Workers Press no. 899

workers press

LAW THREAT

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY OCTOBER 20, 1972 • No 899 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Behind the TUC- Heath talks

TORY

SIT IN BEGAN

AUC I6.NATL

ACTION NOW

TO SAVE ALL

PAY-

AS COUNCIL workers yesterday joined the pay revolt, the Heath government intensified preparations to bring forward a statutory wages policy as part of a General Election campaign. The employers' side told the council workers' repre- sentative that there was no justification for so 'massive' a claim. Under government instructions they refused to make any offer.

There are now 900,000 manual workers Writing in yesterday's "Financial Times' John employed by local authorities, 110,000 Bourne. tne papers lobby editor, said. Il tais con frontation led to chaotic strike situation electricity supply workers, 194,000 govern- was held to be ungovernable, the which the country ment industrial workers, 340,000 teachers, call ar government wole DrODaD y torced to and 2,000 14,000 manual atomic workers election on the issue of seeking a "doctor's man- NALGO hospital workers who have been a package of statutory measures to con- trol inflation.' refused a pay offer from the Tories.

Both 'The Times' and the business weekly, 'City In addition three other unions-Clive Jenkins' Heath must Press, also say that white-collar union, ASTMS, the train drivers' union, eventuany dutcHe

TUC

and the ACTT-have statutory controls because although the might accept the voluntary deal, their stated their total opposition to any package worked out between Heath, the TUC and the CBI.

members won't. of Victor The most likely scenario now about to begin is In the face this reactionary trap, the this: Feather has Commons to justify his

DECI

manoeuvres with the Tories to a group of Labour • A voluntary package will be agreed between the MPs. Thursday's meeting at No three parties at next Using an extraordinary line of argument Feather told abourites that he had to co-operate with of The pore sectit stage s The Tories will stage a confrontation with one me rones To ser an examoe to me country.

snow in he did het the Tories miget c of responsibility did not, the Tories might call an election and • In the event of a mass wages struggle against the use the umons as a scapegoal. the Tories will call a election asking for a tougher mandate to bash the unions.

But the Tories could well be shaping up to do unar anyway back davreatner tones and SanTories they with they class leave the

WORKIN

ODCL

the most violent Tory backlash.

Cold shoulder nev nave no mandate WORt soever to continue these talks to help bale out the Tories at workers ware. and their standard of living. The cost COUNCIL workers are the latest ment had informed them of gov- living soaring. this Only group given Tne COlO ernment Doncy regarding the in week parliament was told that shoulder by employers because partite discussions. *Naturally we bid to control account,' he added. food prices had risen 22 per cent of government's ake this into since 'at-a-stroke' Heath came to were told that Wares une unions When Heath rushes power. Their leaders were told yester- their claim was far too high and by government could be conceded. Thes Britain into the Common Marke day on January 1 prices will undergo that the claim plovers that they would make ne would Collate another leap. reply to their £4 claim until next mean a local zzoom rise inne The day s Thu talks between the bill or 40 per Wherever workers turn today Tories and the CBI. cent they the highly

DICOCHE CUSCO

see chiefs ohn Cousins. of the Transport unev mer UnION features of the period. yesterday the employers said that and General Workers' Union, said to the of these would be subject outcome On one hand they fee the Chequers' talks. talks they would make an offer seduced by the cruel brunt of Toryism: threat of An employers' The employers the dole queue, soaring prices, spokesman ana unions will that the Department of Environ- meet again on October 30.

TURN TO PAGE 12

R 20, 1972 • No 899 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

Thornycroft men who are occupying their plant jubilant after a union move to end their sit-in was rejected yesterday, see p. 12. BRIGHT periods are expected in eastern districts with scattered showers over east Scotland and north-east England extending later to East Anglia. Generally sunny conditions are Wales, northern Eng- likely in Western land. BY and south-west Scotland and Northern Ireland

ALEX

will be bright at first, but be- come rather cloudy.

MITCHELL

It will be rather cold every- where at first, but temperatures will rise to near normal later in north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland. ( The for all trade unionists 10-30 am - Send for delegates' and observers' cre- Conference Secretary. dentials from: R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 PECAL TRAIN FROM EUSTON, LONDON, €1.50. COACHES FROM OTHER AREAS Union Branch Names, addresses and No of delegates/observers I enclose E as delegates fees Signature of secretary

workers press

LAW THREAT

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • FRIDAY OCTOBER 20, 1972 • No 899 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Behind the TUC- Hęath talks

TORY

SIT IN BEGAN

AUC IG.NATL

ACTION NOW

TO SAVE ALL

PAY-

AS COUNCIL workers yesterday joined the pay revolt, the Heath government intensified preparations to bring forward a statutory wages policy as part of a General Election campaign. The employers' side told the council workers' repre- sentative that there was no justification for so 'massive' a claim. Under government instructions they refused to make any offer.

There are now 900,000 manual workers Writing yesterday's 'Financial Times' John in employed by local authorities, 110,000 the paper's lobby editor, said: 'If this con bourne frontation led to chaotic strike situation electricity supply workers, 194,000 govern- as bably be forgey to cal which the country 340,000 teachers, menl mausural workers, would probablv covenamedl loicea lo and 2,000 14,000 manual atomic workers election on the issue of seeking a "doctor's man- NALGO hospital a package of statutory measures to con- workers who have been refused a pay offer from the Tories.

trol inflation. Both 'The Times' and the business weekly, 'City In addition three other unions-Clive Jenkins' Heath must eventually attemp! white-collar union, ASTMS, the train drivers' union, Press'. also say that TÚC the television ACTT-have statutory controls because although •Ene leaders might accept the voluntary deal, their stated their total opposition to any package worked out between Heath, the TUC and the CBI.

members won't. of Victor The most likely scenario now about to begin is face this reactionary trap, the this: reather has Commons to iustifv manoeuvres with the Tories to a group of Labour hre paluns at ack eh wisdbys meed, be aren he MPs. parties at next Us ihe La euraes dinat he hadf a comper te ther Downing Street. had to co-operate of The p Toic sector unions.

The Tories will stage a confrontation with one une l ories ser dn examoe lo me couuy. siow.

in he did họt, nhe Tohies misen c of responsibility'. Tories might call an election and did not, the • In the event of a mass wages struggle against the use the unions as a scapegoat.

government asoinn for a tou Ter is ville tol bass tae clicio Tories will call election But the Tories could well be shaping up to do aaranwwaycca cascrelcren tones nil S non Torinse their talks with they class leave the

WULAIR

the most violent Tory backlash.

Cold shoulder They no what. nave „manonte soever to continue these talks to help bale out the Tories at of exocast wOrKers waxe. their standard of living. The cost COUNCIL workers are the latest ment had informed them of gov- of living soaring Only this group given erinen Doney regaraing Ine l- week parliament told that shoulder by employers because partite discussions. 'Naturally we Was account,' he to control ake this into added. food prices had risen 22 per cent of government's bid since 'at-a-stroke' Heath came to were tod that Lae ue When Heath rushes power. Their leaders were told yester- their claim was far too high and by local government could not be conceded. Thes Britain into the Common Marker day on January 1 prices will undergo that the claim Dloyers that they would make no would Colllale another leap. reply to their f4 claim until nex mean a duoom rise

HA ENE

Tuc, dae Tories and twee talks between the authority bill or 40 per Wherever workers turn today

CBL.

the cent on present costs. they the highly see contrasting After chiefs Transport lohn Cousins. ner • tae features of the period. yesterday the employers said that and General Workers' Union, said to the of these would be su bject outcome unions On one hand they feel the seduced' by the Chequers' talks. cruel brunt of Toryism: threat of would make an ofer LAkS lIcy An employers' The employers the dole queue, soaring prices, spokesman that the Department of Environ- meet again on October 30.

TURN TO PAGE 12

Thornycroft men who are occupying their plant jubilant after union move to end their sit-in was rejected yesterday, see p. 12. casten oeriods wee secere d scattered eastern snowers over east •cocano ano north-east England extending later to East Anglia. sunny conditions are ucneially land. Western Wales, northern ang BY land. ' North s south-west Scotland and Ireland

ALEX

will be bright at first, but be come rather cloudy.

MITCHELL

It will be rather cold every- at first, but temperatures where wil rise lo rear nosna arer m north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland.

ATUA

CONFERENCE

The Way forward for all trade unionists

SUNDAY OCTOBER 22

10-30 am

TOWN HALL, BIRMINGHAM

Send for delegates' and observers' cre- dentials from: Secretary, Conference R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 POCIAL TAAM PROM EUSTON, LOMDON, $1.50. COACHES FROM OTHER AMORAX Union Branch Names, addressos and No of delegates/observers I onclase € as dologatos fees Signature of socretary

'Most favoured nation' for counter-revolutionary link-up Moscow helps out PAGE 2 Workers Press, Friday October 2l THERE IS a recurring theme in every slander campaign which the capitalist Press and Com- munist Party start against the Trotskyist movement. It is that our is movement • backed by mil- mysteriously lionaires, the CIA, or other reasure of one description o1 another. Since the 1930s these lying in- peddled nuendos have been around by the apologists for Stalinism and the reactionaries in the Tory Party. Now Ian Imrie of the 'Glasgow Herald' in his series of articles on 'The Insiders' has resur- rected this lie. He writes: 'Communists are not prepared to say who is behind financing of ultra-left the organizations ... who appear working-class to have small, memberships yet have printing and produce news- presses papers.' Imrie presents this snide little paragraph in an attempt to suggest that our finances come from foreign or 'dubious' sources. Imrie takes this 'gospel' from the Stalinists he has been interviewing and covering up for-James Reid, James Airlie, Alex Murray and Mrs Betty Reid. His articles are a crude bid to boost the Stalinists in Scotland time when they have at a committed the most monu- mental treachery on the Clyde.

• They broke promise after promise given to the UCS workers. • They allowed the break up of the four-yard or nothing policy. • They have let not only one go down the road, but man more than 2,500. • They let all the completed ships leave the yards. • They have signed an agree- Manu- with Marathon ment facturing which includes a no-strike pledge - completely line with the Industrial in Relations Act - and breaks the traditional down pay differentials and bonus systems which operate in the ship- building industry. It is no accident that at the hour of this major attack on Clyde workers, masterminded by the Stalinists, one of the most Tory and reactionary newspapers comes out of its hole to praise Reid and com- pany ... and to slander the Trotskyists. We totally repudiate Imrie's innuendo. The Workers Press, the daily organ of the SLL Central Committee is financed by its sales and the monthly appeal fund which we conduct.

supporters and readers Our unstintingly give to this fund to ensure that a revolutionary Marxist voice is heard in the workers' movement. Significantly Imrie says in his 'Mr Murray [Scottish article: CP secretary] and others are attack the prepared to not ultra-left in print.' No, they certainly aren't, Mr Imrie! Since the sham of the Moscow Trials when the Bolshevik Old Guard were framed and execu- the British ted Stalinists have afraid of political confrontation of any description with us.

From the Moscow Trials, to the Hitler-Stalin Pact, to Yalta and Potsdam, the Geneva Conven- tion of the Indo-China war, the crushing of the Hungarian May-June in Paris Revolution, and the Nixon summit in Moscow-the Stalin- ists have been guilty of the most heinous counter-revolu- tionary activities. No amount of capitalist news- print can paper over these great historic treacheries.

October 20, 1972 stars of Stalinism

BY JOHN SPENCER

ease the THE SOVIET Union and the United dirty deals States have signed a huge trade deal James Rold which will triple trade between the two countries over the next three years.

and Eastern Europe. •Morning Star' and thi ANGELA DAVIS and James Reid each in their own way When Czechoslovak vic- Tory all combined "mes The deal provides for the USSR to have of political trame-up 10 hall Reid hero tims favoured nation' 'most status in trade with of the UCS appealed to Davis to his the US and opens the way for big injections cede on their behalf her work-in. reply, given prominence by He the of American capital into the Soviet Union.

the Crechoslovak Stalinist statesmanship John Davison trial for NIsS Very Press, was resounding favourable terms have also been agreed ''No" Industry Minister. OVIC t e aviseil Warutane Reid and Angela Davis was the leader of debt to the United States.

deal was signed in 1 he adys alter Fresceu up-and- Washington Wednesday by Soviet Foreign Nixon's return from his visit the Patolichev and US Secre- Shipbuilders which has led coming Trade Nikolai Minister the break-up the being pushed forward yards, the the combined efforts of the of •Heison speeches on the fairness c accept- les anone he American legal systen ance of stringent 'no-strike' independent revolu provisions (see tionary development of the arecom rei delins. Moscow Radio, the working class. tariffs have been commuting to Moscow enable them to overcome Under the deal existing hope, in the White House visit in May, draw- results of their will be since Nixon's the the slashed to the bare minimum and Cralid cillu has given special oil, iron and natural gas isolation and backwaremess

UI C

fields. the Soviet They fear for Export-Import the Soviet Press that they would demand from their The Soviet Union has alread the growing credits to be extended to imported vast highe oWIl _class lol "communist' grain this year to compensate for standard of living. coun- which has created a bad harvest unes de balnea ov olalule ulicos the recog- contal! nave been unable conceal the President personally certifies a serious lood snollage. nized the value of close ties with they are in the national The Soviet leaders hope 10 aelgal al the pontical gains ine.

Kremlin agency According to the White House, materials for have result their exchange raw towards the colnier-revonton They turn hinished consumer crecits are ike to de extended very soon to finance US contracts From 1952 to Nixon nave aamittea tnal current pian.

as vice-president to the some $500m expand the consumer-goeds political served tune _that the price behind deal will be presented for industries are seriously to the international work elec- provide eguipment for the disennower dominisuaion, ted to fight the three evils 'Com- lorry factory on the Kama River.

saneame munism, Korea and corruption'.

Teams of US industrialists American imports will, they ing class. Stringent embargos were mn trade with the Soviet • Europe sustent home a massive witch-hunt the Communist Party against waged by Nixon's was Senator Joseph McCarthy. Nixon has not changed his spots. He is the butcher of Indo- DR

HENRY

KISSINGER,

A Saigon government spokes the Nixon's special adviser, Thieu hac Lilla. Orralicci and rejected the proposed three-part American abol Vietnam's President South movement and the representative a political solu government Nguyen Van Thieu met for most sections the ton to uc wal three and a half hours of The come the Stalinists Saigon Time He talks in yesterday allles there has beer specula against the revolutionary danger wien morning. A further 98 min- the tion that end of the from the working class. The trade war 1s intransigent position talks took place in utes or The North Vietnamese and near. on this the axrecment sets ocal multan ane ponca questions the afternoon. the National Liberation Front in counter-revolutionary alliance.

'We must say' he went on, 'that South Vietnam demanding are the Nixon Administration refuse Commander-in-Chief It clears the way for the forth- US armv Thieu's security con- General Creighton Abrams and coming tion for any peace settlement.

DUL

al. Lull US ambassador Ellsworth Bun- and traitor ference designed to formalize the abandon Nguyen Van Thieu. The Hanoi delegation at the Kissinger status quo in curope ana Dring KeT

LOUK

Darl Paris where together Stalinist and capitalist came straight from Paris peace : talks held a specia Speaking in a confident mooc the European had talks with North Press conference at which against to French journalist Jean Nguyen Thanh Le accused Observa- the Lacouture of "Nouve teur', Pham Van Dong, successor Uncle claimed victory, over. Pham Van Dong said that the unity and the vitality of the North had people of vietnam A EUROPEAN Economic Com- A CRY of alarm has gone Deer decs ve mission report makes the same Nixon escalation had caused European up. from west ruthless more serious damage than that o point about Japanese shipbuilders who being competition and calls for the had beer the wall by the driven to for medium-sized tankers, claims measures 'to maintain a sufficient better prepared. Japanese drive to dominate the report. worst trials were already of the Community The organization had on ane the world shipbuilding indus- behind, he said. Speaking of the Dallku undertaken to charter upwards and to incite the Ninpon negotiations insisted try. ocalt give up their ambitions that American bombing must enc issued by the Asso- A report hegemony on the other'. and the blockade be lifted. clation auropean

THE

GERMAN

says Japanese engineering 1021 builders says: "The results of con- profitable than Ministry of Transport is out to industry is less establish Japanese shipbuilding to communism 50 Distail ensure that at least per cent Eurone _The ропсу, Souln, bul Lo and Japan, or une uac to ano lom abal their government, has been peace, the end of foreign shall be under the national flag by the series of economic crises the independence and neu- West German government The 'lhe

•TOI

trality. European

WESL

Is uneer surone pressure give . inaustry, ana only support Iron This required a 'government vehicles more state aid to the shipbuild sectors except governments has up to now pre- Yards with foreign concorde' ing industry. of vented the closing large DaSIN the so-called 'third force was worst of all general In oraer. ale continuel number of vards in west Euro.

but neutralists would play an essen.

financial support, the engineering. pean countries' industry wants subsidies similar Lal pall Depression and inflated costs those received by Japanese An NLF broadcast on Wednes- have hit European shipbuilders day said: 'Peace will come imme- of 50 tankers to west European ano omner tore e competitors leaving which are mostly diately if Nixon abandons his Italian yards, books of many yards. prices abandons aggression, the current world price. period Japanese state-owneu. ale oule same 'The The report warns: additional money to extena exist.

the tramor neu ane aows shipbullalng continued Ilas ing yards and build new ones.

Vietnamese to settle their affairs expand at Jananese shipbuilding industry a rate themselves national betweer give it 80 ner cent of the world's backed by the government up ne noanese nave no intenuiun business by the end of the 1970s.

with necessary support- of letting up Concoru. will There has been no let up programme Japan Cadel the fighting, especially around position and built yards to meet the grow- on reports only as a contrmation of world snipbuliding. demand tankers. It calls for European govern- where Us nane giant their success ana an Invilation to 1l1g ments to take immediate steps to do even better as the trade war attacking forces only 15 miles also bullders have from the capital. offered highly-competitive prices meet tas antence.

David Maude again refused entry by Industrial Correspondents' Group THE ANTI-communist frequently sentative of the Workers that ban the nave — aceouate .ner ween Their Workers Press should con- governmental Press confer- Press out of the : lobby for campaign being con- early release of par- independent political 1casons unut wascooted ov ducted by representa- committee without a single Jallellary Work -cass vorte But this squalid anti other state documents and vote against it. communism is beginning tives of the establish- She arest • GeCISIOn entry to briefings by Mini- defended taken by a 17 to 14 vote at look a bit threadbare. Costella lalel sters and committee's recom- against the scryallis lobby meeting o Iwo years the Alicall Press has mendation at the full group shoe workers could Workers Press is con- Ders. ol une ourna wing in the recent past been de- meeting justified lists voting to continue the majority of nearly 30 for nied access to major politin tinuing. ban were representatives out the Workers CommuLes recommenda- Press. Now tion grounds that cal events uke some or une of just … on the Press their maiorit This in- newspaper's post-Chequers Press con- a secret ballot held among 'The Times' and the Daiv is down to three. dustrial correspondent ferences tripartite the members had ended Telegraph' group. One of the three absten- David Maude talks, and thus 23-23 tie and all • 4111• The proprietors of these tions which kept David again been refused mem- failed to show a majority portant Tory mouthpieces the Maude that the labour movement has was favour Maude's bership une been the partly silenced. mese DersolD Tee. MICk costello Industrial Corre- entry. and these for journalists, who 'Morning Star', the group Thus the bar Stalinist con- spondents' Group, the only get membership be- chairman. on Maude's membership of the spiracy against equivalent in industrial the lobby, of the they Caust In the earlier workers movement con matters of the parlia- not because Nor. Ministers can avoid a ker committee meeting tinues, only this time any individual merits. Costello mentarv lobbv questioning again "rea or nostile once Membership this their and the for actions not unknown to propose that Maude 'Morning Star' It Is closed shop vital if Press capitalist avoid can for lines up with the most re- JournalIstS acceler membership to vote to keep the repre- unfavourable comparisons And the recommendation actionary Tory newspapers.

Dae s represenauve to T&GWU members leave a mass meeting at the Llandarcy oll refinery, Sir Tufton South Wales. Teachers have a right to Beamish to quit Refinery men wait right to be

COLONEL

Sir Tufton Beamish, consulted headteacher Tory MP for Lewes, Sussex, to hear pay offer about matters waich anect them. nounced night that he last the National Union of Teachers the next says today in a declaration. sland General Election. individual teachers should be Sir Tufton Beamish (55), chair- consulted on matters which affect MANAGEMENT at the BP

T&GWU

district of the Conservative Group them their work: the staff should b Arthur North, together with Europe, refinery at Llandarcy, Swansea,

TOT

sala in a statement consulted maller. negotiating his local executive that he colice the school in general have promised to make a cash members, were given the IolloW- wished give time The union welcomes the grow- ing management statement: offer next Tuesday in reply to ing number of schools interests outside wane which he was 'still fit and comparatively the 'Consequent the inter- staft share in their workers' pay claim.

upon Lne decision He is a director of several young. pretation placed Mr • North making. companies and About 700 of the 2,000 the Lude cocunnel he last election, had The employed the plant had referring Prong detent this majority of 18,688 over Labour. theat reused to mate an ofer interpretation Strike still hovers at from that used by ment refused make hitherto ADMIRAL Sir Michael Maynard Tory-TUC talks prepared former Commander-in- company, we are Denny, on pay. re-examine our position in this Fleet MANAGEMENT at the Gestetner Chief Home and Com- context.' Eastern factory at Tottenham, north, Alan. But those involved, members

(NATO)

in 1954-1955. who John Thomas, national delegate Workers® Transport and General London, yesterday held urgent died April, aged left for the oil refinery heard Union, $59,359 £58,628 net Department of workers' section, told Workers ross his (duty talks Wild meeting walking out to a mass £10,180), in published that Will Employment conciliator and a that the management had recon- Press the Wildl negotialile Hampton retirement, Sir yesterday. sidered their committee was looking for was position after talks lapsed engineers' union member Michael, offer in of the of cOllaze oficials will unlon Ampney, became over emplovees' threat to strike if proposed by premier

DOWN

(rOS 1 ors They voted defer strike chairman of Cammell Laird until the man started work Heath. until after Tuesday's 1966. He left all his Union action property to representatives retused • See prison officers' claim p. 10.

his wife Lady Sara Denny.

to meet the conciliator. meels.

PAPERBACKS CENTRE

Here's where In the. heart of to buy books 28 Charlotte St London's London W1 West End Leon Trotsky

BOOKS • PERIODICALS • NEWSPAPERS

• Press, Friday October 20, 1972 PAGE 3 LOW WAGES, long hours and weekend working on are bringing a the farm sharp swing of young workers away from the land. They are the main reasons why nearly 17 per cent of farm workers under 25 intend to leave the industry by 19/5, says a discussion paper published today by the National Economic Development Office. The drift of young workers from the farm is most acute in East Anglia, where 26 per cent plan to leave. In the north west of England the figure is only 9 per cent. About 40 per cent had gone into farm work out of interest in tarmıng, and another 25 per cent because thev were brought up on a farm, says the paper. The difference between wages in farming and in other indus- tries was the main reason for leaving. 'As a youth the farm worker's wage is only 15 per cent below that in road haulage and con- struction, but as an adult the wage difference could be as much as 56 per cent it says.

To slacken the rate of drift would require a 'package deal" on wages, hours and overtime.

'Improving only one grievance would have little effect.'

By 1980 number working the full-time farms on would decline by about 45 per cent to 264,000 workers, the paper says. The number of farmers fall by 24 per cent to will 132,000. 'Whether a workforce of this size is sufficient to achieve needed production in agriculture in 1980 depends on the ability of the industry to increase labour and productivity by the use amproved inputs to farmine technological other advances and improvements in managerial efficiency. 'Current evidence that suggests the industry will be able to meet production targets, but only if there is no further increase in the rate of decline in the work force.' But it adds: 'A qualified teacher is a professional, and as a professional has rights as well as responsibilities. 'These include the right to make a contribution not only in the shape of his own work in the classroom, but also to the general development of the work and policy of the school' " Last week the lapsed member was suspended after a protest sit-in by members of his depart- ment. All 1,300 workers threaten to stop if the man starts work without paying. up his back subscriptions.

NOW OPEN

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

THE JAY LOVESTONE

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Friday Oclober : From Stalinism... to the CIA In 1950 the World Fed- eration of Free Trade passing, Unions was among other things, reso- lutions against British colonial repression. So it was split, along Cold War lines. The relationships inside the international trade union movement were decided by the relationships between British and American ruling classes and the Soviet bureau- cracy, not by working-class interests. When the master is friendly to Moscow, the servile labour bureaucrats can follow — though in cases such as George Meany, they are some- times a little siow to catch on.

In fact, even where differ- ences have arisen between the TUC leadership and the AFL-

CIO,

they have sometimes tended to reflect conflicts be- in Africa. On more than one occasion, the TUC found itself cast as the defender of the British against the Commonwealth 'anti-colonialist' American unions out to extend US influence! The leaders of one particu- lar British trade union seem to have managed particularly well maintaining co-operation at with the sort of American union international activity that jay Lovestone has direc- ted-the General and Muni- cipal Workers' Union. (Re- cently it was in the news when Andrew Cunningham, a prom- inent union ofticial in the north east, was named in the Poulson bankruptcy case.) The

GMWU

bureaucracy appears to have not confined itself to activities in Britain.

There was for example, Lord Cooper's trip to Africa in 1959, Arnold Zander, along with then leader of the American • of State County, Federation and Municipal Employees, and a man who has admitted to acting for the CIA Furthermore, it is interesting to note that in the early 1960s, when the CIA was pouring money into Kenya to subsidize Tom the G&MWU Mboya, ( happened to station its 'over- officer' in Kenya, to seas 'advise' the Kenya Federation of Labour on the organization of municipal employees and government workers. was James Johnson, This whose industrial experience then was that he was an ex- schoolmaster. Since his job in Kenya, Johnson has been an Ar adviser to the Liberation gov- ernment (noted for its corrup- tion and its ties with US busi- ness) on student affairs, and then became Labour MP for Hull West. He is a member of the Fabian Commonwealth Bureau. In 1969, yet another com- mittee appeared in which Jay Lovestone figures. This is the British North America Com- pany. So far as can be gathered its pronouncements, this from committee is concerned, with relations between Britain and the USA, particularly as they might affect big business in- terests operating in both con- tries, and as they might be October 20, 1972 the CIA. By Charles Parkins. Part T affected by the Common Mar- or by nationalization ket, policies etc. Actually, the BNAC is rather discreet about just what it is or does. Its policy statement, 'Purposes and Projects BN4', 'common in- refers the of Britain, the

USA

"issues and Canada, and to which might cause friction' goes on to speak of achieving a consensus between groups to be that are supposed opposed, such as capital and labour, then goes on to say that its work is 'free from the glare of publicity and public pressure of political forces' Perhaps the most interesting of BNAC's documents is one entitled 'International Econo- mic Questions facing Britain, the United States and Canada in the 1970s, BN l'. This docu- ment refers extremely favour- ably to the growth of big in- ternational companies, then refers to the 'problem' of gov- ernment interference, saying: •Discussion of this problem in recent years has unfortun- ately tended far too much to accept the rights of govern- ment to interfere for its own frequently myopic and nar- rowly partisan purposes and to stress the obligations of the international corporation to enslave itself to the political sensitivities of the governments and politicians of the countries in which it operates.: The author of this docu- ment is one Harry G. Johnson, London a Professor at the School of Economics and at the University of Chicago. He is one of the BNAC academics.

Another is Charles F. Carter, of Lancaster vice-Chancellor University, noted for his en- for business educa- thusiasm tion and the business-like running of education, whose university was the scene of a long conflict earlier this year, alleged victimization of over left-wing staff. Johnson's document has other interesting things to say.

On the 'freedom' of the mono- example, polies, for he observes: 'Friction is likely to be particularly important in Britain, where government has long been accustomed to treat private industry as a compliant tool of national and social policies: . In view of Johnson's clarion call for the liberation of the big corporations, it is not sur- prising that you will find the representatives of a number of these companies in BNAC. Among them are Tom Kille.

fer, a vice-President of Chrys- ler; Harold Sweatt, chairman of Honeywell; Joseph Flavin of Xerox; Sir David Barran of Shell; and such figures also as Sir Maurice Parsons of the Bank of London and South America; and CLS Cope, over- seas director of the Confedera- tion of British Industry.

What is interesting to note is that these capitalist gentle- men, and many others, are joined in BNAC by a number of people from the • trade • unions. Lovestone is joined by his old co-worker, Arnold Zander, now no longer a trade union official (his members managed tó get rid of him a few years ago), but a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin. Arnold Zander's companion on that CIA-financed tour of Africa, Jack (now Lord) Cooper in BNAC. He's still is also running his union, of course.

Part Thirteen Top: Lord Cooper of the General and Mi George Meany of the AFL-CIO pictured A founder member of BNAC was the late Les Cannon of the ETU-expert on 'ballot riggers' posthumously etc., who was for his services to knighted nation' and whose will che disclosed that he left £30,000.

Other figures include Lord Collison, former leader of the P Agricultural Workers, who be- came head of the Supplemen- tary Benefits Commission, G.

F. Smith of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers, now in UCATT, and James Con- way, of the AUEW. Quite a selection! Isn't it nice to think that Jim Conway has been working away to get ral and Municipal Workers' Union. Above: pictured in the early 1960s.

consensus in BNAC along with such people as Lord Howick, director of Swan who is BNAC chair- Hunter, man? In fact, it would be interest- ing to know just how far the consensus has gone in BNAC.

Particularly when one reads Professor Johnson saying has things such as: 'There been questioning of whether the functions that have been assumed by the state in respect of social security, medical care and so forth ... continue to appropriate in a be more literate, professional and priv- ate wealthy society' On this and other questions, Johnson and

BNAC

seem to nave anucipatea tne poncies or the Tory while government, their idea of co-operation tween trade union leaders and big capitalists also being 1S tried by Heath now-assisted by the collaborators in the labour movement

INFLUENCES

The working class is entitled to know just how much of a reached-'tret consensi from the glare of publicity, of

BNAC.

course-in time that all the activities of these union leaders were subjected to the glare of publicity in the movement. Right-wing union bureau- often fond of crats are very talking darkly about the threat of 'outside influences' in the trade union and labour move- ment. In describing the career and manifold connections 01 Jay Lovestone, we have shown what the real alien influences of are- -the interferences big business, through the elements it subsidizes, and through the work of its state intelligence services in corrupting and be.

smirching workers' We have also tried to show Lovestone's case, now, as in and in those who have helped him, the influence of 1S bourgeois ideology, into the vacuum when there is no development and struggle for Marxism, which opens the way to the other corruption.

Today the crisis of capitalism makes the betrayals the right-wing leaders their collaborators stand out more sharply than The work- ing class, both in the United States and in Britain, can make big, revolutionary advances. It out from ItS OWI must clea camp the ideological and actual agents of imperialism in order forward

CONCLUDED

In 1964, the "Trotskyist' Lanka Sama Samaja Party joined a 'United Left Front' government with Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike's bourgeois who visited Ceylon during the coalition period, analysed the degeneration of the LSSP in the pamphlet 'Ceylon: The Great Betrayal'-still available from New Park Publications. This four-part series by JACK GALE examines

CEYLON: THE GREAT BETRAYAL CONTINUES

In 1964, the "Trotskyist' Lanka Sri Lanka Freedom Party. SLI in the pamphlet 'Ceylon: The some of the significant politic

PART THREE

The minority, which walked out of the June 1964 conference of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in opposi- tion to the leadership's class - collaborationist decision to join Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike's government, undoubtedly acted correctly. The minority, in fact, had submitted a resolution to the Unified Secretariat almost a year earlier warning of the dangers of the 'United Left Front', but this was suppressed by the Unified Secretariat lead- ers for several months. (By this time, the effective leadership in Paris was in the hands of Ernest Mandel and Pierre Frank, who were in the process of expelling Michel Pablo.) The minority declared: "The working class and the broader revolutionary masses of tomor- row must not be led to believe that their salvation lies in put- ting a so-called "Left Front" in office, but in organizing and uniting for direct mass action against [Mrs Bandaranaike's] Sri Lanka Freedom Party government and the other forces of capitalism in Ceylon on the road to a workers' and peasants' government.' When they finally published this resolution, the Paris lead- ers did so without a word of comment. The minority broke from the LSSP leaders with- out assistance from Mandel, Frank or Joseph Hansen of the Socialist Workers Party of America which, because of the Voorhis Act, is not directly affiliated to the Unified Secre- tariat. However, the break from Dr N. M. Perera only opened the possibility of reconstructing the revolutionary party in Ceylon.

To carry that through required from complete break the al revisionists of the Unified Sec- retariat. The Socialist Labour League warned at the time: 'One can- not separate the problems of * Lanka Sama Samaja Party joined a rty. SLL secretary G. Healy, who vi n: The Great Betrayal'-still availab : political events since then.

the LSSP revolutionary wing from this degeneration. These comrades are aware that a lot of discussion has to take place about what happened in the international movement since 1953. 'Apart from a few • brief written words and odd notes about international work there has been no serious discussion in the LSSP on such problems for almost ten years. Many comrades who support the minority are only now begin- ning to realize the relations between the international and national degeneration of the Fourth International founded by Trotsky in 1938. 'The future of the revolu- tionary • wing depends mainly now upon a serious study of this relationship." However, this essential step was not carried out by the LSSP(R). It refused to break from Pabloism and in 1964 was recognized as the official section of the Unified Secre- tariat in Ceylon. The refusal to carry out a serious theoretical study of Pabloism and to break from it in practice led to the inevi- table degeneration of the organization. The disastrous consequences have been seen clearly in the last two years.

By the end of 1970, the coalition government—consist- ing of the bourgeois SLFP, the pro-Moscow CP and the rene- gade Trotskyist LSSP—was in financial crisis. Ceylon had external debts of $582m and couldn't even pay the service charges. The World Bank was pre- pared to extend further loans, but only on condition that a savage austerity programme was imposed on the Ceylonese To achieve this, the masses. opposition of the workers, peasants and-above all-the youth, would have to be crushed. On March 15,, 1971, the government claimed that mem- bers of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Peoples' Lib- tration Front) had attacked the American Embassy. This attack was a govern- ment provocation. It enabled of Bandaranaike to declare a state who visited Ceylon during the coali available from New Park Publicatio of emergency, which included the death penalty for unlawful assembly. With military and financial aid from America, Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Yugoslavia, the govern- ment launched a full-scale war on the JVP. Thousands of youth were killed as the army and police murdered, raped and pillaged.

'New York Times' The reported decapitated bodies floating down the rivers.

Throughout this period and the Pabloite Unified since, Secretariat put forward ludic- rously exaggerated claims for the role of its Ceylon section -the LSSP(R)-and its secre- tary Bala Tampoe, who was also secretary of the 30,000- Ceylon Mercantile strong Union. magazine The Pabloite 'Intercontinental Press (edited by Joseph Hansen) actually claimed on May 3, 1971, that the state of had emergency been declared because of 'the emergence of a revolutionary United Front between the JVP and the LSSP(R)? 'At that time the JVP was holding mass rallies of 5,000 to 10,000 while youth LSSP(R), on its own admission, had some 50 members. On June 24, 1972, the 'Intercontinental Press' alleged that 'most opposition was inti- midated into silence. There were some exceptions, such as the Ceylon Mercantile Union, led by Bala Tampoe'. The British Pabloite paper 'Red Mole' made a similar boast on july 10, 1972: "The the Ceylon LSSP(R), through Mercantile Union in which it has a solid base, has by con- trast consistently criticized the government and demanded an end to the state of emergency regulations.' But these very claims expose the Unified Secretariat. In the course of the state of emer- gency some 16,000 people were arrested. to the According 'Ceylon Daily News, the only charge against 4,000 of these they had attended was that JVP-organized classes. Thousands more were jailed without charges of any kind, since the army and police had Workers Press, government with Mrs Sirimavo Ban he coalition period, analysed the deg blications. This four-part series by J powers of arbitrary arrest.

Rohan Wijeera, leader of the JVP, was arrested on March 13. Within a week 350 JVP national and local leaders were behind bars. According to Jack Baker, general secretary of the Aus- tralian Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists, who visited Ceylon, between 3,000 and 4,000 trade union officials dis- appeared. These included offi- cials of unions which openly supported Bandaranaike. Members of the pro-Moscow Communist Party and the LSSP were thrown into jail even were in though their parties the government. The top four leaders of the Ceylonese Fed- eration of Trade Unions - dominated by the pro-Chinese Communist Party - were arrested. Yet only one executive mem- ber of the Ceylon Mercantile Union (T. Premasiri) was imprisoned Bala Tampoe retained com- plete freedom of speech and movement throughout the emergency. This was not con-• fined to Ceylon. In April- May 1971, he was allowed to travel to Australia to speak at a National Anti-War Confer- ence. It must be said that the 'consistent LSSP(R)'s criti- cism' of the government was extremely mild. On May 14, 1971, the Cey- lon Mercantile • Union sent a gentle rebuke to Mrs Banda- ranaike: 'We think it neces- sary to draw your attention to certain emergency regulations that have opened the door to police and military terrorism against the people. These renegade Trotskyists' There is wide- continued: spread belief that "excesses" and even atrocities have been committed by police officers and members of the armed forces.' When Mrs Bandaranaike contemptuously rejected this, the CMU tried again: 'Does it serve any • useful purpose to regard the rebels as criminals, who have intimi- dated and murdered innocent people, raped and looted and indulged in kidnappings and ra Press, Friday October 20, 1972 PAGE 5 vo Bandaranaike's bourgeois the degeneration of the LSSP ies by JACK GALE examines Top: Bala Tampoe (foreground) leader of the Ceylon Mercantile Union, member of the LSSP(R) and the man who briefed World Bank president McNamara when he visited Ceylon this year.

arson, even if some of them may be proved to have com- mitted such acts? 'Is the view that the young rebels should not be regarded as "terrorists" and that they are deserving of humane treat- ment, a view that cannot be i seriously in a country taken where the teachings of the Buddha are revered?' 'Red Mole' also considered that the soft could answer turn away wrath. On January 24, 1972, a letter signed by, among others, Ernest Mandel, Alain Krivine, M. Rocard, Tariq Ali and Robin Black- burn, began: •Without wanting to take a position with regard to the armed clashes which recently occurred in Ceylon . . . the undersigned are profoundly perturbed.' But much more was involved on- than false boasts and an 'opposition' more in tune with ecclesiastical liberalism than with Marxism. At the beginning of 1972 president Robert McNamara, of the World Bank, visited Ceylon. His purpose was to the Ceylonese that ensure government had satisfactorily created the conditions for con- tinued World Bank assistance.

Reporting this visit, Joseph Hansen's 'Intercontinental Press' of February 14, 1972, delivered itself of a comment breathtaking in its audacity: 'Mr Robert McNamara, pre- sident of the World Bank, appeared to be very well briefed on the Ceylon situa- tion.' McNamara had indeed been well briefed - by one Bala of the Tampoe, secretary LSSP(R), secretary of the CMU and member of the Interna- tional Executive Committee of the Unified Secretariat. The evidence for this is con- tained in the transactions of the Unified Secretariat itself.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

' 'Ceylon: The Great Betrayal'.

G. Healy (1964).

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Friday October 20, 1972

BY ALEX MITCHELL

Police The National nothing kept on file. If was the officers one ot went on Computer Bank being holiday we were left without Hendon, established at any information. The situation north London, will store was ludicrous,' he said. data on more than 2 mil

LIFE

lion citizens.

HISTORIES

What information is kept on the computer about each indi- There Professor Alan Westin, vidual not known. now •19 conducting will certainly be the obvious series of aca- things—full date and demic investigations in Britain name, st of birth, known on the use of computers in place address and even physical de- local government, has written •Big scription. extensively on the Brother" the police techniques But will com- used in

ALL

of the US. puterize its records private citizens? If so, the files Westin says that the private of will contain political informa- lives of of millions Tens Americans are stored on com- tion. It will also include informa- both and puters, private tion of any political grouping governmental. The Retail Credit Company to which a person belongs, his maintains of dossiers on 42 million people. record trade union mili- In files of the and the names of his the security tancy Pentagon listed 14 mil- associates. are information is not lion life histories and in those If this specifically included the of the civil service 8 million. in The FBI refuses to disclose bank when it opens computer its 1974, then it soon will be. figures, but its number of in The Home Office cannot dis- personal records is reckoned be 20 Of the fact that it is now to about million. guise these, at least 100,000 are de- spending more money and scribed as 'reds'. appointing more personnel on Special Branch work. Sensing the necessity of the The Special Branch is not state increase its surveil- a regional squad; it is the only lance techniques, the larger national branch of the police computer corporations have force and the quick transmis- expanding know- been their sion of its information how by from constructing even more sophisticated data banks.

one centre to the next is re- The Precision Instrument garded as an essential techno- Company of Palo Alto, Cali- logical requirement. Plans police data has demonstrated the for fornia, the bank were announced in 1969 model of a new laser process capable of putting 645 million by the late Lord Stonham, a bits junior Labour minister at the of information on one square inch of tape. Home Office. containing He couched the announce- single unit one 4,800 foot reel of one-inch ment in extravagant praise about the need for the police plastic tape, using the laser will be to keep pace with the modern process, memory scineme would be ind thurated capable storing in digital orm up to 20 pages of data- in 1971 as part of Labour's hat is, about 5,000 words of -for every man, woman great drive against crime.

typing The scheme was nothing of and child in America. the sort. It was the fulfilment Any information needed long-cherished of from an individual's dossier of aim the ruling class to establish a could be extracted in not more than four minutes, public surveillance while national dossier could be system along the lines de- the entire printed out for despatch to an veloped by the

FBI

in inquirer in a few more min- America. utes. Ten such reels could pro- The police and the army had learnt through bitter ex- vide 200-page dossiers on the 100 Ulster that the entire population while perience in could of basic intelligence reels record their life lack in- formation-names. addresses, histories from birth to death!

fingerprints, photographs, and Writing about these de- Nigel political associations - is a velopments, iournalist Calder has said: 'Government serious handicap when attempting to smash social un- departments will presumably make rest. wholesale use of the When the first officers of thereby increasing system ficienret in their and making army intelligence arrived Ulster they were astonished to better use of the information find that the local Special known severally to them. The Branch and army had so little authority and power of the state will be increased and, to information on the republican the de. and civil rights organizations.

extent that various 'We had to start from keep tabs on citi- the partments beginning, one suveillance of the activi- officer army zens. ties of citizens will intensify' stated. said that He the

RUC

Calder concluded by de- operated the of scribing the basis that emergence on officers *an infra- various senior had these techniques as structure of tyranny. 'special knowledge' of leaders The unit masterminding the in one or two groups. But police data bank in Britain was set up under the direction of the Labour Cabinet in 1964.

One of the leading lights in this little known the outnt. Police Scientific Development Branch, is Mr Geoffrey Philips, a physicist who three years ago transferred from an army research establishment to 'the science of internal security'.

Beginning with only a hand- ful of personnel, this obscure branch annual now has an £750,000 budget. Only recently opened laboratories new north of St Albans. Commenting on the branch's rapid Time, growth, the 'Financial said recently: "The scientists work closely with in- dustry, usually with companies experienced in advanced tech- niques for national defence.

A few weeks ago they began the experimental stage €500,000 Birming- scheme ham, with Ferranti as their in- dustrial which an partner in police force of 2,500 entire hundreds men and some of vehicles has been brought under the control of a central computer, complete with visual Hand In hand with the Nattonal Computer Intelliger of displays for the inspectors at Hendon goes the traditional police the of each sub- recourred against demonstrators at the 'OZ' division. The computer is kept constantly informed the and whereabouts of each man vehicle the beat, through on radio to his sub-divisional con- troller, who relays the inform- ation to the data bank. In this provides way the computer visual display police sub-division resources reat has received a 9b call.

The electronic control room at Birmingham police station which records the movement all police vehicles the area was built by Ferranti and financed by the Home Office. 1his Is only one or a num- of be- ber joint enterprises tween the government and pri- Britain's vAne police surveillance in growing dustry. lesser worked with the Sussex police and Sussex County Council ( to build special traffc watching device along a section of road in the constabulary. Delfont's

EMI

is Reynard working on a laser sensor for revealing footprints in carpets.

The most important detec- tion study is being handled Ferranti. The company Computer Intelligence system being established experimenting with a system seen (1op) methods of physical force for computer - matching of " trial In 1971. Above: control room Birmingham.

fingerprints. It has been a difficult problem: the main obstacle is the subtle differ- ence between prints left on the scene of a crime and those on the official record. The opening of the computer centre based near the. Hendon Police Training College has been postponed on several occasions. The reasons for this are both complex and revealing.

First of all the project has turned out to be much more formidable than first antici- pated Files in the Criminal Records Office (CRO) at New Scotland Yard are gigantic and punching them on tape for storing in the computer's memory has turned into a monumental task. Those working the on were also faced with system the problem of what inform- ation to store and what to delete. Would there be political repercussions if the police computerized an entire CRO including material which could be considered political? And much of the inform- ation on police records is out of date. (Probably a lot more is downright inaccurate!)

Although most of the data is centralized at the Yard, this only covers the metropolitan area. How on earth would the files of Liverpool, Manchester, mitted to code? quickly com- Newcastle be What sounded like a good idea to the police at the time rapidly turned into a bureau- cratic nightmare with literally millions of pieces of inform- ation needing to be reduced to computer symbols.

POOLED

DATA

Another unforeseen obstacle was the resistance of chief constables to share their intelligerice systems with neigh- bouring constabularies. As is Britain is known, divided into a number of con- stabularies each with a separate chief constable directly respon- sible to the local authority.

These bodies are fiendishly jealous of their own patch and relations with other forces is often frosty. When the suggestion was made that data should be pooled in a national computer, Workers Press, Friday ( many constabularies baulked.

In particular they were con- cerned about sending their files to London where the amount of police corruption is notoriously high. It is interesting to recall that earlier this year a senior Lancashire officer, Harold Prescott, brought was to London to conduct an inquiry into a drugs scandal involving officers in the metropolitan force. It was common know- ledge that during his inquiries -most of them conducted undercover - Prescott had great difficulty in gaining the co-operation of his London colleagues. the Rightly or wrongly provincial forces thought that information they supplied to the national data bank might find its way into the wrong hands. How this wrangling has resolved itself Workers Press has been unable to find out.

But the overriding consider- ation today is that the Tory the bank government wants opened and in operation and as fast as possible. No money or manpower is nputer, being spared to get the com- rkers Press, Friday October 20, 1972 PAGE 7 puter complex in action. The Tories will ride completely over the petty jealousies of the various chief constables to establish the kind of national surveillance they want. As the crisis of British capitalism worsens, as unem- ployment and grows prices soar, the Tories know that they will face civil unrest on a massive:-scale. To deal with this situation they need all the tools of repression at their disposal. Already moves are afoot to set up a French-style CRS force which will operate at any heashpoints o-a medder.

specially-armed trained 'heavy mob' will oper- ate on a national basis. That is to say it will be free to move from one county to the next to deal with demonstrators and strikers. Hand in hand with this physical force will be the computer intelligence system.

While the capitalist Press treats the computer project as a piece of modern wizardry, the working class will recog- nize what it really represents— another Tory weapon repression.

PAGE & Workers Press, Friday October 'Parliamentary reform' and the wor In 1866 the Reform League was founded to campaign for universal suffrage and in the same year a more moderate Reform Union demand- ing household suffrage. Yet these were not the days of Chartism. The fact that class antagonisms had been muted by prosperity is reflected in the fact that the League and the Union shared many of the same ideologist and platform speakers (e.g. Thomas Hughes and J. S. Mill), most of whom were middle-class radicals.

Both organizations were emphatic about their "peaceful' aims and methods. Even the could capitalist newspapers find no ammunition for their campaign against trade union- ism in the massive demonstra- tions of 1866-1867—except on one occasion, when an indig- nant crowd tore down railings round Hyde Park after the government prohibited the holding of meetings in this traditional public gathering place. This 'Hyde Park Riot' occurred at a particularly crucial time in the Reform Bill's passage through par- liament. Historians have taken grèat pains to prove that it did not influence the outcome of the debate (e.g. Maurice Cow- ling). They have not been able however, that MPs to prove, were deaf and blind to the strength of feeling and high degree of working class or- ganization shown on demon- strations. in 1832 Radicals Unlike such as John Bright who were in the House of present commented 'Con- Commons servatism, be it Tory or be it Whig, is the true national peril which we have to face. They may dam the stream, they may keep back the waters, but the volume is ever-increasing and it descends with accelerated force... if wisdom does not take the place of folly, the waters will burst their banks, and these men, who fancy they are stemming • the imaginary apparition of democracy, will be swept away by the resolute will of a united and determined people'. In fact, the 1867 Reform Bill did not arouse nearly as much hostility in parliament as the 1832 Bill had done.

When the 'conservatives' in Gladstone's Liberal party threw out his 1866 Bill, Disraeli was able to step in and, as Tory second-in-command, engineer the passage of a far more extensive measure. Many MPs recognized the "inevitability' of reform, as out- lined by Bright. But many others, under the influence of Free Trade euphoria, believed that parliamentary reform would cement social : solid- arity', thus contributing to national wealth and power.

The working class (or at thi y October 20, 1972 I the working class, by Jane Brown least the upper working class) had showed themselves to be 'morally entitled', Glad- in stone's words, to a measure of responsibility by political the sober spirit in which they con- ducted their own affairs.

They have abandoned appeared the outdated rhetoric of and revolution, violence and be trusted could to support the existing economic and social system in all its essen- tials. Opponents of the Bill, such as Robert Lowe, attempted to conceal their class prejudcies with talk of 'individual liberty'.

if This would be threatened the working urged the class government on to extensive social reforms. 'A violation of sound prin- ciples would avenge itself on the very classes in whose sup- posed interests they were violated'. Such sanctimonious general arguments are com- monplace bourgeois among politicians disguising their true Lowe position. Elsewhere, claimed that the evils the 'are working class endure remediable by themselves-by their thrift self- own and denial'. When he lost his he described temper once ignorant, workers as 'venial, drunken, impulsive, indecent, immoral and violent'! Ultimately, the 1867 Bill was both Houses. accepted by It borough enfranchised all householders and £10 lodgers, and extended the vote in the counties to £12 householders and some leaseholders. About 2 million in- new voters creased the voting percentage of all adults from per cent (in 1832) to 16 per cent. A mere 45 seats were redistribu- ted. This was a precautionary measure which left the coun- and southern ties, especially England, over-represented in comparison with the industrial 'Universal suffrage' and north. 'equal electoral districts' were still a long way off. But the new borough franchise with the Ballot Act (coupled of 1872) did give the workers a majority voice in a number of constituencies. Engels described the changed of workers after the status 1867 Act: 'The chairmen and secretaries of trade unions and political working men's socie- well- ties, well as other as known labour spokesmen who might be expected to be in- fluential their had in class, become overnight important They were visited by people. MPs, by Lords and other well- rabble, and sympathetic born suddenly made enquiry was into the wishes and needs of the working classes. Questions discussed were with these "labour leaders" which for- supercilious merly evoked smile' He calculated' that the Reform Act had made possible the election of 'at least 60 working class candidates'.

Top: Disraell, Tory second-In-command But dangers accompanied 1867 Reform BIll. Above : this 'peaceful' victory, especi- changed status of the 'labour leaders' aft ally after the Trade Union Commission reported favour- ably and the existence of unions, the protection of funds, and even picketing were made the 1871 and 1875 legal in Acts. The trade unions showed a strong desire to retreat out of politics back to 'economic' questions. It was only after much argument that the TUC in Which first met 1868) decided to retain its parliamen- tary committee as a permanent body. Another side to this com- the desire piacency was of some 'labour leaders' to enter parliament. As Engels pointed out in 1874: "The shortest way would have been to pro- ceed at once to form anew a strong workers' party with a definite programme.' But instead of carrying for- ward the Chartist tradition, "The "labour leaders" preferred to deal with their aristocratic friends 'respectable', and be which in England means acting like a bourgeois'. It also meant the of tying votes newly- enfranchised workers to the existing capitalist parties.

The Liberals gave 'prospec- tive working class candidates' every assistance. They assigned the London to millionaire, Moriey, the task of working labour programme out to which bourgeois could any subscribe, and which was to form the foundation of mighty movement to chain the workers still more firmly to the bourgeoisie..? It was 30 years before an independent Labour Party was formed with trade union sup- port. Into that party was to be carried ill-founded the faith in class collaboration of these early labour bureaucrats, who hoped in 1867 to become 'well- paid itinerant preachers of the "great of the Liberal cause ommand who engineered the passage of party" Fredrick Engels who described the eaders' after the Act was passed.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

'Deliverance'. With Burt Renolds and Jon Voight. Directed by John Boorman. This is undoubtedly one of the most reactionary films to be made by Hol- lywood since 'Stra w Dogs. In that film a pacifist, radical, Ameri can physics lecturer is forced to resort to brute strength by the attacks of a local gang of brutally.

debased Cornish people. This film portrays four city men running into the same difficulties while attempting to canoe down the wild tempestu- ous Chatooga river in the Appalachians. Like a number of recent Hollywood films this is little more than a crude, ham-fisted attempt to put over , increasingly the ruling class's malignant and poisonous view of the class struggle in an allegorical form. 'Straw Dogs' diabolically misplaced characterization (and portrayal) of the American lecturer and the locals who replacing a damaged were roof for him, was matched by its philistine arrogant dis- regard for the harsh beauties of the Cornish landscape.

'Deliverance' is not quite such catastrophe. The a Americanized Tohn Boorman films the novel of James Dickey (who plays the part of the sheriff at the end) in a setting they know better. The four men apparently a cross-section of represent the middle class. Lewis (Burt Renyolds) is an loner, who virile arrogant believes in a brutal return to nature as the engulfing waves of pollution and automation destroy 'civilization' Ironically he explains 'Machines are going to fail and then the system's going to fail.

Then: survival, to the easy- going Ed • while hunting with his expensive steel bow from a tough looking aluminium canoe. Drew (Ronnie Cox) is his opposite, a soft-hearted guitar- picking liberal who believes in the rule of law, even out in these wilds. The other two in a way represent the silent majority, although they too are opposed; tal Ed (Jon Voight) admires Lewis ex in a way but values the creature comforts of his mid- die-class city life, and Bobby (Ned Beatty) is a soft, flabby, salesman. The film begins with shots massive dam-building of a operation at the mouth of the river. Off-screen a conversa- by the four, dominated tion by Lewis, discusses their own vision of the vanishing oppor- tunities for proving their man- hood and thus finding their sort of values, in terms of a prospective journey. individuals They thus are testing themselves in a double fighting the unknown sense, sailing what is rapidly and ceasing to be. They arrive at a mountain shack near the head of the river and meet (what the film portrays as) the ignor- ant, inbred, stupid hillbillies.

The arrogant Lewis treats them contemptuously imitated by the dog-like Bobby, while arranging to get. their cars down transported stream. The locals return the con- mocking them for tempt, attempting such a pointless venture. Ed gazes in horror through a window at the appalling liv- ing standards and the human results of this poverty-stricken way of life, and quickly glances away. Drew, while picking out a tune, is challenged to a musical duet/duel by a mongoloid boy playing a banjo which swiftly gains in tempo, and elicits the first real response from the locals. However Drew is soon lost rippling complexities by the of the 'mountain-music' and their real bond-one of musi- cal style only-is broken and the boy ignores him when he tries to shake hands. The thrills and exictment of the first stage of their journey soon turns sour. Shortly after setting off on the second day, ail. Ed and Bobby draw ahead of the others, land, and are captured by the locals. Ed is lashed to a tree with his own belt, whilst the flabby Bobby is sexually assaulted and degraded. Lewis arrives and shoots one of the attackers dead. real disunity among The the four is then manifested.

Lewis-the he-man-wants to bury the body. Drew wants to take it with them in order to wis explain everything to the a, sheriff in order to comply with the law. Lewis wins—the vic- tory of the irrational-and the group rapidly comes apart.

Drew dies mysteriously while Lewis's leg is torn open in an accident. The formerly compliant Ed forced to assume the lead which means adopting some of Lewis's char- ..acter,. while constantly haunted by the fear of discovery.

The two extremes have proved to be unviable and the moderates take over. But it is rotten compromise. When they reach the town where their cars are they are confronted by a suspicious sheriff. Their primary concern is to cover up and substantiate their alibis. Ed burbles fatu- ously about the trappings of day while every surgery receiving for his treatment injuries. Later he gazes at the outward normalcy of the locals at dinner, presumably wonder- ing what sort of monsters are lurking behind their seemingly peaceful appearances. I reminded of the was sloppy, liberal and sentimental 'Wild River' Hollywood film starring Montgomery Clift as a government agent during the New Deal to persuade sent recalcitrant 'hillbillies' to vacate their land in order to make way for the vast dam- irrigation HEP scheme of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Being made in 1959 it reflected the greater resiliance of the ruling class then via Hollywood, and at least a sec- the locals tion were endowed with a semblance of humanity and the hero eventu- ally finishes up marrying one of the local girls. That confidence is long since gone. The dam is being built for no apparent reason. There isn't the slightest ray of hope to be detected among mountain inhabitants in 'Deliverance' The real social conflicts and tensions are resolved into these grossly-inflated characteriza- whose irritating over- tions reactions in the main conflicts destroy the (admittedly mea- gre) possible artistic coherence.

Their deliberately inflated rise even petty attitudes above the image of their pre- tentious conflict with the tempestuous river and it leaves a, very bad taste. Workers Press, Friday October 20, 1972 PAGE 9

VICARS DOLE

the "students" responsible, not Hard times come to the vicar- age: according to the 'Sunday Queen personally, against the "unnecessary Telegraph' Anglican clergymen but against the expense" of her visit. Which are facing a growing threat of 'Already does the ordinary citizen redundancies. some most begrudge: the cost have found themselves out of of work and forced to "sign on" a Royal visit, or the cost of at employment exchanges,' the such ruffians at maintaining university?' Answers should be paper says. Telegraph editor. postcard to the sent on Worse still, 'a few have even been reduced to drawing Social benefit'. Security And the

PRESENTS

paper quotes a member of the Church of England General The privileges of the Soviet Synod who forecasts up to bureaucracy are well known 1,000 more redundancies over to readers. But every now and the few the next years as then further details come to number of parishes is slashed.

light which are worth record- Given the lack of openings ing. We take you to the top of within the church, the employ- to meet Leonid the Kremlin exchanges having ment are Brezhnev, first difficulty finding suitable alter- secretary Union Communist the Soviet native work for the redundant Party. He gets about Moscow One said the only job vicars. bit, but apparently one car he had been offered in 18 is insufficient for his needs.

months on the dole was as In fact he has in his garage Imam, Moslem or religious a Rolls-Royce, a Cadillac and leader, in Newcastle upon Tyne.

a Citröen-Maserati, well as as It looks like a clear case for several Soviet - manufactured some form of government re- limousines. training scheme. Many of the vehicles are 'presents' from such devotees

STUDENTS V

to the struggle for socialism as

THE QUEEN

Nixon and Pompidou. As for the Soviet workers, Following the hard time Her the waiting time for delivery Majesty had at Stirling univer- of home-produced cars is get- the 'Daily Tele- longer, sity last week, ting while the prices graph' devoted take them out of the reach of a one para- graph editorial to the subject most. which went: Below: Brezhnev waves from his 'Obscene outrages at Stirling Mercedes Benz to people who university yesterday can't even afford home-produced directed, according to one * .

LEON TROTSKY:

Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25—cloth £1.87} Where Is Britain Going ? Paperback 37}p Revolution Betrayed Paperback 62}p—cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.12h—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 pamphlet. Order from:

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PAGE 10 Workers Press, Friday October 20, 1972 Socialist Labour League TV

PUBLIC MEETING

Behind the Assassination of Trotsky

BBC 1

9.38-11.45 Schools. 12.00 Let's A reply to get going. 12.25 Dechrau canu.

Joseph Losey's 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble mill at one. 1.30 Joe. 1.45 The crafts- film men. 2.05 Schools. 2.25 Racing from Newbury. 4.10 Play school.

Tuesday October 24, 8 p.m.

4.35 Magic roundabout. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 Help! 5.15

CONWAY HALL

Michael BenTine time. 5.45 News

RED LION SQUARE

and weather.

LONDON WC2

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

(Nearest tube Holborn) 6.45 BARNEY BEAR. Wee Willie Wild Cat.

PINK

PANTHER

SHOW.

opeaker : G. Mealy (SLL national secretary) 7.15 THE VIRGINIAN. The Best Man. Admission 10p 8.30 DAD'S ARMY. A Soldier's Farewell.

9.00 NINE

O'CLOCK NEWS.

Weather. Soclallst Labour League

PLAY

9.25 OF

THE

MONTH:

Leeds

'HEDDA

GABLER'

Janet Suzman, McKellen, Tom Bell, Jane Asher Henrik Ibsen's work about

LECTURES

an unhappily married

THE THEORY AND

woman.

11.15 LATE NIGHT NEWS.

PRACTICE OF MARXISM

11.20

MAN

CALLED

IRON-

Given by

SIDE.

Five Miles High. Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central 12.10 Weather. Committee member) Historical materlalism today Monday October 23

ITV

9.30 Schools. 12.05 Rainbow.

Bulding the revolutionary party 12.25 Happy house. 12.40 First Monday October 30 report. 1.00 Melody inn. 1.30 Crown court. 2.00 Genera! ..os-

PEEL HOTEL

pital. 2.30 Good afternoon.

3.00 Boar Lane, 8 p.m. Junkin. 3.25 Marcus Welby MD.

4.20 Adventures of Gulliver. 4.50 Magpie. 5.20 Nanny and the pro- fessor. 5.50 News.

ALL TRADES UNIONS

ALLIANCE MEETINGS

6.00 TODAY.

6.35 CROSSROADS.

Report back from 7.00 THE PROTECTORS. King A vA Conterence Con. SOUTH EAST LONDON: Thursday 7.30 HAWAI! FIVE-O. Fools Die 26, p.m. Deptford Twice. Tonight's Play of the •CO•c Engineers' Club, opposite New 8.30 DORA. Get Me to the Pub acelen Cross Station. pla Helen Janet Suzman on Time. Helen Suzman, the

ACTON:

Monday October

9.00 NEW

SCOTLAND

YARD.

30, "parlament. _ 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, High Road.

Case of Prejudice.

NEWS AT TEN.

10.00 6 APM. C apnend ay 31, October 10.30

BBC 2

POLICE FVE

Manor Baths, 10.40

'CORRIDORS

OF •.u. vaonam Clapham Manor Street, SW4.

BLOOD'.

Boris Karloft, 11.00-11.25 Plav school Betta St John. Christopher 6.05

OPEN

UNIVERSİTY

EAST LONDON: Tuesday October Lee. surgeon becomes

IRELAND.

o.oo •ave are 31, 8 p.m. 'Festival Inn', Chrisp narcotics addict by 'land. Street E14. Market, with

OPEN UNIVERSITY

anato 7.05

NEWSROOM.

Ineres on nimset. .30 Weather, WEST LONDON: Tuesday October AT WORK. Four

MISSIONARIES.

8.00 31, 8 p.m. ' 'Prince Albert', Wharfe- 12.15

SPYFORCE.

Portuguese Sides of Dockland Man O' War.

9.00 GARDENERS'

WORLD.

aale noaa, nings wioss. Subscribe! The dally paper that leads the workers press fight against ne o88. {20.28 for 12 months (312 issues) ne or e monus oo satesr £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) PRISON Officers' Associa- tion chairman, Mr S. T. Press twice a week the rates are: If you want to take Workers Powell yesterday told the £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues).

Hospitals' £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Special annual 'We will do our meeting Fill in the form below NOW and send to: damnedest to ensure that 186a Clapham High St., Circulation Dept., Workers Press, claims for pay our mem- London, SW4 7UG. bers are treated strictly on their merits.' I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

Speaking Liverpool Mr

MONDAY

THURSDAY

Powell added nis voice to the Days required opposition premier growing

FRIDAY

TUESDAY.

(Please tick) Edward Heath's state pay plan.

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

said appeared He Unal Heath wanted to scrap the prin- officers' Or ciples serrid rison but Full subscription (six days) for months. Dav. wanl part of that kind of philosophy.'

had The government denied Name pay that had Icoulalll policy. Adress ese ie taze tero philo- out to swalo: he sadi aif.

recent have Amount enclosed f now® there but .GOlDI at all where Mr Heath's govern. nth on BBC 1, Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda (top) as Tesman, husband of Hedda, (above). Miss Suzman is the niece anti-apartheid MP in South Africa's 9.25

FILM: STOLEN

KISSES'.

Directed by Francois Truf- faut. With Jean-Pierre Delphine Seyrig. Leaud, 10.55 FILM NIGHT. The Unsung Oscar. Yvonne Blake, co- winner of this year's Oscar for Costume Design. 11.25 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

ment stands-£2 a week across the board for everybody and to hell with the consequences.

'Never mind that the civil ser- vice was always at the end of the pay queue, and that differen- tials would disappear down the drain of an across-the-board set- tlement. 'Never mind if assurances and promises given in the past now have to be dishonoured', he said.

Mr Powell said many civil ser- vants remembered with bitterness the interference with arbitration arrangements under the Selwyn Lloyd policy. 'The national staff side have already expressed their views, at the highest level, about the pos- sibility of further interferences with the arbitration agreement.'

He added: 'Mr Heath's record in connection with the Civil Ser- vice Arbitration Tribunal is not untarnished.' Many altogether lightly forget his would not decision not to reappoint Prof Hugh Clegg as chairman of the tribunal.

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 9.30-12.05

London. 1.10 News. 1.30 London. 2.30 Let's face Film: 'The 3.00 it. Young Lawyers' 1. 4.20 Puffin. 4.25 Pebbles and bamm bamm. 4.50 London. 5.20 Junkin. 5.50 Lon- News and don. 6.00 weather. 6.10 Report. 6.35 London. 7.30 Film:

FBI. 8.30

London. 10.35 'Brides of Dracula'. 12.00 News, weather. WESTWARD. As Channel except: 12.05 London. 12.57 News. 1.00 Gus Honeybun. London. 6.00 Diary. 6.25 Sports desk. 10.32 News. 12.00 Faith for life.

SOUTHERN: 9.30 London. 2.30 Women 3.00 Galloping gourmet. 3.25 end. 4.25 Funky phantom. 4.50 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 Cross- 6.00 Day by day. Scene roads. SE. 6.35 Out of town. 7.05 Sky's the limit. 7.35 FBl. 8.30 London.

10.35 Film: 'A Rage to Live'.

12.40 Weather. 12.30 News. Guideline. • HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Women only. 3.00 Junkin. 3.25 Marcus Welby. 4.25 Rovers. 4.50 5.25 London. 5.20 Gustavus: Crossroads. 5.50 London. 6.01 Report West. 6.18 Report Wales.

6.35 Bonanza. 7.30 Film: 'Scandal at Scourie'. 9.00 London. 10.30 Dora. 11.00 Now it's your say.

11.30 Flat two. 12.30 Weather.

HTV Cymru/Wales 7 and 41 as above except: 4.25-4.50 Stesion 10.30-11.00 Outlook. cantamil. 11.00-11.30 Sports arena. 11.30-

12.30 UFO.

HTV West above except: as 6.18-6.35 Report West. ANGLIA: 9.30 London. 3.30 Jimmy Stewart. 3.55 Romper room. 4.20 News. 4.25 Skippy. 4.50 London.

5.20 • Primus. 5.50 London. 6.00 About Anglia. 6.35 London. 7.00 Sale of the century. 7.30 O'Hara.

8.30 London. 10.30 Probe. 11.00 Film: 'Two and Two Make Six'.

ATV MIDLANDS: 9.30 London.

3.30 Danger man. 4.20 Forest rangers. 4.50 London. 5.20 Flint- stones. 5.50 London. 6.00 Today.

6.35 London. 7.00 Sky's the limit.

7.30 Protectors. 8.00 Adventurer.

8.30 London...10.30 Film: 'Inherit the Wind'. Weather.

ULSTER:

11.00 London. 1.32 News. 1.40 Schools. 2.40 Romper room. 3.00 London. 3.25 Randall and Hopkirk. 4.23 News. 4.25 Funky phantom. 4.50 London. 5.20 General hospital. 5.50 Lon- don. 6.00 Reports. 6.35 London.

Sky's the limit. 7.30 UFO.

7.00 8.30 London. 10.30 Food of love.

11.00 Film: 'The Large Rope'.

YORKSHIRE: 9.30 London. 3.30 Merrie Danger man. 4.25 melodies. 4.50 London. 5.20 Elephant boy. 5.50 London. 6.00 Calendar, weather. 6.35 London.

7.00 Sky's the limit. 7.30 Cade's county. 8.30 London. 10.30 Film: "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold'. 12.35 Weather.

GRANADA: 9.30 London. 3.25 I dream of Jeannie. 3.50 Cartoon.

4.00 Crossroads. 4.25 TV funnies.

4.50 London. 5.15 Elephant boy.

5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.20 Cartoon. 6.35 Kick off. 7.00 Rip- 8.30 Lon- tide. 8.00 Protectors. don. 10.30 Film: 'Hitler'.

TYNE TEES: 9.30 London. 2.30 News. 2.31 Yoga. 3.00 London, 3.25 Danger man. 4.25 Merrie melodies. 4.50 London. 5.20 Today. 6.35 the limit. 7.30 Cade's county London. 8.30 10.30 Film: 'Seconds'. 12.20 News. 12.35 Epilogue. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Dateline. 3.00 London. 3.30 Quentin Durgens. 4.25 Shirley's world. 4.50 London. 5.20 Cross- roads. 5.50 London. 6.00 Today.

6.30 A place of her own. 7.00 Sky's the limit. 7.30 Hawaii Five-O. 8.30 London. 10.30 Friday 11.00 Late call. 11.05 Film: The Mummy. GRAMPIAN: 10.58 London. 1.38 Schools. 2.40 Cartoon. 2.50 News.

3.00 Junkin. 3.25 Let's face it.

3.55 Katie Stewart cooks. 4.20 4.50 London. Funky phantom. 5.20 General hospital. 5.50 Lon- don. 6.00 News. 6.05 Thompson teatime. 6.35 London. 7.00 at Sky's the limit. 7.30 Hogan's heroes. 8.00 McCue's music. 8.30 London. 10.30 Partners. 11.00 Job look. 11.10 Film: 'A Cold Wind in August. 12.25 Meditation..

Hauliers raise red scare over

BY DAVID MAUI

DOCKERS' RIGHTS yesterd attack from the powerful Roa which declared that the N Scheme had become a political drastically amended. The attack came in RHA evidence to the National Ports Council inquiry into small ports. Set up as part of the Jones- Aldington proposals for ending the national docks strike, the inquiry is supposed to assess whether the small ports should be registered under the Scheme.

The

RHA

is vehemently opposed to the idea. It says the Scheme, which gives dockers a job-guarantee, has statutory 'outlived its usefulness'.

Adds the Association: "The Scheme binds together a very substantial labour force within an industry that is vital to the economy of the country and so provides, in the shape of wide- spread dislocation to our over- seas trade through industrial dis- putes, a weapon that has been, and • Will be, used for political purposes' The overtones of 'red scare' propaganda are unmistakable here.

DISPUTES

The RHA goes on: "To extend the Scheme would be to expose ports with a history of good labour relations to labour dis- putes in which they are not concerned, ana, conversely, any local problem resulting in a strike at what is now a non- scheme port would rapidly spread throughout the country. 'Shippers have demonstrated that they will go to almost any lengths to avoid the handling of their cargo by registered dock workers.' Non-Scheme ports could em- ploy a suitable labour force at 'realistic' rates. of pay.

The way the Scheme had been implemented, the Association claims, had put the registered uniquely dockworker privileged position-with virtually guaranteed employment for life or perhaps generous severance payments. The Jones-Aldington proposals would increase costs here.

"The high costs are linked to • the THE POUND came under exchange markets yesterday as the nine-member Common N yesterday. In fell London sterling below its old parity of $2.40 for the first time since the Tory government floated it June. Sterling holders clearly have no confidence that the British currency will be stabilized at its old level. According yesterday's to 'Guardian' the French govern- ment has abandoned the idea of the summit meeting to using force the Tories to stabilize the pouna by January 1. City sources have made it clear that. if the pound is fixed at $2.40, another devaluation will be necessary within a year or 18 months.

The Common Market countries

D MAUDE

yesterday came under heavy ful Road Haulage Association, the National Dock Labour political weapon and should be

KEETCI

RNESBERT & SOI

RN Lorries line up to enter Tlibury docks-a low productivity and they result in high charges to shippers and all who use registered ports', says the Association. adds It that neither the extension of the Scheme to the non-Scheme ports nor subjecting them to the targer Scheme ports would secure full employment for all registered dock workers.

The RHA's direct onslaught on the Scheme follows up the more subtle attack the Jones- Aldington report itself. The operation of the report is now clearly undermining Scheme in a number of ports, particularly through the creation shortages. of temporary labour These are being filled by the hiring of casual dockers who do not enjoy a job guarantee and thus open • to hire-and-fire are discipline by their employer.

And with the port employers to themselves, the road-hauliers under pressure on föreign rday as the summit meeting of mon Market began in Paris about forcing cautious are Britain to fix a new parity because once Britain joins the EEC the other eight central banks will be committed to sup- port the new sterling parity.

They have already burned their fingers once by supporting the Italian lira. The Italian central bank refused to repay its EEC partners in gold as required by the Market regulations and instead forced the other banks to accept dollars in settlement of the debts. Heath was not expected to make any rash guarantees at the summit about fixing the sterling rate-though if pressed he was expected to say the government intended to return to an appropri- ate fixed parity at an appropri- ate time.

ETCH

docks-a registered port constitute influential now an lobby for legislated changes in or scrapping of the scheme.

Many port employers, such as the sprawling Hay's Wharf group, are, of course, themselves eligible for membership of the 17,000-

RHA

member through their transport subsidiaries.

BY OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

RUMOURS of a yen re- valuation swept the Tokyo Stock Exchange yesterday and brought a wave of dollar selling. Reports from Washington sug- gested that Secretary of State William Rogers had been press- ing the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister to curb Japan's mam- moth export surplus. The Bank of Japan intervened to prop up the dollar, thus add- ing to its already swollen stocks of the unwanted currency. Over dollars the past four months have been rushing in as advance payments for Japanese shipping and other exports. The Japanese government is waiting to see whether the Euro- pean - summit will force Britain to end the float of the pound and what will be the outcome of the US presidential election.

As 01-622 7029 01-720 2000 Workers Press, Fr

RNESSBERT & SO

E _R

WUH 848K

The RHA evidence once again calls to mind the secret talks about scrapping the Dock Labour union Scheme between docks chiefs Jack Jones and Tim O'Leary in 1970. One of those present at those talks was George Tonge, director of Hay's Wharf. the forward dollar now stands the revaluation would be of the order of 10 per cent. Banking circles want an early decision, but the government is slowly in moving • view of the immense repercussions which an- other revaluation will have on Japan's export-based economy and the crisis-wracked inter- national monetary system.

Chemical loss PROFITS of the French chemical giant, Rhone-Poulenc, dropped by over 20 per cent in the first half of the year, despite an increase 8.5-per-cent sales. Owing to the depression in the industry prices had remained relatively low while costs had risen. The firm had also had to invest heavily to meet increased competition. I would like inforr Fill in the form below and

SECRETARY, SOCIALIST

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, L

Name Address Press, Friday October 20, 1972 PAGE 11 PRICES of new private houses have risen 37 per cent and those of second-hand houses by 45 per cent under the Tory government. These increases were revealed in the House of Commons by Tory Housing Minister, Julian Amery. figures compared The house prices for the second quar- ter of this year as compared with the second quarter of 1970 when the Tory government came to power. Amery also announced that 13 local authorities had refused to implement the Housing Finance Act and that Tory Environment Secretary Peter Walker had warned 1l of them that he was considering making an order declaring them to be in default.

Councils that Walker is con- sidering making default orders are: Barrow-in-Furness, against Doncaster, Carlisle, Walsall, Camden, Eccles, Bedworth, Clay Halstead, Newton-le- Cross, Willows, Skelmersdale and Hol- land. He is still having discussions with two other authorities oppos- Bromwich ing the Act-West and Conisbrough. NEARLY 100 print workers— NATSOPA members—at Her Majesty's Stationery Office Press at Harrow, west London, remained out on strike yes- terday in protest against the suspension of two of their members. The men walked out on Tues- day after the two were suspended in a dispute over pay. About 90 members of the National Graphical Association involved in a second dispute at the Press have now returned to work while negotiations are going on. At the Press Association news service in Fleet Street yesterday, NATSOPA members struck over the dismissal of their branch secretary. They later picketed the build- ing. information about ow and send to NATIONAL

LABOUR LEAGUE,

H ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Friday October

BY IAN YEATS

TOP-LEVEL talks between Edmund Vestey and T&GWU leader Jack Jones to end the five-month picketing of the Midland Cold Storage depot, Hackney, were thought to be imminent yesterday. The news broke only 24 hours before half the 51-strong work- force was due to be sacked be- cause of the effects of the picket- ing on the depot's trade.

Company spokesman Anthony Good revealed yesterday that they were on red alert for new - moves in a last-minute attempt to set up peace talks between Jones and Vestey. Tooley Street T&GWU official David Daniels is understood to be pressing for negotiations be- tween the two sides to begin at once so that dockers' pickets can be called off and the depot's business returned to normal.

Mr_Daniels, who is responsible for T&GWU members at the cold store, said yesterday he was, 'too busy to discuss these matters', with Workers Press.

And a spokesman for Jack Jones said they could not divulge any information about talks although they agreed new initia- tives might be taking place.

Dockers' pickets outside the cold store said no meeting of the or their shop stewards at men London's Royal group of docks was scheduled to discuss the situation. Said one picket, '1 am not leav- ing this line until either the cold store The dockers' mood appeared to be that even if talks took place these could only be about ways of persuading Vestey to employ registered labour.

Meanwhile cold store workers were sunk in gloom. T&GWU steward Roy Russ told me there was nothing they could do to prevent the sacking of ten office staff and 17 men some time after 3 p.m. this after- noon. He said: If we go on strike Vestey will sack all of us?

Mr Russ added that the sacked men, many with families, could not afford to mount a picket with the dockers even if they wanted to and would be obliged to look for new jobs straight away. men have written All the promises of reinstatement at the depot if picketing is called off and trade returns to normal.

£497.79 - 12

DAYS LEFT

WE NEED approximately £104.35 each day between now and the end of the month to reach our £1,750 target in time. It is a know- tough challenge but we If we make a huge effort now we will raise it in time. As mass unemployment con- tinues and prices skyrocket, even greater numbers of trade union- ists are taking up the fight along the lines which can create the conditions which will make this government resign. Power workers, miners, tenants everywhere workers are mov- ing into action to defend their standard of living. As entry into Market the Common looms closer, even harsher attacks will Office. 1862 Claphams 47 St Printed by Plough Press Ltd . (TU), London, 180b Clapham High Street,

SW4 7UG.

ay Oclober 20, 1972

BY PHILIP WADE

ATTEMPTS by union officials to lift the ten- week occupation of the Thornycroft plant, Basingstoke, Hants were decisively thrown out by a mass meeting yesterday.

Bill John, executive council member of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering' Workers was repeatedly heckled during the 90-minute recommended meeting as acceptance the proposals made at York last week.

Then the 500 men at the meeting voted two They also reaffirmed to one to reject his pleas.

Sunday's decision to maintain their sit-in until 'unscrambles' British-Leyland hiving-off the with the Eaton Corpor- deal ation of Ohio. When the result was known a huge cheer from up went stewards guarding the gate to prevent a few non-trade unionists from gaining entry. It was an overwhelming defeat national ship which has been trying end the sit-in in return for talks with Lord Stokes about Leyland's future plans. The brought from proposals York amounted to nothing more than a short delay in the Eaton take-over and gave no guarantees John Jute about the proposale: " Bims: Too many and of work.

AUEW

steward Albert Rob- inson, was jubilant with the "This meeting today should results of the meeting. never have been held.' "This is a victory for the whole

T&GWU

A worker, We trade movement. union Mike Barney, was overjoyed with abandoned the haven't cause. day,' the vote. 'We the he won has,' the he told but executive said. 'Bill John put his and case me. admit he then had to was defeated. The proposals are "The week talks last were absolute uatsoever. with rubbish no Yet they came down exploratory. guarantees a recommendation.' here with The of the secretary occup-

AUEW

Tahn Sims another reaffirmed the ation doenlantoe said the 'guarantees' steward Thornycroft workers' determin- hedged with so ifs were the fight they nstny ation to continue and buts. began when they took over the factory on August 15. 'They talk in terms of "subject 'Quite definitely still need market conditions". But we to combine British-Leyland know Eaton's produce a cheaper support. box at their workers gained from our Bolton factory. have gear fight.' come here. So little work would CAV Lucas stowards with thair MPs vesterday: (| to r) Frank Marsden. MP ' Howe: Bill Staples: Wally Fuchs; Eric Heffer, MP for Liverpool (Walton).

A TOTAL of 844,640 people are unemployed in registered as Britain and Northern Ireland at the time of the of Department Employment's monthly count on October 9. be launched against the working class.

FROM PAGE ONE

Workers Press is more vital than Only our paper can ever. the Industrial Relations Act and provide political leadership entry into the Common Market.

to, prepare thousands of workers hand they And on the other for these attacks. see their leaders collaborating in that We know you, dear the most blatant fashion with the are feeling these In- readers, class enemy. bite Into your own creases On the lips of of pockets. ( But we also know that tens fight back is to thousands of workers the the only way bulld this revolutionary leadership what can be done same question- Tories about these traitors? deteat the and their all you olans. So-olease alve Sunday's national conference can. Post every donation immedl- of the All Trades Unions Alliance ately to: in Birmingham becomes the Workers Press in most important step revolutionary October Appeal Fund structing the 186a Clapham Hig', St leadership throw the to out London SW4 7UG. collaborators and do-nothings.

Thornycrott workers reject end sit-in plea Tom Lowie: " ope the lessons learned will throughout Britain.' CAV occupation: MPs not hopeful after seeing Tories PROSPECTS of saving the CAV-Lucas factory at Fazakerley, Liverpool, from closure next April seemed no brighter yester- day after talks in London. Six Merseyside Labour MPs, led by Eric Heffer, saw Lucas chief Kenneth. Corley and later Tory Minister for Industrial Development, Christopher Chataway.

Of 801,120, excluding these school-leavers and adult students, were hard-core, ployed. this month's figures-ex- cept unemployed women workers in Britain, tem- porarily stopped workers in Northern Ireland and hard-core jobless in The colle wes ore down on those for September. The percentage of people re- gistered as unemployed in Britain 3.6. In Northern Ireland it is POLICE were out in force yes terday as hundreds of production picketed the Square workers factory electaca switcarcal Swindon, Wiltshire, on the second day of their strike for a sub- 1,200 stantial increase. workers al one Lne lown s three Garrard record-player fac- tories were also still out for a to increase

PICKETS

were out yesterday at of the Northat tr The Liversool factory of the The 200 women ing workers at the factory struc Wednesday against the sackin, of Mrs May Mulrooney. day. Mike Barney: 'We won the admit he Bill John had to was defeated.' : CAV-Lucas factory at Fazakerley, xt April seemed no brighter yester- Six Merseyside Labour MPs, led by ief Kenneth. Corley and later Tory elopment, Christopher Chataway.

They asked Corley to re- prieve the plant, now occupied by its 1,000 workers. But Heffer said: 'Mr Corley said he would consider our re- but marks and again, meet us the implication he did not was hold out much hope.' Chataway promised the MPs he would make another approach to the Lucas top management. The MPs felt he was prepared to consider government help and even financial aid to keep the plant open. Corley, however, was firm yes- terday in his insistence that the Fazakerley operation was un- economical and would have to be He claimed the factory closed. was losing £9m a year because of lost orders caused by a past of bad industrial relations.

Another MP, Frank Marsden, challenged this. 'I think this figure is unbeliev- able', he said. If I owned a firm and was losing this enormous amount I would have been down a long time before Lucas was to sort it out.' Eric Heffer told me that he had warned the Tory Minister there could be trouble if Faza- kerley were not reprieved.

'We can't stand any more closures of this scale,' he said.

'We told Mr Chataway not to expect other factories in the area to be insulated from the struggle at CAV. They are bound to re- spond. The feeling is very high.'

More news of financial support and backing came from the shop stewards at Fazakerley yesterday.

The quarterly shop stewards" of the Amalgamated meeting Union of Engineering Workers on Merseyside has agreed to raise funds at local factories.

next thing we want is 'The industrial action,' convenor Dave 'We Martin told me yesterday.

• have to get this thing moving.

SHOP STEWARDS at the Lucas combine's

CAV

Acton, west London, factory have decided to hold a factory collection in sup- port of the Fazakerley, Liver- pool, occupation. Together with other stewards from the south-east CAV com- bine, they will be making a for- protest to the management mal about the threatened closure of the Fazakerley plant.