Workers Press no. 1073

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BANKERS FEAR

GOLD PANIC

FORD PAY FIGHT COLLAPSES

GOLD

WENT way above the $110 an ounce mark yesterday amid indications from all over the financial world that the monetary crisis is now completely out of control. The upwards spiral of gold was turned into a mad un- controlled scramble as the United States announced a huge balance of payments de- ficit. The deficit was $10,227m for the first quarter of this compared with only year $1,6l6m for the last three months of 1972. Panic fears of another huge dollar devaluation drove the gold price in London from a morn- ing fixing of $107 an ounce (it- $4.25 overnight) to up $110-$113 in hectic trading after lunch. The parity of sterling, like

BY ROYSTON BULL

MOSS EVANS, chairman of the union side of the Ford National Joint Negotiating Committee, admitted yester- day that their failure to give a lead to the men in Feb- ruary, when there was a feel- ing for a strike, was respon- sible for the collapse of the pay fight. This of rare moment honesty from a reformist trade leader, union however, still evades the all-important ques- tion of how does the fight against the Tory pay laws pro- ceed from here? To this, neither Evans, nor any other bureaucrat from the transport or engineering unions which dominate the NJNC, has an answer. After announcing the Trans- port and General Workers' Union senior stewards decision that there was no desire for an all-out strike at Fords' 21 plants, Evans said: None of them supported an being all-out strike call now made, but they criticized the unions for not giving a positive lead earlier. It would have been a different situation in February.

The responsibility for the lack

TURN TO BACK PAGE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLE

THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CEI

BY JOHN SP

most European currencies, floated upward sharply very against the dollar. The pound was being quoted at over $2.57 yesterday afternoon. Holders of dollars were reported to be try- ing to unload at all costs.

The gold price has risen over $10 since Monday morning and the Midland Bank's foreign ex- . Bruce Smith, that said *totally irrational and self- feeding'. In contrast to previous rises in the gold price, the present upward trend has continued for days without even a temporary downturn. It has taken on the a stampede. scope ot could be It looks as if we entering a new crisis. People seem to be beginning to panic, foreign exchange dealer one commented as the wave of dollar selling crashed against his desk. There is serious talk of the Common Market imposing emer- MOSS EVANS... Bold admission by bu

• NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY MAY 16, 197

THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE :

HN SPENCER

gency tariffs to keep out US goods which have cheapened by nearly 25 percent in 18 months of successive devaluations.

Pressure is also growing for yet another revaluation of the West German mark, the fifth in less than four years. A leading West German ban- ker said traders were holding back payment of dollar debts hoping to settle them more cheaply in a few day's time.

He also reported a growing 'small' central tendency for banks to turn their reserves from dollars into marks, despite the negative interest imposed on such holdings by the Bonn gov- ernment. Wall Street is plummeting under the impact of the Nixon scandal which has now engulfed national security adviser Henry Kissinger, further undermining Nixon's in political authority foreign as well as domestic affairs. An even worse blow to con- sion by bureaucrat. Y 16, 1973 No 1073 4p

F THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

fidence is likely from the in- volvement in the scandal of the newly-appointed head of the Securities and Exchange Com- mission, G. Bradford Cook.

Cook is said to have spoken with Maurice Stans, the former Commerce Secretary now charged with accepting a $200,000 bribe from shady fin- ancier Robert Vesco. News of Cook's involvement came at the end of one of the worst days the New York stock exchange has seen for the last ten years. The scene is being set for a money panic of enormous pro- portions under conditions of in- tensifying trade war and at a time when the political and economic crises are merged into a single uncontrollable problem for the world bourgeoisie.

The fight to transform the Socialist Labour League into the revolutionary party is the only way in which the workers' move- ment can be prepared to meet the enormous implications of the monetary and political situation.

OUR total is £22,259.87 Socialist Labour League branches sent in: Battersea 1.70 Basildon 4.50 Barnstaple 1.00 Paddington 10.00 Southampton 36.00 Bradford 9.00 Fulham ATUA 3.00 St Helen's 2.40 Todmorden 5.50 Bristol 8.00 Coventry 10.00 Hackney 12.00 Holloway •13.00 Lewisham 9.50 N. Kent 40.00 Brixton 2.92 Willesden 13.00 Croydon 5.00 East 16.05 Stuart Bricknell 10.00 We're anxious very about the progress of this fund despite substantial donations. Some branches are fighting well, but others have still not got off the ground. Can we have some action please? Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 FOUNDRY workers meeting in Oban yesterday voted to their union national executive to pursue a pay increase of €5.50 a week. The delegates, represent- ing members of the foundry sec- tion of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, also voted for future negotiations on wages and holidays to be con- ducted at national level.

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BANKERS FEAR

GOLD PANIC

FORD PAY FIGHT COLLAPSES

GOLD

WENT way above the $110 an ounce mark yesterday amid indications from all over the financial world that the monetary crisis is now completely out of control. The upwards spiral of gold was turned into a mad un- controlled scramble as the United States anncunced a huge balance of payments de- ficit. The deficit was $10,227m the first quarter of this for compared with only year $1,616m for the last three months of 1972. Panic fears of another huge doilar devaluation drove the gold price in London from a morn- ing fixing of $107 an ounce (it- self $4.25 overnight) up to $110-$113 in hectic trading after lunch. The parity of sterling, like

BY ROYSTON BULL

MOSS EVANS, chairman of the union side of the Ford National Joint Negotiating Committee, admitted yester- day that their failure to give a lead to the men in Feb- ruary, when there was a feel- ing for a strike, was respon- sible for the collapse of the pay fight. This moment of rare honesty from a reformist trade union leader, however, still evades the all-important ques- tion of how does the fight against the Tory pay laws pro- ceed from here? To this, neither Evans, nor any other bureaucrat from the transport or engineering unions which dominate the NJNC, has an answer. After announcing the Trans- General Workers' port and Union senior stewards decision that there was no desire for an all-out strike at Fords' 21 plants, Evans said: 'None of them supported an being all-out strike call now made, criticized but they the unions for not giving a positive lead earlier. It would have been a different situation in February.

'The responsibility for the lack

TURN TO BACK PAGE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLE

THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CEi

BY JOHN SF

most European currencies, floated upward sharply very against the dollar. The pound was being quoted at over $2.57 yesterday afternoon. Holders of • dollars were reported to be try- ing to unload at all costs.

The gold price has risen over $10 since Monday morning and the Midland Bank's foreign ex- change Bruce Smith, said that 'totally irrational and self- feeding'. In contrast to previous rises in the gold price, the present upward trend has continued for days without even a temporary downturn. It has taken on the scope of a stampede. could be It looks as if we entering a new crisis. People seem to be beginning to panic, foreign exchange dealer one commented as the wave of dollar selling crashed against his desk. There is serious talk of the Common Market imposing emer- MOSS EVANS... Bold admission by bul

• NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY MAY 16, 197:

THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE S

HN SPENCER

keep tarifis to out US gency goods which have cheapened by nearly 25 per cent in 18 months of successive devaluations.

Pressure is also growing for yet another revaluation of the West German mark, the fifth in less than four years. A leading West German ban- said traders were holding back payment of dollar debts hoping settle them more cheaply in a few day's time.

He also reported a growing "small' central tendency for banks to turn their reserves from dollars into marks, despite the negative interest imposed on such holdings by the Bonn gov- ernment. • Street is plummeting Wall under the impact of the Nixon scandal which has now engulfed national security adviser Henry Kissinger, further undermining in Nixon's political authority foreign as well as domestic affairs. An even worse blow to con- sion by bureaucrat. Y 16, 1973 • No 1073 4p

F THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

fidence is likely from the in- volvement in the scandal of the newly-appointed head of the Securities and Exchange Com- mission, G. Bradford Cook.

Cook is said to have spoken with Maurice Stans, the former Commerce Secretary now charged with accepting a $200,000 bribe from shady fin- ancier Robert Vesco. News of Cook's involvement came at the end of one of the worst days the New York stock exchange has seen for the last ten years. The scene is being set for a money panic of enormous pro- portions under conditions of in- tensifying trade war and at a time when the political and economic crises are merged into a single uncontrollable problem for the world bourgeoisie.

The fight to transform the Socialist Labour League into the revolutionary party is the only way in which the workers' move- ment can be prepared to meet the enormous implications of the monetary and political situation.

OUR total is £22,259.87 Socialist Labour League branches sent in: Battersea 1.70 Basildon 4.50 Barnstaple 1.00 Paddington 10.00 ..... Southampton 36.00 Bradford 9.00 Fulham ATUA 3.00 .... St Helen's 2.40 Todmorden 5.50 Bristol 8.00 Coventry 10.00 Hackney 12.00 Holloway 13.00 Lewisham 9.50 N. Kent 40.00 Brixton 2.92 Willesden 13.00 Croydon 5.00 East 16.05 Stuart Bricknell 10.00 We're very anxious about the progress of this fund despite substantial donations. Some branches are fighting well, but others have still not got off the ground. Can we have some action please? Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 FOUNDRY workers meeting in Oban yesterday voted to tell their union national executive to pursue a pay increase of £5.50 a week. The delegates, represent- ing members of the foundry sec- tion of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, also voted for future negotiations on wages and holidays to be con- ducted at national level.

Workers Press, Wednesday May 16, 1973

PAGE 2

of a social Press the character

THE RUSSIAN

has deliberately Darasite This means that despite its enormous played down the Watergate CrisIs political its position is is part of the economic and social de- and tremely contradictory insecure of United States imperialism. cay British Stalinist This is unars wow ur conunuan screens usel comica y behind a facade of parades, flattery and paper 'Morning Star' pe censorence awards report from Moscow on Monday: censorship reports on the the 'Apart from carrying announcements Watergate affair reveals nOL LIt Washington nea official the powers oi control arising from the Watergate affair, the bureaucracy has—but also its real fears Soviet Press has neither commented on of the Soviet masses. the storm that has

TODOLLCO

Those -like revisionist Inter- who- the Nixon brer the case. out around President group- natonal over Russia is 'state capitalist' are not only whole emphasis here in all the mass "The under one energeti be fact that 1c clis Soviet peace initiative, launched by the bureaucracy, are in fact falling on theil 24th zing success and is in for presen Congress years faces before it. If the bready destroyed be revolution, home with renewed vigour..

has already destroyed revolution, While having no space for the corruption why is it stil afraid to …er me russian Sunday's of American capitalist politics, working class know what is happenin in the United States? devotee listing organizations had sent Which The neat, simple and defeatist 'definition' of to general secre- resolutions praise or us a as state assumer Leonid Brezhnev alter his that the bureaucracy has already won a battle which is not yet over Lenin Peace Frize awara Brezhnev, of course, has awarded the prize specifically Trotsky repudiated such himself. mechanical pessimistl passagt Stalinists keeping the which is worth quoting in full: The Some i Russian people in ignorance of The Soviet Union is a contradictory they are determined that because halfway capitalism society between visit Washington next Brezhnev's and socialism in which: (a) the produc.

month -ondon soimes ahead • aslee. tive forces are still far from adequate As the London pointed out give e state property a socialist Monday, the visit can only serve to toward character; tendency strengthen the rocking Nixon. It is an breaks out through innumerable pores reaching of an agreement with the planned economy; (c) norms of Brezhner and Nixon during the US President's visit to Moscow last year.

United States above all else distribution preserving bourgeois This is because the tanis. Dure crac of character

DUSTS

neu faces crisis no less. see The bureat Why the Kremlin à differentiation of society; (d) the econ- bureau- imperialism. omic growth, whil olour. betterine the cracy nolds back the development of the of toilers. secuation Russian economy. Growth has faltered, S202T1 agriculture, and huge particularly (e) exploiting the social antagonisms a of grain have had to be bureaucracy has converted itself into an ovannues Lill ported. socialism; western technicues uncontrolled alen to Custe needed and the counter-revolution- social revolution. perraveu which long ago aban- reta rulin parin the consciou rose ly ary burcaucaly Bolshevik concept of revo- relations coned the cuddles up to lutionary internationalism, can see only further toiling ine musses, -by agreement way get donelonment or ine accumulates Curi tradictions can as well lead to socialism with une capitalist buwers opposed The Stalinist as back capitalism; (h) on the road bureaucrats are (LO social revolution in the West be- counter-revolution any the cultures re cause that would undermine their ot the Isolation Soviet Union from the advanced ism the workers dustrial countries. Watergate men bureaucracy. threat most feared by decided Revolution is the will be queston Brezhnev this both osthe national struggle living social forces, conleaues. they find common ground with Nixon and the men of Watergate.

one wore arena firmly want (Revolution Betrayed'. Page 255.)

power, able to make and keep agree- This analysis remains as valid today as it and capable of 'stabilizing' areas ments when it bureaucitey has 36. like the Middle East. was betrayed to the aid of Nixón, the Stal- The Stalinist In coming bureaucracy Soviet Union was The isolation of the property relations established by the but inist bureaucracy once again shows its it has not The october revolution, which betrayed counter-revolutionary role, Stalinism revolution of October 1917 Brenzable to not tell the That is whi international extended ov the revolution Germany, Spain, This contradiction is the centre of the Babene Battered apocat Brehznev Russian itselt based on the ever France and throughout the world. crisis of the bureaucracy.

Two opposite And that about social gains of the 1917 revolution.

off this tendencies have emerged. Trotsky analysed this contradiction in his Stalinism ted and The Betrayed'. Here tion and the rottenness, corruption and pointed cemented s power Torcec nave been enor CrISIS ol extermination of all socialist mously developed, following the aboli- Thy khong that the h much as do Nixon and dual That Ene state the Soviet Union and tion of capitalism. the opposition inside prepares character. It is socialistic in so tar as socialism: that the more the degeneracy -wherever it could-outside the soviet defends social property in the means economic basis ior And it proletarian Union as well. TelS decides ot capitalism is exposea to tne masse.

bourgeois in so tar or brocucuon. i Is The bureaucracy nature of the Soviet state.

the more receptive those became monstrous, distribution as the oI goods 1s carmed At the same time, bourgeois norms of dis- become revolutionary distortion masses out with a capitalistic measure of value contilludily. tribution and all the consequences that flow from state the comine have served the workers Deconne turn, laeas. Trotsky says, of malignant an upper stratum of society. The work.

Revolution in the west wil reach out its

THAT.

inut che rums so ta has achieved as, hands to the Russian workers and peas- growths in society' The workers' state, isolated in particular nprecedented gerate or independence ruling strata under the yoke of noW by the democrats' betrayal of became a privileged minority living at The socialist the west Revolution, and the expense the economi- ot ine deprived German the chief of legal and illegal World means Dolla following calv near- •ankruou accumulation, and- This ruling strata conceals its income, revolutions provide for personal to quote tne War I and the wars intervention. and even pretends special solving the economic problems carried regulate inequalities Revolution again—11 was Dellaycu state and social group it doesn't even exist. But first workers of by the the ground the consumption a masked appropriation or tue pro- sphere ducts of the labour of others'.

its from under the feet of Stalin's succes enoranous type creamon our stuls share of the national income gives it But this is done on the basis of the sors. instrument. Shah tools up for gendarme role in the USSR, China us a fighter- THE SHAH of Iran has piece. That we of vee

BY JOHN SPENCER

major Europe and bomber force well over

SUU

revolu appointed himself 'guardian The C-130 troop transports (50 powers to stav out of the movement interna- monary Gulf and protector of the would become our Mare tionally. order) have lar he Nixen at fine sa in the country. Nostrum, ost said he sad begun thinking Iran where 60 per cent of and similar regimes are region, also from Nixon doctrine 24. m says the $5m a plane. will help those who help being armed to the hilt for the word of reserves are situa- his bacpresent purpose suppressing every Estimates of the That's what strong-mar themselves. ted. nonendanve revolutionary or even democratic helicopters you're buying from when I concluded the US could In an interview with 'News- manifestation. the US range up to 400. week' editor Arnaud asked fornd laser- playing the We've bombs . 01 ine immense sums deme speni Shah: much mg 220 Borchgrave, the Shah delivered international gendarme for ever.

to arm the Iranian regime indi- ordered including gun- That Wey could pure the wored had him then cate fear and desperation of one of the most brazen and Shah: Yes, we are getting any- that the us haything non-atomic thing world capitalist Class laced provocative declaraulous with the coming together of the with wo aroonne imperialist aims ever commit- ware) Sikorskys. That about But, the Shah said, the US was colonial and the $500m for choppers alone. ted to paper. *to the role ANOTHER exchange shows that now reluctant play movement of the workers in the He indicated that with the full Bot or alecast 8 that an not to be ot gendarme even where its vital ThIs Torce Is mall centres United lot given your the aircraft backing within the frontiers of Iran interests are concerned Despite its immense military Iran was Take Dhofar one with modicum Iranian taking over cone Tole power, regime is Guin anationae said man the Shah: Nơ, because the other political sense will conclude that ever Villail. said Iran seem to feel powers in the area succeeded, be faced wast didn't have much choice in machinery of repres- alca. 111St. we barateled $2-3,000m they 500 spending Toe che in the matter-nor did you [Ameri- sion inside -where ycal 011 neeo about all ciall 'buying a deterrent that will be Egypt, Syria and they all for ex- cans] so the decision to back capital, right Muscat have beer voucille all neighbours'. Whether they know hilt' credible ample. of Hormuz Tront or mie serals executed muelast two vears- them another He boasted about the immense All Runs fed missiles is a The Shah's throw is a conclusive demonstration of nOW statements size matter. naval into se of reliet the real signi- thanian masses tosste Shan.

of the OI _The armed orces guns missiles. resistance building up. At point the We're also buying 800 Chief- ficance Nixon doctrine one Tallliar Dallell. l Cannot luict conversation went like this Britain tain tanks from ate subversive activities- -and by which is based on the establish.

he is able to continue in omce us another $480m and that mean anything that is im- ment of selected military only as a result of the betrayals borenave. exactly ale Wil Cosu oucla. for your money? I meanwhile the 400 Ma engaged torships knowr to be dedicated of the Moscow and Peking Sta- getting posed trom outside buying 145 phantom hightou example, that modernizing the tanks heard, the service of imperialism who bolster the Dorcagrave. Are you save vol from the US in the monarchy cannot tolerate radical regimes with lavish financial ale we volalica acu as une •i caoilalisi bombers and already have more past any of Arab rule in the various quarters of and technical aid, and turn and Wils same taking over the M-60s blind eye than Israel. with the 460 that globe. shaikhdoms? the to the suffering and That will a tank Shah: than that. We now have. us This is part of the preparation More give Shah: Yes. miserv inflicted on Iranian 1,700. The navy have which of World War in workers and peasants who have Tractors

COSI

The anence

THE

$2.5m a piece and another being doubled size and SHAH went on to speak World War III to reconquer to pay for the Shah's drive to- coming in that will cost $5m a already includes world's about his plan for the Gulf states the territories lost capitalism walus wal.

Immigrant workers show solidarity on picket line THE 800-STRONG international branch of the Trans- port and General Workers' Union is fighting for the reinstatement of Federico Martin, a young Spanish cellar porter from the Mount Royal Hotel, Marble Arch, London. With the support of catering workers from other hotels, nightclubs and in London restaurants the branch is mounting a picket outside the Mount Royal from 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m. every day this week and is planning an extra- large demonstration out- side the hotel on Saturday.

BY JOHN SPENCER

The hotel is part of the Maxwell Joseph octopus and the union's international sacked last Wednesday be- branch regards the Federico cause management claimed Martin a trial of case as he had his gone to see strength with management. doctor without permission.

The Maxwell Joseph chain He said he had told his a large number of owns manager beforehand about hotels London, in central the He appointment. has them the Clifton among been actively campaigning Ford, Britannia, Mayfair, in the hotel recruit to Rembrandt, St Ermyn's, members for the union. Court Strafford and the Members of the inter- Londoner. national branch are mainly from Spain, The group has refused to Portugal, Italy and Greece. Many of them recognize the international work for branch and at the Mount extremely low wages: porters at the Royal has so far extended plush Mount Royal, it is claimed facilities only to the General Workers' are paid only £18 for a full Municipal and week's work. Union. Agreement with the

G&MWU

reached in was Branch members say that November last year, seven the management has used the

T&GWU

months after the threat that militants will be began its recruitment drive sacked and deprived of their in the catering trade in work permits to prevent London. their union organization in hotels. Federico Martin was

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OPEN Monday Thursday 9am -6 p.m. Fridays fate nght opening) 9 am —7.30 p.m Saturdays 9 am -5 p.m. But the international branch has succeeded, de- •spite opposition, in winning recognition and 100 per cent membership at the Talk of the Town nightclub in the West End. About 80 workers from the Talk of the Town joined men from Watney's White- chapel brewery and mem- bers from other of parts London on Monday's picket.

A BELFAST Roman Catho- lic's allegation that Special Branch men in Ulster tried to persuade him to become a paid informant against the IRA is to be forwarded to Defence Minister Lord Car- rington. It is the second allegation of blackmail by the army in two weeks. A statement from the man, 25-year-old son of a Belfast trade unionist, has been sent to Mr Kevin McNamara, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull North, who said he would be writing to Lord Carrington about the mat- ter. He said he was not, as yet, releasing the man's name.

Mr McNamara said he was questioning the general attitude of the security forces on in- formers. 'If people are being used to get joi information in this way, it is put- ge A MASS meeting of 1,000 construction workers at the Esso refinery, Fawley, near Southampton, yesterday voted to accept a stewards' recom- mendation to return to work.

chairman Strike committee Tommy Copeland told the men that the 32-man stewards' liaison committee had met officials from im Workers Press, Wednesday May 16, 1973 PAGE 3 Marvel Josephi

WE SHALL FIGHT

WE SHALL WIN

TRECCANITION

Members of the International branch of the Transport and General Workers' Union on the picket line outside the Mount Royal Hotel, London, demanding the reinstate- Spanish ment of cellar Federico Martin porter (left).

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

myselt out of it ting the informants and their then getting families at great risk,' he said.

after couple of months. would arrange for metto get orty caught with anything The man said in his statement that he was offered £10 a week, The told the only and his from custody, to man was could he get of the spy on the IRA. way police Castlereagh- station The was released from interrogated- where he was was Long Kesh in April 1972, and by agreeing to the suggestions.

was later shot and wounded close near Unity He also said that an army in- Flats. his home to During the 65 hours he was held telligence office made threats of Act, leaving him in a Protestant quar- under the Special Powers he maintains he was interrogated ter called Tiger Bay, where he of his life. would be in by two Special Branch men.

danger without being He released was He was told that he could be- charged only after Mr McNamara, come a paid informant. He said the instigation of the father, in his statement: made inquiries about the man.

'They also asked me if I would • SEE PAGE 11 for Long Kesh join the IRA and work for them, information and getting some report. the Confederation of Shipbuild- stewards' will have committee 'advisory status' these ing and Engineering Unions and only at these officials had now agreed to talks. recognize the committee. A call for the strike to con- Negotiations will begin shortly tinue until any agreement reached between the unions and manage- the negotiations had been ratified by the men was rejected men's for the claim improved pay and conditions.

The on the stewards' advice.

PAGE & Workors Press; Wednesday May 18,; 1973

TRANSFORMING THE SOC

INTO A REVOLUTIONARY

Extract from the policy resolution adopted unaniniously by 2,200 delegates and visitors at the All Trades Unions Alliance conference, Birmingham, on October 22, 1972.

Fellow trade unionists, comrades and friends we address you with this urgent call to action: from Withdraw the troops In its place must be elec- THE TORY government is relentlessly pursuing its plan for a con- Unite the Irish and Ireland. ted Labour government day new sections of British working class to throw which is pledged by the mass out the Lynch and Heath gov- workers are forced to become criminals — under Tory law - to action of the working class to ernments. defend their standard of living against government-inspired soaring implement socialist policies.

Unite in the struggle for the We 'pledged! to socialist. policies knowens United of Socialist States that the Europe, the only alternative to sent leaders of the Labour Large sections of these workers openly acknowledge that the only no intention ot intro. ment nave answer to their fight to maintain a decent standard of living is a ducing such Doncies. the last analysis some of them General Strike. That is, the creation of the industrial and political will be prepared join a coali- from abroad and disband the conditions which will force the government to resign.

tion government with the lories to head off the working class.

But if the working class strong enough to force the Tories grammes of equal trade and is strong enough oul. lu with the traitors in mutual assistance. midst. This can only be achieved by exposing them in the fight for an Herv grainmne The Central Committee of the to the Socialist Labour League calls policies the SLL fights for the the working class to sup- upon policies

OOTE

unite working The class against against the Tory thilson-Feather leadership' Tories and present close Ine of the labour movement. Here is the policy which the A Labour government must all political par- Labilal next labour government must immediately repeal the Indus- Ties be forced to carry out. trial Relations Act. must begin now by forcing the 1) A Labour government must etc.) to fight against the TUC to break off all relations immediately repeal the Indus- with the Housing Act, Finance Act, Immigration Acts, mobilize the working destroy state control of wages.

Fair Trading Act and all wage control. After the repeal of all 4) The right to defend rights Tory anti-working class mea- won in the this pro wolker the system. sures. there must be legislation the Charter of to implement legal procedures made by the Basic Rights, along the follow- Tory government must be re

SUCW

ing lines. pealed. All secret police and 2) The right to work! Capital- MI5 organizations must be dis- Sume re goes future. The Sit Ism demands mass unemploy- banded and fully ment. The right to a job must of secrets This can only be guaranteed. tration in this sphere must be OVEr done by breaking the grip published. All rights to assem- of capitalist ownership on the bly, free speech and the Press economy. Employed and un- must be guaranteed. employed must unite to insist The Labour government na- struggle on a League and help transform it No now. uonalzing une main maustnes into a revolutionary party.

and banks, must be the policy of the trade under workers Central Committee control and without compen- Socialist Labour League tories threatened with closure, Dalull.

THE DISCUSSION

10

GOES ON

TUC falls in Workers pay with Tories' for the crisis' foundry- Brian Hankey (28), was making Chris, an apprentice decorative candles worker in Derby: Wages are being kept still, of Wales three part central months ago. Two years ago he but prices are going up. left a If prices go up by 10 per cent Lancashire engineering should go factory to look for something up per warts "The better in London. But after cent. Every week in threw up a job Grocer' there are hundreds of year he and contractor's set up price increases. Aberdovey. He is now an do the How much money Tories get off industry like AUEW shop steward and act- ing convenor at Power Jacks, the breweries? They are not London: Acton, going to tell these firms to put west around for a their prices down. wandered ideal had decent bit looking for an you in the Labour Party it place to settle. It was leaders middle-class idea really, would be better. The TUC is falling in line from industry. Of escape ideal with the Tories. You want to course, there isn't an Victor Feather outside No 10 Downing St. 'The TUC is falling in line with the Tories.'

get Vic Feather out. He doesn't place. the The ruling class started thinking for the inflation since graft all week in a factory for I had to leave Wales. I was when Tarst survive Woods agreement. for Bretton must force them pay doing nothing there, just rot- about inflation. £15. their Three years fast The crisis is such that the crisis. ago You either have to reform ting away. There was nothing was growing pretty was coming, but I and around Tories it the crisis there panic trying to the Labour Party or build to interest me there, but 1 read are Was didn't see it. But the the world. Whatever measures by making the working class entirely new party: politics in a lot about I came to London I When to control in- pay for the inflation they Labour Party leaders they brought in papers. al C with the How flation collapsed as soon as created. came into elected by the MPs. can The meagre existence I was Contact of the League, International were implemented. The organizations they elect a proper leader?

making out candles, with the understand what the crisis ine ot Marxist Group (IMG) and the working class be de- inflation and competition, was You've got (IS) stroyed totally if capitalism is International Socialists impossible to live on. That was is about. Someone's got to pay big organization to win

CIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

ons ass for ago t I n I the nal the (IS) through the kind of people 1 was mixing with. I stayed in London for a year and absorbed as much as I could, but then I left and tried to do the entrepreneur bit in Wales. But even in that isolated place it was obvious from the papers that there was a crisis. With reading and the poli- tical contacts I'd had before, understand the I came to crisis. I thought that August 1971 could be the first sign of a big crack in the system.

I came to see that the only progressive class is the work- ing class, the only thing I could do was to join a political party.

Reformism was over. Every- thing else was an idealistic dream. At first I couldn't distinguish between the different political groups, but I gravitated to- the League. I see the wards IS as armchair revolutionaries.

At first I thought the IMG had potential and that I should find out what they were about.

But they just look at the sur- face trends and treat them as phenomena rather than analyse them dialectically. Their road is going to lead them away from the revolution.

They the present trouble see as a sign of the times, teething troubles to a new phase of capitalism. I found it difficult to sub- my individualism into merge the party. It was hard at first, but once I'd made the first step it became easier and easier. As my political educa- tion developed, I became more and more enthusiastic. forced become was to aware of capitalism and the crisis. In the face of this the union leadership is running the Labour backwards and Party are selling out just as quickly. The Communist Party up for them. cover The trade unions can ionger fulfil their reformist because reformism role was ended by collective bargaining.

Without taking power the working class can only go one way-and that's backwards. Tony Rogers remembers Heath's election promise that he would change the course of history. It didn't mean much at the time, but since then Tony has come to realize what the Tory leader had in mind.

As a hospital worker at Hope Hospital, Salford, Tony has suffered directly along with tens of thousands of workers trapped in the Tory state con- trol of wages. Lack of leader- ship and the steady depression his own living standards made him take the decision to help to build the revolutionary party. Heath said he would change the course of his- tory and this puzzled a lot of people at the time was one.

Now we know what he means —this man is taking us to- wards dictatorship. You can see it very clearly. The deve- •lopments have been obvious. wh

SAYS

Hospital workers during their strike. 'The over the past year. The police walking are around armed, shooting people, protecting embassies they say.

But which way will their guns point next? This is the pattern developing, it's like Ulster or even more like Germany. Like the draft document says, the conditions for die- tatorship are present now in our society. I think the main issue is that we must get people to- gether-it does not matter what union they are from-to try and build up the unity in the working class to get rid of this government before serious and permanent damage is done to our unions and the work- ing class itself. The main issue in all these strikes by the working class is the government. Didn't our own strike prove that? I re- member back in September when we held our first rally.

111.

JOIN RADCLIFFL

THE SLADE

COWLEY ROAD

(OXFORD)

HOSPITAL

ERS

WORKERS

back at work with a lousy "They The officials said they were going the hospity workers a the government make special case. But there are no special cases any more. So we came strike. Because the oul leadership was not prepared to make this a political issue, and the other union leaders were not prepared to back them— like they promised-we went back. Workers say they are not interested in politics. But what the hospital workers? about They are back at work with a rise because they mouse told tos ignore politics. were It's a big crisis for the working I would it's the class. say That's why crunch. we really need an alternative. If there is complacency in the working class despite these things, it is mainly I think be- cause of the leadership. Accor- ding to the SLL it's a question Workers Pres lousy pay rise because they were told to ignore f of changing this leadership and I entirely agree. I remember during the strike when we went down to the hospital board to see Keith Joseph. People were hanging they saw back at first until some leadership and then they went forward and got into the building. On a national level it's the same. Workers want to get at the Tories, if they can, but the TUC gives them no lead at all. The trouble that worries me is that when will this break through occur? I don't think there is enough explanation in movement of how and when it will occur. It had bet- ter happen soon, because we are virtually under martial law now. I think the crunch will come when the crisis really breaks.

I watch the stock exchange prices very carefully in New York and here and they are 98; Wednosday May 16, 1973 PAGE 5 to ignore politics.' going down. There is a real lack of confidence. The Ameri- cans are pulling their money out of Europe and Britain.

On top of this you have the situation with the money. Thousands and millions of dol- lars and pounds and other currencies are floating around and they are really valueless.

The crunch will come when the capitalists start rejecting this currency. We have already had signs of this. It is obvious that when this occurs the workers will be under massive attack, worse, much worse than they were in the 1930s. There will be a big leap in unemployment. Now people are milling around like à herd of cattle. They think they can go through this gap, or that gap, but there is no way out, only the way out that is showing-to fight the SLL to get rid of the Tories and bring in socialism.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday May 16, 'We fear we may be faced with the same type of heavy closure programme that faced us in the middle 1960s' dent Joe Gormley last Thursday. Gormley was speaking fol- the regular monthly lowing executive meeting of the of Mine- National Union workers. the National Coal With Board now forecasting a £69m operating deficit this year, the call a executive decided to special meeting to discuss the possible impact on their members. Already closures are threat- ened at four pits in Yorkshire, South Wales and North and a large there are fears that number of pits, particularly drift mines, face the axe.

Late last year strong rumours Wednesday May 16, 1973 were circulating in the indus- try that up to 50 pits were for the chop within two or three years, despite the fact that they had reserves. miners' MP And when Edwin Wainwright brought the rumour onto the floor of the House of Commons, he received a less than unequi- for vocal answer. Minister Industry, Tom Boardman. would say only: 'We are keep- ing a close watch on the situ- ation.' During the 1960s the num- ber of collieries being worked was slashed from 700 down to 300, and the number of miners halved, falling from was 600,000 to less 300,000. than As last year's Wilberforce inquiry commented: "This run- brought which down, was about with the co-operation of the miners and their union, is without parallel in British in- dustry in terms of the social and economic costs it has in- evitably entailed for the min- ing community as a whole.'

But this is not the 1960s.

Unemployment is up, alter- native work is virtually non- existent and only á year ago the miners tasted their strik- ing power in a major confron- tation with the most vicious Tory government in history.

Typical is the situation at Gomersal, near Bradford. There are 380 men engaged in maintenance work in the pit, which will soon share the fate of other pits in the area and be closed. Barry Wilson, president of Gomersal NUM branch, the explained the impact of the closure. NCB is picking off "The said. pits one by one', he 'St John's, Normanton, is to close and now Gomersal is threatened. here are fed up 'The men with moving from pit to pit.

'One miner has been moved through five pits. When some miners were moved here from Thornhill pit, they were told that there were 25 to 30 years of life left in Gomersal.

At Coedcae drift mine, near Bridgend Glamorganshire, in South Wales, the NCB is pro- posing a closure because of difficulties and a geological £750,000 loss in the past five years. the pit actually shuts If three villages which have de- pended on mining for genera- tions-Llanharan, Pencoed and Heol-y-Cyw-would face a grim future. the 230 miners at So would Coedcae. The NUM has promised to fight the closure. The union's South Wales executive is seek- ing a meeting with NCB area director, David Davies. Gordon Emlyn, NUM lodge secretary at Coedcae, said: 'We are not talking about closure.

board may be, but we The aren't. 'We are determined to make a fight of this. The member- -ship is fully aware of the situ- ation at the colliery and know that the lodge is opposed to any closure' Like the Gomersal men, many of the Coedcae miners have been through this sort of experience before. attendant Ivor As bath Knight put it: 'I am rather bit- I have done 42 years ter. underground and I have been pushed around quite a bit.

'They said we were going to have a new mine, and that we would be right for the rest of our days, but now it may close' Feelings are also running high at Gresford colliery, near Wrexham, North Wales, where 1,100 men may lose their jobs over the next few months.

Ellis, North Wales Josiah of the NUM, secretary area said the union totally opposed NCB closure plan would fight to keep the pit open. 'As far as we can see there is a future at Gresford', he said. "The jobs of 1,100 men are at stake here and this will be a big blowo to the locality.

particularly to the town Wrexham. Britain's 278,000 miners are clearly not going to have clos- ures forced down their throats.

question is: will their The leaders fight? Since the end of last year, the union has been participat- ing in joint committees with the NCB to investigate and carry out closures. Derek Ezra, NCB chairman, described the agreement of the 'a very union to participate as important development. Joint committees set up in each area would review per- formance, warn individual pits of the need for higher produc- tivity and, if necessary, recom- mend closures. Ezra noted that the unions were now less intransigent on the question of closure than previously 'The difficulty we were get- ting into was that the union had taken a hard line on closures. 'We have agreed in the text of the report to the Minister that if some pits had no solu- but closure, then tion we would agree to closure.' Ezra said: 'There are bound to be redundancies, even if we don't close any pits for econo- mic reasons because of exhaus- tion. At the same time the unions have been co-operating with the board in efforts to arrive at a productivity scheme which will push up output per man- shift in the pits something which in a period of stagnant demand could certainly reduce the number of productive units needed. By November James Cowan, Scottish NCB director, was notching up the pressure for reviving speed-up threat of closures. 'Unless we get better output from the people presently em- ployed then productivity would come from shedding labour in economic pits'. the least on. Cowan told a conference every pit in delegates from Scotland. Mick McGahey, Communist Party president of the Scottish NUM, replied that he was con- improved produc- fident tivity. But what is the real story behind the NCB's losses? Are the miners responsible? The figures show, very decisively, that they are not. Since coal was nationalized in 1947 the labour force in the the country has mines across 703,000 dropped from to something over 280,000. Output per manshift, mean- while, has risen from 21.5 cwt to 46.5 cwt. The number of collieries has fallen from 258 to under 290. The NUM's own evidence to inquiry last the Wilberforce year revealed that output per manshift (OMS) at the coal rising at an face had been average rate of 5 per cent a 1962—far faster year since than the rise in productivity of manufacturing industry.

has This rate of increase in recent years. accelerated From 1967-1968 to 1970-1971, newly-mechanized

TOMS

on average of 6 faces rose by an per cent a year. Proceeds to the NCB from selling the coal thus produced have also increased. In 1967-1968 proceeds per ton were £4.93, in 1970-1971 £5.84. For each manshitt on mechanized faces over the proceeds in- period same creased by 41 per cent (overall the rise was 35 per cent).

The union further estimated that on the basis of coal-price Workers Press, Wednesday the end of the increases at 1970-1971 financial year, and further probable increases in 1971-1972, the overall increase in proceeds per manshift over would the four-year period work out at 55-60 per cent.

Meanwhile miners' real earn- ings had actually fallen by 5 per cent. But even in years where the industry achieves an operating pront, despite the partial and of the inadequate nature out in nationalization carried 1947, that profit is immedi- out by the crip- ately wiped pling burden of interest foisted on the industry by successive right-wing Labour and Tory governments. the financial year So in 1970-March 1971, March an operating profit of £34.Im : was transformed into a meagre sur- plus of £500,000 by a huge interest bill of £33.6m. Over the last ten years the average burden of interest has been £37.5m each year. On top of this there is the £2,000m robbed from the in- dustry since 1947 by the cheap sale of coal to private industry in order to boost the profits of the capitalist class. • Press, Wednesday May 16, 1973 PAGE 7 Fear of pit closures again • stalks coalfield. South Wales Already-closed pits like Aberty- (above) stand as a grim sswg warning of things to come.

At Seafield and Lofthouse collieries, bitter miners were given re- minders of the human price of coal. Now men like these Loft- house rescuers (left) are being asked to pay again. None of these things is the responsibility of the miner.

But the union leaderships not only refuse to fight on this up serious basis, they open dangers before their members in the fight against pit closures.

Toe Gormlev said last week that it would be necessary to 'argue against closures pit by pit'. Clearly this will be totally inadequate. All closures will have to be resisted. No redun- dancies can be allowed. A real fight against pit clos- ures can be conducted only in struggles force the the to Tories to resign, replace them a Labour government with pledged nationalize the to banks and all mining ancillary industries, and place the entire coal industry and its financing under workers' control.

THE STÖRY OF JACK TANNER

PAGE 8 Workera Press, Wednesday N

BY JACK GALE

Throughout his life- whether on the left or the right-Jack Tanner maintained implacable opposition to the con- struction of revolution- ary Marxist parties. At the Second Congress of the Communist International, at which Tanner was a dele- gate from the Shop Steward's Workers' and Committee Movement, the report on the of communist construction parties was given by Gregori Zinoviev. It was immediately opposed by Tanner. "The main said, 'was the absolute neces- sity for a strongly disciplined highly centralized Communist Party, and also that the dic- tatorship of the proletariat is synonimous with the dictator- ship of the Communist Party.

He has not clearly proved his argument. "What has taken place in Russia and what is now tak- ing place must not be set up as a model for all other coun- we are things will quite sure, different. dnesday May: 167-1978. 'For us in the shop ste- wards movement, the dictator- ship of the proletariat means something entirely different from the meaning conveyed by comrade Zinoviev. The revolutionary minority of the is ex- proletariat in England pressed through the shop stewards' movement.' There was no need for a Bolshevik-type party in Bri- tain, Tanner argued. 'We have in England a much greater of conscious prole- number tarians than there were in Russia. A number of those active in the shop who are stewards' movement are not concerned about the greatly formation of the party be- cause they are convinced from their experiences in other was a loss of parties that it time to share in the work of such parties.' For Tanner, being outside the revolutionary party was much better than being in it.

'But because these individuals are unattached it does not follow that they are less re- volutionary. On the contrary, they are more so,' he claimed.

Direct action would come from the shop stewards. Zinoviev, according . to Tanner, had not studied the 'new outlook' of the British workers, Russian and the Bolsheviks were being 'dog- matic'. "The Russian comrades must not base their judgement solely on the experience oI Russia. They have been re- moved from all contact with the masses in other countries for some years. 'We have to make the re- volution in England. Our Russian comrades cannot do that. The Second International : loose in form and vague was in aim. But the Third Inter- national should not go to the other extreme and be too dog- matic. 'We provide must that every organization has suffi- cient freedom of movement within its respective country to deal with and adjust itseli to any special conditions.'

Lenin, however, succeeded in gaining an assurance from most of the British delegates —including Tanner - that they would support the for- mation of a Communist Party when they got home. But when a special meeting of the Workers' Committees National Administrative Council (NAC) was held to hear a report back from the Congress, Tanner led a group which argued that they should support the formation of indivi- Communist Party as that the shop duals, but stewards' should continue as a separate movement outside it. The NAC was instructed to prepare a. statement on the Shop relationship of the Stewards' and Workers' Com- mittee Movement to the Com- munist Party—but this was never done. The reason was because the shop stewards' movement was split on the issue. Ranged against the Tanner wing was a group led by J. I.

Murphy, who was now con- vinced that the way ahead lay through the Communist Party.

Despite Tanner's equivocal chaired the position, he in 'unity convention' held Leeds on January 29, 192l.

This was a gathering of 170 delegates, mainly from the Communist Party of Great Sylvia Pankhurst's Britain, Communist Party (British Section, Third International- and the smaller Glasgow or- ganization, the Communist Labour Party, one of whose leading members was William Gallacher. The left wing of the Inde- pendent Labour Party and the Shop Stewards' and Workers' Committee Movement was also represented. It was here that the de- cision to go ahead with one C Above: Russian Revolution 1917.

Tanner argued against the need for Bolshevik-type party Britain. Inset: Communist lead- Pankhurst and Gallacher, ers lead- shop stewards' movement er, Tanner. Communist Party was taken, although there was soon to be a split with Pankhurst. Nevertheless, the Murphy- Tanner battle continued in the stewards' shop movement. When, in April 1921, the NAC declared that it could only that support one paper and Worker' would be "The and not Tanner's 'Solidarity, the announced that he latter would start a new paper to be called 'The Liberator' He wrote in 'Solidarity' or April 29, 1921, that his new would be 'devoted to paper the class conscious workers •.. who are working for the industrial revolution . . . un- hampered by connection with any official or unofficial poli- tical group or political party?

with Tanner's flirtation was virtually communism over (though he was to find himself on the same line as the Stalinists in World War invasion of Il after the Russia. Hencefor h he was to de- vote himself to work as a trade unionist, to emerge as a loyal servant of capitalism at the head of the engineers.

one CONTINUED TOMORROW

FLATS DESTROYED FOUR YEARS

Sandringham Flats West is a block of low-cost housing owned by West- minster City Council and threatened with demo- lition in furtherance of the former Conservative Greater London Coun cil's policy of widening Charing Cross Road. Most of the 90 flats and 15 shops have stood empty for months, athough a new situ- ation has arisen with the new

GLC

Labour committed to road projects abandoning new for central London.

WORKERS

NOTEBOOK

VACANCY

Manchester reader has sent doverse. ment which appeared recently local newspaper. read: the vacancy exists at A Establishment for above in a person with experience processing rubber and plastics to work in a polymer labora- tory interesting research and development projects.

The work will involve mix- calendering rubber, and the moulding of rubbers and fer and injection methods and tne nana: bullaing OL components from calendered sheets. Nevertheless, proposals that even if the flats have a limited life they should be used for emergency housing because of London's acute homelessness problem have been turned down by Westminster council.

On present Labour policy, road-widening would not take place for at least four years.

Tenants remaining in the flats are concerned and uncer- tain about their fate. The empty flats, although sound and with structurally a potential life of 20 years have been systematically broken up by the council and the doors sealed. In order to make them impossible to live The work is of a high tech- nical standard, conforming to British Standard specifications and requiring the operation of process control instruments.

This is permanent and pen- sionable employment enjoying excellent working conditions at an Establishment in pleasant surroundings. And what is this 'establish- ment in very pleasant sur- roundings'? It's the Chemical Defence Establishment Porton Down.

No prizes for guessing what they're producing now. President Nixon's proposal to bring back capital punishment in the United States does not go far enough for Democratic Senator Robert C. Dennis of South Carolina. He thinks the would be for best deterrent the executious to be carried in, lavatory pans have beer smashed and concreted, taps have been cut off and windows boarded up — all, presumably, with council sanction. The remaining tenants com- plain of being disturbed by vandals, lead thieves and 'dossers'. And they claim that in one case council flat's workmen destroyed a facilities before the tenant had actually left. It is easy to see why several of the tenants—mostly older people who have lived in Sandringham West for many years — view the council's to activities as harassment.

On top of everything, these out in public. Speaking in a debate in the • state legislature, Dennis de- clared that the method of execution should be changed from the old electric chair, which does the job rather too quickly, to that of a gas cham- a television camera ber with installed in it. In this way, thousands of people could sit in their own homes and watch the victim's death agonies.

A sort of 20th century ver- sion of the mediaeval public hangings which would not in- volve the spectators in even the effort required to walk to the town square to see the fun. Dennis, well-known for his racialist and reactionary views, thinks this would be a 'Let the people great deterrent. take noté that if they want to kill somebody, they should recognize that what they have seen on IV might happen to them,' he said. Workers Prêds,' Wednesday May 16; 1973 PAGE 9 in a three-quarters Above left: A destroyed bath- tenants, empty and boarded up block, room in one of the boarded up flats. Right: A bedroom repaired been informed have recently and redecorated by Sandringham and their of a rates increase tenants. rent books taken away to taken over and and repaired mark the alteration! decorated flats in Sandringham As tenant responded: one and has demanded that West 'We should be living rent-free they be used as temporary in conditions like this.'

accommodation for homeless The shop tenants downstairs families. are hardly secure with also say that if and more They six-month break clauses when redevelopment takes five-year recent leases at place, it should done by be double rents. council and the 225 low- the On the same site as Sand- cost housing units in Newport ringham West stands Newport and Sandringham West should Dwellings, which has 134 flats be replaced, together with —all now empty. shops, to be leased at com- The Sandringham West and parable rents to those exist- Newport Action Group has ing at the moment. Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37tp • 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.

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PAGE 10 Workers Press, Wednesday May 16, 1973

BBC 1

ITV

12.30 Nai zindagi 9,30 Schools. 10.35 Yoga (London 9.38 Schools. naya Cartoon. jeevan. 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble Mill only). 11.00 Schools. 12.00 12.05 Rainbow. 12.25 Cuddles and co.

at one. 1.30 Barnaby. 1.45 Made in First report. 1.00 Scotch cor- Britain. 2.05 Schools. 2.30 Great zoos.

12.40 1.30 Crown court. 2.00 Harriet's 3.00 What shall we tell the child- ner. ren? 3.35 Television top of the form.

back town. 2.30 Good afternoon.

in 2.50 Racing from York. 4.15 Cartoon.

4.00 Peter. 4.10 Play school. 4.35 show. 4.50 5.10 Cab- 4.20 Sooty Jensen code. Jackanory. 4.50 Boss Cale bages and kings. 5.40 Hector's house.

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YBASSEY — THIS IS.

THE WORLD?

IN

7.05 TOMORROW'S

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From

7.30 CORONATION STREET.

Peking.

8.00 AND

OTHER

MAKES

7.30 GORDON PETERS SHOW. The

THREE.

Wedding Talk. Redundant.

8.30 THE

BRT OR ATHER F

DEAR

Court

8.00 COLDITZ.

Martial.

FATHER.

The Life the

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Interview Party. Peter Allan who escaped Witn BRANCH. Death by 9.00

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INTERNATIONAL

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11.30 DOLLY.

The Other Lady.

11.35 LATE

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SLOUGH: Wednesday May 16, 8 Farn- p.m. Community centre, 'Forward to the ham Road. Revolutionary Party:' SOUTHALL: Wednesday May 16, 8 p.m. Southall Library, Osterley 'Stalinism and the Park Road. struggle to defend democratic rights.'

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TUC

to talks with the Tories'. ar as Capt Downing in 'Court Martial', 3C 1. On the same channel Leo McKern 8.50 ONE IN TEN. Buffy Saint-Marie sings. 9.00 FILM: "The Appointment.' Omar Aimee, Lotte Sharif, Anouk Lenya. An Italian lawyer is enchanted friend's by his fiancee.

10.45 EDITION. 11.10 NEWS.

Weather. the king. 9.00 London. 12.05 Evil touch. TYNE TEES: 9.25 Christian aid week.

9.30 London. 12.25 Hammy Hamster. don. 100 or and rondon. 6.35 Lon- don. 7.00 Mr and Mrs. 8.30 Comedians. 9.00 London. News. 11.45 Streets of San Fran- cisco. 12.40 Lectern. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Date- 2.50 London. 5.25 Crossroads. line. 5.50 London. 6.00 _ Today. 6.30 Univer- challenge. 7.00 London. 12.00 sity Late call.

GRAMPIAN:

10.58 London. 1.38 Schools. 2.52 News. 2.55 London. 5.15 Wildlife theatre. 5.50 London.

6.00 News. 6.05 thompson at tea- Hogan's time. 6.35 London. 1.00 heroes. 7.30 London. 12.00 Meditation.

LEWISHAM: Monday May 21, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers Club, New Cross Road. 'Stalinism and struggle to defend demo the cratic rights' rike ABINGDON: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. Above New Top Taxis, Ock Street. 'Stalinism and the strug- gle to defend democratic rights.'

BATTERSEA: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. 'Nags Head', onr Wands. worth Road/North Street. The economic crisis and the rising cost of living'. DAGENHAM: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. Barking Co-op Hall, Fan- shawe Avenue. 'The inflationary crisis and the rising cost of liv- ing'. TOTTENHAM: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms', High Road, nr White Hart Lane.

HACKNEY: Wednesday May 23, 8 p.m. Parlour Room, Central 'Build the Hall, Mare Street. Revolutionary Party'. LUTON: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m.

Recreation Centre, Old Bedford Road. 'Force the TUC to break off talks with the Tories'.

CONDITIONS

the in Long Kesh internment camp are causing mental prisoners damage to jailed for their opposition to British imperialism in Northern Ireland. One high-ranking officer of Provisional Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Provisional IRA, said that some internees are in danger of 'cracking up'.

'Some lads are withdrawing totally and just remaining in their • beds all day. They read or do nothing at all' One of the worst blows to the health of the internees mental has been the withdrawal of all visits from outside. TALKS continued all yesterday Metals, Nureaton Sterling at between the Transport General Workers' Union and the area management of the Birmid over the group fettlers. The fettlers, who were sacked last Friday for striking, met the regional organizer Ron Marsden.

He told them that if no definite answer was forthcoming for re- instatement, a mass meeting of the factory would be called. He told Workers Press yester- day: 'I met the shop stewards Monday and they have on pledged full support against these sackings. I met the management and on Monday, this morning will be meeting them on wednes- day afternoon. There is no move- ment so far on their part.

'If they do not give an answer on Wednesday a mass meeting of the factory will be called.'

Feeling is beginning to run high in the factory. One worker said: 'We cannot let the manage- ment get away with this. No one will feel safe to voice any griev- ance if they get away with it.'

The 25 fettlers originally struck work on Tuesday, May 8, over a demand for relief workers to be employed on the track.

Steve Dewiss, one of the fettlers, said: 'At the moment we cannot even find time to go to the toilet. The track is continuously running.' The company sacked the work- ers when they did not return to work last Friday. A special executive committee Trades Council is of Nuneaton being called if the men are not reinstated. FOSTER, Yates and Thom Ltd, the Blackburn engineering firm, is to close its Canal Works on • workers will lose June 30. 200 their jobs.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Labour League in Revolutionary Pai Central London Sunday May 20, 7 p.m. The London Film School, 24 Shelton Street (corner Langley Street) London WC2 Speaker: Roger Smith Showing the Pageant Film: 'The Road to Workers' Power'

BY OUR OWN REPC

This follows by protests prisoners against humiliating searches by prison authorities of wives, relatives and friends be- fore they were allowed into the compound. Other forms of mental cruelty include restrictions on material by prisoners needed to make models. Many men at Long Kesh preserve themselves from mental deterioration by making elaborate harps — the symbol of wooden Irish nationhood. Wood supplies have been severely restricted. Only six-inch pieces are allowed into the camp.

Other curbs include the ban- ning of Gaelic in all correspon- dence and the outlawing of the JAMES McCAMBRIDGE, a young remand prisoner, drama- tically interrupted proceedings at Belfast magistrates' court yes- terday claiming that more than 200 men at the city's Crumlin Road prison are now on hunger strike.

RAIL UNIONS IN CON

RAILWAY staff workers yes- terday declared complete op- position to state control of wages, threw out a move to register under the Industrial Relations Act and defeated a call for the TUC to soften its line on the Act. All three developments came at the annual conference of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Asso- meeting in Great Yar- ciation, mouth. Delegates representing the 75,000

TSSA

members voted overwhelmingly to de- stay registered under the Industrial Relations Act. Percy Coldrick, retiring gene- ral secretary, told them: 'We do not wish to opt out of the main of stream trade union feeling in this country? Coldrick, a right-winger of long standing, went on to say it was particularly important to back the TUC fully on the Act because of the forthcoming talks with the Tories on pay. The conference endorsed sub- mission of new pay claim a under Phase Three of the state pay control laws. BARRY WILSON, president of Gomersal branch of the Union of Mine- National workers, is dissatisfied with the action taken by union leaders on pit closures in Yorkshire (dealt with in de- tail on pages 6 & 7 today).

He told Workers Press: ue into the Goole Thursday May 24, 8 p.m. 'Cape of Good Hope' Hull Wednesday May 23, 8 p.m. 'Windmill Hotel' Witham

WN REPORTER

name Long Kesh. The authorities insist that internees call the con- centration camp Her Majesty's Maze Prison to lend it an air of 'respectability. These restrictions are deliber- designed to break ately • totally the internees' spirit. But they have so far been unsuccessful. Internal life goes on with duty routines and political discussion.

Political newspapers, including Workers Press, circulate in the camp and the issues raised are eagerly debated. These physical and political activities are hated by the prison authorities and the army since prisoners' they preserve ability to continue their fight He said that a total of 21l men are on hunger strike in the prison's 'A' wing in protest against brutality. McCambridge (18) faces arms charges with his mother, Mrs Rosaleen MeCambridge, who is on bail. Both were yesterday re- manded until May 22.

N CONFERENCE

PERCY COLDRICK

RAIL locomen's president, Les Felto"" Gèneral Council for its _yesterday slammed

TUC

failure of leadership over the May 1 protest strike. He told the annual conference of the locomen's union, ASLEF, that the General Council's in- structions for, action had been 'weak, degree, unclear and futile to a This, he said, was 'the very mo The decision of the North Yorkshire panel of the NUM to adopt a 'wait-and-see' attitude to pit closures is very disappoint- ing. It amounts, in the case of St John's colliery, to the accept- of the closure. The strike ance called by the Yorkshire NUM for May 14 against pit closures is now in abeyance. Now, instead of a clear lead, a mass of rumours abounds. At Gomersal the NCB is still prob- ing for the two old shafts, the presence of which has led to the virtual shutdown of the colliery.

The NCB has obtained, after some haggling with a local far- mer, the use of five acres of land at a reported price of £750 an This is now fenced off. acre. However, one of the suspected shafts is outside this fence..

The shaft outside the fence is potentially the most dangerous as it is newer, deeper and trick- lined. It has not Many miners feel that in searching for the small shaft and not leasing. the land above the brick shaft, the NCB is simply playing for time. In our opinion, officials are hoping that face good at Gomersal will deteriorate and the pit will become unworkable.

All this delay and confusion is demoralizing the men and puts them in the doldrums. Workers Press, Wedn

LONG KESH CAMP

against oppression. 'Long Kesh is the result of a army in- the Sinn Fein spokes- man said The British army has refined all the techniques for destroying human beings developed in places like Kenya, Malaya, Cyprus and Aden and have put, them all to work at Long Kesh.' The charges against them jointly are that they possessed guns and ammunition at their home in Stanhope Drive, Bel- fast, while James McCambridge is also accused of having nine guns at another address in the city. negation of leadership'. People did not where they stood in relation to concerted action by the unions, he added. Felton called on the TUC to formally censure those who sup- ported the strike call at the March 5 special Congress, but failed to carry it out. These unions had evaded their moral responsibility, he accused.

We doing salvage are still work at the pit, but we could be employed opening up a new face at Blocking Plane 11.

The acceptance of closure by the men at St John's colliery has been a bitter blow and the 'wait- and-see' policy of the Panel is not good enough. Time is vitai. Some of our lads who are travel- ling to work at other pits have been given preferential treatment them to attract from away Gomersal. Also, the new NCB redun- dancy scheme offering an extra sum up to £1,250 for 25 years' service is very tempting to the men who are getting fed up with being messed about. The NCB seems to be prepared to spend millions on redundancy payments. 60-70 per cent of the at Gomersal would men qualify for these payments.

SEE CENTRE PAGES: A special correspondent explains the back- to the lack of fight ground against closures. ""? ess, Wednesday May 16, 1973 PAGE 11

SOCIALIST LABOUR

LEAGUE LECTURES

Given by Gerry Healy, National Secretary of the Socialist Labour League Wednesday May 16. Dialectical Materialism- a Marxist theory of knowledge Wednesday May 23 Theory and Practice of Marxism Wednesday May 30 Role of the revolutionary party at St David's Church Hall, Church Street, Merthyr 7.30 p.m. Jarrow Given by Cliff Slaughter SLL Central Committee member Civic Hall, Jarrow 7.30 p.m. Monday May 21 The Soclallst Revolution in Britain : 2. The roots of capitalist crisis: Marxism and the contradictions of capitalism. Britain and the world crisis. 3. The state and revolution.

Reformism and revolution in Britain. The fight for democratic rights today means preparing for working-class power. Basic reading : Perspectives for transforming the SLL into a revolutionary party.

Marxist Analysis of the Crisis.

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

All Trades Unions Alliance meetings

TEACHERS' MEETING

The way forward after the NUT conference Thursday, May 24, 7.30 p.m.

Conway Small Hall. Red Lion Square, Holborn (admission 10p)

HOSPITAL WORKERS'

MEETING

Hospital workers and the fight against the Tory government Tuesday May 29, 7.30 p.m.

Norfolk Room Caxton Hall, Caxton Street, SW1 (admission 10p) London

BUILDING WORKERS'

MEETING

TUC must break off talks with Tories! Build revolutionary party!

Wednesday, May 30, 7.30 p.m. Tudor Room Caxton Hall. Caxton Street, London SW1 (admission 10p)

POSTAL WORKERS'

MEETING

Break off secret talks with the Tories! Force the Tories to resign!

Sunday, June 3, 10.30 a.m.

Conway Small Hall, Rea Lion Square, Holborn (admission 10p) Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Published by Workers Press, 186a Clapham High Street, SW4 7UG. Loncon, Printed Plough Newsdesk: 01-720 01-622 7029.

Security firms use

FORD PAY FIGHT COLLAPSES

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Wednesday Mi A SOLICITOR MP claimed y that private security compan as Securicor have had unoffici to police records. Mr Stanley Clinton Davis (Lab Central) was questioning the powers to be given to such companies under the Protec- tion of Aircraft Bill, a House of Lords measure designed to protect aircraft and airports against violence. The Bill would give pri- vate security companies the power to search passengers and luggage before being allowed to board aircraft.

Mr Davis told a Commons LORD STOKES, head of E attacked Labour MPs yester about the wages paid to his co in South Africa. His most bitter outburst came when Dr Mark Hughes, MP for Durham, hinted that Stokes would have gone along with slavery had he been a cotton employer in the last century. But earlier in his evidence to Select a House of Commons Committee there was possibly an even more interesting exchange.

In answer to committee chair- William Rogers (Labour, man, workers claimed that all int South Africa for Leyland were now being paid at or above the official poverty line.

Joel Barnett, Labour MP for Heywood and Royton, then asked if the company would be pre- pared to pay above the poverty datum line even if it meant run- ning at a loss. 'It would depend on what the loss was', said Stokes.

FROM PAGE 1

of action must fall on myself.

'They may be right about it.

I would be the last. to say that prepared to members were not accept a strike call in February?

Asked if the NJNC policy was seen as a mistake, Evans said that the strategy of maximum economic sanctions against the minimum company with amount of sacrifice by the work- cost Ford five weeks ers had production. It had been decided on in view of the long strike sacrifice in 1971 and the uncertainty of all-out support for a strike in 1973, as well as doubts about the nesday May 16, 1973 aimed yesterday companies such unofficial access vis (Lab Hackney

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

committee on the Bill it had been alleged that, operating through the 'old boy network, the firms were able to have access unofficially and unlaw- fully to police records. I believe it to have happened.

they have had Indeed unless such unofficial there access, would be no way of Securicor or any of these other organiza- tions being able to make a quite deliberate assertion that none of d of British-Leyland, angrily yesterday after being asked o his company's black workers in a bid to rescue this Then, revealing statement, he went on: to pay for 'We are prepared productivity and for better quality workmanship. If we get and better better productivity workmanship, we quality wouldn't mind the loss.' Haghes asked Dr Mark whether it would be unfair to suggest that if Lord Stokes had in the cotton business in been the United States during the last along with the custom and prac would have century, gone tice of slavery. Angrily Lord Stokes retorted: "That is a most unfair and un- warranted suggestion, We came here in a co-operative spirit. We are quite proud of what we have done in South Africa where we are trying to improve conditions and build-up prosperity.'

To try to compare him with a situation like that Dr Hughes 'unwar- had mentioned was ranted'. ENOCH POWELL has declined an invitation to speak for the Conservative candidate in the forthcoming West Bromwich by- election. In a letter to the candidate, which he released yesterday, Mr to speak would put both of them in a false position. actions of other workers affected by the pay laws. All of this misses the point.

The need is for a political fight and for ending the TUC's col- laborationist role, which entirely on the role of the lead- unions ugh Scanlon of the Jack Jones (T&GWU) engineers. Evans admitted that at yes- terday's discussion, TUC's the role, the overall fight against the Tory pay laws and the mounting difficulties for workers from price rises, were not even dis- cussed. Who is expected to give wor- wit their employees or potențial em- ployees have been involved in serious crime' Mr Davis criticized the uni- forms of private security com- panies which he said could lead to confusion with the police.

'There is evidence that some private enterprise security orga- nizations go out of their way, going as close to a breach of the law as they can, to try to parade their people in uniforms which bear a very close those of the police, Similarity to He felt that the 'vastly ex-

LORD STOKES ...

Poverty-level questior said the candidate, Mr David Bell, had explained to him that he did not share his views on Commonwealth immigration and the Common Market. It would put both of us in a false position if I were to ask the people of West Bromwich to vote for you in a by-election which must largely turn upon kers a lead in the sharpening situation if not the political trade union leaders? But Evans had not one word to say about the deepening crisis of capitalism. Keeping quiet about the crisis and refusing to take workers into all-out strike action against the Tory government is not a mistake. The trade union leaders know Ponto there doin a formists to a man, they already resolved to help the 'British' economy — capitalism - out of its 'difficulties'.

This means a corporatist deal with the employing class and its tended powers' which would be given to private security organi- zations under the Bill, and with- out effective supervision, were wrong. Minister for Aerospace, The Mr Michael Heseltine, said was a specific issue of principle whether or not searches should be carried out. It was a misuse of trained re- sources to rely soley on police, he said. He said some of the reputable organizations consulted the police about uniforms. el questions by MPs upset him.

those very issues Powell's letter The National Front has nomi- nated 30-year-old Martin its national activities or- ganizer, who is calling for a coloured immigration ban on and repatriation of settled immi- grants. The Labour candidate is Miss Betty Boothroyd. Tory government, at the centre of which is wage restraint. With prices rising relentlessly, this, in and tact, means wage-cuts a drop in the working-class stan- dard of living. The unions will now go back to Ford to accept the Phase Two deal and ask for some minor fringe benefits. Along with the rest of the working class, Ford workers will remain totally dissatisfied with the present state of affairs.

Their wages remain held down by Tory laws and by their union leaders' refusal to fight, while capitalist inflation the runs rampant.

MAY FUND

STANDS AT

£477.39

YESTERDAY'S

brought post 219.22, Which Is still not enough to pull our May Fund up. Our total stands at £477.39, leaving £1,272.61 to raise over the next 16 days. We urge you all-do everything you can to raise our total now. As the price of gold rockets, the seriousness of this inflation- ary crisis can clearly be seen.

Workers Press is vital today for preparing workers every- where for the next round of de- flationary measures that the capitalist class must be forced to introduce. Unemployment looms ahead on a mass scale as we face a crisis more severe than even 1929. The speed at which this politi- cal situation is developing re- quires a very special effort for our Fund this month. Don't let days slip by. Help by raising extra amounts-start today. Post every donation immediately to: Workers Press May Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG

WIIP

BRIEFLY - BRIEFLY

EDUCATION Minister Margaret Thatcher yesterday announced that the main rates of student grants fixed for 1973-1974 at an amount up to £20 higher than the current rates, would be in- creased by another f20. The starting point for parental contri- butions is to be raised from £1,100 residual income to £1,500 residual income. A spokesman for the 500,000-strong National Union of Students commented: It does not meet our demand and the NUS grants campaign will continue.' A COVENTRY Prisoners' De- fence Committee has been formed to campaign on behalf of the 'Coventry 6' now held in jail on charges of conspiracy to cause an explosion. The Six are: Father Patrick Fell; Anthony i McCor- mick (18); Thomas Rush (26); Anthony Lynch (46); Francis Stagg (31); and Herbert Francis Kelly (28). The Committee pub- weekly bulletin Free lishes a the Coventry Six' from 27 Paynes Lane, Hillfields, Coventry. It asks for letters to be sent to the prisoners who are being held in Birmingham Prison. REYROLLES, Hebburn, 1,200 workers claim they have been locked out following a pay dis- pute. The men's claim-within the state pay laws of fl plus 4 per cent-included improvements in minimum earnings, increased piece rates and disputes rates. When the claim was rejected, the men decided to work to the national consolidated rate, which reduced production. All Trades Unions • Alliance Meeting What next after the miners' ballot ? The fight against the Tory government

CASTLEFORD

Thursday May 17, 8 p.m. Sagar Street Rooms Speaker: G. Healy (SLL national secretary) After Jones-Aldington What next for dockers?

SOUTHAMPTON

Wednesday May 30, 7.30 p.m.

Conference Room Civic Centre Speaker: M. Banda (SLL Central Committee)