Workers Press no. 38

19 November 1969 · 6 scanned pages · about 12,012 words of machine-read text

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Bylines in this issue (from the OCR, so incomplete): Brian Moore

Scan page 1

21019/ workers press The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League

NUMBER 38

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1969

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER •

To all Communist Party members Gollan Militancy pulls

STOP CHEATING

grows as nearer teachers to social plan strike demo- Break from

HISTORY

cracy Stalinism TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED out of

Y DAVID MAUDI

3,000 Sheffield teachers on a half-day morning

CHAUVINISN

and strike for the f135 wage claim attended a joint class - condoor duos were the twin keynotes rally of the Ivanonal or achers and National Association of Schoolmasters at the O1 yesterdays ciosillg of the Com- City Hall. session WE ADDRESS ourselves especially to the delegates The sheer size of the Con- By our education munist Party's who have just attended the 3lst Congress of the Wall Street BY marked gress. historic change in support thể should fully British Communist Party. How long can you tolerate

G. HEALY

But Education Authorities ° motionst Mote for these unions composite 'World your leaders' cowardly attempt to cheat history motion from the who green light party platform calling for support ment and concerning Stalinism's political executive s resorunion "The National ruture executive methods and murderous record?

Wales and Scotland'- was passed overwhelmingly, than pretence was dropped. It is all very well to engage in a little mild breast- to oil moguls like George from 'nobody told us, about Matthews, the editor of the 'Morning Star', but surely • was reluscu Feeing amongst the teachers you cannot believe this to be adequate Consider for a moment, the imnlications of stalin from the ism. It not just that Stalin was a tyrant who tortured By our own correspondent

SELECTED

of lenin's Central THE MERGER of British Petroleum's US the Russian Revolution to victory committee in October 1917 subsidiary with Standard Oil of Ohio has been Hugh wigger. these turned explain the political forces which motivated • here ten approved by the US Justice Department.

sendership en support Refused to sign the main questio Under the merger's com- That reed to sien British Party's that Czech

GREET

invasion

SUPPORT

maintai

WORKERS PRESS

Trials were absolutel Peffrey 21 Shared schools ember soreign parties,

CITY GENTS

record was given Dubcelst

HAPPY

toth this and he invasione 'invalid'

question. Stalinism Petroleum "The London voten were Marxist to supply the his sharply on THE Czech Academy Win and campaign the linkive with Sciences of

MOVE TO

has Standard Oil. declared its 'Black serveds of productivity.

CELEBRATE

In earl Book' on the Kremlin among people (1) in whis occupation invalid.

STALIN'S

at five public meetings

CONVINCING

welcomed E100

STOC

The academy's Presidium, market

BIRTHDAY

mate said.

DOW

purged

ILS

anu- London movements in see the lim or the nrst issue being prepared and Husak president allo Labour Commotee within the sovie printed and the film 'Young Socialists, 1969' Natonals Frantisek Sorm. dec ared through. documents the issued

LONDON

between August 21 and 28 , secure offcial 'based chieving thei day on beember 21% birth depending on the success of ncorrect now, can uniti Wednesday, November 19, 7 p.m.

Dr's new Alaskan ollelas decision Justice Department's Botany Theatre, University College Black " safe. of the merger, The Revolver on Betrayed Kellogg Malet Street, W.C.1 Revolution over the cial- would be blocked walk-out Kremlin occupation. League re-

OXFORD

porting your Congress. over sacked Stronghold Dispute Continuation Friday, November 21, 8 p.m.

steward

HELSINKI

to strongho whic marcues. They know that the history Northgate Hall, St. Michael's Street rosement. over restre Presidine Army no Strategic arms Park. tactory history because ou

GLASGOW

B.S.R.

comment' on of Kellogg's cereal manufac inter- disassociates folday of their song wint happer Vietnam Sunday, November 23, 7.30 p.m.

demotion talks open acking on Mondas steward and three Partick Burgh Hall les derived (nr. Merkland Street underground) other men massacre BSR WOMEN stopped Desnite From our own correspondent work again yesterday wae and barren stal THE US-SOVIET strategic arms limitation talks (SALT) strikers

NEWCASTLE

the partyt the to the began in Helsinki yesterday.

continue. demoled. They had returned to the to sere hang term ded which have emerged policies Sunday, November 30, 7.30 p.m.

mast Aubride. scotland, County Hotel, Neville Street Airline lactory on Monday alter a Retrace 4-weer recognition strike he made offcial by th at Women reported for work chiefs try

LIVERPOOL

i sack need dispute fel will not be ended Hide reps to the dark years es to end crisis then Sunday, December 14, 7.30 p.m.

think it can sed maci refused #These Shaftesbury Hotel, Mount Pleasant are thin mes bof stalin

GATWICK

THE WORLD'S 42 mai thd poll led crim Speakers at all meetings will be:

EXPANSION

ered alagement Young Socialists MIKE BANDA (Editor of Workers" Press) the rumay at Gatwick airpod down adi

GRAND XMAS

SHEILA TORRANCE (National Secretary of the wetted by the Bail Ar Young Socialists) Hesitate

BAZAAR

ALE

- extenst 'Victimization' cutting to produc-

WEATHER

Saturday, Nov. 29 earlier weapons loaded transatlantic flights.

nand later. iday: unanged Cannings open Public Hall

PIMMS

some near or father betow ss position has been cleared

CORRECTION

knit? tered showers: wind westerly paint?

TAKE OVER

Bazaar' Milan a Dry sunny periode give something towards ot Dr. Cobbels as thistory is the leadile as aloof Help as you a i the eroe rever held 1 Its long-term strates, 1, BR's chairma eatined po for canne one Help us raise the money for our dally paper- states. strong

THE WORKERS' PRESS

*Sunny pedods. Sier. Maximlym 8C (46F). manco of this statemen

• PAGE 4 COL. 4 →

Scan page 2

To all Communist Party members workers press

NUMBER 38 •

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

Gollan pulls

STOP CHEATING

nearer to social demo-

HISTORY

стасу

CHAU VANISM

DAVID

MAUDE

and collaboration class- were the twin keynotes yesterday's closing session WE ADDRESS ourselves especially to the delegates Party's Con- munist who have just attended the 3lst Congress of the gress. In two British Communist Party. How long can you tolerate debates-on omposite Communist no tee motion the your leaders' cowardly attempt to cheat history and party Stalinism's political concerning National The methods and murderous record?

Scotland'—all Wales •retence It is all very well to engage in a little mild breast- Phrases beating about 'nobody told us, George Inte Matthews, the editor of the 'Morning Star', but surely the you cannot believe this to be adequate.

of Stalin- moment, the Consider loi ism. It was not Just tnat stalin was a lyraul assassinated and executed ine maority or tenns central Committee which leo the kussian nevoludon to victory amentsecutive in October 1917. Perime dexplain the political forces which motivated Hugh Wyper). Refused to sign which the Goin leadersion Chad resused to sign Czech of the Comm unlot rally scaves doct under Мом tras were araly invasion _ record then 'invalid' history Respectively, Marie to supply the al THE Czech Academy and woul meet wit of Sciences has

MOVE TO

parliaments declared Black among people (in

CELEBRATE

Book' on the Kremlin Suppand: occupation invalid.

STALIN'S

The academy's Presidium, in which wa

BIRTHDAY

purged labourents president ommittee within the Centre Lab Frantisek Sorm, document between August 21 and 28 scarin of veal Dased now, can unite their efforts'. day on December 21. inexact and incorrect information'. Kellogg ted on Party torical answer in boo documents walk-out Kremlin occupation. from re- ortus you. over sacked Stronghold Mounted Continuation Historical steward had tren of of our move that is hitory the occupation Army "no STRIKERS at the Trafford The Manchester, lactory admitted comment on or nellogg s cereal manulac Prom ins turers. ne a mass meeung din unhat happened in the stands. yesterday ollowing Vietnam sisted sackıng on Monday ot them als0,000 shop steward three apadical • Sock one cat he met hee ner collective as possibi conclusions as soon

USDAW

their to shey her Retrace Tbe malled Husak sime indeep, regime Sovisit bureaucre to the dark years o the es in. payme sign undertakings measures an threats

GATWICK

isolation, reers have stood out for mes of Stalir not

EXPANSION

ofered management Young Socialists the rumiay at plan to airend

GRAND XMAS

vested by the British Airports

BAZAAR

wrists threw out the na more heaving. Saturday, Nov. 29 loaded Public Hall Canning Town

PIMMS

• Dors oven y noon

CORK GUN

Can you sew? knit? paint?

TAKE OVER

Think in our is make something for our Bazaar?

give something towards our bazaar ?

Te leastile British alcohol leading Help ever held! c lying €700,000 for the Help us raise the money for our daily paper— I onis satement of this ! ?i!!! The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League PRICE 6d

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1969

• TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED out of 3,000 Sheffield teachers on a half-day morning strike for the £l35 wage claim attended a joint rally of the National Union of Teachers and National Association of Schoolmasters at the City Hall. By our education The sheer size of the BY marked corresoonaeni altendance weeks should be fully mistoric change n suppor

G. HEALY

for these unions. the from plaworm calllne Ior support for anv strıke action called by the natonal executive was passed overwhelmingly only six voting agains floor chers indicated the depth By our own correspondent

SELECTED

THE MERGER of British Petroleum's US

(NUT)

Grove subsidiary with Standard Oil of Ohio has been Bac onle sided Senders hip approved by the US Justice Department.

under me mercer s com* bacated terms W1l. tegchers were determined eventually acquire up to 54

GREET

per cent of Standard Oil,

SUPPORT

e1 Shetud sc. Nis eme t135

CITY GENTS

saly sete d rite adr

HAPPY

mill- tancy Dres out mon macer o Jack national serunds or Waoductivito."

at five public meetings

CONVINCING

Teachers, need IL" no convincing Loe ar See the film of the first issue being prepared and F the ery wage printed and the film 'Young Socialists, 1969' the ugay.

LONDON

Aachermnte vin lepending on the success o Wednesday, November 19, 7 p.m.

DI s lCW when decisior Ickin national Botany Theatre, University College 1 es on Malet Street, W.C.1 strihe A as ent cole savs national strike.

OXFORD

Friday, November 21, 8 p.m.

HELSINKI

Northgate Hall, St. Michael's Street over

GLASGOW

Sunday, November 23, 7.30 p.m.

Partick burgn Mall (nr. Merkland Street underground) WOMEN stopped

BSR

From our own correspondent work again yesterday when THE US-SOVIET strategic arms limitation talks (SALT) recent

NEWCASTLE

strikers were began in Helsinki yesterday.

demoted. Th kadree sc oo th r the chair Sunday, November 30, 7.30 p.m.

Scotland, the chiet Am ercar- County Hotel, Neville Street Airline Gerard Smith. laltur y un mivuay allei a 14-week recognition suike.

adetsati at o am. yesterded for work chiefs try

LIVERPOOL

to end crisis Sunday, December 14, 7.30 p.m.

trill. Vadiy semrain who neser Shaftesbury Hotel, Mount Pleasant said tha THE WORi Ss 2 majo supp and offered her five-day airlines Speakers at all meetings will be : MIKE BANDA (Editor of Workers" Press) down-gra SHEILA TORRANCE (National Secretary of the icts of the anlinés. Hesitate Young Socialists) • Tare urara no ee ruling class US B the sov 'Victimization' mate to e armask

WEATHER

down-grading isay hase the The women North ande nesstine weapons sessional Outlook and Wind ine and retum ale porton bal bec dered rezsons im between and Central Northern branches : Sunny periods Nesterl: '"eaceful co-exist- capitalist red showers. onderin eza- sunny periods Serauon, BR chatman mal tai working out strong. tom basio dg cat + apta not been

• PAGE 4 COL. 4 →

Scan page 3

'WITHOUT THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL

PAGE TWO

JACK

GALE

PRIOR TO LABOUR'S

election victory in 1964, there had been two im- portant attacks on the trades unions through the courts-Rookes v. Barnard and Stratford v. Lindley. Rookes was a draughtsman employed by BOAC. He re- signed from the Association of Engineering and Ship- building Draughtsmen. The union threatened action and BOAC dismissed him. Rookes then sued the union for damages and—after a long battle in the courts- he won his case in the House of Lords. Stratford's were a firm of repairers. barge hirers and the Watermen's They sued had blacked Union which Stratford's and obtained a High Court injunction restrain- ing the union from carrying out its ban. The La bour leaders promised the unions that they would take action to restore their legal position. But the Trades Disputes Bill-given its reading in February second 1965 —far from legalizing the closed shop, led to the pro- posal for 'a Royal Commission to examine the trades unions' role. This followed shortly after George Brown's famous Intent. In 'Declaration of December 1964 Brown got employers and union leaders to agree on the outlines of an incomes policy which involved productivity, increased mobility of labour and a reduc- tion of 'restrictive' practices.

The government then its intention announced to hold down wage increases to 34 per cent.

HYSTERICAL

As 1965 went on, there came increasingly hysterical attacks on the unions from right- Tories and Labour such as Desmond wingers Donnelly, accompanied by from Wilson and threats Brown of legal action against the unions to impose a wage freeze. Instead of fighting back, the TUC proposed to intro- 'early warning duce its own to hold back system' wage increases. At the Labour Party Conference in September 1965, resolution . to an emergency reject legislation against the defeated by unions was 3,635,000 to 2,540,000 votes.

The campaign against anti- union laws was not begun in but by the those quarters, Young Socialists and the Socialist Labour League. We demanded a fight back against the constant press attacks on 'selfish workers'. The Queen's speech in Nov- ember 1965 made it clear that anti-union laws were on their way and it was after this that the Lambeth Trades Council • called a lobby for January 26, 1966. George Brown: Got employers and union leaders to agree on incomes policy. Lobbies of parliament were changing. During the booming 1950s lobbies had been commonplace.

They were always very sedate, polite affairs. But 1963 saw the first dose of unemployment since the war. March 1963 saw a mass lobby in response to a call from the North East Region of Trades Councils. Trade unionists and Young Socialists turned out in force.

There were clashes with the police, a red flag was hung over the entrance to parlia- ment, and respectable MPs were frightened out of their wits. Now, here was another lobby. The government's Bill had not yet been published. Yet something had to be done, for the strength of the working class had pushed up wages by 87 percent in 1965. In March 1963, 30,000 trade unionists, unemployed turn out in force to lobby tl Clashes took place for the first time since between workers and police. The Lambeth a large part in the preparation of this lo for workers who had travelled from all p Already it was clear that the TUC would not defend the working class — on December Council 22 its General voted by 23-12 to accept legis- lation to restrict wage claims.

It followed this up by with- drawing recognition from the Lambeth Trades Council. Despite this, and despite a boy- cott by the Labour 'lefts' and the Communist Party, 1,500 people went on the march.

On February 24 the govern- ment's White Paper-threaten- ing heavy fines for trade union- ists fighting for wage increases and imprisonment if they couldn't pay—was given its first formal reading. On February 26 the Socialist Labour League called for a one-day strike and lobby of parliament, and published a pamphlet 'No Laws against the Trade Unions' by G. Healy.

The Prices and Incomes Bill gave the government power to demand notification of any wage claim or any wage settle- ment or price increase. The government was also given powers to forbid imple- mentation of any increase for up to four months. Failure to comply meant fines of £50 to £500. This was a step towards cor- porate state control over wages and the unions. Wilson had, in fact, made an appeal to many middle-class voters who feared the unions in the Hull by-election in January 1966. Many of them voted for Labour candidate Kevin

WORKERS' PRESS

because they reflected both the confidence MacNamara of the class and the hoped Wilson would tame the working hopes of the middle class for unions. firm action against the unions.

Many of these people were striking filled with fear of But it also removed the ex- workers by press witch-hunts 'lefts' that of Labour's they could not oppose Wilson his small parlia- because of mentary majority. The fight against anti-trade union legislation was the main the Young question at both Socialists' 6th Annual Con- ference at Morecambe and at the May Day demonstration in London. YS then called for a The of demonstration and lobby parliament against anti-union laws and the Devlin Report on May 25. This supported by was 7,000 Merseyside dockers; struck work and made 63 ships idle. marched 1,100 people London, through despite the of the Com- splitting tactics Party, which worked munist night and day to stop dockers in other ports from joining the Merseyside men.

REJECTED

Then, in May 1966, the sea- men struck work for a 40-hour week. They rejected the Pearson inquiry which pro- posed reducing hours from 56 to 48, with a 40-hour week to come later. The Labour government saw this as a test case for their policy and entire incomes brought in Emergency Powers the Not against seamen. a single left' MP voted against these powers. Meanwhile the Communist Party had issued a call for a lobby on June 22. This came a few days after the call for May 25 and was clearly in- tended only as a diversion.

Needless to say, it was sup- the anti-Marxist ported by "state capitalist' group. After May 25 the Commun- ist Party did practically noth- for ing towards a campaign June 22. The SLL the Young and Socialists offered à united cam- paign to the Communist Party rank and file and brought 1,000 people to the lobby under Young Socialists and "Victory the slogans: to the orce to lobby the Houses of Parliament. Devlin Seamen', 'Against the Second World War first time since the Report', 'Against anti-trade Council played The Lambeth Trades union legislation'. of this lobby, organizing meals This time the Communist all parts of the country.

Party was unable to repeat the of its March strategy like the famous 'Noose Trial' demonstration when they had hoax-a fantastic press Young force the tried to about threats and violence at Socialists off the march for two BMC, Cowley, tollowing bringing in political questions.

strikes on one-day February After the June 22 lobby, the 24 and March 3. Socialist Labour League called As the General Election Socialist for a mass action on July 20— approached, the League called for the date of the second reading Labour of the anti-trade union bill- Labour victory in order to keep and the YS announced a mass out the Tories and to expose demonstration Brighton at the right wing. October 2, the of the Labour's landslide victory

B.B.C.-1

Moon: 7.00 Men On The Apollo 12. 9.00 The Moon and Man. 11.30 Moon Walk. 3.30 p.m World News and Reaction. 4.00 The Watching World: Apollo 4.20 School. 4.50 Latest 12. Play 6.00-6.15 Wales Today. W. 17.15-7.305 News 'Intrepid'. 4.55 The From Heddiw. 6.45-7.15 5.15 Wild 10.50-11.20 Singing, Ringing Tree. Springboks 5.50 World. 5.44 Hector's House. vae 6.00-6.15 Reporting Scotland: p.m. News and Weather. National 11.05-11.30 •coland. SPortseei 6.00 London. Internationa 6.15 Moon Walk Special. Lennis 6.00-6.15 p.m. Scene Northern Ireland: 6.45 The Doctors. 12.32 Around Northern Parade : 7.30 'All Ireland News Headlines, The Laugh Weather. South and West: For Mary'

POINTS

Spotlight West, South Today Soute 8.50 The Main News. West. Weather. dines. meather South and The Wednesday Play. 9.15 West News Headlines, 24 Hours. 10.15 10.50 Grandstand Special.

B.B.C.-2

12 midnight Apollo Midnight Report. 11.00-11.20 a.m. Play School.

Weather. 12.30 dollle 7.00 Newsroom and Weather. Expecting A Baby. 7.30 8.00 Man Alive. regions BBC-l except at the llowing 8.55 Your Onions. East odelews Summary ст. 12.92 .d. 9.15 Show of the Week. Weather. World Wel- 10.00 My And come To It: series based Northern England 12.32 a.m. Norther selection of on James a.m. callics Thurber's cartoons. News Headlines, Labour Party Conference. Throughout all this activity for the in- campaigned we dependence of the trades unions from the capitalist state. We said the purpose of trades unions was to improve wages. If they gave up this right to the capitalist state, what was the purpose of trade unionism? Voting to accept Wilson's proposals amounted to voting the trades unions out of exist- ence-—and we pointed to the grim warning of the German trade union leaders who had accepted similar measures prior to Hitler. For this reason we strongly opposed the 'left' Frank Cousins (then general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union), who ad- should vocated that unions give up their bargaining powers to the TUC. We were consistently op- posed on these question by the Communist Party, which was determined to keep revolution- ary politics out of the struggle in the unions. The Stalinists strove might and main to prevent workers drawing political conclusions from their industrial struggles since this would have meant a political conflict with the trade union bureaucracy, especially the 'lefts'. In class actions, like the long-drawn-out dispute at the building Barbican in London, the Communist Party 'state — supported by the capitalists' - limited the workers to industrial questions and thus paved the way for defeat. At the Trades Union Con- gress in September 1966

NOS ACAD

The Labour government saw the seamen's and enacted the emergency powers agains League participated in all the seamen's ( Party rank and file which brought 1,000 'Against the Devlin Report' and 'Against 10.25 Doubts and Certainties

USA.

10.50 News Summary and Weather. 10.55 Line-Up.

I.T.V.

11.00-11.57 a.m. Schools. 1.40- 2.55 p.m. Schools. (Due to Apollo 12 the above programmes may not be transmitted.) 4.15 News Headlines. 4.17 The Tingha and Tucker Club. 4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 Lift Off. 5.20 Sexton Blake.

5.50 News. 6.03 Today. 6.30 The Ghost and Mrs Muir.

7.00 This Is Your Life. 7.30 Coronation Street. 8.00 The Benny Hill Show.

9.00 Special Branch. 10.00 News At Ten. 10.30 Sez Les. 11.00 Professional Wrestling. 11.45 The Papers. 12.00 Music From midnight Malinee Peris. Wilson outlined his programme ior a six month wage freeze, followed by 'severe restraint' and strict enforcement of the prices and incomes policy.

The TUC voted to support the Prices and Incomes Act— even though Part 4 gave the government compulsory powers over wage negotiations. There- fore struggles over wages posed political questions of leader- ship and power. 1,200 people took part in our October 2 demonstration at the Labour Party Conference which endorsed the govern- ment's right to take legal powers to enforce the Prices and Incomes Act. Despite the TUC's voluntary wage freeze, the militancy of the working class over wages was such that the government could not rely on these leaders and wanted to have powers in reserve. The Socialist Labour League called on the 'left' Labour MPs to place a motion before the Parliamentary Labour Party demanding the resignation of Wilson and his Cabinet. This was issued at a special of League congress the in November 1966, when we also announced a national demon- stration and lobby for February 21, 1967 for a fight to the finish against Wilson. The Beaver Hall Conference of the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trades Unions (led by the Communist Party) met on December 3 and called for a February 21 lobby. In January 1967 the Socialist Labour League issued a Central Committee statement calling for left unity against Wilson's our policies, urging the 'left' MPs to fight and promising them support from the factories and

BETE

638 :% 11111 1 JA aw the seamen's strike in May 1966 as a test case for their y powers against the seamen. The Young Socialists and th the seamen's demonstrations and offered a united campaig brought 1,000 people on a lobby under the slogans, rt' and 'Against the anti-union legislation'.

London All independent channels as 4.00 times:

ITV

except at the following

CHANNEL: 6.00-9.00

Apollo 12. Blake. a.m. 11.00 Schools. 11.40 Apollo , Lottery 3.40- Weather. 3.55 p.m. States Of Jersey Results. 4.50 Puffin's Birthday Greet- ings. 6.00 Channel News and Weather.

The Pursuers. 6.35 Crossroads. 6.10 7.00 Treasure Hunt. 11.45 Epilogue, News and Weather In French, Weather.

the Challenge. WESTWARD: 6.00-9.00 a.m. Apollo 12.

The 11.40 a.m.-3.40 11.00 Schools. oi p.m. Apollo 12. Hatty Town. 4.13 Westward News Headlines. 4.15 Open House. 4.40 The Gus Honeybun Show.

6.00 Westward Diary. 6.35 Crossroads. Life. Tress re ather. Treasure, Hunt. 11.45 Faith For 11.00 10.58 Scho.591.40 m 11.00 6.00-9.00 11.40 a.m.- 4.15 Halls Scotsport. 5.00 Midlands News. 6.10 ATV Toda in.45 Pulse, Weather. 6.35 Crossroads Y0.15.00 Sch Schools: 11.40 Apolo 110 the communis Party pull make them

NUS

BRANCH

he slogans, Victory to the Seamen', Weather. Hogan's HeroCalen 1.00 School 30 read ne Wednesday, November 19, 1969

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

says NO LEarSI

HANDS

THE TRADE

NO Law: * Agains TradeUro NO Laws • Against TradoUnions

I EMBERS ME MEE

ouncil, supported by the Young Socialists r League, called the first lobby against the in the Queen's speech of November 1965.

i the TUC responded by withdrawing mbeth Trades Council, but still 1,500 joined The Socialist Labour League and the Young Socialists cam- paigned all over the country and workers responded. For example, the joint shop stewards' committee of Lucas/ Liverpool, CAV, Fazakerley, issued a saying statement 'Fight the Freeze, Don't Freeze the Fight'. In March 1967 the govern- ment published its 'Statement on Prices and Incomes' which was its strategy for holding wages after July when down Part 4 of the Prices and In- comes Bill lapsed and the 12 'severe restraint' months of was due to end. Part 2 was to be activated, which involved the

TUC

vetting wage claims - that is.

doing the dirty work on behalf of the government.

ELECTIONS

In April and May the local elections showed a big swing against Labour, which we said showed that the 'left' MPs had to fight Wilson in order to save the Labour Party. This was the theme of the SLL/YS May Day demonstra- tion in London: 'Halt govern- ment action against the unions: make "left" MPs fight Wilson'.

The 'Tribune' lefts said 'Stick to Wilson'. But when 'Tribune' called for a special Labour Party "The Newsletter' Conference, supported that call. "Tribune', however, only wanted a conference to discuss the Common Market and they never campaigned behind their own call. We said the con- ference should be about all Wilson's anti - working - class policies. The 9th Annual Congress of the SLL in May 1967 issued this call: 'Make the "left" MPs fight; build local liaison com- mittees for the defence of trade unions; convene local confer- ences to fight Wilson's anti- working - class policies; nationalize the basic indus- tries; for a Labour government with socialist policies; against wage freezing, anti-union legis- lation unemployment repeal the Prices and Incomes Act'. The end of "severe restraint" led to big pressure on wages and the Oxford Committee for the Defence of Trades Unions called a conference on Septem- ber 2. The main resolution at this conference demanded: Repeal the Prices and Incomes Act;

Scan page 4

LEADERSHIP OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL THE INDEPENDENCE OF TRADE UNIONS

ERS' PRESS

Labour Party Conferente. ce Throughout all this activity he we campaigned for the in- or dependence 1S. the trades unions from the capitalist X- state. lat We said the purpose of on trades unions was to improve la- wages. If they gave up this right to the capitalist state, de what was the purpose of trade in unionism? ng Voting to accept Wilson's n- proposals amounted to voting at the trades unions out of exist- in ence--and we pointed to the grim warning of the German a trade union leaders who had of accepted similar measures prior on to Hitler. on For this reason we strongly opposed the left' Frank Cousins (then general secretary 00 of the Transport and General 63 Workers' Union), who ad- vocated • that unions should : d give up their bargaining powers he to the TUC. n- We were consistently op- ed posed on these question by the ers Communist Party, which was he determined to keep revolution- ary politics out of the struggle - in the unions. The Stalinists strove might - and main to prevent workers drawing political conclusions from their industrial struggles ur since this would have meant he conflict with the a political о- 56 trade union bureaucracy, especially the 'lefts'. to In class actions, like the long-drawn-out dispute at the Barbican building site eir in London, the Communist Party nd - supported by 'state the ers capitalists' — limited the workers to industrial questions ist and thus paved the way for ist defeat. At the Trades Union Con- a in September 1966 ne gress n- P- ist In- h-

NDS ACRI

ng m- ty 00 ler he lin de ist he 1 ad ng 1S. he ed ng The Labour government saw the seamen's i and enacted the emergency powers against

ISS

League participated in all the seamen's de on Party rank and file which brought 1,000 p he 'Against the Devlin Report and 'Against | 10.25 Doubts and Certainties

USA.

10.50 News Summary and Weather. 10.55 Line-Up.

I.T.V.

day. tumn s in rting 11.00-11.57 a.m. Schools. 1.40- sreel. ional 2.55 p.m. Schools. (Due to Apollo 12 the above programmes may Scene not be transmitted.) 4.15 News thern Headlines. 4.17 The Tingha and Club. 4.30 Crossroads. Tucker South 4.55 Lift Off. 5.20 Sexton Blake.

1 and 5.50 News. 6.03 Today. 6.30 The Ghost and Mrs Muir.

7.00 This Is Your Life. 7.30 Coronation Street. by. 8.00 The Benny Hill Show. er. 9.00 Special Branch. 10.00 News At Ten. 10.30 Sez Les. Wel- 11.00 Professional Wrestling. ased 11.45 The Papers. ames 12.00 midnight Music From Malinee Peris. Wilson outlined his programme for a six month wage freeze, followed by • 'severe restraint' and strict enforcement of the prices and incomes policy.

The TUC voted to support the Prices and Incomes Act— even though Part 4 gave the government compulsory powers over wage negotiations. There- fore struggles over wages posed political questions of leader- ship and power. 1,200 people took part in October 2 demonstration our at the Labour Party Conference which endorsed the govern- ment's right to take legal powers to enforce the Prices and Incomes Act. Despite the TUC's voluntary wage freeze, the militancy of the working class over wages was such that the government could not rely on these leaders and wanted to have powers in reserve. The Socialist Labour League called on the 'left' Labour MPs to place a motion before the Parliamentary Labour Party demanding the resignation of Wilson and his Cabinet. This was issued at a special congress of League in the November 1966, when we also announced a national demon- stration and lobby for February 21, 1967 for a fight to the finish against Wilson. The Beaver Hall Conference of the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trades Unions (led by the Communist Party) met on December 3 and called for a February 21 lobby. In January 1967 the Socialist Labour League issued a Central Committee statement calling for left unity against Wilson's policies, urging the 'left' MPs to fight and promising them support from the factories and 131 :%% 1. нІ 4t. w the seamen's strike in May 1966 as a test case for the against the seamen. The Young Socialists and the seamen's demonstrations and offered a united campa and Against the anti-union legislation the slogans, Vi brought 1,000 people on a lobby under All Independent channels as London 4.00 TV except at the following times: CHANNEL: 6.00-9.00 a.m Apollo 12. Blake. 11.00 Schools. 11.40 Apollo 12. 3.40- 3.55 States Of Jersey Lottery p.m. 4.50 Puffin's Results. Birthday Greet- ings. 6.00 Channel News and Weather.

6.10 The Pursuers. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Treasure Hunt. 11.45 Epilogue, News and Weather In French, Weather.

WESTWARD: 6.00-9.00 a.m. Apollo 12 The 11.00 Schools. 11.40 a.m.-3.40 p.m 4.01 Town. 4.13 Apollo 12. Hatty Westward News Headlines. 4.15 Open House. 4.40 The Gus Honeybun Show.

6.00 Westward Diary. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 11.45 Faith For Treasure Hunt. Life. 11.51 Weather. 11.00 4.11 Apollo 12.

ANGLIA: 6.00-9.00

11.40 a.m 10.58 Schools. a.m.-3.40 p.m. 450l 18 4.05 Katie Stewart Cooks. Anglia Newsroom. 4.35 The 6.00 6.35 Crossroads: 12:45 Rebection.

Romper Room. Anglia. 11.00

ATV

6.00-9.00 11.40 a.m- 1.0 Schools. 3.40 p.m. Apollo 12. 4.00 News Head- lines. 4.02 Houseparty. 4.15 Halls Of Ivy. 4.40 The Tingha and Tucker Club 6.00 Midlands News. 6.10 ATV Today including Police Five. 6.35 Crossroads.

11.45 Pulse, Weather. 10.58

YORKSHIRE:

6.00-9.00 Apollo a.m. 12. 11.00 Schools. 11.40 Apollo 12. the Socialist Les Cr Let ue, called t ranks of the unions if they Once gam, une commun rty nulled back on the lob • they were opposed to because the stere aemana that make

N.U.S.

HARVICI

BRANCH

6 Ses: 8.23 News- Wednesday, November 19, 1869

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGVE

says

HANDS

THE TRADE

KEEP THE

LAW

OUT

NO Law: • Ayains Tradelinic NO Laws • Against • TradoUnions на вівнас:ов :35 incil, supported by the Young Socialists League, called the first lobby against the n the Queen's speech of November 1965.

the TUC responded by withdrawing beth Trades Council, but still 1,500 joined The Socialist Labour League and the Young Socialists cam- paigned all over the country and workers responded. For example, joint the shop stewards' committee of Lucas/ CAV, Fazakerley, Liverpool, issued statement saying 'Fight the Freeze, Don't Freeze the Fight'. In March 1967 the govern- ment published its 'Statement on Prices and Incomes' which was its strategy for holding down wages after July when Part 4 of the Prices and In- comes Bill lapsed and the 12 months of severe restraint was due to end. Part 2 was to be activated.

which involved the

TUC

vetting wage claims - that is, doing the dirty work on behalf of the government.

ELECTIONS

The 'Tribune' lefts said 'Stick to Wilson'. But when Tribune' called a special Labour Party for Newsletter' Conference, "The supported that call. "Tribune', however, only wanted a conference to discuss the Common Market and they never campaigned behind their own call. We said the con- ference should be about all anti - working - class Wilson's policies. The 9th Annual Congress of issued the SLL in May 1967 Wednesday, November 19, 1969 restore full employment: im- plement a policy of paying full whilst working short wages nationalize basic time; the industries, including the motor industry. It was also decided to re- convene the conference in the event of attacks by the govern- ment on any section of workers sackings, on questions of mass implementation the Devlin of Report or wages policy. On September 19 the Tyne- side and Blythe Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineer- ing Unions called for a Decem- ber 12 lobby of parliament on unemployment. The Labour Party Confer- ence in October endorsed Labour's economic policies.

BROODING in the back- ground of Women in Charles Love' (Prince Theatre, Director Ken Russel) are the pits: They erupt like smoulder- ing scars out of soft green landscapes, smoke hanging in the air like a yellow shroud.

the Coal dust blackens faces, penetrates the lungs, darkens the squat houses.

Nature is violated and men are violated by the plunder.

Some 50 years on from the historical placing of the film the bowels of the earth re- lease; the formal black suits and white collars of Sunday best have to given way the jackets and terylene; brass bands have been replaced by electric guitars. But the violation still remains. And it is this violation of man that underlies this film.

Passionate anthems D. H. Lawrence, the autho f the novel 'Women in Love is his hire miner • On October 21 the Oxford conference was recalled at the request of the striking Mersey- side dockers. Links were forged between car workers and dockers at a conference attended by 368 delegates. A joint fight was undertaken against speed-up, unemploy- ment, prices and incomes legis- lation, Measured-Day Work and Devlin. Meanwhile the Socialist Labour League and Young Socialists supported the call for the December lobby _but said it would achieve nothing unless it demanded that the 'left' MPs quit stalling and fight Wilson. On December 2, 1967, we 'Socialist Policy printed our Crisis' demanding: for the of the Independence trade unions from the state; a sliding scale of wages; no sackings; workers' supervision and con- trol; nationalization of the banks; suspension of interest payments on housing; national- ization of steel; repeal of the Immigration Act; scrapping of Labour's foreign policy; sack the Wilson leadership. By contrast, the TUC and the National Confederation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Unions banned the December 12 lobby and it was immedi- ately sabotaged by the Com- munist Party, which would not oppose the official trade union leadership.

LOBBY

The Young Socialists worked for a mass lobby, but the Party Communist strove to turn it into a mere token.

Following the lobby, the Liaison Committee Oxford called a national conference of trade unionists for February 3, 1968, to centre on the effects of devaluation and the economic crisis in the USA.

At the beginning of 1968 increased the government health charges and intensified its efforts to hold back wages.

The busmen's £l increase was frozen and the Transport and General Workers' leader, the 'left' Cousins, failed com- pletely to lead fight, despite mass meetings all over the country demanding strike action. 'left' MPs restricted The their fight to a call for a special meeting of the Labour Party NEC. We demanded a special conference of the Labour Party and said that no should be implemented cuts until it was held. It was at this time that the government provided a cheap loan of £25 million for the BMH-Leyland merger. The Communist Party called a national conference of its Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trades Unions on February 17. This conference was sup- ported by the 'state capitalist' group. Its aim to canalize was workers' dissatisfaction with the Labour government behind bureaucracies. At the union their previous conference on December 3, 1967, they had refused to consider a resolu- tion from Lucas/CAV for the 'left' MPs to fight Wilson.

bonds of alienation, to find a way through the humiliation of industrialization, to fight for a rebirth from the ashes of deprivation and puritanism to a highly personal and physical authenticity through the love of one woman. His whole life was a striving towards a with oneness physical and natural world that has been lost. for it. He paid dearly Ostracised by society, he had to take the path of exile and wandering with the woman he loved. True to form the English bourgeoisie hounded him, banned his boks, sent him packing. The catalogue of such treat- ment is long; Byron, Keats and Browning are a few English writers who fem foul of the, bourgeoisie's vindictiveness.

Blunt weapons And it is a heritage of puritanism that is deeply scored into English culture "Tribune' was taking a similar line. When the economy cuts were announced, this paper of the 'left' gave prominence to an article by Jennie Lee calling on the left to rally behind Wilson in order to keep out the right wing. , 17 lobby The February called for the TUC to imple- ment its policy-though the TUC had already demon- strated clearly that it was not prepared to fight the govern- ment. The February 3, 1968, con- ference called by the Oxford Liaison Committee was banned then by Woodcock, general secretary of the TUC, but was attended by 550 delegates.

By contrast with the Stalin- ist conference a real fighting organization was launched — the All Trades Unions Alliance.

(The Stalinist conference even barred delegates on strike at Linton and Hirst, Swindon, and Lucas/CAV, Liverpool, on the grounds that strike com- mittees official were not bodies!) Meanwhile, the struggle was hotting up. The Confederation of British Industries demanded an l8 month wage freeze and the one-day engineers held a national stoppage in support of their £2 wage demand. The May Day rally of the Young Socialists called for support for the engineers and implementation of the official policy of the AEF.

The AEF leaders, however, saw a one-day token strike as a substitute for a fight, not a prelude to one. In June 1968, the Royal Commission on Trades Unions (Donovan) presented its report to parliament. The idea of making un- official strikes illegal was shelved for the time being.

The employers still were cautious. Instead the Report attacked shop stewards' factory nego- tiating rights and said wages should be negotiated with the employers by national officials a factory-to-factory basis, on in line with the government's prices and incomes policy.

Its aim was to eliminate shop stewards' power prior to an attack on wages.

AUTHORITY

It was at this time that Mrs Castle appointed Mr Cattell, the employers' main authority Measured-Day Work, to on advise the government on wages. A further conference of the Communist Party's Liaison Committee, again supported by the 'state capitalists', attracted 120 delegates Beaver Hall. * The right-wing leaders were doing their best to put a brake on wages and to drive through deals - for productivity ex- ample, when the railwaymen's militancy had broken through the prices and incomes restric- the NUR leaders ac- tions, a deal which included cepted and massive speed-ups redundancies. still The workers were militant, however, and a lobby of the AEF National Com- By Brian that as Marxists we must become aware of. Its roots are deep and the bloom is Philistinism, sus- picion, guilt, which the ruling class have wielded as a blunt weapons for generations. When we smash capitalism, we tear out all its tentacular and institutions, its roots barbarism and its repression.

That is the great task of the workers' revolution. But for Lawrence there seemed no such way. He had a suspicion and a hostility to socialism. Much of his passion led him to openly reactionary views; he substituted privilege and aristocracy for an aris- tocracy of the blood, as he called it. His involvement with indi- vidual salvation made him suspicious of the institution and the mass. But aspects of his work do not invalidate the central core.

What burns behind every word on the page is the constant striving for man to achieve his own humanity, to grasp the August 30 forced On er 2 to the aim there warning signal at the : end of Septembe The mood in the ranks was votes against Cine majority only a tiny own wage-vetting proposals.

employer the pepperiner 1968 she the big merger British history-GEC/Englis Electric. Conferen ot The Labour Party by a four mid on omely terred threat strike 1 ne engineering the concession ached the The evicted proposec to bring out three times a But Scanlon began week. produc- make concessions ol ty main and eared of the tivity, dalice strike Unions All Trades Alliance held a national con ference on et your Wager . Issued the pamphlet Your wanger 10D0S leader. wage-cut for their members By Brian Moore infinite richness of the relation- hetween men and mer and women and women and men and women of what the future It is voice all great that remind us with something else, a nignel quality of experience More alienated could not what lawrence see. but paradoxicaly • seemec only to be aware ol, is thal for struggle interpersona. ensnares the social system that himself gainst aliena- fight more city cathe a but elinquish a could compelled into isolation. As Marxists we fight in

Scan page 5

NAL THE INDEPENDENCE OF TRADE UNIONS IS IMPOSSIBLE'-TROTSKY

Wednesday, November 19, 1969 restore full employment; im- plement a policy of paying full whilst working short wages nationalize the basic time; industries, including the motor industry. It was also decided to re- convene the conference in the event of attacks by the govern- ment on any section of workers on questions of mass sackings, implementation of the Devlin Report or wages policy. On September 19 the Tyne- side and Blythe Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineer- ing Unions called for a Decem- ber 12 lobby of parliament on unemployment. The Labour Party Confer- ence in October endorsed Labour's economic policies.

BROODING in the back- ground of 'Women in Love' (Prince Charles Theatre, Director Ken Russel) are the pits: They erupt like smoulder- ing scars out of soft green landscapes, smoke hanging in the air like a yellow shroud.

Coal dust blackens the the lungs, faces, penetrates darkens the squat houses.

Nature is violated and men are violated by the plunder.

Some 50 years on from the historical placing of the film perhaps the miners' faces are less grimed in coal dust or the showers wash away what the bowels of the earth re- lease; the formal black suits and white collars of Sunday best have given way to jackets and terylene; the brass bands have been replaced by electric guitars. But the violation still remains. And it is this violation of man that underlies this film.

Passionate anthems D. H. Lawrence, the author of the novel 'Women in Love' is possibly the last great English novelist. The son of a Nottingham- shire miner, his books are passionate anthems against the stuntedness of life. Much of his work is haunted by the blackened images of industrial rape, the tearing apart and encroachment by the machine of all that is natural. Men are divided from men, women reduced to objects, and Lawrence is the individual voice struggling to break the On October 21 the Oxford conference was recalled at the request of the striking Mersey- side dockers. Links were forged between car workers and dockers at a conference attended by 368 delegates. A joint fight was undertaken against speed-up, unemploy- ment, prices and incomes legis- lation, Measured-Day Work and Devlin. Meanwhile Socialist the Labour League and Young Socialists supported the call for the December lobby _but said it would achieve nothing unless it demanded that the 'left' MPs quit stalling and fight Wilson. On December 2, 1967, we printed our •Socialist Policy demanding: for the Crisis' 'Independence of the trade unions from the state; a sliding scale of wages; no sackings; workers' supervision and con- trol; nationalization of the suspension of interest banks; payments on housing; national- ization of steel; repeal of the Immigration Act; scrapping of Labour's foreign policy; sack the Wilson leadership.' By contrast, the TUC and the National Confederation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Unions banned the December 12 lobby and it was immedi- ately sabotaged by the Com- munist Party, which would not oppose the official trade union leadership.

LOBBY

The Young Socialists worked for a mass lobby, but the Communist Party strove to turn it into a mere token.

Following the lobby, the Oxford Liaison Committee called a national conference of trade unionists for February 3, 1968, centre on the to effects of devaluation and the economic crisis in the USA.

At the beginning of 1968 the government increased health charges and intensified its efforts to hold back wages.

The busmen's f1 increase was frozen and the Transport and General Workers' leader, the 'left' Cousins, failed com- pletely to lead fight, any despite mass meetings all over the country demanding strike action. ( The left' MPs restricted their fight to a call for a special meeting of the Labour Party

NEC.

We demanded a • special conference of the Labour Party and said that no cuts should be implemented until it was held. It was at this time that the government provided a cheap loan of £25 million for the BMH-Leyland merger. The Communist Party called a national conference of its Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trades Unions on February 17. conference was sup- This ported by the 'state capitalist' group. Its aim was to canalize workers' dissatisfaction with the Labour government behind the union bureaucracies. At their previous conference on December 3, 1967, they had refused to consider a resolu- tion from Lucas/CAV for the 'left' MPs to fight Wilson.

bonds of alienation, to find a way through the humiliation of industrialization, to fight for a rebirth from the ashes of deprivation and puritanism to a highly personal and physical authenticity through the love of one woman. His whole life was a striving oneness with towards a physical and natural world that has been lost. He paid dearly for it. Ostracised by society, he had to take the path of exile and wandering with the woman he loved. True to form the English hounded him, bourgeoisie banned his boks, sent him packing. The catalogue of such treat- ment is long; Byron, Keats and Browning are a few English writers who fem foul of the, bourgeoisie's vindictiveness.

TUC

already demon- strated clearly that it was not prepared to fight the govern- ment. The February 3, 1968, con- by ference called the Oxford Liaison Committee was banned by Woodcock, then general secretary of the TUC, but was attended by 550 delegates.

By contrast with the Stalin- ist conference a real fighting organization was launched — the All Trades Unions Alliance.

(The Stalinist conference even barred delegates on strike at Linton and Hirst, Swindon, and Lucas/CAV, Liverpool, on the grounds that strike com- not official mittees were bodies!) Meanwhile, the struggle was hotting up. The Confederation of British Industries demanded an 18 the freeze and month wage one-day held engineers a stoppage in support national of their £2 wage demand. The May Day rally of the Young Socialists called support for the engineers and implementation the official policy of the AEF.

still The employers were cautious. Instead the Report attacked shop stewards' factory nego- tiating rights and said wages should be negotiated with the employers by national officials on a factory-to-factory basis, in line with the government's prices and incomes policy.

Its aim eliminate was to shop stewards' power prior to an attack on wages.

AUTHORITY

It was at this time that Mrs Castle appointed Mr Cattell, the employers' main authority on Measured-Day Work, to advise the government on wages. A further conference of the Liaison Communist Party's Committee, again supported by the 'state capitalists, attracted 120 delegates to only Beaver Hall. The right-wing leaders were doing their best to put a brake on wages and to drive through productivity deals - for ex- ample, when the railwaymen's militancy had broken through the prices and incomes restric- the NUR leaders tions, ac- a deal which included cepted speed-ups and massive redundancies. still The workers were militant, however, and a lobby of the AEF National Com- By Brian I that as Marxists we must become aware of. Its roots are deep and the Philistinism, bloom is sus- picion, guilt, which the ruling class have wielded as a blunt weapons for generations. When we smash capitalism, we tear out all its tentacular its roots and institutions, barbarism and its repression.

What burns behind every word on the page is the constant striving for man to achieve his own humanity, to grasp the

WORKERS' PRESS

On May 1, 1969, throughout Britain, tens of anti-union legislation. In Liverpool, W for a General Strike. mittee on August 30 forced through a resolution to strike on October 21 for the £2 claim.

a warning But there was signal at the end of September accepted when Scanlon Measured - Day Work at Rootes, Linwood, Scotland.

The mood in the ranks was for a fight. The 100th TUC Congress in October 1968 voted over- million whelmingly (seven against the govern- votes) ment's incomes policy and demanded the repeal of the Prices and Incomes Act. The General Council got only a tiny majority for its own wage-vetting proposals.

The employers were also and the end of preparing, September 1968 saw the big- merger in British in- gest dustrial history-GEC/English Electric. The Labour Party Conference also demanded_ the repeal of the Prices and Incomes Act— by a four million majority.

The very threat of strike action forced the engineering employers to make concessions and as the strike date ap- proached the Socialist Labour League proposed to bring out 'The Newsletter' three times a week. But Scanlon began to make concessions on produc- tivity, failed to get equal pay for women, and called off the strike. Trades The All Unions Alliance held a national con- ference on October 26, issued the pamphlet 'Your Wages in Danger' and called for a mass of the AEF National lobby Committee on November 22.

On December 7, under the leadership of the Young Social- ists, 150 apprentices and junior workers attended a conference in Manchester and called a mass demonstration and lobby in London for February 23, 1969. December the building In union leaders agreed to wage-cut for their members.

infinite richness of the relation- ships between men and men and women and women and men and women. His books speak as constant reminders and nagging what life could be, of what the future can hold. is the voice that all great artists remind us with, the struggle for something else, a higher quality of experience. More alienated What Lawrence could not see, but paradoxically seemed only to be aware of, is that for struggle interpersonal relationships is not separated from the struggle against the imprisoning social system that ensnares them. In his fight against aliena- tion, he himself became more alienated, forced into exile from the society that he hated, but could never relinquish a passionate concern for. He was compelled into isolation. As Marxists we fight in ut Britain, tens of thousands of workers struck dem in Liverpool, workers from all sections of industry In January 1969, the All for sm Trades Unions Alliance issued leaders of the the e a statement warning employers' determination to bonuse force through legislation disrupt to make unofficial strikes illegal relate and to virtually destroy the behavi unions. statement called for The would restoration of full wage bar- union gaining rights to the unions and their independence from shown the state, repeal of the Prices fight. and Incomes Act, nationaliza- stop V tion as the answer to mergers, and the removal of trade union leaders who refused to fight.

were had re We warned that the TUC's opposition was worthless.

wage any ac In February this year the womer Socialist Labour League issued produc a call to Communist Party strings members for unity in action to refusec smash anti-union laws. strikes White

STOPPAGE

respon would We proposed a joint cam- special paign for a national stoppage was ca and suggested April 21 1969 as a date. The urgency was under- strike lined by the action of Powell- ite councillors who went on Ma strike-breaking against the with t Lambeth dustmen. off the On February 23, over 3,000 youth trade unionists, and contro students demonstrated against half-w: Wilson's attacks on the unions.

time all Ford For the first plants in Britain were involved 5 was in a strike. genera And Will Paynter joined the unions Commission on Industrial Re- lations, at £6,500 a year !

issued lobby- March, the Socialist In the l Labour League and the Young Socialists called for a national mover strike on May 1 in defence of trade unionism and against the with t attacks on wages and condi- propos tions that were accompanying Party that re-organizations like worker taking place at British-Leyland.

positio fight t Also in March, the engineer- ing leaders reached a settle- All ment at Ford. The Communist Party hailed calle this as a victory but, in return Birmin another way, but that fight does not seal us off from the vision of his experience and pen. 'He surveyed the rind of the world; houses, factories, trams, the discarded rind; people scurrying about, work going on, all on the discarded sur- had face. An earthquake burst it all from inside. It was as if the surface of the world had been broken away entire: church, Ilkeston, streets, work, rule-of-the-day, people, all intact; and yet peeled away leaving here into unreality, exposed the inside, the reality; one's own being, strange feel- ings and passions and yearn- ings and beliefs and aspira- suddenly become tions, present, revealed, the perma- nent bedrock, knitted one rock with the woman one loved.

It was confounding. Things are not what they seem. When child, he had he was a thought a was a woman merely by virtue of woman skirts and petticoats. her And now, lo, the whole world could be divested of its gar- ment, the garment could lie there shed away intact, and one could stand in a new world, a new earth, naked in a new naked universe. It was too astounding and miraculous.

'This then was marriage!'

"The Rainbow'. Carbon copy film of Women in The as Get Love' is inevitably a pale car- bon copy of the novel. I say this not to demean the is go film as art form, as though ter, were some hierarchy there operating, but simply that very style of Lawrence's writing, whereby he captures all the turns and changes of moods, feelings, sensations of book an experience, describes what The demanding the withdraw: ustry voted in favour of a ci or small wage increases. these eaders accepted the right en toyers winkley I interrupted bonuses 5 to good We said these union leaders fight against anti law. left MPs had The would not that so deposed leaders union also lad refused to ›canio. strings efused to sust Mrs even token trikes Castle: against aded all

TUC

varned tha betray,

TUC

vas called one-day TUC, by offering to control me workers iser alf-way to Wilson's positio Our call for a strike on june novement in 'official' channels.

relies on more expression The physical cautily realized book realized. where match Just before this, Mr Dan McGarvey, the Boilermakers' leader, agreed to a wage-cut for shipbuilders. over mendecided not te government decided proceed immediately with anti- union laws. The strength of the working class made Wilson hesitate.

We called this 'an unstable class truce'. The Prices and Incomes Act had been broken through by a powerful wages movement. The Tories and the em- ployers were not confident.

But complacency would give time to prepare. The them breathing space gained had to be used to build up a revolu- tionary leadership in the work- ing class. Over 600 people attended the July 5 All Trades Unions Alliance Conference in Birmingham and declared their opposition to the TUC total decision to accept the prin- ciple of disciplining, workers on behalf of the employers.

The conference called for a big socialist policy to hit business, defend the unions, stop rises in the cost of living, introduce nationalization under workers' control and without stop anti-union laws, and emergency Labour Party con- ference and a Labour govern- ment with a socialist policy.

In July 1,000 men were sacked on the Clyde. The TUC last September demanded the repeal of the Prices and Incomes Act in its entirety, but it was clear by now that mass action by the working class was necessary to such decisions mean make anything.

MILITANCY

Working-class militancy was shown by the wage increases won by the strike of 1,300 at Port blastfurnacemen Talbot-but the union leaders accepted a productivity deal future which could mean redundancies. It was shown by the struggle of the GEC-English Electric workers against redundancies --but the lack of a revolution- ary leadership enabled the right wing to make a come- back and destroy the plans to occupy the factories. was shown again and It again by the strikes of dust- men, bakers, miners. Meanwhile the growing mili- tancy in the working class and the mounting economic crisis produced a swing to the right in the Tory Party, which re- sulted in the real victor at the Conservative Party Conference being Enoch Powell. But the September 28 1,500- strong rally at Brighton on the eve of the Labour Party Con- ference heralded the greatest weapon yet forged in the working-class movement - the first daily Trotskyist paper, the Workers Press. This paper came just at the right time. The agreement with the CBI signed by trade union leaders - including the 'left' Jack Jones—bore early fruit when ings out a feeling for the original book matched by performances of Oliver Reed tact and release that Lawrence strives for in the book. Throughout the film there is a delicacy and feel for the original in Ken Russel's direction, matched by the

PAGE THREE

Vic Feather intervened to end the miners' strike. The record is clear. The Labour leaders are sticking to their prices and incomes policy. The TUC is lining up openly against strikes, preparing for an even more blatant betrayal than in 1926. The 'left' MPs refused to fight. The 'left' trade union leaders have been exposed one after the other - Cousins, Scanion, McGarvey, Jones and now Daly. The Communist Party covers up for these 'lefts', , who in turn trail behind the TUC, who which backs Wilson carries out the wishes of the international bankers. At each step along this road the revisionist 'state capitalist' and Pabloite group supported the Stalinists. The issue facing the unions is that posed by Trotsky in 'Trade Unions in the Epoch of Imperialist Decay' : 'In the epoch of imperial- ist decay the trade unions can be really independent only to the extent that they are conscious of being, in action, the organs of prole- tarian revolution. ... 'The trade unions of our time can either serve as secondary instruments of imperialist capitalism for the and discip- subordination lining of workers and for the revolution obstructing or, on the contrary, the trade unions can become the instruments of the revolu- tionary movement of the proletariat.' The Communist Party has consistently covered up for the 'lefts' Cousins, Scanlon, McGarvey, Jones and Daly who have at each stage betrayed the fight against the anti-union legislation. examination of the An record of all political tenden- cies on the question of the independence the trade unions since the Labour gov- ernment came to power has shown that all of them-with single exception of the the Socialist Labour League-have taken the path that would tie the capitalist the unions to state and turn them into in- struments for controlling the working class. out Trotsky's This bears conclusion : 'Without the political leader- Fourth Inter- ship of the national the independence of the trade unions is impossible.'

performances, particularly of Oliver Reed as Gerald and Glenda Jackson as Gudrun, though Alan Bates' Birkin is too lightweight to convey the brooding and restless charac- ter of the novel. And it is this last quality which is missing from the film reduces it. and ultimately Birkin's outrage is lacking.

The conflict within himself is concealed by the too charm- ing smiles of the actor; his recoil from the barbarism and oppressiveness of English society never transcends a mild irony. Conflict For Birkin is at war with himself, wrestling for a mean- his relationships and ing to experiences. This is the centre conflict of the novel of the which is echoed in the striv- ings of the other characters.

The violence and the passion in the book somehow appear as mere incidents, set pieces held within the frame, but not really integrated into of conflicting total struggle opposites, of love and hate, creation destruction, ardour and coldness. It is rather like watching a facsimile; the ingredients appear to be there and they are present with skill, respect and artistry, but the living pulse has been removed, the ragged edges smoothed, it is all too resolved. For without the anguish we have merely a reproduction.

And Lawrence's anguish still has a meeting. And the roots of his anguish are still there. The pits still puncture the earth, the plunder continues, grinding wheels of exploitation violate us all.

Scan page 6

Wednesday. November 19. 1969

WORKERS PRESS

PAGE FOUR

ITALY

Miners eight-hour day ballot U.S. Vice-President To-day's raises McCarthy New leadership vital strike a trial witch-hunt spectre of strength THE RECENT attacks by the US vice-president in Kent coalfield Spiro Agnew on the presentation of television programmes has caused great concern in news A CRUCIAL"s fe hacoben reached in the broadcasting and legal circles.

Agnew alleged that news current Ilallan suike wave. A general sulke nas been called for today in support of the demand purrammies biased against government policy Improved housing conditions.

are no ace MeCarthyie attacks

TOT

and reflected the opinions TODAY'S ballot in the pits will decide whether the Together with low wages, of radicals. They and poor of the Italian working class National Executive will be forced to call strike action This attack, which Wage social services, housing is v workers rre88 reborel anu peasanls. vived for many one of the main problems une memor On the of today's eve ament to fight over the surfacemen's claim for an eight-hour day.

of Senato: McCarthy. was it out in Viet Italian answered Da une beans o i neelect approved emergenc cuts eleven leading law schools know that with Almers costing 2/06 They insisted First the recent national strike United a worki for Improve end up ahead was ony a preude to di working - Class offensiv conflict tall with the accomodation 81-01 annew, noted for his ex and thrice covertment leadership over pit closures must be rien genera rejected for The Cactis 1926 the decisive rebuff. General Strike, raises the which question of power. orrike is the S. Yorks thing Canadian Miners recent strike back went on questions social very quickly and British they But pits ohit an olickas ing class that, recognisea maine disputes Was leadersnip preparea to nont A COMBINATION of out it to its concusion and the without deepen Eat de she to shay out arr political day-wage nickel crisis Breat influx must mean future wage cuts workers into Ill els *the demand in Hay mes Doncaster arca must THE SIRIKE at the Sud remist yiews, was not speal bury, Ontario plant only International Nickel, which There division ars th production enur it her vice onaliz

NUM

t the ' between right pit and to tender for work.

ended weekend ist Party. when the strikers agreed to ats may line Christian-Democrats

NO ACCIDENT

Betrayal substantial wage anu ders, probablyich temporars Another ominous sign is th venell increases At local level settlement works ous he Kent pits it is not: do so of about a thra" the trayal over the last three months Communisi previous rates. man trong Kent miners leaving Communist Party. betrayed lor years by te Meet Bill closure o Caislet, the NCB

NUM

pted b5,600 arrow majority

WEST GERMANY

B.S.R.

at the third anit rage stra roper know da boury, Nuclear challenge branch An east Kent. Colborne outside me arements refinery. bandarions. Monday statt there is any Three grades munists hi the in the coalfield 08. inter amsgate Young Socking to U.S. Mid- But the st capitalism western Colborne is futrike protonged baiNe have distic secreamin Men employed bubstantiall Europe since the ena ol Wat utsid Wall Street the Second World won the dispute- Swansea dispute has beer inexicaby By our science correspondent linked with that of US Inco is involved in another

• FROM PAGE ONE

thApproval is conditional on next bet is to mak imperialism 800 workees have taking the est his has been case on strike for particularly for productivity Western It is stimatea that as dendred in Bitant reactor.

Washeadig nickel • abe mind by e bet's down Brown Boveri, the, Swiss- outside First out Pou nuclear Renders i te to comply with or coland a massive injection on the ben i a cut co on she Tilmanstone the pastutside supportis £180 Yor ill reallo tood s in the he Yorkshire miners. taken place merger vast na • of US began. contractors in they will xchanges between the US and already have Japan govt. Cong ting high Doncaster four r S mickel is hikely to thei Powertul outside contractors. Drusa governments. Party European today nuclear Concern consider saked ou desper the eater.

on Termian. Laboured throug nos Mach Busi Similar gair I stranglehold motors link is an ape stage, in october bmiish roreign sidering the prot makes pr

THE JAPANESE

Mitsubishi sed link betwe motor and the daily monkers Lucas in giant Chrysler. con trators, £8 million -wage structure Under licence mic crisis continues ever, means that these, This challenge to the United E.E. deal ected for negotiated. Arms talks scheloreover, *contract THE Industrial Re-organi- Japanese me the con zation Corporation is lend- from

FROM PAGE ONE

market. £3 end or t Genera That Stalinist Back to the hend dy cage is why. German the European the Pact Mrs Gandhi Company's special -aflets and united their d

ALU

casted to order malin ain the taup.

ORDER THE DAILY

station to lead belong toup, korak sill ther construcuon nion, Which is now third ess rates 100 per cent minority warder nuclear power inte ually men men accepted out One young miner said use of research and develop 10 89% 2, 1 or 5. contractors coalition

NOW

Discussions LEon, er and rich Angry nurses march Was the onl ahead clearly more supported tem a0ia peon that totected by the depol, Yorkshire coalfield. for higher pay Market wattuntries special projects dally) ode system and other wo days OR Road danger walk-out uranium a year {2 10s. for three Ei for three monthe blocked traffi this craft components. at Lucas-C.A.V. chanting here pay tol I would like to subscribe to workers' Press fo • Concorde and Jagua are whited. European uranium-enrichment pay held is one three 1970 and 197 he demonstrate petitions , but ie is i large number were unable to Address. a produce overt which runs alongside the site s industrial the acks on the workin Soder yay as the march so end or the late must fight marizat with GEC. since demonstrators lost send one demons aron hed Indian o caphal European socialist revolution thrown into a police car.

their claim