Workers Press no. 14

workers press The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League

FOR VER

JAN 31 1970

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY •

NUMBER 14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1969

PRICE 6d.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

70,000 stop Yorks. pits Dustmen's

EDITORIAL

strike

SUPPORT

Unemploy- must be

SUPPORT

YORKS

ment made is a official ON political

SURFACE

FOR MINERS

YESTERDAY'S mass dem- and lobby the Londo council Heur question took plac amidst national movement growing i the for celand £20-a-week minimun

THE SITUATION

her, Bimingham.

GROWS

Cosmonauts

• PAGE 4 COL. 5 →

start to wages and the threat of unem- Greeting ployment. build to the space lab By a Workers Press Reporting Team daily пошлос на Oxford has an THE STRIKE of 70,000 Yorkshire miners for By a science correspondent higher wages and shorter surfacemen's hours nauts sare espected to start format now makes workers winning massive support from pits all over Todid tate ment is Motor sh that space laboratorently - orbiting the country.

ULSTER

Scotland, 1,660 Monktonhall, miners at They are placing the boden More troops drifting alo near Musselburgh, walked ers of the working class ome of the 100 South Yorkshire miners who lobbied the Derbyshire area council of the NU out on tuesday In support of Yorkshire. And their ready for help the da , carries vadi- to Strike Carries

ALL TRADES

The Brey hs nola dndergoiat

NIXON TO SPEAK

spredd. and Dr Alexei the miss undergoing

UNIONS

repression self wales, representatives

ALLIANCE

dangerous and destruct- fight of the of 41/00 miners called tor

AS ANTI-WAR

MEETINGS

iv We must not, as in the case a national pit strike on the modern car по в гора surfacemen's issue. sangend UNITS of the British Army of the Rhine are standing -3,500 There as the •In

PRESSURE GROWS

by to be air-lifted to Northern Ireland if called in to craltsmen votea for a one- spacer shutt dav . strıke in support of of thes nel step up tae repressions Speaker: Frank Willis Yorkshire. nate in the new plants. Rhine head- av our Belast correspondent By a foreign correspondent Young Socialists candidate Army Derbyshire the area strains, but how these oper- said This in why the sackings hav quarters spokesman & been recommended PRESIDENT NIXON has announced that he will make in the parliamentary council nas severa units or the Koval a major US television speech on what is described as strike acuon from monday.

effort by-election ture tor thei tish-Leyland combine race Armoured coros and koval habit demand- The strikers are 'the entire Vietnam situation'.

is to read the Artillery were being employers Friday, October 17 troops is clearly mount- civil Patien ey of the trained to deal with Fixed for November speech. ers strived. and crowd disper- eminet alone mealimes 1or suriace believed the 8 p.m. Czechoslovakia workers, and a c/s. oa. rise will take Swindon Town Hall allempl so all the good d that a British in minimum rates. one day been 200, gathered wind out of the sails of the home their aured Day Thursday, October 23 -called Teet Stalinists anu-wat movement Two fights Work later. now bullding up 8 p.m. are Wednesday "Vietnam They have to fight not always Punehurst common koom things, wide protest The are Facing their sous. Hande their employers, the National Coal Board, but

NOTTINGHAM

want longer atton not Comes to me hared for the Bil their union leadership. It is "The and workers ress inthese developmente in the president Miners' union low fight against Sidney Ford has condemned disposal constantly in order the strike unofficial and deals greatest of wages. broaucavity jobs helping

• PAGE 4 COL. 1 →

3 Pro for and redundancy' working week e'stell or MAS DrASS Daly, the secretary, Thursday, Uctober 4s, the future. re British othing one way W. E. Peni coples H Actor NOE or the other. eatacote stri Mrs Barbara Castle has By a foreign correspondent already told parliament that only CZECH workers were warned by the Communist Party wak fore pracc Haulage bosses plan t For throughout be left to settle the dispute.

unless they increased newspaper kude Pravo that 'spy-in-the-cab' attack But the miners will not production by the end of the year, the recently estab- workers press back work lished hve-day week would be abolished without their demands be- to a tale paper read ing mel. Interviewed by Workers morale in the factories over and Press, miners their On eve of 1P conference recent montas the casus wives spoke bitterly of the conditions crisis bariow Ior unis are obvious hitting he existing conditions Association (kild, las al ATUA meeting cused the Labour govern rocketer AS lace worke ment of working a cont and is gain is now attacked 'Unemployment the dence trick. said: comes, he scaven in. lessons of GEC-English At the «To earn £18 a week a Electric' has Provision surlace worker

ORDER THE

LIVERPOOL

spend more ume at work

DOCTORS

Sunday, October 19 than the great train rob bers are doing in jail. The

DAILY

7.30 p.m

SAY

surface workers are not

• PAGE 4 COL. 7 →

been generaleu his colle: Behind the trade surplus

NOW

426 mition tha

НЕ HARS

ballyhoo

SWINDON

Full subscription cue in the money up. a iwo Balone two days Thursday, October 30 (Posted dally) Called-off Ea a select) OR From a special correspondent €2 10s. for three

BY-ELECTION

sireds of thousands Creatoons neral that E1 for three months monins one blen caled or ned ance.

. I would like to subscribe to Workers' Press for aid is s Help is urgently needed in the YOUNG made i Ivane achieved without SOCIALISTS' campaign for candidate ses be els smilion

FRANK WILLIS

Address. thush million. ment of the voters the cree less--only e nisha. e ne Please contact Central Committee Rooms eler eir as ben come celo enkins has been crow- 5a Milton Road, Swindon Worker: P-720-2180 nd plan red phone: Swindon 20570 distribution system I stabbies a few mi! bureaucracy is over should be sea and air. caution,

workers press The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League

JAN 31 1970

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY •

NUMBER 14

• THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1969

PRICE 6d.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

70,000 stop Yorks. pits Dustmen's

EDITORIAL

strike SurroRy Unemploy- must be

SUPPORT

YORKS

ment made is a official ON

FOR MINERS

political

URFACE

YESTERDAY'S mass dem- onstraton and

JODDY

parliament ov tne London «ustmen and counci work question took place amidst growing national movement behind the demand for £20-a-week THE SITUATION in the

GROWS

ter, Birmingham and Glasgow, (Cheshire) car Industv Is a cook Cosmonauts indication ot what big employers are think- relation to wages start to and the threat of unem- Greeting ployment. build ates over wages to the space lab By a Workers Press Reporting Team daily THE STRIKE of 70,000 Yorkshire miners for By a sclence correspondent 6 THE time right workers are next few weeks. shorter surfacemen's hours higher THE SEVEN Soviet cosmo- name was wages and Format now it e old news winning massive support from pits all over Space la bormanently - orbiting did anemen coming as is

FETE

Motion the country. татогу. Unofficial reports from Mos ployers a future salest an increase in

ULSTER

1,660 scot and. mitters Monktonhall, They are the shodd More troops bedown near wusse burun walked ers of the out on Tuesday in support working class. Some of the 100 South Yorkshi shire miners who obedi the Derbyshire are council of the NUN ready for likely 1, carol teadi He Shat seems Theowiey,

ALL TRADES

spread.

NIXON TO SPEAK

UNIONS

milion. repression Yeliser of +2,Yalen, ales representat yes Soyuz

ALLIANCE

AS ANTI-WAR

MEETINGS

Yeliser a Hallullal vil in Europe.

SWINDON

surlacemens Issue That as the management. UNITS of the British Army of the Rhine are standing 3,500 i docking stanorashtre

PRESSURE GROWS

craftsmen voted for a one- ook place between Soyuz bv to be air-lifted to Northern Ireland if called in to Measured-Da strike help step up the repressions.

support of "Experience mobility Speaker: Frank Willis spite in the he paredomi.

Yorkshire. spo Army By our Belfast correspondent head- no has bet By a foreign correspondent Anine Derbyshire the Young Socialists candidate these oper but how quarters besto all daily in the parliamentary This is why the strike a lion from Mondad.

PRESIDENT NIXON has announced that he will make Roya several a major US television speech on what is described as Armoured Corps and Royal ture or thei race for The strikers are demand- "the entire Vietnam situation' being the tresps is Hillery тооп. the strength of ing an eight-hour day inclu with Friday, October 17 trained to deal Fixed for November • to Surface ers involved. it is believed the speech 8 p.m. ana CrOWa l If they can get away with Czechoslovakia attempt take Swindon Town Hall in minimum rates. of the sails of the rela- movement ome their Thursday, October 23 Stalinists Two fights Measured - Day Work later. 8 p.m. They fight Pinehurst Co non Room 6d. have to not Than a hanged en ag. men e facing their coun Only cnelr employers, moment National Coa board, Dut

NOTTINGHAM

It is neces have t want longer the em their union leadership "The Workers Press and the Miners' union president the fight against

JOV

Sidney Ford has condemned Lober ways deals

• PAGE 4 COL. 1 →

wages, productivity exceptional une strike as unomcial ana appe:led and redundancy' working week return WorK. Lawrence Thursday, October 23, Hers Dress Daly, the union's secretary, 8 p.m. said nothing one way or the other. coples H last remaining mender eathcote Stre Mrs has barbara castle by a toreign corresoonden alreadv told barnament tnat CZECH workers were warned by the Communist Party Haulage bosses plan шакцакс пкасс union Headers should be left to settle the dispute.

that unless they increased newspaper Rude Pravo Democrat But the miners will not production by the end of the year, the recently estab- 'spy-in-the-cab' attack workers press work going back lo lished five-day week would be abolished.

without their demands De- The newspaper reterred ing met. By an Industrial correspondent to a fall of production and Interviewed by Workers morale in the factories over The April

NOEL

WYNN,

chair- and the Dubcek MR their reasons Programn wages fress. obvision for pers of the Road Haulage man wives spoke bitterly of the or this are obviou

(RHA),

crisis is now Association existing conditions Just before Kremlin own ATUA meeting Labour face worker Johnny Czech Custu cremen the feastie working a confi rocketed ment Burkill from Wheldale pit what working: Under Husak mines 'Unemployment andi The aence wick. the sala. control. lessons of GEC-English & To earn £18 a week a surface Provision electric has operate mised us freedo work

LIVERPOOL

ORDER THE

more time spend The arrival of Soviet troops Minister of Industry "They

DOCTORS'

Sunday, October 19 rob- reinforced standards me my not seein 7.30 p.m. bers are doing in jail. The

DAILY

nets of the remande

SAY

nus been ge production tha surlace workers nol promise ecture Hall

• PAGE 4 COL. 7 →

regime are paralle YOUNG hospital doctors yes- factories against the Asociation i that dam

NOW

Behind the trade surplus bigger litions is denied pay ana con cate with what Brush capt September 526 mliton trade lion ballyhoo đ an him at

SWINDON

wo days -it Called-off From a special correspondent Et tartare months OR

BY-ELECTION

dreds echoslovakiass general ele bal has Brish National 5u erd sections, have been called off yet again.

Thursday, October 30 I would like to subscribe to workers Press tol not made it posione for ni industry dages, co yittons aust Help is urgently needed in the YOUNG Name and SOCIALISTS' campaign for candidate striking for a the g

FRANK WILLIS

Adaress ... Please contact Central Committee Rooms for the basic od 5a Milton Road, Swindon distribuintegrated tries, Prap ham Graser, Logan, Sta.

Norkers (Tel: 01-720-2000) phone: Swindon 20570 • trade sur- sea and air.

PAGE TWO

The gradual depreciation dermined pee ce eriod has completely undermines lesigned to prevent a return to the slum laynard Keynes (right) at the Bretton W with Henry Morgenthau, banker and diplom THE RECENT decision of the West German government to allow the Deutsch-mark to 'float' or find its own level in world money markets- means a new turning point in the economic and financial crisis now capitalist facing the system. The fact that the Bonn de- cision has led to such un- ease and speculation amongst large sections of the capital- ist class, and brought with it fears that other countries may follow the German ex- ample, is an indication that the more perceptive mem- bers of the ruling class them- selves realize the significance of the decision. The recently-concluded In- ternational Monetary Fund talks in Washington also in- dicate similar developments.

Although no firm decisions were taken, there was wide- spread discussion on the need , 'reform' present monetary arrangements.

FLOATING RATES

There seemed to be con- siderable support for the idea of "floating' exchange rates where each currency (again would be allowed to establish its value in competition with all other currencies) or at least for a widening of the range in which currency values could fluctuate. The German decision and these discussions indicate the beginnings of the final break- up of the monetary arrange- The decision to float the mark indicates tl economics of the 1930s when the whole of unprecedented wave of inflation. Above : the value of paper money dropped so mucl were burned. bi all paper currencies in the post-wal the Keynesian economic theory ırn to the slump of the 1930s. Above : the Bretton Woods talks of 1944, seen nker and diplomat. ments which have served cap- italism since the end of the last war, arrangements which many members of the ruling thought and hoped class would allow capitalism to ex- pand in an uninterrupted crisis-free manner. After the war the capitalist class above all feared a return to the 1930s with its unem- ployment, slump in investment and social crisis. The monetary arrangements and institutions which were devised after 1945 were an attempt to ensure that the again went system never through such a phase. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the other bodies which were established in the post-war years aimed to regulate capitalism on an in- ternational scale and prevent the return of such a slump.

The IMF, created as a result of the 1944 Bretton Woods talks was to play the role of international banker, supplying credit to any country which might run into difficulties.

Its purpose was reflected in the Articles of Agreement: "To facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of inter- national trade and to contribute thereby to the promotion and maintenance of high levels "To promote exchange stab- ility, to maintain orderly ex- change arrangements and to avoid competitive exchange de- preciations.' "To shorten the duration and lessen the degree of disequi- librium in the individual balance of payments of members? The idea that if a country ran into balance of payments difficulties and, as a result, speculation occurred against its currency, it could draw from the IMF to counter such speculation, meanwhile taking the necessary domestic action -credit restraint, increase in interest rates and so on—to nark indicates the start of a return to the en the whole of Europe was gripped by ar lation. Above : In ( ›ermany in the 1930: dropped so much that thousands of marks By Peter Jefferies deal with the original source of the disequilibrium. To meet these aims, all countries joining the Fund had to agree to suitable gold 'par' values for their currencies.

These values had to be strictly observed - with pro- vision for a 1 per cent fluctua- fact all tion either side. In currencies valued in were terms of the American dollar which itself was anchored to gold at a fixed rate. At the centre of these arrangements was the Ameri- can guarantee of a fixed dollar price for gold. All holders of dollars were entitled to ex- change their holdings for gold whenever they chose at the rate of 35 dollars a fine ounce of gold. In this way the Americans aimed to raise the dollar to the status of gold and provide conditions in which all paper thereby linked, was money through the dollar, to gold.

All changes in par values could only take place with the agreement of the Fund. To allow it to play the role of international banker, the IMF was provided with funds by the member subscribed countries. Each country paid in a 'quota', 25 per cent of which was to be in gold, with the rest in its own national currency.

DRAWING RIGHTS

At the beginning of 1967 these quotas totalled around 20 billion dollars, having been several times revised. The Us, Britain, Germany and France contributed roughly half of this sum. In each member return, certain drawing had country rights from the Fund which it could make use of when its was under pressure. currency The size of these drawings were related to the quotas and about the certain conditions under which circumstances drawings could be made were laid down. To the end of 1966 actual withdrawals from the Fund totalled almost 13 billion dol- lars, about third having been made by Britain-a clear of indication the chronic weakness of sterling through the period. The Americans were the real power behind the IMF- an indication of the fact that they were now the dominant capitalist power, with a re- stability sponsibility of the whole system through- out Europe and the world.

This role of American capi- tal was seen in the large aid which was handed out to a shattered Europe at the end of the war and the years im- mediately following. Lend-lease and later the Marshall Aid programme were inspired by the fear of social crisis in and the Europe power of the working class.

But the flow of dollars abroad in the form of aid was to be reinforced and then superseded in the post-war years by large military expen- ditures abroad, and above all by the export of private capi- tal.

'AID' PROGRAMME

The arms expenditure was, of course, directly inspired by the same fear of communism necessitated the which 'aid' programme. This 'aid' itself was an indi- cation of the organic need of American capital to spread its tentacles abroad to main- tain stability at home. rate of Pressure the on profit at home forced capital to search for more profitable outlets abroad. Post-war Europe was ideal in this respect. Unemployment in many countries was high and wages were low, and in those coun tries where fascism had earlier destroyed the organized work- movement intense ing-class exploitation of the labour force was possible. The net result of all these developments was an enor- mous flow of dollars abroad in the post-war years. The consequences of such an outflow, and the seeds of the present crisis, can be seen from the following figures.

Dollars holdings abroad 1950 $8.6 billions 1964 $28.8 billions In other words, as the vo- held abroad lume of dollars -by governments as part of banks their reserves, by and institutions other financial individuals — and private grew, so the volume of gold by the United States to held this outflow steadily back diminished. . process has, And the of course, continued. Liabilities abroad around 30 are noW billions with only an ll bil- lion gold reserve to sustain them. The turning point came to- wards the end of the 1950s, The need to escalate the Vietnam war co of credit mobilized to prop up Sterling ha the American economy. Above: on Vietnam. when the present crisis began to gain momentum. The dilemma can be sum- med up in the following way Without the export of Ameri- can dollars on this scale there would certainly have been a deep crisis for Euro- pean capitalism after the war.

It was only American capital which allowed investment to proceed at a rate sufficient to relative stability guarantee and full employment. On the other hand, the very export of the dollar on such a scale eventually called into question its stability and the ability of the Americans to The recent devalution of the French fra marked yet another stage of the growing sit-in strike.

WORKERS' PRESS

maintain a fixed dollar price of gold. At the moment there are, have seen, roughly as we US Gold reserves $22.8 billions $15.4 billions three times the nominal value of paper dollars circulating the United States outside compared with the Fort Knox gold reserve. Clearly if all dollar holders attempted to cash their dol- lars for gold, the Americans would have back on to go their pledge to maintain the dollar price of gold at 35 dol- lars an ounce. The late 1950s mark a turning point in the develop- ment of the world money crisis: the holdings of dollars abroad now began to outstrip the US gold reserve. Vietnam war coupled with large amounts • up Sterling has placed increasing strain my. Above: Crop-destroying plane in Underlying this crisis is the gradual depreciation of all which has currencies paper occured in the post-war period. The capitalists were able to save their system after 1945 only through inflation, with all its attendant risks.

some idea of We can gain the degree of this inflation if we compare the movement of was established at 35 dollars an ounce. (1934-100) Index of prices 1958 1965 the French franc following on the revolutionary e of the growing crisis of capitalism. Above : Renau In other words, for every dollar spent on an average commodity in 1934, sumer would, by 1965, have had to spend around two and a half dollars. Yet throughout the entire period, the dollar price of one commodity-the one that was the basis of the entire world system, gold—re- monetary mained fixed. It is this which has limited the production of sufficient gold to keep pace with the ex- pansion of trade in the post- war period. Trade has grown at around four times the rate of gold production for much of the time since 1945. Why is this so? There are 'experts' who call for many more gold mining to deal with the crisis. What such people fail to understand is that gold pro- duction like that of all com- modities must obey the law of value. The fact that world prices have risen at a steady rate for 25 years has meant that in- vestment in South Africa gold prices mining-where have been artificially kept down by the American capitalists-has the suffered at of expense more lucrative investment.

TRUE VALUE

Although this tendency has been offset to some degree by technical improvements in gold mining and increases in the productivity of labour in the South African gold fields (through the more brutal ex- of the labour ploitation force) the general tendency is clear, and for capitalism ominous. Only a restoration of gold to its true value - which would mean a doubling if not a trebling of its price-will raise production to the levels required by the needs of world trade. In other words only through savage deprecia- tions of all currencies will the operation of the law of value be restored. The late 1950s saw the writing on the wall for the Bretton Woods arrangement with their Utopian attempt at 'managed' international a capitalism. It was at this point, with growing fears about the stabi- lity of the dollar, that atten- tion was focused on the US balance of payments deficit.

The consequences of the great outflow of dollars by American institutions was a growing deficit in the balance of payments (which took the form corresponding in- creases in the dollar holdings of foreign governments'. From the beginning of the 1960s first US President Kennedy and then Johnson began to pay close attention to the problem. Cuts in the 'aid' programme economies were announced; were made in diplomatic and military abroad; spending later placed on taxes were tourism and later still also on investments abroad. Although such efforts made little impact upon the exter- nal deficit-which continued to get worse, thanks in part UK

USA

220 330 240 400 revolutionary events of la st May and June Above : Renault factory in Cleon during a Despite the brutal exploitation of worker mines, world trade since 1945 has grown rate of gold production. Above: £3 15s. per month. to the need to escalate the war-they placed Vietnam increasing strain upon the European capitalist countries.

The impact of the US mea- sures was to slow down the rate at which world trade was as well as to re-. of a expanding, verse, in part at least, the flow of funds out of America. Now many American con- cerns in Europe, faced with a squeeze on credit at home, be- gan to repatriate some of the funds built up in Europe since the war (Euro-dollars).

This pushed interest rates up to record-high level. This changed relationship of forces can be seen above all in the events leading up to the sterling devaluation of November 1967, which was a decisive, turning-point in the development of the crisis.

From 1964 the Americans staked everything on the struggle to maintain sterling's value. They knew that a sterling spark off devaluation would a series of convulsions for all currencies, European which would inevitably hit the dol- lar.

BAIL OUT

It was for this reason that unprecedentedly large amounts of aid and credits were mobilized for the Wilson government. The decision to devalue was, therefore, a blow not only for the then Chancellor and the James Callaghan Cabinet, but a blow for Amer- strategy. Capitalism no ican longer had the resources to bail out a leading country that found itself in difficulties.

Reactions to the November 1967 move were swift. following By March the year, the dollar found itself in the middle of the crisis.

The Americans were forced to suspend, in part at least, one of the lynch-pins of the Bretton Woods Agreements.

With the two-tier system which was instituted, the dol- lar and gold were no longer freely convertible. Since that time there have been two gold markets: the 'official' one in which the 35-dollar price has been retained for transac- tions involving purchases and sales of gold for reserve pur- poses, and a 'private' market where the price of the metal, although fluctuating, has usually been 20 cent per above its 'official' level ever since March of last year.

The next stage in the dis- integration of Bretton Woods marked by the crisis was meeting in Bonn at the end of last year, when it became clear that there were deep and growing splits between leading capitalist countries about economic and Anancial policy. The French-at that stage with American support - re- fused to devalue the franc and the Germans refused a mark revaluation. But the general tendency which had now been set in motion continued inexorably.

The French franc devalua- tion following the upheavals of last year marked yet another stage of the crisis. Under de Gaulle the French appeared to be so strong, with gold reserves and large a strong balance of payments position, but they were forced to devalue. This was only an expression of the real relationship of forces between American and European capitalism. Thursday, October 16, 1969 tion of workers in South African gold 945 has grown at about four times the Above: African miners-average pay: And now the crisis surround- ing the mark. The decision of a major country to "float' its currency is a clear and open breach Woods' of Bretton plans. It indicates the open phase ) re-. of a return to the economics of the 1930s, when devaluation followed devaluation as one country tried to steal an ad- vantage over its rivals in the struggle for world trade and markets. We are not, in other words, dealing with a temporary crisis of the capitalist system which it can hope to survive. The blunt fact which the capitalists themselves are now having to face is that America, despite her wealth and power, has not been powerful enough to regulate and stabilize the system. This is why the experience since the war has been so different from that of the old gold standard. In the period before 1914 capitalism enjoyed a relatively stable monetary system (the gold standard) because of the overwhelming power of British imperialism. The City was able to act as banker and fin- ancial centre for the whole world capitalist system. The 1920s and 1930s—years which saw chaos in the world monetary system and the col- lapse of the Gold Standard— marked a decisive and irrever- sible shift in the centre of world economic, financial and political power away from Britain and London and to America and New York. But it was a shift within a social system now in crisis and decline and one which suffered in 1917 defeats enormous through the Russian Revolu- tion, and again with the loss of Eastern Europe and China after 1945.

UNBEARABLE

So, though British imperial- ism was able to export capital on a huge scale in the 19th century to provide the means for capital investment in Europe and America and the expansion of world trade with- out suffering significant shocks, this has not been true of American capitalism. The strains of sustaining a world role in the present period of capitalist decline have proved unbearable. They have, as we have seen, led to the present rapidly wor- sening crisis. The events since the end of 1967 mark a new stage in the acute and historical crisis of imperialism. For capitalism there is no way out. Only savage deflations, pre- paration for a trade war and currency war, offer any even temporary solutions. But such 'solutions' involve battles with the enormous class, especially in working Europe, time western at a this working class is when beginning to break de- now cisively from the stranglehold of its bureaucratic leaderships, both Stalinist and social- democratic. The monetary crisis is the expression the crisis of capitalism in decline and dis- integration. There can be no reformist answer to this crisis. working The task of the class, led by the revolutionary party, must be to grasp the historical significance of the struggles which it has now entered, and by so doing pre- take power from the pare to / capitalist class.

Thursday, October 16, 1969 THERE are one or two points in your editorial comment (September 27) that I would take up' with you. First, you say that the stuff written about the hippies and the mouthings from the Liberal conference have nothing in common with the daily life of the working class. Surely as part of the society whose change you wish to accelerate, they do have some- thing common with the working class, insofar as they too want changes ? Now whether those changes would be for the betterment of society, does certainly need to be argued and debated and not 'spiked' as material that is of no consequence to the working class. Every new facet of change is of consequence. Secondly, you say that: "The most politically-minded mem- bers of the working class, the people who matter most, are rallying to our side.' Are you then implying that the workers who are not very politically minded - unfortun- ately at any moment the majority-do not matter? 'Don't worry? We'll tell you what's good for you' Much the same philosophy as most other political parties, trade and union executives establishments. So how will we ever know which is the party of truth, perhaps not until we're once again being told what is good for us ? With that said, may I wish you well with your publica- tion. Every call for change needs to be heard out. B. Day. MR. DAY'S claim that the working class has in common with the hippies and Liberals a desire for change is a value- less truism. Every class in present-day capitalism wants change—-in factory after factory the em- ployers are trying to change piece-work for Measured-Day Work, to weaken shop-floor organization, to get more work out of less men. the interests of their In continuation as a class, the employers want the most vio- lent changes in their relations with the working class. The struggle over these changes forces the working class into struggles not just to change but to overthrow capitalist private property.

The hippies, on the other hand, want to change capi- talism in a reactionary idealist direction. They offer nothing to youth who want to fight capitalism but the perspective of 'drop- ping out'- abandoning the • 1921, class struggle and taking up reactionary mysticism, drugs and in general the worst as- pects of capitalism in decay.

The idea of the hippies, that there is something noble in parasitism, in volunteering to become a beggar and live in squalor, runs counter to the whole daily life of the work- ing class. But there is more to it than that. Despite anarchist their slogans against the state, the hippies are used by the capi- talist mass media to discredit the idea of revolutionary struggle and to distort the facing the working issues class. For we are dealing here almost entirely with manu- The hippies (seen above at 144 Piccadilly), unlike the working class, want to change capitalism in an idealist manner which is out and out reactionary. factured news, with events magnified and distorted in order to dupe and I confuse readers and viewers. This brings us to the second point in Mr Day's letter, that the workers who are not poli- tically-minded do not matter.

This, of course, bears no relation to our position.

We consider that workers can decisively change society only when they • become con- scious revolutionaries. We fight for this Marxist consciousness in all sections of the working class. This theory is decisive in the strug- gle for power. This is why the most poli- tically-minded sections of the working class are decisive.

The entire history of the working class shows that a revolutionary party, organizing the most advanced sections of the class, is necessary for the overthrow of capitalism. Far from telling the work- ing class to stand by while the revolutionary party says 'what's good for you, we fight incessantly to rouse the work- ing class against every attack from capitalism and to drive home the fact that the eman- cipation of the working class is the task of the workers themselves. IS IT only accidental that Cliff Slaughter twice refers, in his article on the situation in Ireland to 'the 1918 Civil War'-once in the first para- graph and again in the caption to an illustration--and states that Partition followed this conflict? The Civil War was, as the every Irishmen knows, struggle that broke out after Anglo-Irish Treaty . 1921, and went on until 1923.

Far from preceding Parti- tion, the Civil War was largely caused by it, since one of the main issues between the two sides was whether or not to submit to the partition of the country. What Comrade Slaughter has in mind is evidently the Anglo-Irish War, which was ended by the Treaty. Of course if he sees the Irish as merely 'West Britons', this must indeed have been a civil war among the British!

Perhaps he is one of those who deny the possibility of national wars in the epoch of imperialism and for him every 20th century war is a civil war? Brendan Prendergast 9.38 a.m.-12 noon, Schools. 12.30 Farm p.m., Management. 1.0, Cadw Cwmni. 1.30, Watch With Mother. 1.45-1.53, News and Weather. 2.05-2.25, Schools. 4.20, Play 4.40, School. Jackanory. 4.55, Blue Peter. _5.20, Journey To The Centre Of The Earth. 5.44, Babar. 5.50, National News and Weather. 6.00, London-Nationwide. 6.45, The Newcomers. 7.05, Top Of The Pops. 7.30, Dad's Army. 8.00, Softly, Softly. 8.50, The Main News and Weather. 9.10, Sportsnight With Coleman.

10.00, British By Cholce.

10.30, 24 Hours. 11.15, Weatherman. 11.17, Car-Wise. Regional Programmes as BBC-1 except at the following times: Midlands and East Anglia: 6.0- 6.45 p.m., Midlands Today, Look East, Weather, Nation- wide. 11.47, News Summary Weather for the Midlands and East Anglia. North of England: 6.0-6.45 p.m., Look North, Weather, Nation- wide. 11.47, Northern News Headlines, Weather. Wales: 2.30-2.50 p.m., Gwlad A Thret. 6.0-6.45, Wales Today, Weather, Nationwide. 6.45-7.05, Heddiw. 10.0-10.30, Tipyn Steil. Scotland: 2.30-2.50 p.m., Around Scotland. 6.0-6.45, Reporting Scotland. 11.47, Epilogue, Scot- tish News Headlines. Northern Ireland: 2.30-2.50 p.m., For Schools. 6.0-6.45, Scene Around Six. 11.47, Northern Ire- land News Headlines, Weather, Road Works Report. South and West: 6.0-6.45 p.m., Today, Points West, South Spotlight South-West, Weather, 11.47. South and Nationwide. West News Headlines. 11.00-11.20 a.m., Play School.

p.m., Teaching Adults. 7.00 7.30, Newsroom, Weather. 8.00, Call My Bluff. The Money Programme. 8.30, 9.10, John Mortimer: Plays Of Today. News Summary, Weather. 10.30, 10.35, Line-Up.

THAMES

11.0 a.m., Schools: 2.58-3.45 p.m., Racing From Newmarket. 3.55, Face Of The Earth. 4.15, News Theatre. 5.20, Magpie. 5.50, News From

ITN.

6.03, Today. 6.40, Peyton Place. Scoundrels' 7.10, 'Schools For starring lan Carmichael and Terry Thomas. 9.00, Nearest and Dearest.

9.30, This Week. 10.00, News At Ten. 10.30, CInema. 11.00, Tales of Edgar Wallace.

12.00, The Church And Its Wealth. SOCIALISM or barbar- ism. These alternatives are at no time more clearly revealed than to- day in the era of atomic power. On July 16, 1945, the first man-made atomic explosion took place at Los Alamos, New Mexico. The explosive power of this bomb was 15 million times that of its weight in TNT, equivalent to some thousands of tons of high explosive. Today such a weapon would not be considered sufficient to arm a single Polaris missile. In August 1945, two similar weapons exploded over Hiro- shima and Nagasaki killing 110,000 Japanese instantly and condemned thousands more to a slow death from radiation damage. Each weapon contained at its heart about ten kilograms of uranium 235. Today, in Western Europe alone, there exists 20,000 kilo- grams of fissile material which can be used in the construc- atomic and hydrogen tion of weapons. Of course, the development of the A-bomb by the United States in the last years of the war had little to do with the fight for 'freedom'. From the beginning of the project the main enemy was seen to be workers' the state of the

USSR

The Bolshevik revolution of October 1917 wrenched out of imperialism's hands a sixth of the earth's surface, rich in natural resources. It dealt a massive body blow capitalism in its death to Border TV 1.40 p.m., Schools. 2.58-3.45. ** Racing From Newmarket. 4.0, Border News Headlines. 4.02, Junkin. 4.15, Katie Stewart Cooks.

4.40, Once Upon A Time. 4.55 The Adventures Of Robin Hood 5.20, Magpie. 5.50, National News.

Border News and Look- around. 6.35, Crossroads. 7.0, The Wild, Wild West. 8.0, Peyton Place.

8.30, Our's Is A Nice House. 9.0, Nearest and Dearest. 9.30, This Week. 10.0, News At Ten and Border Weather. 10.30, Cinema.

11.0, Omri's Burning: play by Welsh writer, Ewart Alexander. 11.55, Border News and Weather.

Westward 11.0 a.m.-12 noon, Schools. 1.40, Schools. Racing From 2.58-3.45, Newmarket. 4.08, Westward News Headlines. 4.10, Peyton Place. 4.38, The Gus Honeybun Show.

4.50, Flaxton Boys. The 5.20, Magpie. 5.50, National News. 6.0 Westward Diary. 6.20, Pett Sub- ject. 6.35, Crossroads. 7.0, The Thursday Film: 'Thunder In The East' starring Alan Ladd and Kerr. Debora 8.30, Miss West- '69. Nearest ward and Dearest. 9.30, years Labour government. 10.0, News At Ten. 10.30, Cinema.

11.0, Seaway. 11.50, Fair For Life.

11.56, Weather. Yorkshire 11.0 a.m., Schools. 2.58 p.m., From Newmarket. Racing 4.15, News Headlines. 4.17, Diane's Magic Theatre. 4.30, Arthur. 4.55, The Forest Rangers. 5.20, Magpie.

5.50, News. Calendar, Weather. 6.30, Castle Haven. 6.55, 'Somewhere In The Night' starring John Hodiak, Nancy Guild, Lloyd Nolan and Richard Conte. 9.0, Nearest and Dearest. 9.30, This News Ten, Week. 10.0, At Weather. 10.30, Cinema. 11.0, A Man Of Our Times. 12 midnight, Late Weather. 2.58 p.m., 11.0 a.m., Schools. Racing From Newmarket. 4.13, North East Newsroom. 4.15, News Headlines. 4.17, Sara and Hop- pity. 4.25, Mr Piper. 4.53, North East Newsroom. 4.55, Ivanhoe. 5.20, Magpie. 5.50, News.

6.0, Today At Six. 6.30, Peyton Place.

7.0, Marcus Welby, MD. 8.0, Man In A Suitcase. 9.0, Nearest and Dearest. 9.30, The Week. 10.0, News At Ten. 10.30, Cinema. 11.0, Late News Extra. 11.45, The Samaritan Stopped.

WORKERS' PRESS

agony country with revolution. The Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union could not prevent the establishment of the workers' states in Eastern Europe and in China. However, the collaboration of this counter-revolutionary imperialist with the caste powers enabled capitalism to maintain its grip over Western Europe. Having used Stalinism to.

drive back the working class from power, the US poured immense resources into capit- alist Europe to prop its up crippled economy and to pre- pare to take back the gains won by the working class, in the workers' states. The existence of the A- bomb as the sole possession of the United States was short-lived. In spite of the devastation of sections of Soviet industry during the war, and the crippling effects of bureaucratic mismanage- ment, the USSR produced and tested an atomic device in 1947. There could, therefore, be no easy military victory for imperialism through a mono- poly of nuclear bombs. The development of the inflation- ary boom, boosted by the Korean war, saw the launching of the arms race proper.

ICBM

By the early 1950s the US had developed nuclear rocket propulsion weaponry, and missile guidance and con- trol to the point where an intercontinental ballistic mis- sile (ICBM) could be built.

The knowledge that the USSR was already working on an ICBM programme was all that was needed The Air Force's Thor, Atlas and Titan programmes and the Army's Jupiter programme launched almost were simul- taneously. The Navy's Polaris and programme the Air Force's Minuteman programme were phased in just a few years later. The Army, which had the responsibility for ground- based air defence (including the Nike Ajax and Nike Her- surface-to-air missiles, cules or SAMs), began to study the problem of how to intercept ICBMs, and soon afterwards initiated the Nike Zeus pro- attempt to con- gramme, an struct a nuclear-armed rocket capable of intercepting a simple missile. By 1960 it became clear that the • USSR taking was • seriously the possibility of constructing viable anti- a ballistic missile (ABM) system.

This now led the US to study the problems of penetrating missile defences. In 1962 the Nike-X concept was formulated. Basically this involves the use of missiles with multiple warheads, each of which can be directed against a small target with great precision.

Such a target would be the Soviet of equivalent the Minuteman missile, the main US ICBM, which is housed below in ground leve a hardened silo to prevent easy destruction by nuclear attack.

In terms of atomic weaponry the US and USSR now have 'parity'. Both now possess around 1,000 ICBMs although the US is ahead on long-range air- craft and Polaris-type sub- marines. This gap is now rapidly closing. Extinction It is at present impossible for any 'first strike', no matter how massive, to prevent a massive retaliation and the possible extinction of the human race. Scientists in both the US and USSR admit that without a huge increase in spending on weapons research there is still no sure defence against a concerted nuclear attack.

A recent US report states: *Still, after 15 and years, the expenditure of more than 20 billion dollars, it is gener- ally conceded that we do not have a significant capability to defend ourselves against a well-planned air attack.' The

ABM

existence 'the in themselves con- systems stitute a huge danger to man- Above: 'Fat Man', the uranium bomb dropped on Nagasal diameter.

THE POLITICS OF

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

an should be launched immediately the diameter Fat Mas", the uranium bomb dropped on Nagasaki. It was I1 feet long and had a 60-iach attacking missiles leave the • ground. This is, of course, impos- sible, but for the system to be successful (in other words was I1 feet long and had a 60-inch

PAGE THREE

to launch the ABMs before be destroyed thasted off course) truman in- reinintion must be cut to the minimum the main decisions taken by computers.

Mankind's future jeo- pardy through some minute item of defective electronic equipment. In the United States, the ABM programme has been an explosíve political issue over the last few years. The Johnson administration proposed .constructing the Sentinel system, a 'thin' ABM system designed to defend the US against a Chinese missile attack in the 1970s. Nixon has modified this to the Safeguard system. Admitting that it is impos- sible to defend American cities against nuclear attack, this system has as its sole aim the part of protection of the Minuteman force in order to carry out effective retaliation.

Obsolete However, it has been esti- mated that even this system will be obsolete within five years. Massive expenditure is therefore necessary precisely at a period of economic crisis.

It is at this point that the Soviet bureaucracy, as the of imperialism, main prop lends a helping hand. The US imperialists know that the bureaucracy is oppo- sed to proletarian revolution in the advanced capitalist countries and that it fears the The first launch of Minuteman at the Vandenberg Air Force base, California, in 1960.

offensive of the East European working class against its own repressive rule. •Peaceful coexistence' with imperialism now entails closer collaboration between the Soviet leadership and the American ruling class to pre- throughout vent revolution Europe and to prepare the betrayal of the Chinese Revolution. expected that the It is USSR will shortly announce its agreement to hold bilateral talks with the US on strategic arms limitation - referred to as SALT. China Concerning the possibility Financial of such talks the Times' (September 24) com- mented: 'At the very least, they can hardly avoid discussing China, since it is against a possible threat from China that part of the nuclear force of both sides is directed. In the long term, any bilateral agreement reached would have to take account of China's growing power — would nuclear the agreement be revised, for example, if China's nuclear strength grew faster than the mutual estimates of both sides, or if the Chinese leadership became more aggressive?' The policies of the Stalin- ists openly endanger not only the Chinese Revolution but also the conquests of October.

The lessons of history prove time and again that such be- trayal, far from preserving the only lead to status quo, can war. Today such a war could steeled in the struggle against bureaucracy, and now striking hammer blows at the Stalinists internationally will resolve the crisis of proletarian leadership, the crisis of mankind Socialism not barbarism.

WORKERS' PRESS

PAGE FOUR

SHOPKEEPERS

EDITORIAL

Unemploy-

FIGHT PARIS

ment

• FROM PAGE ONE

to make workers work fas- crisis d

POLICE

PARIS POLICE broke up a 20,000- small demonstration strong artisans and shopkeepers on British-Ley Monday night. The trouble began after a meeting was called by the Workers' Independent Action And how could it be other- By a foreign correspondent federating wise ( Committee, a body The fight against unemplos most politica traders about dozen small emitation or is pant t organizations. Under pressure militants at the meeting, moderate leaders attempted to lead a march to the local radio stadon.

Is aire more am portant to tes human back, tought ing paving stones and other Insoles they are in separate taco.

* when atter the the san wein all organiza tories which is prepared to tior Germany The Ce i sade organi Union working cha proper diend self-employed Hon starts the are that facing essentially that franc last essare nd which still political. just the trade unions. the heart of Gaulist earlier days of the tremendou The conference will be held in territory. 3 comes at

CHINA PREPARES

Significance moment. vorking lass actio eat mas o a worker break

TO MEET

Barbara industriest ermascism leading were desresented.entres common fighting before 1930ns, as

WAR THREAT

Castle Italian By Charles parkin rome on against their strike wave By a foreign correspondent BARBARA CASTLE, Min- Yorkshire pornmen that seren ten ister PEKING radio announced on Tuesday new government continues Productivity haa measures to counter the threat of war with either the from large T.V. profits Soviet Union or the USA. recepuon students aucience Coventry miners strategy i th Workers Press correspondent in notatest edition of ried Quoting from stall al Lancaster sity on rriday. top

ANUINEA

vote to strike strikes hit Italy on the Peking Mon- Star' (journal of day. nevolunonary vomitteey £100,000 the broadcast called for the Naples, striking contemplated b the Torear miners •ispersion or inausuy ana bus arivers blocked all , effecti and Chir the Kremlin and se the city's main streets the Red Army Khese small jamsb creating tratic bases scattered workers Midlands area strategic points. Huddersfield, orking-class then gave the action against the Stalin Cement following. From iry delegate wally imperialist nounced on Tuesday. hree-day Revolution s145000 or those year the only sure defence. of works, against low o romilk prices Protest Richard Dustmen Lost nately 1:800 tons of coal per share- In the North, hit the Pir t are enemies end win the war.

• FROM PAGE ONE

Regime moved Soviet bureaucracy Ara wine ap the same in comes to Pompidou's Trades Unions IT WAS announced in Moscow on Monday that follow- aid assured ing talks between French Foreign Minister Schumann Alliance from and Soviet Communist Party secretary Leonid Brezhnev.

protests Soviet leaders (Brezhney, Prime Minister conference unree ToD Mench tulane ass was l Kosygin and President Podgorny) will visit France in the national offer near future. This tingsy the all-London lotoril car, ci attary antion at 2 This firmation components and restored the close working re- vill travel delivery time in 1970. to the downtall of Dudes Gaulle Mishe Castle writy was the guest All tate dealed adore workers kely to do what the Frenc are invited Cold-shoulder to a still to b motor workers Lancaster busmen strike even to ed conterence not making Digbeth Civic Hall, to one of its with the West. over disciplined driver Digbeth That Seal t Frede talcapitals toast Birmingham meet busmens represented es Workers' Press correspondent Saturday November 8 LANCASTER busmen, em Ribble Motors. Dese remin opposition on he hairs in a 2 p.m. to 7 p.ms. ATUA meeting Wednesday. Write for credentials to: creted that the

LEICESTER

РОТА 21 Strav ho was disciplined for Blackxford Wages battle, unemploy- attempting ment issued in the Is at drivers ander ondor, ment and Workers' Press' parties nast comerence Ice • ›so • person ther dislocation of bus services Meeting Thursday, October 23, trench diplomacy today. lations. рен. 18. malice lack 8 p.m. The busmen make conciliation in his refusal to take Ructand Stree 1, London: 1956, 1944.1945 and more ellicient Labour MP for Lancaster, again in Thursday. October 16. 1969 NIXON'S measures against inflation are at last beginning to 'bite', according to the US Labour Department's unemployment figures.

stand at 4 They now per cent of the working and bankers emplovers have worked for over the population, an increase from 3.5 per cent in only last year or more Treasy told one month. Kennedy the barons face Economic increase is what the US government, ceptable. gard a level 'unacceptable'. cell as

RESULTS

charges Kennedy listed the follow- ing results of the Nixon gov- ernment s anu innauonal y measures (high interest rates. tax surcharges etc: • A slowing down of the growth rate from 5.1 per cent in 1968 to 2 per cent in persev. renas vanta nIst Inree quarters be aware. 1969. The companier nivolved Jersey • A sharp drop the Standard subsidiary) of Mohil goods sale and services Stand- 20,000

TOTO

corals Atlantic Re- 1 the ErST quarter Refining to 16,000 in the second. • A dron action was begu Sinclair producton in August. in 1965, Atlantic and fall absorbed Refining been Lne sanne into Atlantic Richfield. of new nonue in me volume orders received ov manutac- turers for durable goods.

Conversions A fall in unfilled orders US The government for durable goods. bila- charges that were 4.6 per cent fall ir between teral August TOr new machinerv named of + ho representatives demand suggesting that which companies, infringes investment Tor canita! legislation. begun to ease' deny the 'The reported charges. Der i nev are CerT unemployment rate being tried TOr previous case september suggesting that which in a had period been found legal. the long extreme in the labour mar- If this precedent is upheld, richtness ket may be ending.' the oil firms can expect to es- cape any penalties. These are statements the Sharp warning working class. Unemployment now And this was written well be used as a before the government's anti- to drive down hard-w. national measures begin to and working condi- bite. Price rIses have overtaker wage increases most for

WEAPON

working-class households. Ex- Though obviously afraid ruling class forced per use weason aenauor and tne sack similas hold rate or bront amounts under. fears that the "Fortune' mined by the steadily spiral- will now take working class have lung interest rates that strike action to catch in been the outcome of the fight what they have lost in prices to defend dollar over the last four years' in- This of inflation flation. and recession is multiplied by But in doing so thev will building up run full tilt into the rune the US business backed has just magazine, published threats unemploy- that lixures revea •osiuon or tne working developments class in the "Atter an unparalleled eco the newly formed struggle will trigger off strug.

meeting ov the nomic hoom average Socialist Society headed so. gues cemanding complete v American WOTAN In Incomes leadersh bureaucrats the Cutterent to- that industry than is slightly worse Policy!', attacked the govern- sten as cuther. today he was four ment's incomes policy and its Autos cuch years ago' productivity and Bridges on the docks. 'Fortune' feels: aim at increased 'Deep Faced with defeat in Viet. erene thering that could make nam. unnaralleled strike that coming of wave in western Europe and a time Between battles must eDIC independent the Bretton break-up of the and manacement an el Woods monetary will stem th stale controlled labour.' by their members and called US rulins class to the end. students •DOOSe the

REBELLIOUS

The Labour government's policies, struggles of the US working Subport the struggles of the assume now attend The working class. and do importance macazane great tor soc inaugural meeting of the the workins in onary

WOLK

everywnere. Society fol- tra me of mind. and rebellious Sonialise urgently require Marxist ana lowing Tuesday. leadersaiD.

• FROM PAGE ONE

wage man and I have to While we are on strike stav on overtime so I can the union should demand asking for much-only for on Saturday-and payment of their claim for go out a decent standard of living then I've nothing left for the surface and which they haven't got Sunday.4 £16 underground. Also and reasonable hours to the market men should be Manv of the miners are work.9 paid a minimum of 5s. 2d., bitterly hostile to the local no matter what job Said one surfaceman's they and nationa union eacer. wife: ship. are sent to. 'Men on the surface "The men won't bend As Wheldale belt main- should the now. I've been married 25 Bill Turner tenance man work same hours and brought those pointed out: as vears three children those ground. y on & We ought to sack the Lavery, had Brian under- wages and never lot at barnsley Yorkshire week's holiday. You just ground craftsman, Whel-

NUM

headquarters]. Pit- dale: live an existence, hand to top men should have the «Rank-and-file mouth—-its disgusting. miners those hours same 'Ask Mr Wilson if he are putting enormous pres- and £17 underground, on sure on their leaders. could live on it with his the surface. We get 50s. a • and I've always "he Cadeby miners re- wife.. lad gets shift - a button jected all appeals to return been a Labour woman. week. We're the £48 a "Tell him to come and to work and the worst paid men in York- area see me and see if he can council called a strike on shire.y of surface hours as a way live on it. I've been and scrubbed my guts out and Poor leaders heading off a big wage de- mand throughout the coal- taken washing in, over the tub till 12 o'clock at night Trevor Parsons, under- field. ground development worker 'But this will develop in- to earn a few shillings to at Glasshoughton said sur- to a broader strike. De- put a meal on the table. with Bailey, a i conveyor facemen were fed un mande for Jim a bigger basic a total wage of f13 12s. 6d.

of wage for surface and un- attendant Prince Wales «They see strikes derground day wage work- colliery, Pontefract, dustmen, dockers and car ers must come. told the Workers Press: 6 This strike should be for increases 'Every other section of workers of €5-£10 and they think for higher wages as well workers demanding poor leadership of the wage increases of f3 and the as hours 'A pit-top man should 'Day-wage have a lot more than the 'Cadeby has been on mine work- £13 12s. he gets now. strike for four weeks with ers, like farm workers, are no support from the York- ridiculously low 'The strike wants mak wage.9 I'm a day- official ing Shire panels.