shy from such open away confrontations The

TUC

leaders, acceptance of their thoroughly frightened by the of the mass movement scope was not until the that had erupted, did every- thing thorkers nsibat was past its defuse 'militancy. such demands And with bear fruit, easing and councils of action were set up the Stalinists pressure and "left' talking elements that areas w nere had been forced forward into trade union the Oxford Council of Action particular breathed a sigh of relief, and in Lambeth, and in began to do all they could to ensure its collapse. the initial So although the Oxford council of Council of Action lasted well action was passed by the local into 1973, leading campaigns subsequently against the Tory pay laws and Trades important Council, as well as a number intervention of car workers shop stewards attempting to mobilise housewives on the issue of pay and prices, it eventually faded from the scene. The inaugural meeting at Un The release of the Pentonville Five in 1972 membership of the union. The "dog was the they would ship. Blackmore openly Dixon told talked of sacking the printers atter one partic. and calling in scab labour.

meeting with the Since the local leadership T'hat comes out had no perspective for a fight But 1 had to against the job cuts, the end result mnevitable. They settled for £174, six weeks that was the end holiday and a four day week.

Dixon congratulated him- provided self. He did know fand of the open Parry-Jones did not remind between the us) that at the very beginning the the programme that was. exactly the deal (give or take £4) that the had privately said they would be prepared to concede. The programme was timed patience to go out on the night that the new technology was used for the first time Unfortun- the softly, ately for Parry-Jones the Blackmore Mirror walked out, printers refusing to set Reveille on the will have to new presses. It was only expected to be ay ete work old those Foc: of those FoCs with the tall You never can trust people when they are off was the camera

Page 10

INDUSTRIAL

GRUNWICK

Committee makes call for mass lobby of TUC We reprint below a show letter to the left press justified. from the Cardiff Grun- Strike Support wick Committee, together win our reply. Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Grunwick dispute, as we are all We reply well aware, is in of being lost, grave danger thanks mainly to the refusal Socialist TUC to of APEX and the this initiative mobilise the whole labour Cardiff committee, movement to win the dispute.

in line with the policies we We have all been relying have been Committee to on the Strike the strike call for further action, but, if abortive hunger strike outside they do so, then APEX have the TUC last year. said they will suspend all the We have strikers without strike pay.

that the The Strike Committee is mobilisation of trade union- therefore understandably dis- heartened. It further clear initiative must be taken for the dispute to be won. We are confident a mass TUC will be lobby of the supported by many thousands of trade unionists who disgusted by the are TUC's attitude to the strike.

Our Support Group (with delegates from the local Trades Council, Labour Party wards and union branches) have written to krent rades Council suggesting that they are the body that goes ahead leadership and calls for the lobby-we suggest that your paper also Ambulance urges them to do this. unions will be successful If Brent Trades Council persuading in are unable to initiate this call, there alternative-the membership to Strike Committee have derisory pay offer within indicated that, if alternative the 10% limit. funds are available, then they themselves will cal lie was.

(COHSE

lobby. joint appeal from the 26% increase, left substantial press of funds £10,000) (approx increased holiday We therefore essential. urge pay. investigate such an appeal as soon as possible to off This was the wike pressure Strike Committee. offer of 62% from the cannot ment. which was theoreticalv Grunwick disupte to be lost- thus thousands of non-organised, ship, ground for their non-unionised workers throughout the country acceptance of the latest offer.

suffer if it is. The Strike Committee increase in basic pay-but, by some bureaucratic sleight of have faith in the

CHO THOUN

PHOTO: Laureno A meeting last week of the campaign to save the Bethnal Green Hospital now under the Healey axe.

NEWS

ists to lobby the TUC must movemen-ve them that this faith is be based not on protest but on aemanding tne immealale Yours fraternally, of blacking implementation Keith Morgan services all essentlal Secretary, Grunwick as the only way the Cardiff Grunwick strike can be won Support Committee struggle that any might expose the treachery of the TUC will almost certainly provoke the expulsion of the strikers from

APEX

it essential to make certainly Press adequate financial provision welcomes from the for such a step. which is Assistance We offer our assistance to advocating since committee's campaign and trade union bodies to declare their willingness to provide stated our view financial aid to strikers should they be expelled by call or a lull scale the APEX bureaucrats. Ambulance pay sell out It looks as though the hand, calculated on a lower in the current one, basic than the which actually Service means it 1s consolid- nearer 8-and £3 of ation of mere their previous pay awards into the basic, bringing it up to about accept a £47 a week. Low basic wage With a low basic wage level GMWU and TGWU) was for a and overtime rate, ambulance and women are still consolidation 11vl and awards, forced and sick amounts of overtime to make a living wage. of the context depleted, undermanned answered by an manage- heat service. divided workforce competing rejected by the union leader- for jobs and money whilst the union leadership make preparing the "reluctant" platonic comments about the

CULI

This offer comprises a 10% Keep fit Len Murray's contribution to the health of the nation is us all to keep fit; a to advise good idea if you're last on the for kidney waiting machine! The leadership should ambulance have fought for the original claim. This meant calling for strike action alongside the and for the building of councils of action to co- the oramnate anO struggle against wage controls and the anti-working Class Lib-Lab government. Sliding scale leadership new must now be built puone capable of lead- sector union. ing the fight against the cuts by fighting for a sliding scale of and wages public expenditure. NO TO 4% Marshall Cavendish, London, are on Journalists at obtain fulfilment of a wage strike in an ettort to agreement negotiated for 1976-7.

withheld payment of an agreed £500 across the board due "when Government/TUC pay policy payment permitted". - claiming that the 12-month rule stop ped them paying up. NUJ pay fight

NUJ

members in Clearly provincial want to papers have equally imposed sanctions this uphold their week negotiations. right to local pay bargain- ing. Sanctions include a ban on night jobs, a rerusal to use their campaign work and personai cars IOt general withdrawal of coop- eration in a number of minor ways. ical right Contradictory 10cauy. The action contra- as it is difficult te ted nationwide dictory implement. success. voted

NUJ

members to With the 10%, £7.06 pay Society in an accept a offer and are taking action to prevent chapels being tied to to rule. a ban on local bargaining.

Steak house workers fight for union Eighty workers were sacked last week by the management of Garner Steak Houses when they took strike action in support of a claim for union recognition. All the Garner Steak throughout Houses, London's West End, were affected by the dispute. the 185 workers

TGWU.

union, according to official George Abraham, were due to make the dispute official HUTU: Mark Rusher, Ir u Monday 30 January Workers the steak at houses have been fighting for union recognition for a year.

The reason is obvious. Cashiers receive a take home pay of only £28 for a 50-hour week while waiters réceive 40-hour £26 for week before stoppages. these low ot becaust houses are wages, the steak undermanned-so the workers have to work even harder for their money. Management have stated that even if the strikers get 100% support the union will not be recognised. The strikers have set up a 12-13 be sent. strike headquarters at Henrietta Street, in London As WC2, to which donations and should of support catering messages SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday February 1, 1978.

NUJ

MARSHALL

[CAVENDISH

OFFICIAL

Pines Management have Drivers strike estimated 1,500 An South Wales lorry drivers began strike action on Monday 30 January over a wage claim which the employers in the rest of have already Britain conceded.

NUJ

The sticking point in the members is that the men want fight on claim pay -and percent their ten calculated clearly they saw no into which way forward in the national on a basic wage the £6 Phase 1 settlement and the £2.30 Phase 2 settlement Local fights have been consolidated.

TGWU,

Their union, the this does A successful outcome to that • 2410 Calmly will allow not represent a breach of the strong chapels to fight locally 10%. Thę employers, on ta on wages, but small chapels other hand are insisting tha will scarcely benefit from an it does break the government action which brings a theoret- guidelines and are threatening to fight Phase redundancies the men do not return to work The action was implemen-

TGWU

Regional Secretary with mixed George Wright told the local press that companies employ Newspaper settled ing 1,000 drivers had uncompromis- before the strike and that he ing mood NU! members need expected companies employ- a stronger action than a work ing 500 of the strikers to cave in almost immediately. for blacking of supplies to the unionisa- Garner Steak Houses will be previous tion struggles in the hotel and central to the winning of this industry, fight dispute.

Speke, Halewood, hold line SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday February 1, 1978.

Two determined strikes against manage- ment attempts to impose speed-up have halted two of the three major car producers in Merseyside. At British Leyland's Speke Hall plant-where the Triumph TR7 and bodies for the Dolomite are produced- production been al since slanosal

ON PAY

300 North Humberside Pontract electricians mployed mainly on uilding sites walked out ast week in support of heir pay claim. The claim has been Hocked by government inter- ention, since it breaches the 0% guidelines. Employers, however, have their willingness to ay the claim which including would centIves 22p hour une lectricians of rate presell 1.53.

MAN

THE TOP

AT against speed-up vote for indefinite arrangements in the case of strike action on November 1 dispute. last year. The agreement stands an obstacle to Leyland's all- Obstacle for drive increased exploitation the shop strike started, when floor, and the attack on it is management refused of a sustained manage- honour offensive the agreement ment working ensures conditions throughout the changes are subject to prior violation agreement by shop stewards, The strike in defence of the ana lavs down a agreement first-

TO CEOUTC

for arriving at temporary ever major stoppage in the

JOINT STEWARE

COMMITEE

SITE 2

OFFICIAL

SPARKS WALK OUT

Oxfordshire teachers in the National Union of The Department of Teachers last week voted Employment, however, has 1200 to 270 in favour of stated that no more than 6p per nour can de paid. accepting the Tory "compromise Council's Ominous offer and calling off their The strike has the backing of sanctions local

EETPU

against the perhaps an ominous warning cuts. view official Their eighteen month-long "support" that ensured the dispute over the. 1976-7 cuts sell-out EETPU lift which began with a half-day of the 130% pay claim strike and 4,000 strong demonstration finally fizzled out-divided and confused by As we go to Dress a mass the NUT bureaucracy. meeting to be held tomorrow (Tuesday) is expected to take At the high point of the a hard line for the continua- dispute-last May -1500 tion of the strike. were ledeners prepared strike Instead of calling all-out strike action the NUT leaders

ME?! TAKE A STAND? YOU MUST BE

KIDDING, LEN! LISTEN,

IN SIR I'LL TELL THE

MEETING THAT 10% IS ALL

THIS IS WRAI

HAPPENED...

\THAT WE

THE CONVENOR WAS WORRIED..

LAID IT ON STRONG.

So

THIS

PHASE 4 NEWS WILL I

REALLY KNACKER OUR CHANCES

A PHASE FOUR OF WAGE

TUNT.Y

DONT PANIC... I'M AN

OLD HAND AT THS GAME.

No. 2 plant at Speke- and the last big strike at the was 8 years factory ago Now result of prolonged lay-offs followed 12-week the strike, production has been Management and the press are doing their best to exploit this, and using the failure of the Speke tee to hold a mass meeting since November i as a level to weaken the strike. Friday's Liverpool Echo carried appeal from management for the latest "peace plan" to be put to mass meeting. Manoeuvre This concern for 'demo- fraud. by the employer is a they were really inter- ested in a return to work, all the managemen agree honour the agreement on manning Anything else is no more than a manoeuvre to split the workforce and break the strength of the union in the plant. Hourly quota Meanwhile at Ford's Hale- the wood plant strike by 1,000 press-shop workers against the imposition of an hourly quota system contines Last Tuesday they voted at a mass meeting not to meet again for a fortnight unless peace proposal emerged. NUT sellout- called a limited strike in one area of the county and then withdrew strike in favour of divisive sanctions.

These particular

NUT

separated members in primary secondary schools, and teachers SCl against parents. faced Eventually, with a fraudulent ballot paper and a leadership for 'yes' teachers have called off the action.

The teaching force of over 4,000 has been cut by 10% the ratios have been worsened to almost the levels intended Council-but of by Ine lory course Max Morris, ex-Stalin- chairman of the

NUT

National 'Action' Committee is claiming a 'victory'.

BUT WHEN I GOT

THERE.

AFTER

ALL

THERE'S

MORE THAN ONE

WAY TO SKIN A CAT! CHEERS, LEN!

..SO 10% IS ALL WE CAN HOPE FOR.

IN FAVOUR?

Page 11

-INDUSTRIAL NEWS.

No The Birds Eye picket Birds Eye face closure threat The pay strike by 110 But shop stewards pointed out that these sackings the Birds engineers at brought the total workforce Eye Kirkby plant in at Kirkby just about which has halted 1,000-the target figure production for the last by announced Birds Eye three years ago. 11 weeks faces a key test The engineers are demand- Occupation in a pay settlement in excess 10% limit. Manage- Clearly any attempt to ment have now threatened to close the factory must be close plant, sacking all fought through immediate 1,200 workers, if there is no and steps by occupation return to work. union committee to Contingency plans open the books of Birds Eye management to expose their With cool cynicism, com- long term plans Webb revealed last week that chairman Kenneth Workers in other Birds Eye factories must be called on to the firm had drawn up support the struggle contingency plans-one for a defend all jobs in the Kirkby stoppage six-week and one plant, and for a twelve week one. campaign launched for the nationalis- "We have put in not plan, ation of this highly profitable third contingency viciously anti-working class he announced. food monopoly. 450 workers have already been declared "redundant Birds by Eye, the sackings blamed on the strike.

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

5 issues ..€1.10 10 issues .. £2.20 25 issues . . £5.50 50 issues. £10.00 (Overseas rates: write for details).

I would like • issues. I enclose £. Name.. Address Send to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NWS 1HR Subscribe!

IN ZIMBABWE

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

TREACHERY

TALKS

Smith near deal with stooge blacks The political leaders of black masses. guerrilla Zimbabwe, The third party to these talks, Bishop Abel Muzorewa, Joshua Nkomo armies, stayed at home. He says that

(ZAPU)

and Robert of Smith's because one Mugabe (ZANU) went to aides called him a 'liar'.

Malta on Monday to see Stall the talks if the imperialists would them from rescue But others say it is because political eclipse. British Foreign Secretary told The David him to stall the talks until Im perlansts. Owen and the US represen- atter the Malta meeting since Young, By they Andrew tative British and Americans wont the to Malta on Monday to see if would provoke want to include him alongside TaUC the black hostility from Nkomo and Mugabe would Nkomo perhaps (and that the stable neo- them being out- Mugabe) in their own rival solution they are manoeuvred by racist Premier neo-colonial solution. Coulai looking for could not be lan Smith. So that is where all the maintained. the Chatacters

SOOO

Owen and Young are now curtain rose on what may be Stooge leaders persuade Nkomo trying Zimbabwe's

LICW

Mugabe and accept the his drawn-out independence Ian Smith went British/American plan. internal settlement talks saga. This means disarma- Monday the hope of As we go to press it seems and guerrillas, that very much can ment of tne independence unlikely signing an of 'interim' the happen Salisbury before agreement stooge 1n alli

WITT

British military dictatorship Chief clear message has come black leaders from Malta. under (a paid servant of the white Marshal

CLOTU

Carver. racists) and the renegade Rev. This would be followed Opposition nationalist leader the all seems well by the when Sithole. Both Owen and Young set installation of a client black They went to the talks government (probably under because they hope Smith and out with statements Smith/ Nkomo and Muzorewa). the racists will gIVC some political power which, Muzorewa internal settlement They will doubt threaten that if Nkomo and given their record of betrayal, necane a voue cause le bloodshed" Muzorewa refuse them they they could never get from the

ANNIVERSARY

3

OF SOCIALIST

PRESS

Special meetings Last Thursday saw one of the first local meetings of the Anti-Nazi League

OXFORD

LIVERPOOL

whose well-known Wednesday 8 February Sunday 12 February sponsors include the ubi- 8.00 pm 8.00 pm quitous Brian Clough and East Oxford Community Mitre, Dale Street the Tariq unprincipled Centre, Princes Street Ali.

LONDON

and fifty One hundred Friday 10 February gathered in anti-fascists 7.30 pm Acton hear spokes- man Kim Gordon, Mrs Desai

COVENTRY

New Theatre, LSE of the Grunwick Strike Com- Houghton Street Tuesday 7 February Labour mittee and recent London WC2 8.00 pm Party recruit Peter Hain spell Plus FILM Old Dyers Arms out an almost entirely moral case against fascism. Spon End, Coventry 'Salt of the Earth' Only Mrs Desai, by NF harassment touching on of Grunwick pickets, even wnzorews will support the Smith/ deal and Muzorewa imperialist troops if necessary Fascism is no single issue approached analysis of the class role of fascism.

Propaganda Hain, however, claimed Htont

IUSU

afraid of being exposed as the Nazis they are. He called for

ANL

the concentrate on • to anti-fascist propaganda around schools and

ALCHOIS

But such propaganda, detached from the political fight to end the material conditions of mass unemploy- falling living stan- ment and dards in which fascism testers by the utilized allu employers, hopelessly inadequate to defeat fascism.

Nkomo and Mugabe Zimbabwe liberation forces to crush the guerrilla armies and their supporters Whatever permutation finally results the Iron complexes of talks present there is no doubt and deals, will have to that be subsequently fought and Zimbab- overthrown by the wean masses. Compromise Any peaceful settlement must represent an abject com- promise with imperialism either indirectly through lan Smith or directly with Owen and Young. Trotskyists must fight in the British Labour Movement for maximum moral and material support any forces in Zimbabwe prepared to resist the imposition of a neo-colonial sell-out

WSL

from speakers the floor stressed the need tc Lib-Lab break the coalition to open the way for such a fight. But they were opposed by a Stalinist from the Young Communist League who declared that politics should be put aside until fascism had been "demo• cratic' forces. The ANL is clearly fixed precisely course, such a and like its fellow "single campaigns" issue demning itself to long-term avoidance of dis- polluca. and vague exhorta- tions against fascism. Ireland: new guns not the answer 500 demonstrators joined a march called by Sinn Fein last Sunday to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the army's. bloody British 14 unarmed massacre 01 civilians in Derry in 1972.

Biggest contingent was that behind the banners of Provisional Sinn Fein, with some 30 contincent Workers Socialist League members and supporters shouted slogans demanding the witnarawa of British troops from Ireland and Irish self-determination for the people. A short distance away a rival march comprising and self-pro- disolay ol groups clamer trotskvist mustered a rather smaller number of supporters. Morale booster Meanwhile in Derry a 3,000- strong march ordanisec bymne Provisionals was treated to of a new morale-booster in the form of the rapid fire M60 machine gun While this show of bravado inolcate: une Incenull tenacity of the republican fighters : is a poor attempt to substitute of development for mobilise the Irish programme working class in the struggle for trish , self-determination oeo Die But Whtle Ine reouoi car forces find themselves reduced to reformist agitation combined with actions acalis British imperialism, are demanding Britain torces in a still more ricorous crackeowr on anti-imperialist forces Ireland, Airey now nuited from tor more de Brati ries Irish workers in Britain. premier Lynch's bire recent speech oooortunis Ulsteres a pretera, Neve de special granted privileges to about a million Irish this country, Toe! Criser Britain fair and thai Know democratic Racist laws He claimed that the attitude could of the Lynch. government cause the question of Irish citizen ship be reviewed under the racist immi. arread olalantly gration laws In conclusion, Neave said that Britain had already suffered We're no longer going ! insults with a stif bear these upper lip". This speech should be seen for exactly what it : is, , a furthe Tory threat to the already limited democratic rights of irish especially those who workers, criticise Mave Une Britain's and tair camocrate behaviour in Ulster. threats must be t nes TOrY resisted by the whole trade union movement in this country This fighting for the ¡licall. Ulster removal TroOD TrOM and the repeal of already existing repressive legislation

FUND

With two ve are still £100 short o £600 for the our target Fund January Monthiy determined really effort ir we are to raise have made the full amount. At the same time, not a minute should be lost in getting the February Fund under • way. All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR