Workers Press no. 795
1972 Read the scan at ETOL (PDF) →This text was read from the scan by machine and has not been corrected. Columns and stories run into one another, and words are misread. Use it to find things; for anything you quote, read the scan.
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workers press
DOCKS-THE
NEXT STEP
Vicky Turner (r), one of t three dockers that stewar feel are still threatened w legal action, reading telegra of support during last Frida giant picket of the Chobha Farm container depot. MASS MEETINGS in all ports today will decide the dockers' next moves in their fight for jobs. Proposals for carrying on the jobs campaign were agreed at a meet- ing of the national port shop stewards' commit- tee in Hull on Saturday. These will be put to today's meetings. Stewards were anxious that they should not be disclosed until then, but what can be said is that the fight is not INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • MONDAY JUNE 19, 1972 • No 795 • 4p
DAILY ORGAN OF THE
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE
crisis, but which contains unmistakable one
BY G. HEALY
symptoms of dual power. period We live in a of great danger which THE DETERMINATION of the work- cannot last indefinitely.
Every ounce of counter- ruling ing class- effort Which a desperate -spearheaded by the dockers revoluuonary class is capable of will be mobilized now to hit —to defend their trade union rights, back as brutally as possible against the working has thrown Tory policies into disarray.
class. should Those who ignore this very real danger But the Industrial Relations Act and re-read the history of similar situations in the the Tory still period of the provisional gov- government remain past, especially the ernment in Russia 1917, and the 1919 experiences intact. What is even more important of the Triple Alliance. the representatives of the ruling class Lenin contemptuously rejected the policies polis nat Stalin supported the are acutely conscious of the very real and others
WHO
and went prepare social on the dangers now confronting them.
whereas in Britain the Triple Alliance, which posed the problem of power, was treated as They realize that much than the more another trade union issue.
Industrial Relations Act and the government *As Gallacher, leader of the Clyde movement said later when it too late, one of the stake indeed it the future of was of course IS al should have capitalism in Britain. were carrying on a strike when StewarOs e •"Gentlemen (See making revolution". witn been At the same time as the law forbade MPs to said the PM ready to take over"!" debate What was happening on the docks last Workers Press, May 4, 1971. Friday's week, this same law was being ignored on the is that while the ruling The choonam redi dancer
HOW
docks by the working class. Here is no ordinary class leaders are painfully conscious of their weak- ness, the working class is not yet conscious of its strength. Decades reTormIsi treachery are responsible for this most serious handicap. Jack Jones, general secretary Transport and General mane Workers' Union and Jack Dash of Communist Party the are responsible for the acceptance of the Devlin plan and containeriza- tion. It is they who persuaded the dockers to take the road which led to the open register and Chobham Farm.
CONTAINERIZATION
under capitalist employers means speed- up and unemployment.
CONTAINERIZATION
within the framework of a socialist plan mean employment and shorter working hours when the docks and indus- transport under were natonalizedi workers' control. The harsh truth on the docks today is that neither Jones nor anvone else Call solve une con- tainer problem without accepting large-scale unemployment, com- pensation notwithstanding.
All reformist talks with the emplovers are Just as deadly as acceptance of the Devlin report was in the first place. Perhaps the greatest gain is that the vast majority of dockers are becoming rapidly aware of the dangers they face. being called off the jobs, and there is grow- cent oiters but tor aly not only the why Socialist dockers strength of ast riday's im Datence Dar Labour League workers in the country. dramatic moves the ticular with Transport Stresses over Appeal Court. chief Cake Tones. General Workers Said and over again that the central the statement: task is mobilize the industrial An "The rush and immediate wonderu strength of the working class back to work today by immediate support statement issued this in our hour the 36,000 dockers who received of шаке government after Satu rday's meet- resent menace into a labobe struck on Friday can said the need Will be given tum dockers' government which to other workers threat-
TUCC OUT
campaign for the right forced by Many stewards feel ened the Industrial strength or une so tell mael contine, threat Relations Act. that im- working class to nationalize all the knowledge the major industries- including be hell methin Royal DriSOnmenT vi docks and transport-without That Tuture aracks must Bernie Steer, icky to be held in the and could, be repelled Turner and Alan Wil- Station workers' Hotel, ComPCRSAuOR uncer ›y their solidarity' because liams been stewards have been
HOLL
They The failure to jail the barred from using permanent vited. The Communist Party, are not satisfied with three London stewards, Transport and General union leaders' efforts who Workers' Union did not attend the Turn to p.2 meeting, was 'a magnifi- quarters. Issue conalner MID-ULSTER MP Berna- dette Devlin yesterday called on the Provisional IRA to introduce a seven-day cease- fire. Speaking on Irish Radio in Dublin she said: 'I believe, at this stage, it would be wise in their own interests, and in the community's interests, to show their strength in something other than military form because they cannot keep a military campaign up for ever. "There is certainly a great feeling for peace in Northern Ireland, but people confuse this with a feeling for surrender. It's how you get peace and what you over peace that people fall out It is not a truce which Miss Devlin wants 'but a seven-day non-retaliatory period in which they would reiterate their demands to Mr Whitelaw' She called for an escalation of the rent and rates strike and civil disobedience which would show the people's determination to maintain passive resistance.
*The IRA could show that although the people wanted peace, it was not the end of the campaign, because there cannot be peace while internees are still held and people are still on hunger strike!' These treacherous statements will be examined in a which later Workers Press article-are capped by final, even more reactionary suggestions. She said the people who would fight a civil war, and who could stop it, were the UDA and the IRA. These were the people who should• get together and talk. The Provisional headquarters yesterday issued a statement denying that David O'Connell had taken over from Sean MacStiofan as head of the move- ment. • The tactical disagreements be- tween the Provisionals and Officials are revealed in a book 'On Our Knees' by 24-year-old Rosita Sweetman published today.
MacStiofan declares: *Military victory is within our grasp ...
armed struggle is the only way to revolution. But Cathal Goulding of the Officials attacks the Provisionals for *alienating the Protestant working class.
STARTING
TOMORROW
A series of four articles on how the British working class built their unions as power- houses of struggle-then built the Labour Party after coming under challenge in the courts.
Peter Jeffries traces the his- tory from the formation of the First International in 1860 to the Taff Vale judgement of 1901. TUESDAY: 'A turning-point of the politics of the British work- ing class THURSDAY: 'Politics and the New Unionism'. FRIDAY: The background to Taff Vale'. Order your copies now so you can follow each article in this important and fascinating series. Tel: 01-622 7029
ALSO STARTING TOMORROW
Jack Gale reviews Robert Kee's recently published book The and takes up Green Flag' some of the important events in the history of Ireland.
Scan page 2
workers press
DOCKS-THE
NEXT STEP
OUR FIGHT
IS STILL
ON SAY
NATIONAL
STEWARDS
Vicky Turner (r), one three dockers that тер! Treatend• legal action, reading telegrams of support during Farm container depot. MASS MEETINGS in all today will decidor's the dockers' in their next moves fight for jobs. Proposals for carrying the jobs campaign on were agreed at a 110 01e no o or shop stewards' commit- in Hull Saturday. on These will pul meetings. Stewards were that should not they be then, but what can is i is that the fight not INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • MONDAY JUNE 19, 1972 • No 795 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE but which contains crisis, one unmistakable
BY G. HEALY
symptoms of dual power. We live in a period of great danger which THE DETERMINATION of the work- cannot last indefinitely.
Every ounce of counter- revolutionary effort ruling ing class-spearheaded by the dockers which a desperate class is capable of will be mobilized now to hit —to defend their trade union rights, back as brutally as possible against the working has thrown Tory policies into disarray.
class. should Those who ignore this verv real danger But the Industrial Relations Act and re-read the history of similar situations in the the Tory government still past, especially the period of the remain ovisional gov- intact. What is ernment in Russia 1917. and the 1919 experiences even more important of the Triple Alliance. the representatives of the ruling class Lenin contemptuously suppeted the provisional rejected the policies Stalin who are acutely conscious of the very real and others government _ano went on prepare ine socal dangers now confronting them.
revolution, whereas in Britain the Triple Alliance, which posed the problem of power, was treated as They realize that much than the more arouner made unor issue. Industrial Relations Act and the government of the Clyde movement 'As Gallacher, leader indeed said later- -when it was too late, of course of the at stake- it is the future of should have were carrying a strike we Gentlemen capitalism in Britain. (See with beel At the same time as the law forbade MPs to PM said the you ready to take over"! debate Friday's what was happening on the docks last Workers Press, May 4, 1971.) week, this same law was being ignored on the The is that while the ruling Chobham
HOW
docks by the working class. Here is no ordinary class leaders are painiully conscious or their weak- ness, the working class is not yet conscious of its strength.
Decades treachery are responsible for this most serious handicap. Jack Jones, general secretary General Workers' Union and Jack Dash the Communist Party are responsible for the acceptance of the Devlin plan and containeriza- tion. persuaded the It is they who dockers to take the road whici the open register and Chobham Farm.
CONTAINERIZATION
under capitalist employers means speed- up and unemployment.
CONTAINERIZATION
within the framework of a socialist plan employment mean and shorter working hours when the docks and transport indus-
LICS
were naponaived workers' control. The harsh truth on the docks today is that neither Jones nor anyone else solve the Call tainer problem without accepting large-scale unemployment, com- pensation notwithstanding.
All reformist talks with the androvers are st acceptance of the Devlin report was in the first place. Perhaps the greatest gain is that the vast majority of dockers becoming rapidly aware of the dangers they face. being called off on the jobs, and there is grow- oicters but for all not only This is why the Socialist strength of last Fridav's in for
HOCKES
Labour League Transport workers in the country. the ticular with
OLICUSES
ove Workers' Said the hief lackerane: statement: and oerara list the central task is mobilize the industrial immediate rush "The wonderful strength of the working class ack to work today support statement issued this 36,000 dockers the who received lake 'overnment after Saturday's struck on Friday can be resign, replace it with a Labour need will be given fully said the dockers' government which will be to other workers threat- the right forced by campaign lor the strength of the Many stewards ened by the Industrial that the threat of Relations Act.? knowledge the major industries including The held methinkoad that future attacks must.
docks and transport-without Ste Alan to be held in the bernie and could, be repelled Turner and Station Hotel, by their solidarity'. because liams has stewards have been The failure to jail the barred from using The Communist Party, are not satisfied with three London stewards, Transport General union leaders' efforts who did not attend the Workers' Union the Turn to p.2 issue of container meeting was la magnifi. quarters MID-ULSTER MP Berna- dette Devlin yesterday called on the Provisional IRA to introduce a seven-day cease- fire. Speaking on Irish Radio in Dublin she said: 'I believe, at this stage, it would be wise in interests, and in the their own community's interests, to show their strength in something other than military form because they cannot keep a military campaign up for ever. "There is certainly a great feeling for peace in Northern Ireland, but people confuse this with a feeling for surrender. It's how you get peace and what you call peace that people fall out over. It is not a truce which Miss Devlin wants 'but a seven-day non-retaliatory period in which reiterate they would their demands to Mr Whitelaw'. She called for an escalation of the rent and rates strike and civil disobedience which would "The IRA could show that the although people wanted peace, it was not the end of the campaign, because there cannot be peace while internees are still held and people are still on hunger strike.' These treacherous statements be examined in a which will later Workers Press article-are capped by final, even more reactionary suggestions. She said the people who would fight a civil war, and who could stop it, were the UDA and the IRA. These were the people who should• get together and talk. The Provisional headquarters yesterday issued a statement denying that David O'Connell had taken over from Sean MacStiofan as head of the move- ment. • The tactical disagreements be- tween the Provisionals and Officials are revealed in a book 'On Our Knees' by 24-year-old Rosita Sweetman published today.
MacStiofan declares: 'Military victory is within our grasp...
armed struggle is the only way to revolution.' But Cathal Goulding of the Officials attacks the Provisionals for alienating the Protestant working class.
STARTING
TOMORROW
series of four articles on A how the British working class built their unions as power- houses of strugglethen built the Labour Party after coming under challenge in the courts.
Peter Jeffries traces the his- tory from the formation of the First International In 1860 to the Taff Vale judgement of 1901. TUESDAY: 'A turning-point of history NEDNESDAY: 'Karl Marx an‹ the politics of the British work- ing class' THURSDAY: 'Politics and the New Unionism'. FRIDAY: 'The background to Taff Vale'. Order your copies now so you can follow each article in this fascinating important and series. Tel: 01-622 7029
ALSO STARTING TOMORROW
Jack Gale reviews Robert Kee's recently published book The Flag' Green and takes up some of the important events in the history of Ireland.
Scan page 3
PAGE 2 Workers Press, Monday June 19, what we think HAROLD WILSON'S weekend 'attack' on Tory industrial policy is the kind of sick joke the labour movement can do without. Only the present Labour Party leader - the most dedicated opportunist in politics - could reduce the great struggles facing workers to the level of a bad music-hall farce. His series of smug jibes revealed an appalling dereliction of the duty to lead the labour move- ment in a battle to bring down the Tories. Wilson managed to bring Gilbert and Sullivan and Shakespeare into his diatribe. Apparently the Tory government is a big joke. But we doubt if the dockers are laughing. They facing are immediate arrest and jail for defending their jobs. And the same could go for any worker who dares defend his basic rights. Wilson's buffoonery is of course nothing new. It is the small reformist politics change of workers have come to despise. flamboyance is This childish primarily designed to hide the truth. But facts more are powerful than slap-stick.
Three times Labour MPs have abstained or entered the gov- ernment lobby over the Com- mon Market and kept the Tories in power. But Wilson— who is ever keen to launch the most malicious attacks militants-has done nothing to expel these traitors. If he hates the Tories so much, why does he tolerate men in his own Party who keep them in power? Like all 'great Labour states- men' he has his handy kit of docks platitudes about what a 'human' problem con- great tainerization has caused.
But it was Wilson and his gov- ernment who started it! They set Lord Devlin loose on the docks to work out his blue- print for modernization and redundancies. And it Was Wilson's pals in the trade union bureaucracy who forced it on the reluctant dockers.
In one of the candid moments of his speech, he warned that Tory policy was a 'charter for and was destroying mliitants' the 'authority' of those pals.
This is Wilson's greatest fear.
Like all students of abysmal compromise, he knows the working class is beginning to gain a political independence from his brand of reformism.
But the time for joking is over.
Trade unionists tell should . to start fighting Wilson to bring down the Tories...or quit. I would like infor Fill in the form below and
SECRETARY, SOCIALIST
186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, L
Name Address у June 19, 1972 From p.1 revisionist groups and reformists all oppose this policy just as they allowed the Devlin plan to be introduced in the late 1960s.
We repeat, the present dis- cussion between Jones and the dock employers can only produce another version of Devlin.
There is no solution short of making this government resign.
In a period like the present, where danger is great, panic Is useless. The great task is to train revolutionary Marxist leader- a ship within the trade unions.
There never was a more favourable time for this all-. important task to be undertaken than now. The life-and-death nature of the economic crisis facing British capitalism is forcing thousands the most advanced trade unionists to break from reformist class-collaborationist methods of thinking. Certainly, the political gap between the working class and the Socialist Labour League is qualitatively wide and we are not frightened to acknowledge this.
Indeed the two are opposites, caught up in a situation of great movement between the class forces. Here it is not the fixed appearance of the opposites, but class which movement them that is decisive. cradles For it is this movement which creates the possibilities for the opposites to be transformed into one another through the building of the revolutionary party, as the leadership of the working class.
Conscious intervention by the party based upon the revolution- ary requirements of power can quickly transform the subjective into the difficulties objective revolutionary possibilities.
This is the qualitative political task embodied in the training of cadres within the trade unions.
The present crisis of the capitalist system will not blow Even if the working class over. should be pushed back by the treachery of their leaders here and there, the time has come for the revolutionary Marxists to step up the serious task of build- ing the party. The decision of the 14th of the annual conference Socialist Labour League to trans- form the League into a party later this year is extremely last week's timely in view of events on the docks. £4,000-a-year salary rises are expected to be announced this week for top civil servants, judges, chairmen of nationalized industries and senior ranks of the armed services. Among those who will benefit the proposed increases- from expected to be around 18 per cent are Sir John Donaldson, the National of President Industrial Relations Court, British Rail chairman Richard Marsh and Lord Widgery, who inquired into Bloody Sunday.
The rises are recommended by a committee chaired by former Minister Lord Tory Education Boyle. An announcement of the committee's findings is expected on Friday. information about low and send to NATIONAL
IALIST LABOUR
LEAGUE,
CH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.
SOVIET president Nikolai Podgorny broke the news blackout which had sur- rounded his two-day visit to North Vietnam when he told reporters at Calcutta that the Paris peace talks would soon be resumed. The Soviet and North Viet- namese press had kept a strict embargo on news about the trip, giving rise to speculation about disagreements between the two sides. Podgorny said he had been very satisfied with his visit: 'Everything. went as I wanted,' he said. The Paris peace talks were broken off by the American and South Vietnamese negotiators last month. Three days ago US president Nixon said he would only return to the conference table when the other side showed a willingness to negotiate seriously. was given Added weight to the rumours of disagreements in Hanoi by a report from Victor Louis, 'Evening News' correspon- dent in Moscow, who is generally regarded as a mouthpiece for sections of the Kremlin bureau- cracy. He reported that the aim of the Soviet president's trip was to stop hositilities on all fronts
FOREIGN NEWS
THE PROLONGED
wrangle over the shape of Italy's coali- tion government seems certain to result in a marked swing to the right. The country has been without a majority government since January and it is now more than a month since the General Elec- tion which supposed to was resolve the crisis. premier- Christian-Democrat designate Giulio Andreotti appealed on Saturday to the cooperate in publist action for co-operate in 'robust action psychological economic and recovery. In a letter to Republican BRITISH and other imperialist efforts Soviet to impede economic co-operation with the butcher regime of anti-communist General Numeiry in the Sudan have angered the Kremlin.
A Moscow Radio broadcast in Arabic denounced the 'Economic Quarterly Review' for 'spreading doubts' about the "fruitful economic and trade relations between the Sudan and the socialist countries, particularly the Soviet Union'. The commentary said: 'In its
BOOKS • PERIC
By JOHN SPENCER to allow the start of new peace negotiations. Louis said Soviet observers believed a cease-fire could lead to a referendum or new elections in South Vietnam. 'There is ample indication in Nixon Moscow that President during his recent visit persuaded Russians that meant business when he said that he wanted to stop American involve- ment in Vietnam,' said Louis. He "There is went on: suspicion in Moscow that after Hanoi's failure to undermine the Russian-American meeting in Moscow by its new campaign in ind the South, the North Vietnamese will try to neutralize President Podgorny's visit.' Certainly the United States did nothing to interfere with the Virtually Podgorny visit. all bombing north of the 20th parallel in North Vietnam was halted Soviet after the soon leader arrived in Hanoi. At the same time the southern province of North Vietnam has been subjected to further savage air attacks. Planes flew over 300 sorties against targets North of the demilitarized zone over the weekend. Podgorny's efforts to arrange a cease-fire and a peace con- leader Ugo La Malfa he said the present time was one of 'econo- . mic emergency and terroristic dangers'. All parties, he said, should be guided by the desire for a life either political from or criminal snares'. The Republicans agreed to take part in a three-party coalition with the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats.
Andreotti is eager to exclude the Socialist Party left flank of previous coalitions and bring in Republicans who have been out of office for more than ten years.
The more liberal Christian Democrats feel this will drive the Socialists towards closer unity with the Communist Party.
analysis of the economic and trade development in Sudan over many years, the magazine tries carefully to avoid talking about Sudanese-Soviet co-operation whose record has been great and ? (Emphasis added.) glorious The 'Review' had apparently expressed doubts about Soviet capacity to meet oblig- ations to the Sudan involving the building of grain depots, delivery of tractors, electrical appliances, building material other 'essential commodities'.
• PERIODICALS • NEWSPAPERS
ference are certain to meet with resistance from the Hanoi leaders.
But the Kremlin no doubt hopes that the US blockade of North Vietnamese ports and the con- of military sequent reduction supplies will weaken their will to continue the war. China is still refusing to allow Soviet supply ships to enter its ports, adding a further dimension to the squeeze being applied to the Vietnamese The intimations of Kremlin Vietnam treachery in are extremely ominous. It was under just this diplomatic type pressure that the Geneva con- ference of 1954 was foisted on Viet-Minh and the country the partitioned. The North Vietnamese, accord- ing to Cambodian liberation front leader Prince Sihanouk, are bitterly opposed to a new Geneva-type conference. The is also Chinese government thought to oppose such a con- ference. US professor John King Fair- bank, who met premier Chou En- at the weekend, said the Chinese leader had told him he signing the 'bitterly regretted' 1954 Geneva accords. Nixon's aide Henry Kissinger is due in Peking today for five days of talks with the secret Chinese leaders. THE CP newspaper 'Paese Sera' has described Friday's police raid of Milan university and arrest of 1,000 students as a clear pre- ordained provocation'. The police chief who organ- ized the raid ordered removal of red flags from the university windows: "This is not political headquarters but a university, and red flags have no right to be there,' he said.
least 45 At people were injured in the fighting which broke out when students refused to haul down the flags. The right wing is now calling for the expulsion of the students' leaders from the movement university. The Radio commentary, point- ing out the favourable character of agreements from the Numeiry's point of view, indig- nantly retuted any suggestion that the agreements will not be carried out to the letter.
It does not mention the brutal suppression of the July coup last year, when Numeiry executed leaders of the Communist Party and the trade unions and workers' basic smashed the organizations.
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.
Scan page 4
IS AND COUNCILS
'We have noted with interest your organization's conversion to the idea of Councils of Action, in particular the state- ment of your Political Com- mittee (Workers Press No.
770, May 20, 1972). While we cannot subscribe to several of your PC's formu- lations find ourselves we generally in agreement with your objectives in this issue.
'We the that assume approaches made to a couple of our branches, by your mem- bers, "Councils of to form Action" have the sanction of your National Office. 'We find this move an en- couraging one, and so that we may maximize our joint effectiveness and clarify any programmatic agreement there may be, we suggest, a meeting between nominees of our two organizations at a mutually convenient date. Yours fraternally, Jim Higgins National Secretary, IS Since the election of the Tory government in June 1970 Workers Press and the Socialist Labour League has tirelessly cam- paigned for the united strength of the labour and trade union move- ment to be mobilized to the conditions create which would require this government to resign. In the fight against the In- dustrial Relations Bill, from the autumn of 1970 onwards, we warned that the Bill would become law, and would be used unless the Tories were made to resign. This policy was rejected by amalgam of the Inter- an national Socialists and the the Stalinists who in turn de- clared for 'Kill the Bill non co-operation' with the terms of the Bill and its Court when it became law. Every trade unionist can now see that such a demand was nothing more than a left cover for TUC to go the ahead and permit the govern- ment to pass the Bill. By isolating the working class from the necessity for a political fight against the Bill, it prevented a real struggle against the government. Today the policy of 'non co- operation' is revealed as a trap which allows the Court to inflict one legal blow after against the trade another union movement, which was completely unprepared for the implications of the Court.
The IS and the Stalinist Liaison Committee For the Defence of the Trade Unions, by retreating from the politi- cal challenge to make the resign, have in government fact aided the right wing in politically disarming the work- ing class in the face of the Tory offensive. To popularize its middle-of- the-road policy of 'non co- operation' with the Act, the IS called for 'Setting up Coun- cils of Action in every locality made up of delegates from unions and work places to agitate among the rank and file for support for industrial action the Tories' against ('Socialist Worker', November 14, 1970.) The next issue of 'Socialist Worker, November 21, 1970, spells out what the 'industrial Above: Jim Higgins, National Secretary, Above: G. Healy, National Secretary, So action' supposed to was achieve. "The Tories would be forced to rethink if a significant number of trade union leaders were to declare now that, in • legislation the event of the coming into force, they would: '1. Announce their refusal to register with the Registrar for the unions or assist in the work of the Industrial Court.
'2. State that they would re- fuse to pay any fines imposed under the new laws or accept cooling-off periods or any strike ballots. '3. Refuse to accept any legally-binding contracts. '4. Tell their members that all disputes would be immedi- ately declared official to stop of the IS purpose 'Councils of Action' call was clearly to put pressure on the in the re- Tory government formist belief that it could be forced to change its mind over the operation of the Act.
The idea that the SLL has been 'converted' to this kind of 'Council of Action' is just factional nonsense. On May 31 we re-affirmed our position as follows: 'There are two major re- quirements if the Councils of Action are to be successful.
'1. They must mobilize the trade unions, shop stewards' committees, Labour Parties, Trades Councils, unemployed all political workers and Secretary, International Soclalists retary, Socialist Labour League organizations of the labour movement. This must include the Socialist Labour League, Communist Party and Inter- national Socialism, etc. '2. The aim of the Councils of Action must be to defend the trade unions and demo- cratic rights of the working class by taking the lead in the campaign to make the Tory government resign and elect a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. The Socialist Labour League will fight resolutely for such a policy within the Coun- cils of Action. 'Without the widest mobili- zation of the working class to make the Tory government re- sign, the Councils of Action would be ineffective. They must be Councils of Action and not councils of protest.'
The IS request for discus- sion 'between nominees' is surely directed to the wrong • quarters. On Saturday June 10 the IS collaborated with the Stalinist Liaison Committee and voted for its policy.
In the important presiden- tial election within the Elec- trical and Plumbing Trade Union the IS support the Stalinist-sponsored candidate and oppose Jim Dormer, who is a member of the SLL. Why doesn't the IS go the whole hog and join the Stalinists? G. Healy, National Secretary, SLL Workers Prose, Students of Labour's self- styled left in parliament are advised to watch the Liverpool 'Daily Post' tomorrow. With the Denning appeal- court judgement less than a week old, they could find a anti-parliamentarian former passing another milestone in his reformist progress. All the pointers to such an event were there in last Tues- day's 'Post' column by the MP for Liverpool's Walton consti- tuency, Eric Heffer. And the MP had a reveal- ing run-in on television that evening with the Hull dockers' leader Walter Cunningham.
BBC-TV's 'Nationwide' pro- gramme found Heffer burbling on about how Denning had vindicated the unions' position on the Industrial Relations Act. But Cunningham cor- rectly pointed out that the judgement in fact made it easier to go for shop stewards.
The following day ...
WHAM!
But it's doubtful whether our parliamentary friend will learn anything. Even Sir John Donaldson would find this man's reformist faith hard to crack. Heffer has come a long way since, as a member of the syn- dicalist Socialist Workers' Federation in the early 1950s, he opposed bitterly all forms of co-operation with govern- ments and participation in par- liament. workers demand to When know what, it anything, the left are doing in the House these days, the MP is fond of referring to his militant past 8 Prose, Monday Juno 18, 1972 PAGE 3 If- in the SWF and the building trade. A standard ploy is to try and accuse the questioner of never having seen the inside of a factory in his life.
But last Tuesday saw Heffer apparently welcoming the Tories' seeming abandonment of their opposition to a sta- tutory incomes policy... and going on to offer that if prices moderated wage claims were might be too. Nothing could be farther away from the mood of the working class today than this.
"The signs are, Heffer wrote, 'that the government are abandoning their rejection of a statutory incomes policy.
"They may well be eating their words again soon. recognize that word-eating is occupational hazard of an with this government becoming too much of a habit.?
He then develops the argument that workers' wage increases are not the main enemy in the fight against inflation. This implies, of course, that it is possible for capitalist government to combat inflation in another way. If only Eric in charge perhaps he were could prove Marx wrong. But he concluded with an even more amazing statement Tory promises of about the price-control. 'If the unions see real action by the government' , he wrote, 'then they too obviously can moderate their claims.' In other words, it is not even necessary to return a Labour government. A dash of Hefferism is all Heath needs to wrap the unions round his little finger.
Scan page 5
PAGE 4 Workers Press, Monday June 19, 1972
ANOTHER
UCS ON
BY DAVID MAUDE
Government approval for the Court Line takeover of Doxford and Sunder- land's Wearside ship- building company is ex- pected to pave the way for a major rationaliza- tion of the industry on the river. Fears of more redundancies been aroused in have already the jobless blackspot by the companies' courtship.
JOB FEARS
Young, di- John managing of the £17m shipping
ICCLOI
line, went out his way this week to allay these eaner fears. The in fact, company, would be looking provide more jobs on the river, he said. And Court's £8m bid for Doxford's was welcomed of the the district secretary Amalgamated Union oI En- gineering Workers, Henry Wil- kinson, as a chance for much- needed capital to be injected into shipbuilding. the beginning It could be Wearside', of a era on the AUEW official said Both men's optimism may prove a litle short-lived, how- ever The Court Line's stated plans for the Wear appear to be geared heavily towards a major expansion of the North Sea oil industry. And big question marks are now hung the such expansion by OVer worsening economic situation of Trade The Department and Industry's decision not to deal to the Mono- refer the Commission virtually polies guarantees huge coverinenl develop Dox- hand-outs to ford's antiquated facilities.
Young's of announcement plans to provide additional jobs in the area will, of course, only enhance the serve to amounts available. When the bid documents
LORD COOPER:
MAN OF THE PAST
Neither Fleet Street-nor any other section of the press, for that matter— took much notice of Lord Cooper's fraternal address on behalf of the TUC to the Canadian Labour Congress. An extract printed in the June edition of union's journal, however, provides all interesting sidelight on both of in retormism front of the capitalist offensive narrow-minded in- -ana 1ts sularity. Said the General and Muni- cipal Workers' Union secretary: do not believe that legisla- tion can contribute any improvement in industrial rela- tions or help us in collective bargaining. 'But equally, I believe with y June 19, 1972 sent out on Tuesday are formally accepted, Court Line, which is amongst the biggest 500 firms in Britain ranked by it will turnovel, start says detailed . feasibility studies for the building of a new covered shipyard at the present Green- well dry-dock. The purpose of this is said to be the building of small ships specially for North Sea oil supply. At Doxford's Pallion ship- yard, which launched its last ship on Monday, Court's have suggested building barges and drilling platforms for the oil business. highly-speculative ad- This venture in the North Sea is already soaking up vast sums of capital. And as has been seen at UCS Clydebank, some very sharp financial interests indeed have seen the possi- bility of making a pile out of government enthusiasm for the venture.
BLIND FAITH
Court Line clearly needs the kind of boost an influx of gov- ernment money would give it.
Although its latest net profits were more than double those for the previous year, proft was down is rate of from 18.1 per cent to 15.6.
This is the company's con- cern — not the creation of a new era as Wilkinson suggests.
For a union official to lead his members into blind faith in management promises of 1,000 more jobs is folly.
In the marketing company Court Line A&P Appledore, has close links with the other Wearside shipbuilders Austin and Pickersgill. circles foresee Shipbuilding that its takeover of Doxford's lead to a single ship- could building group on the Wear.
The same trends, however, might produce another UCS.
Top: drilling for North Sea oil.
Right: Govan yard at UCS changes so radical in the envi- ronment in which the trade unions now operate, it is neces- sary on a voluntary basis for trade unions and employers and government to reach under- standings about what is reason- ably possible.' What kind of understanding he thought was reasonably pos- sible with a Tory government on the legal rampage in Britain, the retiring G&MWU leader did not say. But surely he realized he talking to people who was saw their own Liberal adminis- tration-less than two years ago-mobilize thousands of troops in a nationwide state of emergency after just a slight whiff of 'urban guerrilla' acti- vity. Headed pathetically 'Partici- pation—not legislation' Cooper's speech is in the language of a forgotten age.
Scan page 6
STALINIST TABLE
Every day it becomes more difficult for the leadership of the Spanish Communist Party to ex- plain its European poli- cies and the policies of the Soviet bureaucracy to Spain. In the latest issue of the party press, Manuel Azcarate defends the call for a Euro- pean Security Confesence as the only road to peace and democracy in Europe. The call for such a con- ference from Moscow has not unheeded by Franco gone who is only too willing to discuss the Stalinist with bureaucracy how the working- in Europe can class crushed. Azcarate states that no one should be deceived by this enthusiastic response from Franco, Lopez Bravo and com- pany: "Consequently, begin- ning with the interest of Spain, it is no way acceptable for Franco's government to participate in the forthcoming conference' The Spanish Communist Party knows that the Soviet Union has made it clear that the presence of both fascist Greece and Spain at the Security Conference is de- sirable. Although Azcarate does not mention the Stalinist bureau- cracies in his article, he launches an implicit attack on their collaboration with the the fascists. "The conference of Karlovy- Vary of European Communist Parties (1967) declared: 'The struggle for a peaceful Europe is linked to a real struggle for national independence and democracy, against the reac- tionary fascist dictatorships of Spain, Portugal and Greece •.. "The present situation em- phasizes the close link be- tween security and the struggle against fascism. We can see today a growth of fascist tendencies and groups.
The regimes of Greece, Spain and Portugal serve as a base for this resurgence of fascist activities. A consistent atti- tude in support of collective security in Europe must in- clude the condemnation of the fascist regimes in Spain, Greece and Portugal' Azcarate aims his article at extracting a condemnation of Franco from an Assembly of Public Opinion on European Security to be held in Brus- sells later this month. Whatever this gathering of Stalinists, Liberals and Christians decides is sure to have no influence whatsoever the counter-revolutionary on alliance between Stalinism and European capitalism. The article, however, is in- dicative of the deepening in the Spanish crisis Com- munist Party. Having depicted Spanish fascism as some isolated historical anachron- ism, he is forced to make the admission that there is a re- surgence of fascism in Europe.
His dernand for a condem- Top: General Franco. Above : foreign minister, Lopez Bravo.
nation of fascism is a belated response to the and weary anger in the Party ranks at Stalinist diplomacy in Madrid.
If the dangers are so great, and, in fact, they are much greater than Azcarate allows, why does not he and the Carrillo leadership make a principled condemnation this secret diplomacy behind the backs of the working class rather than excusing it on the grounds of economic neces- sity? Why does it still foster the illusion that there is a future for bourgeois democracy in Europe which can only be guaranteed by a security pact 'socialist' of capitalist and countries?
KIM IL SUNG
EMBRACES
OF SUDAN
Kim Il-sung, the North Korean Stalinist leader, has expressed fulsome support for the Sudan's President Jafaar Numeiry and specifically con- demned the Sudanese communists executed last July. A Sudanese delegation led Isa, by Ahmad Babiker une secretary-general of Numeiry's council of ministers, last month visited North Korea for cele- brations marking the third of Numeiry's annıversary seizure of power. According Khartoum to Radio, reporting the results of Isa's visit, the delegation was received by Kim Il-sung who
JAPANESE SEAMEN
STAY ON STRIKE
Japanese seamen are now in the second month of their national strike for higher wages and there is no prospect of a settle- ment in sight. The strike has seriously hit Japanese shipping firms as well as the country's export indus- try, which is desperately trying to break into the European market. As a result of the stoppage, 1,000 ocean-going and coastal vessels have been tied up in 52 ports across the country, while other ships have been forced anchor off to ports because of lack of berths.
More than 15,000 cars, huge volumes of steel, fertilizer, tele- vision sets and other export goods are stranded on quay- sides the country, in across addition to imported oil and other domestic cargoes. The Transport Ministry complains that the strike has cost over £13m in direct losses to the shipowners alone.
CZECH
CRACK-DOWN
ON CRIME
Czechoslovak authorities are to step up the fight against black-marketeering and other rackets which plague the West Bohemian region. aro Preas, Monday June 18, 1972 PAGE 5 told them 'he regarded Presi- dent Numeiry as a true bro- ther and a leader who exerted genuine efforts to build a pro- gressive society' The Radio added that the Korean leader had 'condemned the unsuccessful July plot' a reterence to the left-wing revolt against Numeiry which was crushed with British and Libyan assistance. Following the defeat of this so-called 'plot, the leader of the Sudan CP, the head of the trade union movement and a number of other prominent summarily communists were shot. Thousands of other mili- tants are in jails and concen- tration camps. These are the 'genuine efforts to build a progressive society' undertaken by Kim Il-sung's 'true brother'. The 160,000-member union, made up of five ocean-going and inland seamen groups, has been demanding a substantial rise in and benefits. wages These include a 25 per cent rise for ocean-going and a 28 per cent rise for inland seamen.
It is also demanding three times the present compensa- tion for members mutilated or killed in accidents at sea.
A shipowners' leader Rokuro Inonye said: 'We are not in a position to accept the union's demand because we have been adversely affected by the world- wide recession.' To concede the rises asked for would 'further weaken the competitive power of Japanese shipping in the international market,' he said. The seamen, however, have no intention of going back without their demands and are prepared to stay out indefini- tely, recession or no recession.
Japanese ships lying idle Tokyo harbour due to the two month old strike. The crack-down will include the better guarding of factories and tighter security regulations in shops, stores and workshops.
Stocks will be checked more regularly. All this is part of a plan intended to limit crime and protect public order' The swelling crime wave in Czechoslovakia not only cost but it the economy dearly, included 18 murders, 773 cases of bodily harm and 88 attacks on officials, mostly policemen.
More severe penalties are being planned for pilfering.
Scan page 7
• Monday Juno 19, 1972
PAGE 6 W
The acquittal of Angela Davis has created the most reactionary illusions about the ruling class and its 'justice. These are just three illustrations of the dangerous nonsense being prop- agated by the Communist Party and the revisionists.
'Her acquittal is a tribute to her own courage and fortitude, to the skill of her lawyers, to the good sense of the jury, and to the world-wide mass campaign which countered the witch- hunting, McCarthyite atmosphere created by the racists around the case.'-'Morning Star', June 5.
'The release of Angela Davis by a California court this week is a victory for black people in the struggle against racism. But her acquittal does not mean the end of the struggle. Many black prisoners are still in jail, terrorized and brutalized by racist warders. For the great mass of black people life goes on as before, with unemployment or inferior jobs, bad housing, police intimidation, racist violence and oppression.'—'Socialist Worker' June 10. 'Millions saw her fate as their own. To blacks, women, prisoners and radicals she was the victim of the same racist oppression, sexist discrimination, and illegal harassment they face daily. This victory shows the inspiring power of mass protest. It will renew our confidence to continue the fight for a more humane America'-'The Militant', weekly newspaper of the revisionist Socialist Workers Party in America.
In this article Alex Mitchell examines the meaning of the trial and her acquittal. munist Party colleagues also Angela Davis was framed deliberately kept any mention by the practitioners of of politics out of the trial.
"justice' and American The apolitical conduct of her defence has now produced the acquitted She was of most treacherous spectacle they couldn't because all: the CP and the revisionists make it stick. propagating the dangerous are Despite a barrage of circum- myth that concessions can be innuendo the capitalist state evidence, from stantial won guilt by association, the by and mass protest. prosecution could not produce It is interesting to note that one tangible fact demon- this line finds an echo in the to capitalist press itself. The Tory strate that she was a kidnapper *Daily Mail' or a murderer. produced an had only to find editorial praising the imparti- The jury of her alithe Mails re maurts. 'reasonable doubt' innocence--and they did so un- remarks 'Mail's' were from almost indistinguishable hesitatingly. danger Miss Davis's own. After the The greatest to verdict she embraced the Angela Davis's acquittal was Angela Davis herself, her legal jurors by one and oine described them as 'part of the team and her Communist Party we have to supporters. people people During the trial the defence organize and allow to mature to the point we can talk about made appeal after attorneys a real revolutionary change in appeal for the need to acquit Ángela in order to prove the this country. American fairness The struggle, she said, will of the be for black, every judiciary system. every Angela's chief attorney, Leo Chicano, ( Puerto Rican, every Branton, Junior, said in his person of colour since, every final address to the jury that for them, justice is always a 'a struggle'. the prosecution was sorry of the best ways of stain on the history of justice One in this country. He called on demonstrating the abysmal the jury: 'You have an oppor- nature of her defence to 1S tunity to be part of history' from Branton's closing quote and acquit her. speech to the jury in some Davis and her Com- detail. Miss ..: "San Mercury' Jose The described the speech like this: "The flambuoyant Branton combined biting mockery and sarcasm with powerful appeals to both logic and emotion in sustained, highly-charged final defence argument against the prosecution's case. 'San In its report, the Chronicle' Francisco said: 'Branton's presentation com- sumed a few minutes less than two hours. 'But in that time 'he packed history, humour, tears, scorn, derision and poetry.. The reporter went on: 'The high point of Branton's performance was his reading in the San Jose courtroom of Miss Davis's love diary, written in her Marin County jail cell to San Quentin inmate George Jackson and found in his cell after his violent death last August. What he actually read were excerpts from the "love diary" fashioned into a moving composed, free verse poem disclosed, Branton later by Dalton Trumbo, noted Holly- wood screenwriter and author of such books as "Johnny Got His Gun" With a Hollywood script Branton—who once passion- ately wanted to be an actor— threw himself into the act.
Near- He even used props. ing the end of his submission he produced a huge drawing of a chain with a series of links which he said represented the 'chain circumstantial evidence' against his client.
With a flourish he ripped away a covering to reveal a cartoon of Miss Davis man- acled and chained. 'If the prosecution has its how Miss Davis way, that's end up, he declared. will A few minutes later he tore away another panel, revealing the young woman standing free-the chains broken and at her feet. 'That is where the chains should be, he cried, 'broken and destroyed because there is no evidence to convict my client.' He dismissed the testimony of a number of the state's key witnesses as 'zilch'. Miss Davis, he told the jury, would have had to be 'an idiotic fool, 'utterly stupid' and a 'boob' to have taken part as the state claimed in the caper' 'criminal she was charged with. 'You've got to believe this woman is indeed a fool-this brilliant college professor,' he said sarcastically. 'Chronicle' reporter As the observed: For the most part Branton's thesis was that no woman, as intellectual, as brilliantly educated, skilful and sophisticated could have as become much of a fool as SO to participate in so shoddy and transparent a conspiracy.
Branton 'No appealed: about matter what we say Angela Davis, no matter what might think Angela we we can agree she is no Davis, fool. This woman is a college professor, trained at the finest universities in this country and You in Europe. heard her opening statement. You have her writings. If you heard find her guilty, you have got to believe she is a fool.'
He concluded his speech by 'When you write the saying: final chapter, you will say you you served and were chosen. considered and you you brought back the only verdict possible in this case-not guilty! I'm sure you will.'
Branton swept back to the defence table, kissed Miss Davis and sat down. The aftermath of the trial is also immensely revealing of the almost unreal attitudes of the Communist Party, black radical and middle-class milieu itself with which identified the Angela Davis trial. When announced the verdict was the crowd inside and outside the court broke into the song.
'Woke up this mornin' with my mind set on freedom, Woke up this mornin' with my mind set on freedom, Hallelujah, hallelujah' There were chants of 'Power to the people'. When the court was silenced, Branton rose and told Judge Arnason: "The job your honour has done in conducting this trial is an extreme credit to the judiciary? He then thanked for the way it the jury responded'. Outside the court Branton praised the prosecutor's bull- dog quality' in presenting the state's case but described it as 'extremely weak'. He added that the case 'was not a frame- up in the traditional sense'.
In the meantime her sup- porters were promised 'many more sweet victories for the people'. That night-Monday, June 5 -a celebration was staged at San Jose's Safari Room night club. Manager Ron McGowar th was price of champagne which consumed denied with aman ton Memorial Church in San Fran- cisco, described Angela M "spiritual rounds of musical handclapera set to the words, "Angela has the huge a weis in she Professor Mar- tion. cuse aAltnouga 1 neve guilty, it belleved Angela was sulli came as a wonderrul sur prise. Sees hery much for sude. jury that they returned the very much «абрей у ї er often dencies their theories that mass substantiate pressure can win concessions from capi- talism. Her acquittal proves con- clusively that what was precisely involved was a frame-up in the traditional sense of the term. The US gov- ernment, through the FBI and the Attorney-General, with the aid of Republican governor Ronald Reagan of California, sought to connect Angela Davis with events they knew full well she had nothing to do with.
Top: Angela Davis after acquittal.
Above : Leo Branton, chief defence attorney. Workers Press, Her release today—serves to assist the ruling class. It is almost a parallel of what William Whitelaw, the Tory Ulster Secretary, is doing in Northern Ireland. He is releasing internees who go into the republican munities to preach "peace and thus serve the reactionary aims of the Tories at Westminster and the Unionists. Miss Davis's acquittal comes on the scene creating the most treacherous illusions about. the ruling class. But American behind the celebrations for "justice', the ruling class is in fact engaged in one of its most horrific onslaughts the on workers and peasants of Viet- nam. In the US itself repression is fierce scale. mounting on a During the Davis trial the US Supreme Court removed the historic right of Americans to be convicted by their peers only through unanimous deci-.
sions. And the US Supreme Court has set itself on the course of abolishing the jury system altogether. Conspiracy trials are in pro- gress across the country and in New York prisoners whose only crime was to protest akers Prose, Monday Jumo 18, 1972 PAGE 7 against barbaric prison condi- tions are standing trial as the Tombs Seven. Tuan Farinas whose 'crime' was to distribute an anti-war leaflet is jailed in a federal penitentiary. At the same time the Ameri- can ruling class is preparing greater cell space for trade unionists who are entering an unprecedented struggle against the wage-cutting of Nixon's Pay Board. Angela's victory is the vic- the world working of tory class. The lesson of this victory is to prepare now against new conspiracies, new attacks.
demands This preparation above all a repudiation of the anti-working class approach of Angela Davis's defence com- mittee who consciously acted to disarm the working class before what they will face, keeping the political meaning of the trial out of the trial itself. George Jackson, before he was gunned down by warders at San Quentin, understood the meaning of such a class fight.
He wrote: "The objective of all our acti- vity is in the end the creation of the people's army-not an acquittal here and there'
Scan page 8
THE CAPITALIST PRESS
PAGE 8 Workers Press, Monday June 19
BY TOM KEMP
Since the end of last year the Soviet political police (KGB) have intensified their campaign. against dissidents of all kinds. Many who have committed no indictable offence are held in psychiatric wards, others who are too prominent to be dealt with in this way are subject to continuous harass- ment. Their movements are closely watched and careful note is of the visitors they kept receive. Their telephones are tapped 24 hours a day. Some of the intellectual critics have recently been threatened with deportation to a labour camp or imprisonment in a psychiatric ward if they do not leave the country. Several have actually emigrated as a result of such pressure: The Nobel - prizewinning novelist Alexander Solzhenit- syn stated in an interview with Moscow correspondent Robert Kaser that on some occasions both approaches to the courtyard leading to his are watched by apartment carloads of KGB men. Any visitors he receives are fol- lowed and one was beaten up.
The same treatment is meted out to the historian Pyotr Yakir whose father, lonas Yakir, an outstanding Red Army general, was arrested Stalin in 1937. and shot by Pyotr himself spent 14 years in labour camps and emerged lat у June 19, 1972 with a burning hatred of the Stalinist bureaucracy. Major - General Grigorenko, who became the leading spokesman of the communist opposition, was reduced to the rank of private in 1964 and later incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital. Con- demned to a living death for fight for his courageous Leninist principles, his spirit remains unbroken. These and many other fighters form the core of a movement of opposition to which has the bureaucracy found its own way to the political revolution, the need to overthrow the bureaucracy in order to defend the gains of the October Revolution.
The articles, documents and letters produced by this opposition and circulated in 'samizdat' form — copied by hand or typewritten - were extensively in reproduced Press in 1969. At Workers this time few journals were ent interested in this material and the interest has not grown very much since. Recently the capitalist press has given the Soviet opposi- tion fuller treatment. Solz- henitsyn has become an inter- nationally-known figure and so, to a lesser extent, have others. The 'Survey of Current , one of the 'samizdat' Events', publications, has been re- printed in volumn form and Amnesty International now brings out an English trans- lation. The right-wing 'Sunday the Telegraph' recently ran a four- part survey of the opposition.
Most space was accorded to Jews wishing to leave for Israel and those sections of opposition which the are nationalist, liberal or religious in inspiration. Undoubtedly a pro-capitalist wing of the opposition does exist. Certain intellectuals are only too happy to find an individual solution by leaving the Soviet Union.
The idea that there is a deeply - rooted and more hated most of all by the cracy, which turns for its in- spiration to Marxism-Leninism, is also unwelcome to the capitalist media. There is also another aspect to the growing interest of the capitalist media in the Soviet opposition. The KGB is happy to see the dissidents presented as anti-Soviet and compromised the praise which they by receive in hostile organs. They can then be described as of imperialism and agents isolated the more easily from the growing currents of critic- and discontent in the working class and among students and intellectuals.
Such a motive obviously lies behind the greater readi- ness with which Jews are per- mitted to emigrate and some dissidents actually are pres- surized into doing so. It is then easy to depict the whole opposition as being in league with the imperialists and only day being interested in personal objectives. The information which is now being published in the capitalist press about the Soviet opposition comes as no surprise to the KGB. It may even assist western journalists to make the contacts and obtain the copy which they require all the better to com- promise the oppositionists concerned. It is now very much more difficult than it was in Stalin's day for the bureaucracy to order mass arrests and for people simply to disappear without questions being any asked. There are now unofficial bodies, like the Committee on Human Rights, founded by Academician Sakharov, which strive to give maximum pub- licity to every case where rights are abused. If the oppositionists can be shown in a circumstantial way, through the publicity accorded them in the foreign press, to be in league with enemies of the Soviet state, it becomes that much easier to deal with them. The establishment of closer relations with the United States through President Nixon's visit, and the possibility that this will be followed by a European security conference, makes the position of the opposition not less but more precarious. And this applies particularly to the revolutionary communists who represent as much a menace to the bourgeoisie in the West as to the bureaucracy. Left: Pyotr Yakir and friend In Siberia. Top: Solzhenitsyn. Above: Grigorenko. Major-General low: Nixon. The way may be being pre- pared for a clamp down on the opposition and the capitalist press, which has suddenly embraced the opposition may, wittingly or not, have lent itself to a provocation. At the same time, the sup- port of the bureaucracy for similar measures of oppression revolutionary against in the capitalist Marxists countries is assured in advance.
One has only to recall the manner in which the Soviet police collaborated with the Gestapo during the period of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, to the extent of handing over German communists to Hitler's hang- men. That organ of ultra-con- servatism, "The Sunday Tele- had the audacity to graph', inform its readers a week or so ago that the KGB has become more decent in its behaviour. 'A new generation of in- sophisticated telligent and officers,' it writes, 'is at least making a start with a gentler approach to the suppression of opposition.' We can be sure that the reactionaries in this country will quietly applaud the sophis- ticated officers of the KGB as they go about the job of arresting and torturing revolu- tionaries like their sophis- ticated counterparts in Ulster.
And there is plenty of evidence that they are already well prepared to carry out the same job here.
Scan page 9
The British Communist Party is making desperate efforts to hide its con- fusion and disarray over the recent Nixon-Brezh- nev talks in Moscow and the subsequent turn in Soviet foreign policy. The problem facing the British Stalinists is to dis- guise as best they can the counter-revolutionary openly alignment between the Krem- lin and the White House. In the light of the open en- dorsement of Nixon's re-elec- tion by Moscow Radio last week this task is becoming increasingly difficult. Only a few weeks ago they were describing the US Presi- dent in the most unflattering terms. Yet their leaders in the Kremlin have now decided to back Nixon for the US presi- dency in the light of whai they describe as the US ruling circles becoming increasingly aware of the realities of the world today'. Nixon's "realism', in the eyes the Kremlin, of lies in his willingness to enter into agree- limitation, ments on arms trade and collective security with the Kremlin. It manifests itself, of course, alongside the most blood- thirsty preparations to kill and maim the workers and peasants of Vietnam and to crush any section of the inter- national working class which dares to raise its hand against its exploiters. Nothing could better demonstrate the cynicism of the Soviet bureaucracy and the conscious character of its role as an agency of counter-revo- lution. The British Stalinist news- paper 'Morning Star' has made no criticism of any kind at the Soviet decision to go ahead with the summit meeting following Nixon's brutal esca- lation of the Vietnam war.
When Nixon imposed the blockade of the North Viet- namese ports, the Communist Party stated that 'unless Nixon is halted in his tracks he will take still further desperate measures' Yet the Kremlin leaders, far from 'halting' Nixon in or out of his tracks, invited him to make tracks... to Moscow as planned. Had the Kremlin leaders their bothered to read 'Morning Star' for May 10 they would have discovered that they were about to hold talks with 'a cornered crimi- nal', a man practising 'piracy a massive scale ... in on flagrant defiance of inter- national law' They might also have dis- covered that their forthcoming guest had just taken action aimed other socialist at countries as well as Vietnam' action which represented 'a danger to world grave peace. They would also have dis- covered that 'any moves' they cared to take 'to counter Nixon's aggression and con- tinue their aid to Vietnam' The Nixon-Brezhnev talks in Moscow: C would be 'completely justified'.
'Star' is not Perhaps the high priority on the Brezhnev breakfast table, because he and his fellow-bureaucrats chose to demonstrate their solidarity with the Vietnamese by inviting the 'pirate' over for secret talks. The flexible spines of the British Stalinists were con- torted another notch or two as they hastily dropped their call for moves from the "socialist countries' and con- centrated on denouncing ...
Edward Heath's support for the blockade. Now Moscow Radio has de- manded even more contortions from the British CP: its com- mentator Valentin Zorin has 'historic' endorsed the Moscow agreements as a 'credit' to the Republican Party and made it clear that • loscow: Collective security the Soviet Union will have no objection if Nixon is re- elected. said: The positive He activities of trends in the Washington's ruling circles are irreversible, they do not de- pend on the outcome of the election campaign and on whether the Republican leader will stay in the White House or whether a nominee of the Democrats will replace him.'
In other words, Nixon is entirely acceptable to Moscow as the next US President.
Only a few weeks ago, the 'Morning Star' was republish- ing without criticism Angela Davis descriptions of the US government as 'fascist'. What have they to say now that the Soviet leaders have given their blessing to another term in the White House for the 'fascist' and 'pirate' Nixon?
Workers Press, Monday June 19, 1972 PAGE 9
DID YOU KNOW?
NO DELUSIONS
"Daily The Telegraph' Reza Pahlevi is a modest man.
correspondent, At least he doesn't masonic re- seem to portedly of the suffer from the usual delusions one most underworked correspondents of public men about their own in Pleet Street, writes: popularity. Lord Harris, Grand Master, Pahlevi-otherwise known was installed for the 19th suc- as the Shah of Iran-addressed cessive year as Grand Master the International Labour Con- of the Grand Lodge of Mark ference Wednesday on at Master Masons at the Quar- Geneva's Palais des Nations.
terly. Communications at Free- And the normally fairly masons' Hall. He re-appointed free-and-easy Palais, which is of the Earl Stradbroke a security nightmare with 40 as Deputy Grand Master. entrances giving into wooded 'The Grand Master invested grounds, started to look like Dr R. Brown and a bank vault on a busy Friday.
Brig E. W. C. Flavell Grand The conference hall as was Wardens, Dr G. L. C. Colenso- off from the tightly screened rest of the building. Admission Jones as President of the General Board. It Col M. G was by invitation only. Hordes Edwardes as Grand Secretary, of Swiss plain-clothes police Mr H. D. Still as Grand Direc- and UN guards 'invited' were to fill many of the 700 public of Ceremonies and Mr tor Arthur Craddock as Assistant seats. Grand Secretary' the nail- V'e await next biting story from the intrepid correspondent.
COMFORTABLE
OVERCROWDING
Ah! That cry of over-popula- tion brings them all rushing.
but sometimes not in the right direction. Such was the bad luck of barrister peer Lord Hacking who in April made his maiden speech in the lords and urged The Shah of Iran the government to elaborate a policy on the 'over-population problem'. For some of the journalists The debate in which he present, the proceedings re- spoke came through with the called an incident during US awe-inspiring suggestion that President Nixon's journey the world average number of back from Moscow to Wash- children per family should not ington recently. exceed 2.2. One of American group Unfortunately for the noble pressmen were driving away lord, his wife Rosemary has irom Pahlevi's dinner for third produced Nixon in just their press pool car child - a son named Daniel when, rounding a sharp Robert. corner, the glove compartment Lady Hacking, speaking came open-revealing tape from their comfortable home recorder busily taking. down Berkhamstead said: 'One of in everything they said. my husband's main concerns Since the beginning of the Fortunately, is overcrowding. year at least 25 of the Shah's we have enough room for three political opponents have been children' executed. Iis air force, how Readers can breathe easily supplies from ever, once more.
LEON TROTSKY:
Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25—cloth {1.87% Where Is Britain Going? Paperback 3710 Revolution Betrayed Paperback 62½p- -cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.12|—cloth £1.87} Permanent Revolution : Results and Prospects Paperback 75p In Defence of Marxism Paperback 75p Lessons of October Paperback 60p Postage 10p per book. 3p per pamphiet. Order from:
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186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG.
Scan page 10
PAGE 10 Workers Presa, Monday June 19, 1972 30 establishment, Recently the paper of the Yorkshire high-Tory 'The Yorkshire Evening Post', published a hysterical, inaccurate and vindictive witch-hunt on the Socialist Labour League.
The main aim of the article was to separate miners from politics. The 'Yorkshire Post' has always hated the working- class movement and its sudden attack on the forces trying to build a revolutionary party is inspired by fear.
Industrial reporter Graham Wiles gave a characterization of organization specifically designed to foment the SLL as an strikes. Below we print our reply to the vicious witch-hunters.
Mineworkers in York- ciation, miners will be sur- prised and sceptical, to say the shire have got a new And they will be right! least. defender, in the shape of With the 'Post' for a friend, the 'Yorkshire Evening who needs enemies? Wiles' headed Post' and its industrial article is Agitators' (Tues- 'Schools for correspondent, a Graham day June 6). It will be recog- Wiles. Wiles nized by all miners as typical wants to defend the miners from Tory witch-hunting. Wiles tries to build up a pic- the Socialist Labour the Socialist Labour ture of League. League as a secretive society Knowing that the 'Yorkshire 'organizing meetings where agi- Evening Post' is owned by the tators are trained to prevent Yorkshire Conservative Asso- disputes, which could be set- tled by negotiation, from reach- ing the negotiation stage'.
How about the recent miners' strike, Mr Wiles? Are you going to prove, perhaps in article, that future a miners could have got their wage increase by negotiating without striking? And will you give evidence, while you are at it, that SLL 'trainees' caused the dispute?
We look forward to your reply.
According to Wiles, the SLI trains young men to 'mani- pulate mass meetings' and 'win the confidence of other men' Of the many hundreds of mass meetings which were held dur- ing the strike, which ones, Mr reached their conclu- Wiles, because of 'manipula- sions tion'? Having pinpointed SLL Cen- tral Committee member Cliff Slaughter as 'one of the chief training officers' in this fairy- land of his imagination, Wiles then says: 'During the miners' strike this year, Mr Slaughter, writing in his own name in the Trot- skyist Workers Press, etc....
indeed! 'In his own name, These Trotskyists are not just secretive, they're open about Smarting so much from the hammering they received at the hands of the miners in Jan- uary and February, these Tories would seem to have lost even the capacity for element- ary logic. Unless of course, it is just their congenital inability to credit their working-class with the ability to readers think. However, Wiles raises one question, and we interesting would like his own answer to it. He says: 'One man who has secretly infiltrated one of the training "schools" -as part of his full-time work in tracking agitators....' down emphasis) Mr Wiles would you mind telling who employs this man full-time? Can you answer those miners who are now their union asking, bran- 1n ches, just who gets paid for their members and spyllig information Mr to Or "special perhaps this investigator' is just another of Mr Wiles' product over- excited imagination. At any rate, the man, if he certainly making exISts. remarkable discoveries. He is quoted as saying: I know almost for certain that the Yorkshire was 1970 strike in 50 to 60 organized percent by three Trotskyists? One suspects that Mr Wiles was too modest to reveal him- self as the intrepid explorer who came up with this exotic piece of knowledge, and so he invented his full-time spy.
The article from Workers Press Wiles quotes stated the policy of the SLL throughout the strike: to mobilize the whole labour movement behind the miners and so make the Torv govern ment resign, paving the way for the return of a Labour govern- which would ment legislate workers' control as part of a Are there any miners who do not agree with this policy?
Did not miners learn just this lesson of the in the LouIse strike? Is it not a fact that Wiles knows that the SLL and supporters fought publicly for this line in mass meetings and with the Workers Press on the streets, every day? Pickets during the national miners' strike earlier this year. There was no secretiveness and no conspiracy, and if the Evening Post' 'Yorkshire Tories want to hatch one out now it is because they want to play their part in preparing for repressions by the Tory government. In doing this, they are not averse to falsifying and fabri- cating evidence. Referring to the 1970 strike they say that the Trotskyists in Doncaster 'had their headquarters in a terraced house from which they distributed inflammatory leaf- lets exhorting the miners to become "soldiers in the class and the "struggle for war" workers' freedom"? The quotation marks are pure fraud. These are not quo- tations from any SLL publica- tion and there was no Don- caster terraced-house HQ. We challenge Wiles to publish the leaflets in his paper. These are the methods of the Tories against the Socialist Labour League today, just as yesterday they used these methods against the miners during their strike. When Leeds postmen were on strike in 1971 and marched through the town, they turned in hate on the 'Yorkshire Post' building, condemning its slanders against the postal workers. That is the feeling of every Yorkshire trade unionist has seen his struggles who vilified by the Yorkshire Even- ing Post'. All Wiles has 'exposed' is the Tories' Yorkshire fear and hatred of the miners, and their dread of alternative lead- ership in the mines.
Scan page 11
Town's biggest employer sacks 525 TV
BBC 1
ITV
9.20 9.30, 2.05 12.40 Freud on Food. Trumpton. i.vo time Christ. Remember. 1.30 Schools. Box-Office Enchanted Skippy. 1.45 House Car- 1.SU woodentops. News. 1. 0 2.22 weather. 4.00 Boomph with Time. World. 2.33 Toon Becker. 4.40 Magic Roundabout. Good Afternoon. 3.00 Film: Ine 4.55 Secret of 4.45 Jackanory. My Success'. Blue Peter. 4.40 Yak Pardon Penelope Pitstop. My 9.44 Lasse. Adventures of Parsley. 5.50 News, Genie. 5.50 News 6.00
TODAY.
weather. 6.20
CROSSROADS
6.00
LONDON THIS WEEK.
THE DAVID NIXON SHOW
•.4l 6.20
ENTERTAINING
WITH
CORONATION STREET.
8.00
WORLD IN
ACTION.
ALCOCK
GANDER.
6.45 A QUESTION OF SPORT.
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Quiz with sporting per-
CON XT
9.00
MAN
THE TOP. The sonalities. Knacker's Yard.
7.10 Z CARS.
10.00 Nens.
8.00 PANORAMA.
10.30
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"TASTE OF
FEAR'.
Susan Ronald 9.00 NEWS, Weather. Strasberg, 9.20 DOOMWATCH. Say Knife, LeWiS. uoco meress r. scared the point to Fat Man. hysteria when she visits
10.10 THE SPINNERS.
her father South in the
10.40 24 HOURS.
France 12.00
IDEAS IN PRINT.
ATHLETE.
Regional TV 11.40 Weather.
BBC 2
CHANNEL:
2.20 2.45 Schools 'The ilm: Spy Killer 4.05 Once 11.00 Play School. 5.35 Open Puffin
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8.00 HIGH
CHAPARRAL.
The University challenge. don. 10.30 Last Hundred Miles. 11.03 Marcus Welby 11.55 Visage
8.50 HIS
de France.
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ENTER-
12.10 Weather.
TAINS.
vomedy starting WESTWARD. As Channel CaACB•L, Barker. 4.20 News. Gus Moneybun.
9.20 HORIZON.
Fierce 6.00 Diary. 6.20 Sports desk. People-the Yanomamo 10.59 News, weather. 11.55 Faith Indians. 10.05 NEWS, Weather. SOUTHERN: 2.20 My world 2.30 Good afternoon. 3.00 Good cook. 10.10
THIRTY - MINUTE
THE.
3.20 Bugs Bunny. 3.30 Lucy.
ATRE.
'Bermondsey'. By 4.00 John Mortimer. Housepartv 4.15 Hecke and Junkin. 4.55 Clap- Jeekie 4.25 10.45 1972 United States GoLr. perboard. 5.20 London. 6.00 Day Open Championship, high- 6.45 London. 10.30 lights. Afloat. 11.10 Marcus
TWS.
11.35 LATE NIGHT LINE-UP.
Welby. 12.05 Weather. Epilogue.
BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
Ransome Hoffman & Pollard Ltd WITH THE proposal by 525 of their 3,000 the Newark ball to sack employees at bearing factory, this Nottinghamshire town (total pop. 24,000) has taken a body blow from capitalism's crisis.
This makes It is ironical to think that nonsense of RHP's in the birth pangs of the capi- DiOUS RODeS we are mn pasition to take full advantage Cromwell's Toisu SVALeN of the improved business Ironsides had to blast a hole in for
DECLO
WC
LOOK
UCXI
une walls or tne royalst surong- financial year'. hold of Newark castle- -one What then about the 525 wall of which is still standing.
sacked Newark of men, many Newark-on-Trent is one , socuialisto lu vanous asoccls Midlands several small East of making bearings? (This is apart denend from further 530 at Annfield TOWNS oaC seen tirely on one big factory.
There Plain, Co. Durham and 320 at is an estimated working popula- Chelmsford, Essex.) 19,759
LION
WIOiC At last published count The Newark area, and with nearly there were precisely 71 unfilled 3,000 workers, RHP is by far the vacancies the the on books employer in the town. laiscol Local erarement orkanmovnent. Unoer „LaDOuT govern- As 31 of these were for women, ment's Industrial Reorganization that left 40 jobs be to shared Corporation, Ransome and the 525 sacked workers. Marles' amole orecsion-oearinz Com- if they possessed the appropriate pany merged with other WaC skills. British-owned bearing concerns
RHP
In with 890 unemployed fact, torm asked one Ransome men women the books When and worker why thought last month. The note unen- redundancies had come, he ployment in Newark was already
RHP
well above the • ha tion al 4.5 pointed bitterly to the new take sign factory the the anel mace avelast. WC comment. alone gives I2HTe UnIS The of the us The historical son per cent. causes catastrophe historical this. While town centre than aeeve Newark filled Nixon's measures of August Sufi WIlBO 1971, have laid the basis for a bustle Goods medieval DenCeTul market town. change vicious trade war, foreign manu- hands still on the market sauare таститего. WhO startea ModeNI- izing and rationalizing their plant flows amo money Into the tus before RHP, have moved in But behind the picturesque façade decisive change on Taer McKeES This is reflected in the group's ocen re isterea. the Brown (20), a turner interim orewart in RHP's toolroom, who served months up to March 31 this year his apprenticeship with the firm, the Fre-tax pronts TOr DeTIOC are down from £1.3m to £857,000 ext ane narse fo hava reduced turn- the threat of redundancies marginally head. Stewart lives our in the over Notts stated that home sales North Village Illlllng low in that period with Ollerton. were There On particularly conditions warning. depressed was no May 6 they were advertising in Tn e màe ne „oọ oca! the 'Newark Advertiser' for more machinery, heavy commercial vehicle workers and general Ransome and Marles, we Seclors In other words RHP, who pro- Manulacumeo aero - bearings, dece goods for consumption by avery-benrin if plain-bearings there other manufacturers, everything. was short have been hit because manu- work In one type we could drop Those OTher facturers have no confidence in back to another. their ability sell their products 'After the to malgamation we produced only over tne next lew years. olal carlos Rosemary Leach and Edward Fox are BBC 2. This one is called 'Bermondsey' HTV: 2.10 Sara and Hoppity. 2.22 My World. 2.33 Enchanted house.
2.45 Backfire. 3.45 Women. 4.15 Tinkertainment. 4.25 Superman. 4.50 Shari's show. 5.20 London.
6.01 Report West. 6.22 Report Wales. 6.45 London. 10.30 Film: 'Dr Blood's Coffin'. 12.10 Scot- land yard mysteries. 12.40 Weather. HTV Wales as above except: 1.25 Awdur A'r Mis. 4.15 Can- tamil. 6.01 Y Dydd. HTV West as above except: 6.22 This is the West This Week.
HTV Cymru/Wales as above • ex• cept: 4.15 Cantamil. 6.01 Y Dydd. ATV MIDLANDS: 2.22 My world.
3.10 Good afternoon. 3.35 Horo- scope. 3.45 Women. 4.10 Nanny.
4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55 Forest rangers. 5.20 London. 6.00 Today. 6.45 10.30 London. University challenge. 11.00 Ran- dall and Hopkirk. Weather.
The Ransome Hoffman and Pollard plant Stewart Brown: No warning This is what the Japanese make.
They are working at a loss to undercut us? AUEW convenor at RHP Newark and trades council treasurer Ron Marshall gives a blow-by-blow account of the developments up to the present.
'On May 19, without any prior consultation, the company an- nounced there would be 1,500 redundancies between the three factories. 'This is the second major redundancy in the two years since the merger. We immediately told the company we couldn't accept it. 'We called a shop stewards' Workers Press, I Fox are in the last of John Mortimer's sis rmondsey'.
ULSTER:
2.22 My world. 4.00 Let's face it. 4.30 Romper room.
4.50 News. 4.55 Clapperboard.
5.20 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 Funny face. 6.35 Cartoon time. 6.45 London. 10.30 Monday night. 10.35 Film: The Moun- tain Road. YORKSHIRE: 2.32 Good after- noon. 3.00 Film: "That Midnight Kiss'. 4.35 News. 4.40 Once upon a time. 4.55 Rovers. 5.20 London. 6.00 Calendar, weather.
6.25 Under these roofs. 6.45 London. 10.30 Name of the game.
11.55 Yesterdays. 12.25 Weather.
GRANADA: 2.20 Schools. 2.30 Dr Gannon. 3.30 Towards the year 2000. 3.55 Camera in action. 4.10 News. Peyton Place. 4.40 Once upon a time.
4.55 Clapperboard. 5.15 London.
6.00 News. 6.25 This is your London. right. . 6.40 10.30 Film: 'Fiend Without a Face'. TYNE TEES: 12.25 Mr Piper.
lard plant in Newark, Notts.
meeting and won support for a policy of complete resistance- if necessary occupying the fac- tory for a work-in if the com- pany went ahead with their plans. 'We feel particularly upset because we had just completed long negotiations for a new Measured-Day Work pay struc- and throughout the dis- ture cussions the company had not even hinted the position on orders was as serious as they say it is now. Having obtained the support of the shop stewards I called a meeting of the whole factory.
Support for our policy was over- whelming' (In fact 2,000 voted against redundancies and one voted to accept.) 'Management was told either to accept work-sharing or we would take other measures.
'Initially they wanted redun- dancies immediately, even saying they would pay people in lieu of notice to get them off the premises. 'But when they saw the feel- ing they back-pedalled. Last Monday the company met a deputation of one executive council member from each of the unions concerned. We took a and held a coachload down • Press, Mondey June 19, 1972 PAGE 11 imer's six half-hour plays tonight on 12.50 Transatlantic 1.20 race. Edgar Wallace. 2.20 Schools. ard. 2.30 Cook book. 3.00 Matinee.
6.10 4.35 News. 4.40 Once upon a me. time. 4.55 HR Punstuf. 5.20 Lon- day don. 6.00 Today. 6.25 Under un- these roofs. 6.45 London. 10.30 Times four. 11.00 Saint. 11.55 News. 12.10 Come in world.
GRAMPIAN: 2.22 My world. 3.38 News, weather. 3.45 Women. 4.10 Lucy. 4.40 Paulus. 4.55 Clapperboard. 5.20 London. 6.00 6.45 News, weather. 6.05 Dr Simon me. Locke. 6.35 Cartoon time. 6.45 London. 10.30 University chal- lenge. 11.00 Saint. 11.55 Epi- logue.
SCOTTISH:
2.22-2.33 Schools. 2.38-3.18 Class of 72. 3.30 Nuts and bones. 3.45 Dr Simon Locke.
ion. 4.10 Dateline. 4.55 Arthur. 5.20 ourLondon. 6.00 Dateline. f.15 Dick Van Dyke. 6.45 London. 10.30 University challenge. 11.00 Late per. call. 11.05 Marty Feldman.
poster parade outside the com- pany offices in Jermyn Street. It caused quite a stir. 'A joint statement from the said that the company meeting welcomed the approach of the unions to form a joint deleg- ation to see Trade Secretary John Davies to seek support for the bearing industry, and would therefore hold the redundancies back until the end of June.
Our policy of work-sharing was pressed vigorously at the meeting, but the company would not agree. 'We have been instructed by the union executives not to obstruct a policy of voluntary redundancies, although we don't agree with it. 'At the moment we have just started to discuss the possibility working of three-shift to maximize the number of jobs, but there has been no agreement yet.
"The position now is a bit of a stalemate. They won't get 500 volunteers for redundancy. It's up to us and Annfield Plain to shoulder the fight. 'We held a joint meeting with Annfield Plain and some of the staff from Chelmsford a week last Saturday. We agreed that as soon as further joint action was required it would be taken.'
Scan page 12
Special Branch agent admits infiltrating arms group Frame-up' case dropped: Home Office to hold inquiry PAGE 12 Workars Prese, Monday June 1 HOME Secretary Regin- ald Maudling has author- ized a full-scale inquiry into the Saor Eire arms trial which ended abruptly at the Old Bailey a week ago. All the charges against the five accused were dropped when the prosecutor suddenly announced on the fourth day that he was not pressing the state's case. They were freed after spending seven months in custody. Last Thursday Workers Press described the case in some detail in an exclusive article in which we raised questions as to the real identity of a Mr Parker and a Mr Lee. charged, Neither men were although the defence alleged they were implicated in the arms plot.
'The Times' Now Sunday Insight team has revealed that Parker is a Special Branch agent.
interview In with Insight, an Parker gave 'a detailed account of how he had been instructed by Special Branch detectives to infiltrate a group of Irishmen suspected of running guns to the
IRA.
'Parker told us how a detec- tive, using the false name of Dave Lee, ac. mpanied him when he first made contact with the group.' The five were arrested on November 17 last at premises in barra Road, Hikine. Theid day barrage of publicity. they appeared in court the Lon- don 'Evening Standard' carried a screaming headline: 'London hunt for IRA terror guns' and their appearance in court was headlined: 'Arms charge, gun guard for five.' When the prosecution called off its case, Clinton Davis, Simons and Company, defence lawyers, issued a statement alleging their clients had been framed by Special Branch. When • Special Branch officers gave evidence in the trial they repeatedly refused to answer questions about Parker and Lee
ADVANCE NOTICE
Socialist Labour League Publi
DON'T LET THE DOCKERS FI
DEFEND BASIC DEMOCRATIC
MAKE THE TORY GOVERNME
SUNDAY JULY 2, 7 p.m. Acton Town Hall, Acton High Street, W3. Speakers will include G. H Secretary), S. HANNIGAN (L Corin Redgrave.
ALL TRADES UNI
CROYDON: Monday June 19 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Rd. 'Marxism and the trade unions'. SOUTHAMPTON: Tuesday June 20, 7.30 p.m. Buffet room, Town Hall, Eastleigh. Build Councils of Action! NORTH KENT: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. SOGAT House, Essex Rd, Dartford. Why a Labour government pledged to socialist policies'. COVENTRY: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Woodend Community Association Building, Hillmorton Road. DAGENHAM: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Fanshawe ly sune 18, 1872
BY ALEX MITCHELL
because, they said, 'it would pre- judice the security of the state' Yesterday's Insight article says that John Parker, a man in his forties who lives in the Essex countryside, has been working for the Special Branch here and abroad for the past 20 years. He also told Insight he had been in jail. The announcement of the 'top- line' inquiry was brief. It said: 'The Commissioner of Police with the approval of the Home Secre- tary has arranged for the invest- Pickets out early in the morning at
BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
BUSMEN at Thornton Heath garage, South London, are on strike work- over new schedules which in some cases could mean a nine-hour increase in their working day.
The strike, which started on Saturday morning, made the road from Streatham to West Croy- don a 'dead road'. Services from le Public Meeting
KERS FIGHT ALONE
CRATIC RIGHTS
VERNMENT RESIGN
• G. HEALY
(SLL National GAN (London YS Secretary),
UNIONS ALLIANCE
Ave, Barking. 'Fight the Tory rents policy.
SOUTH
LONDON: Tuesday June 20, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor 'Marxism and the SW4. trade unions'. SHEFFIELD: Wednesday June 21, 7.30 p.m. 'New White Lion', Councils of 'Build Wicker. Action'. SWANSEA: Wednesday June 21, 7.30 p.m. 'Belleview Hotel' Velson Street. The dockers strike'. NORTH LONDON: Thursday 22, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers June Arms', Tottenham High Road White Hart Lane). (near igation of the circumstances so far as Metropolitan officers are concerned, which led to dis- continuance of a prosecution ai the Central Criminal Court on June 12: As is customary in all investi- gations into the police it will be carried out by other police. The two men chosen for the inquiry are Mr W. Kelsall, deputy chief constable Cheshire and Detective Chief Superintendent C.
G. Horan, Manchester and Sal- ford.
STRIKE
WORSE
SCHEDJI
THRU 20
WEEK
orning at Thornton Heath bus garage Croydon to Mitcham, Mitcham to Purley and Purley to West- minster were also hit. Busmen at Brixton, Streatham, South Croydon, Elmer's End.
and Bromley garages have refused to overrun Thornton Heath's area.
Volunteers from among the 300 striking drivers and con- ductors picketed the garage both Saturday yesterday and on morning. Johnny Creates, chairman of the Transport and General Workers' Union branch at the garage, said: "These new schedules mean working compulsory overtime and the working schedules now are longer than they were when there were trams running from this garage 21 years ago?
The strike is the first at the garage since 1958. The busmen refused a last- ditch attempt by London Trans- port on Friday afternoon to get the new schedules worked pend- ing possible revision this morning.
A mass meeting this evening will consider any new proposals man- agement has to offer.
NCE MEETINGS
'Building the revolutionary party LUTON: Thursday June 22, 8 p.m. St John Ambulance isrigade Hall, Lea Rd. 'Stalin- SOUTH EAST LONDON: Thurs- day June 22, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers' Club (opposite New Cross Stn.). 'Stalinism'.
EAST LONDON: Tuesday June 27, 8 p.m. 'Aberfeldy', Aber- feldy Street, E.14 (nr Blackwall Tunnel) 'Build Councils Action' SOUTHALL: Thursday June 29, Community p.m. Centre, Bridge Rd. 'Force the Tories to resign'. over new
FIC
AND
THE LABOUR Party rank- and-file is beginning to hit back against those MPs who voted with the Tories on the Common Market. Bradford West's executive com- mittee has voted to dismiss its prospective parliamentary can- didate, Edward Lyons, for his vote with the government.
Lyons is at present MP for Bradford East. But that con- stituency will disappear at the next election. The vote for his dismissal was carried by six votes to five. Dick Taverne, another one of the 69 who with the voted Tories last October, will tonight face a demand from his con- stituency party in Lincoln that he 'retires' at the next election.
Saturday On the 69 were described as 'a bunch of élitist mercenaries' by Ralph Wads- worth, Lincoln Labour Party vice- chairman. He was moving a resolution at the Labour Party East Midlands regional conference in Derby. It regretted the inability of parliamentary party to censure the 69 MPs. It also condemned those Labour MPs for showing 'con- tempt for the people and the party the claim to represent. he motion asked the regional council to see all the MPs in the area voted with the Labour Party on every occasion in parliament.
The censure motion was carried 192 votes to 153, despite appeals from Midlands' MPs for its rejection. Lincoln local executive is confident of a large majority against Taverne, who has repre- sented the constituency since 1962. shop
A VOLUNTARY
agency has been agreed in principle at the Neasden, London, offices of the Oxford University Press after request by the white-collar union ASTMS. These shops con- 1l of the form to Section Industrial Relations Act, but are arrived at by agreement between union and management rather than by application to the National Industrial Relations Court. Similar deals have already been made between the Co-op shopworkers' union and the
USDAW.
STANTON and Staveley workers are considering plans for a big march through Ilkeston, Derby- shire, in the against British Steel closure the Corporation plant there. They also hope to go to London for a march on 10 Downing Street. The the Stanton 1,500 men at and coke face furnaces plants redundancy over the next two years as a result of the closure ironmaking the plants of announced last Wednesday. 'We are not going down without a fight, Mr R. Dunbar, blast- furnacemen's lodge secretary told Workers Press. MONDAY CLUB'S 'mid-term report 'grave dis- expresses appointment' about the recent Industry Bill and the rise in the The number of civil servants. government has broken election promises and is fast losing the confidence of 'many loyal Con- servatives. HALF of the single women in Britain caring for elderly parents and invalid relatives did not get government's Attendance the Allowance on their first applic- ation, although they appeared to qualify for it, says a survey pub- Condiy es end Single the Man onl her Dependents. STUDENT teachers find it increasingly difficult to find for teaching practice. openings The National Union of Teachers of feels the Department and Science should Education launch an inquiry to find out the way of tackling the best new 'overcrowded problem of schools'. •
WEATHER
SOUTH WALES, south-west and central southern England and the Channel Islands will start bright but become cloudy with rain later. All other areas will have showers and some sunny inter- vals. These showers will be most frequent and heavy in the north and west with only brief bright or sunny intervals. Eastern and south-eastern will have occasional areas showers and more frequent sunny intervals. Temperatures generally below normal. Outlook for Tuesday and Wed- nesday: Changeable with rain at in most places. Tem- times peratures a little below normal.
JUNE FUND
REACHES
£453.78 ALL OUR efforts must be turned towards making the Tory government resign. Following the struggle with the miners, then the railwaymen and now the dockers, it is clear the government cannot tackle the working class head-on.
It can and must be defeated.
Workers Press is vital In pre- leadership for this paring a decisive struggle. There is not a moment to waste. Help us therefore with major effort for our June Fund.
Our total at the moment stands at £453.78 with only 12 days left to the end of the month. We need everything you can raise.
Collect as much as possible and post to: Workers Press June Appeal Fund, 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG.
HIIII
Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Published by Workers Press. 186a Clapham High Street, London.
SW4 7UG.
Printed by: Plough Press Ltd. (TU).
180b Clapham High Street. London.
SW4 7UG.