Workers Press no. 1008

workers press

PHASE TWO BOARD DETAILS REVEALED

PAY CODE LAW IS

CORPORATE STATE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 1973 • No. 1008 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE By Royston Bull

OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

corporatist pay code under which the Tories will DETAILS of the decide all future wage settlements in Britain were revealed yester- day. The Pay Board is now only a couple of steps away from becoming the law of the land under the Phase Two 'anti-inflation' legislation, Nothing that can happen in parliament will stop it.

The guidelines for the Pay Board were already known. Under Phase Two, which lasts until the workers autumn, no group This is what the can get anything more than £l plus 4 percent. government has decided workers shall have, regardless of increases in food prices and rents.

New guidelines will be set in the Autumn for Phase Three, and they will be even more stringent, probably successfully only half the level of enureorcucur *allowable IN PARLIAMENT yesterday costs pleads Phase Two. afternoon. Mr Joseph Godber, creases. Further the Tory concessions mave rood and Agricul- The farcical been made to business in- said he had these has already 'controls' by pushing back the allowed the meat price rises been exposed. During the

LOTCOLS

period сите Тог auowab e

COST

September 30, still began- -because he was creases 100 of virtually

SOCI

COHE

1972. the firms concerned satisfied applications have been given the go-ahead. Cost increases incurred were sunerns rom a serous decline in profitability.

'standstill' Delore that may be allowec During the The Cadbury - Schweppes by the go Heinz, food prices have been rising and United Price 'there Commission at the rate of 15 percent

BISCUITS

are

& DOUL TO

seek are exceptional circumstan- And weekend all-round increases ces to justify this. further 5 the per cent anotner round or meat price Two slight concessions are rises was announced. monopolies will bread all made on dav as part of the for increase Yet it will be a 'criminal' alp government's propaganda / i loves retentek. more pay. act to strike for offensive the trade further recent The Phase Two proposals devaluation of sterling these sdy. rice rises will get steeper The 12-month interval be- n the coming weeks. Then, • All pay settlements must tween settlements will run April, Value-Added Tax from the date when in- least z months and it will be criminal should

COST OI

have been creases living through the roof. offence take industrial to paid during the standstill those workers thus acuon tomy mOre than the state-regulated recommended that if gov- aneclea interim cost- norm any ernment spending continues And increases already will rate, agreed for 1973 as part of

•ILS

CUTCHE

deals will, become con long-term gen- essential • The Pay Board will act In the growth of real be allowed in full. But as policeman for the state eral. disposable income any subsequent pay rise will personal Except for pay controls. not be allowed before a fur COnsum DOn a rare small groups of emplovees. significantly below that ther 12 months have elapsed all wage increases will have output. increment is or to be reported to the Board. it the on above the Phase Two pay simple this In terms Nerusal oce will go productivity information, will be a crimi-

HOTTE

means wages; nal offence. rates will also beecework Changes тастет 80am that the rate for the job counted will be • The cut. consent of the Pay against the pay limit as will ob- Board will have to be organize wart» omer ana cutting will become the tained before any wage rises structuring pay schemes. main aim of the Pay Board criminal palence to go ahead paid. will Increased overtime rates under rouse snree will also be offset, although without their approval. This will come on top of hours of overent the enrecave worked will be unaffected.

• The Pay Board itself will standards resulting TrOM Dividends will be allowed refuse permission for a wage Phase Two which to increase by 5 per cent rise if the controlled wages are rigidly not meet the stringent test As soon as it is set up but prices soar treely. of the latest guidelines. Any- the Pay Board will begin its Details of the Price Com- detailed police work exam- Contravele the theme miSsIon continue this Code will be taken to ining the wage structures of Prest January's Paper. White the criminal court. all sectors of workers. food: all Using the strictest means- products and goods and ser • Ine unes will be up to test principles, it will decide vices subject to international £400 on summary conviction will all be ex- agreements Phase JUST nOW

JOW

and amitiese Times The empt from price control. guidelines can be set. state. wishes to make a real increases All other House example of a group of work.

SEASI

week c Commons Expenditure Com- authorized by the ers will be or a trade

UNION

amal Price Commission indict them before a jury.

mittee unanimously FEBRUARY 27, 1973• No. 1008 • 4p

TEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

LONDON

gasworkers said yesterday the gasmen were determined to win. that the fight against the Tory pay Hendon, shop ste- Yesterday. must be 'stepped up'. West- wards and convenors from North laws

G&MWU

Thames gas plants areas minster depot convenor Mr scattered London and as central Joe Bennett held up his slip pay Southend were meeting discuss (above) showing his last week's wage speed effect of their steps to up the as £21.79, while he explained why rolling strikes and work to rule.

PETERLOO

Rally against the Tories See pages 4, 5, 6 and 7 for an his.

EMPIRE POOL, WEMBLEY

St

SUNDAY MARCH 11

ToriCal articia on ine massacre in Peter's Field, Manchester in 1819 See full details on page 11 and book One of the episodes of history to be seen at Wembley on March 11.

your ticket now.

workers press

PHASE TWO BOARD DETAILS REVEALED

PAY CODE LAW IS

CORPORATE STATE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 1973 • No. 1008 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE By Royston Bull

OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

DETAILS of the corporatist pay code under which the Tories will decide all future wage settlements in Britain were revealed yester- day. The Pay Board is now only a couple of steps away becoming the law of the land under the Phase Two 'anti-inflation' legislation. Nothing that can happen in parliament will stop it.

The guidelines for the Pay Board were already known. Under can get anything more than £l plus This is what the government has decided workers shall have, regardless of increases in food prices and rents.

New guidelines will te set in the Autumn fur Phase Three, and they will be even more stringent, probably successfully entrepreneur only half the level of 'allowable IN PARLIAMENT yesterday Phase Two.

COSLS

111• afternoon, Mr Joseph Godber, Further concessions have The farcical of The ory nature been made to business in- ture Minister, said he had has already these 'controls' pushing back the allowed the rises terests by meat price exposed. been allowable so-called 'standstill' period Care

COSL

-Lic acest suice lic sald• creases to September 30, still began- 100 of -herance ne wac virtually per cent 1972. satisfied the firms concerned and de been cover 'were suffering from a serious the go-ahead. Cost increases incurred before that mav be allowed During 'standstill' The Cadbury - Schweppes Price go onto prices by the food prices have been rising Heinz, Commission 'there cent at the rate about to

DISCUILS

are

SECK

And last weekend are exceouord curcumstan all-round increases ces to justify this'. per cent and the another round of meat price Two slight concessions are monopolies will ask rises was announced. bread made on all pay as part of the Yet it will be a 'criminal' uncrete government's propaganda large loaves next week. aci lo suike 1o1 more ay offensive against the trade With the recent further The Phase Two proposals of sterling these unions. devaluation say: The 12-month interval be- rIses Will get steepe. in the coming weeks. Then, • All pay settlements must tween run settlements Will Value-Added Tax April, least months from the date when

TUL

cost of should (VA will send the and have been criminal cicasco living through the roof. offence to take industrial auring The action try more for those workers thus to to get than affected. The recommended that it gov- interim cost- or any ernment spending continues And increases alreauy of-living increases. rate, will current agreed for part con- long-term deals will, in gen- Deconse essella. • The Pay Board will act strain the growth be allowed in full. But reXl as state clal, policeman lor personal disposable income pay contrals. Except for any subsequent bay rise to rate small groups of employees.

12 months have elapsed significantly all wage increases output. on reported to the Board. cement above the Phase Two pay simple terms this Refusal to de or wrong productivity will go norm. means information. will be a crimi- than nal offence. Changes in piecework BraSter Wakes that the rate for the job cates Wil aSO counted will be • The consent of the cut. against the pay limit as will Board will have to be organized wage- ob- other productivity and 1C will cutting become The Taneo perore ans wate uses structuring pay schemes aim of the Pay Board can be paid. It will main overtime rates criminal offence to go increased under Phase Three. will also be offset, although without tael approval. Ins wu come on loo o hours alludin ovel turic the effective cuts 1n • The Pay Board itself will worke• will de unatected standaros resumus Dividends will be allowed refuse permission for a wage Phase Two under which to increase by 5 per cent.

application does rigidly controlled rise i the wages are not meet the stringent test soon as it is but prices soar treely. of the latest guidelines. Any- Details of the Price Com- the vav koard will begin ITs detailed police work the theme colilavele mission connue of this code Will be Taken o ining the wage structures January's wy nite raber the criminal court. workers. Fresh food; all imported all sectors or products and goods and ser- Using the strictest means- The fines will be test principles, it will decide £400 on summary conviction vices suolect to internatonai Three agreements will all be ex- Phase Just lUW anant ess empt from price control. guidelines can be set. state. wishes to make a real example of a group of work- week's House All other price increases

LOSI

Commons Expenditure Com- Price be ommissiod authorized une ers Curate 1Ll0l unanimously Price the indict them before a jury.

mittee report FEBRUARY 27, 1973 • No. 1008 • 4p

TEE OF THE

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

LONDON

gasworkers sald yesterday the gasmen were determined to win. that the fight against the Tory pay Yesterday, Hendon, shop ste laws must be 'stepped up'. West- wards and convenors from North Thames G&MWU convenor Mr minster depot scattered central London and Joe Bennett held up his pay slip discuss Southend meeting (above) showing his last week's wage steps to speed up the effect of their £21.79, while he explained work as why and to rule. rolline strikes

PETERLOO

Rally against the Tories

EMPIRE POOL, WEMBLEY

See pages 4, 5, 6 and 7 for an his. torical article St on the

SUNDAY MARCH 11

Peter's Field, Manchester in 1819 One of the episodes of history to be See full detalls on page 11 and book seen at Wembley on March 11. your ticket now.

Chinese eager peace delegates ignore plane murder PAGE 2 Workors Press, Tuesday February 27, 1973 THE WORKING class is in danger of being knifed in the back on the eve of an all-out confrontation with the Tory government.

The main source of this danger is the 'lefts' and Stalinists in key positions in the labour and trade union movement. At a point where the issues facing the class could not be more sharply posed, these people and their revisionist allies are seeking to sow maximum confusion about the tasks ahead. Take their reaction to statement that the trade union movement must either unite in a General Strike against the government or fall in line with its state pay laws.

Every faker in the business began rushing around like a startled chicken when this statement appeared in the newspapers. 'He shouldn't have put it quite like that,' clucked the Stalinists. 'He's trying to divert attention away from those fighting for more pay now, the re- who are visionists whined. So in the gasworks, in the hospitals and at Ford's, workers were told: don't listen to Gormley, just get on with your claim, maybe build a few rank-and-file committees at local level-but for Christ's sake don't think about politics. Mean- 'lefts', while the Stalinists and revisionists get on with their treacherous work.

Perhaps the clearest expression of what this means in practice can be seen at Ford's.

Last December Ford stewards at Dagenham met to call on their union officials to pursue their £10 claim 'regardless' of the pay laws.

Similar factories. motions were later carried at other But nowhere was there serious preparation for the kind of struggle this would involve.

Then at ciseries fed etite come comany officials argued that the company afford to pay, but made no attempt to force it to make an offer. On the shop floor, although there was great feeling for a strike, the idea began to be peddled that perhaps a deal based on productivity might be possible if the time- scale of the agreement spanned Phases Two and Three of the Tories' pay laws.

On February 18, shop stewards from all 21 British Ford plants met in Coventry and decided to call for an all-out, official strike from March 1.

But the Stalinist and Labour 'left' platform of the stewards' conference, at which hospital workers, teachers, miners and other carworkers were present, refused to allow a demand on the TUC for a General Strike. They restricted the con- ference to asking for 'a national day of action'.

This fainthearted policy encouraged a number of including the Dagenham engine shop, sections, to vote against the March 1 action.

following meetings of Ford convenors On Sunday, and works' committees last week, Swansea Ford 'change their tactics'. asked to workers were illegal, Because all-out strike would be an stewards explained, they were asking only for a three-day 'guerrilla' strike from March 1. The Hugh Wallace claimed, government, convenor 'hiding behind Ford's'. was This 'change of tactics' is a considerable retreat— is entirely in line with the 'lefts' and but it Stalinists' refusal to all workers to call for a General Strike. of the argument that 'one section Under cover can't. defeat the government on its own', Stalinists are preparing to run from the Tories and betray all sections. The revisionists' attack on Gormley-they claim he deliberately chose 'two extremes to divert atten- tion from the necessity to build on the present foundations' — dovetails perfectly with this treacherous strategy. Of course Gormley's intention was to frighten his fake left colleagues into accepting the pay laws.

But the only answer to that challenge is the building of a leadership which is not frightened by that prospect. That is why the struggle against the pay laws is inseparable from the struggle to the Socialist Labour League transform into a revolutionary party which will meet the challenge.

POST OFFICE members support from the mem- of the Civil and Public bership. Services Association will But he admitted that the branch meetings not be supporting to- where feeling had been day's one-day civil ser- influenced vice strike. tested were The decision to pull by the UPW's attitude. 'Undoubtedly the fact them out of the stop- was made after that we were the only page other Post Office unions one of about a dozen refused to take part. Post Office unions to be The Union of Post contemplating strike Office Workers, by far weighed heavily with our members', he said. the biggest union in the meporation, had given The had CPSA executive requested backing members the 35,000 structions for avoiding of its post picket lines. and telecommunications February Alistair Graham, head members on of the CPSA's Post 12, two days before the Post Office unions' own and Telecommunica- £5.50 claim was turned tions group, said yes- down by Employment terday that the main factor in the no-strike Secretary Maurice Mac- millan. decision was lack of

BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

status HANENNA UNAL conrerence on guarantee (TRe quo. une Indo-China began in Paris or ester day of international observers are far too 24-hour small undertake any effective "poli- with meeting the Vietnam ceasetire treaty to event international partes the Vietnam ceasefire agreement, The Paris conference difiers very North Vietnamese and United States

LOLY

wenera comerent delegates were meeting in private yes- the fact that 'certain people' had and which divided Vietnam terday and draft violated the treaty already. prepared the way for the second Indo. afternoon try Chinese Stalinists desperately joint resolution to put before the con- follows the villa Wale ference embodying the terms of the international pull-out troops who found it WAnT The imposition 'guarantee' controls in Vietnam in order to facili- impossible

NLF

and with US North Vietnam. China, the first of the participants ties tate their own growing to do so publicly, nas lormally pleaged Imperialism. Mence the welcome lor the Inis conterence is nothing more than to the agreement and said it ceasefire treaty. and However it is already will work clear that the Chinese leaders can come closer to US all parties at the conference ceasefire afreement in South vietnam mere good behaviour is lo keep ne pence giving guarantees Chinese delegate Chi Peng-fei hailed will not put an end to the fighting or Indo-China.

BY FOREIGN EDITOR JOHN SPENCER

THE ROUND of diplomatic moves to bring 'peace' in the Middle East continues despite the Israeli murder of 106 passengers in the Air Libya airliner brought down over Sinai.

Following the visit to Washington of Hafez Ismail, President Anwar Sadat's special adviser on national security, President Nixon is due to receive visit on Thursday from Mrs Golda Meir, DAYAN... 'Blood money the Israeli premier. placed high premium there emotional de- on were Mrs Meir, Tel who left the funeral the achievement of a settle- States Aviv for ment between the Arab of the airliner victims. yesterday, said she thought states and Israel, which the shooting the down crowd of some 15,000, would enable the further Libyan led by US-Soviet a relative or one development lutely not' affect the talks.

the victims, rushed towards relations and put paid to the Muammar US hopes for 'proximity threat of Libyan president revolution In talks' between 'Revenge, Israel and snouting Middle bast. Gaddah! Revenge, Gaddafi!' However, the Egyptian the Suez Canal are likely to Gaddafi, surrounded by Ismail, though be high agenda at machine-gun toting guards, tremely willing to talk with

HEARINGS

against two beat hasty retreat from the leaders of world im- Arabs Jews and War the scene. four perialism, unwilling was charged with membership Minister has much optimism about Tel Aviv, chow Moscow for talks arrived in of a Syrian-sponsored 'spy the outcome. the War arrogant ring' opened in Haifa on cenare On Minister, General Moshe Sadat and his government future of Soviet sitary aid Sunday. Defendants alleged Dayan, was giving details to Egypt. The 'peace' cannot afford to appear too jail by police and the Knesset of the Israeli beatings for enthusiastic with oiiensive. however. is certain "blood-money' the lawyer of one of the pay to figure at the talks. with- compensation to the airliner chief accused has The Soviet Union has In Benghazi yesterday victims. drawn. of two lews at the centre of the alleged shaken conspiracy establishment which YAonisi fears that its grip over the Jewish population, parti- is loosen-

BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

cularly the youth, ing. THE ITALIAN trade union will strike for one hour; Their main demand has Arabs, (28),

CGIL

CISL

engineering workers for four become a reduction Subhi the now charged and called - have for television recandal WOrKILL WCCK that his statement to in- today quarter of an hour (11.00 hours. ireneral vestigators in had not support of workers demand- 11.15 a.m.); agricultural As union secretaries Tren- his free new wage contracts and Carniti, and Benvenuto ween

OWLI

WOrKerS. restauall will, beatings but only aller econome rerons. described it: by at least six men. Minister Labour, This conscious at- 'A reduction of hours 'top-class Coppo, trade praised tempt union would create more jobs and witnesses, he said he did not union representatives. leaders to break up the mil. would maintain the present know they week-end speech to tancy of the Italian working in a utilization of Dlant. admitted that class and ensure trade and political police that union While the CP-guided trade several names leaders in Reggio Emilia he parliamentary urged them their decreed by the Communist Party and assullic the national economy, Socialist Party not dis- Vicialud responsiones to cerena sne fascist Georgio Imirante general interests of the Ine sIx accused, woo sallo turbed. the loudly Arabic when they country torn by general eco- Nationa. Right Was 14 Te been million strikers calling for national cam- arrived in court urged to follow elections. possible paign for face Coppo spoke after a week this 'plan of action': sentences variety with of negotiations engi- He wants government with connected Council, hospital and neering workers leaders who which would put an security offences. office workers on the rail- have been pursuing a claim 'public disorder and im- ways, government workers since last October. morality'. leader Osman (45), draw "comilict heese va conscience' regarding the bolitical vhich manner be defended. wishes

BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

Turki and Na'arani are trial with Ehud Adiv (26),

SOME

1,300 The Over 2,000 miners are Jewish hipyard are dissatisfied main defendant; men

LIC

been with a wage strike in the mining valley Dan condolencre months crease of a month, a 10. of Nalon. The two (28), another Jew; Simeon their Hadad (34),. teacher Espanoles monthly basic of 230. Karanc Asuleros •er-cent increase Dany las after a 15-day strike at the miners. (23), Arad

ALIS

end of January. mome 3o Arabs The remaining 3,000 The action began The first Some and four lock-out of 900 workers in the shipyard pay was stopped are detained Jews, January on strike. wages that miners NO and lasted for three days Tor time orallcu December. The strike pits are que movemen were Casel IrOn trial in batches shortly on But the workers struck im- Franco regime when attending the funeral connected with the mediately to also gathering momentum of workmate killed returning In the yards. pit accident. alleged ring. in the Asturias.

Wary welcome for G&M's GILES RADICE of Wincheste family round the ex-mining vil Street constituency. In one we to be the new Labour MP-th stretches back to the birth of t The accents are plummy. The happy band would be better off in Hampstead High Street on a Saturday afternoon than in the raw north east, where unemploy- ment is 6 per cent and 15 men are chasing every job.

Mr Radice confronts a sup- I'm going to hold porter: surgeries, he announces. The man, in his overalls, welcomes the idea. 'We need more of them. You can never get a doctor out on this estate when you want them.' Radice breaks into wan smile and explains he is going to hold surgeries. The bemused Labour voter is left wondering whether he's just met his next MP or the new doctor. The incident illustrates one of Giles Radice's problems-the social gap between him, middle-class Londoner from the trendy part of Camden, and the Chester le Street workers. The suspicion is deepened within the ranks of the labour movement by Mr Radice's credentials for office-issued by the General and Municipal Workers' Union, a new power in the $53,000- strong constituency. All previous Labour members have been miners' candidates (the first was a Lib-Lab who de- fected to Labour in 1909). But pit closures have caused a de- cline in the influence of the National Union of Mineworkers. The new factories recruited wor- kers—often ex-colliers, and they joined the right-wing

G&MWU.

Of the five possible Labour contestants, all bar Mr Radice were local men. But G&MWU support was enough to get him adopted. At local level, unions affiliated to the Labour Party have delegates at the key Gene- ral Management Committee of the local Party in direct pro- portion to their members in the constituency. The GMC selects the candidate and within Ches- Street's 192 committee, ter le the union commands the most powerful faction. there is nothing Of course, this kind of influ- irregular in There is nothing wrong ence. either in standing a candidate outside the area-the Labour Party represents the working men and women on a class basis not by locality. But naturally the George Sugget, divers Liberal, launched a campaign to the voters' attention from his own Party's extreme right-wing and anti-working class attitudes by exploiting these issues.

they are not decisive. But There is, for example, a healthy cynicism in some quarters over the last two candidates-both local men to the core. Mistrust of the outsider is deceptive. At base, the problem is not Mr Radice's accent or geographical origins, but his politics and policies. Chester le Street and Washington new town there is a great desire to fight to get rid the Tory Labour leader- particularly the ship, there is a big vacuum. No one feels their Party is fighting and speaking hard enough for them. inchester and Oxford trails his ning villages in the Chester le one week he is almost certain MP-the latest of a line which irth of the Party in 1906.

Labour candidate Glies Radice (loll) on Labour voters do not identify Radice as a fighting figure and so the problems of manner and origins are magnified. The issues people feel most about in the election can be summed up in three words prices, wages and jobs. House- wives talk prices and men talk pay and employment. On these issues Mr Radice is vague. He is in favour of the Common Market 'in principle' but he is standing on Labour's policy of better terms. One sus- pects he would have been in the Jenkins lobby when Labour kept the Tories in power by splitting over entry into Europe. But his prospective constituents are Benson and Elizabeth Turnbull, mar children : Mr Turnbull: 'I work at Dunlop's in " and my main concern is wages. We are enough to keep up our standards and rise all the time. Personally I think the long a General Election before everyone will be on strike for more mor far the unions and the TUC are not fighti I will vote Labour because it's the Pa working man. But I have never been the leadership' Mrs Turnbull: 'My main concern is F government broke its promises over thi just no control at all. Food prices espe gone up. I don't blame the unions-I s gasmen. They are low paid and they deser living standard.' overwhemingly against Europe they know it means a higher cost of living. On wages Mr Radice seems to have swallowed the corporat- ist philosophy expounded by his own right-wing union. He 'does not like' the idea of pay boards under the Tories. But he does not appear to be against them in principle. He would like to see a 'social contract' with con- trol of prices first before wages were regulated. industrial rela- He believes but he tions will grow worse, is 'not a General Strike man'.

His solution to Tory attempts to destroy trade unions and the working class is the ballot box. CHESTER LE STREET is one of in the country. In Thursday's by-e ing Giles Radice. Confidence Is as research chief for the Genera Union has already been advertis JOHNS spent an afternoon with vassed and reports on some unus east campaign. (felt) on his doorstep campaign 'Like Winston Churchill said, this is a bad system but the rest are a lot worse,' he told me.

This attitude sums up Radice's right-wing politics-he is social democrat ('some call me left-wing' he protests) flung into a constituency which will bear the brunt of the Tory attacks and will resist it. The methods of will undoubtedly be resistance ones of which the future Labour MP will disapprove. Radice sitting fat on a 20,000 majority and it would be political sensation if he lost a Thursday's contest. The Liberals do claim victory is possible. Their campaign is characterized by an arrogance bull, married, three lop's in Washington We are not getting ards and the prices think there will be Soon anyway. more money, but so : not fighting enough. t's the Party of the er been happy with cern is prices. The s over this. There is rices especially have nions-I support the they deserve a better and hypocrisy that only the most bankrupt and degenerate section of the middle class can muster. Sugget is a local boy made good who celebrated his fortune by getting out of the depressed north-east. Now he boasts his local origins. In fact he is an antique dealer from Newbury.

Like his leader Jeremy Thorpe, Sugget believes in the 'freedom individual'. But, of the like Thorpe, he never gets round to defining which individuals he wants to champion. This understandable. They could hardly be the working class of Chester le Street. Thorpe and the Liberals Workers Press, Tuesd s one of the safest Labour seats ay's by-election the Party is stand- dence is high. Radice's old job General and Municipal Workers' advertised as vacant. STEPHEN on with the candidate as he can- me unusual aspects of this north- have even outdone the Tories with their savage and deliber- ately misinformed attacks on workers fighting laws that make individuals' criminals for de- manding higher wages. They were also keen suppor- ters of the Industrial Relations Act that led to five trade union- ist being jailed and two major unions robbed of thousands of pounds. Mr Sugget does not like mentioning these aspects of Liberalism and the so-called Liberal revival. Mr Radice's only other rival is Tory who, Nigel Balfour, despite his Yugoslavian princess wife, should not be too much of a threat. The Labour man seems there- fore set for victory. There is, however one rogue element which is likely to drive up abstentions and hit the Labour vote. The X factor is Alderman Andrew Cunningham, chairman of the Durham County Police Authority and regional G&MWU organizer. Cunningham is called the 'big man' in Chester le Street where he lives in a ranch-style bunga- low. Radice is widely considered 'his man'. Cunningham has been subjec- red recently to a lot of bad pub- licity after he was mentioned in Poulson bankruptcy case the 388, Tuesday February 27, 1973 PAGE 3 Emma, Russell, housewife: "The main thing is prices. We are go- ing on a pension soon and at the rate prices are increasing now I don't know how we will manage.

I voted Labour last time, have not made up my mind yet.'

George Godding, labourer: 'What we want out of this election is someone to guarantee us a decent standard of living. This Heath is only interested in the rich man, so I will be voting Labour. But when they were in last time they made a lot of promises to the working man and did nothing' Sheila Bell, housewife: 'I think if people would just make the sacrifice and keep wages down it might work. But it does not seemed to have worked so far.

Prices have gone up a lot, especi- prices I know-there ally food I've just talked myself out of my argument.' which rocked the and country shook the north-east to its foun- dations. It was alleged at bankruptcy hearings that Poulson paid for two holidays for Cunningham and his wife Freda-one to Portugal -and employed Freda either as an interior decoration consultant a caretaker for a salary of or £1,500 a year. At the time this was alleged to have taken place, Mrs Cunningham was a qualified teacher. While he was chairman of the police authority the court heard that contracts were awarded to Poulson's firm of architects. Poul- son also designed buildings for the union in the north and got large contract from Felling coun- cil while Cunningham was chair- man. This tie-up has led to several calls for Cunningham's resig- nation from the police authority.

But so far he has refused to move. The Poulson case has spread cynicism among the ranks of the working class in the north-east.

Whether any of this feeling will rub off on Mr Radice, is hard to tell. He is, of course, entirely unconnected with the Poulson scandal. The issue anyway is secondary.

Radice stands or falls on his policies and these are totally lacking and unable to meet the situation that confronts the work- irg class today. The voters of Chester le Street should, and almost certainly will, return Labour once more. But they must do it without illusion.

Giles Radice will not be the man to lead a mass industrial and political campaign to force the Tories to resign. It is also extremely unlikely that he will take part in the nationalization of industry under workers' con- trol, even when the working class hand him and his colleagues the power to construct the socialist order. The fight against Giles Radice and the right-wing element in the Labour Party must go side by side with the fight to force the ase Tories out of office.

OF THE GAS INDUSTRY

Gasworkers lobby the pay talks between their union leaders and the Gas Board before the breakdown of negotiations earlier this month.

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Tuesday Febri Final article in this series by B Tory policy for the gas industry is to supply massive amounts of cheap power for industry de-nationalizing while and selling off servicing sectors which are profit- able. Un principle the govern- ment 1s opposed to dırect labour and aims to close down departments and put more and more work out to con- tract. Said Sir John Eden, when introducing the Bill to set up the British Gas Corporation last year: "The government has decided to take positive steps flourishing to encourage a private sector throughout the gas industry's range of appli- ance retailing and contracting activities.' Under the new legislation 'excess' profits made by the industry were to be trans- ferred to the Treasury. The indecent haste with which natural gas conversion has been rushed through shows that as far as the gov- ernment is concerned, the domestic consumer and the worker count for very gas little. Here again, the Labour gov- ernment bears the responsi- bility for handing out hun- dreds of licences to private North Sea prospectors-vir- local monopoliesand tual promising there would be no nationalization. At the same time, long-term fixed contracts for natural gas at low prices were given to companies like ICI and Shell- star while the domestic con- sumers' gas bills soared.

The Gas Council set out in 1960 to expand sales to indus- try by at least 700 per cent by the mid-1970s and swing the entire emphasis of the industry away from domestic supply and towards industrial sales. The employers who could not find the few million pounds required to pay the a reasonable workers wage could quickly raise £1.212m for the modernization which would destroy thousands of jobs. Meanwhile, millions of pounds worth of new town equipment has been gas ditched. It took eight years for the Midlands Gas Board to get permission for an £l1m Lurgi gas-making plant to be built in Birmingham's Green Belt. Only seven years later, in 1969 this was closed down as 'uneconomic' Socialist nationalization is a step forward to clear the private owners out of indus- try, but under capitalism the 'nationalization' of industry, with government ownership and control, is a fraud. Massive compensation is paid to the previous owners and usually continues being paid for years. Huge profits are made for the benefit of the investors-the money- new lenders who draw the interest on loans. At the same time a supply of cheap services and products is made to other in- dustrialists while the domestic consumer pays more and more. Also, the centralization involved is used to simplify the modernization of equip- ment and the destruction of jobs. With continaens ratical sday February 27, 1873 es by Bernard Franks on struggles Gasworkers lobby the pay talks betw zation on one side of the coin and recession on other, the there is no end in sight to this run-down. workers' ownership Only and control of the entire in- dustry and socialist nationali- zation—without compensation —of all related industries can the wholesale destruc- stop tion of jobs and protect the interests of the domestic con- sumer. Faced now with an intense crisis in currency, markets, trade and production, similar plans for 'rationalization' and more intensive exploitation in every industry are what the Tories aim to enforce by driv- ing down the workers' stan- dard of living and destroying hard-won rights. The Industrial Relations Act and its labour courts, the smashing of collective-bargain- ing and its replacement with pay control agencies and laws, the proposed tougher action against strikes and pickets and the proposed changes in the laws of arrest confirm a ruggles of the gasworkers.

alks between their union leaders and the Ga: in definite progression towards the methods of the corporate state and fascism. Realizing the dangers, wor- kers are demanding a General Strike of the entire labour movement. However, the dangers are continually being added to by the Communist Party and its newspaper the 'Morning Star' which gives credence to the union leaders who have pat- ently no intention of fighting anyone. On February 7, the 'Morn- ing Star's' front-page headline was 'Gasmen Get Strike Go- ahead' and Union to Turn Heat on Tories Phase Two Bill, when it was clear that the union leaders were trying to head off strikes with their feeble 'non-co-operation' and overtime ban. This the was union's policy which was an- swered by chants of "sell-out' and 'load-of-rubbish' by the lobbyers and the General and Municipal Workers' Union's industrial officer John Edmonds had to have police d the Gas Board before the breakdown of ne protection from his own members. Two days later the 'Morn- ing Star' announced: "32 Unions Link Up Against the Freeze'. This was about a meeting of leaders from 32 which public sector unions generated nothing but hot air.

Every day now the reluct- ance and vacillation of the majority of trade union lead- ers is more clearly revealed and their total subservience to capitalism and its needs confirmed. The view of David Basnett,

G&MWU

general secretary, given by himself in the 'Morn- Star' of February 16 is: It is now up to the govern- introduce ment to badly- needed flexibility into their legislation.' The fact is, only with the construction of a new, revolu- tionary socialist leadership own of negotiations earlier this month.

can the great strength of the working class be fully united to defend rights and condi- tions and forcefully pursue socialist policies of nationalization and operation of the industries which capi- talism can now only de-popu- late, bankrupt and destroy.

In an article discussing the need for political action by trade unions, Frederick Engels wrote in 1881 of the need for a political organization of the working class as a whole, and concluded: "There is no power in the world which could for a day resist the British work- ing class organized as a body' It is vital for thousands of workers to participate in the campaign for the Pa- mass gent of working-class history at the Empire Pool, Wembley, on March 11. This anti-Tory rally is an important step forward in the transformation of the Socialist Labour League into the revo- lutionary party of the working class of Britain in the coming weeks.

THE PETERLOO

BY JANE BROWN

On 16, 1819, August more than 60,000 wor- kers gathered on St Peter's Field, Man- chester. They had come to hear the Radical orator, Henry Hunt. Radicals had been advocat- ing reform of the British par- liamentary system as a cure for social ills throughout the previous 30 years. But never before had the Manchester fac- tory workers provided so vast and attentive an audience.

Many of those present knew about politics. Most little would not hear one word of what 'Orator' Hunt had to tell them in these days before the invention of amplifiers. But they nevertheless flocked to St Peter's Field, some organ- ized by local Radical societies, some marching in from out- bringing lying towns, some their families with them.

Such a meeting was unprece- dented. Not only was it the 'largest' ever held. It was also and discip- the most peaceful lined. Textile manufacturers had and amassed built factories huge fortunes in Manchester.

Now it was becoming apparent that the machines and factories had also produced a new class —the industrial working class.

In their struggle against capi- talist workers exploitation, were learning how to organize.

The first mass political move- ment of the working class was on the move. One of the most impressive contingents to arrive in Man- August 16 came chester on from the upland weaving town of Middleton. At its head marched Samuel Bamford, a local weaver who was also a poet and historian. The men of Middleton had 'drilling (practising been orderly marching) for weeks beforehand. Bamford explains why: It was deemed expedient that this meeting should be as morally effective as possible and that it should exhibit a spectacle such as had never before been witnessed in Eng- land. We had frequently been taunted by the Press with our ragged, dirty appearance at assemblages, with the these confusion of our proceedings, and the mob-like crowds in which our numbers were mus- tered. We were determined that for once at least these reflections should not be de- served—that we would disarm the bitterness of our political opponents by a display of cleanliness, sobriety and deco- rum such as we never before had exhibited. In short, we would deserve their respect by showing that we respected our- selves, and knew how to exer- cise our rights of meeting as it were well Englishmen always should do.' Bamford was in favour of taking 'a score or two of cud- gels' to the meeting, just in case "political opponents' had less peaceful intentions than the reformers. But Mr Hunt advised against such measures.

'Were not the laws of the country to protect us? And then was it likely at all that the magistrates would permit a peaceful and legal assemblage to be interfered with? If we were in the right, were they not our guardians?' At last the great day arrived.

'By 8 o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 16th of Aug- ust, 1819, the whole town of Middleton might be said to be • Sti on the alert: some to go to the meeting, and others to see the procession, the like of which, The Radical orator, Henry Hunt, wl for such a purpose, had never before taken Under Bam- ford's direction, the procession assembled on the outskirts of Middleton. 'First were selected 12 of the most comely and decent-look- ing youths, who were placed in two rows of six each, with each a branch of laurel held presented in his hand, as a token of amity and peace. Then followed the men of sev- eral districts in fives; then the band of music, an excellent one; then the colours: a blue one of silk with inscriptions in gold letters, 'Unity and be - Strength, Liberty and Frater- nity'; a green one of silk with golden letters, 'Parliaments Annual' and 'Suffrage Univer- Hunt, who addressed the 60,000 workers sal'; betwixt them on a staff a handsome cap of crimson vel- vet, with the word 'Libertas in front. Next were placed the remainder of the men of the districts in fives.. Before this magnificent pro- cession moved off, Bamford once again addressed the men on the importance of 'steadi- and seriousness'. They ness were going to attend 'the most important meeting that had ever been held for parliamen- tary reform', and must live up the occasion. Everyone to must keep to his place in the march; there was to be no straggling and no drinking.

The men must obey the orders of the stewards, and neither 'offer any insult nor provoca- tion', nor respond to any pro- Workers Press, Tuesday workers gathered on St Peter's Field, Man vocations which might be dir- ected against them. Even walk- Bamford insisted, ing sticks, should be left at home by the marchers, in case anyone should accuse them of plan- ning to make illegal use of such 'weapons'. 'My address was received with cheers. It was heartily and unanimously assented to.

We opened into column, the music struck up, the banners flashed in the sunlight. Other music was heard. It was that of the Rochdale party coming to join us. We met, and a shout from 10,000 startled the echoes of the woods and din- gles. Then all was quiet save the breath of music, and with seriousness intent we went on . • 3, Tuesday February 27, 1973 PAGE 5 eld, Manchester. Meanwhile, in Manchester, the forces of law and order were preparing for the day's events.

Responsibility for the prepara- tions had been delegated from the Tory government to the magistrates. This body of local Tories enrolled 400 special constables for the day. They had regular troops at their dis- posal, whom they stationed in streets around St Peter's Field. They were also in charge of the Salford and Manchester Yeomanry, a body of mounted volunteers who could be trusted to act with all the zeal of political prejudice. At 11 o'clock, their arrange- ments completed, the magis- trates gathered in the upstairs Peterloo Massacre continued on page 6

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Tuaeday February 2 Petertoo Massacre continued from page 5 of a house overlooking room St Peter's Field. Mounted mes- sengers stood by to carry their instructions to the waiting soldiers. For the time being, however, no instructions were sent. They watched the vast meeting gradually assemble.

Who were the many thou sands of people converging on the Manchester meeting place that day? Why were they com- ing, and what did they hope to achieve? Those who marched behind the Middleton banners were typical of the majority of the workers present. They came families, and from weaving were suffering from acute eco- nomic distress. Only 20 years earlier, the Industrial Revolu- tion had brought prosperity and expansion to the weavers.

Their hand-looms could scarcely keep pace with the amounts of yarn produced by newly-invented spinning mach- ines, such as Hargreaves' 'Spin- ning Jenny, Arkwright's 'Water Frame' and Crompton's 'Spinning Mule' the whole For centuries, process of manufacturing tex- tiles had been carried out in the home. But the last two of these spinning machines were too large to be installed in spinners' cottages and too ex- pensive for spinners to buy for themselves. class of capitalist A new employers sprang up to make the most out of mechanized spinning. They invested their money in machines and fac- tories where hundreds of spin- were gathered together ners working for a weekly wage. By 1815, there were 60 factories in the Manchester area, em- ploying over 24,000 workers.

Although the spinners were accustomed to hard work, they were also accustomed to orga- nizing their own working week. In the factories they found themselves totally de- their new em- pendent upon ployers. consisted of Their work endlessly repeating some small Their monotonous process. wages fluctuated more widely, in accordance with the state of trade, than their old profit margins had done. No effec- tive trade unions existed to maintain or im, ave wages Tuesday February 27, 1873 (they had been made illegal by the Combinations Act of 1799).

Similarly, working conditions were designed to make profit for the mill-owner, not to pre- serve the health and safety of his employees. normal working day The was about 14 hours and the workforce included large num- bers of women and very small children. The yarn produced in the mills continued to be woven by hand. Around 1800, a tem- shortage of porary weavers pushed their weekly income up to between £2 to £3 and tales were told of weavers who strolled the streets of Man- pound notes chester with pinned to their hats. By 1819, the situation had changed. Edmund drastically Cartwright invented a 'power loom' which eventually was to turn weaving, like spinning, into a factory occupation. But the capitalists were slow to take up this machine. They found it cheaper to exploit the surplus of hand-loom weavers which had come into existence after 1815. At the end of the French in that year, wars 300,000 soldiers and sailors were turned loose on the labour market. At the same poverty-stricken Irish time, streaming into peasants were Liverpool in search of work.

Hand-loom weaving was and required to learn easy little investment, so within a few years the number weavers leapt to over 40,000.

The weavers' income plum- meted downwards, to around 12s a week in 1815 and still The spinning less by 1819. employers took full advantage of their lack of organization to squeeze still greater profits by using false weights, levying enormous fines for faults in the cloth, and encouraging the weavers of one viliage to try and undercut those elsewhere.

The weavers of Middleton and other towns nevertheless strongly resisted the idea of moving down to the Man- chester mills to find work They preferred to work 16 at their hours a day own looms rather than to submit to factory discipline. de- A contemporary song picts the plight of weavers: 'So. al! цой cotton come weavers, you must rise up very soon. For you must work in factories from morning until noon. You mustn't walk in your garden for two or three hours a day, For you must stand at their command, and keep your shuttles in play? Or, as a witness graphically told a government committee on weaving in 1834: 'I am determined that for my part, if they will invent machines to supersede manual labour, they must mind them, find iron boss to "independence', of Such course, was an illusion, since economically the hand-loom weavers were quite as depend- ent on the big employers as the factory workers. But it was a powerful illusion. It played an important part in uniting thousands of workers at St Peter's Field in 1819.

Though the nature of the hand-loom industry tended to disunite those involved in it, they marched into Manchester on August 16 seeking a com- mon political solution to a common economic problem. Weavers provided the maj- ority of Mr Hunt's audience that day. But many other trades were represented, in- cluding large numbers of mill- 'Peterloo' resulted from hands. movement of the whole a working class, not just of one section. For the whole work- ing class suffered a cut in its living standards as a result of the post-war trade recession. It was a period of high unem- and ployment, wage; cuts rocketing food prices. The Tory government flatly refused to alleviate distress. In fact, it actively intervened to help the rich at the expense of the poor-despite its faith in the 'free play of market forces. Income tax was abolished in 1816, being replaced by in- direct taxes on articles everyday necessity. In the same year, the notorious Corn Law was passed. This legisla- tion was a blatant example of the power of the lapded gentry in government. It laid down that no corn was to be im- ported into the country until the price of British corn had risen above 80s a quarter. In other words, bread prices were to be maintained at the high levels they had reached dur- ing the war. turers much for the manufac- frequent assurances that the war alone was to Napoleon blame for poverty! Bonaparte was certainly not the main enemy of the Lanca- who wrote shire weaver 'Lament', around 1819: 'You pull down our wages, shamefully to tell. You go into the markets and say you cannot sell. And when that we do ask you when these bad times will mend, You quickly give an answer, "When the wars are at an end". Bonyparty 'You that he's been the spoil of all, that we have got reason And to pray for his downfall.

Bonyparty's dead and Now gone, and it is plainly seen That we have bigger tyrants in Bonys of our own? How were the 'bigger tyr- ants' overcome? A be to number of methods had been tried since the passing of the 1799. Combination Acts in Despite the illegality of trade unionism, a number of strikes occurred. In 1808, for ex- Manchester spinners ample, went on strike demanding a The only banner which survived the r was carried by Middleton workers to th Minimum Wage Act. In the years 1812-1817 more occurred, in violent protests the form of machine-breaking the followers expeditions bi 'Ned Ludd'. The Luddite of movement aimed at destroy- ing modern technology before it destroyed the workers.

It began among the frame- work knitters of the Midlands, but also spread to the north. Arkwright saw his new factory at Cromford wrecked by cot- Kay's in- workers. John ton ventions provoked riots when they were introduced in Man- chester and several mills were burned to the ground. In 1812, machine-breaking became punishable by death.

Many workers began to turn towards political protest. The obviously government was where the real power lay. Des- obstacles, legal the Dite all knitters managed framework form a network of com- to mittees. The Nottingham Committee drew up a Bill for Preventing Frauds and Abuses and col- lected 10,000 in signatures support of it. Representatives went to London to press the They presented knitters case. ch survived the massacre at Peterloo-it ton workers to the demonstration.

gifts of fine work to sympa- thetic MPs, and prided them- she Prince Regent selves that is also favourable'. considerable blow It was a when the Bill failed to get a Third Reading— There not being forty members present; they of the House ian . out business when our came on wildfire.' (Henson like the to Notevertheless, faithe in co.- Nevertheless, faith con- stitutional methods reform continued to run strong in the working-class movement. In 1817, Lancashire weavers the most famous organized period. petition of the addressed to the Prince Regent himself. It was to be carried to London by the weavers intended who themselves, holding meetings in the towns they passed through. Since they would not be able to afford accommodation, every marcher carried blanket a with him, and they became known as the 'Blanketeers'.

reform Parliamentary was an essential first step towards The petition improvement. winds un with a stern warning to the Prince Regent: you procure the adop- 'If measures calculated of tion to relieve us, you may then upon our support safely rely gratitude-without this and neither support you we can nor ourselves.' march of the But the 'Blanketeers' was never allowed to get under way. marchers swiftly The were arrested and only one man managed to slip through and London, instead of the reach the organizers 100,000, whom had hoped would rally to their support and make the petition irresistible. Persuasion was clearly not working industrial In the areas the need for a new poli- perspective and better tical organization was becoming apparent. The years 1817-1819 packed with political were activity, culminating in Peter- lo0' the founding of 1817 saw Hampden Ciubs (named after a hero of the English Revolu- tion) over a wide area. They were suppressed within a year.

but not before Samuel Bam- gained ford of Middleton had important political experience and his first jail sentence.

The inexperience of the re- formers, and disagreements among them, made it all too easy for government spies and provocateurs to infiltrate the clubs. The activities of the spy Oliver helped to launch the Pentridge Rising in Derbyshire, a movement for violent revo- lution against the government.

workers' In its aftermath, leaders were hanged, and the development of Radical clubs temporarily halted. 1818 nevertheless produced far more numerous, better organized, and deter- very mined reform movement. In the summer, both weavers and spinners Lancashire held prolonged strikes in an attempt the deterioration of to stop their living standards. Both groups of workers were starved into submission. But once back at work their anger and misery found a new outlet of Union in the formation Societies to promote political reform. These societies were mainly responsible for organ- izing at mass turn-out 'Peterloo' the following year.

The Stockport Union pro- vided a model for many others.

With its clearly-expressed poli- tical programme and lengthy, detailed rules, it was designed to last. Its function was to train workers for participation in national politics. Already that spirit of class solidarity and self-respect was develop- ing, which Bamfora later described in the preparations for the 'Peterloo' meeting.

In Manchester, similar socie- ties were founded after the intervention of the Radical leaders, Saxton and Walker, at a weavers' meeting originally discuss assisted called to emigration to north America.

The Radicals urged the meeting to give up the language of and to join hand and despair heart in the restoration of their rights'. A large gathering in • Man- chester on January 18, 1819, voted in support of a declara- tion which was really a mani- festo of Radicalism. Once the theme of men's again, rights is at the heart of the document: • resistance to earthly tyranny is not only a right inherent in the people, and an acknowledged principle of the Constitution, English but a sacred duty enjoined by the laws of God and Man. .. the conditions of that great Charter of our liberties, commonly called Magna Char- ter, was neither a boon ex- torted from the Monarch, nor a concession of the Royal pre- rogative to popular violence, but a recognition of positive rights, antecedently existing and inherent in the people; of Rights which no King or Gov- ernment can lawfully give or take away? The 'Rights of Man' had, of course, been a favourite theme of 18th-century French philo- sophers and of the bourgeois French Revolution. But, taken up by thousands of industrial workers, the whole content of such claims was transformed.

Rousseau's saying famous 'All men are born free' had a new meaning on the lips of Manchester weavers suffering appalling economic misery. It posed a threat to the existing economic and political struc- ture of society, and was thus a revolutionary statement.

The essential political mess- age of 1819, which the magis- trates at 'Peterloo' sensed in their bones, and which made the question of whether or not that particular gathering was armed virtually irrelevant, is captured in a resolution passed at Oldham, June 7, 1819: this meeting is con- vinced that the labouring part of the people of this country their long cannot preserve existence; and if they must die either by starvation or in de- fence of their rights, they can- not hesitate to prefer the latter..' August 16, 1819, was a day weather, of perfect summer with hot sunshine and a cloud- less sky. The cheerfulness and excitement of a 'gala day' was in the air, according to one eye-witness. All the factories were shut and the bright banners and gay music of the marchers from outlying towns attracted thous- ands of spectators to St Peter's sympathetic to Field-some the reformers' cause, some merely curious. By 12 noon, some 60,000 men, women and squeezed to- children stood gether on the 14,000 squa e yards of the field, eagerly the arrival of the awaiting celebrated Mr Hunt. Bamford records that the Workers Press, Tuasday Febri arrival of the splendid Middle- ton march, at about 12 o'clock, 'an immense was greeted by multitude, which opened and us with loud cheers. received We walked into that chasm of human beings and took our from the hustings station across the causeway of Peter Street, and so remained, undis- tinguishable from without, but forming an almost still un- broken line, with our colours at the centre'. At last Hunt and the other speakers appeared, in an open carriage. They threaded their way slowly past us, and through the crowd, which Hunt eyed, I thought, with as much astonishment as satisfaction.'

Even for such a veteran Radical campaigner, this meet- ing was something new. Bands 'See the Conquering played Hero Comes', "God save the King' and 'Rule Britannia', and soon Hunt was installed on the raised speakers' platform in the midst of the crowd. He took off his white top hat. At this signal, the crowd fell silent, and Hunt began his speech.

Bamford was no great admirer of the 'Orator' (whom he suspected of personal vanity). He therefore proposed slipping away for a drink with friend while the speeches were going on. After all, they would be able to read what Hunt had said in the next day's newspapers. Accordingly, the worked their way two men back towards the perimeter of the crowd. happened next can What hardly be described more effec- tively than by the Middleton historian. Bamford had nearly reached the edge of the crowd 'a noise and strange when towards the murmur arose church Some people said that it was the Blackburn people coming, and I stood on tip-toe and looked in the direction whence the noise proceeded. I a party of cavalry come saw trotting, sword in hand, round the corner of a garden wall, and to the front of a row of new houses, where they reined up in a line.. 'On the cavalry drawing up thev were received with a shout of goodwill, as I understood it.

They shouted again, waving their sabres over their heads.

And then, slackening rein and reas, Tuasday February 27, 1973 PAGE 7 striking spur into their steeds, they dashed forward and began cutting the people ... 'The cavalry were in con- fusion; evidently could and horse, penetrate that com- beings. mass of human pact Their sabres were plied to hew a way through naked, held-up hands and defenceless heads; and then chopped limbs an wound-gaping skulls were seen; and and cries groans were mingled with the din of that horrid confusion. 'For a moment the crowd held back, as in a pause. Then was a rush, heavy and resist- less as a headlong sea, and a sound like low thunder, with screams, prayers and impreca- tions from the crowd-moiled and sabre-doomed who could not escape .. 'In ten minutes from the commencement of the havoc the field was an open and almost deserted space. The sun looked down through the sul- try and motionless air. The hustings remained, with a few broken and hewn fiag staves erect, and a torn and gashed banner or two drooping. Over the whole field were strewed caps, bonnets, hats, shawls and shoes, and other parts of male female dress, torn and an a. bloody. yeomanry had dis- 'The mounted-some were easing their horses' girths, others adjusting their accoutrements, and some were wiping their Several mounds of sabres. still remained hunan beings where they had fallen, crushed down and smothered. Some of still groaning, others these with staring eyes were gasping for breath, and others would never breathe more. All was silent for those low save sounds, and the occasional and pawing of snorting steeds . In the space of ten minutes, St Peter's Field had become a battle ground. Eleven died there. Over 400 were wounded.

The place had earned its name of 'Peterloo', a savage piece of sarcasm alluding to the British victory at Waterloo four years earlier. Among the dead was at least one man who had served in the British army on that occasion. Peterloo Massacre continued on page 8

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Tuesday Febri Peterloo Massacre continued from page 7 The Peterloo massacre was a deliberate political act. This is proved by the authorities' preparations before August 16, by the events of the day itself, and by the elaborate cover-up operation car- ried out afterwards. The Tory government, local magistrates and army were jointly responsible for the bloody attack by the Manchester Yeoman Cavalry on thousands of unarmed workers. Academic historians have gone to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate that the mass- acre was somehow a 'mistake'.

They such that an argue atrocity could not have been premeditated. It was the re- sult of a moment's panic by the magistrates, who ordered that Hunt should be arrested after the meeting had begun.

The numbers present made it impossible to carry out such an operation peacefully. Special constables were unable to open route from the magis- up a trates' house to the hustings, therefore troops had to be sent in to carry out the task.

The Yeoman Cavalry hap- pened to be the first troops to arrive on the scene. They had difficulty in managing their untrained horses in the crowd.

to extricate Their attempts themselves caused some deaths injuries. and The rest were caused by panic ... (so the argument runs). All this is so much liberal whitewash. It tries to obscure of the political importance 'Peterloo'. The size and dis- ciplined nature of the meeting aroused intense fear and hatred in the British ruling class. They were determined to repress the developing political conscious- ness of the working class.

Peterloo presented a greater threat to their power privileges than previous isolated acts of violence against the employers, such as Luddism, because it marked a step to- wards working-class unity in defence of the right to a decent standard of living. The Tory government was at of the plot to the centre destroy working-class Radical- ism. Lord Liverpool's Cabinet consisted of landed aristocrats, such as Lord Sidmouth, Lord Eldon and Lord Castlereagh, who saw Radicalism as a pre- lude to a revolutionary attack the wealthy property on monopolized who owners political power. These men had been respon- sible for the Corn Law of 1815.

They were determined that no government relief should be granted to alleviate economic distress. Private charity might be a Christian duty, but it was equally the duty of gov- ernments not to 'interfere'.

As a Manchester Tory, the Reverend J. Gatcliffe, explained the starving poor in 1819, 'wait would just have to until the tide patiently turns .. • Those who refused to 'wait patiently' must be controlled by force. By 1817 the government already had a huge network of spies in the working-class movement. As we have seen, they were responsible for the Pentridge Rising and the exe- cutions which followed, as well sday February 27, 1973 as for the breaking up of the 'Blanketeers' march. The massacre could never have taken place without goy- support. At every ernment stage contact between the mag- istrates and the Home Office was extremely close. From this source, on July 17, came the legal advice which magistrates' justified the actions at 'Peterloo': 'If the meeting is not con- vened for an illegal purpose, the illegality will not com- mence until the purpose is developed, and of course after when the crowd is collected, it must be a question of pru- dence and expediency, to be decided by the magistrates on the spot, whether they should proceed to disperse the persons assembled.' In other words, it was quite in order for the magistrates to allow the crowd to gather, and then, after the meeting had be- to declare it illegal and gun, forcibly break it up! leaders The government were also responsible for the role of the army at 'Peterloo' made troops They not only but also agreed to available, magistrates' request that the the Commander of the North- ern District, General Byng, should not be present in Man- chester on August 16. Some of the reasoning be- hind this decision can be seen in a letter written by the Duke of Wellington to General Byng, shortly after 'Peterloo'. The Duke warned that the fairly small regular army had to be undertake reserved to campaign national military against what would probably be a national uprising to over- throw the government. If too much prestige was invested in of Manchester the defence alone, a defeat there might have disastrous consequences.

It is impossible to see how far it will go if the mob should in any instance get the better of the troops.' Byng wrote back, agreeing that individual towns must rely principally on their local defence forces (in this case the Manchester Yeoman Cavalry), so that the army would be left free to conduct a civil war, when the need arose. • Government decisions delib- erately shifted the immediate 'Peterloo' responsibility for onto the shoulders of the mag- istrates. Obviously these men could be trusted to carry out Tory policy. All 18 magistrates staunch upper-crust were Tories-barristers, clergy, land- owners and businessmen. organized bodies of Two who shared local 'loyalists' their political prejudices, came under their control. Lord Castlereagh The Committee in Aid of the Civil Power had been formed in July 1819 for the purpose of protecting 'life and property' against Radical attacks. Its first request was for arms for led 1,000 men to be supplied by the government. The other body the was Manchester and Salford Yeo- manry, founded in 1817, also for the purpose of stamping out Radicalism in the area. Its members were cotton manu- facturers and merchants, pub- licans and shopkeepers. The line up of class forces at 'Peterloo' is clear. On the one side stood the employers - uniformed as yeoman cavalry, "armed to the teeth, and commanded by Tory mag- he istrates. On the other side stood the working class. All the evidence proves that weeks before the meeting the magistrates had planned massacre. Even their own spies reported that the intentions of were peaceful the reformers ('They are enjoined not to bring any weapons of any kind whatever'). But the magistrates were not mainly interested in whether or not this particular gathering would be armed. The threat to their position was a political one. Six weeks before 'Peterloo', Norris, the leading magistrate, set out his position clearly to the government: "The remedy for the present state of things must be (in the first instance) more violent than indictments.' informations or It is not surprising that, by succeeded August 15, he had in convincing himself, against all the evidence, that ... very many of them, I have little will come secretly doubt, armed'. would Desperate measures be required the following day, he warned the Home Office.

'All accounts tend to show that the worst possible spirit pervades the country ... I hope that the peace may be preserved, but under all the circumstances it scarcely possible to expect it. magistrates had the a shred of evidence (or even a suspicion that the August 16 meeting was intended to spark they violent uprising, off a course, entitled to were, of declare it illegal and arrest its leaders before any crowds as- sembled But this would have defeated their scheme. It would have been against the advice of the Home Ufice. Un Saturday, "Orator' Hunt August 14, offered himself for arrest, in order to forestall any 'pretence the proceed- for interrupting at St Peter's Field. His ings' offer was bluntly rejected.

Two days later, it took the magistrates only a few minutes of his speech to decide that Hunt was a dangerous agitator who must be instantly clapped behind bars! They produced a warrant which justified sending in troops to make an immedi- ate arrest, and thus causing the maximum possible injury to the crowd. Why were the Yeoman Cavalry used to make the arrests? The magisirates must have been aware of their in- experience, and regular troops distance were only a short away from the field. The answer can only be that yeomanry had better the qualifications for the task in hand than more expert profes- soldiers. sional They pro- witness later ceeded, as a zeal and described, 'with ardour which might naturally be expected from men acting with delegated power against a foe by whom they had long been insulted with taunts of cowardice, continued their course, seeming to vie indivi- dually with each other which should be first .. Lord Sidmouth Other members of the crowd provided more evidence of the cavalry's yeomen keenness. The swift arrest of Hunt was only the beginning. The soldiers proceeded to cut down the re- form banners around the hust- ings, then to ride in hot pur- suit of banners elsewhere in the crowd. Meanwhile the yeomanry were taking vengeance on their political enemies. As local Tories they were personally acquainted with the leading Radicals. 'Damn you, I'll re- form you!' they shouted, as they slashed about them with their sabres. 'Spare your lives?

Damn your bloody lives.' Not only the Manchester Yeoman Cavalry, but the ruling Class as a whole, were deter- mined to 'stick like wax' to profits and political power. In the days which followed 'Peter- loo', they rallied to the support of the Manchester magistrates' actions. Prince Regent sent a The personal message congratulat- ing them on 'their prompt, decisive and efficient measures the preservation of the for public tranquillity. The Tory Prime Minister followed this up with the com- ment: "The property of the must be taught to country protect itself. The majority go with the tide, and if they see all the zeal and activity on one side, and only apathy on the other, their choice cannot be expected to be doubtful.'

With 'zeal and activity', the government proceeded to pass the Six Acts, aimed at the total working-class suppression Radical organizations. All drill- ing was made illegal; so was carrying of arms. More the serious, the Radicals' from point of view, were the Sedi- tious Meetings Prevention Bill and the Libels and Newspaper Stamp Duty Bills. The former prohibited public more than meetings of people, except in the parish inhabited by all those attend- ing the meeting. In other words it banned any kind of national demonstration or even united demonstrations by workers in one area, such as Manchester.

two Bills at- The latter tempted to stamp out the in- fluence of the Radical Press, material firstly by censoring which might be published, and secondly by raising the price of all newspapers. and pamph- lets so that they would be be- yond the financial reach of workers. side of the Yet another ruling-class conspiracy to crush working-class political organ- in the ization can be seen legal aftermath to 'Peterloo'.

The Radical leaders who had been arrested were convicted, after much delay, on the charge of assembling with un- lawful banners at an unlawful meeting for the purpose of in- citing discontent. Their prison sentences (from one to two and a half years) were plainly intended to give the government a breathing space to put the Six Acts into effect and disband the Union Societies. Bamford's comments on the York trial reveal the extent to which its result was a foregone conclusion. 'During the whole of the ten days' investigation I did not observe that any one of the jury took a single note of the evidence, or that they indicated action of a single by the muscle of the countenance that impression was made on any their minds. They sat motion- less, and like men who were asleep with their eyes open...

'Peterloo' produced other court cases, in the form of in- quests on its victims. At first, inquests were rushed through as a mere formality, recording cleared the verdicts which soldiers and the magistrates from all blame. For example, the cause of death of a two- year-old child whose mother was knocked down by the yeoman cavalry, was found to his mother's 'fell from arms'! But a serious threat was pre- sented to the authorities by the inquest on John Lees, who died on September 6. By this time, Radical lawyers had managed to collect dozens of witness to prove that John Lees had been murdered by a cavalryman.

The case was adjourned, in the hope that interest would die down. The Coroner or- eir dered that journalists should report none of the evidence until the inquest had been concluded, and reporters from 'The Times' and the 'Morning Chronicle' were expelled from the court room for taking notes on what witnesses said. In desperation, the Coroner transferred the case from Old- Manchester, then ham to adjourned it yet again for six weeks. The Radical lawyers argued in vain against the adjourn- ment. For the King's Bench managed to discover a loop- hole which enabled them to whole inquest the declare void' and close it 'null and down. Samuel Bramford, & Middleton historian who weaver, poet and headed the Middleton contingent to Peterloo and later recorded the events of August 16, 1819.

Even in the horror of the immediately days after the is evidence there massacre, that 'Peterloo' was to prove ultimately a step along the road to workers' power, and not just a disaster causing death and despair. Middleton contingent The had been situated right in the the yeoman cavalry. path of Many of its members suffered injury. The green silk banner had been chopped down and torn up to make a sash for one of the soldiers. Even the band their much-prized had lost bass drum, splintered to frag- ments by horses' hooves. they did not straggle But home in total disorder. Bam- ford tells us that, after a fran- tic search for his wife: I re- joined my comrades, and form- ing about 1,000 of them into file, we set off to the sound of fife and drum, with our only banner waving. And in that form we re-entered the town of Middleton.' next few days During the 'all the working population were athirst for revenge', and the preparation of weapons got under way. 'Some had been grinding scythes, others old hatchets, others • drivers, rusty screw swords, pikels and mop-nails -anything which could cut was pronounced fit and stab for service.' Lack of any central plan or organization, and the swift arrest of most of the Radical leaders (including Bamford) made an insurrection impossi- ble at that date. The Middleton discard their men did not however. Bamford weapons, tre- that they tells us were served for any event that might occur' Despite the brutal intentions and actions of the British rul- ing class at 'Peterloo', they had not succeeded in their main purpose. They could not turn back the tide of working-class strength by the use of spies, soldiers and rigged juries. Even the Six Acts could not prevent more powerful organ- izations of the working class emerging within a few years.

The traditions of 'Peterloo' were to be embodied in these organizations. Twenty years later, the Chartists saw 'Peter- 100' for what it was: a con- certed attempt by the ruling class to deny workers their most basic right-the right to fight politically for food, shelter and work.

Please, sir! 'The Guardian' reported: 'The governors of Brooklands Tech- nical College in Weybridge, Surrey, yesterday admonished Mr Guido Casale, a lecturer who stripped naked before teenage students during a liberal studies lecture. "Two young women lectu- rers who were present-Miss Valerie Hey and Miss Mar- garet Wadeson-were also ad- monished. The governors allowed all three to keep their jobs, and accepted that the lecturers "acted in good faith, guilty of although error of judgement", a gross What, you might ask, does millionaire Tom property Keen get up to in his spare (which is apparently time considerable)? Answer: As as a strike starts he soon organizes a campaign against it. Keen is the founder of the Britain More Prosperous whose title seems he is concerned. "By 1974, said the property developer recently, ( expect to £2,000,000. Which worth can't be bad. His main aim in life, for which he uses his wealth, is to intervene in strikes, trying to get a return to work. This month he announced he was prepared to pay British Road Services workers £2,500 to go back to work. For days on end Keen and his followers can be seen tour- ing the country, shouting at pickets to go back-and un- doubtedly help the More Prosperous Britain Society in the process. London has been hit with fly-posters put up by Keen's organization, and the same outfit has turned up as top- hatted mourners bearing a black coffin containing an effigy of the working class. Keen's organization Oldham-based and he has just announced plans to print a newspaper on a press he has just bought. Watch out for him. L

LES

rotsky Now available from New Pa 186a Clapham High Street, The economic and political crisis visits itself even unto the men of God. It's a great materialism. confirmation of The Rev James Ayre, the of the parish rector at a 'serious Cheadle, has issued indictment of life in Britain today. In the parish magazine he writes: It is becoming more and more difficult to claim that England is a Christian country? Many people are without faith, he said. There have noticeable shifts in the been manners and behaviour of the Many Christian land- many. marks have been removed. [Is this a reference to the re- moval of Malcolm Muggeridge from television?-Ed] The idea of chastity before mar- riage is irrelevant-even un- • desirable. Sin is out, sociology is in. 'More serious still is the attitude to marriage itself. To frown upon infidelity is to be Victorian - "every- dubbed body does it"-and though everybody doesn't do Christian marriage and its ideals are under great pres- sure and there are many Christian casualties. "The rot has not only set in but has gone pretty deep.

"Television and stage openly flaunt their antipathy to Christian standards and senti- ment with impurity and ag- gression.' He continues: 'And reli- gious broadcasting? What a sad mixture of heresy and wishy-washy woolly nonsense is put over in the name of the Apostolic Faith. 'The situation, he says, 'is serious yet challenging. are being driven ruthlessly to choose this day whom we shall serve. God or Mammon. Christ or the Colossus of Agnostic Materialism with its seductive pleasures.' But, he says: 'Make no mis- God is not mocked by take. the 20th century man, who is unable to order his own affairs aright, let alone the world he lives in.' Thus the one-man campaign clean up Cheadle to launched. By LEON TROTSKY Paperback. £1.00 Illustrated Sharp pen-portraits of leading figures of the Second Interna- tional in Russia and Europe, for.

the first time published in an English edition. The translations were first commissioned by the Young Socialists' 'Keep paper Left' Their enormous success has led to the completion of the translation of the whole book, which is the first part of Volume 8 of Leon Trotsky's 'Works' pub- lished in the Soviet Union 1926. It provides the most vivid picture available of the historic figures of the Second Inter- national, their strengths and weaknesses, written by an obser- ver who was also a participant in the daily struggle of the Euro- pean and Russian working class.

• New Park Publications 1 Street, London, SW4 7UG TS Leonid Brezhnev the Soviet Party leader, Communist visited Prague last week for the 25th anniversary of the overthrow of the Benes re- gime. The crisis in 1948 came when the bourgeois ministers • in the Benes coalition govern- ment resigned hoping to force an election which would see the defeat of the Communist Party. Klement Gottwald, the Czech Communist Party sec- Benes gave way. On February 25, 1948, the Communist Party took over full power. In the next few years Gottwald carried out a series of purges which resulted in the execution of many leading CP members. The last time Brezhnev at- tended the ceremonies to mark the take-over was five when Alexander years ago Dubcek was in power. He was deposed after the invasion of the country by the Warsaw Pact armies in August, 1968, and his supporters have been rooted out of the party, houn- and, in ded from their jobs some cases, put on trial.

Brezhnev must now believe that it is safe to go back.

In an election broadcast on French TV, Communist Party Georges Marchais secretary claimed that Alexandre Solz- henitsyn would be free to publish his writings if the CP Workers Prose, Tuaad Left: Benes, whose regime was overth who was ousted by the invasion of Above : Russian tanks on the streets was in the government in France. He uttered no word of criti- cism of the Soviet govern- ment for its persecution the novelist whose three major novels have been banned in the Soviet Union. Appealing particularly to intellectuals, left-wing but also to Catholics, Marchais said that the Party would up- hold freedom of conscience and worship, and the right to freedom of expression. He claimed that this was but not an electoral tactic, had been party policy back as far as 1968! He said that the application of the common programme would extend the freedom of culture by making accessible to all more through educational reforms.

Replying to an interviewer he criticized the French broadcasting system for not permitting adequate time for the opposition. He added: 'If tomorrow we win a majority in the elections, and the pre- sent majority becomes minority, it will consequently benefit from advantages which today we do not have!' Marchais concluded with an appeal for the union of men and women of all those sec- tions of the population who had an interest in a change of regime and a change of policy to vote for the parties sup- porting the common pro- gramme. 3, Tuaoday Fabruary 27, 1979 PAGE 8 as overthrown in 1948. Right: Dubcek, asion of Warsaw Pact troops in 1968.

e streets of Prague, 1968.

Soviet agriculture faces the danger of another bad har- vest this year which could aggravate the country's eco- nomic difficulties. This was clear from a front-page article in a recent 'Pravda' It warned collective farms improve the preparation to and selection of seed grain for this year's crucial harvest.

Work farms is on many already falling behind sche- dule in preparing for the spring sowing. In some areas, inadequate snow cover means a danger of frost damage to winter- sown crops. Last year losses from this source cost one- third of the grain harvest.

Last year the Soviet Union imported f850m worth of grain from the capitalist coun- tries and continued imports on this scale would prove ruinous.

PAGE 10 Workers Pross, Tuesday February 27, 1973 North Devon Council of Action fights on rents and prices programme THE FIRST activities of the North Devon Coun-

FROM OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

cil of Action will be to organize tenants, to re- 'The trade union movement to- cruit workers into trade erv nacesirs most senous unions and to form i92, nee shed General Strike housewives prices action the unccresulnale Sacance the further the group. Geval non dollar. We head. The concil was formed last into international trade long week at a public meeting called walr Delwcer

WELOMI

by the Barnstaple and District Europe and Japan. Trades Council and attended •Fresh have risen Phaser nen more than 70 since the by COOLe Caill oLal L 52 The meeting was called 88 rate of 1S a decide should pere Heat be- what action it we are to Heath the and takenl

••DONC

1 ULY

ernment's legislation for state riess. unc cause o bucc IncI casco control of higher but farm Chairman workers, of the lowest paid Barrie Evans said in the country, have had that it was no accen uat cae trades council had called the toetr wage Increase mozen durins public meeting at this particular the last three months and Yet food prices rise at this rate.

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Name... Address.. extra money certainly is not go- ing into the pockets of the farm workers,' he said. 'Here in North Devon, we can play our part in the fight to make the Tory government resign. That is why we are proposing the for- mation of a Council of Action, which can play a crucial role in organizing and co-ordinating on specific issues,' he action concluded. Capel, former Barn- George staple Labour councillor and a ASLEF felt Heath member of and the Tories were hell-bent on destroying the union. He criti- cized the leadership of the TUC, who, he said, had 'been afraid of the power the workers put in their hands' at the time of the huge demonstrations against the Industrial Relations Act two years ago. 'If the last Labour government had carried out socialist policies, we would not have had the He explained the background locomen's dispute and to the said he 'felt sure that an appeal to ASLEF for support by other unions in conflict with the gov- ernment would not go unheeded.'

Dave Ferguson, member of the AUEW and the Centrax Com- bined Shop Stewards' Committee, outlined the activities which had been carried on in the south Devon area since the successful strike at Centrax, five month Newton Abbot, in 1969. He brought greetings from the New- assistance to groups of workers involved in local disputes and in setting up of tenants' as- sociations. for any worker in- Victory volved in a conflict with manage.

ment was to be fought for. 'His victory is our victory, he said to applause. John Brickwood of Barnstaple Trades Council, opened the dis- cussion on the proposal for a Council of Action. He suggested areas of activity such as the or- ganization of tenants, the co- ordination of trade union recruit- the formation of a ment and housewives' prices action group.

He said the capitalist system was now in a serious crisis and that since the election of the Heath government the political situation had changed fundamentally.

The discussion, which followed the main speakers, showed that many members of the audience looking for alternative were leadership. One trade unionist demanded to know if the Labour Party and Harold Wilson would rescind the laws the Tories had passed. A Labour councillor replied that only a minority of the Labour Party NEC was in favour of re- moving the Phase Two legislation from the statute book. An attempt was made by a Labour Party member to divert the proposal for the formation of a Council of Action into a recommendation that trade union branches should affiliate to the local Labour Party.

When the final vote came, the proposal that a North Devon Council of Action be formed was passed overwhelmingly, with only two voting against. Fight rising rents and prices Defend basic democratic rights Force the Tories to resign ACTON: Tuesday February 27, 'The Rocket, Churchfield 8 p.m. Road, W3. 'The Pageant and The Road to Workers' Power'. CLAPHAM: Tuesday February 27, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor Street, S.W.4.

'Defend Democratic Rights'.

PADDINGTON: Tuesday February 27, 8 p.m. 'Prince of Wales' of Harrow Road and corner Great Western Road. KIRKBY: Tuesday February 27, Southdene Community 8 p.m. Centre, off Broad Lane. 'Crisis of capitalism and the future of the trade unions' CAMDEN: Tuesday February 27, Prince Albert', Wharfe- 8 p.m.

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

ITV

9.38 Schools. 9.30 Schools. 10.30 This Week Ar y try- wydd. 1.00 Pebble (London 11.00 Schools. 12.55 only). Pinky Mill at 1.30 Andy Pandy. 12.05 Mr. Trimble. 12.25 one. and Perky. First 1.45 Ask the family. 2.05 12.40 report. Lunchtime with Wogan. Schools. 2.50 plus. 1.00 3.15 Gardeners' 1.30 Emmerdale farm. 2.00 world. 3.40 French 2.30 chef. Harriet's back in school. Viaduct. About 4.35 Jackanory. Good afternoon. 3.00 3.25 Kate. 4.25 5.10 John Britain. ( Junior news- 5.40 4.50 Magpie. 5.20 around. on. showtime. Wombles. 5.45 Weather. of Jeannie. 5.50 News. dream

6.00 TODAY.

6.45 LAUREL

6.35 CROSSROADS.

7.05 FILM:

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Poor people are comedy. dom. always unhappy.

8.30 WHATEVER

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James

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Chet. Weather.

DOCUMENTARY: T H E

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mystery. for heavy water. Nine

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11.35 House Mary Craig talks to Lord Church architec- God. Proust Chalfont about ture. and Trollope.

11.55 WEATHER.

BBC 2

1.15- about the possible aboli- 11.00-11.25 Play school. of the tion cane in their Medicine today. 1.40 schools.

6.40 OFFICE.

Co - ordination

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and control.

PLAY:

'TRAITOR'.

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Rod Spoil

11.15 NEWS

speak

EXTRA.

Weather. Liverpool people Dennis Potter on BBC 2 Neil McCallum as Blake in "Traitor by

REGIONAL TV

1.15 5.50

CHANNEL:

9.30-12.00 Zond Women 5.20 0.700 London. 6.00 News. reports. McCloud. 3.00 London. 5.20 Partridge rainer. 5.50 6.00 News. Whicker. IRES 9.30 London. family. 2.30 1135•35 London. 7.30

YORKSHIRE:

9.30 6.10 Lookaround 5.20 Here's Film: ' A Guide Lous: 5550 Calendar, Man'. 9.15 London. for the London, Marriedd 6.35 7.03 McMillan 12.15 Commentaires et weather. and wife. 9.15 London. Gazette 12.15 Scot and

ESTWAR

Channel except: abster es 12.45 Weather. As London. 2:55 Lor Col- 12.20 Honeybun. Gus London. Diary. 12.12 12.15 a shoestring. News. News. 6.00 Faith for soth HERN: 9.30 London. 12.04 News.

News. day. Police h.so Valley 7.05 Wickers Film: of 12.05 London. Houseparty Cross- London. 5.20 5.25 Mystery' by

TEES:

9.25 Thoughts from th roads Junkin. 6.00 Dav charge. 6.35 7.05 little London. book. 4oJl 12.15 Mach deather. 9.15 London. News. 5.00 London. C. 12.i4e News. 6.00 Today 312M News

ANGLIA:

9.30 London. About wife. London. News. women. 1.30 Lectern. 3.00 London. News. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.35 Wind the wil-

SCOTTISH:

6.00 About 3i30 London! 3.00 5.25 5.50 London. Anglia

UWD.

Columbo. london. 7.00 12.15 Reflection London. Smith. London. Huall 9.00 9.30 2.30 12.15 Late Woman London. 5.20 London. call. 1.38 Osmonds. don. 300 6. CartooN.

ATV

GRAMPIAN:

10.58 London. Schools. 2.35 Cartoon. 2.52 News. 6.35 London. 7.35 Banacek 12.15 Sue 3.00 London. 5.20 Emmerdale farm. 9.15 london. Weather. 6.00 Ne 750° Country focus. 6.35 London. dola 12.32 News. focus. 6.35 Film: "Man 3.00 London. 42: NewS. 4.25 London: Meditation. Moon'. 9.15 London. 12.10 Kings Cross. 'Les- 28, 7.30 p.m. Woodside Hall, St dale Road, fighting the Housing George's Cross. sons OT

DERBY:

Finance Act March Thursday, 27, 7.30 Metal

HARROW:

Tuesday February p.m. Hall, Wealdstone. Premises, Charnwood Street. Labour p.m. 'All Wembley Pageant. out for CROYDON: Thursday March Coombe

TOOTING:

27, Ruskin House, Tuesday February oad. Support the gasmen. 'Selkirk Hotel', Selkirk Road. p.m. Road, Tooting Broadway. The HOLLOWAY: Thursday March 1.

of Italian Fascism'. rise 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Seven Sisters

ABERDEEN:

W. Trades Haled Febru- Road Finsbury Park (near 28, 8 p.m. Trades ary Station). Marxism and the trade Adelphi. unions'. Febru-

COVENTRY:

Wednesday, KINGSTON: Thursday March 1, Woodend Com- ary 28, 7.30 p.m. *Liverpool Cam- p.m. Arms', munity Building, Hillmorton Road.

Support the gas- bridge Road.

EDINBURGH:

Wednesday Feb- men and hospital workers 7.30 Graphic

GLASGOW:

Sunday, ruary 28, p.m. March 4, Club, 15 Brunswick Street, 3 р.т. Partick Burgh Hall, near 'Workers' and the fight rights Merkland Street Underground. the Tory government. workers and the Tory against 'Hospital government.' GLASGOW: Wednesday February

THE Pageant campaign has taken a big step forward in South Wales. Organizers have met their target and nearly doubled the number of people taking part. At rehearsals in the Dow- lais Labour Club on Sunday, Roy Battersby told the 30 youth and workers who at- tended that they had trans- formed the situation. We now have a healthy num- ber of people for our section of the. Pageant. But we still want more. We want people to play pickets, scabs, pickets' wives, 17 unions who formed the Labour Party and 29 Labour MPs who were elected in 1906' Support is also coming for workers and unions in the sur- miners, rounding area. Bedlinog who work at the Trelewis Drift pit, have filled a 42-seater coach and are organizing a second for Empire Pool, Wembley, on March Other pits are now being approached to send similar dele- gations. There a drive launched was over the weekend to sell tickets for Empire Pool. The public meeting which attracted 120 last Thursday gave some idea of the large delegation which this valley town could send. Already a wide section of the community has been involved in re-creating railwaymen's struggle which took place along line which very connects Merthyr, in 1901 a major mining centre, to Cardiff, where the coal was loaded for export abroad.

The cast includes steelworkers from Ebbw Vale, now involved in a fight against 4,600 redun- dancies, workers from Hoover's, the biggest employer in Merthyr, college students and nurses. All approach their work very WHEN British MI5 agent John Wyman was arrested in Dublin, he told police he worked for Bateman Investigations of Marl- borough Crescent, Long Hand- borough, Oxfordshire, Dublin Special Court was told yester- day. He told the Special Branch he was in Ireland to obtain character assessment' for a client whose name he would not dis- close. Wyman, it was alleged, said he had no interest in politics.

Wyman and Sergeant Patrick Crinnion are charged under the Official Secrets Act with com- municating official documents to a third person at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, in December.

Detective Inspector Doocey of the Special Branch said in evi- dence that Wyman later changed about his story working for Bateman Investigations. He said that Wyman con- sidered the position overnight and realized that he was 'in the same line as ourselves. The case continues. Special ATUA

ANCILLARY WORKERS

CIVIL SERVANTS

No state control of wages!

Support the gasmen, hospital workers and Civil Servants!

Make the Tories resign! Tuesday February 27 7.30 p.m. Norfolk Room Caxton Hall Caxton Street, SW1. seriously with a high degree of political commitment and under- standing. A comment from last Friday's rehearsals summed up the feeling in Merthyr and the surrounding valley towns which are Labour to a core. "The socialists have been here before, said one young Hoover worker, 'and my mates say they went away and nothing lasted. But it is up to us to make sure it lasts and carry the messages of this Pageant to everyone in Merthyr.' He was speaking after rehears- ing two very good scenes from the Taff Vale struggle. The first showed the striking railwaymen waiting on the line in the dead of night for a train load scabs, drafted in by the wealthy rail owners to break the union. MEMBERS of the NALGO Action Group in London will lobby next Monday's special congress of the TUC demand- ing a General Strike. A group Press statement said the lobby would 'drive home our opposition to governmental strictures'. The National Association of Local Government Oficers na- tional executive has voted not to make representations to the Tory Pay and Prices Board. An economic committee re- commendation to participate with the corporatist boards was defeated by 40 to 19.

A resolution from the Metro- politan District Council calling for a General Strike to force a General Election was defeated by 57 votes to two. The General Strike resolution was passed last week at a dist- rict counch meeting which re- presents 64,000 London workers in local government, health, electricity and gas. A member of the council told Workers Press: 'At last the end NALGO's absurd political stance is in sight, non- • The British Museum branch of the Civil and Public Services has Association passed the following resolution: ATUA meetings

POSTAL WORKERS

The crisis of capitalism and the future of the trade unions.

Sunday March 4 10.30 a.m. Conway Small Hall Red Lion Square Holborn.

BUILDING WORKERS

The crisis of capitalism and the future of the trade unions.

Tuesday March 6 7.30 p.m. Norfolk Room Caxton Hall Caxton Street, SW1 The railway workers are hud- dled in groups calling out a joke or a comment to keep up spirits.

This section is not scripted, the cast make up their own lines.

Eventually the scene is pared down to a few key remarks.

Then, after one ironic line, the pickets break into a slow and stirring Welsh song. This mixture of native wit and feeling, politi- cal perspective and firm direction is producing good results in South Wales. After the picket scene perhaps the most loathsome character of the Taff Vale episode was intro- duced—Bill Collison, 'Prince of the Blacklegs, King of the Scabs' head of the Free Labour Society (not entirely freehis services cost the : directors of the Taff Vale Railway Society £100). He dances grotesquely round the hall snapping his fingers gathering 'We demand that the NEC insists on our total claim and makes no compromise whatso- ever and that this be dated to January 1, 1973, and not April 1, 1973.

SOUTHAMPTON

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 8 p.m.

Joiners Arms Hotel St Mary's Street Speaker: ALAN THORNETT (Deputy senior steward, Morris Motors, in a personal capacity).

DAGENHAM

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8pm Manor Park Library Romford Rd/Rabbitts Road opp Rabbitts Pub speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

HULL

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8 p.m. 'Windmill Hotel' Witham Speaker: CLIFF SLAUGHTER (SLL Central Cttee)

WEST LONDON

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8 p.m. Lyndhurst Hall Grafton Road, NW3 Speaker: M. BANDA (SLL Central Committee)

LUTON

FRIDAY MARCH 2, 8 p.m. Assembly Hall Town Hall Speaker: M. BANDA (SLL Central Committee)

TOTTENHAM

TUESDAY MARCH 6, 8 p.m. Lord Morrison Hall Chesnut Grove Speaker: G. HEALY (SLL National Secretary) Workers Press, Tuesday February 27, 1973 PAGE 11 recruits to break the railway- Above left: Margaret and Joan men's union. Cronin lead off rehearsal of to Workers' the 'Road Power' Above: Bill song. Collison clearly impact ('Prince of the Scabs') shakes Merthyr. They have already be- hands with Hammond. one of come the rallying point for the the railway bosses. most political of the town's youth. Valley like communities Many sections of workers have Merthyr for crying are out supported them, including the revolutionary leadership. They South Wales area of the National are steeped in the traditions of Union of Mineworkers, which has the labour movement, but this £10 and given sent a circular tradition has become dead and urging support to all their sterile in the hands of the re- lodges. formists of the Labour Party and Next week all the miners' the Stalinists in the Communist lodges in the area will be ap- Party. proached over delegations and Into this situation comes the support. revolutionary It organization. But there is no room for com- could first win mass support, What has been placency. gained among younger workers, who are already only opens up the vision ready to fight politically against what could be gained in the Tory attacks, and later older immediate future. workers who will certainly respond to a strong lead.

But as the Hoover young worker said—the socialists have seen here before and left little nothing behind them. or The "The NEC must demand that Pageant campaign must be the TUC breaks off the talks with beginning of a mass revolutionary the government and calls party in Wales that will lead the an indefinite General Strike fight to destroy capitalism for force the Tory government to a good. This is now the perspective General Election. in South Wales. Dotand trade unionism and basic living standards Unite in action to make this Tory government resign The road to power is through the building of the rovolutionary party

YOUNG SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

EMPIRE POOL

WEMBLEY

I would like to take part in the Pageant/come 1o Empire Pool.

Please send me further details.

NAME,.

ADDRESS

No. of tickets required Amount enclosed (£1 each £...

Complete form and return to: Pageant Office, 34 Hamilton Gardens, Londón, NW8

What next for the teachers' pay fight? PAGE 12 Workers Press, Tuesday Februa

TWO DAYS

LEFT TO

FOR FEBRUARY

ever it FOR THE first time looks like we might not reach our £1,750 target. It is urgent we do everything • possible im- mediately and turn the situation around. Ve know we can do it. Ever f it means an almost super human effort, we are sure you, dear readers, will not let us down. More than ever today, Work- ers Press is needed to provide a lead .in this political situa tion. We must warn gasworkers, civil servants, teachers and car- workers of the dangers ahead.

The trade union leaders are do- ing their best to restrict each struggle to their protest stop- pages or to try and keep each section of workers isolated from each other. Only united action can defeat the Tory, government. Only our paper fights for this each day.

Make an all-oul, last-minute fight for our Fund. We still have two days left. Let's show that once again we can complete our target in good time. Rush every donation immediately to: Workers Press February Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London, SW4 7UG

BY A WORKERS PRESS

CORRESPONDENT

BRITISH Road Services drivers at the key Swindon and Castle Bromwich depots yesterday de- cided to stay out pending the outcome of a mass meeting in Birmingham today. Today's meeting is expected to hear a union recommendation to return to work. The terms for a return are believed to be little different from those rejected on Sunday— £45 loss of earnings payment, plus a bonus review after the Tory pay standstill ends.

The dispute began when drivers claimed an immediate £2.50 for holding heavy-goods vehicle licences. Later they demanded £2.50 across the board for all drivers.

Registered as a newspaper at the Workers Post Office. Published by Clapham High Street, Press, 186a 7UG. Printed London, SW4 Plough High Street, ham Newsdesk: 01-622 7029. Unite in. Britwell Communit ay February 27, 1973 WITH NO SIGN of a Tory climb-down on the issue of the special Lon- don allowance and the second wave of their guerrilla strikes starting today, many teachers are asking 'What next?' On the eve of today's walk- out by 2,900 teachers in 207 London schools, the : message from the Department of Edu- cation and Science was: 'The strikes will have no effect on government thinking.' said: "There is A spokesman change in no prospect of a government thinking. Mrs Mar- garet Thatcher has met teachers and the management panel of Burnham several times and has Survelllance of McAlpine's Aldwych site site, taking notes, and two photographe BUILDERS on the strike-hit McAlpine site in the Aldwych have called on all London sites to come out in support of their fight against the lump. Delegates from McAlpine's will press for all-out strike action by all London building workers at a meeting of the Joint Sites Committee (JSC) on Thursday night. A meeting of McAlpine's men yesterday morning heard Tony Crilly, federation steward, tell the fight against labour- them had to be only sub-contracting extended. Backed by the government, the building employers were trying to undermine the basis of trade

OXFORD

TUESDAY

FEBRUARY 27

8 p.m. Clarendon Institute Walton Speaker: G. HEALY -(SLL National Secretary)

SLOUGH

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28

ommunity Centre Long Furlong Drive Speaker: G. HEALY (SLL National Secretary

ASSESSMENT BY I

made it clear that the London allowance would have to come out of the global sum set aside pay.' for teachers' rank-and-file worries What members of the profession most, especially young men and women on 'poverty pay', is that many consider that of their leaders even if they fail in getting the Phase allowance excluded from Two, at least they will have put up a fight. teacher put it to me: As one 'A three-day strike is useless.

We've got to smack and hurt Commenting on what further action teachers will take if their present selective strike campaign fails, NUT president-elect and Communist Party member Mr Max Morris said his executive Yesterday morning two men co

BY PHILIP WADE

unionism in the industry. Lump labour was spreading, he said.

The fight at McAlpine's needed the support of all building work- ers and the working class as a whole. The meeting endorsed a motion to be put to the JSC calling for solidarity meeting strike action in London. Another proposal carried was that the site lobby the TUC Special Congress on Monday.

They would demand a General Strike to bring down the Tories and put back a Labour govern- ment pledged to nationalize the building industry under workers' and without compensa- control tion. d basic rights

MEDWAY

TUESDAY

FEBRUARY 27

8 p.m. Aurora Hotel Brompton Road Gillingham Speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Committee) 8 p.m. g Drive Britwell Estate Secretary)

NT BY IAN YEATS

had not discussed future policy.

But asked if the union would recommend more strikes in open defiance of Phase Two Mr Morris said that was a matter on which executive would have to be the "advised by solicitors'. He refused to say whether he believed the first two waves of guerrilla strikes could win the teacher's case. One of the factors teachers claim mitigates against the execu- tive calling all-out strike action to force the Tories to exclude the London allowance from Phase Two of the state pay plan is the union's own rules. Striking teachers are eligible for full pay from the NUT and local association officials say that indefinite to call an stoppage could break the union's finances.

But teachers' unrest with their o men continued sitting in a car oppó e pictures of everyone on the picket line.

This afternoon the men-who came out on strike last Wednes- day-will march on the concili- ation panel meeting in central London where employers and union officials will try and reach a settlement of the dispute.

They will demand that the panel find that McAlpine's are letting out work to labour only sub-contractors, contrary to the Working Rule Agreement, which says all men must be directly employed. It is hoped to get support for from other sites today's lobby. 9 a.m. Central Halls (opposite Houses ( Report back meeting: 2 p.m. f Workers Union, Blacktriars Blackfriar official leadership is plainly shown in the fact that some borough association's have exceeded union instructions for selective action and called out all their members on half-day or one-day strikes.

The NUT has sent a circular to all members asking them not to participate in these strikes.

at NUT head- Spokesmen quarters were more candid about further action than Mr Morris.

It was freely admitted that strikes after Phase Two became law would depend firmly on the legal position and the possibility of such penalties as fines.

The NUT's strategy is based on a month of protests convinc- ing a sufficient number of MPs to vote for an amendment to the Counter Inflation Bill excluding the London allowance. The allowance is at present fixed at £118 and teachers want it raised to £300. They have been offered £15.

WHITTINGTON

Hospital north London voted unanimously • yesterday to stage an all-out indefinite strike from March 5. 120-strong meeting was The critical of the present selective industrial action which is being proposed by the unions involved in the claim. A speaker from the National Union of Teachers also addressed the meeting. Whittington worker said A later: 'We're all in it this time.

This has got to be an all-out fight against the government.'

Last night stewards from seven central London hospitals-Royal Free, north London group, Uni- Moorefields, versity Bart's, the east and the hospitals for diseases of the chest-met to discuss the industrial campaign. In Coventry Barry Gleadow, Gulson Road hospital porter, told Workers Press: 'The gasworkers are the test case for all lower-paid workers.

'Surely something must be done. The cost of living is shoot- ing up. I voted Labour but I can't see them doing much better.

I just can't cope with my rate increases. I pay fl a week now and with the revaluation it must double. I earn £19.08 and I just can't manage.'

CORRECTION:

3, para 4), owing to typographical error, it was stated that the Liaison Committee for Defence of Trade Unions 'is the Stalinist body which has fought at every stage against the Tory government and its pernicious anti-union legislation'. This should have read 'sought at every stage the growing to undermine struggle against the Tory govern- and its pernicious anti- ment union legislation'. I Halls, Westminster uses of Parliament) 2 p.m. Friars Halls, Sheetmetal ckfriars Bridge (nearest tube lackfriars).