Workers Press no. 57

Mr, MN The daily organ of Central Committee of Socialist Labour Lea

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY •

NUMBER 57

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1969

STOP WILSON'S VISIT

TO WASHINGTON

HOOVER

MAR 17 1971

INSTITUTION

policy MRS BARBARA CASTLE'S new incomes when leaders of Libyans failed its first test yesterday THE National Secretary of the Young Socialists

BY DAVID MAUDE

sent the following letter on December 10 to Britain's 345,000 teachers rejected the Burnham Barney Davis of the YCL. press committee's latest pay offer.

immediate 6 Inar Comecee rears that the commi- "all Con inese lies tie the Young, had been meeting ban on bases leased denDerate y de aved Gould, because we do not liki delegati look forwar be oner collid or ought to AN EIGHT-MAN US dele- * indmes policies not set to lizais from got. made in ine context or une Libya government's White Paper gallon They a g Suisi a bast Women morally: 9 yesteraay lor talks on tae In a full Wear. proposed proved enurely Justinea. evacuaton oI une massive at the and it Tatary. So far there has been wnee us us air base outside i ne management sides E68 10g 45 per cent outer contormed ers' f135 a year all-round greedi to fbegin exactly to the government's vit drawat of all proposed 'ceiling' for forces, duc much lor the My biti assist lower paid! Adjourned lary scale which money 'We turned it down,' said i of living to

GREEK JAIL

*pens American bankers anit was the Radiators agreed to ad-

PENALTIES

interest on loans. Financing the warin toad.

military grinding We believe that ale ers. to a halt among the public. ›roadened D yould be

COVENTRY

Radiators IN PREPARATION tor visiting Nixon. expansion in the work yesterday laid off 150 of selective strikes on Young Socialists in 1.200 workers, 200 others on one Shitt ing in 1 official paper has size to 16 pages a week and told the rest creased in

KEEP LEFT WEEKEND RALLY

that their jobs were un- der daily review. Familiar Ford (Halewood) men say: Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11 A strike by some 220 press the operdiots taclory, aygressors Contall is the youth paper in anect in new Israeli Ene motor industry, Is in

KEEP LEFT INVITES ALL ITS READERS TO THE

ITS TourIn

ANNUAL GENERAL

that the lay-ou weekend. Cabinet any ther

MEETING

omaliot ation Only the this force FORD WORKERS from most of the company's toe teachers cam East India Hall, East India Dock Road, MRS GOLDA MEIR'S new British plants meet at Coventry in just under five pre- E.14 Israel Cabinet Was London, been arranged before Thurs to the Knesset weeks' time to discuss their fight for parity of Saturday, January 10 2.30 p.m. sented Rigorous yesterday. earnings with Midlands carworkers.

The Right-wing admit mat tatars 24 members week's announce- By our Industrial correspondent Young Socialist National Speaking Contest Last hal WIle

DANCE IN THE EVENING

ment rom une companys ' the Dearborn, Michigan head- The Crescendos make a of preparations anothe cularters raiseo chint substantia the The Element of Truth the Familiar for a massive new £80 Zionist drive agail inst the in- mahon- DIus overseas Da Defe people s MiN vestment programme Special appearance strikers reated befor only important 1970 can mean did! Bur leis purif this was

LONG JOHN BALDRY

thing. Minister are raised by The fight for East India Hall 8 p.m.-11 p.m. been given infamous fficial backing.

DIAMOND

bitter

GREET

FILM MAKING AND THE

SHARES FALL

Forc

YOUNG SUCIALISIS

ated sharena Selection Trust, truet about the PaThere's i more mi e2,5000m. pang Halew. Sunday, January 11 9.30 a.m. the news that Sierre Leone is

POND STREET

кол 45

CLASSIC CINEMA,

HAMPSTEAD, LONDON, N.W.3

3 de monstration for how do we get it? guestion dietna minst Wilson

STOP WILSON'S WASHINGTON

Stevens Cash offer n in Washin

VISIT!

FOR THE DEFEAT OF US

IMPERIALISM IN VIETNAM!

at public meetings shares so acquired. more than a commemor • socialsts 1

DEMONSTRATION

See the film of the first issue being prepared and The meaning of the British printed and the film Young Socialists, 1969'

SUNDAY JAN. 11

Road to Socialism' cale in London on une 3ast

SHEFFIELD

ASSEMBLE: Speakers' Corner (Marble Arch), rational Palace, re 2 P.M. Sunday December 21, 7.30 p.m.

MARCH:

via Oxford Street, Regent Street, Industries Exhibition Centre Trafalgar Square past Downing Street.

Carver Street (behind City Hall)

MEETING:

Lyceum Ballroom, near Aldwych, and alter Speakers 4 P.M. MIKE BANDA (Editor of Workers' Press) will Details from 186a Clapham High Street, London, S.W.4 SHEILA TORRANCE (National Secretary of the card—-the second Young Socialists) Tickets for the whole weekend 12s 6d

• PAGE 4 COL. 1 →

an of the ittee of the ur League PRICE 6d. Workers Press looks at 1970 AS WE SWING into the 12th ubstantial modern sat пок are sure, please r sane it tat in rom have the political tools te "The" fund los sabe an December 3. the cline datee need t756 9s 7d to see us through ast That is the mly whe tr it car mot to don 186a Captan High Street pao have planned series of unc sald in the Co Smons Common Market. factory, sited nex or been tie and 99 02.

EEC

Ministers from tre Col Mastered esterday the of Bril and other candidate countries Britain's entry is negotiated.

MILAN

FUNERAL:

Milan 100.000 ested the tay a bomb on a Milan bank the orga

ITB

Laters of London TransporDs

STRIKE

END:

proposals - by were accepter

workers press

MP, MN

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY • NUMBER 57 • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1969

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

New Burnham offer rejected

TEACHERS SLAM

CASTLE CEILING'

MRS BARBARA CASTLE'S new incomes policy failed its first test yesterday when leaders of

BY DAVID MAUDE

Britain's 345,000 teachers rejected the Burnham committee's latest pay offer.

Fears that the commit- tee's meeting a been deliberately delayed Goula, because we do not like could be ThAT cicadais. 'We do not like offers basec made in the context of the proved by government's white raper proved entirely justified.

The side s an average 4t per cent teachers' €135 a year all-round exactly to the • 80 cac c proposed creases the lower paid i Sir Ronald Gould, for the side, explained Adjourned into salo the tions that thei 'We turned it down,' said Po the prices Radiators a Maps now toad. grinding Tatale to. to a halt not bel would

COVENTRY

Radiators called. ther yesterday laid off 150 of selective strikes on its 1,200 workers, put 200 others on one shift a week and told the rest that their jobs were un- der daily review. Familiar Ford (Halewood) men say: A strike by some 220 press at the factory, We must win aggressors in new Israeli lustry, is parity fight Cabinet FORD WORKERS from most of the company's the teachers claim MRS GOLDA MEIR'S new British plants meet at Coventry in just under five Israeli Cabinet Was weeks' time to discuss their fight for parity of sented nuessel Rigorous earnings with Midlands carworkers.

yesterady. Drawing

GLAS

_announce- ment from the company's vearborn. vichcan nead- done comes House. quarters preparations Cabinet as associated with the massive newi game ether the union offcial.

overseas the milion-plus of this polic remains Mimister Defer Although, vestment prostamine strikers election. don't 1970 can mean only one point te tor asi a Foreign would be nice if the All-out uld help did. pụt it thing car and workers the labour fades to drive The fight for parity will infamous official backing. incomes legislation. be waged against une most

DIAMOND

bitter resistance trom rord's Paaron.

GREET

SHARES FALL

WORKERS PRESS

preparat have alread in thei shain and with meetin London Las insisted bo dies to the at al P, De Sona Preven inas ter, ment would tha Replaced These would be replaced, •Halewood Escort dose om Beisints at public meetings explaineon enor LeS See the film of the first issue being prepared and The meaning of the "British printed and the film 'Young Socialists, 1969° Road to Socialism'

SHEFFIELD

Sunday December 21, 7.30 p.m Industries Exhibition Centre Carver Street (behind City Hall) Speakers MIKE BANDA (Editor of Workers' Press) SHEILA TORRANCE (National Secretary of the

TONEY DOC ALSIS

• PAGE 4 COL. 7 →

The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League PRICE 6d. Workers

STOP WILSON'S VISIT

TO WASHINGTON

Press looks

HOOVER

MAR 17 1971

AS or INching the day

INSTITUTION

enable us Young Socialists propose united action to shouldnical will have Libyans THE National Secretary of the Young Socialists suit, picase our sent the following letter on December 10 to press Barney Davis of the YCL. pregn he the the of if immediate Dear Comrade, recen along these lines to the Youn ban on bases Ommunist Leagui attending would be the caption Take the holiday AN EIGHT-MAN US dele- you ought to have" arrived launched une talks are reg onsible or aders, oh Yours fraternally, With and or a Wash So far there has beel portunity to stablish as to be completed ores forge governm tas our or he working as at 5243 10s sab beween

GREEK JAIL

PENALTIES

financine the warin vowards turn sure two years imprison thholidayr $ 6: amonds don you among the public. s to strike an f IN PREPARATION for Visiting Rotest against the carner Die expansion in te

WOTK

governmen the Young sociallsts penalte 1970 the movement's campaign oficial naner has been in. creased in size to 16 pages

KEEP LEFT WEEKEND RALLY

Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and Il receive th netspaper shing al nurse new: a circulation of

KEEP LEFT INVITES ALL ITS READERS TO THE

ANNUAL GENERAL

Secteray, sad in the Co Smoins

MEETING

costing only the Youngt East India Hall, East India Dock Road, E.14 forward London, 2.30 p.m. Saturday, January 10 plans to Young Socialist National Speaking Contest retained

DANCE IN THE EVENING

The Crescendos that papers The Element of Truth Special appearance earning low

LONG JOHN BALDRY

net inisters from the Com be Ministers 8 p.m.-11 p.m. East India Hall and other candidate countries.

FILM MAKING AND THE

discussions.

YOUNG SOCIALISTS

huge that the price be increased to Sunday, January 11 9.30 a.m.

CLASSIC CINEMA, POND STREET

on to they

HAMPSTEAD, LONDON, N.W.3

Vietnan

STOP WILSON'S WASHINGTON

Shen 100,000 vis to see ind or anuary

VISIT!

stack on a Mian ban komb

FOR THE DEFEAT OF US

mankind Police have still to birth

IMPERIALISM IN

VIETNAM!

Presione • hort by Yah- wings

DEMONSTRATION

extremists. commemor

SUNDAY JAN. 11

LTB

STRIKE

END:

ASSEMBLE: Speakers' Corner (Marble Arch), 2 P.M.

MARCH:

via Oxford Street, Regent Street, acce presence Trafalgar Square past Downing Street.

MEETING: Lyceum Ballroom, near Aldwych, 4 P.M. any on an are to and Details from 186a Clapham High Street, London, S.W.4 Tickets for the whole weekend 12s 6d advertised on this page. accepted yesterday.

PAGE TWO

ROBERT BLACK

PART ONE

COMMUNIST PARTY

secretary John general Gollan's slanderous attack on Trotsky at a recent CP public meeting in Leeds (reported in Workers Press of Decem- ber 3) has raised a num- ber of pertinent questions relating to Stalinist his- tory and methodology. In reply to questions from the floor on Trotskyism, Gollan claimed that Trotsky's ideas 'were a menace to the Soviet Union'. Gollan stated that Trotsky had been for the defeat of the Soviet Union in any war with Nazi Germany, repeating the old Stalinist slander that 'whether he [Trotsky] got money directly from Hitler is open to question'. As is invariably the case with such slanders, no docu- mentary proof was quoted to substantiate the accusations.

This was also the hall-mark of the Moscow Trials, where scores of Communist leaders, all close comrades of Lenin, their were sent to deaths purely on the basis of 'con- extracted under tessions' enormous and prolonged phy- sical and moral pressure exerted by their bureaucratic captors. outburst, In this latest Gollan has revealed himself yet again as a Stalinist reared in the Vyshinksy - Yezhov - Beria mould. Gollan makes two accus- ations. Firstly, that Trotsky wished for the defeat of the Soviet Union in any clash with Nazi Germany. Naturally this Stalinist quotes no documents of writ- ings to prove his point, be- cause no such writings exist.

Unconditional There are, however, ample available statements made by Trotsky and the Fourth Inter- national calling for uncon- ditional defence of the Soviet Union in war-time, and Gollan is well aware of them. For reasons of space, it is only possible to quote from a few: ... let us suppose that Hitler turns his weapons against the East and invades the territories occupied by the Red Army. [Trotsky is refer- ring here to the region ceded to the Soviet Union after the partition of Poland under the terms of the Stalin-Hitler Pact of August 23, 1939] "Under conditions, these partisans of the Fourth Inter- national, without changing in any way their attitude toward will the Kremlin oligarchy, advance to the forefront, as the most urgent task of the hour, the military resistance against Hitler. The workers will say: "We cannot cede to Hitler the overthrowing of

HESS

HITLER

Trotsky studies the Dewey C Trotsky at the Moscow Trials.

Stalin; that is our own task", "trial' Defence of (Trotsky: Marxism' pp. 24-25). And on page 35 of the which almost in same work, its entirety is devoted to the Marxist analysis of why the Soviet Union must be defended against imperialism, Trotsky expands on this question: 'We are and completely wholeheartedly for an inde- pendent (of Hitler as well as of Stalin) Soviet Ukraine. But what to do if, before having obtained this independence, to seize the Hitler attempts Ukraine, which is under the domination of the Stalinist bureaucracy? "The Fourth International answers: Against Hitler we will defend this Ukraine enslaved by Stalin. What does "un- conditional" defence of the USSR mean? It means that we do not lay any conditions upon the bureaucracy. means that independently of of the motive and causes of the war we defend the social

USSR

basis nationalized the [its property re- lations] if it is menaced by danger on the part of im- perialism.' This is but a small sample of the writings which Gollan deliberately ignores when he slanders Trotsky's position on the defence of the Soviet Union. Gollan has nothing to offer except the same old lies.

The same applies to the other Stalinist slander Trotsky's alleged relations with the Nazi regime in Germany.. It is important first of all to establish the exact condi- tions in which this lie was first given prominence by the Stalinists. The first Moscow Trial of Old Bolsheviks in August 1936 did not accuse Zinoviev, Kamenev and the rest of the *sixteen' with working on be- half of the Nazis. They were charged at that s the Dewey Commission report, a Commission set i 'trial' with straightforward counter-revolution, and chiefly with the assassination of the Stalinist leader in Leningrad, S. M. Kirov. It has long been revealed that Kirov was killed in 1934 by the Stalinist police, on Stalin's orders, as the provo- cation required for the mass purges that Stalin had already prepared. It was at the second Moscow Trial of January 1937 that the first allegations were made concerning Trotsky's dealings with the Nazis. A study of the proceedings of the second Moscow Trial throw a great deal of light not only on the workings and motives of the Soviet bur- eaucracy, but the source of the slanders Gollan hurls at the Socialist Labour League today. Defended trials Through its influence in the 'Left Book Club', the British Communist Party was able to get published several books defending the and purges Trials in the Soviet Union. One such work was that of Dudley 'Soviet Justice and Collard, the trial of Radek and others'.

With the obligatory fore- ward by D. N. Pritt ('I welcome Mr Collard's book warmly') 'Soviet Tustice' deals in some detail with the 'evidence' given his by Radek, who from desertion from the Left Opposition in 1929 until his was the most servile arrest, of Stalin's publicists. Radek's testimony is most important, as upon it rested the Stalinist case for Trotsky's collusion with the Nazis, the same slander that Gollan re- peated at the Leeds meeting recently. The indictment at the trial reads: The investigation has es- tablished that L. D. Trotsky entered into negotiations with one of the leaders of the

WORKERS' PRES

Commission set up in 1937 to inquire into the charge German National Socialist Party with a view to waging a joint struggle against the Soviet Union. 'As testified by the accused Pyatakov, L. D. Trotsky, in his conversation with accused in December 1935, in- formed him that as a result of negotiations these he had concluded an agreement with the said leader of the National Socialist Party in the following terms: '(1) To guarantee a gen- erally favourable attitude to- wards the German government and the necessary collabor- ation with it in the most important questions of an international character. '(2) To agree to territorial concessions. ' (3) To permit German industrialists, in the form of concessions some other forms), to exploit enterprises in the USSR which are essen-

ORKERS' PRESS

into the charges made against tial auxiliaries to German economy. ' (4) To create in the USSR favourable conditions for the activities of German private enterprise. ' (5) In time of war to diver- carry on extensive sionist activities in war indus- try enterprises and at the diversionist front. These activities are to be carried on under Trotsky's instructions, in agreement with the German General Staff. 'Hess meeting' "The principles of this agree- ment, as Trotsky related, were finally elaborated and adopted during Trotsky's meeting with Hitler's deputy, Hess' (quoted from 'International Press Cor- respondence', _P. 128. No. 6, February 1937). This was the indictment

ST HITLER WE WILL DEFEND TH

brought against Trotsky and the defendants at the second Moscow Trial. Zinoviev, Kamenev and the other Bolsheviks killed after the first Trial were now, of posthumously included course, in the charge of collusion with Hitler, the fact that despite throughout the first trial no reference been had made to their alleged relationship with the Nazis. We shall return to this in- dictment, the substance of which Gollan still publicly up- holds, in a moment. And what of the indictment of the third, 1938, Trial: 'The materials in the of session the investigating authorities on the present case that the established connec- enemy of tions between the

KARL RADEK

people Trotsky and the German political police and Intelligence Services the of other countries es- were tablished at a much earlier date. The investigation has definitely established that Trotsky has been connected with the German Intelligence Service since 1921, and with the British Intelligence Service since 1926' ('Verbatim Report of Court Proceedings in the case of the of Rights and be investigating never been They cannot they never existed. But under the sheer weight contradictions. the old and

Y. PYATAKOV

Oppositionist with Trotsky when the the Nazis supposed to have been via on All the details concerning the frame-up of the Old Bolsheviks in the Moscow place. Without such Trials are set out in the 'proof,

'MOSCOW TRIALS AN-

that THOLOGY' (New Park with 'pro-Nazi' contact Publications 12s 6d). Pyatakov of Nazi imperialism in the December In east. who at Here, at last, was the chance in Norway. for all time the to prove of the verdicts genuineness for the the three Moscow passed Stalinists, at Trials and at the court-martials of the military leaders also charged with acting in concert General with the German December. Staff and Intelligence Service.

The Soviet judges could also demand that all the document- material relating to the ary activities of the Nazi con- established spiracy in the Soviet Union be published. Pyatakov set foot in Surely this was part of the charge be brought against other any was the Nazi leaders, that they pre- in the Therefore Soviet pared for war on the there was meeting, no Union through the penetration negotiations, with plot of its political and military and no Hitler against Stalin organs? counter - revolutionary con- with the German Gollan piracy knows that the General Staff Soviet judges remained silent All the details concerning on this question. the frame-up of the Old Bol- They studiously avoided all sheviks in the Moscow Trials reference to any alleged deal- set out in the 'Moscow ings between Nazi and Soviet Trials Anthology' (New Park leaders throughout the period 12s. Publications, 6d.) and of the Hitler dictatorship, and therefore need not be repeated this they had the in active here. of the other allied assistance But certain other aspects of judges and legal experts.

the charges Trotsky against took on an added significance Campaign after the Second World War.

The of the Nazi capture archives provided the Allies Neither can it be claimed with all the documentary that there were no attempts evidence they required to try made bring this question the leaders of the Nazi Party the open at the as war criminals. Nuremburg Trials. These were the same leaders The Fourth International, that the Moscow Trials had including its British section, alleged were acting in collusion the Revolutionary Communist with Trotsky before the war to Party, organized a world-wide overthrow Soviet and power compel campaign to the pro- restore capitalism in the USSR.

secution at the Trials to open Here was wonderful an inquiry into the allegations opportunity for Gollan's made against Trotsky. charge to be confirmed. The Soviet judges at the Nurem- This campaign was part of burg trials would surely the struggle of the Fourth now demand International against an admission from counter- Hess and company that they revolutionary Stalinism, and had indeed worked with was essential for the education further Trotsky the of the working class in the to aims What does 'unconditional defence of the USSR' mean? It means that we do not lay any conditions upon the bureaucracy. It means that independently of the motive and causes of war we defend the social bases of the USSR [its nationalized property relations| if it is menaced by danger on the part of imperialism. LEON TROTSKY-In Defence of Marxism' Tuesday, December 16, 1969 real history of both the Stalinist and Trotskyist move- ments. The mid-January supple- ment of the Revolutionary Communist Party's Socialist Appeal' issued a challenge to the Soviet pro- secuting counsel to publish from the Nazi archives the materials which proved Trot- sky's guilt. That challenge went un- answered, as had to, for there were no such documents.

Similarly in the United States, an appeal was sent to Justice Chief at the Nuremburg Trials, Sir Geoffrey Lawrence, asking him to put a series of questions to the Nazi defendants at the trial, par- Hess, ticularly who, the Stalinists had alleged, served as the main contact between Trotsky and the Nazi regime.

The appeal was signed by many prominent figures in the American labour movement and intellectual circles, includ- ing Norman Thomas, veteran Socialist Party leader, Powers Hapgood of the CIO, Frank Crosswaith of the Negro Labour Council, Philip Ran- dolph, President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the novelist and critic Ber Sidney Hook and Stores of other figures of equal stand- ing. The appeal asked for seven questions to be put to the defendants at the Nuremburg Trials: 1. Did the defendants ever meet with Trotsky or with his son? 2. If so, when and where and what was the occasion?

3. Did the defendants ever meet with anyone purporting to represent Trotsky? If so, whom, when and where, and what was the occasion? 4. To the defendants know- ledge, did Trotsky or his son ever have any relations with the Nazi Gestapo or with the Nazi military Intelligence Service? 5. Did Trotsky or his son ever receive any money from the German miltary Intelli- gence Service, either directly or through any intermediary?

6. Did the other defendant the Moscow Trial, G. at Pyatakov, ever receive a pass- port from the Gestapo or from any official German source in order to fly to Norway to meet Trotsky? [Pyatakov was alleged at the second Moscow Trial to have flown from Germany to meet Trotsky near Oslo in Decem- ber 1935-i.e., nearly three years after the Nazis had come to power.] 7. To defendants' the knowledge, were there ever any documents bearing on any of these questions or on their relations with any other of the Old Bolsheviks for anti- Russian purposes? If so, what were they and what has be- come of them? Needless to say, the pro- secution saw to it that none of these questions was in • fact put to Hess and his Nazi co- defendants. As Trotsky himself remarked in 1937: "The com- plete absence of evidence is the most terrible evidence against Stalin'.

G. ZINOVIEV

LEV KAMENEV

Tuesday, December 16, 1969 IN FRANCE the state has already mobilized its legal thugs to fight the working class. So-called 'preventive arrests' are becoming more common. No charge, just deten- tion. In Italy the authorities pre- pare to arraign policemen who refused to take part in attacks on striking workers.

In Britain, television puts out increasing floods of pre- paratory propaganda aimed at atmosphere for creating the acceptance of police repression in the coming struggles. This is not, of course, always a conscious process for the producers, writers, direc- tors and actors involved. But mirror they accurately the forces now sweeping through the society, even if at times they reflect a somewhat dis- torted image. Let's speculate a little on like 'Special how a series Branch' (Thames Television, Wednesday) might originate and get on to the air. Response If prices charged to adver- kept high, tisers are to be large audiences must be won to watch commercial breaks. This management need will find a quick response amongst the heads of the drama department and from the producers there who often think they simply want a lot of people to watch their enter- taining programmes. Since Thames (under its old name of ABC Television) has experience in originating series like The Avengers', it will look to some similar-format show for the solution. Such series are not cheap, but are certainly less expen- sive than one-off dramas.

They can use the same sets over and over, actors will often take a bit less each week if they are . long period employment and scripts are easier to commis- sion and somewhat cheaper to buy. There may also even be re- munerative foreign sales.

The bright boys will then up with an idea. This come time it's to make a series based on the work of the Special Branch. If you asked them why the Special Branch they would probably say because it is surrounded by mystery, re- puted to be filled with ruthless and skilled detectives, full of adventure and generally excit- The odd liberal might even add that 'it's important' to show 'the problem' to as many people as possible. Next will come some special- ized help. This time the tech- nical adviser on the series is Peter Hill, formerly one of the detective - inspectors youngest in the country who gave up the police to run a coffee bar on his own former "patch" in Hampstead and to write' . ('TV Times', December 13-19.) Then the writers must be found. Certain names of people who write regularly for such series will spring to the profes- sional producer's mind and a few of the best literary agents might be contacted to see if they have any new 'talent' in stock. Production Guidelines will be laid down and outline plots sup- plied; once enough scripts are in and accepted, production will begin on the basis of two or three weeks rehearsal and a weekly recording schedule.

No one involved need be any more conscious than that.

And yet what comes out? A series of well-made pro- grammes at peak viewing time which cleverly peddle every- thing reactionary about the British political police and skilfully sugar a poisonous pill of surveillance, secret dossiers, phone-tapping and photo- graphy. Indeed, it is precisely these features of the Special Branch's work which are used to give the programmes their excite- ment, tension and intrigue.

Take last week's episode, 'Visitor From Moscow'. It concerned the goings-on of the British Special Branch in co-operating with a KGB officer over the security ar- rangements for a visit to Lon- don by a Russian minister.

The opening sequence was of the two officers at the monument to Marx over his grave in Highgate Cemetery.

The scene carefully began a At th clever double trick which was marked throughout. The British officer casually denigrated Marx and then quoted Lenin. In response to the Russian's astonished ques- tion. 'You read Lenin?' said, 'I do my homework'.

'Understand' 'he two officers thus gradu Ily began 'to understand eac galities perpetrated there bs he bureaucracy. It also permitted a discus- sion by two English Special Branch men over the need for "preventive arrests' here, as ad- vocated by the Russian. The senior officer, of course, explained that this wasn't British or democratic, but the younger, sharper, trendier man passionately wondered whether, if a policeman's job crime, is to prevent such means ought not to be legally available. The writer of this episode, without necessarily being a conscious mouthpiece of the law, thus accurately reflects its needs. He did this in other ways too. There was nothing sentimen- tal about the forces involved.

The police were seen as tough professionals who are still sharp and have dressers troubles with their girl-friends over the long hours they work.

The girl-friend-played inci- haire I AM A member of the Boiler- makers' Society who was on strike at Grangemouth oil re- finery and who was kicked a few times by the police when on picket duty. Like a number of other boilermakers who got the same treatment (some got jailed), I would like to make some points concerning your Tues- day, December 9 report on Grangemouth that were missed. 1. Jim Murray, our Scottish Executive Committee mem- ber, came to the meeting on 5 asking us to December accept the ending of the strike on the agreements laid out by the EC and the em- ployer, for only 253 boiler- makers to get back on the site. At the meeting he was asked before the vote was taken, if the men still voted to carry_on the strike, would the EC put the sanctions back on again • (black all work being done for Grange- mouth by boilermakers in other firms in the UK and boilermakers who work with the same firms in Grange- mouth BP contract in the UK). He turned round and said, "The EC would not put the sanctions on again'. There were cries of 'blackmail'.

The men had no alternative but to accept these conditions as they were getting no sup- port from the EC who sup- ported the strike right up dentally by the wife of the adviser-helped to technical set the class background. She was directed as a chilly, upper- middle class woman living in a luxury flat and designing clothes 'too expensive for any- one to buy'. She, her boyfriend and the •KGB man ate in an extremely expensive restaurant and peaceful co-existence was fos- tered all round. As one charac- ter urbanely remarked, 'We are all tools in the hands of our masters'. Central object As the plot developed, a single individual protester who was in no way political but simply wanted an exit visa for his Russian girl-friend, became the central object of attrac- tion. Cast as a bearded, greasy- haired, thin man wearing a Derren Nesbitt: Detective Chief Inspector Jordan in Thames Television's new series 'Special Branch'. until they met the employer on December 3. There were cries from a num- ber of men for an immediate national strike in support of our struggle against the em- ployers, but all was in vain.

2. Brother Murray also stated that boilermakers were not to touch the work done by

CEU,

PTU, ETU and AEF, but if it is necessary these other trades will do boiler- makers' work. 3. In paragraph six of the report it should have read: the rest of the labour, with the agreement of the union leaders, are surplus, owing to the labour still occupying the jobs of the men while on strike. Also boilermakers are to work with this labour while other boilermakers are unem- FOR two weeks construction men on the Burmah Oil site, Ellesmere Port, have been on strike for fl an hour average on piece-work rates. Members of both the Con- structional Engineering Union and the Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers united against the employers, William Neils Ltd., in a demand for parity between CEU men, who were earning 12s. average, and the boilermakers' 15s. average.

The firm returned with an

WORKERS' PRES

polo-necked sweater (like all left-wing troublemakers) he apparently constituted a grave threat to the security of the expected Russian bureaucrat.

So he got the full works: visits from Special Branch officers, his phone was tapped, all his movements were scru- tinized by anonymous cars, his mail was opened and his English girl-friend investigated.

In the course of compiling their information, the Special Branch men got co-operation from a newspaper, checked with the Russians for their account of the suspect and never appeared to be delayed by any legal niceties. The presence of KGB agents in London constantly was hinted at and the only unsymp- athetic characters were made out to be the Whitehall civil servant and his Kremlin coun- terpart. The men on the job were seen as efficient and untiring, but also as stern, fatherly men- tors of some wisdom. Very properly, however, any real possibility of peaceful co- existence was ruled out at the end when the British and Rus- sian policemen began a violent match each Slanging about others' systems. Other quality No liberal nonsense here.

This is of a different quality to the pathetically transparent propaganda shows like Dixon Green', of Dock "Parkin's Patch' or "Softly, Softly'.

These latter programmes set out to reinforce the need for private property, respect for the friendly bobby and fear of the cunning detective. 'Special Branch' begins a new phase in the attempted conditioning process. We should perhaps recall a little about the real Special revealed Branch (as in an article in "TV Times' recently).

Its officers can carry guns and have 'little difficulty' in obtaining the Home Secretary's authorization to tap phones. There are said to be about 300 officers, 20 of whom are women. The headquarters are on the top floor of New Scotland Yard they keep where dossiers methodically and patiently as- sembled about 'anyone who might be a danger to the State.

There are thousands of files on Communists, Fascists, the IRA ployed through the labour who were brought in under clause six. 4. In paragraph four it should have read: and after listen- ing to the terms agreed by their official the majority of the men did not want to work on the site again. 5. This strike emphasised that if rank-and-file trade union- ists are going to fight against productivity deals, it must be done through the All Trades Union Alliance, or it will fail. The employers will use the split between the unions, with the help of the EC of the other unions in the to defeat the agreement, union fighting against pro- ductivity deals and cause bigger splits in the rank-and- file union movement. A boilermaker. offer of a 2s 6d increase for the CEU men. It was rejected and the men put forward their demand for parity with other tank erection men in the industry. An approach was made to stewards of another firm doing the same work on the site for details of their piece-work rates. As a system of individual bargaining is carried out in this part of the construction

YORKERS' PRESS

and protest organizations right down to tenants' associations. Any of the people named in these files would be startled •.. They give a detailed pic- ture of him—his favourite pub, where he takes his holidays, and his wife's family history' This force mans Customs desks, picks up people at air- protects the Royal Mr Michael Stewart and Mr Callaghan. It plants 'spies' in organiza- tions and at meetings and un- like the thousands-strong MIS, has the powers of arrest and detention. Its chief, Commander Fergu- son Smith, is in direct contact with the Prime Minister and clearly receives maximum help in organizing this executive arm of the Security Services.

Most of the work is 'slog and boredom' and includes 'renting offices opposite a court where a political trial is on and photographing every- one going in or out', according to the 'TV Times' article.

Clearly this series is indeed to help create a crippling fear of the state and its forces amongst those preparing for its

I.T.V.

4.30 Cross• roads. 4.55 Junior Showtime. 5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News From ITN.

6.03 Today. 6.40 Branded. 7.10 The Tuesday Film: 'West- bound' with Randolph Scott and Virginia Mayo. American Civil War.

REGIONAL I.T.V.

CHANNEL: 11.45

a.m.-12.10 p.m Supplementary Schools. 4.00 Diane's Magic Theatre. 4.15 Castle Haven. 4.40 Chez Oscar. 4.55 London. 6.00 Channel News and Weather. 6.10 Channel Lookaround. 6.35 Crossroads.

7.00 Curtain Raiser. 7.05 Star Movie: 'Magnetic Monster'. 8.30 London. 11.35 Channel Gazette. 11.40 Commentaires et Previsions Meteorologiques, Weather.

SOUTHERN: 2.50 p.m. Rugby Union. Day. Long 4.30 London. 6.00 Day By 6.45 Tuesday Film: "The Long, Trailer' with Lucille Ball Desi and 8.30 London. 9.00 Hadleigh. 10.00 11.15 Southern News Extra. Cooks. 11.25 Stewart 11.50 Weather, Happy Christmas.

WESTWARD: 11.45 a.m.-12.10 p.m. Supplementary - Schools. 4.01 Diene's Magic Theatre. 4.13 Castle Haven. 4.40 The Gus Honeybun Show. 4.55 London.

6.00 Westward Diary. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Curtain Raiser: Popeye. 7.05 Star Movie: 'Magnetic Monster' with Richard Carlson. 8.30 London. 11.40 Faith For Life. 11.46 Weather.

HARLECH: 2.50-4.25 p.m. Springboks v. Combined Services. 4.46 It's Time For Me. 4.55 London. 6.01 Report. 6.20 Batman. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Peyton Place. 7.55 Mr and Mrs. 8.30 London. 11.15 Mickey. 11.45 Weather.

Harlech (Wales): Time 2.45 p.m. 4.29-4.55 It's For Me. 2.50 Rugby. Crossroads. 6.01 Y Dydd. 6.26 Castle Haven. 6.51-7.00 Report. 10.30 Dan Sylw. 11.30 Mickey.

12 midnight Weather.

ANGLIA:

4.10 p.m. Castle Haven. Anglia Newsroom. 4.40 Paulus. 4.55 London.,.00 Star Western 6.00 About Anglia. 6.35 Crossroads. Movie: "Terror Town' with A Texas In Sterling Hayden and Sebastian Cabot.

8.30 London. 11.15 All Our Yesterdays.

11.45 The Living Word.

ATV MIDLANDS:

4.00 p.m. News Headlines. 4.02 Houseparty. 4.15 Your Star Showcase. Maric 4.40 Diane's Theatre. 4.55 London. 6.00 ATV Today.

6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Star Western Movie: 'Branded' with Alan Ladd,

B.B.C.-1

1.00 p.m. Bob Yn Dri. 1.30 Watch With Mother. 1.45-1.53 News and Weather. 3.45 Malcolm Muggeridge asks the Question Why? 4.20 Play School. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 Animal Magic. Races and Space 5.20 Wacky Kidettes. 5.44 Hector's House.

5.50 National News and Weather.

6.00 London-Nationwide. 6.45 Z Cars. 7.05 Tomorrow's World. 7.30 Harry Worth. 8.00 Cilla. 8.50 The Main News and Weather. 9.10 The English Village Is Alive and Well . . ..: Tuesday's documentary. 10.00 Noel Coward's Birthday Party. 10.35 24 Hours. 11.10 Weatherman. 11.12 Postcript. 11.17 Medicine Today.

B.B.C.-2

11.00-11.20 a.m. Play School.

7.30 p.m. Newsroom and Weather. 8.00 Floodlit Rugby League : Castleford v. Wigan or St.

Helens. 8.45 Jazz Scene. Hollywood In The Sixties: 9.10 'Spinster' with Shirley MacLaine, Laurence Har- industry, the stewards refused to reveal their rates. Union delegates have also recommended a return to work on the day the management agree to a meeting. This strike comes after a ong period of disagreemen vith the firm over safety regu lations on the site. These workers and others in construction industry the should demand a parity of rates with non-piece-workers and between different firms

BY FRANK

It should certainly be taken A cameraman. at BSR in East Kilbride was recently recorded by a '24 Hours' team photographing the pickets from management offices. It's already with us. But no one should miss the other side of the coin. No Special Branch or politi- cal police in the world can deal with the force of the working class. Our writers, producers and directors must stand ready for the day of judgement. Those perpetrating 'Special Branch' appear to have chosen the other side. We have not failed to notice. And please—no cries about 'harmless entertainment'.

Italy, in race in South fi ca, in the Kremlin prisons, hospitals and camps, in South American jails and United States penitentiaries will testify that it is harmful.

And their voices will be heard. 8.30 Cribbins. 9.00 Happy Ever After: The Prank' with Ann Lynn and William Marlowe. A nasty joke at a Christmas party.

10.00 News At Ten. 10.30 The All Or Nothing Man: Documentary about stunt-man. 11.15 How About You? 11.45 Responsibility and the Job.

Mona Freeman, Charles Bickford. 8.30 London. 11.15 Play With A Purpose, Weather.

ULSTER: 4.30

p.m. Romper Room. 4.50 Ulster News Headlines. 4.55 London. 6.00 UTV Reports. 6.35 Cross- roads. 7.00 Midweek Movie: 'Chase A Crooked Shadow' with Richard Todd. Anne Baxter and Herbert Lom. 8.30 London. 11.15 Billy. 11.30 Weather.

YORKSHIRE: 2.35 9.50

The Tingha 6.00 Calendar, •Captain Hayward pirates. 11.15 The Man Who Never Was. 11.45 Late Weather. GRANADA: 4.14 p.m. News Headlines, Paulus. 4.25 Short Story. 4.55 London.

6.00 The Beverly Hillbillies. 6.25 News- view Special, Put It In Writing. 7.05 The Name Of The Game. 8.25 London.

11.15 Felony Squad.

TYNE

TEES:

4.09 North East p.m. Newsroom 4.11 News Headlines. 4.13 Paulus. 4.25 Mad Movies. 4.53 North East 4.55 London. 6.00 Today At Six. The Jobs Are. 6.35 Castle Haven. 7,00 The Tuesday Film: 'The Bells Go Down' with Tommy Trinder and James Mason.

8.30 London. 11.15 Late News Extra. 11.32 Prince Of Peace. SCOTTISH: 4.20 p.m. Scotland Early. 4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 London. 6.00 Scotland Early. 6.30 Raw Deal? 7.05 The Name Of The Game. 8.30 London.

10.30 Living 69 Style. 11.30 Letters From Dead. 12 midnight Late The Call. GRAMPIAN: 4.15 p.m. News Head- lines. 4.17 Sean The Leprachaun. 4.30 Skippy. 4.55 London. News and Farming News, 00 The Film 6.00 Grampian 6.15 Out Of Town. 6.35 Crossroads. Stars: Cilla Black in *Ferry Cross The Mersey'. 8.30 London. 11.15 Play With A Purpose. All regions as BBC-1 except at the following times: Midlands and East Anglia: 6.00-6.45 Today, Look East, Midlands Weather. Nationwide. 11.52 News Summary, Weather. North of England: 6.00-6.45 p.m. Look North, Nationwide. 11.52 News Head- lines, Weather. Scotland: 3.45-4.20 p.MScotland.

Sunday Set. 6.00-6.45 Reporting 9.10- The Star Spangled 10.00 Scotsman. 11.12-11.32 More Meets The Than Eye. 11.32 Medicine Today, Scottish News Headlines. Northern Ireland: 6.00-6.45 p.m. Scene 10.00-10.35 Speak Ter Weather, Nationwide Mind. 11.52 Northern Ireland News Headlines, Weather. Wales: 5.20-5.50 p.m. Telewele. 6.00- 6.45 Wales Today. 6.45-7.10 Heddiw. 7.10-7.30 Z One Of Cars. 8.00-8.25 The Family. 8.25-8.50 Ryan A Ronnie. West, South Today. Spotlight South South TodaWationwide. 11.52 Spotlight South. Weather, west, News Headlines, Weather. vey and Jack Hawkins. School teacher afraid of love in remote northern New Zealand. 10.45 Europa: A look at Eastern Europe. 11.20 News Summary and Weather. 11.25 Line Up. and areas as a preliminary for the demand for a decent flat rate to replace piece-work o: productivity deals. Such demands can only be made on a broad collective base. Individual bargaining strengthens the hand of the employer in dividing workers.

Demands must be made on the basis of a unified struggle throughout the industry. Chris Clode. By an education corre! THE Labour Party has officially admitted that its policy of cuts in educa- tion is running parallel to the thinking of Enoch Powell and the right-wing Tories. In a brazen article 'Educa- tion-an economic appraisal', which appears in the Labour Party's monthly Economic Brief', there appears the following statement: 'While we may not go as far as Enoch Powell in denying the correlation between edu- cation and investment and economic growth, we must agree [our emphasis] that in a state of affairs where educa- tion swallows such a huge proportion of national income, that such educational expendi- ture is equipping the nation for economic growth. To this end priorities must be re- examined... Coming as it does just after Brown's outburst on the Viet- nam atrocities, this statement anonymous, but un- doubtedly leading party figure, shows just how far to the right social democracy has swung in Britain. Indeed the question posed in the article is couched in exactly the same terminology as Powell himself in

SAME QUESTION

That the government should find itself asking the same question as Powell in relation to educational expenditure is not surprising. As the 'Times Educational Supplement' of November 21 put it, Labour now recognizes that the battle over the rising cost of education will have to be fought on Mr Powell's ground'. But since the Wilson govern- ment seeks to defend British capitalism at all costs, Labour Enoch Powell: Labour turns to his ‹ spokesmen discover themselves not only asking the same ques- tions as right-wing Tories, but coming up with similar answers as well! 'Investment' in education, says the article, might soon need to be justified by pro- ductive returns to the nation's economy. "The old • [our emphasis] issue in defending increased expenditure in the field . of education involved an asser- tion that education was the right of all and that no theoretical limits should be set on the demand of the popu- lation for education, especially in the post-school sector' So, to put it bluntly, forget about everybody having a right to education. If it doesn't pay British capitalism to educate workers, they won't be educated.

PAGE THREE

education correspondent This, , briefly, is what is meant by 're-examining prior- ities'. The article speaks of cuts in the 'post-school sector' so that • be diverted into money can primary education. The pur- pose of this is to split workers who have children in schools from the students. An attack on higher educa- tion is, in fact, an attack on primary education too, since this is the teacher-training sector. As for the teachers, the article says they 'should be willing,. with safeguards, to accept innovations in terms of auxiliary help so that they might do their own job more efficiently. Roughly translated this means unqualified teachers probably at cheaper pay rates.

Education Minister Edward Short has even smarter ideas.

He told Hillingdon NUT members recently that class sizes could be reduced 'as long as all concerned were prepared to be ruthless enough' ("Times Educational Supplement', Nov- ember 7). If staff were moved with- out regard to other factors, from one school to another, or from secondary schools primary schools, or if children were grouped so as to even out class sizes regardless of educational considerations, the effect on the statistics might be marked.' So, we might add, would the effect on the children's education ! Bearing in mind Short's re- marks and the thinking Labour leadership circles, it is hardly surprising that the most recent proposals involve the scrapping of 'O' and 'A' levels.

If these proposals go through, young workers will have to stay on till 17 before they can take the new equivalent 'Q' level. Thus, instead of those who leave at 16 being able to take a few 'O' levels with them, ur turns to his education policy.

they could well leave at 16 with nothing. Few could afford to stay on, and existing staff could cer- tain not handle 'O', 'A' and the new 'Q' and 'F' levels. Short's enthusiasm for sixth- form colleges can now be seen in a new light. Secondary education could rapidly become a transit camp for the dole queues, with a select few going on to sixth- form colleges to take the new 'O' level examinations. capitalism is heading for at ap, why invest in education Mr Powell is only a couple odducmionahsad of the Labour But they are doing their best to catch up.

WORKERS' PRESS

Tuesday, December 16, 1969

PAGE FOUR

BULGARIA

Two detailed Top bureaucrats articles on

CAN

building in corruption and scandal con- EIGHTEEN leading Bul- government offi- garian struction cials have been Sackel from their posts and are By a foreign correspondent due to stand trial fol corrupt handling of the Building workers facing country's finances, it has been revealed in Sofia. three government leas Thieged" -Trade, Transport and Finance. reaucracy by the working a defending cities the method s new pay and productivity rapidly in dama no care or usin and Rumania. concerne Prade wistmain ented in.

ITALY

deal tors, had ben sacked. TIME STUDY, job-evaluation, inter-availability- Right-wing hese are just some of the 'strings' attached to the Expelled uilding employers' 'improved', 'final', wages pack- by a workers Press danger grows correspondent age deal, which is expected to be signed by National thent or er was an ore Building Federation Trades Operatives of after Milan offer. nd mis the new was (NFBTO) leaders in London on December 17.

his until Nove her 1971 so the sary it the sand The union leaders' ac- article follows this with Weavere the NFBTO explosions ceptance, which is almost Neddy Report hits a formality, comes at the ena or some I. months bargaining and several in- • ke Ambros FRIDAY'S bomb explosion in a Milan bank, in terventions by prices amal chow arion which 14 were killed and another 90 injured, has at construction Incomes (PIB) reports, and mentio Austry the rend enormously increased the dangers before the fighting the Is ust anothers nasonal line of betrayals of the Italian working class. introduce Andro nara - worked bullding The Christian-Democra- workers woke regard strif building creased thever MEL) WOrKerS

BY ROBERT BLACK

and in- tic government, the army

BY JOHN SPENCER

Neat. three-year package and the police are now Construc evaluationstudy or job- using the incident to be- FOLLOWING hard on the ending of the Grange.

on the tar die cornis remines mouth boilermakers strike, in which half the • At cent on all sites as gin a large-scale witch- strikers were left outside the gates and the other The London no Money see hunt of extreme left-wing Workers, like tes int one d, half were left with special penal clauses, the men groups. report of the government-sponsored working- ' under party large aims another A trade union rafy callec de Mersey- major blow at construction workers.

originally for Monday was banned by the government Reactionary luded in this im The intended victims of "grind id while Stalinist the right-wing trade we reports proposals are nore Trotsky's anels the 40,000 construction ane bi the themselves called off strike Bonuses go to begin yesterday unti Sation to bene economies e workers who build powel anti-trade-union Wednesday. chemical plants, stallose • The are maso he ries an oil to the anize. works. Ferranti meters Blame these N. Wales strikers i total value of £800 million Trally Diame - win • Maoist @ guate Phoned been enst the the National

THAMESMEAL

win back maintains image since the -constitutional morenks so were our i steward's job - forces cha Usitel includes ce German speaking community.

FERRANTI Meters' strikers, Bangor, North Wales, was narrates thlausibl national one ranch a single returned to work yesterday.

national agreement Eight including ac a By an Industrial correspondent men. duese organ- shop had 'sor Attacks Parity fight onst Pars Senator on munis

FROM PAGE ONE

in the Trade win heals wave Militant 'Negotiate' November 285 atonal Tant Workers allege that the real Negotiating Committee. one ding to the him i i in ampathy with are throughou fascist aims. yeahat Ware say dealer no therefore impossiblimed, was in proposals pha de very area demand by for workers. very grea more in industry generally when delet but No answer nothinguestionable, they were in national register. ing workers of work-study in Blacklisting obe the phrase can mean only Two lines id in the electrical cor the economic sious There Decasualization a that sai tears ore • Step work of the fascists. Постоя Od Waiting Labourer ed. its criticisms of existe i bonus Workers I ETW *Won Pollo press aro payments. The present schemes, it says Co-operation 158

WEATHER

flation lie., thes "Holiday' ne it ere Stalinist effort (1) year. showed the I to betray the cur ibsence iso cs and tom Boyer wounds scheme%. Rohan of the prent pre until or the mone England, Channel Islands or slee 'ot the Ficht for the nationa pension and under wo com ation of Ford's witho follow front-pa head Do capitals Prised bha leaders, area, Northern Ire- deals.