Workers Press no. 792

workers press INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1972• No. 792 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

AISUPA CUNFERENCE CALLS FOR

GENERAL STRIKE TO

FORCE TORIES OUT

A CALL for a General Strike instruction the National Industrial day General Strike against the retreats and betrayers of the fu leasers.

Act be and-file printworkers successive its power cause it was not satisfied sufficient Ke atons Court and do of against the Industrial Relations to the Industrial Relations Act affiliated membership. one squarely before question Act was made in Bournemouth inoperable'.

DULS

would fellow *inner sovereil. warned, Briginshaw's cabinet' Sharply attacking the TUC leadership. yesterday by print union leader cerene itser on the basis that the law bers ack and Hugh Scanlon: ones are Briginshaw said: 'If there was a willingness the He did not with people they going to halt their retreat before the Richard Briginshaw, a member and a desire on the who argued that the government Lory embark challenge for this Bill broken completely, would welcome a General Strike: of the TUC's 'inner cabinet.

through a General Strike to bring be

POW CH

could cone culle cucky. means "The situation for the Torv government down the Tory government?

He said the trade unions should that you have to face up to what you are would be compound situation of the challenge for power: you raise their sights beyond the level of embarking miners' dispute and the railway 'representation hand' and cap and, they they on bol counts. round lida Pilots' date Tories for power. "There vy nat is at issue is the direcion. or the challenge the retire from the harsh position they lack of direction of the movement as took up. is only one way the Tories can serve whole. organizational structure the national interest-that is to resign Fundamentally the Industrial Relations built around a lack of direction. forthwith,' Briginshaw said.

Act and the policies of the the unions had not talked Until now

SOYCEHHICHE

British Airline Prots Association

DCA

He was resolution about challenge power, wages proposing are aDOUT ane DrontaDulty. Junest the Airline Associduon total when it two things the key to everything. opposition and came to the point they withdrew execuave deciged yesterday ne executve There only with way ories can the Act at the annual conference took the decision the of as mney nad nor mousat une issue cnrouen.

the the National Society of Operative Printers, 'Our movement is deficient in this regard.

ballot 1,400

BEA

serve nauonal mierests Lnal among its members Graphical and Media Personnel beyond the level of representation cap raise Tory government- -under sights resign fortnwitn. the rejected corporalon s Da Vi

OICI

ane

(NATSOPA).

the circumstances country faces to- gave BALPA a mandate for strike action The by day— -Is an anachronism. BEA offered top pilots an increase of £800 resoluuon. Dassed nana. majority, also declared the union was By contrast, he said, the TUC General Briginshaw's to bring their basic pay to about are undoubtedly year 'further prepared to defy the rulings or Council had opposed the call for a £8.850. a reflection of the anger among the rank- Stop black' or go to jail-Court

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

PRESIDENT of the National Industrial Relations Court Sir John Donaldson yesterday threatened that three London docks shop stewards would be commit- on Monday for disobeying ted to jail court orders. They are Vic Turner, Bernie Steer and Alan Williams, port workers at the Royal Group of docks. Donaldson found them in contempt of orders Chobham banning the picketing of lorries at the rarm container debor, cast London In issuing his sensational judgement, Donaldson declared: The conduct of these men, as it appears present, nas cone lal beyond could appropriately be disposed of by the imposi- of a fine. tion receive some explanation we have Unless We a Ternalve out to make oreers commens em to shall therefore sign warrants for their arest are deterson. He said the Court would sit at 10.30 a.m. today to give the three men a chance to explain their COnGUCL Thev would also have until 2 o.m. tomorrow to appear before the court of appeals If they have not before us tomorrow appeared applied to the court of appeals before morning or on Friday, June 15, the warrants will issue and th will before us at 10.30 they a.m. when Mondav June shall consider further Noisy scenes outside Transport whaT National strike postponed: Dockers erupt should be made.' House as striking dockers lobby orders said the tipstaff Sir John their delegates who put off strike would be empowered action for six weeks. them to prison on Monday De. jobs crisis in the support of national official action ex-gratia payment of £50 to

BY DAVID MAUDE

crowing ease being brought before the industry. Liverpool, Hull London,

NIRC.

une sludlon men nayt The committee is expected to Preston been more than four were all at a standsull weeke ANGRY DOCKERS erupted into delegate conference will probably ulv 26. Only Southampton and Man- the unattached recalled shouts of 'Jones out!' and 'Judas!'

chester work along register; £500 increase outside the Transport and place the following with the Seximum to 42,830. the smaller

DOILS.

severance bringing General Workers' Union. head- Yesterday's delegates were largely responsible accision, nowever. was universally unpopular among for But there quarters yesterday was movement after union leaders won 400 striking who The national post- terms under which the £3

DICYIOUS

OLel of the lobbied ponement dock 24-hour strike has mecuus been put increase in the present tz0 level

T&GWU

chiefs that to allay dockers' fears of fall-back pay of SUIKe que to start tomorrow Tear Un. extra holiday by next year. votes delegates official action may be la distinct about the threats week's to sz, growing to representing Britain's 40,000 possibility after their jobs

I&GWU

resull or con docks secretars decided defer stewards in Hull O'Leary said after yesterday's POrT

SHOD

ON tainerization. Saturday. All that the conference that the maustrial acuon untl they near employers con-

CHENCES

One of the stewards named how special union-employer At least 30,000 dockers staged ceded in talks the With Vic Turner. Turn to p. 12 strike yesterday committee proposes to solve the Tuesday was

workers press INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY JUNE 15, 1972 • No. 792 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

GENERAL STRIKE TO

FORCE TORIES OUT

Industrial A CALL for a General Strike instruction the National dav General Strike arainst the Act be retreats and betrayals of the fuS leassis.

and-ile printworkers successive power cause it was not satisfied sufficient helauons courT anedo all in Its against the Industrial Relations to render the Industrial Relations Act among its affiliated membership.

suppor squarely before one question Act was made in Bournemouth inoperable'. CouLs would Briginshaw's fellow 'inner warncu. cabinet' Sharply attacking the TUC leadership. Alchll aetena itsell on the basis that the law yesterday by print union leader and Hugh Scanon: oers ack iones the law. He did not agree with people briginsnaw sala: II tnere was a willingness they going to halt their retreat before the Richard Briginshaw, a member and a desire on the of our movement who argued that the L ory and embark on challenge for vy callicll Bill General Strike to broken completely, of the TUC's 'inner cabinet'.

nave would welcome a Genera Strike: through a bring

UWCI

could be cone Gune quickiy. medins The situation for the Tory government He down tne lory government.

said the trade unions should that you have to face up to what you are would be compound situation the oi challenge dor power! -and you raise their sights beyond the level of embarking dispute and the dispute miners' railway representation hand' and cap and, on both counts. thev found ther lau Pilots' date Tories for power. "There * w aar dd ar 10e c oe recn. on .e challenge the retire from the harsh position they lack of direction of the movement as one way the Tories can serve took up. 1s only whole. Its organizational suiubluic the national interest-that is to resign 'Fundamentally the Industrial Relations bullt around a lack or direcuon. forthwith,' Briginshaw said.

Act policies the unions had not talked and the oi the

BEA

1 Friday, June 23, Untl now goyerucut British Airtine Pilots He was proposing non-so-operation resolution about callo the point they wiedrese power, because are avett wades àne anest the Airline hosocialon 'total opposition two things the key everything. and when it came to execunve deciaca yesteraay ine execuive There only the Tories one way the Act at the annual conterence took the decision the results of W1l1l as uev naa nol woouenr. me ssue taroucn.

Lall the National Society of Operative Printers, the 'Our movement is deficient in this regard.

ballot 1,400

BEA

serve Halonal. Interess_ lidl its members ailivlls Graphical Media Personnel Our wants Tory government-under raise sights resign lortnwitn. relected

LIC

Cor bolaLon S Day

OIC.

aloel

(NÁTSOPA).

beyond the level of representation cap circumstances country faces to- a mandațe for strike action.

CaVe BALPA day— ™c zn BEA offered top pilots an increase of £800 reso uuon. passed DV arce nand. majority, also declared the union was Cobn cineast hessd ht call for a eral Briginshaw's undoubtedly to bring their basic pay to about 28,850. y cas 'further prepared to defy the rulings a renection oi the anger among the rank- Stop 'black' or go to jail—Court

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

PRESIDENT of the National Industrial Relations Court Sir John Donaldson yesterday threatened that three London docks shop stewards would be commit- on Monday for disobeying court orders. They are Vic Turner, Bernie Steer and Alan Williams, port workers at the Royal Group of docks. Donaldson found them in contempi or ordels Chobham of lorries banning the picketing at the rarn contamer _ devor Saas London In issuing his sensational judgement, Donaldson declared: The conduct these it appears of men, as present, has gone lal coevona anytun walca could appropriately be disposed of by the imposi- tion of a fine. receive some explanation we have ness wc alternauve out to make orders commitunglem • Pie n. shall therefore sign warrants for their anest ane cereco. He said the Court would sit at 10.30 a.m. today the three men a chance to explain their to give Cunuucl. woud aso have unti 2 o.m. tomorrow to appear before the court of appeals If thèy have before us tomorrow not appeared morning or applied to the court of appeals before a nd they on Friday, June 15, the warrants will issue will be brought before us at 10.30 a.m. and 19 when Ivionady tune shall consider further Noisy scenes outside Transport WhaT National strike postponed: Dockers erupt ordens should made.' House as striking dockers lobby the tipstaff John said their delegates who out of strike would be weeks. emoowered l• comnul action Tor SIx them to prison on Monday be- jobs crisis the support of national official action ex-gratia payment of £50 to

BY DAVID MAUDE

ease fore being. brought before the industry. Liverpool, Hull and London,

NIRC.

Situalion Llav. The committee is expected Preston been more four weeks were all at a stanasull than ANGRY DOCKERS erupted into delegate conference will prebably Only Southampton and Man- the unattached

ICOUIL ON

FUTV

recated chester stayed work along €500 SAOUTS or tones out ana casıl register; increase outside the Transport and take place the following bringing the seermum to 22,830. the • WIld sullalleı

DOLLS.

Waost severance General Workers' Union head- Yesterday's largely responsible actision. nowever. delegates were was universally unpopular among foThe yesterday's deferment But there ouarters LOnGON yesterday was nor morent after union leaders won 400 striking dockers who post- terms under which the offer

DICYIOUS

of the ponement national dock 2t-hour strike has will de the present £20 level Jicculs. been pur Incre ce In

T&GWU

chiefs that allay dockers' fears of fall-back pay or of StrIKe que lo start tomorrow …Tear U10 Attle an extra 49 votes to 32, delegates official action may be 'a distinct the growing threats week's holiday about by next year representing Britain's 40,000 possibility after meeting their jobs

T&GWU

Tin as a result oi con docks secretar stewards portworkers decided defer in ShoD O'Leary said after yesterday's putL Solul lainerization. All that the conference that the mausurlal acuon untul tney near saturaay employers con- employers At least 30,000 dockers staged One of the stewards named how special ceded in talks with the UnIOL. Vlc Turner. Turn to p. 12 committee proposes one-day to solve the Tuesdar was yesicluay Icauels

Kremlin votes for Nixon: What does British CP say?

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Thursday June 1!

ULSTER

William Whitelaw's curt rejection of Provisional IRA offers for 'peace' talks has exposed some of the basic weaknesses of the Provisional leaders' strategy. The IRA leaders-MacStiofain, O'Connell, McGuinness and Twomey—who made their pro- posals at a press conference in the Brandywell area of Creggan, said they wanted Whitelaw discuss their to 'peace plan' in 'Free Derry' in exchange for a seven-day ceasefire. If Whitelaw wanted another venue for a meeting, they were prepared to agree, provided they received a safe conduct. But Whitelaw, who has already stolen a march over the Pro- with Official visionals the "truce, and capped it IRA's on Tuesday with a guarantee of no barricades for two weeks from the UDA Loyalists, was in no mood for acquiescing publicly to O'Connell's de- mands in Free Derry or any- where else. To underline this determination to rule Ulster without Stor- mont and Republican ultima- Whitelaw secured the tums, despatch of another 500 on the day the Pro- troops visionals made their offer.

O'Connell's statement that 'direct rule has filed and is a miser- able failure' is a product of an unrefiective optimism and ignores impressionism which opinion the shifts in in nationalist ranks since the ex- pedient of direct rule was introduced. SOVIET Stalinism is moving cautiously but unmistakably towards an endorsement of Richard Nixon in the forthcoming American presidential elections. It sees this as the best guarantee of the agreements reached in Moscow during the recent summit talks. The trade, agreements—on arms limitation and collective security-are regarded in the Kremlin as far more important than the escalation of the Vietnam war and the fate of the US working class. In fact, far from this being an obstacle to better relations between Moscow and Washing- the Soviet Stalinists with the most powertel it provides incentive to reach agreement with imperialism. The Moscow Stalinists are mortally afraid of the revolution- ary wave of workers' struggles in the capitalist world. They recognize that the overthrow of capitalism in one of the metro- politan capitalist countries spells their doom.

ALL TRADES UN

WANDSWORTH: Thursday June R 15, 8 p.m. Selkirk Hotel, Selkirk Rd, Tooting Broadway. 'Build Councils of Action' LINCOLN: Thursday June 15, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Wragby, Lincoln. ABINGDON: Friday June 16, 8 p.m. 'The Grapes', High St.

NORTH KENT: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. SOGAT House, Essex Rd, Dartford. Why a Labour government pledged to socialist ' policies'. CROYDON: Monday June 19 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe ay June 15, 1972 WIll you come 1o me, or shall i come to Because of the treachery of the Social Democratic Labour Party, Civil Rights, Stalinist leaders, and Official IRA Whitelaw has gained a bridge- head in the Catholic com- munity which he is expanding daily. At the same time, by alternately encouraging and curbing the UDA he has created a coun- terweight to the IRA, which enables him to play his Bona- with the partist role en- thusiastic support of the army and RUC. If direct rule has failed, then does O'Connell have to why make such absurd gestures of "peace' a regime which is to opposed and unequivocally mandated to oppose at least three out of the Provos' five points for peace? how does he explain the And obvious incongruity of the press conference declaration which explicity stated that 'a stage has been reached where the major parties to the con- flict must engage in discus-

ASKS OUR FORE

JOHN SPEN

They need Nixon in office just as much as he needs their 'good offices' to betray the workers of Vietnam, Europe and the United States. Imperialism and bureaucracy are driven together by their mutual weakness in the face of the economic and political crisis and the struggles of the working class. Nixon was chased to Moscow by the 130mm guns of the Vietnamese liberation armies.

Moscow réceived him under the shadow of Czechoslovakia 1968 and the Polish mass strikes of 1970. On June 3, as Nixon arrived in Washington after his summit, the British 'Morning Star' stated: 'He may try to pose as a peace- maker because his trip had some positive results in limiting the nuclear arms and relaxing race nuclear tensions. 'But this will never reconcile millions of Americans and hun- dreds of millions outside the US to his escalation of the Indo- China war.' This talk of 'no reconciliation' was a threadbare cover for the very real reconciliation between

S UNIONS ALLIANC

Rd. 'Marxism and the trade unions'. COVENTRY: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Woodend Community Association Building, Hillmorton Road. DAGENHAM: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Fanshawe Ave, Barking. 'Fight the Tory rents policy'

I SOUTH LONDON:

Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor and the St, SW4. 'Marxism trade unions'. SHEFFIELD: Wednesday June I come to you? sions designed to secure a lasting solution'. And why doesn't the Provisional leadership deny the rumours and inspired Fleet Street guesses that secret talks have been, and are, going on be- tween some Provo leaders in the south and Whitelaw? Unable to offer the Catholic workers anything else but personal heroism and their to the defence of dedication the Provisional the ghetto, IRA feel their increasing poli- tical isolation and are looking, paradoxically, for an alliance with the very people who want to destroy the Creggan-Craig and the Ulster Vanguard. O'Connell's political bankruptcy and opportunism on this ques- must be read to be tion believed: 'We would like to hear Mr Craig's proposals for Northern Ireland. We were interested in Craig's praise Mr for a regional form of government in West Germany, which is something we envisage in a

R FOREIGN EDITOR

V SPENCER

Moseow and Washington as. a result of the talks. The Soviet bureaucracy is quite aware that Nixon's trip to the Soviet Union has strength- ened his position in the November elections. This is freely acknowledged by Moscow Radio's commentators, who have stated that they are not opposed to the return of Nixon in November. Since the main Democratic candidates have also endorsed the results of the Nixon-Brezhnev summit, the Moscow Radio com- mentators are not particularly concerned either way who wins the election. But they give the Republicans 'credit' for the Moscow pacts and state that the agreements will obviously favour Nixon's chances at the polls. Commentator Valentin Zorin, for example, stated that the Moscow are focal agreements points in the election'. He said: 'The talks ... were a reflection of the present objective of forces correlation world and of the consideration veen that the US ruling circles are

ANCE MEETINGS

21, 7.30 p.m. 'New White Lion', Wicker. 'Build Councils of Action'. NORTH LONDON: Thursday June 22, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms' ', Tottenham High Road White Hart Lane). (near 'Building the revolutionary party' LUTON: Thursday June 22, 8 p.m. St John Ambulance Brigade Hall, Lea Rd. 'Stalin- ism' SOUTH EAST LONDON: Thurs- day June 22, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers' Club (opposite New Cross Stn.). 'Stalinism'.

PROVOS

unified Ireland.' Regional government. is a re- actionary and mystical Utopia which would perpetuate sec- tarianism, unemployment and the destitution and poverty of a semi-colonial economy. It would-if enacted-lead to a similar situation of permanenț crisis and division as prevails in Cyprus. The Provisionals' policy is com- pletely untenable and re- actionary. It must and will strengthen the Loyalist re- actionaries and weaken the struggle of the Catholic workers against imperialism.

Irish workers must reject the plans of O'Connell and com- and fight for a united pany working class Irish within a united Irish Socialist Republic.

British workers must give every support to this struggle the Tories with replacing Labour government pledged to which must socialist policies be forced to withdraw British immediately from troops Ulster. becoming increasingly aware of this correlation of forces and of the utter hopelessness of any attempts to pursue the notorious "from positions of strength" policy ... "They are becoming aware of the necessity of searching for with the paths of co-operation USSR and the countries of the socialist community' He added: 'There is no doubt that the results of the Moscow talks are on the credit side, as it were, of the Republican Party this naturally and affects the election campaign and may affect its outcome, particularly in view of the fact that the majority of the electorate is yearning for easing of inter- peace and the national tension.' This is a clear admission that Moscow invited Nixon in the full knowledge that the talks would strengthen his position in the forthcoming elections. the mining Moscow ignored and blockade of North Vietnam and the escalation of the bar- barous air war being waged by Nixon. Brezhnev went out of his way to receive a man described by the British Stalinists' 'Morn- ing Star' as 'a cornered criminal (May 10). (True to form, the British CP made protest about no Soviet reception for this 'criminal' -though it urged to pressure force Heath to break from him!)

The 'Morning Star' is busily denouncing Heath's support for the Vietnam war-as if anything could be expected from else Tories who have shown them- the mortal enemies of selves revolution. But it remains pierc- ingly silent about the Kremlin's endorsement of Nixon for another term as president.

It is about time the CP leaders made it clear where they stand: are they for or against Nixon's re-election? Do they condemn or endorse Moscow's support for his re-election? Their silence on this question is nothing more than a betrayal of the Vietnamese and the American workers.

SEVEN

thousand GEC workers at eight Coventry factories have voted to go on strike next Tuesday over six points in the engineers' national wage claim. They have rejected a company offer which would have given £1.50 increase on base rates to skilled workers and one day's extra holiday. Lil Smith, deputy T&GWU convenor at the Stoke plant, told Workers Press: We've made a decision for an immediate total overtime ban and have given seven days' strike notice. We've also intimated if the company are prepared to make meaning- within ful negotiations seven days we will welcome them.

"The thing that has upset us. is that in Rugby the company made a better offer and Rugby is only 11 miles away. 'We are fighting on six points wage increase, substantial — a abolition of penalty clauses on holiday pay, ten hours' holiday pay calculation for night shift, equal pay for women, four weeks' holiday and more statu- tory holidays, average earnings for holiday pay, and the agree- ments to be non-legally binding.

'We are mandated for these six points. We are opposed to the Standard and Jaguar settle- ments.' These settlements gave no general wage increase, but gave £3 on the basic rate, £4-a-week extra holiday pay and one day's extra holiday.

CONSTRUCTION

workers at the Esso oil refinery, Mil- ford Haven, West Wales, have now been on strike for a week. The 1,000 men-members of the AUEW, boilermakers' society, the electrical plumbing and trades union and the sheet metal workers' union—struck work last Thursday over the alleged victi- mization of five shop stewards. They were suspended for carry- ing out trade activity union without special 'passes' to leave their jobs. On the previous Monday, site convenor Mr J. Davies and chair- man of the site shop stewards' committee, Mr Ingham, received letters informing them that they had been sacked. This follows from the vigorous enforcement of the employment agreement signed by union dele- gates and employers before the site opened. Under this, all payment of 'wet money' owing to men during bad weather is forfeited if a dispute occurs at any time during the week. The issue was brought to a head when management suddenly informed the stewards that the men had worked for three days during bad weather for no pay because of a half-day strike the previous Monday. Personnel officer at Milford Haven is Terry Serlus, well- known construction among workers. He originally worked at the Fawley oil refinery Southampton, where one of the first productivity deals in the country was signed.

Tenants storm Wandsworth council meeting

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

ANGRY TENANTS stormed the council chambers at Wands- worth, London, in protest against the Labour council's plan to implement the Tory Housing Finance Bill. Police were called and they escorted a number of tenants from the chambers. No arrests were made. The lobby of the council's Tuesday night meeting began quietly. After the council had commenced its session, the tenants moved to nearby Town Hall to stage a protest meeting. They heard speeches by lan McGarry, who resigned as leader of the Labour group because of Its decision to im- plement the Blll, and Hugh WORKERS in all departments at CAV's Acton factory, West Lon- don, have thrown out the man- agement's pay offer. entire labour force The stopped work at 1l a.m. on Tuesday while shop stewards addressed departmental meetings discuss management's to answer to the national pay claim submitted in March. The shop stewards' committee had earlier thrown out the pro- The claim is for £6, a 30- hour weektor women and in- towards progress equal pay creased holidays, plus adjust- ments to the existing pay struc- ture. The management's offer was: • General increase of £1.50 from July 3. Jenkins, Labour MP for Putney. Someone then suggested that they return to the council chambers to protest to the Labourites in person. This was decided on a vote. Before pushing open the iron (above) gates and running into the building the demon- strators - about 200-strong- shouted: 'Don't betray the ten- ants' 'One, and three, two, four, we don't want the Tory law.' After police removed the the right-wing demonstrators, councillors agreed to see a deputation of 12 tenants.

The •council rejected a motion by 38-22 calling on It not to implement the Bill when it became an Act. • 75p in December 1972, and a further 75p in July 1973. In other words, an 18-month pack- age deal. Previous agreements have been and on on a 12-month basis, average there has been increases of £5 plus each year. Every single department turned down this offer which was de- as 'insulting' and "dis- scribed gusting'. This offer has also been made to other factories in the Lucas group. So far three have rejected it. One CAV department called 'short order, composed of highly skilled workers, has unanimously passed an important resolution the joint shop calling upon stewards' committee to fight for the full claim on a CAV-Lucas combine basis. Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62łp

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BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

THE FIGHT by engineer- ing workers for their national claim is on in Birmingham. Several shop stewards' com- mittees in the Lucas combine have turned down manage- ment's offer of £1.50 to £2.50 (according to grade) plus 75p in December 1972 and 75p in July 1973 and one day's extra holiday. Workers at the starter motor (BW3) factory in Shaftmoor Lane have called for a total strike from June 26 unless there is a satisfactory offer by June 19.

British-Leyland and GKN managements are also due to reply shortly to their own plant claims. Tens of thousands of Birming- ham trade unionists are watching closely to see what their leaders will do. stewards' The special shop meeting held at Digbeth Civic Hall on June 7 recommended one-day-a-week strikes to com- mence on June 26. This was fully supported by Hugh Scanion, though Dick Etheridge, convenor at Longbridge, suggested half-day strikes. These proposals are treated with contempt by many who believe that such a policy plays into the hands of management, London W1

BOOKS • PERIO

•Workers Press, TI and who saw the ineffectiveness of such 'tactics' in the so-called "Kill the Bill' campaign.

The strategy worked out at the June 7 meeting reeks of the most hopeless and cynical re- formism. The attack is to be concen- trated on the three biggest com- bines in Birmingham because they are supposed to be able to afford the claim. The hope is that the other, smaller com- panies, will fall into line.

This is based on the assump- tion big three' that the still have a little fat on them that can be skimmed off without too much struggle. This is, in fact, a Utopian dream. The harsh reality has been revealed in the Manchester area and at Herbert-Ingersoll in Daventry. Local officials such as Norman Cartwright, AUEW district sec- retary, who have produced scheme and the local Stalinists who support it are trying to sell the illusion that boom-time con- ditions • still exist for Midlands car workers. The revisionist International Socialist issued leaflet at Locas factories which puts an identical position to that of Norman Cartwright revealed in an interview with Workers Press on Tuesday, June 6.

Cartwright claimed that smaller factories would fall in line with bigger ones. The IS leaflet says: 'The demand for an increase in the MTR to £25 for skilled and 1I2

• @ PERIODICALS @ NEWSPAPERS

s Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 PAGE 3

BY OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

OVER 2,000 engineering workers at the Cathcart factory of Weir Pumps in Glasgow yesterday struck work—the company's first major dispute in 30 years.

The men are demanding an extra £6 a week on their flat rate and in increase from £19 to £25 a week in the consolid- ated time rate on which overtime and other rates are paid.

They also want an extra day's holiday this year and a further day in 1973. A management spokesman said: 'We are surprised that such large claim should be pursued in view of increases paid already and still to come under the existing agreement.' £20 for unskilled has to be fought for and written into agreements with employers like Lucas, in order to assist the fight lower paid engineering workers.' Further it says that 'this only be won by strike action plus the [moral major can and financial] support of the other plants in the Bırmingham area . . .. There is no mention of the fight against the Tory govern- ment or its National Industrial Relations Court in the leafiet.

In one section the leaflet wel- ing committee by the June meeting to involve other trade unions in the claim, plus the mandatory request for rank-and- file participation. It does not mention that the composition of this committee was left in the hands of right- wing AUEW officials. These committees open up a possibility of plant bargaining-- negotiated principally by the right-wing officials and their own picked men and not the shop stewards. The engineering struggle now proceeds in conditions of de- veloping trade war. The Tories are creating the legal conditions to take away all the gains won by car workers during the 1950s and 1960s. In order to be victorious the landineering strugsle in the in a lands turned must political direction towards united action with other sections of workers to create the conditions to force the government to resign.

NOW OPEN

Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thurs 9 a.m.-7.30 p.m. Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972

BY PHILIP WADE, HOUSING CORRESPONDENT

How do 8,000 London residential property portfolio of £19m. for £44m—a profit flats increase in value by By the end of 1970 MEPC £43m in less than three was fighting off a takeover bid years? The answer is Commercial Union itself, from House property group. simple: property com- In the middle of the bid. panies move in and buy MEPC suddenly sold off 1,600 and sell in quick succes- flats in I1 blocks to a public sion while the market's called Authority company hot. Investments. Chairman of the company For the 9,000 tenants of the to hold the property, set up First National Finance Corpo- Wallbrook, is Conservative MP 2 heralded ration, June the Foster. Sir John He has sold that they had announcement off to FNFC for block one been given the honour of £3im. new landlord-the fourth since

MEPC

Early in March 1969. decided to move out of resi- It was only last year that _dential altogether. property blocks of

FNFC

bought 114 In the bits kins it spra 114 key flats from the Metropoli- deal of its kind it sold tan Estates and Property Com- flats to FNFC for blocks of pany. £33.5m. They paid a price of £33.5m.

Once more-over 6,000 ten- the At of this beginning found with ants themselves month they told the world new landlords. that they had sold the blocks Throughout the short period 22 different companies-for to

FNFC

the land- when were £76m. The profit on the deal lords, tenants complained bit- was a cool £24m. terly about the treatment they But that is only half the were getting. story. They claimed that prices of Not many years ago the pro- the FNFC empire had flats in not all were that perty men risen while they were nego- interested in flats. Offices were tiating to buy the flats. (Some better and could be sold by the said they had been tenants foot of in the era square offered thousands of pounds rapidly rising rents. to move out.) block in One tenant in a Portman Square London's in West End, was offered his flat of FNFC's agents for by one £16,500. Negotiations were com- menced and contracts were As more and more money be exchanged when about to diverted was into property the tenant was told all offers speculation following the col- The price was were withdrawn. lapse in industry, the concept then raised by £5,500. of the 'break-up' market dev- who had Another eloped. ived in the same block for 22 What it involved was had been offered his method of enabling a property company to make a quick rake- County three years ago. At the off without getting involved in year FNFC beginning the rent collecting and so on. What £14,500. offered it to him for they did instead was to break Once more, however, the offer selling the block by was withdrawn in the middle individual flats, either to sitting of negotiations. tenants or outside purchasers.

history of

FNFC

the The £76m deal begins with the firm London and County Free- hold Flats. of They were the owners 125 blocks and over 8,000 flats, mainly occupied by the profes- letter to London In the tenant sional middle classes. explaining the reason for the and County ran their business withdrawal, FNFC were frank comparatively leisurely on about their motives and were reviewed lines. Rents were from their point quite justi- three and only every years fied. They pointed to the rising increases were reasonable.

open market in prices for flats susceptible to They were and said the selling price had take-over bids, however, and relationship having fought off one to bear some to or two 1969. it. They offered to recommence finally succumbed in Estates and negotiations on a new basis.

Metropolitan Tenants then began hit Corporation to Property were back and formed themselves dynamic in out- much. more into tenants' associations. The look. MEPC paid about £25m subjected to a for the flats in a £48m take- company was 15 months barrage of bad publicity on deal. Within over press and television. MEPC had sold off the whole ## Top: Albert Court, a 'prestige' block ne For these and other reasons Viscount De L'Isle, chairman of FNFC, then began consider- ing the sale of their flats to other companies. L'Isle was a Viscount De governor-general in Australia from 1961-1965. The 63-year- old viscount was also a Tory MP immediately after the war.

For a brief period in 1951 he was Secretary of State for Air in the Churchill government.

Not surprising the tenants Top: Albert Court, a 'prestige' block near the Royal Albert Hall. Above: Viscount De L'Isle.

at these latest outraged manoeuvres at their expense.

Said Salmon James, chairman of the Queens Club Gardens residents' association: 'As far as I'm concerned the change of name doesn't mean a thing... you could describe it as the same suit with many pockets. 'I think the new purchasers may try and split us up but we will not be split up. We shall go on fighting harder Ibove: Viscount De L'Isle.

than ever before' Mr James said he considered it 'quite immoral that vast financial gains should be made in this way. Residents in Queens Club Gardens have made allegations of gazumping this year where quoted prices had . risen from £10,500 to £16,000 in less than three months. They are now beginning to worry about what up. their latest landlord will be der like.

BY TOM KEMP

After visiting a number of African states, Fidel Castro has moved on to Eastern Europe and will end a tour lasting over ten months in the Soviet Union. The ailing Cuban economy, still overwhelmingly depend- ent on the sugar crop, receives technical and economic assist- ance from the East European countries as well as from the Soviet Union. Castro is no doubt hoping that this aid will be extended in the future. In.

return he is making full use of his prestige and popularity to bolster up the bureaucracy wherever he goes.

CULTURED

Some of Cuba's admirers were surprised and shocked when, in August 1968, Castro hastened to lend his support to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Now he is endorsing the bureaucracy's policies once more, going out of his way to lavish praise on Todor Zhikov of Bulgaria, Janos Kadar of Hungary and Edward Gierek of Poland.

An example of the role which Castro plays during this visit was shown by his remarks about Janos Kadar, who presided over the suppression of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. He described him as 'that very calm, intelli- gent, cultured man ... I have watching him for hours been play ping-pong and could see that he was not tired out by the long journey'. While in Poland, he addressed Gierek in the following terms: 'You, Comrade Gierek, are known in our country for your efforts to invigorate the revolutionary We know process. worker's background, the scores of years you spent as an honoured militant and a loyal member of the Polish Communist Party' personal endorsements Such are useful for the bureaucracy.

At the same time Castro plays the unconventional public figure, mixing with the crowd, firing off questions and playing the clown delight of newsmen and to the perhaps to the discomfiture of his hosts whose dignity does not permit them to indulge in such antics. a Warsaw paper In return, rashly opined: "There is no other government in Latin head of America who could safely leave • country for such along his period without fear of what he would find when he got back home.' It would perhaps be better to wait until the trip is over before jumping to such conclusions.

Meanwhile it moves on like a kind of travelling circus, drawing big and somewhat enthusiastic audiences attracted more by Castro's bizarre personality than by his politics, which, after all, do not differ from that of the homegrown bureaucracy. that he Castro has shown shares its tastes and its outlook. In Bulgaria he attacked the youth in the capitalist countries he said 'a who presented, sorry spéctacle' and where 'they led an aimless life deprived of particip- ation in the solving of present or problems'. Further, future added, 'sometimes it was practic- ally impossible to tell the boys from the girls'. Fidel is apparently leaving no doubts about his own virility. Not only has he sought to outdo Kadar devoted ping-pong but he spent one evening player, until midnight with a basketball fact the main sensation of In the tour followed the aspersions Castro's heart cast by an A Associated Press reporter. of Cuban journalists pre- posse sented themselves office at his free-for-all took a place and which ended in the rout of the AP team. Castro responded to the report had a heart attack that he had by claiming, jokingly, that he had The Latin heart iron. America 'Prensa press agency laconically observed: The Latina' ( spiritually and man, marked AP physically by the experience, considering a story now be may own bodily ailments. The his on parts of the body affected will him from in keep engaging talk and in sitting loose down long enough to write more news that never was. These niceties apart, it is clear that Castro's tour is assisting the endorsed bureaucracy. their rule, supported the call for European conference security and, while loud in his denunci- imperialism, of American ation out altogether the has not ruled of reaching an under- prospect standing. As for the révolution in Latin if anyone ever thought America, that he had differences with the his bureaucracy that speeches must make clear that he has given them, even in public, good adequate of guarantees behaviour. When questioned on the point in Budapest he said: 'The influence of imperialism is still very strong, and for the time being we cannot entertain hopes for the proximity of the liber- of™ ation the Latin American The peoples. signs indicate that will this be longer range process. As to what movements Cuba would 'We support, he said: support the political movements which safeguard national interests in the face of imperialism.'

No doubt Castro is also going to school with the bureaucracy and picking some tips about method which will be political him useful. when he to gets home, presumably in time for the celebration of July, 26.

Before then he will have also visited the Soviet Union where his main Centre: Castro with Boumedienne in comes from. material support Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 PAGE 5 Soviet The authorities are putting leading pressure on oppositionists and their fami- lies to force them to leave the country in a new attempt to liquidate the movement. They threatened with deporta- are tion to Siberia if they do not leave. Among a number of families who have passed through Vienna recently on their way to exile are Yuri Stein and his wife, a sister-in-law of novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Stein, who worked in the film industry, claimed that he had been forced to leave the Soviet Union. He said he had been under intense pressure and would otherwise have been sent to a labour camp. are being Other dissidents confined in psychiatric wards, although they perfectly are Stein said that Solzhenit- sane. syn had also been under heavy but would refuse to pressure, leave the Soviet Union, even if the alternative was imprison- ment in Siberia. Solzhenitsyn, who received the Nobel prize for literature year, refused last to go to Stockholm it for to receive fear that he would be prevented from returning to his native land. A Swedish official was prevented from the entering Soviet Union to present the prize to Solzhenitsyn privately.

Solzhenitsyn Another well-known literary figure to arrive in Vienna is poet Josif Brodsky, who was sentenced to five years' hard labour in 1964 for writing what were described 'nihilistic as pornographic and poems. Brodsky has applied for per- mission to enter the United States. The authorities ordered pic- tures sent out of the country for dissident Soviet artist Yuri Titov, who has gone to Rome, of to be defaced as an act revenge, his wife claims. Titov, an active member of the group Defence the Human Rights, left the Soviet Union on May 22. Making this charge, his wife said that Titov had been told that he would not be allowed to his continue with profes- sional work as an architect if he continued with his opposi- tional activities. He was, how- ever, permitted to leave the country. bureaucracy The now think that the appears to So- 'liberal' called opposition among the dissident intellec- tuals can best be isolated and discredited by forcing many of them into exile in Israel or anne In Aigoria. Above: with Jano other capitalist countries.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 down 13 Bloody Sunday, the day the British army gunned the streets of Londonderry, marked a turning civilians point in the political developments in Ireland, particularly in relation to both wings of the IRA. By opening fire on a group of civil rights demonstrators, British imperialism successfully which it could exploit the political weak- created a crisis in nesses of the Officials and the Provisionals.

Within 24 hours of the slaughter the Tory government had lined up the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery, to drop all his other business to conduct an inquiry. By giving the court of inquiry High Court powers, the Tories forestalled any press or parliamentary comment on the army's behaviour.

Widgery As Workers Press said at the time, the report whitewashed the army and the Tory politicians responsible at Stormont and Westminster.

Dash, director of the Institute of Now Professor Samuel Criminal Law and Procedure at Georgetown University Law Centre. Washington, has produced counter-report on Widgery. He was invited to undertake the study by the International League for the Rights of Man at the request of the National Council for Civil Liberties. ILRM has consultative status with Nations and Dash has the United eminent record as jurist. In this report Alex Mitchell isolates some of Dash's findings and compares them to Widgery's conclusions.

Commons the Monday, on 31: 'A large number January of troublemakers refused to accept the instructions of the stewards and attacked march the army with stones, bottles, steel of bars and cannisters CS. The army met this assault with water CS cannon, and rubber bullets only. "The

GOC,

Ford. General has further reported that when the advanced army to make trouble- arrests the among under fire makers they from a block of and flats other The quarters. army returned the fire directed at them with aimed shots and Lord Widgery inflicted a number of casualties those who were attacking on When Professor Dash's them and with with firearms released last report was bombs. of Almost every detail of week, the Ministry Maudling's grotesquely dis- Defence was to asked torted has now been arconne The Ministry comment. nailed by Dash's investigation. Some spokesman said it could of it was too much for even Widgerv. For not accept that his report instance, one of Widgery's con- was 'independent'. clusions 'None of the crotoci deceased wounded It is perfectly clear he has is or listened to only one side of the have proved to been shot case,' he added. whilst handling a firearm or This, of bomb.' course. is untrue. Dash has spent the past three On many other issues Dash's findings months pouring over the com- directly contradict those of Lord plete evidence of the Widgery the Chief Justice. tribunal and he has also 500 Some examples: combed through some Widgery first (in emphasis) made eye- statements by followed by Dash. witnesses. how- It is not surprising, "There ever, that the Ministry should would have been no deaths in Londonderry on treat Dash's findings in such a January out-of-hand manner. those who churlish, organized illegal march It will be remembered that the the Tory government had made had thereby created not about the highly dangerous situation in its mind events 24 which between Bloody Sunday within clash demonstrators and the hours. security Maudling, forces Reginald who was almost inevitable' was then the Tory Minister in charge of Ulster affairs, told in 'The military plans and strategy approved in advance by the commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland and the leadership of the Stormont Government [and the Tory security, committee at Westminster-AM] for deal- ing with the civil rights march in Londonderry on January 30 reveal that these officials should have known that they were exposing thousands of peaceable citizens to a high risk of death or serious bodily injury! "The intention of the senior army officers to use the First parachute Regi- ment as an arrest force and not for other offensive pur- poses was sincere' 'Those in command decided to accept a high risk of civilian deaths and despite injuries, the urgent warning of this risk by the chief superintendent of police in Londonderry and his strong recommendation that the march be permitted to " take place without army mili- tary interference. 'The Commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland made a reckless decision when he personally assigned the First Batallion Parachute Regiment to Londonderry with the special mission to conduct arrest operations. His action made a military attack on civilian demonstrators more likely, creating a high risk of civilian deaths and injuries.

The record of the Widgery inquiry shows that the First Batallion of Paras had a notorious reputation in Northern Ireland for brutality to civilians. "The paratroopers were trained to be quick on the trigger to kill in aggressive warfare against a dangerous enemy and were singularly un- suited for against action civilian demonstrators or rioters.' "Their training made them aggressive and quick in decision and' some showed fire than others, in opening more restraint 'Perhaps the soundest mili- tary decision would have been to not have 1 Para in London- derry at all that day. In judging whether the military decision to use 1 Para for the arrest operation was reckless, in analogy may be helpful.

The United States Special Forces, the Green Berets, like 1 Para, are trained to kill and to be fast on the trigger. Their mission is combat to a langerous enemy, not a civilial the scoop-up of civilians at the May Day demonstrations Washington, 1971 DC, would have been similar to the use of 1 Para in Londonderry on January 30, with possibly the same tragic consequences.

Dash examines in detail the shooting of the 13 and con cludes that they were unarmed when killed and that they were or , shot either deliberately by paratroopers.

'The record justifies a find- ing that none of the known dead or wounded held or threw any nail bombs at the time he was shot. 'Without exception, all of the civilian eye-witnesses who observed the shootings testified that none of the dead or wounded civilians was in possession of a gun, a nail bomb or a petroleum bomb.

It is possible to reconcile this conflict by concluding that all of the known civilian dead or wounded were innocent, unarmed bystanders who hap- pened to be in the way of a shot fired by a paratrooper at a gunman or a nail bomber..

of Indeed, in a number cases Lord Widgery suggests this. But the testimony of the paratroopers will not support this explanation. The para- troopers claimed they hit the civilians they believed were armed and at whom they were aiming. "The inescapable conclusion is that a number of para- in deliberately lied troopers order to justify their shooting at unarmed civilians.' In this context we have extracted Dash's conclusions of two deaths both involving soldier F. (At the tribunal only five officers gave their names while the other 40 army witnesses had their identities protected by being named letters of the alphabet or figures.) 'Patrick Doherty, aged 31, shot by a paratrooper was from the rear as he was crawl- ing on his hands and knees at the front side of the Rossville Flats near Joseph Place. From his living room window Mr D. T. Tucker saw Doherty crawling on the ground beneath him, heard a shot ring out, and saw Doherty give a with his right leg and kick then lie still. Tucker's testi- of the shooting -of mony Doherty was confirmed by excellent photographs sub- mitted in evidence. 'The path of the bullet which killed Doherty entered his buttock, travelled parallel to his spine and exited from his There was no dispute chest. that he was shot in the rear while he was crawling away.

Lord Widgery finds that the is that of closest testimony Soldier F who said he shot at a man who was crouching and firing a pistol from the posi- tion where Doherty's body was found. Soldier F said that he fired as the man turned away.

'Lord Widgery states in his report: "In light of all the evidence I conclude that he was not carrying a weapon. If Soldier F shot Doherty in the belief that he had a pistol, that belief was mistaken." No found weapon was near Doherty's body and there was no evidence that Doherty had fired any firearms. Despite the clear evidence that Doherty an unarmed, innocent was civilian who was deliberately shot from the rear by a para- trooper, Lord Widgery is , to excuse Soldier F, if willing he indeed was the soldier who shot Doherty, on the ground Шоткоть Proc, Thurad that the soldier shot Doherty in the mistaken belief that he had been firing a pistol.'

of Now the killing to Michael Kelly. Dash says: 'Seventeen-year-old Kelly was shot in the stomach as he stood by the rubble barricade near the entrance of Glenfada Park. 'Various civilian witnesses testified that Kelly had been with others who had been throwing stones, and that he had possibly thrown stones himself. However, their testi- mony was consistent that he had no weapon in his hands and that he had not fired at the soldiers or thrown any nail bombs. Father O'Keefe, one of these witnesses, states that he fall holding Kelly his saW stomach. 'The ballistic evidence traces the bullet which killed Kelly to the rifle of Soldier F. Soldier F testified that he saw a man standing at the barricade who was about to throw a nail bomb, which was fizzing, and that he took aim, fired lorkera Prose, Theraday Juno 15, 1972 PAQE 7 Above: Derry, January 30, 1972 - the Civil Rights March and its outcome his rifle and the man fell. Lord Widgery finds that Kelly was not throwing a nail bomb when he was shot. . He also finds in his report that Kelly was not firing a weapon, but was prob- standing close proximity to someone who was firing a weapon. "Thus this is a clear case of identified paratrooper an a civilian is shooting who found to have been unarmed.'

By putting the legal seal of approval on Soldier F's actions Widgery does more than avoid embarrassment for the army.

He legalized murder. The im- plications of this for the working throughout class Britain are powerfully obvious.

In times of crisis the army and the judiciary become the capitalism's nain arms of fight to preserve its parasitic and barbarous hold on the working class.

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Thursday June 1:

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

of the Congo'. By •Brazza Richard West. Jonathan Cape. £3.95. This is the story of the 'other Congo'-the terri- tory to the right of the mighty river from which the French carved rubber and ivory empire. Mr West, I imagine, would when he agree with Conrad of described this process 'colonization' in his master-• lay June 15, 1972 piece 'Heart of Darkness': 'It was just robbery with violence and grand ...murder on a scale and men going at it blind as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness.' It is to Conrad one must turn of the to get some feeling menace and evil of imperialism.

And Mr West quotes from 'Heart of Darkness' to illus- trate the frightening exploita- eventually suffered by tion the natives of this huge terri- tory. Conrad describes the doom of Africans condemned to forced labour for the com- panies that laid waste to their By land: 'They were dying slowly it was very clear. They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now - nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation, lying in the greenish gloom. Brought from all the recesses of the coast in all the legality of time contracts, lost surroundings, in uncongenial fed . on unfamiliar food, they sickened, became inefficient and were allowed to crawl away... The process towards death and degradation began in the Congo over 100 years ago with the explorers-the subject of West's work. It started with Paul Du Chaillu, son of a French trader who set out from the west coast of Africa to explore the interior of Gabon in 1855.

Du Chaillu's adventures in- cluded the first-ever confronta- tion between a white man and a gorilla. He wrote a book about them and for the first time the European imagination was roused by this mysterious and unknown part of the con- tinent. West says it was the 'fas- cination of the abomonation' that drew a series of person- alities to the region. A bitter and cynical Burton foraged the interior. Mary Kingsley, the kindly British found fulfilment in spinster, this strange river-land, and on the left bank Henry Stanley ploughed through the jungle 'in the style of a rhinoceros capturing enormous territory for King Leopold of the Bel- gians to exploit with the Above: Paul Du Chaillu who set out from the west explore the of Gabon of Africa to interior coast 1855, and was the first white man to confront gorilla. By the 1920s large sums of money were being made by capturing live gorillas for greed for zooS, and there was an ever-increasing and ivory-natural products of the Congo. rubber Below: Mary Kingsley; responsible for establishing Britain's west coast trading Empire. Right: Brazza. In order funds for his expeditions, he T0 allowed photographs of himself be romantic to taken for the French Press.

Brazza greatest possible barbarity.

Behind him missions. brought the traders who drew But the central character is Pierre de Brazza, the natives down into the Savorgnan nexus of exploitation, forced the son of an Italian noble- French labour and oppression. who joined the man For all his qualities, Brazza navy and developed a burning for adopted was not unaware of this. Like patriotism his he Stanley, to raise moncy country. 1875 and 1885 would paint a mouth-watering Between Brazza made three prospect of profit to European trips up 40 the Ogowe river, to the Congo "There businessmen: are beyond and beyond. He established an million naked people empire for France which today and the cotton that gateway 'independent' of the of Manchester are consists spinners clothe them... of Gabon, the Congo waiting to states People's Republic, the Central Birmingham's foundries are Republic Chad with red metal that African and glowing He was appointed governor of presently shall be made into the new territory for his great ironwork in shape for every them... and the ministers of deposed after effort, but was Christ bring intrigues led by the rapacious are zealous to them, the benighted Leopold. poor in 1905 the Christian a coda he heathen, into As headed an abortive mission of fold.' This is Stanley talking to into the cruelties inquiry of Chamber the Manchester French imperialism. His report suppressed Commerce. and Brazza was man — perhaps Brazza's progress was slower died sad than Stanley's, realizing that he had been but more during. He had a keen under- instrumental in opening up and its standing of fetish, Negro the French Congo He bitter and and psychology. people such custom to deployed his knowledge bloody oppression. France and West portrays Brazza as an craftily to make of the honest and patient explorer the traders masters concerned to understand the natives. most decisive episode Negro and ever opposed to the A came in September 1880 when methods of armed force often a key chief, Makoko, ceded all employed by his rival across his hereditary rights to terri- Congo. the tory on the Congo pool and This seems to be true. The himself placed under the fact however, that remains, French flag. for all their high-minded and Of course it was not just noble aspirations the explorer Brazza's and was ever harnessed to the ten- insight tricks tacles of trade which strangled that won such vast concessions the continent during the last for French capitalism. The chiefs recognized the half of the 19th century.

also and the wealth it Commerce was the sting in trade, brought them. They saw exploring the tail of the

BY TOM KEMP

After visiting a number of African states, Fidel Castro has moved on to Eastern Europe and will end a tour lasting over ten months in the Soviet Union. The ailing Cuban economy, still overwhelmingly depend- ent on the sugar crop, receives technical and economic assist- ance from the East European countries as well as from the Soviet Union. Castro is no doubt hoping that this aid will be extended in the future. In.

return he is making full use of his prestige and popularity to bolster up the bureaucracy wherever he goes. Some of Cuba's admirers were surprised and shocked when, in August 1968, Castro hastened to lend his support to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Now he is endorsing the bureaucracy's policies once more, going out of his way to lavish praise on Todor Zhikov of Bulgaria, Janos Kadar of Hungary and Edward Gierek of Poland.

An example of the role which Castro plays during this visit was shown by his remarks about Janos Kadar, who presided over the suppression of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. He described 'that very calm, intelli- him as gent, cultured man . . . I have been watching him for hours play ping-pong and could see that he was not tired out by the long journey'. While in Poland, he addressed Gierek in the following terms: 'You, Comrade Gierek, are known in our country for your efforts to invigorate the revolutionary We know your process. worker's background, of the scores of years you spent as an and loyal honoured militant member of the Polish Communist Party? personal endorsements Such are useful for the bureaucracy.

At the same time Castro plays the unconventional public figure, mixing with the crowd, firing off questions and playing the clown delight of newsmen and to the perhaps to the discomfiture of his hosts whose dignity does not permit them to indulge in such antics. a Warsaw paper In return, rashly opined: 'There is no other in Latin head of government America who could safely leave • country for such his long a period without fear of what he would find when he got back home.' It would perhaps be better to wait until the trip is over before jumping to such conclusions.

Meanwhile it moves on like a kind of travelling circus, drawing big and somewhat enthusiastic audiences attracted more by Castro's bizarre personality than by his politics, which, atter all, do not differ from that of the homegrown bureaucracy. that he Castro has shown shares its tastes and its outlook.

In Bulgaria he attacked the youth in the capitalist countries he said 'a sorry who presented, spéctacle' and where 'they led an aimless life deprived of particip- ation in the solving of present or problems. Further, future added, 'sometimes it was practic- ally impossible to tell the boys from the girls'. Fidel is apparently leaving doubts about his own virility. Not only has he sought to outdo Kadar devoted ping-pong player, but he spent one evening until midnight with a basketball team. fact the main sensation of In the tour followed the aspersions Castro's heart cast on by an A Associated Press reporter. posse of Cuban journalists pre- office sented themselves at his free-for-all took and a place which ended in the rout of the AP team. Castro responded to the report that he had had a heart attack by claiming, jokingly, that he had of The Latin heart iron. America •Prensa press agency Latina' laconically observed: 'The marked spiritually and AP man. experience, the physically by considering now be a story may his own bodily ailments. The on parts of the body affected will keep him from in engaging and in sitting loose talk. down long enough to write more news that never was! These niceties apart, it is clear that Castro's tour is assisting the has endorsed bureaucracy. He their rule, supported the call for European security conference in his denunci- and, while loud American imperialism, ation of has not ruled out altogether the of reaching an under- prospect standing. As for the rèvolution in Latin America, if anyone ever thought that he had differences with the bureaucracy on that score, his speeches must make clear that he has given them, even in public, good adequate of guarantees behaviour. When questioned on the point in Budapest he said: "The influence of imperialism is still very strong, and for the time being we cannot entertain hopes for the of the liber- Latin ation the American The signs indicate that peoples. longer this will be a range process.' As to what movements Cuba he said: 'We would support, support the political movements which safeguard national interests in the face of imperialism.'

No doubt Castro is also going to school with the bureaucracy and picking up some tips about political method which will be useful. to him when he gets presumably home, in time for the celebration of July, 26. Before then he will have also visited the Soviet Union where his main Centre: Castro with Boumedienne In material support comes from. Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 PAGE 5 The Soviet authorities al c putting pressure leading on oppositionists and their fami- lies to force them to leave the country in a new attempt to liquidate the movement. They threatened with are deporta- tion to Siberia if they do not leave. Among a number of families who have passed through Vienna recently on their way to exile are Yuri Stein and his wife, a sister-in-law of novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Stein, who worked in the film industry, claimed that he forced to had been leave the Soviet Union. He said he had been intense under pressure and would otherwise have been sent to a labour camp. Other dissidents are being confined in psychiatric wards, although perfectly they are Stein said that Solzhenit- sane. syn had also been under heavy pressure, but would refuse to Union, leave the Soviet even if the alternative was imprison- ment in Siberia. Solzhenitsyn, who received the Nobel prize for literature year, refused last to go to Stockholm it for to receive fear that he would be prevented from returning to his native A land. Swedish official was prevented from entering the Soviet Union to present the prize to Solzhenitsyn privately.

Solzhenitsyn Another well-known literary Vienna figure to arrive in is poet Josif Brodsky, who was sentenced five years' to hard labour in 1964 for writing what were described 'nihilistic as and pornographic' poems. Brodsky has applied for per- mission to enter the United States. The authorities ordered pic- tures sent out of the country for dissident Soviet artist Yuri Titov, who has gone to Rome.

to be defaced as an act of revenge, his wife claims. Titov, an active member of the group Human for the Defence of Rights, left the Soviet Union on May 22. Making this charge, his wife said that Titov had been told that he would not be allowed with his to continue profes- sional work as an architect if he continued with his opposi- tional activities. He was, how- ever, permitted to leave the country. The bureaucracy now appears to think that the so- "liberal' opposition called the dissident among intellec- tuals can best be isolated and discredited by forcing many of Israel them into exile in or inne in Algeria. Above: with Janos other capitalist countries.

• de rel Brazza as a man who could mediate in disputes and facili- tate commerce. This is illustrated by a most Brazza's candid moment in explorations, when his secre- tary on the second expedi- chastised chief, tion a M'Pohontaba, for trading in with Belgians. secret M'Pohontaba is said to have replied: 'Since you know it, then I admit it. I know very well one day sooner or later, the whites on the two sides of the Congo who are squabbling among themselves at present, will end up united — on our backs. Meanwhile 1 am taking with both hands.' was right. By M'Pohontaba the 1880s the European capi- talists were beginning to realize the full value of their African territory. Mass pro- duction at home demanded ever-expanding markets for cheap manufactures. And there developing was an ever- increasing greed for rubber and ivory-natural products of the Congo. French businessmen were slow in realizing the value of their African lands. But the spectacle of Leopold amassing a fortune from plunder made their hunger grow and during the last years of the century the Congo was struck , by a veritable rubber rush. By secret decree in 1891 Leopold had confiscated all Negro lands. Agriculture was deliberately ruined. The natives were driven onto the rubber plantations. Others were pressed into gangs to act as porters and railway builders.

Starvation became endemic.

Those who refused to submit were massacred or mutilated.

The infamy of the Belgian began to Congo embarrass Leopold. One thorn in his flesh was Brazza's regime on the right bank which had not yet sunk into such barbarity.

Leopold conspired in France- among capitalists and the newspapers — to have Brazza deposed. He fell from power in 1898 and the French Congo suffered the same fate as the Belgian Congo. The land was parcelled the companies and the off to savagery spread rapidly across the whole of equatorial Africa.

Brazza's inquiry in 1905 failed, thanks to the new governor and the Congo's powerful and bloodthirsty Catholic Bishop Augouard.

When the great explorer died the Çongo sank back into a painful obscurity. In the last analysis Brazza's justice was only a very perishable fabric that clothed exploitation. West may take it as read, but he does not point out that despite the selfless qualities displayed by Brazza he served ultimately a vicious One weakness oppressor. the book is, in fact, a failure to give more detail on the link between the traders and the explorers. We read, for example, that on his way back down the Ogowe after his first trip, a great change had taken place: 'Chiefs were now anxious to offer him [Brazza] boatmen.

Most tribes had stopped their mutual rivalry and no longer feared leaving their territory.

Trade flourished where now before it had been blocked by inter-tribal rivalry and fetish.

had this change But how occurred? Who were the traders that followed Brazza?

Did they have any formal agreement understanding with the explorer? These ques tions remain unanswered. Another minor flaw to my mind is West's apparent of squalid ecce Load moralizer Dr Albert believed the Schweitzer, who Congolese were created basic- ally to suffer his appalling patronage-to play the 'flock to his latter-day Christ. But this is a book I recom- mend. Very well written and West is committed and frank in his condemnation of imperialism. the norror of horrors' that drove the trader Kurtz mad in 'Heart of Dark- ness' has still not ended Africa. As West notes in his final verdict of Brazza: "The exploitation of Africans Did reedy urpen its with Brazza's not stop death, and it is worse now than it ever was. The Bantus of southern Africa live in serfdom. More than a million Biafrans were starved to death for the sake of Britain's petrol and soap-flake industries. Portugal conducting three IS wars against its unfortunate The present African subjects. rulers of Africa are the heirs of Brazza but Leopold. not will They not be removed, because they com- wealth greater Leopold's and an even more servile pack of journalists and public relations men.' Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 PAGE 9

WORKERS

NOTEBOOK

LETTER

wing speaker at the recent Equity annual conference Miss Murray also gave Sir, If your correspondents are massive support to the left in right in that, King the union who wanted to keep saying Charles the political by such gems as: gical 'Don't let be affected grandson of Catherine de by us Medici they be any of the horror on cannol also going saying that like so around us.' And: 'Forget poli- rignt In many other 17th Century whole profession is kings, he had four great grand- mothers.

HOUSES

On the he must contrary have been quite exceptional in The middle class are stumbling having had five, as one of his around in sweat trying to great grandmothers was find accommodation for them- undoubtedly Johanna of Aus- selves. Gone the days are the wife of Francis tria. when they could drift from Grand Duke of Tuscany. one bijou residence to the next -letter in the 'New Statesman'.

by simply phoning one of the swish estate agents.

ACTRESS

Take literary agent Michael Sissons. He is sending post- 'We cant's afford the luxury cards to all his friends plead- of politics, not with our high ing for help in finding accom- rate of unemployment'-ac- Trouble is, most of Valery Murray, right- them are in the same boat.

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Frame-up' allegations after Special Branch swoop PAGE 10 Workers Press, Thursday June 15, 1972 AT THE Old Bailey on Monday morning five accused filed into the dock to face the fourth day of their trial on charges of conspiring to possess firearms and The trial was ammunition and possessing pistols.

The defendants settled expected to last four weeks.

down and prepared themselves for another day legal argument and cross examination.

When Mr Justice Bean opened the proceedings Mr Brian Leary, the state prosecutor, got to his feet. In a brief state- ment he announced that the Crown did not intend pressing for conviction. He gave no reason for stop- ping the case and Judae Bean immediately asked the jury to find the accused not guilty. There were a few moments of nervous hesitation before the defendants realized they were free to go-they had been in custody for seven months—they burst into cheers and laughter. The abrupt ending of the trial raises number of mysteries which Alex Mitchell has been investigating. THE STORY begins in a Belfast street on Novem- The shop and premises at ber 15 last year when 20- 257 Wick Road, Hackney, E9, raided by the Special Branch year-old Martin Joseph and police in November last Crawford, a slip of a lad, year. Rifles and pistols were found in an upstairs room. But was arrested by the Royal now all charges have been Ulster Constabulary. dropped. He was taken to Girdwood barracks where he was in- terrogated. Crawford alleges he was punched and slapped.

A hypodermic was placed on his arm but the needle did not pierce his arm. He also says a cocked pistol his mouth. was placed in He was made to sit facing.

for wall eight hours de- and prived of food and sleep.

In the rourse of his interro- gation he told Inspector Harry Taylor of the RUC that he had just returned from a holiday in England. Next day, November 16, he was visited by English police officers from the Special visit to London?' Branch, who had flown to Bel- Crawford replied: 'Yes, fast. The action then switches In his evidence Detective Ser- London. geant Geoffrey Curtis Tutt said That same afternoon at 3.20 when he that met Crawford he Special Branch officer, said to him: 'We are both police Detective Inspector James officers from London. Are they Pittendreigh, was in a car with looking after you all right?'

Wilson Detective Inspector John Road, In Tutt's statement Crawford parked in Cassland E9. parkedassed their is supposed to have replied, 'Yes, Toyota 1251 sick and outside Wick Tutt says that Crawford then Road, Hackney. gave him a detailed statement of Some short time later the his stay in London in which he police pounced. street inte involved "job'. was doing said "he drove a they apprehended Lawrence Crawford McCrandles, Donal De Faoit and in which some property was Patrick O'Sullivan. taken from an army depot.

Meanwhile Detective Constable In his Crawford Peter Cowan smashed the statement glass mentioned an accomplice called in the front door of No. 257 and 'John'. rushed in accompanied by other 'Who's John?' Tutt asked.

officers. I think they Parker. Edmund Pettiere irish name is his Inside the He's arrested Petticrew and not Crawford re- plied. Mrs Marjorie Allen. The next day, November 17 On the fist floor polite broke and Tutt Crawford down door found again saw 'How quantity of rifles and bayonets said: do feel this you morning?' Crawford said: 'Fine'.

They also wrapped in blankets. "Did you have a found locked and Tutt asked: black box black trunk. good rest and do you wish to McCrandles was searched and make a written account of your The dally papor that loads the fght against the Tortes. £20.28 for 12 months (312 laques) £10.14 for 6 months (156 issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 issubs) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send to: 186a Clapham High St., CIrculation Dept., Workers Press London, SWa 7UG. I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

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a bunch of five keys found in his pocket. One of the keys opened the black box and inside were a Browning automatic, two 'Star' five pistols, automatic magazines and 56 rounds of ammunition. Amid a blaze of press publicity the men and one woman were questioned and eventually brought to court in an 'IRA gun plot'. As extremely dangerous people refused bail they were security precautions at their first court appearance were enormous.

De Faoit gave a statement to the police in which he admitted being member of Saor Eire a and asked that as 'leader' of the 'group' he should take full re- sponsibility. When asked what 'cause' he belonged to, De Faoit replied: "The fight to repel the British invaders from our land. For hundreds of have years you oppressed us and the only way is fight you by our means. I to don't regard myself as a murderer, but I am prepared to use any degree of violence to achieve what I consider is right for Ireland.' mean right?' 'What do you Pittendreigh asked. I mean to fight for Irish cul- literature ture, heritage, language. These ideals should come first before any notions of socialism or Maoism. As far as these ideals are concerned, the Irish Free State is only a puppet of Westminster and it should be brought if necessary, down by force 'Are you voicing the aims of organization Eire?' the Saor Pittendreigh asked. 'That's what I consider to be the objects of Saor Eire.'

But when asked about the arms, he any more Said: I'm not saying For any outside observer the police had a cast-iron case. They had guns found in a hat, a man with keys to the case, a group of Saor Eire and Sinn Fein members and perhaps, one could argue, a motive. But certain curious things happened. the For example, • prisoners were hrst of all charged with being in possession of the rifles-not the pistols. This is intriguing because none of the rifles worked. They were simply cadet drill equip- ment. A police ballistics expert re- ported that ten of the ll rifles had been converted for use as 257 drill rifles only 'and they could not be fired'. "The striker tips had been cut off, bolt heads filled in through, and barrels partly sawn The 11th had no rear hand.

guard, magazine or bolt and the barrel was loose. It was hardly the sort of equipment to wage the struggle against British imperialism!

The pistols, on the other hand, were good working order and the ballistics expert • reported that I fired them of times. Curiously, number however, it was not until much later that the defendants were also charged with possessing ihe pistols. When they first appeared in the Old Bailey on Monday, June 5, the defence lawyers succes:- fully got the public mischief charge dismissed. It was a bad start for the prosecution.

Without the of the presence jury a 'trial within a triai com- over the case against menced Crawford. The argument centred on his made Special statement to Branch officers Tutt and Detec- tive Constable Ian Skinner at Girdwood. The defence argued that the statement was inadmissable be- cause it was made under duress.

In making this application they invoked a number of recent judgements in Ulster courts in 'confessions' which been . have dismissed because the court felt 'persuasion' they resulted from by the RUC or the army. The key judgement here was I would like inforn Fill in the form below and

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Name Address by Lord Chief Justice made Lowry who held that detainees could also sustain what is called 'lingering oppression'. In other words he found that men could be arrested, duffed up by either the army or the RUC and then passed onto pleasant, peaceable policemen. Nevertheless they could make statements which were untrue because they felt they were under 'lingering oppression'.

Basically this is what the de- fence argued in Crawford's case.

Mr Justice Bean heard evidence from Harry Turner, the Special Branch officers and Crawford before deciding that the state- ment was inadmissable. Because this was the only evi- dence against Crawford, the case against him was dropped. Last Thursday the trial proper com- menced after the jury had been sworn in. Pittendreigh and other arrest- ing officers gave their evidence.

during emerged cross examination that the defence were pursuing a very special line of attack. In particular Mr Platt Mills, QC, was interested in two men not before the , court, a Mr Parker (mentioned in Crawford's statement) and a Mr Lee. Did the police know them? Did the police know they had provided premises for the defendants?

It became clear that both men had played considerable part in the acquisition of the weapons found at Wick Road. When the case adjourned last Friday afternoon, the defence lawyers were pressing for more and more information about this who had couple mysterious somehow evaded police detection.

since the police swoop. On Monday morning the prosecution made its shock sub- mission and the defendants were all discharged. The close of the prosecution case was all the more surprising because in normal circumstances the prosecutor would announce the reasons for his submission in the court. But no reasons were given. Judge Bean said: 'For reasons known only to themselves, the prosecution have decided to offer no further evidence against the accused. In those circumstances my duty is to direct you to re- formal verdicts of turn not guilty? There was a further sensation outside the court. Defence soli- Simon citors and Company issued a public statement saying: 'During the trial it was alleged part of the defence that as weapons had been planted at Wick Road, Hackney, by two men whose names were given in court. It was alleged that these two men were police informers and had been working in collu- sion with the Special Branch.

It was alleged that the pur- pose was to frame the accused who were innocent. During the later stages of the trial questions were put repeatedly to Special Branch officers by defence coun- but the police said they could not answer them because it would prejudice the security of the state' A legal spokesman for the firm told Workers Press yesterday: 'We are left to conjecture. But on all the facts it seems that the prosecution were extremely con- cerned about the possibility of Mr Barker and Mr Lee being brought into the case. Rather than risk that, they stopped the whole thing' information about w and send to NATIONAL

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Polish family goes to live in an satire life in Eastern European Warsaw directed coun- by try in 1951. Andrzej Wajda. BUILDING trades shop stewards will meet in Sheffield tonight to discuss plans for action in support of the national pay claim. OVER 300 workers at Leadgat The stewards — over 100 are expected —will include many from Engineering, Consett, Co Dus the engineering factories who are ham, have launched a determ already involved in action over the engineers' and hours ined factory occupation to say pay claim. their jobs. leading Sheffield As one When they heard the factor steward pointed out, important was to close on June 30 the sho lessons from the engineers' claim must by building he learned stewards seized the keys an workers. locked the gate. The national building trades Since then has been claim of £35 for 35 hours looks round the clock. Raw materials ar as though it will be fought site by site if the trade union leader- being allowed in, but no machiner has ship its claim has been fought way, just the finished or products are engineers' allowed out of the works.

in Sheffield, factory by factory. The firm's lorries have been Sam Holmes, UCATTS mem- from taken take nant compound are es their into ber and steward from senior prevent Sheffield Public Works Depart- used to them from being dis- ment, said: mantle the factory. 'The danger of conducting the Leadgate established in was struggle on selected sites is that Consett three ago years the claim can be won on these subsidiary of G. Stibbe & Co. It but this does compel sites not attracted large government employers on other and in sites grants for investing in the North other sections of the industry East development area. Vast sections will be to pay up. The company says it is forced left isolated the such as to close the plant because of a nationalized industries and local slump in demand for its product, authority workers. knitting machinery, which has the recession 'The only logical thing to do resulted from in be out for the yarn-producing industry.

is for everyone to the full claim. The shop stewards fear that the company will use their Con- 'This claim—£35 for 35 hours sett machinery to equip a new —can't be won unless building Braunstone, factory at trade workers are prepared to Leicester. Jigs have already been take on this Tory government. removed while the workers This government has made its on their Spring bank holiday.

plans to take the working Convenor Fred Carlyon told class and defeat them in struggle 'You Workers Press: just can't and building trade workers axe 300 men like that. We have must build their own forms of been trying to talk to manage- organization to defeat this but the ment, in meantime we government. are making sure that the com- "These are the Councils of Dany will still be here' Action being organized in Liver- 'All the behind this action. pool and elsewhere' We are working normally In the second of the re-screened plays 'The Marriage Game'-BBC 1

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nachinery inside the works, but after June 30 we will be sitting in.'

He denied claims broadcast on local television that some of the workers had been offered em- ployment at Braunstone. He said were having nothing to the men do with job interviews anyway.

'I consider myself employed by this company. I am here and I am fighting to keep my job.'

"The Tory government and the employers have been attack- ing the working class ever since they came to power, the In- dustrial Relations Act is a direct attack against the unions.'

The next step in the campaign will be a joint meeting between the Consett and Braunstone shop stewards. FARES on London's all-night buses will be doubled on Sunday, London Transport announced yesterday. The night will rate be effective from 12.30 a.m. until 5 a.m. every day. The increase follows reports that London Transport is losing £71,000 a year on its all-night buses. London bus and under- ground fares are due to rise generally in September. Workers Press, " ned Ellzabeth R plays Glenda Jackson 'Breakfast 7.00 Film: own. at Tiffany's'. • London. 11.00 9.00 Late call. 11.05 Expansions. 11.45 Beagan gaidhlig. 12.00 Tennis. GRAMPIAN: 11.00 London.. 3.32 News. 3.35 Job look. 3.40 Women today. 4.10 Julia. 4.40 London. 4.55 Rumblie jumblie. London. News, 5.20 6.00 weather. 6.05 Folk afore us. 6.35 7.30 Crossroads. 7.00 Andy. Film: 'My Blood Runs Cold'. 9.00 London. 11.00 Viewfinder. 11.35 London. 12.20 Epilogue. CHANNEL: 10.20 London. 3.55 States of Jersey lottery. 4.05 Nuts and bones. 4.18 Puffin. 4.22 face. Funny 4.50 Skippy. 5.20 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.10 Hogan's heroes. 6.35 Cross- roads. 7.00 Film: 'Ten Gentle- From West Point. 9.00 men London. 10.30 Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race. 11.00 Lon- her don. 12.15 News, weather.

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Engineers totally opposed to Common Market entry PAGE 12 Workers Proas, Thursday June

FROM PHILIP WADE

in Hastings BRITAIN'S engineering union yesterday affirmed its total opposi- tion to the Common Market. It instructed the executive to press a future Labour govern- ment to pursue a policy of withdrawal from the Market. This decision was carried by a very large majority at the annual conference of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers meeting at Hastings yesterday. As an alternative to the Market, Common however, the resolution weakly posed policy of trade with all countries in without interference the economic, political and social structure of the countries con- cerned'. The debate brought out the right wing for the first time at the annual conference of the 1f million-strong union. Jim Conway, general secretary, said he was pro-Market. 'And it ser*s I have more in with the Communist common parties of Italy and France than with the Communist Party of Great Britain', he added.

Other speakers seized on the lack of an alternative perspective.

in the resolution to come down for entry. Clarence Richards, Stamford, Lines, said: 'We have to get in and reap the benefits from the re-structuring of industry. The strides EEC countries have made in 13 years is astounding'.

Moving the resolution Len Miseldine, Walworth, spoke only about the reasons for not going in. 'Nobody has given us a guarantee of the benefits. The problems we face as a union won't disappear in the Common Market. 'The debate on the Treaty of Rome in parliament was cur- tailed with no detailed discussion allowed.' And Stan Cole, Manchester.

asked: 'How does entry into the Common Market benefit the ATTORNEY - GENERAL . Sir IS Peter Rawlinson has issued a statement explaining why charges against four Saor Eire and Sinn Fein members were suddenly dropped on Monday at the fourth day of their trial.

He said: "There was a need in this case to protect the identity of certain persons in the interests of these persons' safety.

'As the evidence emerged...

it became clear the witnesses

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day June 15, 1972 COMMUNIST PARTY and 'left' delegates at the AUEW confer- yesterday withdrew the ence motion condemning Labour MPs who voted with the Tories on the Common Market. As soon as the resolution was moved, John Boyd, EC member, jumped said delegates up and be had to be careful not to coat-tails dragged along by the of ambitious politicians.

'Don't be a bully, so liberal with your condemnation — you might be eulogizing them next year Communist Party member Les Allen replied by attacking the Labour MPs who voted with the Tories for "disloyalty' and 'treachery'. have working class? Whenever the bosses been concerned about us? There is a need for implac- able opposition to entry.

Stockport delegate Bill Anten said the arguments for joining should be getting better after ten years-the prosperity should be showing through. 'But we have had riots in Europe on VAT and a national strike in Italy against the rising cost of living. alternative you can 'As an always sit in frying the pan instead of jumping into the fire.

loss of Is it more than a sovereignty that's at stake or are we seeing the line-up for the next war as capitalism collapses?'

TASS

executive member George Doughty attacked those supporting the resolution who thought another Labour govern- ment would re-negotiate better terms. 'That's an illusion to say you •don't like the Treaty of Rome and want better terms. On that basis you should vote against.'

Answering the attack on the Communist Party • by Conway, Alf Moffat, Twickenham, said that the CP had been • the only against the constant party Common Market. The resolution was carried by 49 votes to 18. The two Northern Ireland delegates abstained.

[Special Branch officers] were i revealing being inhibited from the whole of their evidence.'

Because all the evidence could not be heard, in the interests of "justice' the trial was halted.

The decision to withdraw the charges was taken after the prosecutor, Mr Brian Leary, held talks with Rawlinson and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Norman Skelhorn. • See page 10 for a full investi- gation of the mysterious case.

WEATHER

SOUTHERN ENGLAND,

East Anglia and the East Midlands will have sunny spells with per- haps isolated showers. The rest of England and Wales and also Northern Ireland, South and East Scotland will be dry with sunny spells. North and West Scotland will be rather cloudy with brief sunny intervals. Temperatures will be near normal in most districts but in southern England and East Anglia it will be rather cool.

Outlook for Friday and Saturday: Dry and sunny but some rain in northern districts later. Tem- peratures normal but becoming rather warm in the south.

'If they're Tories they should be Tories and be out with?

The Tories were in, he added, MPs had because the Labour forgotten where they came from.

Although Eddie Marsden, general secretary of the con- structional section, supported the opposed by motion, he was another EC member Bob Wright who called for the motion's withdrawal. During the lunch break CP members assured me the motion would nevertheless be put.

the afternoon As soon as session began, however, it was clear a change had taken place to preserve 'unity. Mover of the resolution Jim who Invaded Transport Hous Dockers O'Leary (left). From p. 1 had refused to consider sharing the unattached men out between different employers and sub- sidizing those who had an over- load. He said that the employers had claimed that one in seven to require- men were surplus attached the ments even on register. yesterday's Commenting on deferment vote, dockers' leaders from the striking ports were uniformly bitter. Walter Cunningham, chairman of Hull shop stewards, said that 'absolutely decision was diabolical'. It was time dockers got rid of O'Leary and of the likes T&GWU secretary Jack Jones, he said. Saturday's stewards' meeting THE IRISH Republic's opposi- tion Fine Gael and Trish Labour parties may form a united front at the next General Election in a bid to oust Jack Lynch's Fianna Fail government, at present poised on a knife-edged majority.

BOILERMAKERS at the Heb- burn, Tyneside, shipbuilding yard of Swan Hunter who walked out twice this week over a dispute involving shipwrights yesterday voted by a large majority to stay out. then Hamilton from Glasgow rose and said other parties, in- cluding the CP, had made a mistake and it was correct to criticize them and such criticism had to be allowed. But he withdrew the motion.

Some delegates still wanted to press a vote on the motion until Hugh Scanlon intervened despite the discussion having been closed. "What will the implications be if it is carried, he said. 'It will look are split on the like we whole issue of the MPs. If it isn't, we will seem to be con- doning them' He asked for no motion's opposition to the withdrawal and delegates even- tually agreed. port House confront docks officer Tim would decide on the next steps in the light of the fact that all the major ports delegates had voted for strike action yesterday.

In a reference to the possi- bility of legal action against individual dockers as a result of Tuesday's Denning judgement, the Liverpool Jim Symes, stewards' chairman, said: 'If this happens, the six weeks delay will not apply.' The London stewards' leader Bernard Steer expressed extreme disappointment with the dele- gates' vote. In a statement made two hours after the end of the dele- gate conference, O'Leary claimed that the meeting itself had been quiet and orderly. But earlier, he had repeatedly refused lobbyists' demands that he address them on the outcome.

Unlike other docks officials of the union he chose not to show his face outside the building.

In answering reporters' ques- tions he claimed that the possi- bility of unofficial strike action largely depended on the reports back which were given from the meeting. He revealed that if a strike did not take place the employers had promised to implement their offer immediately. This opens up the possibility of a split being created in the dockers' ranks by individual in of settlements some the smaller ports. ANOTHER major battle be- gan in the National Industrial Relations Court yesterday — this one over the key issue of union recognition. In a test case, members of the Telecommunications Stat Asso- ciation are accusing the Post Office of unfair industrial an practice by failing to provide facilities for the conduct of the Association's business. If the TSA wins, it will be the green light to the numerous staff associations which have mush- roomed since the Industrial Re- lations Act. Council for the Post Office, Turner-Samuels, QC, David warned that if the court found for the TSA the trade union movement would be 'splintered'.

He said: 'The question is are the Post Office required as a matter of law to grant recog- nition ... because this must be that if these applicants faced succeed, every other applicant must succeed because this appli- cation is not based on merit but on pure law? He said the TSA members were claiming that Section 5 of the Act gave them the right to Office premises for use Post union activity. To support their case they were using a clause in Section 5 which said it was an unfair in- dustrial practice to 'prevent or workers from exercising deter' their rights under the Section.

In his submission there were two things at issue. One was whether a trade union which was not recognized by the Post Office had the right to carry activities on Post Office out premises. The other was what access to employers premises re- were union quired to give to trade officials to carry out their busi- ness in or outside working hours.

He said the Post Office sub- mitted that they were only re- quired not to prevent or deter members of an organization not by the Post Office recognized from carrying out lawful activi- ties outside their premises.

The origins of the TSA are to be found in the National Guild of Telephonists which lost nego- tiating rights at the Post Office in 1970 when the Union of Post Workers won exclusive Office recognition. The TSA is registered under the Act as a trade union, where- as the UPW is not.

FOR JUNE

APPEAL FUND

WE ARE still a long way from This target. achieving our month we aim to raise £1,750 —£500 extra to help us cover greatly increased expenditure.

Each month, so far, your response has been more than magnificent. We know it is a tough assignment to try and raise this extra amount once but we feel that the again, political situation demands it.

After the railmen's pay set- tlement now Is the time to mobilize all the strength of the working class to make this government resign. We there- fore appeal to you all-help us change the position for our June Fund. Raise in every way possible, as much as you can.

Try and add something extra yourself. Post all your dona- tions Immediately to : Workers Press June Appeal Fund, 186a Clapham High St, London SW4 7UG.