Workers Press no. 1111

workers press

MAKE THE TORY

GOVERNMENT RESIGN

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 1973 • No 1111 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

NO TALKS WITH HEATH

Statement by the SLL Political Committee THE SITUATION facing the working class, following the engineering unions' votes against talks with the Tories, is one of great promise... but also great dangers.

Reflected in the decisions of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, and now of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, is a mighty movement of the working class against the state pay laws, against the rocketing cost of living and against speed-up in the factories.

This movement is proof that the pay laws can be smashed and the Tory govern- ment brought down. Look at the events of the past few weeks: workers

CHRYSLER

bid management Will. ana wol vicious campaign GesDITe the media, picket-line Hoops ana, nany, open strike-busting • AT

PETERBOROUGH,

EDe workers remain deter- Perkins

MUST

to an arrogant and WE SURe overtime Torce WOrk and accept agricultural wages.

SHREWSBURY

and Mold, building pickets singled out for aLLacK. Cover statute, have de- ancient clared their and their determination defend demo- Clauc Hens. THROUGH the AUEW and

CSEU

conferences, powerful section of the working class has taken big step pre- towards leaders' collabora- tion with the Tory government. At the same time, this mass is forcing the movement Tories

TURN TO BACK PAGE

THE BIGGEST and most open discussion ever organized in Great defence basic democratic

TIONIS

wi.. be near belle yue Manchester, Sunday from p.m. to 9 p.m. response Shop stewards committees all Over Have been to Belle go from electing delegations to their factories. docks, shite de, and mines, other places to the invita- WOrK. in response Vue rally tion from the ATUA. special trains are going

TWO

from London direct to Belle Vue Sunday and another from Soulmanoon ane west Country. Coaches will be travel- ling from other towns July 1 Britain. Trade UnOnISTS making way the inerr own will be welcome. rally facilitate discussion, special sound equipment nas been installed in the arena, with 15 different speaking points. VE 29, 1973 No 1111 • 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

£100,000 PARTY

BUILDING FUND

THE battle goes on. Yes- terday we received £20.33.

Outer London £10; Willes- den £3; Castleford £3; Tod- £2.13; morden Glasgow South £2.20. The fund now stands at £51,817.49. It shouldn't be difficult to make £52,000 by the end of this month. This would then leave us with £48,000 to raise by October 31. Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG ades Unions Alliance Confer Every section of the auditorium will have its own microphone.

As a curtain raiser, a film will be shown in colour of the great Pageant of labour history per- formed by hundreds of workers and professional actors at the Empire Pool, Wembley, on March 11. Some highly sophis- ticated machinery will enable the film to be projected simul- taneously on two screens so as to overcome the problems of viewing in a circular arena.

After several hours discus- sion, the rally will end with a specially written satirical cabaret performed by Tom Kempinksi, Corin Redgrave, Kika Markham, Matthew Robert- son, Mike Cronin, Vanessa Red- grave, Tom Marshall, and Victor Brox of Music Force, who wrote and played much of the music for the Pageant. The cabaret, written and pro- Socialist Labour League and International Marxist Group

JOINT MEETING

Defend Basic Democratic Rights Support Shrewsbury 24 FRIDAY JULY 6, 8 p.m. Acton Town Hall High Street, Acton Collection will be made for Shrewsbury 24 Speakers: DAVE JACKSON (Chairman Shrewsbury Defence Committee)

BOB PENNINGTON (IMG)

GERRY HEALY (SLL)

WOMEN on a Manchester pic- ket line are claiming that strike - breaking drivers are endangering their lives. A chair used by pickets has been wrecked under the wheels of one lorry. And in another incident a woman had to jump out of the way of a van which sped through the picket line at Salford Electrical Instru- ments, a Manchester - based subsidiary of the GEC combine.

Mrs Chris Noone - one of the strikers demanding equal pay for staff-spoke about the incident. She said a van owned by an outside transport firm drove up to the picket line. Girls had to jump out of the way and Mrs Freda Wright had her arm brushed by the lorry as it rushed past the picket line.

A chair normally used by pickets was smashed under its wheels. say they can Police do nothing about the incidents but the union's solicitor is investigating. Conference duced by Roger Smith, Tom Kempinski, and the rest of the company, will take a humorous look at some of the difficulties the Tory government and the ruling class have been running into recently. Belle Vue will mark a decisive stage in the campaign to trans- form the Socialist Labour League into the Revolutionary Party through building a new leader- ship in the labour and trade union movement, to put an end to the abject surrenders to the vicious acts of a weak Tory government, and instead bring forward socialist policies as the only solution to the capitalist crisis. TICKETS at £1 are still available from 186a Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UG. BOOK NOW. Or telephone for details. 01-622 7029.

workers press

MAKE THE TORY

COVERNMENT RESIGN

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY JUNE 29, 1973 • No 1111 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

NO TALKS WITH HEATH

Statement by the SLL Political Committee THE SITUATION facing the working class, following the engineering unions' votes against talks with the Tories, is one of great promise... but also great dangers.

Reflected in the decisions of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers and now of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, is a mightv movement of the working class against the state pay laws, against the rocketing cost of living and against speed-up in the factories.

This movement is proof that the pay laws can be smashed and the Tory govern- ment brought down. Look at the events of the past few weeks:

• THE

CHRYSLER

workers fought bid management them lay Will. alla won vicious campaign desoite media, picket-line Inally, open strike-busung. • AT

PETERBOROUGH,

Loe workers remain deter- perkins

(AUST

defeat an arrogant and WE Sinite POR aliciol overtime Lorce work and agricultural code pagi wages.

SHREWSBURY

and Mold, building pickets singled out for allack. Cover ancient statute, have de- clared their defiance and their determination to defend demo- Call rins. THROUGH the AUEW and

CSEU

conferences, section of the working taken big step towards ore. their collabora- Yellin enders tion with the Tory government.

At the same time, this mass movement is forcing the Tories

TURN TO BACK PAGE

BIGGEST and most

THE

open discussion ever organized in Great defence basic democratic

TONES

will be neia al belle vue Manchester, on Sunday from p.m. to 9 p.m. response Shop hoer the count committees all Coully flave to Belle go from electing aelegations to their factories. docks, shipes de, and other mines, places to the invita. Work. response Vue rally tion from the ATUA. Two special trains are going from London direct to Belle Vue Sunday and another from stallell the Country. Coaches will be travel- ling from other towns July 1 Britain. Trade making way the Their own rally will be welcome facilitate discussion, special sound aculement been installed in the arena, with 15 different speaking points. VE 29, 1973 1 • No 1111 • 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

£100,000 PARTY

BUILDING FUND

THE battle goes on. Yes- terday we received £20.33.

Outer London £10; Willes- den £3; Castleford £3; Tod- morden £2.13; Glasgow South £2.20. The fund now at stands £51,817.49. It shouldn't be difficult to make £52,000 by the end of this month. This would then leave us with £48,000 to raise by October 31. Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG ades Unions Alliance Confer Every section of the auditorium will have its own microphone.

As a curtain raiser, a film will be shown in colour of the great Pageant of labour history per- formed by hundreds of workers and professional actors at the Empire Pool, Wembley, on March 11. Some highly sophis- ticated machinery will enable the film to be projected simul- taneously on two screens so as to overcome the problems of viewing in a circular arena.

After several hours discus- sion, the rally will end with a specially written satirical cabaret performed by Tom Kempinksi, Corin Redgrave, Kika Markham, Matthew Robert- son, Mike Cronin, Vanessa Red- grave, Tom Marshall, and Victor Brox of Music Force, who wrote and played much of the music for the Pageant. The cabaret, written and pro- Socialist Labour League and International Marxist Group

JOINT MEETING

Defend Basic Democratic Rights Support Shrewsbury 24 FRIDAY JULY 6, 8 p.m. Acton Town Hall High Street, Acton Collection will be made for Shrewsbury 24 Speakers: DAVE JACKSON (Chairman Shrewsbury Defence Committee)

BOB PENNINGTON (IMG)

GERRY HEALY (SLL)

WOMEN on a Manchester pic- ket line are claiming that strike - breaking drivers are endangering their lives. A chair used by pickets has been wrecked under the wheels of one lorry. And in another incident a woman had to jump out of the way of a van which sped through the picket line at Salford Electrical Instru- ments, Manchester - based a subsidiary of the GEC combine.

Mrs Chris Noone - one of the strikers demanding equal pay for staff-spoke about the incident. • said a van owned by She an outside transport firm drove up to the picket line. Girls had to jump out of way and the Mrs Freda Wright had her arm brushed by the lorry as it rushed past the picket line.

A chair normally used by pickets was smashed under its wheels. Police say they can do nothing about the incidents but union's solicitor is the investigating. Conference duced by Roger Smith, Tom Kempinski, and the rest of the company, will take a humorous look at some of the difficulties the Tory government and the ruling class have been running into recently. Belle Vue will mark a decisive stage in the campaign to trans- form the Socialist Labour League into the Revolutionary Party through building a new leader- ship in the labour and trade union movement, to put an end to the abject surrenders to the vicious acts of a weak Tory and instead bring government, forward socialist policies as the only solution to the capitalist crisis. TICKETS at £1 are still available from 186a • Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UG. BOOK NOW. Or telephone for details. 01-622 7029.

The 'needless slaughter' Nixon vetoes bombing ban 0017 2320 PAGE 2 Workers Press, Friday June 2 Belated admiss POLICE and , troops need inmates and hostages durin riot in New York State il says a Congressional comn The committee also said that after the riot ended, officers beat pri- soners and the wounded went without emergency care. There were 43 dead and 80 wounded after the • riot had been put down. The report blames the police for using buckshot rounds in their 12-gauge •Shotguns loaded shotguns. with double-0/ ammunition were, of course, incredibly weapons for inaccurate such a situation. "Their use led to the wounding and killing of hostages and inmates who PRESIDENT Nixon's de- cision to use his powers of veto and overrule the Congress on the bombing of Cambodia, is a direct constitutional challenge to the legislature. The veto enables the ad- ministration to . bomb- go on ing in Indo-China despite the majority vote of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. An amendment barring fur- ther bombing had been tacked onto a bill authorizing $3,300m in supplementary appropriations for various government agen- cies. Democrats' leader Senator Mike Mansfield said the Con- gress would continue to attach the amendment to other Bills until the bombing ban was passed. The Senate has now attached the anti-bombing amendment to a bill extending the Federal government's debt limit $465,000m for five months.

Unless the Bill passes Con- gress and is signed into law by midnight Saturday the statutory debt ceiling becomes $400,000m while the actual debt is $455,000m. Nixon claimed that depart- ments and agencies would run out of money to pay their staff and benefit payments to old and disabled people would dry up if the Bill passed was not promptly without the offending amendment. In an arrogant message to Congress he said a halt to 273:0 garry M lay June 29, 1973 s needlessly slaughtered s during the Attica prison State in September 1971 1 committee. in a hos- prison, but 'emergency were not acting eye-witness tile the report services not testimony, most persons in Illahille, Attica available until four authority at some the the police decided ater acknowience Days stopped. reprisals had taken place, intensifv their firepower the report said. for the assault after the 'The agony It officials re- had paraded the did also prisoners not sall fused to discredit stories austates ALeS atrocities by prisoners with suffering, however, for in- Lne althones hostages, even though such knives at their throats. mates subjected to 'had been widespread beatings. alicaliuld It says: "In fact only four thoroughly discredited by hostages were wounded by 'Doctors who made physicians who had per- Inventory •r inmate mllmes formed autopsies'. wounds upon them when eight days after the assault added that officials the asault began- 45 -none reported that per cent 'seemed to be almost para- these died Yard hostages lysed inhumanly

LOUI

from the knife wounds.' broken bones, cuts, abra- bureaucratic

TOT

sions or other injuries. The fired more days to notify the families than rounds into the of dead prisoners. In spite of these findings, LeT CIR ready. Right: A medic after treating Inmates. THE FRENCH governmen Pabloite Ligue Communiste raided last week after its me neo-fascist organization Ord During the police raid, books about and equipment printing, rifles on the which th Krivine said had been brought t unknown man. out against Ine bombing tnere Vietnam agreements were signed. The use of the veto against the amendment effectively consti- tutional status of the Instead of body that can declare war, it is Cambodian bombing would of his own future on a Vietnam now in position where the jeopardize agreement 'gravely ability' which will certainly TRe President can do what he likes the Lon Nol government to collapse once Nol driven about war and peace unless prevent victory Cambodian out of the Congress can muster Cabilal. two- and the installation US thirds majority Under the constitution, controlled government in Congress alone has the power Congress Phnom Penh'. is faced with what exer- It has amounts to a presidential coup- declare Wal.

' 1CVCI

This would threaten the power in relation d'etat at a time when the Water- Ciser *fragile Indo-China, where US imperial- scandal Dalance eating SaLc agreements. on which my ism full-scale has waged war Nixon's last reserves of public Vietnam without support. was based', Nixon a formal declaration. Nixon is backed by powerful The escalation of the Vietnam sections of the military and the Ending bombing would war made possible stand Was manutacturers Wino strike 'a serious blow of 1964 Tonkin Gulf resolution profit the continued 11 Ull ica's international credibility which was passed through slaughter Indo-China. would of De Tell Congress an atmosphere far beyond Indo-China, But his blatant and cynical he said. mysteria une defance of Congress. combined Whatever it does to American deception and trickery. with his contemptuous end to prestige, the bombing But there has been submit to similar to cross-examination no help neither Will Certay Congressional Watergate COnSCIl Serical. Nixon nor Lon Nol. war against Cambodia. And must increase the growing lobby Nixon has pinned a good deal Congress explicitly for his impeachment. come President Salvador Allende tial palace Allende, backed the yesterday placed the province offered his which Stalinists, sent in has strike- Allende refused. •reakers police agalnst rule alleged the miners. ine done s own along attempt deep crisis that It depends in- creasingly Clashes army chief General Carlos ироп men between supporters Prats for like its survival. and opponents of the Pooual The Unity government copper-mining The general drew his O'Higgins province has been day occurences and the threat military rule the tyres of since early of right-wing volver shot under take-over Tiences bones closer Santlago: street •corner. strike in support of a wage betrayals Allende and his _ater he drove to the presiden- claim. Stalinist backers. ernment yesterday banned the muniste whose premises were r its members clashed with the ion Ordre Nouveau. books and pamphlets were throwi ipment damaged. They found two which the Ligue's secretary Alain rought there a week before by an He said that disciplinary ineasures had been taken against those leaders who had known about the arms and not taken immediate steps to get rid of them. Yesterday's cabinet meeting.

chaired by president Pom- pidou, also banned Ordre Nouveau whose meeting last Friday was held under police protection and was directed against immigrants in France.

Communist Party The did nothing to support the Ligue's counter-demonstration. Yet a call from the Com- munist Party and the CGT would have been sufficient to bring tens of thousands of workers onto the streets and make the holding of a pro-Nazi racialist meeting in Paris impossible. A couple of days before they had held a demonstration defence of democratic liber- ties' from which left-wing groups were banned. The government move now opens the way for the banning of all left-wing groups as hap- pened after the May-June events of 1968. No one will be deceived by its 'impartiality' in also banning Ordre Nouveau.

which evidently enioys support in the police and in some Gaullist circles. • Despite the great political differences which we have with the Lique Communiste we call on all working-class organiza- tions to demand the immed- iate withdrawal of this in- famous ban. URUGUAY'S military regime has closed down the country's municipal councils after impos- ing a Press censorship and curb- President ing civil rights. Bordaberry announced that new local bodies would be set up by the government. With parlia- ment also dissolved, the country once held up as a model demo- cracy has become a complete dictatorship.

Five unions unite in liaison committee Nottm newspaper chiefs sack 300 workers THE DIRECTORS of Nottingha strike-bound papers yesterday wen and fired 300 printers and journalists this week the board warned tha strikers failed to show up, they woul missed. A company statement said that the lengthy meeting with the five unions had been dead- locked over one item-a no- victimization clause. T. Bailey Forman is in the pro- of converting to web-offset cess palating. Is papers are still be- conventional printed rotary press until the new web is installed later this year.

During the interim period, the company decided to make press using the plates for the an American machine, the Grace Letter Flex process. On Monday, June 18, SLADE the morning news- members on 'Guardian Journal, the paper, told the firm was con- were verting to Letter Flex that night. The SLADE men said that as the manning of the process had to be decided by a joint meeting with the NGA taking place on June 25 they could not operate the machinery.

Three members of the pro- agreed to department cess operate it and so the 'Guardian Journal' of June 19 was pro- duced this way. A MASS meeting of over 5,000 British - Leyland wor- kers at Leyland, Lancs, voted overwhelmingly yesterday to reject management's latest pay offer. British-Leyland has form- ally dropped its call for in- dustrial engineers to be pre- sent on the shop floor, but to negotiate refuses any claim above the government's norm of fl plus 4 per cent.

meeting voted Earlier the by 3,000 votes to 2,000 against action against all-out strike management proposals. firm British-Leyland, wants a commitment that there will be negotiations for the no further the existing lower paid, that mutuality system of new piecework jobs should end and that the factory average should be frozen. Len Brindle, AUEW conven- or, told Workers Press: "The for the main vote reason against a strike was that it was just before the holiday. A lottingham's two day went ahead urnalists. Earlier ned that if the hey would be dis- On June 19 the 'Evening Post' SLADE again members refused to operate the units, There were local negotiations, but these failed to produce any agreement and the SLADE mem- bers were sent home. claimed The firm shortage of chemi- that be- cause of a cals and materials used in old process, it couldn't switch back pending the joint talks.

That day the National Union of Journalists' (NUJ) chapel met and told the management they would not contribute to a paper produced by a blacked method. The management would so the NUJ not convert back members stopped work on pro- the next day's 'Guar- ducing dian' A point that incensed the NUJ members was a request from the editor earlier in the day to photograph the SLADE pickets-clearly not a news picture. That night the NUJ staff also came out. The following day, June 20, mandatory the NUJ held a chapel meeting which repeated

WAGES

EQUAL PAY

general policy of the shop ste- The wards in their drawn-out battle with the employers has been a series of guerrilla strikes over management's refusal to nego- tiate separate shop agreements.

Management has told stewards that if this action 'continues men will be laid off.

interpreted the Mr Brindle vote as putting the manage- ment in an even greater dilem-

FROM A NOTTINGHAM

CORRESPONDENT

their offer to work if the firm kept to its present agreements.

But this was rejected and the dispute was made official.

Meanwhile there a was of SLADE, general meeting NUJ and NGA who were joined later in the day by NATSOPA and SOGAT paper- workers. meeting therefore in- This cluded all the production staff supervisors, except overseers, editorial department heads and a number of editorial blacklegs.

The firm decided not to publish the 'Guardian Journal' from Wednesday June 20, and since. it has not been published They managed to produce an edition of the 'Even- emergency ing Post' which has been cut from its normal 32 pages to 16, from 160,000 copies to 50,000. The five unions set up a joint liaison committee to run the dispute and together have hour-picket, a 24 organized catering publicity, service, links with other unions and ma. We shall continue as we are under the present set up.

right to If they refuse us the negotiate on behalf of our mem- bers, they had better watch out. 'We will have to withdraw guerrilla tactics after this vote.

We still want a claim for a increase substantial the across board with no strings, but we factory en- will not tolerate gineers on the shop floor nor We have a policy of lay-offs. no redun- work-sharing and dancies.' Over the AUEW decision to end the talks with the Tories, Brindle said: Mr It was the right decision. Our union is giving the only lead. At present there is a lull up and down the country of effective. militancy. The most way of implementing the policy of our union is not to talk to the Tory government and then justify it to our members.

'Now the battle will be on, as the Tory Press shows. The question is, what will happen at the T&GWU two weeks' time, conference in Workers Press, F general meetings involving all those in the dispute twice a day. An NUJ spokesman told Workers Press that it is prob- ably the first time in the news- paper industry that such joint between all the news- action paper unions has taken place.

This is because all the union the members claiming are management has been trying to force through its policies with- They also consultation. out complain of an anti-trade union attitude shown by managing director Mr Christopher Bole- an ex-navy lieutenant Carew, commander. The chairman of the company which owns Nottingham's news- Colonel iS paper monopoly T. E. Forman Hardy, a former the South Master of Notting- hamshire Hunt. He also owns a large share in a local brewery and has bought a large just in South of farmland area Africa. assistant general manager The happens to be Bole- (who Just is an Carew's brother-in-law) ex-RAF wing commander called Theo Kearton. main duty appears to be to pilot the chair- ABOUT 200 members of the Amalgamated Union of En• gineering Workers at Dibben Structural Engineers, South- ampton, have been on official strike for three weeks over a lock-out dispute. The strike followed a break- down of pay negotiations for the office staff. Seven of the office staff are members of the technical and supervisory sec- tion (TASS) of the AUEW. Shop steward of the con- struction workers (CEU), Mr John Harris, told Workers Press he saw management three weeks ago about the wage issue. Management re- fused to negotiate saying that the AUEW had no negotiating rights for the office staff.

TASS then called an official strike and the construction

GET YOUR BOOKS. PER

NEWSPAPERS FR

PAPEKBACKS

28 CHARLOTTE

LONDON,

Open Monday to rs Press, Friday June 29, 1973 PAGE 3 man's private aeroplane which is run by a subsidiary com- TBF (Aviation) Limited, pany, and take photographs which are the company's news- used in papers. receiving full As well support from,the Nottingham- shire branch of the, National Union of Mineworkers, support for the strikers has come from a number of sources including Nottingham Trades Council, the shop stewards, Raleigh and a Plessey shop stewards formal resolution moved by the of Mansfield at Mayor borough council meeting earlier this week. Senior Labour councillors on Nottingham City Council have agreed not to supply informa- to the blackleg tion dispute any Paper during the Greater Nottingham Co-opera- Society has withdrawn its tive from the paper. advertizing On Monday this week agree- reached between ment was SLADE and NGA. On Tuesday the unions drew up their terms settlement for a return for a to work. These terms are at present being discussed by the board of directors. workers decided to ban over- time in support. Management stepped into the fight by telling the con- struction men not to go into work that day and refused to pay for the time lost. This provoked arbitrary decision the CEU men into taking strike action. Non union office staff have continued to go into work, but the pickets have had consider- able success in turning back lorries. Dibben Structural En- gineers are part of the huge United Builders conglomerale( UBM). Dibben Merchants Merchants Builders part of the UBM group. At a mass meeting this week decided to picket strikers DBM to step up their pressure on management.

KS. PERIODICALS AND

PERS FROM THE

ACKS CENTRE

LOTTE STREET

DON, W1

Iday to Saturday

PAGE 4 Workers Press. Friday June 29. 1973 A discussion around the policies which will be debated at the All Trades • Unions ter, Sunday July 1st-3 p.m.

THE NATIONAL Com- will more and more disrupt and expose mittee of the All Trades these plans Phase Three of the state Unions Alliance has pay laws. called a national rally It is this massive class of trade unionists at basis for the launching of Belle Vue, Manchester, which the struggle forms Revolutionary Party. for July 1, as a further Therefore it is vitally step in the preparations urgent that these new devel- for building the Revolu- opments, which greatly as- tionary Party. sist the launching of the Revolutionary Party, should This follows on the very be discussed by the largest successful ATUA conference possible of dele- number of 2,200 workers at Birming- and visitors to the gates October 22, 1972, ham on July 1 conference. which launched the cam- Arrangements are in hand paign. to provide appropriate facili- founding The conference ties for such discussion of the Party will be held in Manches- at the Belle Vue, London at the end of Octo- ter, one of the largest as- ber 1973. The basis of the sembly halls in the north and pro- draft perspectives of England. Invitations to gramme for the Party, which delegations have already being dis- are currently gone out. cussed in the pages of the The ATUA calls upon all Workers the Press, was those workers, who want to ATUA National Committee's end the state pay laws and adopted at Birm- statement restore free negotiations ingham last year. for between trade wages a statement adopted to unions ano employers, on May 13 by the ATUA in join the demand for break- for the preparation July off all talks with the ing conference, the National government on Phase Three.

Committee declared: The fight for the defence The further turn in the basic democratic rights Of crisis grave economic is inseparable from now caused by the political and build the the struggle to economic effects of the Revolutionary Party. Nixon scandal will have We believe that the July profound influence on the 1 rally can be an important inflationary boom in Britain landmark in the struggle to and the policies of the Tory unite the working class on and Labour leaders. the basis of socialist poli- The Tories have laid cies to create the necessary plans for a corporate state, and political industrial con- the sharpening class but ditions for forcing the Tory resulting from the struggle government intensification of the crisis to resign. the talks will show we don't Mick Stapleton (23) IS a T&GWU fork lift stew- ard at Chrysler's Ryton works. Do you think it is possible to get rid of the state pay laws without getting rid of the Tory government? No. That's the first step to- wards getting rid of all these wage controls. You've got to get rid of them before you can do anything. The Tory government are the big firms.

They always have been. In the papers this morning has Commission the Price given the go-head for price increases on children's clothes food stuffs. Jack and even Jones is crying out that this is all wrong. Yet Jones is still there talking to the Tory gov- ernment. All they are doing there is talking about ways and means of keeping our wages down.

Jones is shouting about price rises, but he's not fighting them to stop the whole lot, to get these people out. What do you think of the role of leaders like Jones and Scanlon collaborating with the Tories over the pay laws and Phase Three? If they talk to them, it's like saying that the trade union movement agrees with any- it. thing that comes out of But we're not. No trade union can agree on wage restraint when they are letting prices go up and up. lhe price increases announ- ced this morning-that's your £l plus 4 per cent gone right away—on necessities. It's not luxuries, but necessities that are going up. If they are going to restrict us to fl plus 4 per cent, we're going to end up on the streets with nothing.

Until we get rid of this Tory government you won't change that. We've got to have a Labour government as a start so that we can re- build what the Tories are knocking down. Do you think that the present Labour and trade union leaders want to get rid of the Tories? They're not pushing anything.

The trade union leaders are collaborating all the time, so while they are doing that they can't be fighting to get rid of them can they? If they withdraw from the now, it will talks altogether Tories we don't show the want their policies and that we don't want them in. That's the place to start. Are you in favour of the Belle Vue rally to launch the campaign in the unions for a new leadership? I'm going to Belle Vue to see what policies can be drawn up to force the downfall of this Tory government. If we rein- state a Labour government, it might be with the policies agreed to, say, at Manchester.

I'm not going because I'm a any particular member of party. I'm going to see if that conference has got anything to offer me. I'm looking in the 'Daily Mirror' to see what they've say about workers' got to participation. I know the SLL disagrees with workers' parti- cipation, but everything has got to be looked at. Workers have got to find out where they've got to go. Mick Stapleton: 'You've only got to lo niques they used to see the lengths em down.' With the dispute we've just had at Chrysler and the crisis we've got too, it must have made a lot of them sit up and say 'We've got to do some- thing now. We can't keep letting this happen with the employers putting us out when they feel like it, prices going up and our wages going down.

We've got to do something.'

Only by going to places like Belle Vue, reading what the 'Mirror' says about participa- tion and all the other things -and working it out in your own mind which is best-can we get anywhere. The one that comes out with . the strongest policies is going to win.

If this happens at Belle Vue, they will be the people who win in the end. will You've got to go to these things to find out for yourself what poli- cies can be adopted. If you have strong policies adopted at Belle Vue, we'll go forward and fight on those policies.

We'll possibly make the Labour government fight on those policies-obviously they will be socialist policies.

This conference is the right thing. We've got to get some- thing. The crisis in the car industry at the moment is coming to boiling point. You can see it. The disputes are springing up all over the place with workers trying to fight the employer and the Tory government. One supports the other. You've got to have some- thing or somebody to fight back and if we don't do it now, it's going to be too late.

working man The will be downtroaden and he'll be made to stay there. We've got of formulate some kind to policy now. The basic democratic rights of the working class are under attack. How can the working class be united to defend these rights? Are protests and one-day strikes enough? Personally I can't see that one- day strikes prove anything. Lads come up to me and say 'With a one-day all strike we're going : to do is lose money.' What experiences have you had which make you believe that getting got to look at the strike-busting tech- ngths employers will go to keep workers rid of the Tory government is an urgent task? I'm a single man and it might be better to have the views of a married man, but I represent a lot of them. Some are having to pay £60 a month mortgage.

Why, the rate of interest on the mortgage is going up and up and up under a Tory gov- ernment. Where will it end?

The only person who is get- ting richer is not the working man, it's the mortgage com- panies and the house-builders and people like that. which I'm I've got a car buying on HP. I've got to find the payments every month, petrol keeps going up and the insurance is colossal. While they are keeping my wages down, the Tories are going to force me off the road.

It all boils down to This is the Tory government affecting me'. • My mother finds it more and more difficult every week to buy the groceries. Eventu- ally she's going to come to me and say she wants some more money. This morning they've agreed to price increases in clothes.

I'm not able to go to work and get more money because I'm restrained by the govern- Keeping the workidow man ment. It all boils down and the sooner he fights his way back up to the top the better. If we don't we'll be in a hell of a mess. To go back to Chrysler. You've only got to look at the strike-busting techniques they used to see the lengths the employers will go to keep the working man down. The working man has got to unite and bring in strong enough policies to counteract what they are doing. Look at Perkins, where they've got a complete lock- out. If anything should be against the law, it's a person being locked-out of his em- ployment when he wants to go in. Just because men ban over- time isn't a reason. Overtime does people out of work any- way. Nobody should have to rely on that. To lock men out for refusing to work overtime —no firm should have the right to do that. Then there's these builders.

They have charged them with conspiracy to trespass. We just can't go on like this.

'The present leadership doesn't represent the workers' Mick Day (23) is a sur- face worker at Frickley Colliery, South Elmsall, Yorkshire. Do you think it is possible to get rid of the state pay laws without getting rid of the Tory government? It isn't possible to get rid of the without state laws pay getting rid of the Tories. They imposed the laws for a specific reason — they wanted the unions and every working man in the country really trapped.

I don't think any pressure will make the Tories give way on the laws. They are laws for the capitalist class. Every law a Tory government passes will be in the interests of the capitalist class. There's no chance of getting rid of such laws without getting rid of the Tories. They are alien to the working class. Do you think the Labour and trade union leaders want to force the Tories to resign? No, the Labour leaders want to work within capitalism. A Labour government wouldn't abolish the Tory laws, though they might change them slightly. The present leaders of the working class prefer to let the Tories go on, rather than mobilize working the class behind them. They could have mobilized the working class before now if they'd had any intention of getting rid of the Tories. What experiences have you had that make you believe getting rid of the Tory government is an urgent task? Wages for a start. The state pay laws gave us about £2.29, when we'd wanted £5 to £6.

The union leadership just took the best they could get under the laws. Then there are increases in prices which hit everybody.

As a single man, I'm better off than some. Most men have to work overtime. A married won't take man on my job home more than about £20 on a five-day week. He'd have to work most weekends and overtime. That's not much of a life. You can't stay a few hours over on my job. To work over, you have to do a double shift —16 hours a day. Some men are doing three or four double week, just to make shifts a ends meet. I work with about 30 men and only about four of them are not working double shifts. at Thorpe I was picketing Marsh power station during last year's miners' strike.

It made all the miners more aware of what could be done, but we were betrayed in the end. We could have stuck out.

It would have been possible to bring the Tories down. What do you think of the TUC's collaboration with the Tories over the pay laws and Phase Three? It's totally wrong that the trade union leaders should have these talks. The Tories are an opposing body. The union leaders tend to come agreement with the to an Tories instead of standing out, shows this weakness. which They think it's better to come sort of agreement to some instead of opposing the Tories.

They're frightened in the pre- sent conditions of what would follow from not coming to an agreement. I read in Workers Press about the union leaders secret talks with Heath - they had told us they had broken them off and they were continuing them all the time. Socialist Labour League members had told me this would happen and I hadn't believed them at first, but they were right. Workers Press puts you right on a lot of things. What do you think of the role of the leaders like Jack Jones and Hugh Scanlon in this collaboration? Such leaders as Jones and Scanlon only talk left wing.

They speak the way they think people want them to speak, but they don't really act in that way. Members of their union have put a lot of faith in these men, because they thought they would fight for a better deal, they haven't practised but what they've preached. Now the

AUEW

have stopped Scanlon going to these perhaps they've seen talks, through him now. The Communist Party sup- the ports Scanlon and Jones be- cause they've got similar ideas to the Communist Party. But the idea that people will come to communism in their own time is silly. The Socialist Labour League goes to the working class and tries to make them see what's capitalism. The wrong with waits Communist Party just for people to drift in.

COLLEGE

SHIVEOSITY

ALL TRADE UNIONS

ALLIANCE

RECALL

ool

BREAK OFF

THE

ALL TALKS

ALLI

UNIONS

TUC

WITH

HEATH

BNIONE

ALI

1831

TOLPUDDLE

1972

PENTONL

ENTRANCE

POWER-

STATE OF

EMERGENCY

Picketing during the miners' strike. power station the miners more aware of what could be done, but we were betrayed Above: ATUA members lobby the trade union leaders in te ene during the dock strike. Central to their demands on the TUC was for them to break off all talks with Heath.

The basic democratic is the strength of the show working class if they went on rights of the working General Strike. General class are under attack. Strike could bring down the What can be done to that's and the the

TUC

main reason unify people in defence doesn't call one. of these rights? The Communist Party said Are protest and one-day a one-day strike was the be- ginning of the mobilization of strikes enough? the working class, but One-day strikes have no effect alternative wasn't."t at all. The only thing they to that. May 1 was deliberately

PAGE 5

• Pross, Friday June 29, 1973 organized to have the least effect possible. Some unions even told the men to please themselves whether • to strike or not. What do you think can be done to build a new leadership? You've got to • new leadership. You've got to re- place the old leaders with a leadership, trained which understands it's got to fight for the working class. The trade unions have done a lot for the working class, but now, by talking to the Tories, they have shown their weakness. The All Trades Unions Alliance campaign to take the working class to power is the most construotive way forward The leadership present doesn't represent the workers.

We've got to get new leaders from the working class itself— leaders who do what they say they'll do. Are you in favour of a mass rally of trade unionists to build this leadership? This will have the most effect.

I didn't go to the Wembley Pageant of Labour because I didn't know about it. Workers Press and 'Keep Left' had only just come to' our area then, though some people went. A man at work whose son went to the Pageant told me about it and I was really upset that I hadn't been myself.

But I'm definitely going to Belle Vue. There are 15 going from Hemsworth so far, but there should be more by the weekend..

THE TORIES WAR ON

COUNCIL HOUSING

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Friday June 2º

BY PHILIP WADE

Millions of workers who look hopefully towards being rehoused have had their hopes smashed by the Tory government. The White Paper, new 'Better cynically entitled Homes--the Next Priorities' declares war not on slum land- lords but on the idea of coun- cil housing. The decaying, twilight areas of Britain's major cities are in fact to remain intact, apart from a little tarting up.

Taking a leaf out of the Labour leadership's book, the Tories, led by ex-building boss Geoffrey Rippon, plan to hand over huge sums of money to the landlords and developers.

Hailed as the new dawn by fawning commentators in the Tory Press, the White Paper is no more than a reaffirma- tion-if one was needed-that municipal housing is a non- starter under this government.

One family in six lives in a ay June 29, 1973 dwelling which either lacks amenities like a bathroom or an inside toilet or which is ds actually unfit for human habi- tation, to use the official phrase. Over 2.5 million dwellings are involved,. most of them owned by private landlords.

These conditions are to be found covering whole areas of the big cities. They have been and remain a veritable breed- ing-ground for Rachmanism and harassment of all kinds.

It is not just the small land- who is involved here. In lord many cases the freehold is owned by a big company or developer. On no occasion in the past have these people ever at- tempted to do anything with their properties other than collect the rent and harass their tenants. The Tories in parliament who represent the landlord class, among others, begin with a ruthless determination to destroy municipal housing.

In this way, they hope to 1 a force business towards their friends in the private sector, while at the same time driving down the conditions of the working class. This is the philosophy lying the hated "fair rents' behind Act-which aims to double council rents-and the fact that last year fewer municipal dwellings were built than in any year since 1962. On the twilight housing areas, the White Paper makes going to it clear what is not take place: 'In the majority of cases, it is no longer preferable to attempt to solve the problems arising from bad housing by schemes of widespread, com- prehensive redevelopment,' it says. This is a declaration of war on workers living in the worst housing. In a sentence, the way out through rehousing is blocked. As far as the Tories are concerned, that basic right, established largely since 1945, is to end. The Tories try to justify this statement in the White Paper with a declaration which carries the art of decep- tion to new heights. Local people, it declares, have 'an understandable pre- ference for the familiar, and in many ways, more convenient in which they environment have lived for many years' So Tory 'investigators' have found that workers living in of Notting the worst areas Hill do not want to be dis- turbed, least of all rehoused!

It reminds you of those picture 'probes' newspaper where the first ten Tories a reporter can lay his hand on are asked what they think of strikes. What the Tories mean is that public housing costs too much and workers will have to stick with what they have got. Not surprisingly, therefore, the Tory White Paper actually landlords give proposes to bigger improvement grants.

And local councils are to be given the splendid opportunity of buying up newly-converted flats. Developers selling five flats in one house at £16,000 a flat do not mind who they sell to.

What will happen in these cases is that the local rate- payers will provide his profit by paying the money for buy- ing up the property. And while the landlords and developers get on with the business of smashing old pro- perties and turning them into luxury flats, local councils will be obliged, under the pro- posals, to take in all the either tenants dispossessed, temporarily or permanently.

So, the friends of the Tories get it all ways. From now on they won't even have to worry about providing alternative accommodation for former tenants. Paul Channon, Minister of Housing and Construction, had this to say at the Press conference to launch the White Paper: It doesn't seem such a bad deal for landlords. If I was a private landlord I'd be fectly happy to stay one Say no more.

PAGE 8

Workers Press, Friday June 29, 1973

BY ROYSTON BULL

In his whole piece discus- sing the current political situation, Communist Party industrial organizer Bert Ramelson does not utter one word about the world economic crisis, which is the starting point for any analysis. Instead of determining the character of the period we are living in and making an assess- ment of the necessary

TASKS

facing the working class, Ramelson produces useless subiective impressions of what he thinks workers for. In 'What is be Done?' to Lenin attacked the 'Rabocheye Dyelo' tendency, sup- ported spontaneity, in the tollowing way: 'We need only point "Rabocheye Dyelo' that the considered that it was impos- sible to set tne overtrow as the

FIRST

the autocracy task of the mass working-class and degraded this novement. task to that of a struggle for immediate political demands.

(Foreign Languages Publishing Moscow 1950, pp. 76- House, 77) ay June 29, 1973 Describing another mistake, "The "stages Lenin wrote: theory', or the theory of "timid zig-zags" in the political strug- in the follow- gle is expressed ing way: "Political demands, which in their character are common to the whole of Russia, should however at first corres- pond to the experience gained by the given stratum of work- ers in the economic struggle.

Only on the basis of this ex- perience can and should poli- tical agitation be taken up": (Ibid p.77.) Lenin categorized these con- fusions as 'the programme of a whole trend, expressed the words: That struggle is desirable which is possible, and the struggle which is pos- sible is the one that is going on at the given moment. This is of un- precisely the trend bounded opportunism, which passively adapts itself to spon- taneity? (Ibid pp. 79-80.)

General Strike Lenin writes of the very earliest activities of Marxists in Russia that although they zealously carried out economic agitation, 'they did not regard their sole task. Right this as from the very beginning they advanced the widest historical tasks of Russian Social- Democracy (the revolutionary movement) in general, and the task of overthrowing the auto- cracy in particular'. (Ibid pp.

52-53.) Can Ramelson explain what Lenin was doing 'imposing tasks beyond the level of political achievement' more than 20 years before the Octo- ber Revolution and at a time when only the tiniest minority of workers supported Marxist 'political objectives'; which are the two crimes he accuses the SLL of? Ramelson implies that con- ditions not ready for a are General Strike in Britain.

Lenin wrote of the Ramel- sons of his day: 'The Econom- ists want to shift the blame entirely upon the "absent con- ', upon the influences ditions" of material environment that determine the road from which it will be impossible for any ideologist to divert the move- ment. 'What is this but slavish cringing before spontaneity, the infatuation but of the "ideologists" with their own shortcomings?' (Ibid. p.55.)

Addressing those who claim- ed, like Ramelson, that 'the of workers themselves mass Ramelson. Above: Jones In discussion March 5 Special Congress had thrown nothing strategy, originally accepted emergency motion the two leaders later and stoppage' was to head off calls fo advanced have not yet • the militant political broad and tasks that the revolutionaries are attempting to "impose" up- on them', (Ibid. p.169) Lenin wrote: 'Plekhanov was a thousand times right when he not only pointed to this revolutionary class, not only proved that its awakening spontaneous was inevitable and unavoidable, but also when he set even "work- ers' circles" a great and lofty political task. But you refer to the mass movement that has sprung up since that time in order to degrade this task, in order to narrow down the Jones Scanion: 'day of protest energy and scope of activity of the workers' circles" amateurs 'If you are primitive enamoured of vour methods, what are you then?

You boast that you are prac tical, but you fail to see what every Russian practical worker the namely, miracles knows, that the energy not only of even of individual circles but persons is able to perform in the revolutionary cause. 'Or do you think that our movement cannot produce heroes like those of the 'seven- ties? But why? Because we training? But lack training ourselves, will go on

training and acquire the train- ing. 'Unfortunately it is true that mould has formed on the sur- face of the stagnant waters of the "economic struggle against the employers and the govern- ment"; people have appeared among us who kneel in prayer to spontaneity, gazing with awe (as Plekhanov expresses it) upon the "posteriors" of the Russian proletariat. 'But we will get rid of this mould. The time has come Russian revolutionaries, when guided by a genuinely revolu- tionary theory, relying upon the genuine revolutionary and spontaneously awakening class, can at last rise to full stature in all their giant strength.

'All that is required is that the masses of our practical and the still larger workers, of those who long for masses practical work even while still at school, shall meet with scorn and ridicule any sugges- tion that may be made to de- grade our political tasks and to restrict the scope of our organ- izational work' (Ibid. pp.173- 174.) The Socialist Labour League is dedicated to breaking work- ers from their trade-unionist way of thinking and from all the individual influences of the bourgeoisie, whether reformist, revisionist or Stalinist.

present level Ramelson, reformist, the does not want workers to go beyond their present level of development. This is nowhere better illus- trated than in his praise for the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions, 'the most significant achievement of any rank-and-file movement in nearly half a century' And what has the LCDTU done? 'Since it came into exis- tence seven years ago, it has succeeded in winning the or- ganized trade union movement the major plank of its for policy: that only on the basis of militant action involving the organized movement will it be possible to frustrate the rul- ing-class attempts to deprive the unions of their right to use industrial action', Ramelson writes. In other words, more mili- tancy and protest strikes but nothing else. No suggestion of a qualitatively new struggle on a political level to defeat the Tory laws. what is And Ramelson boasting of anyway? The Tory pay laws have taken away the right to use industrial action on the most fundamental ques- tion of all, wages. This Tory attack is unprece- dented in over 100 years his- of trade unionism in tory Britain, It accurately reflects the unparalleled political and economic crisis the capitalist class are facing. Yet here is Ramelson blindly wittering on about the 'achievement' of the

LCDTU.

The total inadequacy of pure 'militancy' on its own could not be better exposed. And what in fact was the LCDTU doing while the basic right to strike for wages was being abolished in Britain?

It in true Stalinist was, fashion, calling conferences ever-dwindling (attended by numbers) at which no real dis- cussion was allowed, resulting last time in a 20-minute brawl between Stalinists and revis- ionists at the Friends Meeting House, London. Ramelson claims that as a result of LCDTU pressure, Jack Jones and Hugh Scanlon, leaders of the Transport and Unions, have Engineering pushed the trade union move- ment to the left by getting the TUC Special Congress to call a national day of protest and stoppage on May 1. Another curious 'achieve- ment' to claim credit for.

Tones and Scanlon put up their protest proposal at the Special Congress shock defeat of the eral Council's policy backed by Jones an ol no action at all. After the prote: their intention friendly negotiati Heath, and that is e they have done. But Ramelson "The decision have been taken enemy had main the lefts within the movement rather th class.' demagogic ent the end of the Ramelson must aga rected. Jones and Scanlo ing to help the mas the trade defeat the members of the TU committees which d policy, by their sile fact condoned it. That the T&GWU delegatior Congress voted the political campa ried out elsewhere the personal roles o Scanlon. But why deal with the much portant issue carry out the decisi Congress? On the May Jones failed to union, the biggest to come out could enormous effect of that prote On the even trial action in supp workers, hospital the other decision o the Jones-Scanlon not just deplorable, fundamental politica that must be answe At called by the cuss aid to the hos ers, not one propos arity strike made by Jones, anybody else. Congress policy with contemptuous within weeks of its Not once did the ist Party take up th with the two men ponsible, Jones And Ramelson is s It now. And when the St gress was betrayed by the with the special we ment on workere else no one support to defeat the Stalinists remai silent once again. Dy unelr acuons opened the door fo government and hospital workers Board. his way to defend's but kame son Jones for movement to the 'Of course, time, they will purs which may be justi Kut the genuine revolutiona commit errors enemies of from class, he adds. Ramelson's 'genuine res to be a could not ridiculed than b Jones and never made a secre total hostility Their whole aim steer the trade ment away from

CONTINUED TOM

head off any ral Strike after the at of the TUC Gen- il's policy (originally Jones and Scanlon) protest, it was tion to get back to несота r that is exactly what nelson is insistent: would never taken at all if the y had been seen as thin the trade union rather than the rul- aside for one mom- magogic slander at that sentence, must again be cor- d Scanlon did noth- the mass campaign unnon novement General Council's f the TUC's leading which drew up that their silence they in

AUEW

against the ouncil was due to al campaigning car- sewhere and despite al roles of Jones and ¡ doesn't Ramelson the much more im- of what Jones n did in practice to he decisions of that May 1 stoppage, instruct his to Britain, biggest In on strike. This made an difference to the hat protest. crucial MUle I united TUC indus- support of the which was record but raises political questions be answered. meeting after TUC just to dis- the hospital work- e proposal of solid- was action even Scanlon, The Special was treated disregard emptuous of its passing. did the Commun. men most res- Scanlon. and Ison is silent about cover enT atment for ., hospital that a promise would get TUC defeat Phase Two, its remained totally actions, the 'lefts' door for the Tory drove the the Pay orkers to goes out of defend Scanlon and the labour to the left'. from time to will pursue policies be justifiably criti- hallmark. of volutionaries is to between allies who of judgement ies of the working amazing claim nuine revolutionary' more effectively d than by the rest have a secret of their revolution. to e aim in life is to union move. revolution.

ITIS A .

Should be an abso speech day at ford on July 14. 1 there this year? The host is Collett, chairm school's governin There have Bishop's Stortford, a short spell, since comes to tens of pounds in pri fees. Each year the si distinguished by ai ing' guest speaker Sir Nort eration Major of Hertfor tenant India; Dick up after service wyno of Lloyd gest world. young about son A On cops

NAME

A The last issue News', the right-wing front-page ries Enoch Powell's 'vote Labour' speec It appeared port. headline: Powell a —By the Guinness' The title 'Rt H used Privy by News that Guinnes

• A JOLLY

R OUTING

an absolutely super hairman s in private ar the speech day is 'outstand British Industry General Sir the Lord Lieu- Hertfordshire, the speaks ark Corner; and Sir the former chief ho came in to clear discredited security Philby and match this illus- the of Lloyd's, the big house in the he can tell the Ruperts and 'ugly face of capi- recent exploits end Sir Denys Low- has been involved in hare coup.

IR COP

two New York for mur- duty-one ViC- commissioner le had a list of 150 onsidered by their be 'violence- citable or unstable'. ld extend the surves lite House ..

ME LIKE GUJ

of 'Monday of the Club, car- article extraordinary ur' speech at Stock- appeared under the Powell at Stockport Rt Hon Jonathan : Guinness had been Workers Press, f (Park Toroor

HEATH AND HIS I

Three months ago there were Com- scenes in the angry mons. Indignant MPs from all sides of the House were shout- ing indignantly about the fact that Heath's photograph had been used to advertise a new hotel. At question time he ex- plained that he was 'surprised' by the advertisement and went on to express his displeasure.

David Frost, the businessman, was so incensed that he took the whole business to court.

Injunctions, the lot.

GUINNESS

elevated to this office no doubt caused alarm throughout the land-particularly as Guinness is on record that he is in favour of capital punishment even to the extent of taking an axe and cutting off people's heads. The Monday Club assures, however, that the use of the 'Rt Hon' title was a misprint. Sighs of relief from nicks all over Britain. rs Press, Friday June 29, 1973 PAGE 9

IS FRIENDS

Surprise, surprise to learn that Heath went to another new hotel, the £7,250,000 Sky- Tower in Knights- line Park bridge, and opened it himself.

lhe picture will no doubt be widely circularized for adver- tising purposes. Isn't there a double stand- ard here? The point about the Skyline and why Heath was so glad to open it is that the chairman of the developers is Sir Rich- ard Thompson, Tory MP for Croydon South. It was just a favour for an old friend..

FORD SCORES

Things can't be too desper- ate for the Ford Motor Com- pany. Through agents Jones Lang Wootton they have obtained new 'London execu- tive headquarters'. The new office is in Mayfair and . in- about 15,000 volves square feet of floor space. Rent is estimated at around €100,000 a year.

BIG JOHN

John Wayne is running out of friends. His spirited defence of Nixon a couple of weeks ago has made him a laughing stock. Now a group called the Advocacy of Survival of Amer- ican Indians has hit out: 'With overt racialism towards the American, Wayne is native the nation's number one Indian killer.'

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Friday June 29, 1973

TODAY'S TV

ITV

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8.00 MONDAY AT WORK. Busi- ness as usual'. Northern Ire- land. 9.00 WORLD CINEMA: *A Propos de Nice' and Zero de Con- duite'. Iwo films by Jear The first explores the Vigo. French city. The second is a tale of boarding school life.

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HTV Cymru/Wales as above except: 4.25-4.50 Stesion Cantamil. 6.01-6.18 Y dydd. 11.00-11.30 Outlook.

HTV West as above except: 6.18- 6.35 Report West. ATV MIDLANDS: 9.50-10.10 Flash- backs. 10.45 Seven days to white 12.00 Guide. tent. 12.05 London. 4.25 5.20 Flintstones. 5.50 6.00 London. 9.00 London. 8.00 10.30 Theatre: 'The Night Caller'. 12.00 Golf. ULSTER: 11.45 Romper room.

12.05 _3.00 General London. 2.00 Assembly. 4.23 News. hospital. 3.30 Golf. 4.25 5.20 Rain- Assembly. 4.50 London. 6.00 bow 5.50 News. As- country. London. 7.30 Long- sembly. 7.00 Jones, 9.00 • As- 8.30 Romany street. Assembly. sembly. 10.00 News. 10.30 Schools. 10.10

YORKSHIRE: 9.50

Freud 10.30 Ed Allen. food, on 11.55 Tomoternster: 2.05 London.

London. 11.35 Tomfoolery. 4.25 Lone ranger. 4.50 London. 5.50 News. 6.00 Calen- Funny face. 8.00 It takes dar. 6.35 London. a thief. 9.00 London. 10.30 Golf.

11.00 Film: •Diary of Madman'. 12.40 a Weather. 9.30 Schools. 10.10

GRANADA:

Hammy Hamster. 10.20 Delta. 11.10 12.00 Handful of Thunderbirds.

STILL AVAILABLE

A journal of international Marx- Inter- ism published by the national Committee of the Fourth International Spring 1973

SOCIALI

given by Peter Jeffries Sunday July 8 Chartism, yesterday and today Sunday July 15 The Revolutionary Party and the British working class at Stanley Halls Upper Parliament Street 3 p.т. directed by Jean Vigo, 'Zero Conduite' Written, produced and de World Cinema on one of two Vigo films to be shown on (above), BBC 2 tonight, was made 40 years ago and was immediately banned in France. It is a satirical, yet bitter look at life in boarding school Below. On for boys, based largely on Vigo's own experiences. more banal 'Hadleigh' continues in his well- Independent at 9.00 the Gerald Harper meets his equal in tonight's episode heeled existence. 'Second Thoughts'. 11.20 songs. London. 4.25 Toe 90.

SCOTTISH:

10.55 Bell- London oga. Dick Van Dvke. 11.35 12.0€ London. 2.30 150 5.15 Golf. 3.00 4.25 50 Nerday: he 6.20 Sky's the imit Dateline. Golf. and Nanny 4.50 Plunderers'. roades 5:50 5.25 the Film• 6.s0 dos 7600 London: 9.00 10.30 Crossroads. Tandon. Film: Balloon'. Who

VOI

FBI.

9.00 Golf. 12.30 Spyforce. 7.30 hones Friday London. 10 10.30 Golf. Late call. 11.35 Baron.

TYNE

TEES:

9.45 Ordination of night. Schools. Freud women. 9.50

GRAMPIAN:

11.05 Shirley's world. on food. 10.30 Ed Allen. 10.55 11.05 Arthur '12.05 11.30 Golf. 12.00 Roundup. Hamster. London. 1.20 Elephant 5050• 4.50 11.35 Tomfoolery. Bri 230 News? + RA News. 3.00 5.20 Partners. Gondo 4.23 Yoga. News. London. 4.50 London. 6.00 Nome Grampian Film: 5.50 6.00 To- 6.35 London, 7.00 5.20 Flintstones. New: Ticklish Cade's Affair 9.00 8.00 Romany 6.35 ray. London. 10.30 10.30 Golf. 100k. Points county. 9.00 London. oncon. Theatre: Echo 11.00 Film: The Black Torment.' north. News. 12.40 Lectern. 12.00 Golf. 12.30 Meditation. 12.35 Several translations of Contents include: articles from the German Ceylon: The Centrism of Bala Trotskyist newspaper Der Funke Tampoe Italy's New Fascists By a Ceylon correspondent By Stephen Johns April Dictatorship: The Tasks of

LENIN AND TROTSKY WRITING

the Greek Trotskyists...

ON EUROPE

Resolution of the 5th and six International Committee Congress of the Workers statements International League

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE LECTURES

given by Peter Jeffries Sunday July 8 Chartism, yesterday and today Sunday July 15 The Revolutionary Party and the British working class at Black Lion power. Sunday July 8 Blackfriars St/Chapel St Stockingfarm Community near Salford Bus Station Centre, Stockingfarm 7.30 p.m. 7.30 p.m.

Labour's fake policy on IN A confidential work- ing paper which came to light earlier this week the Organization for Economic Co - operation and Development warns that the spread of trade and market con- trols will soon begin to have a serious effect on world trade. The OECD staff, to judge from the paper, are worried chiefly about the lack of stabi- lity in exchange rates (most of which are floating) and about what will result from further falls in the dollar parity.

They hope that the US cur- rency will become stabilized at a particular parity until markets and businessmen are convinced that the US deficit on interna- tional trade and payments will be turned round. economists Many are con- vinced that this has already taken place, place halt in ere dollar's slide but there is no against other currencies, the OECD says. In fact the US currency must

BY ROYSTON BULL

THE LABOUR

PARTY's proposals for nationalizing the ship- building industry solve nothing. As well as the failure to demand a take-over without compensation and under wor- control, the reformist kers' nature of the plan is shown in the enormous concession made to Marathon, the oil- rig building Texas-based com- pany which took over the old Clydebank yard from the bankrupt UCS. A National Shipbuilding Cor- poration would 'acquire, by use of powers of compulsory acqui- sition, control of all significant the shipbuilding, companies ship-repair, and marine engineer- ing industries-control normally to mean 100 per cent ownership of equity. 'Marathon would be seen as a special case to be discussed and dealt with separately? Wedgwood Benn, Anthony presenting the NEC proposals on Wednesday, claimed that the workers at Clydebank had parti- cipated directly in the negotia- tions for the Marathon takeover and this clause merely recog- nized a historical fact. He denied that "separately' meant Marathon would not be nationalized, denied that the clause was a sop to Dan Mc- Garvey who had • touted for the Houston financial operator Wayne Harbin to take over the yard, and claimed the Clyde- bank men had backed what their union leaders had done.

BY JOHN SPENCER

continue to decline so long as inconvertible the dollar remains with gold at the official' price ($42 an ounce) and the free mar- ket gold price keeps on rising.

According to the OECD paper, however, the main dangers were: • UNCERTAINTIES may push exchange rates so far out of line process of over-correction , and this over-correction, rates', market resulting from so-called forces could lead to further con- tradictory elects, which in turn woula give rise to turther over- correction. The operation of this contradiction could, according to the OECD, theorists, reduce the dollar's value to zero. • IF RATES are pushed too far the country • from what away considers appropriate, there could be an excessive use of controls either through restric.

tions on acquisition of foreign exchange by or protectionist trade measures which would in- hibit the flow of capital, goods and even people between coun- tries once they began to spread.

• CURRENCIES that have been 'type-cast' on the basis of past What does the Communist Party think Wedgwood Benn (left)? James Reid Clyde shop steward, was in on the dea next to Marathon chief Wayne Harbin.

But despite Benn's denials, the position remains a farcical one. Firstly, it is unrealistic to imagine that the Clydebank wor- will be willing to remain kers working for a speculative capi- talist, who has driven some very bargains at Marathon in hard taking advantage of the bank- ruptcy situation, when the rest of the industry is taken over for public ownership. Secondly, the powerful British capitalist like Swan groups Hunter would treat with con- nationalization proposals tempt which left out one section the industry just because the absentee American owner was likely to kick up a fuss.

The fatuous concession to the union leaders' 'sensitiveness' over the agreements they signed with Harbin show that the re- formists have failed to grasp anything of the crisis. The argument for nationali- zation will arise out of the actual failure of capitalist indus- try to do little more than stagger uncertainly on, surrounded by bankruptcies, unemployment and experience as 'devaluation prone' (such as sterling) or 'revaluation 'prone' (such as the German mark) will be pushed too far simply because past experience memories will continue to and influence markets and business- men. There are already signs that this is happening according to West the OECD. For instance, Germany's tight restrictions on money supply to create deflation at home have been responsible to some extent for the slump in the parity of the dollar over recent weeks. The OECD paper, in this con- nection, says: 'uncertainty about governments' ability to bring in- flation and the present boom under control could interact and be compounded by uncertainty about governments' ability to maintain an orderly and rational pattern [sic] of exchange rates and avoid a self-defeating escala- tion of controls'. Self-defeating this may be, but incanting about it won't stop it happening. As the paper rightly says, it has already started, giving the OECD report the unmistakable air of drawing attention to the open door of the stable after the horse has bolted. arty think of the special treatment for les Reid (above left), Communist Party exec n the deal with the bollermakers' Dan McGarve recession, when the inflationary finally slumps into hard crisis deflation. It will not be a question of improving the 'technical, finan- cial, and marketing performance' private shipbuilding which is 'insufficient to meet the demands of a highly volatile international market' , as the document puts it, but a question of rescuing the whole productive forces of man- kind from the degeneration the capitalist crisis will inflict.

The fight, which is already developing, will be on the very broadest class basis. Which way forward? To con- tinue the stagnation and sickness declining capitalism, of or to wipe out the whole private ownership system in finance and major industries and plan the i socialist lines? economy on The special considerations of the Harbins and the McGarveys will be of little consequence in the solution of the principle conflict. Granting them now . shows that Benn and the 'left' Labour- ites haven't begun to face up to Workers Press, | THE TORIES' new butter tokens to be Issued to people benefit on supplementary would serve as public labels advertising family poverty, a Labour MP said in the House of Commons. The government is introduc- Ing regulations which allow certain people to buy 1lb of butter a month at 5p a half pound below the normal price. Father mally sald s Brian O'Malley said: should ask • themselves how THE UNITED STATES governmer ban on all exports of soya beans in push world food prices to new recor Cotton seed and related products to feed livestock were included in t immediate fears that the export res to cover maize. Marathon, as suggesled by Anthony executive committee member and n McGarvey (above right), who is seated the essence of the question of nationalization, which is the struggle for political power.

And where do the Stalinists stand on this all-important ques- tion? They • too were party to the settlement with Harbin through their control of the local shop stewards under Reid and Airlie and their influence on the Con- federation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions. The 'Morning Star' reported the special case treatment for Marathon without comment.

Workers Press would be glad to publish a statement from the Communist Party on their in- tentions towards Harbin's busi- ness. Are they in favour of na- tionalizing Marathon without compensation? Workers everywhere, and particularly on the Clyde, will demand to know whether Reid's involvement with Harbin means that the Communist Party, on executive Reid sits, whose also prepared to make Marathon to a 'special case'. rs Press, Friday June 29. 1973 PAGE 11 they would feel if their wives had to do the shopping i In these circumstances. •To have Issued the token to all pensioners would be one thing. The badge would have been the badge of age. But this is restricted to recipients of means-tested supplementary benefits.' overnment has placed a two-month beans in a move which is certain to ew record levels. products used throughout the world uded in the embargo and there were xport restrictions would be extended The US is the biggest pro- beans ducer the soya capitalist world. There was immediate reaction to the ban from Japanese officials, who said it would have grave effects.

Emergency might measures have to be introduced and all possible alternative sources of supply were being tapped, Tokyo said. Soya beans have been in short supply for some time and world-wide protein shortage, poor spring-planting weather and the decline of the dollar have produced record US prices.

There has been frenetic specu- lation on the Chicago commodity exchange in soya bean futures and the price has risen by leaps and bounds. On April 24, the Department of Agriculture reported that stocks soya beans were abnormally low. There was an immediate rush to buy options on the remaining stocks for future delivery.

The price for delivery in July, which bushel on about $6.20 was a April 23, leapt $12.90 by June 5.

The trading was so frenzied that the Chicago Board of Trade stepped in to raise the margin (the requirement amount deposit required to be placed on purchases) and finally to limit trading in future for delivery in the next three months. The ban on soya bean exports further blow against the is a underdeveloped countries by US imperialism. It must drive up the price of food which is already in short supply as a result of drought and poor harvests in much of Africa and Asia.

SOCIALIST LABOUR

LEAGUE LECTURES

Given by Gerry Healy National Secretary of the Socialist Labour League Sunday July 8 Theary and Practice of Marxism Sunday July 15 Role of the Revolutionary Party at The Red Lion Worsborough Near Barnsley 7.30 p.m. Rost crede Pubished By Worker 186a Clapa. Frint Street, 01-622 7029.

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Friday June 2

BY JOHN SPENCER

THE DOLLAR plunged to its lowest-ever rate in terms of West German marks yes- terday, amid very active trading on the Frankfurt exchange. There rumours that were the mark might be revalued once again in relation to other but currencies, these were denied by the West German government. Since early May, the dollar has lost 12 per cent of its value West German cur- against the rency and for the first time its parity • is below 2.50 marks to the dollar. Since August 1971, when Nixon ceased selling gold from US reserves, the dollar has fallen 43 per cent against the mark, 44 per cent against the Swiss franc and 6.5 per cent. even against sterling. There is no sign of any halt in the decline. fact, In the latest dollar de- valuation is creating a short- increase in . the US trade term deficit and forcing the dollar down still further. The Common Market joint float arrangements are under great strain as a result of the demand for the mark. Authorities had to support the parity limits of the joint float yesterday by buying French and Belgian francs and Dutch guilders. As a consequence of recent support operations, the West German reserves have increased by_nearly 1,000m marks. Yesterday Bundesbank bought 65 million French francs, 117 million Belgian francs and 17.5 million guilders. The demand for marks is high but the West German authori- ties are unable to supply the sums needed to meet the de- mand without creating runaway inflation at home. The mark cannot act as a substitute currency for the crisis- ridden dollar and become the main vehicle of international trade. Yet without such a vehicle the prospect of a disastrous developing the situation is Euro-currency market, which the world's biggest pool of in- flationary credit, cannot be averted.

FROM PAGE ONE

to make some desperate politi- cal choices. Capitalism's world economic , a growing lack crisis, through of confidence in credit, threat- ens to strangle all trade right in the middle of an ever-intensify- ing trade war. forward Heath must press with his strategy to make the working class pay for the crisis.

The option retreat of longer open to him. That is why the Socialist Labour League once again insists: this govern- ment must be forced to resign.

Reg Birch, the AUEW execu- councilman who moved tive Wednesday's 'no talks' motion at the CSEU, said in replying to the debate: 'The question facing the workers' movement is do we continue our existing strategy - having defeated them on the Industrial Relations Act do we garner all our strength and defeat them a dangerous and fundamental Birch was error. insist earlier in the right to debate that trade unionists must have 'no truck whatsoever' with the Tories. But the SLL warns: going this government to fight back-it has to. Since the breakdown of the previous round of talks with the TUC. last November, the lay June 29, 1973 MASSEY FERGUSON, the worldwide tractor - making combine, will lay off 2,500 assembly workers its at Coventry plant on Monday.

The large-scale lay offs are a direct result of the lock- out at the diesel plant at Perkins, Peterborough. Management is saying the lay offs will only be in force on Monday and Tuesday dur- ing the annual stock taking.

THIRTY

WORKERS

from Spongs in Basildon, Essex, re- turned to work yesterday after a three-day strike against the sacking and victimization of their newly-elected shop ste- ward and another union mem- ber. Unionization of these workers, mainly youth, has only recently been achieved after many pre- vious unsuccessful attempts had led to sackings. Pickets carrying banners de- 'Defend Union claring Trade Rights' were recommended to return to work by the local organizer of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, Mr Alf Woodcraft. The .. return-to-work recom- mendation included the rein- statement of both workers and £5 compensation for every stri- ker. But the victimized shop steward would only receive cre- dentials after six months with the firm. Woodcraft threatened that the union could only make the strike official next week and then only for a month. SIX HUNDRED workers at a piston and piston ring manufac- turing company in Hampshire today enter the 10th day of their strike. The men want an increase of El plus 4 per cent-the Tory ceiling under the state pay laws -with no strings attached.

But the management of Well- worthy Limited wants to intro- duce multi-manning in the foun- Tories have been preparing for a 'dirty' snap election, in which they would use the mass media witch-hunt and smear all to opposition to their wage-cutting policies. On December 23 we disclosed that the highest Tory circles had already prepared a con- tingency plan, involving ared scare against the SLI and other left-wing groups, if they were forced to go to the country. No Tory has ever been able to deny these disclosures. The situation in which Heath may be forced to play his 'last card' may be closer than it appears. His only other apparent alter- native is to return to the policies which of confrontation SO signally failed against the miners in 1972 and which took his government to the brink of being forced out of office.

But it was precisely from these policies that the Tories retreated into the current talks. To return to them now, when the engineers' union votes show the enormous confidence and militancy of the working class would betray hope- less desperation. The SLL would be a premier target in a 'scare' election not because we are the only only organization which has con- tinually insisted on the need to force • the Tories to resign, but because of our constant ex-

FROM OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT,

But there has been no firm guarantee that all 2,500 men will be recalled on Wednesday.

Stocktaking takes normally the weekend, but place on Massey's 80 storemen are cur- rently in dispute with manage- ment over piecework and have an overtime ban in force.

For this reason, the company says,, no stock taking could take place this weekend. Up to yesterday the company dry section. This would mean one man to two machines in- stead of one man to one machine as at present. Strikers are angry that since mid-April there has been an in- in productivity of 5 per crease cent which would mean an extra El a week. But not a penny has been paid to them by the com- pany due to the intervention of the Pay Board. THE POLICE are to be equip- ped with new army rifles fitted telescopic sights. The with first issue of 600 are being produced at the Royal Small Arms factory in Enfield in London. The decision to equip the with high-powered rifles police is in line with the sudden policy of the police to bring its weaponry up to para-military strength. In March a Home Office work- ing on firearms recom- party mended a full-scale re-arming of the police. One weapon suggested in the report was the British army's 7.66mm Belgian FN rifle fitted with telescopic sights. posure of the Labour and trade union leaders. Despite the succession of scandals which have rocked the Heath government-despite Poul- Lonrho and Lambton- Sellicoe-ne Labour leaders re- main paralysed. can produce in All they answer to , the manifest corrup- tion revealed by the crisis are bits and pieces of plans for 'an extension of public ownership'.

These plans solve none of the problems working class, of the while leaving the ruling class completely free to pursue its repressive aims of smashing the labour movement and encourag- ing the forces of the corporate state and dictatorship. If the working class is to win the coming, decisive struggles it must unite on the basis of socialist policies. The lynch-pin of such policies be nationalization must basic industries without compen- under workers' sation and con- trol. The Labour leaders must be told: implement these policies or get out and make way for those who will. The central question in the present situation is the building alternative, revolutionary leadership-the transformation of the Socialist Labour League into the revolutionary party. Following last month's highly successful pre-conference. we had laid off 750 day and night shift workers because of the work slack caused by the Perkins dispute. Perkins Diesels, a part of the • Massey Ferguson empire, locked out 5,700 workers just over three weeks ago after they demanded parity with Coventry men.

But Perkins, which is paying its work force some £20 less than the parent company, has refused to give an undertaking towards parity. Throughout yesterday meetings were being held in the factory and the Coventry district com- mittee of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering • Workers was kept informed of develop- ments. The attitude of the company is completely in line with the no-holds-barred attack on workers which the Chrysler com- pany launched last week. The men at Perkins are show- ing complete determination to maintain their fight for parity.

Pickets have been mounted on the four factory gates in Peter- borough and pressure for a settlement from the national AUEW leadership has been re- jected out of hand. Wednesday's abortive talks are- to be resumed next Monday.

But the government has opted for the Model L39Al which fires 7.62 millimetre bullets. It will replace the handful of obsolete .303s now in use. An arms expert told Workers Press the L39Al has a much greater penetrating power than the Armalite. While the rifles are coming into service, throughout the country are tak- ing delivery of 'some of the most up-to-date and powerful weapons in the world'. The British-made Webley pistol is being phased out and replaced by two imported handguns: • The US-made Smith and Wesson Model 10. It is a .38 calibre six-shot revolver; and have • now set the date for the founding conference of the party.

take place on Sunday, It will November 4. Note the date.

And in preparation of the November 4 conference, next Sunday, July 1, will see the most important rally of trade unionists since the Tory government came to power. There, at Belle Vue, Manches- ter, we have created the condi- tions for the biggest and most extensive discussion of all the the working- problems facing in this most class movement decisive period. discussion will bring This together the men and women- many of whom are coming into politics for the first time-who will bear the chief responsibility of leadership crucial months and years ahead. We call on all members of the All Trades Unions Alliance, the Young Socialists and the Social- ist Labour League to fight as before, following never the engineering unions' decisions, to bring the largest possible num- bers of trade unionists to the Belle Vue rally. No one can now doubt that the working class is on the move. Now it is up to the revolu- tionary forces to provide decisive leadership, break the stranglehold of capitalism and establish socialism.

JUNE FUND

NEEDS £283.14

ONLY TWO

DAYS MORE

WE ARE

• almost there! Yester- day's post brought £255.60 making total up to our £1,466.86. Keep it up dear read- ers. One last spurt and we know you will do it. The beginning of the break- down of talks between TUC and the Tories over Phase Three is a reflection of the enormous growing inside the movement working against this class government. Workers Press was the first to demand that these talks be broken off. Now we must use our paper to mobilize thousands of workers everywhere to force the Tory government to resign.

So let's press ahead in every way possible. Raise extra amounts for an all-out, last- minute battle for our June Fund.

Make sure we complete our Workers Press June Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG 01-622 7029 01-720 2000 The German-made Walther Polizei Pistole, a 9mm seven-shot automatic. The Home Office were im- pressed by these guns for their 'man stopping' effectiveness. Both have greater hitting power and penetration • than anything cur- rently in use. An unnamed member of the working party told the 'Guardian' earlier this year: 'The basic con- was to find a cheap, sideration sturdy, reliable modern handgun which was readily available and would give Rover-car depend- ability in standing up to repeated handling by different officers. It also had to meet the primary objective of being able to stop and kill a man in the open with accuracy at 50 yards. Geoffrey Boothroyd, an authority on guns and author of authoritative book, the 'The Handgun', said: 'Both the Smith and Wesson and the Walther are about in the same league. The revolver is slightly heavier at 34oz than the 27zoz Webley. What the police Why is all this lethal firepower being put into the hands of the police? The Tories cannot justify it by saying it is because of armed criminals. Official figures show that last year the police were faced with or imita- guns, real tion, on only 20 occasions.

Yet secret plans have been approved by the Tory Cabinet for new handguns and sniper's rifles. At the same time the Ministry of Defence has an- nounced that CR gas, the 'fire gas' produced at the Chemical and Biological Warfare Estab- lishment at Nancecuke in Corn- wall, is being manufactured 'for use in the United Kingdom'.

These desperate preparations by the ruling class can mean only one thing-they anticipate with the working a showdown class in what premier Heath told the UN in 1970 was a period of civil war. The ruling class will introduce its Ulster terror apparatus to the mainland to save its profits and privileges. It is this impending attack on the working class that makes the class-collaboration of the Labour leaders and • the TUC chiefs so treacherous.