Workers Press no. 1029

workers press

BY ROYSTON BULL

THE long-awaited National Ports Council report on un- registered ports and wharves does not recommend the inclusion of all these small ports in the Dock Labour Scheme. This decision will come as a rude shock to dockers who were told by Jack Jones that if they to work in last-year's returned dock strike the unregistered ports problem would be seen The NPC, of which Jones is a member, leaves untouched the unregistered sector of the docks industry. The report, out today, shows that the five main non-scheme 1,768 ports have • regular em- ployees and 79 'casuals', while third-party undertakings employ 785 regular and between •them 278 casual workers. The report merely invites' Maurice Macmillan, the Empoly- ment Secretary, to consider what steps are open to him: ] To eliminate casual engage- ments in those cases where it is used as a normal source of cargo handling. 2 To ensure that the conditions • and terms of employment at non-scheme undertakings should not be less favourable than the standards laid down by the national joint council for the registered ports. Jones said lamely yesterday that it is highly desirable for NATIONAL. Coal Board officials Imposed a clampdown yesterday on information about the circum- stances which led to the Loft- house Colliery disaster. Board member for production, Norman Siddall, told journalists who asked about reasons for the disaster: 1 am not trying to duck questions but we are not involved in an inquiry at this stage. We are holding a rescue operation.'

Late yesterday afternoon rescue teams reported that the water level sealing off the dis- aster face had fallen 14ins in one hour. There were also indica- tions that the flow of water into Lofthouse had been arrested.

Full investigation by Stephen Johns on Page 3. Lofthouse miners work to fill in the old mine shaft which collap- sed forcing tons of water into the nearby seam.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSL

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

the maintenance of peace in the industry that non-scheme ports should be brought as quickly as possible within the Dock Labour Scheme and the union will be making urgent representations to the Secretary of State for Employment. Dockers will treat this com- ment with the derision it de- serves. It is what Jones has been saying for years-but equal- has been doing nothing ly, about. But the non-Scheme ports are to remain outside the jurisdiction of the National Dock Labour Board which by law regulates the employment of dockers. The report admits all of the criticisms that have been made about the cowboy wharves: that significantly longer they work hours than dockers are required to do at scheme ports; that in many cases they have far lower basic pay rates and less favour- able holiday, sick pay, and pen- than the sion arrangements scheme ports. 'In respect of labour costs therefore, these non-scheme undertakings cannot fail to enjoy a cost advantage over scheme ports,' the report states.

But despite these strictures nothing is proposed to be done to stop these smaller ports creaming off the specialist tra- ffic; from undercutting the major ports in costs through not hav- ing to supply a full range of facilities for proper training and welfare conditions for dockers; or from providing a pool of scab labour if the registered ports are ever in dispute ever pay and conditions. INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY MARCH 23, 1973 • No 1029 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE THE Trades Union Con- gress has invited affilia- ted with unions nine million members to take part in a national day of protest on May Day. e ested Finance atid Geot meeting the TUC Purpose Committee eral called for the protest gainst the state control over wages and the soaring cost of Although we support the one- dav protest and urge all workers stop work on May L. lt inadequate to meet the Present situation ne ories won t oe budged an inch by this one-day affair. Let's look at the facts. • It has taken the TUC leaders Gays -SInCe /VIaTC special congress- -to choose And then they choose one which is anoler x wecks away the most cynical JunIs ume. wasting. ch Mày By time the protest Phase takes place 1-the which end wage WO aWS oaT- gaining and impose state will be full trol over wages operaung meantime, In the what is to happen to the hospital workers, • 23, 1973 4p No 1029

E SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

the gasmen, the civil servants, the London teachers, the Ford workers and the other sections of workers now under the Tory wages hammer? Nothing. • Another of the many treach- eries of yesterday's decision is that it invites" unions to take part. There is no instruction, not even a call for a national de- monstration. This pussy-footing has already given the right-wing bureau- crats of the National Union of Railwayman, the National Union of Teachers and the electricians' union the opportunity to declare that they won't take part.

The tens of thousands of wor- kers who are in battle against the Phase Two pay laws don't want one-day protest strikes. They don't want a repetition of the protests which failed to Kill the Bill'. There is tremendous sup- port throughout the labour and trade union movement for an indefinite General Strike to defend their standard of living and their basic demo- cratic rights. And only this action can put an end to the Heath government once and for all. But at this point in the strug- gle against the Tory government.

the TUC cynically turns its back on the rank and file-as it did with the postmen and calls yet another worthless "protest.

In this it is helped by the Communist Party and the 'Morning Star'. The Communist Party's policy is not an indefinte strike to force the Tories to resign. The 'Morning Star' said this week: *A one-day General Strike is the minimum requirement and needs to be a first step in what the special conference resolu- tion described as a determined campaign". In fact the full wording of the special TUC resolution is for a 'determined campaign' against the wage-control policy and food prices. Not a word about the government. The Stalinists policy remains, therefore. radical-sounding cover for the movement of the TUC leaders collaboration with the government over Phase Two.

This, in turn, strengthens the extreme right wing of the TUC who are now hellbent on emas- culating even the one-day stop- page and getting into the Pay Board as quickly as possible.

There is therefore a direct thread connecting the Stalin- ists, the so-called "lefts' like Jones with the 'moderates' like Feather through to the right- wingers like Chapple. After the one-day stoppage they will concentrate all their forces attacking and discrediting the left wing. In this they will have the support of the Wilson- leadership Jenkins in the Labour Party as Parliamentary well as the Tories and Liberals.

For all workers, housewives and youth concerned about the threat to working class rights.

and the corporatist plans of the Tory government, May Day must be the start of a compaign to get rid of the class collaborators in their own ranks: to bombard the executives of unions and the TUC with resolutions for an indefinite General Strike to force the Tories to resign and to elect a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. This must be the theme of every banner and placard carried on May l. • No surrender to the Tories! • Clear out the right wing traitors! • Down with Stalinism! • Forward to the General Strike! • All out on May Day!

workers press

BY ROYSTON BULL

THE long-awaited National Ports Council report on un- registered ports and wharves does recommend the not inclusion of all these small ports in the Dock Labour Scheme. This decision will come as a rude shock to dockers who were told by Jack Jones that if they to work in last-year's returned dock strike the unregistered ports problem would be 'seen to'.... The NPC, of which Jones is a member, leaves untouched the unregistered sector of the docks industry. The report, out today, shows that the five main non-scheme have 1,768 regular ports em- and 79 'casuals, while ployees third-party undertakings employ regular and between them 785 278 casual workers. merely invites' The report Maurice Macmillan, the Empoly- ment Secretary, to consider what steps are open to him: 1 To eliminate casual engage- ments in those cases where it a normal source of is used as cargo handling. 2 To ensure that the conditions • and terms of employment at non-scheme undertakings should not be less favourable than the laid down by the standards joint council for the national registered ports. lamely yesterday Jones said that it is highly desirable for NATIONAL. Coal Board officials Imposed a clampdown yesterday on information about the circum- stances which led to the Loft- house Colliery disaster. Board member for production, Norman Siddall, told journalists who asked about reasons for the disaster: 'I am not trying to duck questions but we are not Involved In an inquiry at this stage. We are holding a rescue operation.'

Late yesterday afternoon rescue teams reported that the water level sealing off the dis- aster face had fallen 14ins in one hour. There were also indica- tions that the flow of water into Lofthouse had been arrested.

Full investigation by Stephen Johns on Page 3. miners work to fill in Lofthouse the old mine shaft which collap- sed forcing tons of water into the nearby seam.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSL

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

the maintenance of peace in the industry that non-scheme ports should be brought as quickly as possible within the Dock Labour Scheme and the union will be making urgent representations to the Secretary of State for Employment'. Dockers will treat this com- ment with the derision it de- It is what Jones has serves. been saying for years-but equal- doing nothing ly, has been about. But the non-Scheme ports are to remain outside the jurisdiction of the National Dock Labour Board which by law regulates the employment of dockers. The report admits all of the criticisms that have been made about the cowboy wharves: that significantly longer they work hours than dockers are required to do at scheme ports; that in many cases they have far lower basic pay rates and less favour- able holiday, sick pay, and pen- than the sion arrangements scheme ports. 'In respect of labour costs therefore, these non-scheme undertakings cannot fail to enjoy a cost advantage over scheme ports,' the report states.

strictures But despite these nothing is proposed to be done these smaller ports to stop creaming off the specialist tra- ffic; from undercutting the major ports in costs through not hav- ing to supply a full range of facilities for proper training and welfare conditions for. dockers; or from providing pool of scab labour if the registered ports are ever in dispute ever pay and conditions.

E NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY MARCH 23, 1973

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCI

THE Trades Union Con- gress has invited affilia- ted unions with nine million members to take part in a national day of protest on May Day. Yesterday's meeting of the TUC Finance and Gen- Committee eral Purpose called for the protest against the state control over wages and the soaring cost of living. Although we support the one.

day protest and urge all workers work on May 1, it is to stop entirely inadequate to meet the present situation. The Tories won't be budged an inch by this one-day affair.

Let's look at the facts. 1 It has taken the TUC leaders days-since the March 5 special congress-to choose a date. And then they choose one which is another six weeks away.

This is the most cynical time- wasting. By the time the protest takes place-May 1-the Phase Two laws which end wage bar- gaining and impose state con- trol over wages will be fully operating. what is to In the meantime, happen to the hospital workers, • No 1029 23, 1973 4p

E SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

the gasmen, the civil servants, the London teachers, the Ford workers and the other sections of workers now under the Tory wages hammer? Nothing. • Another of the many treach- yesterday's decision is eries of that it 'invites' unions to take part. There is no instruction, not call for a national de- even a monstration. This pussy-footing has already bureau- given the right-wing crats of the National Union of Railwayman, the National Union of Teachers and the electricians' union the opportunity to declare that they won't take part.

The tens of thousands of wor- who are in battle against kers the Phase Two pay laws don't one-day strikes. want protest They don't want a repetition of the protests which failed to 'Kill the Bill. There is tremendous sup- port throughout the labour and trade union movement for an indefinite General Strike to defend their standard of living and their basic demo- cratic rights. And only this action can put an end to the Heath government once and for all. But at this point in the strug- gle against the Tory government.

the TUC cynically turns its back on the rank and file-as it did

APR

+ 0 with the postmen-and calls yet another worthless 'protest'.

In this it is helped by the Communist Party and the 'Morning Star'. The Communist Party's policy indefinte strike is not an to force the Tories to resign. The 'Morning Star' said this week: 'A one-day General Strike is the minimum requirement and needs to be a first step in what the special conference resolu- tion described as "a determined campaign": In fact the full wording of the special TUC resolution is for a ' determined campaign' against the wage-control policy and food prices. Not a word about the government. The Stalinists' policy remains, radical-sounding therefore. a cover for the movement of the TUC leaders' collaboration with the government over Phase Two.

This, in turn, strengthens the extreme right wing of the TUC who are now hellbent on emas- culating even the one-day stop- and getting into the Pay page Board as quickly as possible.

There is therefore a direct thread connecting the Stalin- ists, the so-called 'lefts' like Jones with the 'moderates' like Feather through to the right- wingers like Chapple. After the one-day stoppage they will concentrate all their forces attacking and discrediting the left wing. In this they will have the support of the Wilson- Jenkins leadership the Labour Party as Parliamentary well as the Tories and Liberals.

housewives For all workers, and vouth concerned about the threat to working class rights, and the corporatist plans of the Tory government, May Day must be the start of a compaign to get rid of the class collaborators in their own ranks: to bombard the executives of unions and the TUC with resolutions for indefinite General Strike to force the Tories to resign and to elect a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. This must be the theme of every banner and placard carried on May 1. • No surrender to the Tories! • Clear out the right wing traitors! • Down with Stalinism! • Forward to the General Strike! • All out on May Day!

PAGE 2

Workers Press, Friday Marct

BY JOHN SPENCER

BEHIND a facade of short - term borrowing from abroad the balance of payments position of British capitalism con- tinues to deteriorate at a rapid rate despite the floating of sterling. In fact the basic deficit on the country's balance of pay- ments is actually well in excess of the £800m which existed when Harold Wilson took office in 1964. This deficit at the time pro- a prolonged sterling duced crisis in which the Labour government attempted to save the balance of payments by a series of anti-working class measures.

DICK TAVERNE,

the newly-elected Democratic Labour MP ('He is neither a democrat nor Labour'_ Anthony Wedgwood Benn) has been exposed in his true Tory colours. In his first speech to parlia- ment since his success in the Lincoln by-election, Taverne has out in support of come the Tories' state control over wages. And in the same speech be attacked the hos- pital workers who are battling all over the country for a decent wage. Taverne said: 'This strike is profoundly and tragically mis- taken and should not be suc- They deserve sym- pathy all except their present action' Turning to his erstwhile colleagues on the Labour ben- ches, Taverne went on: 'Those who concerned with a are fairer structure in wages must condemn this strike unequi- vocally. It would be unfortunate if this strike succeeded. It would unfortunate because it be would, in fact, remove the hope of such a fairer struc- ture. If there was a Labour gov- there ernment tomorrow would be no question about it.

A Labour government would have to impose statutory incomes policy in the present circumstances which would be every bit as stringent. "The Labour government would be forced to resist this strike and other strikes which designed to break this are policy. There would be no question about it.? The capitalist Press was quick to congratulate Taverne for his 'frankness'. Their 'man of integrity had spoken out again. Taverne's statement must be the sharpest warning to the working class. He represents a tendency in the parliamentary Labour Party which goes right to the top of that body. What he is saying openly is no different from what MPs Jenkins, Prentice and Shirley Williams are discussing private. A recalled Labour Party conference can answer this right-wing clique of class collaborators with a socialist programme to meet the Tory onslaught. day March 23, 1973 The official figures now show that in the second half of last year the basic deficit was run- ning at more than £1,000 million that the deficit is a year, and growing rapidly as a result of a in Britain's trade worsening position. The underlying reality is con- cealed chiefly by borrowing short-term loans from abroad to finance British investment over- seas. borrowed mainly the on market, are running at the rate of about £700m a year. The money is being borrowed in the form of short-term loans for long-term invest- and used ment. This creates an extremely dangerous and explosive position.

Not only does it make the British balance of payments heavily dependent on the supply of dollar funds in Europe, which could contract dramatically under certain conditions.

It also leaves the borrowers themselves in completely ex- a posed position. If they are unable to raise further loans when their existing debts mature they will find themselves illiquid, creating the prospect of a chain reaction of defaults. Given the extremely close ties linking all the main capitalist banks in the Euro-currency market (where they now act in through consortium banks which all have a share) such a collapse in part of the market could rapidly be trans- GRANADA television have cut out re-enacted court- room scenes between bank- rupt architect John Poulson and Muir Hunter, QC for Poulson's creditors. The latest version of their Poulson film was submitted to the Independent Broadcasting Authority yesterday. Actors George A. Cooper and John Nettleton played the parts of Poulson and Hunter in the court exchanges and their script was taken from the official tran- scripts of the bankruptcy case.

This section has been deleted. A Granada spokesman said: 'We ourselves decided some weeks ago that we would change but the courtroom scene, we would use the same information.

That was our decision and not that of the IBA. 'We decided to make changes in style and content; content mainly because we were updating this from six weeks ago when it was first ready to be put out, in terms of style, we de- and, cided to avoid any accusations of trial by television. •'We have dropped the court- room scenes but are keeping the content.' As yet there is no viewing date for the film, 'The Friends and Influence of John Poulson'.

Mitchell writes: The Alex re- moval of the re-enactment of the court drama is a major concession to the IBA and the Tory Press.

The 'World in Action' team had reconstructed the scene using transcripts from the hear- ing. 01-720 2000 01-622 7029 mitted throughout the inter- national banking system. It was just such a failure in 1931 which gave rise to the finan- cial crisis that brought down the Labour government and led to the betrayal of the right-wing the Prudential, was company, under Ramsay MacDonald. Britain's biggest insurance involved in the crash of the German Danat Bank, which was its debts. unable to pay Prudential had been borrowing on short terms and lending on long terms to the Bank. The result was that when the Danat Bank crashed Prudential faced with short-term were loans to repay having lost their in the long-term investment Danat Bank. Faced with the threat that the Pru might col- the Labour government lapse, sought loans from the US.

The American banks deman- ded conditions for their loans- in particular slashing cuts in the dole and in the social services.

These imposed by the were right wing on the recommenda- Committee, the May tion headed by the chairman of the Prudential, Sir Ernest May.

Today the extension of the system, the dependence credit of the British economy on foreign loans and the lack of any control over the inflated Euro- dollar market make it certain crash today will that any such world-wide have consequences involving the liquidation of whole branches of industry.

When the film was shown at Press screening the a private Tory Press said the scenes were 'unfair' to the participants. There was only the suggestion that using the transcripts represented.

a technical contempt of court.

be This claim scarcely can substantiated since the 'Sunday Times' Colour Magazine repro- duced vast chunks of the tran- without script contempt any proceedings being launched.

UNEMPLOYMENT

in the United Kingdom on March 12 was 717,669 on the official count, a reduction of 35,624 on the previous month. The fall reflects the wave of inflationary spending encour- aged by the government, the other side of which is the floating of the pound and the worsening balance of pay- ments position. A rapid growth of unem- ployment will be inevitable when the government crack- down on spending begins. Vauxhall men

VAUXHALL MOTORS

are due to reply today to the wage claim made on behalf of its 26,000 hourly-paid workers.

The current two-year agree- ment expires early next month.

If the company makes an offer within the government's wages norm of around £2.45 this will leave Vauxhall workers at least £10 below the Midlands car factories. Vauxhall rates vary from £29.60 for labourers to £38.60 for top skilled workers. YESTERDAY'S 'Guardian' came out in enthusiastic support for Labour leader Harold Wilson's call for 'worker participation' in the management of industry.

Not only the capitalist Press, but the Tory Party's Central Office, has endorsed Wilson's stand. A Conservative Political Centre pamphlet published this week-'Workers the on Board'-agrees with Wilson's demand for statutory works councils and calls for private industry to follow the example of the British Steel Corpora- tion in appointing employee- directors to divisional boards.

The fraudulent and anti-working class nature of these schemes is exposed by the support they receive from such quarters.

Their purpose is to head off the struggles of the working class wages, jobs and working on conditions and to transform the trade unions into cor- poratist-style adjuncts of the state. Workers would be represented not by stewards elected by themselves nor by officials of their unions, but by men who sit alongside the boss in the boardroom. The employers, the government and the reformists would de- velop of labour a system stooges who would 'front' for the management, act as pro- gress-chasers industry and present themselves as 'humane' apologists for every attack made on the working class.

Every steel worker knows that on divisional boards has not prevented the Tory axe from coming down on 50,000 jobs in the steel industry. The 'Guardian' makes clear what the employers and their sup- porters consider should be the role of these functionaries in circumstances: such 'If British steel is to remain com- it petitive must modernize. As in steel, so in other in- dustries: no degree of worker involvement the can avert for need such decisions un- less all British industry is to ossify. What workers' partici- pation can do is to make sure that the decisions are rational and that they are carried out humanely' defend their jobs Workers can only by acting as a class, through the class organizations they have built up over the last 200 years. When Wilson talks of the 'in- dividual as a free citizen' he seeks to take this away organized strength of the working class. The power of the working class is not the of individuals but a power collective, organized power.

It is significant that the Common Market — a monopoly con- spiracy against the working class - includes draft laws 'worker- which would place directors' on the boards of all public companies employing more than 500 workers. In both France and Italy the Communist Parties participate enthusiastically such schemes, and earlier this year the British trade union 'lefts' Jack Jones and Hugh Scanlon part in a TUC took study on such EEC legisla- group tion and recommended that it be accepted. Jones, in particular, has long been an advocate of such corporatist - style involvement with the state and the em- ployers. As long ago as Nov- ember 1970 he told a business- men's 'teach-in' that there were 'certain objectives which can be mutually advantageous' and that it was 'perfectly pos- sible to hammer out agree- neither which injure ments side but benefit both'. Last December the

T&GWU

'Ernest launched the Bevin International Study Group Scheme' to promote 'the im- provement of industrial rela- tions'. Firms co-operating in include this Ford, venture British-Leyland, Cad- Lucas, bury-Schweppes, Dunlop, John Laing, Rank Hovis McDougall, Sainsbury and ICI. Jones Jack Jones and Vic Feather sit on its management committee together with ex-Tory cabinet ministers Lord Watkinson of Cadbury-Schweppes and Lord Thorneycroft of Pirelli. Jones is a vice-president of the revisionist Institute Workers' Control' which exists in order to mislead workers into think- ing workers' that genuine control can be attained with- out a struggle to overthrow capitalism. This is a reformist myth. Wor- kers control is completely in- compatible with the capitalist mode of production. Capital- ism exists in order to make profit, by the exploitation of the working class who produce all wealth. Its function is to extract surplus value from those it employs. The Institute for • Workers' Con- that workers' can trol says have 'control' over their own exploitation! On the contrary real workers' control can be established only in the struggle for the social revolution in which the work- ing class seizes the power. This requires the construction of the revolutionary party, which the Institute for Wor- kers' Control and all its friends bitterly oppose. in- The demand now must be, not stooges on the boards, 'open the books'. As Trotsky wrote in The Transitional Programme of the Fourth International': "The immediate tasks of workers' control should be to explain the debits and credits beginning with society, in- dividual business undertakings: to determine the actual share of the national income appro- priated by individual capital- ists and by the exploiters as a whole; to expose the behind- the-scenes deals and swindles of banks and trusts, finally to reveal to all members the unconscionable society squandering of human labour which is the result of capitalist anarchy and suit of profit, the naked pur.

Wilson, Jones, the Institute of Workers' Control, the Com- mon Market law-drafters and Conservative the Central Office all talk of 'worker par- ticipation' precisely to hold the working class back and place it under the power of a corporate state. control they really By 'workers' mean corporatist control over the workers.

Why S9B flooded

FROM STEPHEN JOHNS

at LOFTHOUSE COLLIERY

LOCAL

MINERS say that like Aberfan, the Lofthouse pit disaster which appears to have claimed the lives of seven miners could have been avoided. It was the Coal Board's cavalier attitude to tip safety, they insist, that caused the deaths of 144 children and adults in the South Wales village seven years ago. At Lofthouse ignorance of old mine workings appears to be the main factor in the tragedy.

The kind of haphazard attitude towards old tunnelling around the. Yorkshire colliery was best by George Hayes, expressed deputy director of mining for North Yorkshire. 'The plans of this area,' said 'are very Hayes at the pithead, unreliable. We are talking about the 1830s, there could have been Deputy mining director Hayes Deputy chief mining engineer Hollis CONDITIONS at Loft- house colliery, sunk during the 19th century, are said to be 'good' for the 1,116 men who work there. But to appreciate what 'good' means you have to be a miner and work down the pit. Seams are narrow, the work is backbreaking, the dust— especially the invisible killer dust-clouds the air and there is the ever-present threat of death or serious injury. journey to The the face can be as much as two miles from the pithead. There the men work on their knees cut- ting the coal with the aid of enormous machines. 'On the majority of faces or creep, Loft- you can kneel house miners' union i branch Mr L. Thompson secretary told 'When we work me. kneeling we call this comfort- able conditions.' The seven men who were trapped on the S9B face were, however, believed to be belly down tackling Lofthouse's 2ft 6in Flockton seam. 'That is about the average colliery; said for this Mr Thompson. 'They vary from 30ins, the highest is 4ft but this is exceptional. 'The conditions at this col- liery are good. It's a dry pit.

As far natural water is as concerned we have never had a serious amount, what there has been has been normal for something done in the old seams which we did not know about?

One could be forgiven for this ignorance assuming that have led would to an ultra- cautious policy at Lofthouse. But no, the NCB instead use their very lack of knowledge as an excuse. 'With so few facts, who could have foreseen this disaster?'

they argued the day of the tragedy. It has been admitted that the South 9B face in the Flockton seam was being driven into a dangerous Roland Hollis, area. deputy chief mining engineer, commented: 'The face was in a critical position.' S9B was about a year old and approaching two old shafts in the vicinity of the pit. NCB officials make three damning admissions about this situation. THEY ADMIT they knew of these shatts; THEY ADMIT they had old, and perhaps unreadable plans of them; and THEY ADMIT that no real effort to locate their exact whereabouts on the surface had been made.

Yet it apparently the was enormous build-up of water in the old workings around shafts that burst through S9B Wednesday morning and on miners working trapped seven belly down on the face.

CRATERS

Soon after the in aste nearby appeared nearby craters ploughed field-the old shaft had collapsed. Below came the roar of water rushing into the Loft- house workings. Water drains into all workings through the shaft. This can be prevented by 'capping' - filling the shaft column with concrete or other materials. One of the three old shafts near Lofthouse was capped. The other two now exposed as gaping farmland three miles holes in away, were not. Yet the NCB say they did know their whereabouts from old plans. As it was these two shafts appear to have provided a drain- age channel connecting water from the surface and the topsoil to the tunnels below. and totally There are outdated inadequate that regulations govern mining near the old workings. NUM branch secretary Thompson collieries and it has perco- lated through. It was a big shock-no one could imagine that a disaster like could happen. 'This is the first big disaster at the colliery. We call a big several disaster where one men have lost their lives. As far as I am aware this has never happened before. There have been single fatalities but this is usual in mining, said Mr Thompson. 'Disasters are always a tra- gedy. The women always worry after an incident. 'At Lofthouse they heard it on the local radio early in the but they morning did not give the time when the flood- ing occurred. The wives were worried that their men who went on at 6 a.m. might be involved. They never stop worrying until he comes home' Rescue wo Under the 1911 Coal Mines Act were required to owners record full plans and details of abandoned workings. But the old tunnels around Lofthouse were abandoned before this date. Records therefore vague were and did not give a clear picture of the warren of passageways underground. One shaft had been located and capped by the NCB. The position of two others was known by the Yorkshire authorities- but they were not marked on the surface. Around the approxi- mate position of these two shafts a 50-yard safety barrier had been drawn by management. The NCB argue that the reason for this omission was the depth of S9B—about 150 yards below the bottom of the two old shafts.

'We have plans showing old workings at a different level from S9B. said Mr Hollis, 'but not at this depth.'

VAGUE

But as the NCB admit, the plans are vague. There seems to be an in- consistency. On the one hand the NCB uses the vagueness of old plans to explain their lack of around knowledge of the area Lofthouse. On the other they use of old plans to the existence justify their decision not to drill.

They seem to rely on old plans when it suits them. 'The facts', we now learn, are being 'established'. But why were they not established before this disaster? Because, says Mr Hayes, a wall of coal stood between modern mining and the tunnelling of the 1830s. This is almost the same as saying: 'We don't know any- thing until a wall of water engulfs our pit and traps seven miners!'

EXPOSED

Here really are shades of Aberfan. Geologists at the Aber- fan inquiry exposed the NCB claim of ignorance. It was possible, they said, to predict a tip slide in the village given the prevailing condition in and around the tip. The truth is simply no one in management bothered to investi- gate the Aberfan tip or any other tip in South Wales properly.

Lofthouse not be an may isolated incident. There are about 7,000 old shafts in the Yorkshire area, the bulk of them in the West There Pennines. is no reason to suppose that plans are any better than at Lofthouse or that S9B is the only "critical' face. Lofthouse exposes a prevailing philosophy handed down from Workers Press, Fr Rescue workers move up pumping gear the days of private ownership— coal is to be had at all costs.

What happens to tips, old work- ings and flood water is secondary; the primary consideration is to get the black mineral to the surface. The seven Lofthouse men may be the latest in a long line of martyrs to profit and greed. The miner will never be safe from death, maiming or crippling

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diseases until the industry he works is placed in under his control-workers' Control m. The only be won under socialism. immediate fight to whole working take Clas. along unis Immeciate road is tne removal the ha HeaTo. Tory government of Edward Lofthouse Colliery tells must redouble our enorts to this end.

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PAGE 4 Workers Press, Friday March :

BY IAN YEATS

A major Communist Party statement on the steel industry • recom- mends Upper Clyde Ship- builders-style campaigns to halt the Tory plan to axe 50,000 jobs. The statement, in a recent issue of the Party's fortnightly 'Comment' magazine says: "The government and the British Steel Corporation must be compelled to withdraw these plans.' on: 'United action, It goes backed by the whole com- munity, can stop closures and rundowns. The UCS showed the way. We call on the trade movement to maintain union the right to work and to resist any sacking or redundancy.

"The fight to prevent closure and to defend existing jobs is the basis for defeating un- employment and forcing a new policy.' The statement ends: 'It will become a reality only if the workers, and all unions organ- izing them in the steel dustry, combine their ettorts to resist the attacks on them by all forms of militant action.

Party "The Communist pledges its full support to them in their struggle and is con- fident that the whole working- class movement will do the same.' Verbiage aside, these 'fight- ing' paragraphs contain only one definite call to action— and then addressed only to those unions involved directly in the industry. Angry rank and filers are already accusing some of these unions—or at least their leaders -of being prepared to acces There the Tory carve up. no call to the Trades Union Congress to act to halt the closures and redundancies; no demand . on the Labour Party leaders. Writings of i oF

STINGS

Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSHY

(e532-38 (1938-9)

WRITINGS OF

WRITINGS OF

LEON

LEON

TROTSKU

(1933-34! (1934-35 Six volumes of Trotsky's writings during the years 1933-1940 £8.00 including postage Please tick those you requi Name Address Complete form and post to: New Park Publications, 18 A New Park Publicat ay March 23, 1973 Most outstanding of all the conscious omissions in the statement there is no demand for a General Strike to kick out the Tories and halt once and for all their attacks on jobs and living standards.

The only thing UCS showed was how to divide and there- by weaken the working class in their struggle against the main enemy now attacking on all fronts in a ruthless bid to avoid the consequences of slump. And, as everyone knows, the so - called community - backed 'work-in' to save all the jobs at all four yards on the upper an unprecedented Clyde was political fraud which concealed the eventual acceptance of the Tory's original plans for the shipyards. There cannot be a repeat of UCS in steel. BSC chairman Lord Melchett's plan is not equivalent to the Ridley docu- ment. It does not envisage the rationalization of a single in- stallation into a smaller unit, but the wholesale closure of complete units. Unlike the upper Clyde ship- yards, there is no level of out- put or technology at which the Tory government will be prepared to reprieve a single doomed works. All calls for 'militancy' to 'strike a blow' in 'persuading' the Tories to change their plans only foster dangerous can illusions, ending in defeat for thousands of steelmen.• The Communist Party uses utterly discredited re- the formist argument that plants due to be axed can be kept raising open by output although with bulk of pro- duction centred on the new, basic oxygen works. They base their assessment on TUC estimates of a pos- sible 6 per cent economic growth rate—in short, a return to boom conditions! Optimistically they say this 'would demand a steel output of from 45 to 50 million tons' by 1980. History of Russian Revolution -special gift pack of three volumes £1.70 including postage u require. Amount enclosed f post to: tions, 186a Clapham High Street, Lon Publications Booklist is available, fre It probably would. But in the first place there is no sign that the economic fantasies of the TUC Economic Committee are about to become a reality.

Even if they did, Melchett has warned, and over over again, that raised output would necessarily involve more not jobs. The Tories are not interested in raising output to keep men in work. They want cheaper, better quality output that will sell in world markets against the toughest competitor and thereby relieve the downward pressure on the BSC's rate of profit. Open-hearth steel-making is labour-intensive and expensive and most if not all the works where it is carried on are obsolete. These are the reasons for which the government and the BSC have already rejected the 'specific solutions' drawn up by works action committees to save their jobs and which the Communist Party recommends.

If it comes to a question ich of increasing output because demand has picked up, Lord Melchett has said repeatedly that with small additions such as a third BOS converter at Port Talbot-capacity could be pushed up to 40 million tons and beyond. The Party's assertion that after modernization the BSC capacity of will only have a 33 million tons is absolutely wrong. So is the argument that the Tories are deliberately cutting back on capacity because of quota arrangements within the Common Market. Their statement says that EEC 'regulations allow us [the nic UK] a maximum of 13 per cent of total market output'. A BSC spokesman confirmed that no such statement exists, although 'it has been con- sidered'. Distorting the impact of the

TROTSK

Trotsky-a documentary by Francis Wyndham and David King £1.65 including postage eet, London SW4 7UG able, free, on request. EEC on the steel industry is consistent with the Communist Party's nationalistic hostility to it and the policy statement is peppered with allusions to knowing about 'Brussels' closures before British steel anyone else and about the fight for jobs and security being identical with the fight against the EEC. This blaming of the Common Market without an analysis of the economic trends at work in the community and through- out the capitalist world system is a diversion from the real cause of the crisis in steel— trade war and slump. It is this remorseless reces- sion which is driving the Tories forward to snatch jobs and livelihoods from men and women in the steel industry and everywhere in the working class. The events of the past two years and the appearance on the statute books of vicious anti-working-class laws have shown clearly that the Tories cannot be defeated or even deflected by militancy. Lord Melchett,

BSC

chairman. His plan envisages the wholesale closure of steel plants and the rationalization those remain open. The only ruling-class group not represented on the suc- cessful consortium to run the commercial radio franchise for the Greater Manchester area is the church. If only a bishop was a direc- tor, the group would be com- plete! As it is, the consortium is a highly representative group of Tories, Liberals and Labou- rites. The group was ori- ginally put together by An- thony Blond, the London pub- who is much-revered lisher in "radical' circles. It includes newspapers such as the 'Rochdale Observer', 'Warrington Guardian', Lanca- shire's Newspapers (publishers of the 'St Helens Newspaper' and the 'St Helens Reporter'), St Regis Newspapers (pub- lishers of the 'Bolton Evening News') and the 'Lancashire Lord Bernstein's Journal', Granada Television, the Northern Commercial Trust, Weavers' the Amalgamated Union and the Bolton, Wigan and Oldham Co-operative Societies. Yet in their statement on steel the Communist Party deliberately persists in speak- ing of nothing else. At the end of its remarks it concedes that 'the future of steel is bound up with the fight to end the Tory govern- ment'. And it adds that a new policy for steel means, 'nationalizing the major in- of dustries, making possible the integrated planning of all steel- and steel-using gh- producing em industries' specific Without calls for tangible political entities to act bring these policies to to reality they are, of course, doomed to appear and to remain Utopian. And without a call for workers' control of a national- ized steel industry including those parts still in private hands — without compensation —it must remain subordinate to the interests of capital.

The only way Tory attacks steelworkers and their on families and upon the jobs and living standards of the entire working class can be stopped lies in forcing them to resign.

Yet at no time in its long statement does the Communist Party make the demand for a General Strike to force the Tories out. At no time does it call for the election of a Labour government and the organiza- tion and mobilization of the working class behind the revolutionary Marxist party to force it to immediately imple- ment socialist policies. It makes only the passive call for workers to 'defend' themselves against the Tory onslaught 'to resist the attacks them by all forms of militant action' The only possible outcome of this policy will be to divide, weaken and demoralize all those workers who follow it.

Philip Birch, who was head of the now-outlawed pirate sta- tion, Radio London, is to be managing director. Others who have sharehold- ings include: Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw; Sir Johns Foster, QC, the Tory MP for Northwich and chair- man of the banking house, Northern Commercial the Trust; Sir Paul Bryan, an- other Tory MP, who was a junior minister at the Depart- ment of Employment until a recent reshuffle; Dr Michael Winstanley, the former Li- beral MP; Norman Quick, chairman and managing direc- tor of the H.J. Quick group, the motor industry supplier; and Arthur Hoperaft, the Manchester-born sports writer.

The chairman is Mr Neil Pearson, a solicitor, who was chairman of the North Re- gional Advisory Council of the BBC, and was actively con- cerned with the Pilkington Report on 'Broadcasting in the Seventies'.

BLUEPRINT FOR TRADE WAR

BY JOHN SPENCER

The collapse of the post-war monetary system is now openly admitted by the spokes- men of world capitalism. West German Finance Minister, Helmut Schmidt, announcing the Common Market de- cision to float six of the nine currencies jointly against the dollar said: This is the end of Bretton Woods' He added that the two prin- cipal pillars of this 1944 agree- ment-the dollar as the main reserve currency and the pre- valence of fixed but adjustable currency parities — were now things of the past. Schmidt, of course, was only voicing pub- licly what has been acknow- ledged behind closed doors for many months. The Bretton Woods system came to a decisive end on August 15, 1971, when United States President Nixon clared that the US would no longer sell gold even to central banks at the official price of $35 an ounce. This was the decisive, irreversible break with Bretton Woods.

What has happened since has been the inexorable unravelling of all the international agree- and treaties which ments governed trading relations in post-war capitalism. Not single one of these arrange- ments, all of which derived ultimately from the Bretton Woods agreement, can now be regarded as viable or stable.

This is most evident in the field of trade which for many years has been governed by the rules of the 8l-nation General Agreement on Tariffs in Geneva. and Trade based The GATT rules governing international trade are being systematically flouted today by all the parties to the organiza- tion, almost without a single exception. The capitalist world is be- coming the arena of a ruthless trade war taking the form of a three-cornered struggle for markets between the_US, the Common Market and Japan. In this struggle the United States holds the trump cards. It has already shown its aces. From August to Decem- ber 1971, Nixon imposed 10 per cent surcharge on all imports to the United States.

of this indis- The criminate tariff • was to force the EEC and Japan to accept all-round revaluation of an their currencies against the dollar. This was intended to make US products more competitive in overseas markets and simul- taneously • reduce the relative value of the huge stock of dollars in foreign hands. These dollars represented assets bought over the years since 1945 by American government and business abroad. They were, in fact, claims on the United States Treasury.

But that institution had re- fused honour them by to exchanging them for an Helmut Schmidt-announces the end of the Bretton Woods agree ment, eighteen months after the event. Above: US President Nixon. officially-fixed amount of gold.

Now they were further de- valued by the terms of the Smithsonian agreement of December 10, 1971. In return for this all-round upvaluation against the dollar, Nixon removed the surcharge on imports. But he insisted that the Europeans and the Japanese must agree to con- duct sweeping negotiations on trade in 1973 with the aim of abolishing the American balance-of-payments deficit.

This meant that the Com- mon Market countries, Japan, Canada and other trading partners of the United States must agree to accept a cut in their own exports at the same taking in time as more American imports. It was a situation that could only pro- bitter conflict. duce The United States' competitors were being invited, and none too politely, to cut their own throats. . the bluster of John Even Connally was not enough to bring this objective about. So Nixon had to recourse a weightier instrument. With the support of the trade union Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37łp Problems of the British Revolution Paperback 35p * Lessons of October Paperback 60p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p Marxism and the Trade Unions Pamphlet 25p Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International Pamphlet 10p Postage: 10p per book, 5p per pamphlet.

Order from: NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG leaders-bought at the price of plum jobs for the bureau- cracy within the administration -the President is pushing the Trade Bill through Congress.

This Bill is the most pro- tectionist document ever put American legis- before the lature. It is a thoroughgoing blueprint for trade war. With the combination of trade union backing and his own Repub- lican party, Nixon is virtually assured that it will speed through Congress into law with its teeth intact. rampant protectionist The in the American Con- mood gress is demonstrated by the report entitled 'A New Initia- tive to Liberalize International Trade', released earlier this by the sub-committee month on international economics of the joint Congressional eco- nomic committee. The text of this document is being circulated round the world through the official US information services, indicat- the administration ing that regards it as a major policy pronouncement. The title should fool no one. This initiative has nothing liberal about it. The document opens by paying lip-service to the bene- fits that the world derives from international trade and invest- These, it says, ment. are so well-known they have virtually become cliches. But it is more interested in what it calls the 'growing concern about the effects of import competition and the impact of foreign in- vestment in both the United States and abroad' The report's purpose is to draw up a policy to deal with this 'politically sensitive' issue of foreign imports and invest- ment. It lays down a basic policy guideline which is pro- tectionist through and through.

'No statutory authorization to negotiate the reduction of tariff and non-tariff impedi- ments to trade will be granted the President until a majority of the House and Senate are satisfied that adequate an import policy response to competition is included in that legislation.' Then the report spells out the kind of policies Congress and the Senate will require: *(a) Restrictions that car be instituted to protect domestic firms and workers from severe import competition; and (b) financial and technical assistance to the firms and workers that will permit them to move into lines of output and jobs that are independently viable' These are, of course, the two classic prongs of protec- Workers Press, F tionism - keep foreign out rivals and subsidize home industry. The report wants to President given the see range of tools' appropriate for protecting individual firms as well as branches of industry.

It wants the present 'cumber- procedure streamlined some 'An increase in the import duty on a particular product, the imposition of a quota on that good, or the negotiation of an orderly marketing agree- ment between the United States and foreign producers is an appropriate remedy to apply in to response an industry-wide injury,' the re- port says. It adds that where particular firms only are hit they should be able to get state assistance through technical aid, loans or tax benefits. These measures, in their very essence discrimi- natory, are only the opening shots in the American armoury, • however. Even more Draconian are the measures proposed to deal with countries which persist in running trade surpluses with the United States. As we have already, the pointed out United States is, in fact, in debt to these countries, which have been forced to accumulate and hold vast amounts of de- preciating paper dollars.

Japan, for example, is cur- rently holding some $20,000m, despite having undergone cur- totalling revaluations rency over 30 per cent in three years insistance of the the on Americans. Yet the report states quite brutally that: •When the United States is experiencing fundamental a official persistent settlements deficit in its balance of pay- ments, the President should have by law discretionary authority to impose a tariff surcharge at a rate he considers appropriate against any coun- tries that refuse to make or frustrate the exchange rate adjustments necessary to elimi- nate the US external deficit.'

It adds that the prompt and appropriate adjustment of ex- change rates to do away with the US deficit is necessary if "temporary' of the system tariffs is not to degenerate into a wholesale bout of protec- tionism. This is simply another way of saying that such a bout of protectionism is underway.

Behind the tortuous language of the report the threat is quite clear: the document is very much written not only to appease the protectionist lobby at home, but also to terrorize "partners' America's trading It is against this overseas. ... s Press, Friday March 23, 1973 PAGE 5 i wash, man i i top data nie ฿ sure backdrop that the report goes on to propose the 'liberaliza- tion' of trade. Once again, the purpose of the proposal is to give the US a trading advantage over the rest of the capitalist world. As the report points out, the pro- gressive elimination -of tariffs would mean the destruction of preferential agreements special between the Common Market and third countries. As ever the US bourgeoisie is at its most predatory when it appears the most liberal: who could quarrel with the laudable slogan 'Down with tariffs', which has actually be- the rallying cry against come Europe of America's most protectionist sections. The final section of the document deals with farm produce, which is already be- made the spearhead of America's trade war against Europe. The US government has abruptly altered its farm policy, which previously paid farmers not to grow certain crops and even to keep their land totally fallow. Not any longer. As the Con- gressional report says: One of the outstanding examples of international comparative advantage favouring the United States is our ability to produce agricultural products and particularly grains, at prices equivalent to or lower than those almost anywhere else in the world. 'Our capacity to exploit this advantage has comparative been frustrated by Japanese and by the Common quotas Market's levy variable agricultural imports,' the report says. It goes on to argue for the gradual abolition of quotas and tariffs on farm produce. It is precisely this outcome that the increase in US farm production is intended to bring about.

Unless the EEC and other countries cut their tariffs on food products in the round of talks later plans to 'duma, lear the US this its products on the world market, forcing the world price and down undermining the complex and delicate system of agricultural if protection in Europe. The Congressional report is nothing more than a blueprint for trade war, for the system- atic erection of barriers to imports while smashing down the protective walls built by countries against the foreign import of American products.

Under conditions of mone- tary chaos, inflation and rapid slide towards slump this Con- gressional report puts a verit- able economic bomb under the European capitalists.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Friday March 23, 1 August 1965. The ghetto area of Watts, Los An- geles, exploded. It started simply enough.

on patrol in Policemen Watts stopped a car carrying two men, dragged them out and charged them with drunken driving. Passers-by protested at the brutal way were being the men man- handled. The police drew their guns. Rumours that the police blacks flew shooting were round the ghetto. Within min- utes the riots had started.

Generations of frustration, anger and bitterness burst out into the open as thousands of people stormed through the area, burning buildings, loot- ing stores and fighting the police. upper-class Middle- and California panicked. Armed police reinforcements and the National Guard were hastily drafted in to restore law and order. It took six days to put the riots down. By the end, 34 black workers were dead and , Friday March 23, 1978 hundreds more injured. Nearly 4,000 men, women and child- ren had been arrested. Some $40m worth of property had been damaged. When a sullen 'peace' was imposed the eventually on ghetto, the rest of Los Angeles heaved a sigh of relief. Life was back to normal. But what was 'normal' in the suburbs was something quite different in Watts. per cent of Los Seventy Angeles' 650,000 black and Mexican workers lived there.

Housing was overcrowded, rat- infested and lacking in even the most minimal facilities.

The unemployment rate was two to three times that of the surrounding white community.

At the time of the riots 50,000 black and Mexican workers were out of a job. The education system was a cruel farce played out at the expense of children destined for nothing more than the most menial jobs or the dole queue. Police harassment and bru- tality, and the humiliations of discrimination, racial were part of everyday life. But though the riots were brutally suppressed, the rest of Los Angeles was uneasily aware that unless changes were made things could easily blow up again. The more reactionary ele- ments called for more repres- sion. Others, more far-sighted, pointed to the conditions which had led to that spontaneous and violent expression of des- peration. Having lived for years beside the most abject and misery poverty without giving it a second thought, they were now suddenly de- nouncing the evils of ghetto life and demanding that im- provements be made. The white business commu- nity was particularly worried.

Many stores had been wrecked Other industries had been dis- rupted when black employees had failed to turn up for work for a week, and when they eventually came back were sullen and unco-operative.

Social workers poured into Watts to investigate the causes of the uprising. Not surpris- ingly, they found that the maj- ority of ghetto-dwellers were desperately poor and felt bit- ter and alienated from the rest of society. number of prominent businessmen decided that, in order to safeguard their own interests, future they would have to help the blacks find a stake in society which would dissuade them from going on the rampage again. What, they reasoned, makes a man feel he has an interest in maintaining law and order more than having his own pro- perty to maintain? And what better example for rebellious black youth to follow than the successful black businessman, the living incarnation of the American log cabin to White House' dream? capitalism' became 'Black the slogan of the hour. The creation of black businesses, it was argued, would create jobs, foster community pride, reduce the amount of welfare benefits paid out and, above all, establish a stable middle class with economic interests closely tied to those of the middle white class which would act to damp down the anger of the ghetto. Organizations were set up business advice to gIve to would-be black tycoons. Banks were canvassed for high-risk loans to help black business- men get off the ground. New industries were planned and training schemes devised to enable black unemployed youngsters find a new, worth- while future. With a great tantare of pub.

icity, all kinds of middle-clas do-gooders, industrialists, fin- anciers and trade union bur- eaucrats, together with the federal government and the state legislature, were drawr into the act.. A new era ol peace and prosperity for the ghétto was promised. No one, of course, suggested doing away with the ghett altogether And then the dream began to turn sour. As the 'Los Angeles Times' discovered in a special survey published five years later: 'For the most part con- ditions blamed for the riots still exist and in some cases are worse (unemployment is now 16 per cent compared to 10 per cent in 1965). 'Blacks living in what was the riot curfew area are divided on the questions of whether housing, education, health and welfare have im- proved since the riots. 'There are a few things on which almost all those recently interviewed by the "Times" did agree: crime is is flow narcotics worse, much freer, business is bad and those who can afford it are moving out.' Black Capitalism: Problems in Development', by Frederick E. Case, was published in 1972 on behalf of the Praeger Spe- cial Studies in US Economic and Social Development. It sets out to analyse what went wrong. Case himself writes from the point of view of a sup- porter of American capitalism who is looking for a way to make the system work. His book, however, for all its facile conclusions, unwittingly reveals the contradictions which make it impossible for the vast majority of blacks, Mexicans, or any other minor- ities to improve their intoler- able conditions except through revolutionary the struggle against the whole capitalist system which oppresses them.

The black businessmen were faced with an impossible task.

By the time they came on to the scene, the main markets had already been seized by established white entrepre- neurs. The friendly white capital- ists who were so eager to help them get a start were equally eager to ensure that they did not cut into their own profits in the process. Black busi- nesses were, therefore, con- fined almost exclusively to the ghetto where no one had the money to buy their products.

Banks were only too happy to make loans available for up- and-coming black businessmen --providing they could be sure they would get a reasonable rate of return. Inexperienced in the ways of the economic jungle, black businessmen were encouraged to start up with too little capi- tal, a practically non-existent market and virtually no possi- Under bility of expansion. these circumstances, it is not surprising that, whilst one or two managed to get by, the for a majority existed vast while a hand-to-mouth on basis and then quickly went bankrupt. 'Let me go downtown in Los Angeles, right in the mid- dle of Bunker Hill, and do my thing,' pleaded a black entre- preneur in despair. 'Then we can say the minority business- man is getting into the main- stream, that minority capital- ism has begun. There's no money out here in the waste- land, brother, it's all down there in the centre of the pit.

'We're living out here where white business the rakes money off and doesn't leave anything for the black com- munity. The black man even goes to white areas to shop.

How can there possibly be any money left in the ghetto for the black businessman? 'The place for minority capi- talism if it's ever going to go anywhere, is down there with Workers Press, Friday Left: National guardsmen by a store. After the riots 'Black capitalism' became the slogan of the hour to tie blacks to capitalist society and damp the anger of the ghettos.

Mister Charlie. to go into $50,000 a year,' com- plained bitterly. Another more out- spoken: -• frauds of the tions black people. barrel' was Park. -. accompanied actually the all- black workers. A young was told, would money be made avail- able for any enterprise with a propaganda potential, such as film-making, broadcasting. However, wanted to open a barbershop or barbecue stand ... The idea of separate a black capitalism' of was, course, Utopian nonsense.

It was never really meant to work in the sense of making any real changes in ghetto life. Although it was hoped that a handful of black business- might have been estab- men lished and a few hundred extra jobs provided, for the great mass of poor, exploited blacks life was to continue in its usual brutal way. Some black nationalists and ambitious middle-class ele- in favour of the ments were scheme, but its main purpose by allowing them was, the right to a small share in the exploitation of the black work- ing class, to ensure their co- operation against any future uprisings. In how could any case, capitalism black work when the whole of the world capi- talist system already was beginning its plunge towards the present enormous crisis?

How could new job opportu- nities be created for black workers when unemployment was already on the increase for workers of all races?

A good example of the way which world in the CrISIS affected the project was the outcome of the various train- ing schemes for black youth.

Situated close to the Cali- fornian aerospace and defence industries, it seemed a good idea to train previously unem- ployed young men and women for this work. The most successful scheme was that run by the Urban League Training Centre which was supported by the Bank of and America IBM to train black youth for computer work. At first things seemed to orkers Press, Friday March 23, 1973 PAGE 7 go well. A lot of young people, desperate to escape the frus- trations of unemployment, be- sieged the training centre hoping to learn a trade and improve their chances in life.

Those who were taken on soon proved themselves to be enthusiastic and competent. They graduated, eager to start work in what appeared to be expanding industry. The an majority of them were soon placed in employment and the future looked rosy. Then the government began to cut back on the aerospace industry. Within a short while highly- trained and experienced work- ers, white and black, were out on the streets, queuing up for food parcels to feed their fami- For the hopeful black lies. youth the ball was over. The training centre has recently closed down altogether. As one young black said, when asked why he was un- employed again: 'There was no future with the company. It wasn't discrimination though.

There wasn't any future for anybody.' That just about sums it up.

As the crisis grows, Presi- dent Nixon prepares for war on the American working class every bit as ruthlessly as he did on the Vietnamese work- ers and peasants. He and the ruling class he represents know they have a desperate battle on their hands if they are to save American capitalism. As the Tories in Britain, they have to take on the working class and defeat it, driving millions of workers into poverty, if the dollar is to be saved. The much-vaunted high wages of large sections of American workers dis- are inflation sends appearing as prices rocketing skywards. Un- employment is on the increase.

Far from a stable middle class acting as a brake on the mounting anger of the work- ers. as the exponents of 'black capitalism' hoped, the middle classes, black and white, are themselves driven into a frenzy as they see their ambi- and hopes fade before tions the spectre of bankruptcy.

American workers of all races, fighting to defend their jobs and living conditions, are seeing their picket lines at- tacked by armed police and in some cases, their leaders jailed.

Under the pressure of the crisis, the American working class, the most powerful work- ing class in the world, is beginning to stir. Once they move, there is no force on earth that will stop them.

Although racialism has to keep always been used worker from worker, the con- ditions are fast being prepared for the united fight for all races and nationalities against the common enemy of Ameri- can imperialism. be This unity can only forged and given a political direction through the fight to break the working class from the reactionary twin parties of big business, the Republicans and Democrats, and build a Labour Party based on the trade unions. Only the Work- ers' League, the American Trotskyist movement, is fight- ing for this policy. Such political struggle a will prevent the fighting capa- city of the American working class being dissipated in such courageous, yet in themselves hopeless, eruptions as the Watts riots. The rubbish of 'black capi- talism' is fully exposed by the development of the crisis of capitalism. world Based on what happened in Los Angeles, Case comes to the gloomy that it is not really conclusion feasible at the moment to think of setting up separate 'Mexican capitalists", 'Am- No. But the way is opening for the unity of the working class—-white, black, Mexican and Indian-to overthrow capitalism for good.

A RENEGADE PROTECTED BY

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Friday March Part five of a series on revision Jaya Vithana tries to appear extremely rev. olutionary' by pouring demand scorn on our that the Communist Party and Lanka Sama Samaja Party be forced to break from the Bandaranaike coalition government. put forward because of and opportunist the "tailist politics' which our Ceylonese comrades have 'copied from mandarins of Clapham the High Street. This from a member of an 'International' which has tail- behind every ended petty- bourgeois tendency from Che Guevara to the Provisional IRA in the most opportunist fashion! No one who has read Wor- kers Press in Ceylon-or who even reads the extracts quoted in this series — can seriously believe that we tail-end the Ceylonese Stalinists the or

LSSP.

We have said, again and have again, that these parties spearheaded in the most des- picable manner the oppressions launched by Bandaranaike. But, unlike her Sri Lanka Freedom Party, they get their votes in main from Ceylonese the workers and peasants. It is therefore a correct de- mand to call on the Ceylonese masses to force these parties to break from the Bandaranaike 'United Left Front'. It was not correct to call for support for the United Left Front candidates in the 1970 elections. It would have been correct to call for votes for the CP and LSSP candidates, while demanding that they break from the alliance with Mrs Bandaranaike. The ISSP(R), Vithana telis us, called for a total boycott of the elections-that is, no ay March 23, 1973 revisionism and Ceylon by Jack Gal opposition to the bourgeois parties at all. It is correct to place de- mands on the leaders of parties who draw support from sec- tions of the organized work- ing class. That is why, in Britain, we call for the return of a Labour government pledged to social- ist policies. does not That mean we have illusions in social or tail-end Wilson democracy. In France we call on workers to vote for Communist Party and Socialist Party candidates, but to demand that they break from the bourgeois Radical Party and take the power. That does not mean we have illusions in or tail-end Stalin- ism. There is, of course, one thing which Vithana leaves out. demand that the CP The and LSSP break from the coalition has been made at the same time as our comrades in Ceylon fight to build up revolutionary cadres to lead the masses against reformism, Stalinism and revisionism and towards the socialist revolution.

Vithana also seeks to make capital out of the fact that the Socialist Labour League gave conditional support to the Indian Army when it in- vaded Bangla Desh in 1971.

This, he claims, is another example of 'opportunism' We did give conditional support to the Indian army when the Indian bourgeoisie was forced to send it into Bangla Desh against the army of the murderous Yahya Khan.

of our A full statement position can be consulted in a series of articies by Michael Banda in Workers Press of January 3, 4 and 5, 1972.

The Unified Secretariat, in Be ack Gale. statement of December 5, a 1971, had claimed that 'these • (i.e. the bankrupt classes Indian and Bengali bourgeoisie) have no right and no pos- sibility of taking upon them- selves the solution of the prob- lems of the Bengali people'.

This at a time when the genocide launched by Yahya Khan was being backed to the hilt not only by American imperialism, but also by Rus- sian and Chinese Stalinism!

Trotskyists recognize that the bourgeoisie cannot carry through a democratic revolu- tion - nevertheless they • have the right to fight for national independence. Would Vithana deny the Egyptian bour- right of the geoisie to nationalize the Suez canal-or to wage war against Israel? real life the native In capitalist class can be forced into conflicts with imperialism and be forced sometimes to summon the masses to its support. Marxists critically • support the right of the native bour- geoisie to fight imperialism while insisting on the organ- izational and political indepen- of the revolutionary dence workers and peasants. We asked at the time-and we were never answered-what would Vithana's co-thinkers of Marxist 'International the Group' do if the troops of the Irish Free State invaded Ulster in support of the Provisionals?

Of course Marxists recognize, as we did, that the bourgeoisie will seek to behead the re- volutionary masses at the first opportunity. Only blind man, a fool or a liar can claim that Workers Press did not pursue this prin- cipled line not only during the war but after Sheikh Mujib Rahman came to power. As early as January 5, 1972, we wrote: Mujib's party ex- presses the requirements of the in Bengali bourgeoisie, which is Ba Shelkh Mujib-now trying to Impose 'law and order'. • Above: A recrulting camp for the Bengall Ilberation fighters during the war against Pakistan. now trying to impose capitalist law and order on the armed workers and peasants' We have been consistent on this, as even a glance through Workers Press headlines will show. For example: April 3, 1972: 'Bengali Wor- kers Shot Down.' April 5: 'Peasant Leader Slams Mujib's "Shoot on Sight" Order' June 7: 'Five Years for Strike ary in Bangla Desh. June 7: 'Unions Under Fire From Bangla Desh Leaders.'

June 9: 'Bangla Desh Leaders Prepare to Gun Down Oppo- nents.' June 28: 'Mujib Clamp on Left-Wing Papers.' July 6: 'Students a New Threat to Mujib.' August 28: 'Bengali Workers Face Living on Pig Food' September 2: 'Awami League Attacks Bashani Hunger March.' September 11: 'Mujib Purges the Left.' September 19: 'Students Lead Mujib's Attacks on Policies? October I1: 'Secret Killings in Bangla Desh.' October 19: 'Capitalists Loot Bangla Desh Economy.' So much for our 'oppor- tunism'. Vithana cannot back up his allegations with a single statement from our Press.

That is the pattern of Jaya Vithana's entire pamphlet. In seeking to justify series of a actions that would sicken every self-respecting member of the working class, he resorts to lies, clumsy evasions and un- substantiated slanders. That is to be expected from a totally unprincipled revision- ist outfit like the International Marxist Group. We are surprised that not they are 'proud' of the scab, ex-Nazi-toasting Bala Tampoe.

They are worthy members of a fraudulent 'International' which laid it down at its ninth congress in 1969 that the slogan 'Victory to the National Liberation Front' should be the slogan of all Unified Secretariat sections in those countries which did NOT have troops in Vietnam. They cannot deal with Tampoe. He is a renegade protected by renegades. He remains in their international leadership because it is not a Trotskyist international. It is an organization based upon the utmost contempt for principle, upon dishonest com- binations, evasions and lies, upon dirty manoeuvres in place of honest examination of political questions. The genuine Fourth Inter- national can, and will, be built only in relentless struggle against such renegades and charlatans. This struggle is now being led by the International Com- mittee of the Fourth Inter- national, of which the Socialist Labour League is an affiliated member. There can be no compromise.

JOBLESS

Mexico-the land of te- quila, and chilli con carne? No, it is a land ravaged by unemployment. Secretary of the National Patrimony, Horacio Flores_de (appropriately, Ho- La Pena Flowers of Grief) re- race ported: 'We have around four million people of working age who are permanently unem- ployed or occasionally obtain work' The unemployment index for 1971 recorded one million jobless.

ADVENTURER

Raul Roa, Cuban Foreign Minister, has earnt the title 'Minister of Dignity, for his defence of 'revolutionary prin- ciples' in the United Nations Organization the American States. He told admiring reporters in Havana: 'I discovered I a revolutionary the day was I felt out of conformity with the world and came to long for a more just and beautiful one' An enthusiastic reader of adventure novels, and like his chief, Fidel, a great sporting man, he went on modestly to claim: 'There's no alterna- tive: I have to admit that the nicest guy of us all is me Raul's latest work is called •Adventures, Ventures, and Misadventures of a Mambi.'

ARRESTS

Colonel Armando Molina, leader of the government of San Salvador, has begun to build repression of all up oppositionists. ES Now available from New Pa 186a Clapham High Street, At the beginning of Feb- television ruary-after a appearance by Molina on the subject of agrarian reform, national economic develop- 'disarmament'- ment and police made hundreds of arrests. In a raid on the offices of the Trade Union Federation of San Salvador, two trade union leaders were arrested.

Several Communist Party members have joined them in ion jail. Col Molina is demanding 'absolute respect for the law'.

The CP, in pursuit of an alliance with the liberal bour- geoisie, calls for the defence of individual rights as guaran- teed in the constitution.

ONE MAN

Enoch Powell, the anti-immi- anti-union MP, grant, quietly building his support among the Tory grassroots.

Although the Central Office of the Conservative Party won't admit it, Powell is the most sought-after speaker.

The other day he was at the Higher Blackley Conservative Club in Manchester. He told the faithful that 'it is a choice between freedom and servi- tude'. After his 40-minute speech of woe, Dr H. Pigott, the president of the division, moved a vote of thanks. He said that some months the division had decided ago to invite a leading Conserva- tive member to speak. There was only one man they would have at any priceMr Powell.

It was either Mr Powell or no one, he added. By LEON TROTSKY Paperback. £1.00 Illustrated of Sharp pen-portraits 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 Keep Young Socialists' paper Left' Their enormous success has completion led to the 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 in 1926. It provides the most vivid picture available of the historic figures of the Second Inter- national, their and strengths 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

BY ROYSTON BULL

TORY PRESS

Mary capitalist of porter writes for In this that she knowing the dard's' Beaverbrook extremely line. No heavily edited, to write want to wille. The cipled alliance opportunists out of place Recently, blems caused strikes there, was

VILC

Red influence stor That friendly cal an indeed trust could throw 'He told Italians agree thing wrong said, been fine. enough last 50 history.' cism on Italian, didn't matter. This Either acos. Shortly such fascist Kenny women's It attack on struggles Marxism. 'Karl

TON BULL

nny is a sup- the 'state International She the Standard'. capacity, it is pos- not free to say all like to say extreme right- views of the 'Stan- the family. explains the ideas reactionary ately under her by- journalist, however can be made he does not capable conclusion is such an unprin- nce of middle-class that very lady is by no means in their company. Kenny wrote from terrible pro- the by all and how every. the about even the bove suspicion. Her said my eighbourhood bar- journalists usually and neighbourhood a Fascist, too that most that the only that Mussolini been for Hitler, he would have of the ly, Mussolini fas- would have ght. And the hun- ousands of Spanish, Albanian, and Ethiopian Italian fascism just either extreme or extreme vicious- way, ex- 1S made she friends with the in Rome, book on lewed a emancipation by withering a revolutionary f the international ass. In the name of b, Kenny ridicules Workers Press, Fr kers, but failed to see how they especially could have been the agency of his revolu- tion; meantime, he kept his wife slaving over a hot stove and put the serving wench in the family way. •Frederick Engels, a nice guy by all accounts, eschewed marriage because he consi- dered it a living symbol of property capitalism, and in- stead lived in free union with two Irish proletarians, to whom he was as genuinely kind as any 19th century paternalistic employer-but the girls were still essentially his domestics. 'Lenin exhorted the workers in the house, but to help travelled around Europe with submissive wife and a an adoring young mistress, both of whom ministered to him.'

Marxism - Leninism has transformed the world due to the scientific understanding it has given mankind of human society and its history. Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Trotsky have played the major essen- tial roles in human : develop- ment because of their leader- ship of the revolutionary class struggle of the international proletariat. The working class and all the oppressed—the vast majo- rity of mankind—will only be emancipated from the deaden- ing existence of wage slavery, which condemns millions to spend their lives as expend- able 'hired hands' who are nothing but an extension of a machine, by the revolu- tionary overthrow of the capi- talist class and the dictator- ship of the proletariat. For this IS supporter, 'the coming dictatorship of the proletariat means that they (a lot of left-wing men) get to be the dictators and we She follows this with: 'Hands up any London Trot- skyist who regularly changes nappies.' Thus the long : struggle of generations of Marxist revolu- tionaries to fight for a correct theoretical understanding of the developments of the class struggle in order to prepare the working class for taking the power is reduced by this 'Marxist to a question of 'Who is going to change the baby's nappy?' And this on the eve of the most colossal class struggles in all history. She then wonders in some amazement why there is criti- cism 'that women's lib is not in itself an authentic revolu- tionary doctrine, but a bour- geois distraction which takes people's minds off real poli- tics.' But Kenny deals with such criticism in masterly, or even mistressly, fashion. 'These blokes don't fancy forfeiting home comforts, and it suits them better to have the dinner on the table when they come home from making the revolution.' One imagines Kenny has certain armchair radicals in mind about whom this may or may not be an accurate description. What matters iS that scorn is poured on all re- volutionary struggle via these cheap attempts at humour.

: Press, Friday March 23, 1973

PAGE 9

Kenny later describes the Soviet Union as 'just another kind of imperialism,' which is not surprising being so close to the state capitalists.

She goes on in a subsequent article to say what she thinks are the real forces of 'radi- ed calism' in European society: 'Consumerism, the drug cul- ture, immigrant labour, grass- roots politics, the sex revolu- that 'many tion,' and adds essentially women's liberation topics are right now rocking European politics. 'Abortion in France and Belgium, divorce and contra- in Italy and Ireland, ception the "feminization" of low-skill jobs in Germany and Britain -these have become central political issues.' The monumental crisis of the capitalist system, the pre- armed class parations struggle and civil war by the bourgeoisie, and the crisis of leadership in the working class, all of these pass her by.

Finally, a long section from a recent article on Bernadette Devlin, which is a prize ex- ample of the crass political triviality of the Tory press servant Mary and its loyal Kenny, as well as uninten- tionally revealing about Devlin herself, another 'famous' sup- porter of International Social- ism. In her view most of the politicians involved in Ulster can see nothing except their own spoils-with the excep- tion of lan Paisley, whom she nominated as the only MP Westminster with clear at vision and real understanding' And further on: 'She spoke meaningless scornfully of rounds of internecine political squabbles and pointless state- •I'd ments (in parliament). rather work in • the consti- tuency. I really would. It's not as glamorous, of course, but more important". it's much 'Although she's quite secre- 'tive about it, another draw for Bernadette to the grass roots is that she is being courted i the old-fashioned Irish expression was exactly how the relationship was des- cribed to me - by a young man in the constituency who has been influential in persu- ading her to stay and work at home. 'She gives two surgeries a week now, and is collecting a dossier on the sectarian assas- sinations. 'Oddly enough, she does make the odd sortie to the Continent where she seems quite keen strengthening on left-wing links in France and Italy. 'When I last saw Bernadette in Dublin a few months ago, I did think that she had be- come much quieter and rather sweet. Rarely for her, she was wearing make-up and talking about the joys of motherhood.

I did wonder if she would drop out and opt for domesti- city. But I should have known Bernadette better: she's too tough a nut to crack. 'When she says she's biding her time, I know that that is exactly what she is doing, and when the time is right for her, I am convinced she will move back into top gear again.'

The 'Evening Standard' can hardly wait.

Why I won't stand PAGE 10 Workers Press, Friday March 23, 1973 MANCHESTER tenants' leader Mrs Connie Fahey has announced that she will not stand as Labour Party candidate for Cheadle Hulme at the forthcoming local government elections in May. She was nomi- nated for Division J in the elections by the local Labour Party and at first accepted. Later, however, 'after very serious consideration', she has decided to withdraw.

Mrs Fahey (left) told Workers Press that when she decided to accept the nomination she was convinced that the fight should be waged on national issues-the Housing Finance Act, rates, rising prices, the prices and incomes policy (Phase Two, the Industrial Relations Act, school milk and meals. But right-wingers in the local party told her that they were 'sick of Tory-bashing'. After deliberating on the issue Mrs Fahey wrote to the secretary of the local Labour Party and also to the Stockport 'Advertiser'.

Following a considerable delay Mrs Fahey learnt that the paper would not agree to publish the letter in full. She has decided, there- fore, to publish it in Workers Press so that members of the local labour and trade union movement are made aware of her reasons for withdrawing. I HAVE withdrawn from the like Cheadle Hulme and Wilm- slow. forthcoming election as pros- As you must be the aware pective candidate of Cheadle workers are more than capable Hulme constituency, and my of making this change is as shown the present time by reasons are as follows. their attitude the to trade union leadership who are trying That I feel my socialist views to sell them There out. are Deeple on strike who have never are very different from those of before, strike the committee that I am work- pital workers, gas workers and civil servants. ing with. These all decent are law- Their ideas are that we should abiding citizens who along with not offend the Tories in the many other sections of workers area, and person actually being turned are into stated 'don't let Tory- us go overnight of virtue by the In- bashing'. Needless to say one dustrial Relations Act which has must realize that the Tories are needless say been implemen- the socialist continually bashing ted by the Tory government and party in every possible way. many right-wing members of the Labour Party. I have found the same situ- ation prevailed Cheadle If my views which the are very Hulme area as did in the Wilm- consistent and are for the work- slow constituency. this ers country are termed "Tory-bashing', then hope completely They are out of that it will not be too far dis- with touch real This workers. tant when there are more prevails at both local and na- views and with my people to- tional level, and I would hasten gether we make effort can an to remind the party that Messrs to these iniquities which erase Jenkins and his followers are are very prevalent in society not the true voice of the SO- today. cialists, and Mr Jenkins is not As I do not wish to have any the party leader yet. the I have part of this charade no workers of this country who will alternative but to withdraw the my change leadership of the nomination. party, not the right-wing Labour membership Constance Fahey. of constituencies

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

Schools Pebble 9.38-11.45 12.25 Holi hynt. 12.55 News. Mill at one. Teddy Edward. 1.35 Ring a ding .45-2.00 doctor. Television 2.25 2.35 talking. schools. unlidren 3.35 Parkinson. Tomorrow's world. 4.00 Noggin and flying my h4ns0 school 5.00 4.10 Play 4.35 Jackanory. Crackerjack dawg. 5.40 Sir Prancelot. 5.45 News. Weather.

NATIONWIDE.

6.00 6.40

FILM.

•FORTY

GUNS

APACHE

PASS'.

Western. Murphy. 8.15

MORECAMBE

AND

WISE

Guests Peter Cushing, Reading, Wilma Alan Price and Georgie Fame. 9.00

NINE

O'CLOCK

NEWS.

Neather 9.25

THE

Settling In. 10.15

THE

DIMBLEBY

TALK-IN.

11.00

LATE NIGHT NEWS.

Weather. 11.05

FILM:

'FAME

THE NAME

OF

THE

Susan Saint James, ill St John. Murder mystery. 12.40 Weather.

ITV

9.30

VAT

Schools. 10.30 73 (London Schools. only). 12.05 Hickory 11.00 12.25 Happy house 12. 12.40 aouse Crown Time manort. 2.00 General 2.50 Doncaster. boy. 5.50 News. 6.00

TODAY.

6.35

CROSSROADS

7.00

THE

SKY'S

THE LIMIT.

7.30

THE

FBI.

The Mechanized Accomnice 3:00 INSTICE. Aster. Cobra Sian.

TUSTICE.

After 10.00

NEWS AT TEN.

10.30

POLICE FIVE.

10.40

FILM:

•SO

LITTLE

Man Bailey. Goring a Maria Maria Schell, Mullen. Wartime drama. 12.10

PRIORITIES.

2.15 TASON KING. Nadine. Last show in the present Morecambe i Mrs Connie Fahey ... tenants' leader.

SIR Desmond Plummer, leader of the Greater London Council, has issued details of GLC share- holdings in companies trading in South Africa which have been named in reports criticiz- ing low wages paid to African employees. He was replying to letter from GLC opposition leader Sir Reginald Goodwin. Sir Desmond said: 'Like you, was disturbed at the startling allegations about wages pala l British Afrims by named certain British firms. have already asked for information and enclose Last show in the present Morecambe and Wise series tonight, BBC-1.

nts' leader. a list of superannuation fund holdings the companies In named.' Sir Desmond listed the GLC's holdings in: Associated Portland Cement, 230,000 ordinary shares; Metal 83,933 ordinary shares; Courtauld's 580,000 shares; Reed International, 255,475 shares; Chloride Electrical, 390,000 shares; British Leyland, 1,127,460 Slater shares; Walker, 65,000 shares; Dunlop, 260,000 shares; Hoover, 25,000 shares; Associated British Foods, 5150,000 7$ per cent convertible; Chloride Elec- trical, £30,000 74 per cent con- vertible.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 5.25 Open University.

ANOTHER LOOK.

7.05

TAKE

Animal Logic. 7.30

NEWS

SUMMARY.

Weather. 7.35

GARDENERS'

WORLD.

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 9.30-12.00

London. 1.15 News. 1.30 London. 2.30 Homes of history. 2.50 London. 4.15 Puffin.

4.25 Flintstones. 4.50 London. 5.20 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 6.35 London. 7.00 Cartoon time. 7.30 London. 8.30 Who do you do? 9.00 London. 10.35 Film: "The Search for Bridey Murphy'. 12.05 News and weather in French. Weather.

WESTWARD. As Channel except: 12.05 London. 12.57 News. 1.00 Dindon. 6.25 4.15 Gus Honeybun. 6.00 Diary. Sports desk. 7.00 ' Miss Westward 73. 10.32 News. 12.05 Faith for life. SOUTHERN: 9.30 London. 12.00 News.

12.05 London. 2.30 Women only. 2.50 London. 4.20 Weekend. 4.25 Pebbles and bamm bamm. 4.50 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 Crossroads. 5.50 London.

6.00 Day by day. 6.35 Upper crust. 7.05 Sky's the limit. 7.35 Columbo. 9.00 London Curse of the 10.30 Weekend. 10.35 Film: "The Mummy's Tomb'. 12.20 News. 12.30 Weather.

Guideline. HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Women only. 2.50 London. 5.20 Chuckleheads.

5.25 Crossroads. 5.50 London. 6.01 Report West. 6.15 Report Wales. 6.30 Doctor in charge. 7.00 Film: "The Seventh Dawn' 1.00 Press call. 11.30 9.00 London. 10.30 Upper crusts. UFO. 12.30 Weather.

ANGLIA: 9.30

London. 12.04 News. 12.05 London. 2.30 About women. 2.50 London. 4.20 Romper 4.50 room. London. 5.20 Partridge family. 5.50 London. 6.00 About Anglia. 6.35 London. 7.00 Sale of the century. 7.30 Hawaii five-o. 8.30 Upper crusts. 9.00 London. 10.30 Probe. 11.00 Film: "The Mummy'. 12.40 At the end of the day. ATY MIDLANDS: 9.30 London. 12.00 Programme guide. 12.05 London. 4.20 Forest rangers. 4.50 London. 5.20 Flintstones. 5.50 London.

ATV

6.00 today. 6.35 London. 7.30 Comedians.

London. e0.30 Film: Adren or Trialo London. 10.30

ULSTER:

11.00 London. 1.32 News. 1.40 Schools. 2.40 Romper room. 2.55

SLL LECTURE

SERIES

The Socialist Revolution in Britain Middleton (nr Manchester) Langley Community Centre Middleton 4 p.m. Sundays: March 25 April 1 and 8 Lectures given by Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee) The Socialist Revolution In Britain: 1. Political tasks facing the British working class. Marxism and the revolutionary role of the working class. Lessons of the working the history of class in Britain. 2. The roots of capitalist crisis: Marxism and the contra- dictions of capitalism. Britain and the world crisis. The state and revolution.

3. i and revolution in Reformism Britain. The fight for democra- tic rights today means prepar- ing for working-class power.

Basic reading: Perspectives for transforming the SLL into a revolutionary party. Marxist Analysis of the Crisis.

Problems of the British Revo- lution (Trotsky). Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth Inter- national, Communist Manifesto.

'Forward to the Revolutionary Party.' LEWISHAM: Monday March 26, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers Club, New Cross 'Build Road. Councils of Action'. WANDSWORTH: Monday March 8 p.m. Kings Arms, High 26, Road, SW18. 'The Fight against Stalinism'. WATFORD: Monday March 26, 8 p.m. Trade Union Hall, Wood- lands Road, near Watford Junction. ABERDEEN: Monday March 26, 8 p.m. West Front Room, Music Hall, Union Street. DUNDEE: Tuesday March 27, 7.30 p.m. YMCA, Constitution Road. MONEY AT WORK. Caught in 8.00 9.00

FILM:

CHOSES

D'ELLE'. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. One day in the life of Paris. 10.25

FILM NIGHT.

NEWS EXTRA. Weather. 11.05 London. 3.40 Women only. 4.10 Cartoons. 4.50 London. 5.20 General 4.23 News. Rainbow 4.25 country. hospital.

6.00 UTV

ports. 6.35 London. 8.30 Upper crusts. 9.00 London. 10.30 About 11.00 Bearcats. Britain. 12.00 Look up. YORKSHIRE: 9.30 London. 4.10 Make wish. 4.25 Flintstones. 4.50 London.

a 5.20 Me and the chimp. 5.50 London.

6.00 Calendar. Weather. 6.35 London.

7.30 Hawaii five-o. 8.30 Upper crusts.

9.00 London. 10.30 Film: "The Two Faces Cade's country. 12.50 Weather. Jekyll'. 12.00 GRANADA: 9.30 London. 12.00 Hand- ful of songs. 12.05 London. 4.10 Cross- roads. 4.25 TV funnies. 4.50 London.

5.15 Please don't eat the daisies.

5.50 6.00 Newsday. 6.30 Upper The Wings of crusts. Eagles'. 9.00 London. 10.30 Kick off.

10.55 Film: 'Short Cut to Hell'. 12.35 Spyforce. TYNE TEES: 9.20 Believing to live. 9.30 London. 2.30 News. 2.31 Vora. 2.50 London. 4.20 Woobinda. 4.50 London 5.20 Pebbles and bamm bamm. 5.45 Cartoon. 5.50 London. 6.00 Today 6.35 London. 7.30 at Six. Hawaii five-o. 8.30 Upper_crusts. 9.00 London. 10.30 Film: 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. 12.05 Chicago teddy 12.35 News. 12.40 bears. Lectern. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Date- 4.10 Pipers an a' line. 2.50 London. 4.50 4.20 Nanny and the professor. London. 5.25 Crossroads. 5.50 London.

6.00 Scotland today. 6.30 Doctor in 7.00 7.30 charge. ( Film: Turn Over'. London. •Please 10.30 Friday night. Late 11.00 call. 11.05 Man in a suitcase. 12.00 Love American style.

GRAMPIAN:

10.58 London. 1.38 Schools. 2.40 News. 2.45 London. 4.20 Dave Cash. 4.50 London. 5.20 General hospital. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 London. Grampian 6.35 week. 7.00 Film: "The 8.30 Upper crusts. 9.00 London. Partners. Film: "Dracula'. 12.25 Medita- 11.00 tion.

BY A FOREIGN

CORRESPONDENT

UNREST among Greek students took a new turn in Athens with bloody clashes that injured about 50 demonstrators and police when riot squads stormed the university law faculty to evict pro- testing students. About 800 students staged a sit-in at the law faculty building in the centre of the city in a protest demanding more academic liberties. The majority of university students have stayed away from classes since last January de- manding a greater say in univer- sity affairs and an end to the conscription of the regime's stu- dent opponents. During recent demonstrations marked by clashes with police in Athens, Salonika and Patras, the students also used political sio- gans. In the course of the sit-in protest at Athens they gathered on the roof of the law faculty building. They flew the Greek flag at

BY JUAN GARCIA

ITALY'S Federation of En- gineering Employers, Federmeccanica, has warned workers that they face up to five years imprisonment if they follow union policy decided on March 18. In pursuit of a favourable renewal of wage contracts, union leaders then decided the on organization of a day of struggle expressed in all the big factories with workers' , mass meetings open to representatives of other unions and political organi- zations'. Carniti, secretary of the FIM-

CISL

trade union federation, this latest tactic in described the pressure campaign of the union leaders 'symbolic a occupation of factories' The employers invoke articles of the penal code and labour laws to prove the illegality of such a step, and have made an appeal to the government and judiciary to enforce the law of the land—in particular Article 614, the law of trespass.

The employers' preoccupation with the enforcement of law fighting for against workers their rights sharply contrasts with the kid-glove treatment which the authorities are giving to the policeman Gianni Gallo.

On the evening of January 23, Gallo shot Roberto Franceschi, a Socialist Labour League

PUBLIC MEETINGS

The Road to Workers' Power Build the revolutionary party

LIVERPOOL

Sunday March 25, 7.30 p.m.

Mona Hotel, James St (entrance at back Moor St)

PRESTON

Sunday March 25, 8 p.m. Windsor Castle Hotel, Egan Street half-mast, shouted slogans such 'Freedom, freedom', "Down as with the junta', 'The people are sovereign' and called for solid- arity from the people. The senate of Athens Univer- sity called on the students to disperse peacefully saying , the demonstration was not author- ized. The rector gave them an ulti- matum to evacuate the building by a certain time after which he warned he would call in police forces which had cordoned off the area. Hundreds of policemen charged with batons following a written request by the Senate, and in the scuffles that ensued about 40 students and Il policemen were slightly injured. After their eviction from the law faculty, the students staged a march through Athens main streets shouting 'Down with the assassins' and 'No more blood'.

Many students with blood streaming from their faces were running down the side seen streets to avoid arrest. Police arrested about 40 stu- dents, but most were set free after an identity check. Spokes- man for the police said that only 12 students were injured in the clashes. Security police arrested for Police agont Gallo (left) 'can't remembe student, and Roberto Piacentini, in worker, occani chine sieet ing University Milan. Franceschi died from his wounds. After his exploits in Boccons, Gallo was immediately moved into hospital in a state of shock, suffering from loss of memory.

He then spent a long period of convalescence. military hospital in Baggio. morning, a re- On Tuesday laxed Gallo visited the scene of his crime with Ovilio Urbisci, the prosecuting magistrate,

DEMONSTRATION

• Halt rising prices and rents.

• Force the Torles to resign.

• Elect a Labour government pledged to socialist pollcles and to restore democratic rights. • Victory to gasmen, civll serv- ants, hospital workers, leach- ers, railwaymen car workers.

SATURDAY MARCH 24

Assemble: 10.30 a.m. Corner of Cray Avenue and Orpington High Street. interrogation a former professor of economics at Athens Univer- sity known as a strong opponent of the regime. The professor, John Pesmazo- glou (55), a former deputy gov- ernor of the Bank of Greece, was dismissed from his post within a few months of the army take- over in 1967. He was held at security police headquarters for questioning. Before the riot police attack students gathered in the law lecture theatres to pledge pub- licly that they will 'struggle to the end' to secure all academic liberties and the release of all students who have been detained by the police. The attack demonstrates the Greek colonels' fear of the mili- tancy and defiance which has mushroomed on the university campuses with the support of workers and townspeople. The only solution the authorities have is even tighter repression and they are now likely to do away with all remaining academic freedoms. Student protests are still under way at a number of places out- side Athens. At Patras Univer- sity, in south-west Greece, stu- dents occupied the main univer- sity building for four hours on Tuesday. remember' shootings. an attempt to help his memory.

Urbisci invited along a team of 'expert psychiatrists,_ doctors Garavaglia, Ponti, and Toffanin. Gallo's defence lawyer, Silvano Martini, also came along, with two more medical consultants.

A good case is clearly being elaborated to excuse the police sharpshooter, who was called in by the university authorities to break up a meeting attended by 'elements alien the univer- sity'. Gallo had no mental block- ages when it came to doing his job. TONY BOYLE, former boss of the United Mine Workers of America, denied before a court in Erie, Pennsylvania, that he had instigated the 1969 killing of his rival, Joseph Yablonski.

organizer, A union William Prater, is on trial for hiring the who carried out gunmen the with crime union funds. The killers have said that they were committing the murders 'for Tony Boyle', but so far no hard has come to light to evidence implicate him. Boyle did admit to the court that he had approved a transfer of $20,000 in union funds to Albert Pass, secretary-treasurer of the union in Kentucky, Tennessee. It was paid out to retired miners and then returned in cash to Prater. Workers Press, Friday March 23, 1973 PAGE 11 '$1m to stop Allende' -CIA admits offer FORMER Central Intelli- meeting he had with Dr Henry Kissinger, president's Agency head, the gence John SUe. cial adviser. He had frequently McCone, now a director of discussed the political the International Telephone Chile, where

ITT

partly the Telegraph and owned Corporation, Leestone service with Richard Helms, then direc- admitted to a Congressional tor of the CIA. committee that the CIA had ITT officials nego- canne• on offered Slm in the fight to tiations with Chilean politicians prevent the election of opposea to Allende. Salvador Allende" as presi- One executive of the firm in Latin America said well- dent of Chile. No nee clean had! told nim that the American ambassador This offer came after the received message hac tron September 1970 popular elec- the State Department giving him tion when Allende headed the ine green lignt to move in the three-cornered fight. vote in name of President Nixon. The money was intended to pre- his endorsement by the 'The message gave him maxi- vent Chilean Congress in October. mum authority do all pos- to sible- short of a Dominican Re- McCone claimed that no ac- public-type action-to keep tion had been taken despite a Allende from taking power.'

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Teachers' leaders let off the hook SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, APRIL 14 & 15, WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL PAGE 12 Workers Press, Friday Marct

BY IAN YEATS

WEDNESDAY's decision by a mass meeting of teachers at London's Conway Hall to set up an ad hoc committee entirely separate from the of the National structure Union of Teachers will lead to isolation and demoraliza- tion for all those who support it. It leaves the right wingers and Stalinists who dominate the union executive com- pletely free to go their own way. Indeed it has already done so.

Despite all the angry shouting the passing of militant- and sounding resolutions at West- minster Central Hall on March 1 the message from the execu- ended! As NUT president-elect "The campaign and Communist Party member Max Morris said contemptuously "They after the meeting, can shout as much as they want'.

The same political tendencies which led the Central Hall re- bellion were in the van of the move at Conway Hall to set up teachers' an ad hoc ginger group. Wandsworth headmaster "International Socialism' and group supporter Eric Porter, one the three threatened men ULSTER'S social demo- cratic and Labour Party is prepared to collabor- ate in carrying out the Tory plan for Ulster the White outlined in Paper. After a line-by-line examin- ation of the document at a two-day session in a remote hotel, party County Tyrone leaders declared: 'We recog- nize clearly that the proposals represented in some areas an our previous advance on position, while in others we must express both our reserv- ations • support for They expressed quadripartite talks between both South sides the North, and Britain and indicated that it would take part in elections to the new Assembly. This Assembly will have no the armed forces control over or foreign policy and is no more than a cloak for the continued British imperialthen Ireland by control

SDLP

The position of the evades all the main issues, strengthens the right wing and gives no lead to the Irish work- ing class. Its comment on the Loyalist of opposition is once response again to try to find some com- mon ground. We cannot help their reaction has feeling that been governed by a basic spirit of self-determination which very similar to the spirit which our own reservations', governs its statement says. It goes on to express the hope of finding some common ground

SATURDAY AND

day March 23, 1973

CHER

with expulsion from the union, only way to fight claimed the the executive was to set up a Once organization. grass-roots they • succeeded in 'making the executive jump' and think twice about its policies the committee could, if necessary, fade into the background, he said. The Hackney Teachers' Asso- ciation, which sponsored the meeting, counter-posed the de- Inner London mand that the Teachers' Association set up a salaries' action committee to continue the campaign for a rise in the special London allowance.

IS consciously duck the abso- once the question of differences about the basic loyalties can be resolved. 'We have already discussions this started on basis,' says the SDLP, 'and are prepared to continue them.'

Loyalist leaders out came forthrightly against the White Paper after a four-hour meeting at Stormont and have entered into a new united front which includes the Rev lan Paisley, Capt Lawrence Orr, Leader of Unionist Party at West- the minister and the Vanguard un leader, William Craig. Paisley and Orr said that they would exhaust every parliament- ary device in opposition to the White Paper and Craig pledged backing up action in Northern Ireland. This means a complete rejec-

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IT IS STILL much too slow. If we do not step up the fight now we will not reach our £1,750 target in time. We have nine days left to completely turn the situation around. We urge you all to go into action immediately and raise all you can. We know you will not let us down, but we are concerned that the fight is not left to the

TURNOV

E/5a

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EM lutely unavoidable fight with the Stalinists and the right wing by suggesting the setting up quite rank-and-file committees And both outside the union. concepts sidetrack the fact that in the present atmosphere crisis the Stalinists economic and the right wing are acting concertedly and consciously as a counter-revolutionary force.

The NUT executive knew they could not defeat the Tory anti- inflation plans when they called for protest action aimed at win- ning a rise in the London allow- They never intended in- ance. dustrial action to bring them tion by the main Loyalist forces of former Prime Minister and Unionist Party leader, Brian Faulkner, in favour of a hard- line policy. Paisley has returned to the limelight to join forces with the paramilitary Vanguard move- ment. An advocate in the past of the integration of Northern Ireland into the United King- dom, he shows signs of moving closer to Craig's position which the possibility of accepts ard unilateral declaration of inde- pendence (UDI). The SDLP leaders leave the way open for these reactionaries as well as offering their services in enabling British capitalism to continue exploitation oppression of the Irish working class. last week. We have many plans, after the enormous sup- port we received from OUr Pageant at the Empire Pool to expand our circulation in every district. railway- Amongst miners, men, hospital workers, gas- men, teachers and thousands of others, there is a huge movement growing against this Workers Tory government. Press is vital today. It is the only daily paper politically pre- parea to light back against this Tory government. Help us expand. Don't let our fund drop back. Collect extra amounts wherever you can and push our total right Rush every donation im- up. mediately to: Workers Press March Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG. conflict with Phase into open Two of the Tory pay laws. They have said they will not back the day of action called yesterday by the TUC against the laws.

They are witch-hunting those who at the Central Hall meet- ing stood up to fight against those betrayals. And if craven the new ad hoc committee pre- sents them with occasion they will witch-hunt, discipline and expel in that direction too.

Witch-hunting by the execu- tive has already had its effect.

Teachers at the Conway Hall said they were proud not to be Trotskyites, communists or any- thing else. But whether they like it or not the teachers are locked in a political battle against their executive and against the own Tory government. The role of the Stalinists and the right wing on the executive must be recognized and fought.

This can only be done by re- cognizing, too, the role of the revisionists in the IS and the International Marxist Group.

Far from showing signs that they are preparing to step up the fight on teachers pay the NUT lashing out at all executive is those trying to push it forward.

And far from showing signs that bigger doses of militancy will force concessions the Tories are preparing to fight the working

GOODS

FOUR HUNDRED ancillary workers at St Mary's Hos- pital, Paddington, have come out on strike for the second time. Initially they will stay out for five days, but this may be ex- tended. Don Steadman, NUPE branch secretary, said yesterday. We came out again because we want the wage increase and we were

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including the teachers, class, with every weapon at their dis- posal. They will use their class law, the police and if necessary army to defend their in- the terests. The IMG called on the NUT executive to organize a national strike on the teachers' national claim and to sponsor indefinite strikes on the London allowance.

They called for unity with other sections of workers fighting the 'pay freeze' and for the NUT to seek TUC support. Such a resolution far falls short of the central issue. The Tories are not engaged in a 'pay freeze'. They are engaged in imposing permanent state pay laws. There are to be no special cases and no concessions.

The only way to defend the living standards of teachers and all other sections of the working class lies in forcing the TUC to call • General Strike to make a the Tory government resign.

Rank-and-fileism lets the NUT off the hook. They executive must be forced to reverse their decision not to back the TUC's day of action and to campaign for the General Strike. The only way forward lies in building an alternative Marxist revolutionary leadership based on the policies the All Trades Unions Alliance. unhappy at the way management was treating us. 'After the first strike at the beginning of the month they changed the system of working • adopted aggressive attitude towards ys.y would like to see all hospitals out and a more positive lead from the union executive A determined force of pickets went to the hospital gate yester- day (above) but they were har- Immigrant by police. assed workers were apparently threat- ened with arrest. The pickets called on dedivery drivers not to cross their lines.

• Workers at Esso and British Oxygen have decided not to deliver goods to the strike-hit Basingstoke District Hospital.

at the Registered as a newspaper Workers Office. Post Published Clapham High Street, Press, 186a 7UG. Printed Plough 01-622 7029.