Workers Press no. 925

workers press

NO PAY OFFER ON 155 MPH TRAIN

RAIL CHIEFS

PROVOKE STRIKE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • MONDAY NOVEMBER 20, 1972 • No. 925 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BR BROKEN OWN RULES-BUCKTON

UNION CHIEFS accused British Rail yester- day of deliberately provoking a battle with We instruction in the past and and move the train. 29,000 rail drivers over high-speed trains.

will do warned or the rouse us sure une Locomen's leader Ray Buckton said that Thurs- would cause,' said Mr nothing on Thursday to *They seemed to prejudice their colleagues Buckton. day's one-day drivers' strike which threatens to halt fight,' he said. nave chanced mem minas. all services was a violent reaction by ordinary trade but then incident at The The advanced passenger unionists to high-handed action by British Rail'.

Derby occurred' train is a key issue facing *We warned and The Mr Buckton was referring to the challenge laid down have train drivers to his union on Friday when management representa- warned about the frustra.

experiment is the tip of the isone if dine executer this iceberg. tives moved the 155 m.p.h. advanced passenger train executive and broke a union ban on the engine.

British Rail to ASLEF had not called for 60 to 65 high-speed have "This has all the of action marks a deliberate Thursday's action, am aeses mn service D 191 provocation,' he said. quite sure that widespread but these will be replaced and prolonged unofficial by the advanced passenger *British Rai Knew very Ray Buckton strikes would have broken train by 1977-1978 well exactly what chaos it ASLEF secretary passenger train on their out,' he said. would have caused among The high-speed train will terms. Mr Buckton added that discussed guide-lines to cut down the existing OUr members. DUL nO One

NUR

the even bothered phone As as Mav during future discussions. drivers inter-city by early journey me tell they were the talks which settled the support

ASLEF

me desDite TO quarter and the reduction rail dispute, the Rail Board this time British their own union's instruc- this unprecedented taking Will be even more cramate drive the

ASLEF

Rail has been pressurizing tion to experi- when the to served raine promised That deiverse parento come drivers' ALuH to test out une ad mental train. into service.

COLIC

upwards com- vanced passenger train at Mr buckton pointed out *Locally the NUR mem- new trains will carry more that British Rail had firm Derby without any bers have not followed the coaches. pensate lor me exua suress and broken its own rules and responsibility in- on pay communents volved in procedures manning the new manning. SLate

FOUR

HUNDRED

NUR

ing the advanced passenger clearly that only qualified footplatemen Crewe train at Derby. unscradul. In this they were aided drivers can move cuse leaders of the biggest from But despite repeated by away

WORK

"You assured trains. if ASLEF go can rest 'in sympathy' the

NUR,

who rail union. requests trom me union. ahead with that there will be a resolu The does joint committee on the have told their move apocal tion from my branch strike, said Ron to be until drivers to take part not meet the executive lationa 01 plot management of the Crew last week because

LESLS

their deploring and isolate British Rail's obstructive supporting there Five or six weeks ago stake. BAS had in not smash their resistance atutude.

ASLEF

on such vital the high-speed

DOXING

Cantee principle as this,' he said. might take unilateral action condoned inspectors mov- advanced diesel and the wven uns meerme merely Socialist Labour League

CELEBRATE

3RD ANNIVERSARY

OF WORKERS

PRESS

BUILD THE

REVOLUTIONARY

PARTY

SUNDAY

DECEMBER 3

7 p.m. Everyman Theatre Ford furnace men oppose closure

LIVERPOOL

Transport and General The heard union American owned vesterday Speakers: close car giant says the fur- officials tell a meeting Workers' Union official blastfurnaces would be say they

MIKE BANDA

are can key cheaper operation pig-iron (SLL Central Committee cal and must be closed. baoennam Witnin next three elsewhere and i suppose and workers SaVi coWn

JOHN HOWE

switch production, pos- company intends would not be allowed to they're thinking OT (Deputy AUEW convenor, CAV) transfer production of ducing Europe, sibly to Europe added.

CONNIE FAHEY

WOrKerS chaine

DIOCK

SUUS

(Wilmslow tenants' leader) Officials pledged The proposed closure the furnaces iron move Which 8s DarT Or IS into the Common Market. produce 300,000 tons of fight for the retention of OT ine basTurnaces Will

ALAN PEERS

the this could eventually Ford intends halve blastfurnaces. discussed at the and

ITOR

yCal (young socialists natonal commintee) Thursday meeting (Union and tenant speakers in a personal capacity.)

serve all rore olants Is own ConsumPHOn have been given this pig running Friday of the Ford Details of other provincial meetings set p. 12.

Iron _now Include USe ano shock letters 75,000 tons a year. dustrial action,' national joint negotiating news Blastfurnace Fred Blake, a committee in London. workers from management These developments mean less transport units per route and therefore less drivers. ASLEF has already lost 14,000 drivers by 'natural wastage' since agreeing to single-manned engines in 1965. More redundancies within the industry are on the way. The NUR expects a 50- per-cent reduction in the signal-box labour force as lines are automated and Richard Marsh, head of the industry, has said 20,000 workers must go in the next five years. Now British Rail chiefs are working on a secret plan to reduce the rail net- work from 11,600 miles to 7,000 miles. Apart from more pay, ASLEF is demanding that each super train is manned by driver and an a assistant. A claim based on the vast increase in strain of caused by single-manning especially at high speeds.

ting They also want improve- vital ments in the design of the said. cab.

THREE

YEARS

OF

WORKERS

PRESS

Showing the levelopments and gains since the first issue of ersonal capacity.) set p. 12.

workers press

NO PAY OFFER ON 155 MPH TRAIN

RAIL CHIEFS

PROVOKE STRIKE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • MONDAY NOVEMBER 20, 1972 • No. 925 • 4p DÁILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BR BROKEN OWN RULES-

UNION CHIEFS accused British Rail yester- day of deliberately provoking a battle with We instruction in the past and and move the train. 29,000 rail drivers over high-speed trains.

will do warned or the tronde cas sure uney would cause, said Mr nothing on Thursday colleagues Locomen's leader Ray Buckton said that Thurs- "They to prejudice their Buckton. seemed day's one-day drivers' strike which threatens to halt fight, he said. have changed their millas. all services was a 'violent reaction by ordinary trade but then the incident The advanced passenger unionists to high-handed action by British Rail'.

Derby occurred' train is a key issue facing 'We drivers The Derby Mr Buckton was referring to the challenge laid down have warned and train to his union on Friday when management representa- warned about the frustra.

experiment is the tip of the tion building up over this iceberg. tives moved the 155m.p.. advanced passenger train ASLEE had not carted of the executive issue. British Rail to and broke a union ban on the engine.

hopes 60 to 65 high-speed have "This has the a deliberate action all marks of Thursday's action, am diesels in service by 1975.

quite sure that widespread provocation,' he said. but these will be replaced and unofficial prolonged by the advanced passenger 'British Rail knew verr Ray Buckton strikes would have broken train by 1977-1978 well exactly what chaos it ASLEF secretary passenger train on lnel out, he said. would have caused among The high-speed train will terns. Mr Buckton added that discussed guide-lines to cut down the existing

OLI

menders.

DUL

one the NUR even bothered to phone future discussions. drivers inter-city by eariy as Mav aurie journey tell they the talks which settled the support me me were

ANHH

despite quarter and the reduction Rail Board this British their own union's instruc- rail dispute, the time this unprecedented will be even more dramatic taking the has been pressurizing tion drive experi- step!' Rail when the advanced rains promised lnal drivers' pay rates would be AHH to test out use ad. mental traln. service. vanced passenger Mr buckton pointea out reviewed upwards to com- *Locally the NUR mem- new trains will carry more that British Rail had firm Derby without any pensate for the extra stress bers have not followed the coaches. and rules broken its own and responsibility in- on pay comminents procedures volved in manning the new manning. state

FOUR

HUNDRED

NUR

ing the advanced passenger clearly that only qualified footplatemen Crewe train at Derby. Turncalls. at In this they were aided drivers can move from leaders of the biggest But despite repeated by away

WORK

'You assured if ASLEF go can rest 'in sympathy' the

NUR,

rail union. requests from the imon. ahead with the that there will be a resolu.

The does appear committee on the have told move Their 3.0UU tion from my branch said Ron to be by management ate until drivers take part strike, did not meet the national executive management secretary of the Crew plot LaST because Lests. their 6 NUR locomen's branch. the NUH deploring and British Rail's obstructive Isolate said there attitude supporting 'Five or six weeks ago principle at stake. BR had in not smash their resistance attitude.

ASLEF

on such vital the high-speed accepting

DO TOM

principle as this, he said.

Even this meeting merely might take unilateral action condoned inspectors mor- and the advanced Socialist Labour League

CELEBRATE

3RD ANNIVERSARY

OF WORKERS

PRESS

BUILD THE

REVOLUTIONARY

PARTY

SUNDAY

DECEMBER 3

7 p.m. Everyman Theatre Ford furnace men oppose closure

LIVERPOOL

Transport and General THE FORD Motor Com- heard union Ine Amencan owned vesterody Speakers: intends close car giant says the fur- officials meeting Workers' Union official tell there would be "They say they can

MIKE BANDA

key blastfurnaces naces are cheaper operation the buy pig-iron (SLL Central Committee and must be closed. run- Wittin Cal next three years and and elsewhere and i suopose WOrKers •OWn

JOHN HOWE

switch production, pos- company intends would not be allowed to they're thinking | of pro- (Deputy AUEW convenor, CAV) transfer of take interviews for other ducing in Europe, he sibly to Europe production

CONNIE FAHEY

jobs. added. Over WOKeS

DION

pledged (Wilmslow tenants' leader) the furnaces move The proposed ciosure iron as part of is produce 300,000 tons of into the Common Market. fight for the retention of or ine biasturnaces will

ALAN PEERS

Ford intends halve the his could eventually blastfurnaces. be discussed the and yoal (roung socialists natona committee) Thursday meeting its (Union and tenant speakers in a personal capacity.)

serve al rome been given this pig running Friday of the Details of other provincial meetings set p. 12.

tron_now shock letters 75,000 tons a year. dustrial action, said national joint negotiating news Fred Blake, committee in London Blastfurnace workers trom management These developments mean less transport units per route and therefore less drivers. ASLEF has already lost 14,000 drivers by 'natural wastage' since agreeing to single-manned engines in 1965. redundancies More within the industry are on the way. The NUR expects a 50- per-cent reduction in the signal-box labour force as lines are automated and Richard Marsh, head of the industry, has said 20,000 workers must go in the next five years. Now British Rail chiefs are working on a secret plan to reduce the rail net- work from 11,600 miles to 7,000 miles. Apart from more pay, ASLEF is demanding that each super train is manned driver and an assistant. A claim based on the vast increase in strain caused by single-manning especially at high speeds.

They also want improve- ments in the design of the cab.

THREE

YEARS

OF

WORKERS

PRESS

mons are ... in f 'rF• •.. = rsonal capacity.) set p. 12.

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Monday November 20, 1972 15,000 dopers sind 2000 red sport ever Are more in ring contes on in united struggle on jobs now appears to exist between London's

THE DOCKS

depots and cold stores, leaders of the two demanding that the Transport and are General Workers' Union calls a joint meeting ol their shop stewards Within the week. but those of Road-transport officials of the union seem to be broadly In favour of the Idea, dragging their feet. And Jack Jones, T&GWU general the docks section are believed to be drivers' unofficial leader of consigning to his waste-bin secretary, on the jobs fight previous unity ca. voday ine vestey organızation launcnes a new arack again picketing. (A previous legal move by Vestey's led to the jalling of five unity even more vita. Here our reporters PHILP WADE and DAVD MAUDE talk to drivers dockers' leaders about the situation facing them.

ERIC RECHNITZ leads London's 20,000 lorry-driver members of the Transport and General Workers' Union. Both in this capacity and as joint chairman of the T&GWU trans- ort stewards' unofficial national committer le has been at the centre of the jobs rou with the dockers. But he insists that a waterside war between lorry drivers and dockers can only benefit powerful capitalist interests like the Vestey meat empire and split the working class when they most need to be united.

agreeing After with dockers to call for an official joint meeting of all shop stewards from both, Rechnitz, Communist Party sectors, member, talked to Workers Press about background to the call. He also explained the particular threat drivers' to conditions arising from British the Common They entry InCO Market. Containerization, said, he has brought well as doe to drivers dockers. For instance there is the first steps to unity growth the number of in owner-drivers the main do not possess their own trailers but. just the motive These have been under- units. cutting what Rechnitz 'the fide describes ' as bona should officially enter into dis- operators with whom we have the purpose of doing away with registered dock labour. bringing into the fight pute, good trade union agreements.

road workers, transport We fully those that drivers accuse who the majority of owner-drivers of say the dockers should have been work in or used to work in these places. employed there. Unfortunately, Traffic breaking Road

ACES

we clashed because of the tactics Workme one hour addis This done at every undercutting established rates.

would be that were used to achieve this Vestey Another threat is the forma- It is not a trade union principle single Hays ano nant. the Vestey just as big a menace redundancies

SULYC

expense of other people's jobs.

supply men on an ad hoc basis to us as to dockers firms weekly even on or In fact, despite the contention For six months we have beer Some the firms ally lass, of some dockers, of the an promiser trying to get some liaison and hiring from agencies employ no with dockers, other action regular drivers. Tine

TONI

OnCO

OLIL

Eric Rechnitz, officials, that no one but could nas proved Ull made unemployed, the dockers unofficlal London road transport successful. cold stewards' committee and a mem and Mileage rates in the We did have the meeting commerclal been of the The worker nave Poplar a few weeks back be- made redundant. services group. Generally agency drivers are paid mileage- direct en- t's hal GD couragement to break the law.

From the trade union point of view, says Eric Rechnitz, 'this means that become 1l las talking to the Royals. plank joint ana more almcult to gel realistic real fight been involved they d wages and conditions from the Now that's been docks 10I And many employers cleared up, cloyers. paign contane real against campaign a joint by these Vestey's At the likes talked to Press have fighting for our policy and Haw's: back _every- the this „Lie ot cold-store thing. 'spy-in-the-cab', the tachograph. world: wanted to jobs The must dockers' and the LaKe Driv "irrevocably question, ers the force drivers depot to and they all was work. workers uner for want like be start, and even when

RAY

explained a mons toilet, the Transport General either Rechnitz. The i ne arcument Workers' shop brought the is just a being used, added, was that Nine Elms Dock Scheme the tachograph would eventually the tration. with illegal leader- hours. But drivers' We're for mem- port workers' point of view by no tackle conflict T&GWU's ber of control. that's shop Riverside of all and come following We'll get that The We'll new report policy. out Britain Road Traffic Acts the solved We of 11 hours to take when ban speculy d place baturady working, ten for driving and the off comes one for loading or unloading.

Firstly Common Market call himself the basic hours vary 48. WeTl Our TrOm Sonne there Trans countries there is a maximum on for week. but no limit what- actual driving,

JULI

we'll have soever or lic unc a uvel Cal called un- dockers Vestey's origin- spend loading, waiting

TOT

officially. customs and so on. ally them out. Men this National Industrial because they were look- Relations Court for

ALF

WATERS,

and the ing just at the problen dockers trans- Amalgamated Costs problem National picketing Midland Cold their immediate drivers beet Storage: But this was shown stevedores and cockers job. rubbish. They thought steward at Tilbury: talking to all seems almost as were ansaster aun Lorry drivers, of course, have they if the union doesn't (Natio woratin the strike. It must the problem workers- stewards facing all be fought for now. workers' con- when they were just want us to get together, cost-of-living. The sine wared freeze affects many drivers because we're going in for a very compredensive apreement tween Royal group stewards and Dockers should have jobs union leaners intrate to resolve higher wages and better con- At the same time the problem. Much more could these places. the road transport committee. h ditions at the moment. been done and should motion was passed calling for a work inside now

WIIO

Have to should somehow approach to Jack Jones be absorbea Dy be cone to serie une cuesuion.

in the midst or all tais we battle with Vestey's and Hay's. But dockers get with without a do Can What I suggest is that an Vestey's for the jobs to be filled achieve this by picketing tellow trade unionists. Call L approach should by dockers with safeguards for Midland and UK the co• stores and Hay's. And in We fully support the dockers' Vestey's those working inside. by themselves. of a further refusal Hay's Wharf contention that the It never got past Jack Jones' and Vestey's deliberately moved I am intensely critical of the to Joint lack of initiative by the trade dockers, the trade unions wastepaper basket. It was said he premises rom He nese ol

STCRAGE

-MITEC

Dockers' pickets turn away a T&GWU driver from Midland Cold Storage. couldn't accept it because it wasn't an official resolution from dockers' the group T&GWU. He said an approach should be made to the Jones- Aldington committee. It was a rebuff, to say the least.

Then shortly after our meet- ing with the dockers, picketing began at Containerways, Barking, a road transport depot, where there is some stuffing and strip- ping carried on. After that there was a breakdown and the deci- sion by the meat drivers to drive through the picket lines.

Joint action However, we've had this new approach and we still want joint with the dockers. A action waterside war can only benefit Vestey's, Hay's and the capital- ist class in this situation. Turning to the dockers' own problems, Eric Rechnitz thought that it would be wrong to say dockers had gained abso- the lutely nothing from the Jones- Aldington report. At_least the temporarily unattached register (TUR) had been abolished, he said. But the report was on the whole temporary measure and doesn't resolve anything'.

He added: "This surplus labour can't and won't be carried by the employers indefinitely. They doing won't pay people for nothing if there is no work for them.' Common fight Nationalization of the docks ands transertingdustries ave a it 'something strive for. But he added: 'Say- ing this without doing something in the first place to get a com- mon fight, first under the Tories and then, if necessary, under doesn't Labour, amount to much. I believe that there should be a political fight against the government. Every fight today is a political fight, although the rank-and-file don't always realize it. But for the type of political fight to overthrow the Tories the working class requires political education. The big thing is to instill class consciousness into the working class. 'There will be a chance to bring down the government. It will be more apparent when the working class fights on a common front.'

MR MACBEATH'S 'UNCLE' IS

NOT TRUSTED ON FLEET ST

Work together and we'll make It One thing being avoided like the plague by rank. and-file trade unionists is the strike-breaking Working Together cam- paign launched by right- wing businessmen in April. So far only two trade unionists have written pamph- lets for this sinister organiza- tion. One is Frank Chapple, ' right-wing general secretary and president of the Electrical and Plumbing Trades Union.

The dubious distinction of being second has now fallen Innis Macbeath, to labour "The editor of Times'. A member of the National Union of Journalists, he is rumoured of two candidates to be one in the election shortly for the key position of chairman of the Central London Branch of the NUJ which represents all Fleet Street journalists.

His name has now gone down with other authors of Working Together 'studies', , as they are called, who include Nigel Vinson, managing direc- tor of Plastic Coatings Limited, Jack Lee, former president of the Institute of Personnel Management, and Michael D.

Jones, employee relations manager, Gulf Eastern Com- pany. Working Together — a £lm campaign floated at the Savoy Hotel—is an organization with a distinct corporatist flavour- ing, as their objectives make plain to all.

INDUSTRIAL

ANARCHY

They want to 'create a sense of awareness by management and workers of their mutual interests, 'reduce unofficial strikes' 'end industrial an- archy' and 'show that many companies are achieving good results by working together And the 'rewards' for the realization of such objectives?

Why, the 'creation of industrial harmony'. Little room, if any, is left for independent functioning of the trade union movement in such a scheme. Campaign director is Michael Ivens, also a director of the right-wing, anti-nationalization Aims of Industry. Some of the remarks made at the opening Press conference revealed just a little of the anti-trade union and anti- working class nature of Work- ing Together. Sir Joseph Kagan, friend of millionaire Harold Wilson and head of Gannex Raincoats, had this to say, among other things: I have worked under Hitler and Stalin and I believe that the two philosophies are today contending for the soul of man and for the world. "The defence of the economy today is the defence of our very way of life just as in two world wars the army and navy have been.' Committee member Frank Taylor (of the Taylor Woodrow building giant) added: 'If the 500 600 anarchists in or Britain who say they are try- ing to take the working class to power succeed, it will mean communism and the end of our free way of life.' A few months later Taylor's firm was locked with other employers in a bitter 11-week strike with building workers.

The campaign's massive pub- licity is being jointly handled by the former director of pub- licity at Tory Central Office, Geoffrey Tucker, in conjunction with Harold Wilson's former secretary, Sir Trevor press Lloyd-Hughes. Father-of-the-Chapel Times', ', which he joined in 1957, and author of the best peoples' paper's guide to the Industrial Relations Act.

What of his 11-page Work- ing Together pamphlet called 'Personal attitudes to work and leadership'? In it there are a few reveal- ing gems like his advice to management when they want to sack a few workers. The problem is posed thus: • 'To persuade a worker that change will be good for him requires a lot more than show- ing that clean jobs in pleasant conditions will replace dirty jobs in nasty conditions, for example, especially if the total of jobs is coming number down'

ENCROACHING

REDUNDANCIES

How to resolve the problem?

'Leadership often consists of acceptable? making change Macbeath writes. On the struggle between management and journalists fighting for better and pay against encroaching redun- dancies, he offers this advice: *Perhaps the management group and the work group are Press conference of the strike- breaking Working Together cam- paign. Right: Frank Chapple, one of the two trade unionists to write for the organization. too stiffly divided. On occasions like this the person to look for is the "trusted uncle"—he may be from management, he may be from the shop floor, he may be from outside; his particular quality is that he is known, trusted and impartial. You can make this formal by providing for an agreed conciliator in a collective bargain; but even if there is no formal arrangement, it is surprising how often a natural conciliator is available if we have the wit to look for him.' It is unlikely it will be con- sidered a recommendation for chairmanship by provincial journalist members of Mr Mac- beath's own union branch. They have been told that the second part of a pay deal agreed earlier this year is to be held up be- cause of the Tory government's pay control law. Who's going to conciliate on that one?

Mr Macbeath may also have difficulty in finding an 'uncle' figure for Fleet Street jour- nalists like those on the 'Sun' fighting speed-up and redun- dancies. Or perhaps he could con- ciliate with Scotland Yard and call off the police currently , 'Sunday Times' re- hounding porters because they broke the are big rail redundancies story?

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Monday Novemb Michael Banda c Trotsky and syndicalism No one in the early Com- munist International was more familiar with and more critical of syndical- ism than Trotsky. In the formation of the French Communist Party and in the course of its ideological and political purification Trot- came into irreconcilable sky conflict not only with the ele- ments of Freemasonry and social-democracy right-wing but also with the represent- 'absolute atives of the autonomy' of the trade unions from the party. syndicalists, These like Louzon, argued that Robert the trade unions could not be to the political subordinate leadership of a revolutionary party because the trade unions represent 'the working class as a whole' while the party 'only a party' and, therefore, the 'working class as a whole' cannot be subordinated to the The working class, party. wrote Louzon has 'its aim in itself', but the party can only 'serve the working class or itself. Trotsky's analysis of this extremely one-sided and formal argument is a brilliant example of the dialectical method: 'It is only in the course of long struggles, severe trials, many vacillations, and exten- sive experience, that insight as to the right ways and methods dawns upon the minds of the best elements of the working class, the vanguard of the masses. This applies equally to party and trade union. The trade union also begins as a small group of active workers and grows gradually as its experience enables it to gain • the confidence of the masses.

while the revolutionary But organizations are struggling to gain influence in the working class, the bourgeois ideologists oppose them and set up the "working class as whole" against the party and the trade unions, accusing them of want- ing to "annex" the working class. •"Le Temps!" writes this whenever there is a strike. In words the bourgeois other ideologists oppose the work- ing as object to the class working class as conscious sub- ject. For it is only through its class-conscious minority that the working class gradu- ally becomes a factor in history..• 'It seems to us that Com- rade Louzon has not posed this question. "The proletariat has its aim within itself" '. If we this sentence of its strip mystical trappings, its obvious meaning is that the historical tasks of the proletariat are determined by the social position of the class and by its role in production • in society y November 20, 1972 la continues f the tactics and e International and in the state. "This is beyond dispute. But this truth does not help us with answer the question concerned, which we are namely: how is the proletariat to arrive at subjective insight into the historical task posed by its objective position? Were the proletariat as a whole cap- able of grasping its historical task, it would need neither party nor trade union. Revolu- would be born simul- tion taneously with the proletariat.

actuality the process But in required to impart the prole- tariat an insight into its histor- ical mission is very long and full of internal painful, and contradictions? (Marxism and Trade Unions' - SLL the edition p.23-24 emphasis in original.) In his appreciation of Rosa Luxemburg, written in 1935, Trotsky was unequivocally for Lenin's conceptions on spon- taneity: 'There is no gainsaying that impassion- Rosa Luxemburg ately counterposed the spon- taneity of mass actions to the "victory-crowned" conserv- policy of the German ative social democracy, especially after the revolution of 1905.

This counterposition had a thoroughly revolutionary and progressive character. At a much earlier date than Lenin, Luxemburg grasped the Rosa retarding character of the ossified party and trade union apparatus and began a struggle against it. 'In these broad historical Rosa was proved outlines, right. For the revolution of was "spontaneous", that 1918 is, it was accomplished by the masses against all the visions and all the precautions of the party officialdom. On the other hand, the whole of Germany's subsequent history amply showed that spontaneity alone is far from enough for success; Hitler's regime is a weighty argument against the panacea of spontaneity? ('Writ- ings of Leon Trotsky-1935- 36'. Pathfinder Press p.111.)

These basic principles are as decisive for the victory of the working class today as they when they were first were enunciated. The task of the SLL, the YS and the ATUA and Workers Press is to carry forward the struggle begun by the Bolsheviks and the early International Communist by building a revolutionary party to liberate the working class from its reformist trade union consciousness and imbue it with the outlook of revolution- ary socialism. Revisionism: cover for idealist backwardness This means a struggle not only against the Stalinists and Social Democrats but especially against those like the Inter- national Socialists (IS) who masquerade as Marxists' and Mr T. Cliff, leader of the Internatlonal So "Trotskyists', but in reality pander in the crudest way possible to the reformist politics and idealist backward- ness of the spontaneous move- ment. Marxism for these revision- ists is a mantle to cover-up all that is weak, backward and false in the ideology of the working class, means by which the working class is diverted from the struggle for state power and kept politically of subject to the agencies capital. Probably the greatest falsi- fier of Leninism in this field today is Mr T. Clift-leader and 'theoretician' of the Inter- national Socialism group.

Proceeding from the unten- able and completely unscientific thesis that capitalism is ex- panding?-though rather spas- modically—Mr Cliff's chief aim is to show that there is no con- flict between the party and the spontaneous movement of the class and to belittle the crisis of leadership in the class, In a recent article in Social- ist Worker' called The battle is won the war goes on" Mr Cliff makes it abundantly clear that for him socialist politics is an adjunct to the sponta- neous pressure of the masses and that there is little prospect of an overthrow of Toryism.

The first half of his article Cliff devotes to what he calls 'ineffectivness of the Tory oppression' i.e. the Pentonville events, the wage struggles etc.

This section proves that Cliff is a consummate artist in telling they workers already what know—in the most pedestrian, if somewhat facetious way.

But when Cliff tries to explain the 'ineffectiveness' of working class in forcing the despite two the Tories out, years of strikes, he finds him- self treading water. Instead of a critical analysis of the real weaknesses of the working class — its reformist consciousness and its oppor- tunist leadership - Cliff pro- vides his readers with a completely non-historical, supra-objective interpretation which leaves no room at all for the intervention of the subjective factor - the con- scious leadership of the revolu- tionary party. Says Mr Cliff: "The other side of the coin of the in- effectiveness of Tory oppres- sion is the fragmentation and volatility What is this 'fragmentation'?

According to Cliff in a pre- vious article in No 36 of 'International Socialism', April- May 1969, this new sociological is an objective pro- category cess beyond the conscious control of workers: "The full employment (or near full employment) of the war and post-war period gave the workers new confidence, ational Socialists. He uses mystical arguments t the same time frag- but at mented the working class..

Not to despair though, be- as Cliff quickly re- cause, assured his troubled followers, history was working (at least in the palmy days of the French General Strike) relent- lessly in the opposite direction: 'Now, with the new stage the increasing similarities be- the of tween experiences workers in the different frag- ments and the trend to break down the borders of frag- ments, a revolutionary agitation that is both general and specific can start having a greater impact than ever before.'

If this was true in 1969, why isn't it working any more?

Is there any guarantee that even if there were no 'frag- mentation' the spontaneous struggle of the class could secure the overthrow of the Tories? Of course not! IS defends Stalinism This unscientific and mystical argument answers nothing. The reason for the continued exist- ence of the Tories is the any- thing but fragmented treachery of the trade union and Labour Party leaders. The same argument applies to Mr Cliff's subterfuge about 'volatility' (he hadn't dis- covered this category in 1969).

in a Strikes do not develop straight line nor appear all at They proceed dialecti- once. cally. They arise out of the class struggle and not accord- ing to a preconceived plan. But the outcome of all these strikes is determined by subjective considerations; by the politics of their leadership. As an example of this so- called 'volatility, Cliff quotes the example of the agitation against the Industrial Relations Act. When the TUC refused to give a lead in the struggle against the Bill, the militants, 'made an according to Cliff, immediate 180 degrees turn': 'The militants' slogan now was "Stop the Retreat" '. This vola- largely tility affects the advanced sections of the work- ing class. It is rooted in (1) the feeling of the militant that quite often he cannot carry the majority of his own work- mates with him and (2) his 'isolation from militants in other places of work and even more, in other industries.'

Cliff's method is here clearly revealed. Rather than make a concrete analysis of the tactics 'militants' and policies of the who led the unofficial move- ment against the Bill—and in particular their attitude to the "lefts' on the TUC General Council - he presents his readers with the disembodied abstraction of 'volatility'.

By means of this sterile argument Cliff justifies the guments to defend Stalinist betrayals reformist - Stalinist worthless policies of the Liaison Com- mittee for the Defence of Trade Unions and attributes the weakness of the movement to his favourite scapegoat— the working class. The truth is that the Stalin- ists did not develop the initiative and militancy of the working class in the direction of a political struggle to force the Tories out. They confined the anti-Industrial Relations Bill movement to a gesture of protest and scrupulously avoided any action which would embarrassed their left have friends on the IUC. The so- called '180-degree turn' which followed the March 18 sell-out by the TUC was, in fact, a chaotic retreat rather than a defensive posture. That is why the Stalinists gave little or no support to the SLL demand for a recall of the TUC and even- tually gave critical support to the TUC's talks with the government. (Under pressure from the workers they have now supported the demand for the recall of the TUC.) Neither 'volatility' nor 'frag- mentation' but Stalinism was responsible for the failure of the 'militants' campaign.

Mr Cliff cannot and will not present this analysis to his readers-because he and his fellow leaders in IS consciously participated in the fraud of total protest, pressure and opposition to forcing the Tories resign and for a Labour to government pledged to socialist policies. 1 Right-wing reactionary French newspaper. "The main features of the im- mediate period are, to recapitu- late: quick changes, fluctuations, social сопотіс, and political, reflecting both the expansion ' of its intermittent, capitalism and unsystematic nature... 'After World War II three options were opened to Marxists in the evaluation of the imme- diate future of capitalism: 7) to assume that the war chan- ged the features of capitalism very little, i.e. that massive un- employment, very low wages etc will continue. (This, basically, has been the line of the SLL) [This basically, is a complete distortion of the SLL's line] b) Capitalism has changed com- pletely, is no more irrational and anarchic. (This was the position of Anthony Crosland and John Strachey). c) Capitalism is as irrational as ever but now its irrationality (is) not so much in non-use of pro- ductive capacity, but in misuses the permanent arms economy.'

[This is the perspective of the state capitalists i.e. that the con- flict between property relations and productive forces-the basis of Marx's analysis of capitalism —no longer existed.] (These extracts are from Cliff's article 'On Perspectives' printed International Socialism' No 36-April-May 1969.)

CONTINUED TOMORROW

The new Bangladesh Lab- our Code, put forward by the Awami League gov- ernment of Sheikh Muji- bur Rahman is designed to take away all collective- bargaining rights from the trade unions. Sirajul Hossein Khan, seC- retary of the powerful Bangla- desh Sramik (Labour) Federa- tion, which is supported by almost a third of the Bengali working class, has described the code as a means ot makıng the trade unions into nothing more than welfare organiza- tions. 'The code is a complete be- trayal of the working class by the ruling party,' he told "This Workers Press. is especially so because of the leading role played by the workers in the struggle for the independence of Bangladesh.'

Sramik Federation, The which is linked to the pro- Chinese Banglar Communist Party, has organized protest strikes alongside other union organizations against the Awami League labour policy.

The Sramik Federation is particularly strong among jute, and textile, transport tea, machine-tool workers. The factory workers and the rail- waymen are the best-organized sectors of the Bengali working class-—the railway workers in particular have a long tradition of organization and struggle dating back to the days of the British Raj. The highest basic wage for workers is about 150 takka in- (£5) a month and since purchasing dependence the power of this pay packet has been reduced by a half or even a third of what it was a year ago. Mr Khan said the Awami League's new labour code is a pre-emptive strike by the government-which could be promulgated at any time and is hitting out at the workers before they hit out at it.

"The workers will pay the Awami League in its own coin,' Mr Khan said. 'The govern- ment has thrown away the bourgeois-democratic mask in favour of rule by decree.'

Even the Sramik League, led by Abdul Mannan, who is a close associate of Mujib, has been forced to sign a protest against the code. The Sramik League is the trade union wing of the Awami League. The new labour code is an attempt to introduce the prin- that the government ciple should completely determine wages. It is being brought in at a time of rampant inflation which has driven prices up in some cases by 400 per cent -since independence last December. It establishes in each in- dustry or commercial unit a management board comprising three representatives of the side and the management government (in the majority of factories the government is now the employer following nationalization) and two mem- bers from the workers' side.

These boards deal with pro- ductivity, efficiency and all other of labour- aspects relations. The management unions will have no oppor- tunity of putting up demands on wages, service conditions and other matters outside the confines of the boards. Wages will be fixed entirely by the government, Mr Khan said. "The new labour policy assumes the workers will petition the government when they want a wage rise and if the government magnanimously wishes to do the workers favour it will put up their wages. 'Otherwise the workers will have to dety the government, and the Awami League has already banned strikes in the nationalized industries which comprise, on their figures, 85 per cent of the total industrial assets of Bangladesh.' Mr Khan added: 'The work- ing class has already rejected the order banning strikes and the new labour code. All the main trade union bodies have come out against it. In May the workers in the nationalized industries replied with a pro- test strike within two days of the ban on strikes. 'The strike was successful in that nobody was arrested.

It was a token stoppage to defy the government order? When the government announced the labour code, Mr Khan's new organization, together with four other Bangladesh trade union bodies, held a joint day of protest on October 11.

Strikes and rallies were held throughout the country. After a few days the Sramik League —which had participated with the government in drawing up the new labour policy-was forced to come out against it and support the demand for its withdrawal. Mr Khan said the govern- ment had by-passed the union leaders in drawing up its new policy, though it had earlier solicited their support. The Banglar Communist Party, he said, had offered its support Mujib after independence to on condition he adopted and implemented a 'truly socialist programme' But, he said, there was never Workers Press, Mondi actual co-operation be- any tween the Banglar CP and the Nevertheless, government. on April 3, the Sramik Federation, trade union arm of the Banglar CP, attended a national con- ference of union leaders called by the government which was opened by Mujib himself. Presided over by the Labour Minister, the conference set up a national committee of two representatives from each of seven national labour the organizations. The committee was given the task of formulat- ing a new labour policy. Mr Khan said the committee was divided with eight out of 15 supporting the policy of the Sramik Federation and the rest, including the pro-Moscow Stalinist Trade Union Centre, supporting the government.

Accordingly the government by-passed the committee com- pletely. The labour code, published is out-and-out in October, anti-worker, Mr Khan said. 'It also violates conventions Nos 87 and 98 of the Inter- national Labour Office on collective-bargaining, the right of association, and freedom to strike The Bangladesh government has been a member of the ILO for less than a year. Mr Khan said he was going to press ILO headquarters take to appropriate action, though he has little hope that this would bring any results. 'If the ILO doesn't take any action against the violation of its own statutes by a member government then the ILO will have no face to show in Bangla- desh and the working class will consider it a tool in the hands of reactionary forces.' Apart from appealing to the ILO, Mr Khan is vague about what other action will be taken.

He considers that the resist- ance of the working class will make the law unworkable. 'I doubt the government can take any action under the code because the entire working class has definitely registered its protest and non-acceptance of the labour policy. If the government takes any action the government itself will be 288, Monday November 20, 1972 PAGE 5 Unemployed in Dacca. workers High unemployment is another sign of the desperate crisis in Bangladesh. responsible for its effects on industry. 'The workers will in no case agree to this labour policy and government measures against the interests of workers. What- ever laws the government may promulgate in pursuance of the new labour policy, it will not have the sanction of the working class.' Bangladesh is currently under a system of presidential rule and the law can be passed by decree without any reference to the National Assembly, a body which supposedly has the job of drawing up a new con- in preparation for stitution elections in March next year.

Neither the Bangladesh Sramik Federation nor the Banglar Communist Party have yet decided what their position will be in the forthcoming elections, Mr Khan pointed out.

He refuted reports that they will ally with peasant leader Maulana Bashani against the Awami League. However, the elections are likely to see a stiff battle by the Awami League to hang onto power. The League represents the interests of the tiny Ben- gali employing class, which faces an increasing hostility from the workers and peasants of Bangladesh. The Awami League govern- ment is a weak regime, heavily dependent on Indian assistance and ruling over a virtually bankrupt economy. Its plan to smash trade union rights is a sign of the desperate crisis in which the Bengali employers find themselves. But as the experience of the British trade union movement against the Industrial Relations Act demonstrates, the unions cannot be defended with illu- sions that the government will not apply the law. What is needed in Bangladesh is the building of a revolutionary leadership within the workers' movement to prepare the over- throw of Bengali capitalism as the only way in which basic rights can be defended.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Monday November 20, began Yesterday polling in Germany in the most West decisive elections since World War II. Nixon's measures of 1971, destroyed August 15, the basis of the so-called 'Ger- man economic miracle' and, by the same token, the politics of class-collaboration. Faced with a huge drop in the rate of profit in all the key indus- a sharpening trade tries and war with Japan and the US, West German industrial and finance capital is compelled to abandon the policy of com- promise with the working class. Instead it must now make direct attacks on the working class and its organiz- ations. It needs a Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union/government to attack the unions and the londay November 20, 1972 standard of living of the work- ing class: based as it is on the working class and the trade unions, Chancellor Willy Brandt's Social Democratic Party has been unable to de- liver fully these designs to the ruling class. There have been the most desperate attempts to oust the Brandt coalition government. In April this year Dr Rainer Barzel, leader of the CDU, and Herr Franz-Josef Strauss (CSU) tried to come to power through a kind of parliamen- tary putsch by buying off Lib- eral MPs. But a wave of political strikes that threatened to develop into a General Strike spread throughout the country and the right-wing factions in the Opposition were forced to retreat. The militancy and political consciousness of the working alarmed class not only the employing class and the CDU/CSU. Above all, it deeply troubled Nobel Prize- winning apostle of peace, Chancellor Brandt. On the day after the failure of " very the putsch he entered discus- sions with Barzel and Strauss offering collaboration on all political questions - action against left-wing groups and on every legal and organiza- tional attack planned on the working class. The main product of this been the collaboration has legislation wide-ranging on Internal Security. With the help of the notorious Free Democratic Party (FDP) Min- ister of the Interior Genscher, action' 'man of Brandt the in pushed through the Act record time. Under the legisla- the Police Department tion (Crime) was centralized and provided with what Genscher described as a police nerve centre. It is equipped with the most advanced computer- ware used by any police force in the world. 'With billions and billions of data', the head of the Crime Department,

SPD

member Horst Herold, wants to inves- tigate the criminal in all the ramifications of his heredity, his environment and his soc- iety'. A network of 500 data points to which every police- man is linked by radio ensures instant access to this data. The budget Crime Department's has been raised from £2.15m in 1969 to a proposed £15m next year. At the same time the border police who were previously on the same level as the ordinary police have been transformed into a para-military force. len thaves been frained far boban thousand new special warfare'. The terrorist actions of the Palestinians at the Munich Olympic Games were used as an excuse to build special troop units throughout West Germany to 'defeat ter- ror and revolt'. Despite the introduction of these instru- ments of repression on behalf of the ruling class, Brandt has not been able to appease his masters. The capitalist crisis in West Germany necessitates an open and brutal attack on the work- Herr of the CSU. Right: police nerve centre, 'with billions and billions of data. Crime bud- get raised to £15m next year.

ing class. Although he received a huge majority for his 'Inter- nal Security' in the vote laws, his the Budget coalition tied with

LOSES

vote. Parliament was dissolved September 22. The election campaigning has been fierce because high. The stakes are so pace Franz-Josef Stra iss neat of the CSU, osee been set Bavarian sister party of

CDU.

elected Barzel's Strauss has promised to create unemployment- the price stability'. ( And he economic has made no secret about the standard of living of the working class: will come with an iron broom', he said. begin On this page we two-part series on Strauss and his background. Workers Press, Monday November 20, 1972 PAGE 7

BY OUR GERMAN CORRESPONDENT

If the Christian Demo- a blueprint nor in a model for so-called existence this crats win the election, the trial hosu, let alone a new Chancellor will be Dr duction which prepared. Rainer Barzel. But the was not really surprising since 'Hispano Suiza' had neither power behind the throne then, nor until the present day, will certainly be Herr car. Franz-Josef Strauss, head Although Strauss continually deal and are state about the of the Christian Social mister the state of produc- Union, the Bavarian wing with the HS30 and had ton of the CDU. covered order and save the business (it was Comenting a four-sided on 1959 before the first two proto- television discussion between types had been delivered, both the parties contesting the elec 'The useless. nnalv he had to slash tion, Times' Corespon- the programme to a deal worth dent said last Thursday: 'But the most tair-minded Meanwhile, 'Hispano Suiza' among the minority of viewers sub-contracted the pIu-

NOE

have vote duction work to another firm- could hardly dispute Sunday British-Leyland. that it was Herr Strauss who Ten years after the deal had banner carried the Opposition really been initiated, facts came to light proving what people had The West German capitalist known all along but which class is going all out for Strauss Strauss had repeatedly denied, in the election because ther both publicly parlia- require political represent- and Representing ative without scruples. A brief Suiza' its dealings with look at his background demon- Minister Strauss was strates that Strauss verence has such Dr Otto Lenz, certain qualifications. From 1937, he was a member member of the coalition com- mittee and election of the National Socialist Motor all paigner for the CDU/CSU. Corps, a branch of the NSDAP knew that the firm and a member of the National Strauss Socialist Students' League.

had paid 18m DM (£2.2m) in He a few became "ideological people. soon Sweetenc On some pretext or other, he adviser' of the Munich NSDAP.

did not inform the state pro- During the war he was secutor, even though hostile stationed in Schongau on Lech (Bavaria) reactions had come from third with rank of the parties. Moreover, credit docu- First Lieutenant. After the war mentation disappeared mys- he immediately found his way teriously before a parliamentary not into prison but into the commission was able to look American military government into the matter. where he worked as an inter- While he was still Defence preter. It was here that he got Minister, Strauss continued to First Lieu- to know a certain dedicate himself Ernest with un- tenant Hauser, diminished officer in the 'Military ardour to 'special Intel- tasks' and 'atomic ligence Service' of questions', the head. quarters of the USFET (Rear) notorious Starfighter scandal showed. and head of a section of the Secret Service Strauss decided to stationed In la equip the Luftwaffe with Lock- Schongau, He cultivated this aquaint- heed Starfighters. He ordered 66 machines. ance. He later raised the order Through Hauser's good from offices Strauss was given 66 to 700. carried ment of deputy District Magi- out important change: an German Starfighters strate for Schongau. tuture this were to built as atomic position he automatically be- came examining magistrate for weapons carriers and not for conventional bombing. This meant that West Ger- ment over the political past many's part in atomic arma- former members of the NSDAP and its ment had already become offshoots, as well established fact at the end of In 1945 he became a founder CSU and in 1950s without any debate of the the member 1949 its general secretary. It 1n But this grandiose project in 1950 this position waste also had a catch. Not a single that he figured prominently in Starfighter had been tested major rock lamentary before the contract was made.

scandal to the new It only became clear after- Republic. wards that Starfighters were (Several members of not suitable to Strauss's pur 'National Bavarian Party' Production stretched which was a serious rival to pose. after the CSU in those days ten re-

UVCI

wnie the Bundestag stopped it be- ceived up to £3,000 each How would vote for the many billions of that they Deutschmarks had been in-

CSU.

This matter was, fully explained. vested will never be known in course, never delivery of the Strauss quickly After the made him- self noticeable and Chancellor planes, nearly 100 Starfighters within crashed the Adenauer soon invited him his cabinet as Minister total stands at 200 at present into for Special Tasks. He fulfilled and 80 dead pilots. these i But Strauss never forgets the special tasks so well that human by 1955 he had advanced to his great business. He asked the general the post of Minister for Atomic Questions, and finally in 1956 director of Lockheed's, a good friend of his, for assistance.

was named Defence Minister.

One of the first acts of the After a few weeks the Lock- Called. ep was Strauss" , heed representative Minister the con- bonn new clusion dea! the pre-war with Hauser. His Swiss firm Suiza' buddy ernest (Spain-Switzerland) for delivery income was €12,000 per year.

of about 11.000 HS30 armoured After resignation. The Hauser left Lockheed and was Cals at cost of 2,500m convicted by the Bonn courts DM of breach of contract, falsifica- (£300m), with 205m (£25m) to be paid in advance.

tion of sources and destruction The only snags in the deal ot documents

CONTINUED TOMORROW

was neither were that there

YEAR TWO OF THE BANZER DICTATORSHIP

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Monday Novemt Statement by the International working The Bolivian class has a rich tradition of revolutionary struggle against capitalism and im- perialism. The armed tin miners have been at the centre of the struggle of the working class of Latin America since the early 1950s. At the same time no working class has suffered more from betrayals of leadership, which have brought about first the Barrientos mili- tary dictatorship and now the Banzer dictatorship. Today Bolivian workers tight on against tremendous odds.

On October 30 workers held a massive demonstration in La Paz protesting against the 40-per-cent devaluation of the peso. Carrying banners denouncing the government as 'fascist and anti-union', workers stopped traffic at the city's centre. One worker was killed and several wounded when the police fired crowd. into the Workers responded with a 24-hour General Strike and fighting was reported in the working- class quarters of La Paz.

The movement of the Boli- vian working class today coincides with the deepening crisis of world capitalism. This in turn has made the already tenuous position of the Bolivian and other South American national capitalists completely impossible. Inflation and unemployment throughout Latin rages America. A working class which has grown in size in the period of the 1950s and 1960s to defend itself now moves against these new attacks.

The capitalist their American and their petty-bourgeois fol- lowers must resort to brutal military regimes in a desperate attempt to hold on to their crumbling system. The stage is now set for explosions revolutionary throughout Latin America. It is not a matter of a single country or the movement of isolated guerrillas. The explo- sions cannot be forestalled by Allende [Chilean president]- type popular fronts nor 'left'- looking military dictatorships as in Peru today, and Bolivia under Torres yesterday. need The critical of the moment in Latin America is construction of indepen the dent revolutionary parties of the working class, constructed on the international perspec- of the International tives Committee of the Fourth International. This means from the whole his- starting tory of the struggle within for the Fourth International Marxist philosophy against revisionism. The Bolivian struggle itself is the clearest expression and proof of this.

Because the position of the capitalists has been so bank- rupt for so long in Latin America, the position of Stalinism that the revolution be a two-staged must one requiring support to the 'pro- gressive' bourgeoisie at this point has been widely rejected.

In these conditions there emerged centrist ten- have dencies which criticize Stalin- ism in the name of Trot- ay November 20, 1972 ational Committee of the Fourth Int Street fighting in Bolivia at the time of t skyism but which refuse to go over to a revolutionary based on the perspective international strategy of the Fourth International. Such tendencies function as dangerous and reactionary for nationalism and cover Stalinism at a time when the movement of the working class constantly surges beyond these leaderships. Such a tendency is the

POR

Bolivian Guillermo like Lora. Lora, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in Ceylon, never started from the construction of the Fourth International. He has always rejected the fundamental pro- position of Marxism that the construction of a revolutionary party in a single country can only proceed as part of the inter- construction of the national party itself. This in turn is primarily a theoretical which requires the con- task scious development of Marxist theory through the struggle to build the national sections and combat revisionism. Instead Lora has seen his role as one of reflecting the movement in Bolivia, of developing or influencing what the movement is. Thus in 1952 he supported the petty- bourgeois nationalist MNR of Estensoro Paz. Later, as the government came into Paz collision with the Bolivian working class, he shifted his support to the left wing of the MNR under labour bureau- crat Juan Lechin. urth International time of the coup which ousted Torres and bro Still later, with • the dema- gogic rise of Castroism, a form of radicalism of petty bourgeoisie, Lora shifted once again to support guerrillaism.

As guerrillaism receded from of its scene because the inability to take forward the struggle of the working class any way against national in capitalism and imperialism, Lora broke with Castroism, at least partially, and sought an alliance with the Communist Party of Bolivia and the forces around Lechin once again.

To Lora, the Fourth Inter- national existed to assist him in his adaptations. In 1952 he fully supported Michel Pablo against the Inter- national Committee. He later broke but only in order to carry out his opportunism independently. In the 1960s, in the midst of his adaptation to Castro, he fused with the Pabloites once more. His attempt to affiliate with the International Committee in 1970 represented not a break from his past policies, but the desire for a new international cover for what was to become his greatest betrayal of the Bolivian work- class. This the Inter- ing national Committee refused to give him, despite continuous pressure from the Organization Communiste Internationaliste (OCI) of France. In August 1971 Colonel Banzer, supported by the MNR and the fascist Falange parties, overthrew the Torres regime in just three days. The un- armed working class faced a s and brought Banzer to power In Augusi, 197T modern army equipped by US imperialism the latest with Torres' weapons. army dis- integrated and went over to Banzer. Torres refused to give arms in to the any number workers. The workers' parties, including Lora's POR, having left the working class un- prepared and leaderless, went into hiding or exile. At that time we published an assessment of these events in the 'Bulletin', organ of the Workers League, and in Workers Press, organ of the Socialist Labour League. We stated: 'Lora, in collaboration with the Bolivian Stalinists and with the agreement of the Bolivian and international Pabloites, failed to fight at any overthrow of point for the the Torres military regime. Thus he, along with the rest of the Popular Assembly, acted as a left cover for Torres while the right-wing element in Torres' own army prepared and finally executed their coup. 'Lora,' share responsibility recent rightist coup.' The reaction of the OCI, however, was different. Im- mediately they issued an hysterical declaration, dis- tributed publicly throughout Paris, solidarizing themselves in a completely uncritical way with Lora and denouncing the majority of the International Committee. They stated: 'At the head of the Bolivian workers was the POR, armed the programme of the with Fourth International, steeped in dozens of years of deter- mined struggle for the pro- letarian revolution against nationalism, against Stalinism, against Pabloite revisionism and against all forms of petty- bourgeois ideas, such as guerrillaism, deeply entrenched in the most combative section of the Bolivian proletariat.

Because the party prepared this struggle, it was prepared for it, and was able to seize the occasion and, at each stage of the revolutionary process, it developed the conditions for the working class to take power... "Today, the leadership of organizations of the certain International Committee, like the Socialist Labour League and the Workers League, lacking clarity precisely on the question of the strategy for the conquest of power and the reconstruction of the Fourth International, have given in to enormous pressure in attacking the POR.' Those who collaborated to the end with the Stalinists, who never broke with Torres but in fact requested him to give the workers arms, are characterized as developing 'the conditions for the working class to take power', while we who condemned this betrayal, fellow members and supporters of the International Commit- condemned for tee, were 'clarity' on the lacking strategy for the conquest of power!

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Rumours that Henry Ford II has decided to build his first in northern Spain has factory caused 'great interest in Basque financial circles'. Down in the sunny south of financial circles have Spain, something more than a rumour about foreign capital coming their way After Ministry of Industry Lopez de Letona had bid fare- well to Ford, he sped down to Algeciras to the opening ceremony at the Acerinox which is a joint factory, Spanish-Japanese venture.

The factory will produce stainless steel using the most modern processing techniques developed by Japanese industry and will be operated by a Japanese and Spanish labour- force. With their usual efficiency, the Japanese extracted from the Spanish workers Gibraltar area and gave them nine month's training in stain- less steel plants in Japan.

Senor Letona has been further elated by the news that the Seat factory in Barcelona is to export the '850' model to Poland and the USSR. The Fiat company (the main share- holder in Seat) makes only the '124' models in its plants in Poland and the USSR. Below: Henry Ford II

WORKERS

NOTEBOOK

All roads to profit lead to Franco's police-state and the old man Franco is past-master everybody picasullg wild hates the working class.

NO RISKS

You might just squeeze into a •wiss bank as a sweeper.• | you're British. But you stand no chance of any more respon- sible job. The reason is, the bankers say, that so many well-heeled Britons have secret, numbered with them thev can t accounils take the slightest risk that even a single name will be disclosed Switzerland's strict banking laws have been eased recently as far as banking is concerned.

But the law still calls for up jail, or a fine to six months in of more than £5,000, if a bank employee discloses secrets. And violation of professional punishable secrecy Iculalls after employee has even an left for another job or retired.

All of which just goes show. The so-patriotic rich, it have banking habits seems, which are quite otherwise. And so confident are the Swiss that their fellow-countrymen will do the dirty, they won't have of the breed on the payroll.

Perfidious Albion •

LEON TROTSKY:

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186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG. T.V. Review by Anne Blakemar History rides on our backs and at the same time meets us face to face when we try to escape into the present: the People's Liberation Army of China is an embodi- ment of this in itself. And Felix Greene's excel- lently-filmed programme, first called in a three-part series 'One Man's China', gave a vivid flavour of this tireless body of 3 million men. them going Не showed about the business of training tens of millions of Chinese for civilian defence, helping in the construction of a bridge over Yangtse - an irrigation the canal for agricultural purposes - teaching and engaging in community work, aside from maintaining their own self- cultivating sufficiency through food, making medicines and creating a full life in army divisions which know no bar- riers between officer and ranks 'officers to and encourages teach soldiers and soldiers to teach officers'. This army has its roots in the first communist move- ments in China after the fall of the Empire in 1911; when the communists, driven from the cities by conflicts which in Chiang culminated Kai- shek's massacre in 1927, fled to south-east China, found themselves unable to establish a communist state there, so set out on the legendary Long March in 1935, moving west through Tibet and gathering strength on this gruelling trip.

From this was born the Red Army. And although few of the originals remain (like the Chief of Staff), there was the experience for others, of the Korean War 1950-1953 and the driving of the US army back across the 49th the parallel with famous 'human wave' tactics; and again when the army played its essential role in the Cul- tural Revolution, when many of its officers became chair- men of the newly-formed Party Revolutionary Commit- tees. But the real force of the army lies in its capacity as the ideological vanguard in China, in which, as Greene the mentioned, technical achievements are subordinate to the political. What Greene, a liberal pro- Maoist sympathizer, did not mention is the danger inherent in a body which historically carries with it all the tenets, and so all the lies and distor- tions of Stalinism, the foun- dation of Chinese communism from its inception. RTF's "The However, In Free Frenchman' it was clear that de Gaulle himself, as he so often implied, was French history personified, at least during the last three or four decades. The film, a memorial tribute (but aptly timed for a French government ever more dedicated to reviving Gaullist policies headed, as it is, by the General's former shadow, ex- banker Pompidou) poured forth of patriotic a mixture fervour, nationalism and vic- tories of all sorts along with the Great Speeches and the Great Statesmen (Stalin, Chur- chill, Roosevelt, Eisenhower and the rest of the capitalist idols) with plenty of thunder- ous orchestral stuff to paper Workers Press, Mond lakeman over any cracks of incredulity that might lurk when Max Bellancourt paused in his rev- erent narration. In a period when France suffered convul- enormous sions, with revolution and • civil war ever-present, econo- mic crises emerging from post- war devastation and post-war boom and the break-up of her empire, which contributed to all this and more, de Gaulle imposed his ruthless militarist opportunism and mystic nat- ionalist pretensions to 'glory, honour and greatness'. This amounted, in the cold light, to oppressive authorita- rianism on a scale that often came close to rivalling that of Stalin. It not only contributed enormously to the destruction and exploitation but deliber- ately instigated slaughter and suffering in a virtually unpre- cedented manner for French history. Under the banner of a self- "revolutionary' styled de laid his plans while Gaulle in exile in England during World War I, broadcasting as 'We, de Gaulle, leader of the Free Frenchmen .. He linked up with French Resistance wherever possible, cultivating heads of state in constantly ambiguous a fashion which made them all wish themselves rid of him.

Finally he succeeded in grasp- ing Equatorial Africa in order to establish himself in opposi- tion to the Vichy government collaborating under Pétain, once de Gaulle's idol and friend. Pétain. De Gaulle's Idol The film showed his trium- phal liberation' of Paris in August 1944, but of course failed to mention that because France was almost entirely under communist rule (de Gaulle rapidly suppressed and bought them off as he was to do again in 1968) it was ne- cessary for him to drive the country into civil war so that he could take absolute power.

Thousands of Frenchmen died during 1944-1945 at the hands of other Frenchmen.

Also unmentioned the was sowing of the seed for the Algerian war with de Gaulle's Ordinance passed in Algeria in March 1944, dividing Alge- rians and resulting in the mas- sacre of • Setif--concealed for afterwards from the years French. The miscalculations gross which led to war in Indo- China (Haiphong and Diem Bien Phu), the, bloodshed in Tunis and Morocco as they fought for their freedom from eight years' French rule, the war in Algeria (the summit of de Gaulle's treachery when he was recalled from retirement ess, Monday November 20, 1972 PAGE 9 in 1956) with 200,000 dearl, the FLN, Moslems, Arabs and French who were tortured and injured—are all crimes which stand at de Gaulle's door, per- petrated in the name French imperialism and 'the French Union'. The crucial role of the Com- munist Party and its leaders, like Rol Tanguy, Thorez, Wal- deck-Rochet, Séguy and many more through the period 1939- 1969, their sell-out and abject submission time and again to de Gaulle's treacherous mani- pulation, can never be under- estimated. De Gaulle literally flew on the wings of the Stalinists and at each abdication from a leadership which stood open for them to take, de Gaulle was there to pick up the pieces and go on. Towards the end of what can only be called his 'reign', General de Gaulle de Gaulle's power vir- was tually unlimited ('my tele- vision' he called it). Nothing was beyond his grasp, not even the International Monetary System which he took into his own hands in 1967, badly in- flaming economic problems still further than his policies had already done. Like the thin tissue on the face of an enormous scar, the film on Friday night merely laid a veil over the 'sacred monster' writers have as called him. 'La canaille', , as he contemp- the masses in tuously called France and Africa-when he wasn't in need of their vote- those dead in his wake, are the ones who should receive memorial tributes. Those alive, betrayed by the French Stalinsts even now as before, will not quickly forget his dictatorship. In the Tuesday Document- ary, "The Price of Violence', a British soldier in Ulster said: ... because they're British you've got to be polite to them or you won't get anywhere' which is a classic fundamentai of British imperialist philo- sophy. Some of the results of this 'politeness' exposed were again in a half-baked emotive piece which readily explored the maimed and the crippled, the dead and the despairing, all the tragedies which are made a game of by 'impartial' attitudes, which encourage the usual impotent confusion and infer what the real never issues are, or how they are being exploited by British in- tervention under Tory rule.

'The Red Chinese Army'. Nar- rated and produced by Felix Greene. Thursday November 9.

'De Gaulle The Free French- man'. Directed by Michel Droit.

Produced by Sanford Lieberson and David Putnam (RTF). Friday November 11. 'The Price of Violence'. Tuesday's documentary._Produced by Tony Tuesday November Broughton. :: 13.

MACHINE TOOL INDUSTRIAL

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Monday November 20, 1972 Alfred Herbert, the ma- chine tool manufactur- ers, have finally sold their a firm of developers. As a result the 700 workers the still left at Churchill Machine Tool Company's Broadheath plant will be sacked when the plant closes next February. The shut-down of the fac- tory, which produced some of the most advanced grinding world, machines in the was announced in January. 2,000 Although workers demonstrated through Altrin- Barber. Rough time with 2,000 cham, Cheshire, and gave Tory workers. Chancellor Anthony Barber pruned the number of plants. rough time when he visited The British machine-tool Alfred Herbert were the area, industry overall is in the midst determined to see the closure of its worst slump since the through. 1930s. In the real terms, Herbert's, the largest of net home £71.5m worth machine-tool manufacturer in orders received last year was Europe, have been in severe the lowest yearly total since financial difficulties. The slump 1950. in British industry has hit the A sharp fall in orders for machine-tool industry hard.

Churchill's products- -both at Firms who had lost con- home and abroad- -precipitated fidence in the future prospects the plant's closure. of British capitalism were soon The 22-acre includes site ready to cut back on retooling.

360,000 square feet of factory They could see no point in and office space. In September, wasting money. when the plant In August the firm announced was put on the market, the asking price losses of £2.28m for the first was around £1.25m. months of this year. The Six half-year resulted in It is hinted previous now strongly that the buyers are a firm losses of £3.22m. of The figures showed that the developers and intend to value of sales had fallen change the site into a ware- by house. £5m, almost a quarter to or £15.8m. The order intake was Meanwhile the factory is emptied of machinery also down £5m to £14.4m. being Herbert's have sacked almost which being transported iS down the M6 to Alfred Her- one-third of their workforce bert's Coventry factory. and in the last few years I would like information about below and send to NATIONAL Fill in the form

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Or Full subscription (six days) for months. Name Address Amount enclosed £ One of the boasts of the Industrial Society is its work inside major British firms improving labour relations. lucrative efforts Its most have been inside the big car like Vauxhall's firms and Ford's. The Society's annual report says that it has given its services to such firms as C. T. Bowring, British Ropes (a former director was An- thony Barber, the Tory Chan- cellor of the Exchequer), Legal and General Assurance Soc- National Coal Board, iety, Scottish and Newcastle Brew- eries and Whitbread.

FACE-

The work with the Ford Motor Company receives ex- pansive treatment in the Nov- ember issue of the company newspaper 'Ford News'. article describes how The the Society has successfully introduced a scheme whereby there is a greater circulation of information about the com- pany among the employees.

'It is based on the common- sense idea of briefing which that information is means passed to employees through face-to-face meetings held at each level of the organization.'

trial scheme was intro- A duced in 1970 at the Dagen- ham, Essex, engine plant.

the engine Robert Lindsay, plant manager, told a reporter from Ford News': 'But I am convinced that everyone, at all levels in the plant, appreciate and welcome this method of being kept in the picture. Em- ployees get information more quickly and more reliably?

John Garnett, the Society's effusive director, who last week joined Jack Jones, and 1933-1934 £1.43 1934-1935 £1.43 1935-1936 £1.25 £1.25 1937-1938 1938-1939 £1.25 1939-1940 £1.05 ... These extremely vital years 1929 and 1940—1 Union-are now availak 28 Charlotte St London W1

BOOKS • PERIO

John Garnett, director Enoch Powell in a radio dis- programme, cussion Con- mented: 'You [Ford's] have been successful down foreman to level. Now you must brief re- gularly to all employees if the full benefits of the system are to be achieved?

LASHING

DISPUTES

At the Society's recent an- nual Garnett conterence claimed that the briefing sys- been responsible for tem nad lashing disputes at a Mersey- side motor works. The same issue of •Ford News' also reports that Ford's Basildon tractor plant is to try astonishing an even more means of avoiding labour dis- pules. The Rev. Frank James is to set up an industrial chaplaincy plant. work Insiae she lords a tove of manifestation the words thy neigh- bour"! said the reverend tot More

TRO

These extremely vital writings by Leon Trotsky between the years 1929 and 1940—his third and final exile from the Soviet Union-are now available in Britain from the Paperbacks Centre (see advert below).

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A large number of film processing laboratories are frightened of being driven out of business in the not too distant future by the intense competi- tion from Rank and Technicolor, the two labs in the largest film country. At one time, both of them were concerned mainly with feature film production. With in film-making, slump the which made itself felt about two years ago, the giants began to look for other business.

Television film, video, tape-to- film transfers, 8mm pictures and filmstrips, which were the mainstay of the smaller labs, are now being taken over by the Big Two. Rank's 8mm and filmstrip executive, Peter Richardson, claims that they now control nearly half the national 8mm business, while the total annual filmstrip output is only equi- valent to about one week's work for their newly-modern- They ized laboratory. also claim to have grabbed 50 per cent of cinema commercials and 25 per cent of 16mm work.

Both • Rank and Technicolor are busily looking for partners in Europe and completing deals with some of the largest film- processing laboratories France and Germany. In the meantime, the intense competition between the different manufacturers of film is driving them to make ever new innovations, which are also causing headaches for the smaller labs. Kodak, for ex- ample, will shortly be market- ing a new type of 16mm film which requires special hand- ling. Unless the smaller labs fork out huge sums of can money to install completely new equipment, they will not be able to process it. Smaller darkrooms, struggl- ing to get by, are in no position to challenge competition from the Big Two. Without a regular and very loyal clientele, their business just dwindle will away-and loyalty does not count for much in the business world. (1939-40) Writings Of Leon Tratsky 11838-91

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

LIBERATION

poured gunners more than 2,000 mortar and artillery rounds onto South Viet- namese marines advancing to- wards the demilitarized zone from Quang Tri city yesterday.

The US Air Force has stepped NINE TRADE UNIONISTS re ing carworkers at the Berliet f up its bombardment of the area near the border. in Lyons are to be brought be French courts on charges of t

BASQUE

militants have called off a 24-hour hunger the 'loi anti-casseur'-the anti- strike in Bayonne cathedral, close to the passed on June 8, 1970, in the Spanish border. They ended the the 1968 General Strike. the strike following conciliatory It has been used against moves by the authorities. The 'left' and student groups strikers were protesting against demonstrators, but never until expulsion orders issued against the organized now against militant Basque anti-fascists.

trade union movement.

CGT

The five (Communist

MAOIST

youth threw tear-gas Party) members and four CEDT among 5,000 spectators members at a (Socialist Party) are by Paul Berliet, the charged Social Democratic eve-of-poll general head of the Berliet fac- meeting addressed by chancellor tories, with: Willy Brandt on Saturday night.

• DISTRIBUTING a leaflet and They expelled from the were demonstration organizing meeting shouting 'Only enemies during the current wages struggle now in its seventh week. of the people are standing for election. Don't give them your 'UNLEASHING violence' when demonstrators invaded the vote'. CUBA and the United States may hold anti-hi-jack talks the of following seizure Southern Airways jet diverted to Havana just over a week Rogers has now agreed the Cuban direct request for negotiations ago. the capitals- hetween at Fidel Castro promised the Swiss dip- handled by plane's pilot, that the hi-jackers lomatic intermediaries. would be jailed for life.

Washing- The hi-jacking talks are seen ton sent a message of thanks to as the beginnings political ot a the Cubans for the way they had and diplomatic dialogue to bring handled the incident. Castro 'in from the cold' after a 12-year blockade. Cuba has regarded as been has officially US haven for hi-jackers Already the because the Castro government has no formal sponsored a visit by ocean. an diplomatic relations with the US.

ographic delegation to Cuba In fact, however, Castro's gov- earlier this year. The nationalist Castro has been quietly re- regime ernment Stalinist hi-jackers. They driven the patriating are was simply put on a plane for Canada, hostility i States. the of the where the Canadian police quietly United This led the re- run them across the frontier into of the US Socialist visionists the FBI's arms. Workers' Party to proclaim Cuba In The Americans are not satisfied a workers' state. reality it is bourgeois-nationalist with this backstage traffic.

They regime with close ties to the Soviet bloc.

are pledged to keep it secret, for May, Nixon's Moscow visit one thing, which means it has no value as a deterrent for potential the huge trade pact and the dip- lomatic manoeuvres over Vietnam hi-jackers. And so far the Cuban now make it possible for Castro authorities have repatriated only the US. to settle differences with those hi-jackers who show signs hi-jacking question The pro- of mental disturbance. vides convenient smokescreen. As William Secretary of State

ITV

9.30 Rainbow. 9.50 Larry the lamb. 10.05 Mr and Mrs. 10.40 Anniversary.

1.30 Emmerdale. 2.00 Anniversary. 2.30 All our yesterdays. 3.00 Film: 'Remem- ber the Day'. Claudette Colbert, John Payne. 4.25 Freewheelers. 4.55 Clapper-

BBC 1

board. 5.20 And mother makes three.

5.50 News. 10.00 Tom and Jerry. 10.10 Scooby

6.00 TODAY.

doo. 10.30 Silver Wedding. 1.15 News.

6.40 OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS!

1.20 Pebble Mill. 1.55 Along the trail.

7.30 CORONATION STREET.

2.10 Silver Wedding. 3.25 Queen's gal- Pixie and Dixie. 4.10 Play lery. 4.00

8.00 WORLD IN ACTION.

4.40 school. 5.35 Magic roundabout. 8.30 SEZ LES. Les Dawson.

Jackanory. 4.55 Blue Peter. 5.20 Long 9.00 KATE. A Nice Rest. chase. 5.45 News and weather.

10.00 NEWS AT TEN.

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

10.30 LONGSTREET. The Girl

6.45 SILVER WEDDING.

with a Broom.

11.35 DRIVE-IN.

7.15 Z CARS. Old Acquaintance.

12.05 POINT OF VIEW.

Ivor

8.00 PANORAMA.

Mills. 9.00 NEWS. Weather.

9.25 PLAY FOR TODAY: "THE

BBC 2

GENERAL'S DAY'. Alastair Sim. 11.00-11.25 Play school.

CHILDREN GROWING UP.

10.25 MASTERMIND.

7.05 How Far How Soon?

10.55 LATE NIGHT NEWS.

7.30 NEWSROOM. Weather.

8.00 ALIAS SMITH AND JONES.

11.00 IRELAND. What We have, we hold. 11.25 Weather.

8.50 CALL MY BLUFF.

ISTS represent- berliet factories ight before the es af breaking ne anti-riot law in the wake of reception rooms usually reserved for welcoming important clients and visitors. At the time Berliet was entertaining a delegation of British businessmen. Berliet has also torn up all allowing shop agreements stewards to move around the factory with some freedom.

The firm plans a two-day lock-out this week as the latest step in hardening its position.

The Berliet factories are part of Citroen, which is now domin- ated by Michelin and the Italian car manufacturer, Fiat. The crack-down against the Castro the Washington Post' put it editorially on Saturday: 'Handled properly it could lead through cultural exchanges, claims settle- ments, trade talks and political relations-the familiar route-to an American detente' with Cuba.

Castro's The paper assesses position quite cynically: In the dozen Castro years, the hemisphere has seen that neither the man nor his doctrine nor his disciples, certainly not his ex- excited ample anywhere beyond his borders. 'Castro himself now makes no more than a ritual appeal for the cause which a few fearful Ameri- cans, but virtually no realistic Latins, identify with his name.

period of detente 'Nor in with the Soviet Union, and of intercontinental and submarine- launched missiles, does it make political or military to sense. overdo the old worry that Mos- cow will make Cuba a "base"?

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL:

London. 10.40-12.45 1.05 News. 1.15 Emmerdale.

1.45 2.45 Yesterdays. 2.15 Victim Five. 4.10 Puffin.

Film: 4.25 London. 6.00 News. 6.15 Quiz.

6.45 London. 10:35 Royal wedding. 11.10 Name of the game. 12.25 News, weather.

WESTWARD.

As Channel except: 1.27 News. 9.30 London. 4.05 Gus Honeybun. 6.00 Diary: 6.35 Danton.

11.05 News. 12.25 Epilogue.

SOUTHERN:

9.30 London. 12.45 Report. 1.15 Emmerdale. 1.45 Houseparty. 2.15 London. 2.45 Film: 'Zebra in the Kitchen'. 4.25 Lon- don. 6.00 News. 6.45 London. 10.35 11.05 M Royal wedding. News. 11.10 Theatre. 12.05 Farm progress. 12.30 Weather. Guideline. Alastair Sim In Play for Today's 'The General's Day'-BBC 1.

CLUB.

9.25 NIGHT

Johnny Mathis, The Kessler Twins, Katya Epstein, The Treme- loes, Francus Brunn, Alan Campbell and Christine, The Irene Mann Dancers. 10.25 AMERICA. The New Found Land. Written and narrated by Alistair Cooke. 11.15 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

11.20 LATE NIGHT LINE-UP.

Workers Press, Monda

BY A FOREIGN

CORRESPONDENT

Lyons carworkers is linked to a reorganization of the monopoly in preparation for the European car trade war. Berliet have ended investment in Lyons and will move to areas which have 'a tradition of greater social calm'. Berliet made heavy losses during the first nine months of this year- 100 million francs down on last year-and discus- sions have opened up between Daimler-Benz and Michelin-Fiat- Citröen, involving the future of Berliet. The use of the anti-riot Act against carworkers is part of a determined offensive aimed at unions, destroying the trade which is the only way the mono- polies can proceed to reorganize.

The Citröen group has been leading the way—with the sup- port of the French Communist Party. In September, the CP domin- ated

CGT

signed unions an agreement which recognized the the 'purely economic role of , that 'all political and philo- firm', sophical ideas' should be dis- cussed only outside the factory, "social peace guaranteeing thus within the factories. The Stalinist response to legal • against its trade union action members is to beg Pompidou's Ministers to intervene. The executive of the engineer- the CGT ing section of written to the Minister of Social Affairs, Edgar Faure, asking him to change the attitude of the Berliet management and 'to pre- judicial procedures from vent going ahead and to get negotia- men's tions started on demands' Faure received a similar letter earlier in the week from CGT secretary Georges Seguy protest- ing about police interrogations of trade unionists. Such treachery is supported by extremely reactionary nation- alism. The CP's solution to the Berliet rationalization is national solution which would bring about co-operation between Berliet and Saviem, a branch of Renault [the nationalized car firm]. 9.30 London. 10.05 Women. London. 12.45 Report. 1.15 Emmerdale. 1.45 Yes- terdays. 2.15 Wedding. 2.45 Film: 'Sail a Crooked Ship'. 4.15 Bugs Sunny. 4.25 London. 5.20 Shirlev' vorld. 5.50 London. 6.0] and 6.22 'It'. Report. 10.40 Film: 12.30 Weather. ANGLIA: 9.30 London. 10.05 Mr 10.40 London. and Mrs. 3.00 En- chanted isles. 4.20 News. 4.25 Lon- don. 6.00 About Anglia. 6.45 Lon- don. 10.30 Unknown. 11.30 London.

ATV

MIDLANDS:

9.30 London. •The fuzz. "4.2 3.00 Feminist and the 4.25 London. Today. 6.00 5.45 London. 10.35 Name of the game. Weather. ULSTER: 9.30 London. 1.30 News.

1.32 1.40 Cartoon. Romper room. 2.00 London. 2.30 Film: Let's Be Happy'. 4.22 News. 4.25 London. 5.50 London. 6.00 5.20 Emmerdale. Reports. Smith family. 6.15 6.45 London. 10.35 Monday night. 10.40 "The Little Hut'. Film: YORKSHIRE: 9.30 London. 12.45 Report. 1.15 Emmerdale. 1.45 Yes- :erdays. 2.15 Anniversary. 2.45 Film: 4.25 London. 4.55 6.00 News. same. 12.05 Yoga. 12.35 Weather.

10.40

GRANADA:

9.30 London. 3.00 Film: •Remember the Day'. 4.20 London. 6.00 News. 6.25 This is your right. 6.40 London. 10.40 What about the workers? 11.5 Film: "The Mummy's Curse. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 3.00 Film: 'The Feminist and the Fuzz'.

4.25 London. 6.00 Today. 6.30 Cartoon.

5.45 London. 10.36 Mr Knox. 10.46 Name of the game. GRAMPIAN: 9:30 London. 1.15 Cat 1 the hat. 1.45 Lucy: 2.15 Anniver- sary. 2.45 Film: 'My Six Loves'. 4.10 Paulus. 4.25 London. 5.20 Emmer- dale. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.05 6.35 Cartoon. Country focus. 6.45 11.05 London. 10.35 Royal wedding.

It takes a thief. 12.05 Meditation.

88, Monday November 20, 1972 PAGE 11 Socialist Labour League

LECTURES

OXFORD

Thursday November 23 Opponents of Marxism Thursday November 30 Marxism—the science of perspective

SOUTH OXFORD

COMMUNITY CENTRE

Lake Street, 8 p.m.

LONDON

Sunday November 26 Basic Essentials of Marxism Sunday December 3 A theory of knowledge Sunday December 10 Opponents of Marxism

BEAVER HALL

at Mansion House tube 7.30 p.m. Lectures given by G. Healy SLL national secretary

LIVERPOOL

Wednesday November 22 The Third International 1924-1929 Wednesday November 29 Stalinism 1932-1938 Wednesday December 6 Trotskyism and the founding of the Fourth International

COMMON HALL

HACKINS HEY

off Dale Street, 7.30 p.m.

Lectures given by Tom Kemp (SLL Central Committee) All Trades Unions Alliance

MEETINGS

BRACKNELL: Monday November 20, 8 p.m. Priestwood Community Centre. WEALDSTONE: Tuesday, Novem- ber 21, 8 p.m. Labour Hall. Station Road. Fight Rising Prices Force the Tories to Resign CROYDON: Monday November 20, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road, South Croydon. WANDSWORTH: Tuesday Nov- ember 21, 8 p.m. Balham Baths, Elmfield Road. BARKING: Tuesday November 21, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, corner of Fan- shawe Avenue/Longbridge Road.

SOUTH SHIELDS: Wednesday November 22, 7.30 p.m. Labour Club, Westoe Bridges. 'Support the Barbours' strikers.' Speakers: Joyce Patterson (Barbours' strike committee), Jack Grassby (secre- tary Trades Council), Hughie Nichol (ATUA). DEPTFORD: Thursday November 23, 8 p.m. Engineers' Club, New Cross Road. SWANSEA: Thursday, November 23, 7.30 p.m. Council of Social Services, Mount Pleasant Hill (next to • fire station). 'Why we say: "Return a Labour govern- ment": PRESTON: Thursday November 7.30 p.m. Waterloo Hotel, Friargate. CENTRAL LONDON (Press and Entertainments Branch): Sunday: November 26, 3 p.m. Royal Shakespeare Rehearsal Rooms, Floral Street. The Fight for Shepperton'. Speakers: Yvonne Richards (ACTT), Roy Battersby (ACTT), Roger Smith (ACTT), Corin Redgrave (Equity), all lead- ing members of their respective unions speaking in a personal capacity. ACTON: Monday November 27, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, High Road.

WEST LONDON: Tuesday Nov- ember 28, 8 p.m. 'Prince Albert', Wharfedale Road, King's Cross 01-622 7029 01-720 2000

DAGE 12 Workers Press, Monday Noven CHANCELLOR of the Exchequer Barber did some Anthony wishful thinking at the half- of the yearly meeting northern area of the Conserva- tive Party in Carlisle on Saturday. *The Conservative government has already notched up a num- ber of major achievements which will govern our lives for many years to come, he said.

These 'great achievements' were entry into Europe, the Indus- trial Relations Act and taxa- tion changes. The latter consists of massive taxation cuts for the wealthy and the introduction of Value-Added Tax which will increase basic commodities prices by more than 10 per cent. Barber added that 'everyone' knew the government was right to impose wage control.

But this top Tory is crowing too important and early. One decisive factor still stands in the way of the government's plans-the working class. The 1972 strike struggles and outburst at the Tory angry rent increases show workers are prepared to fight and are capable of defeating the gov- ernment. It is one thing to put reactionary legislation the statute on book, it is another to carry it out in practice in the teeth of working-class opposition — as the Tories found out when they jailed the Pentonville Five. And it is one thing to talk about controlling wages and another to control them-as the miners proved earlier this year.

Tory 'successes' are paper vic- tories so far. imple- The next stage - actual mentation of these policies- will be decisive. The strength and determination of the working class is beyond doubt-but, by itself, it is not enough. The working class faces grave dangers as it enters the second half of the Tories' scheduled term of office under the leader- ship of reformists and Stalinists. Labour Party leaders have shown not go beyond the they will polite limits of Westminster.

Indeed right-wing pro-Tories are elected to Shadow Cabinet positions. Victor Feather, Jack Jones, Hugh Scanlon and company continue to prostrate themselves before the employers and their gov- ernment even after wage con- trol has been introduced.

The Stalinists wine and dine the UCS liquidator and an assort- of Glasgow church ment leaders and police chiefs.

The revisionists, like the Inter- national Group, Socialism cling desperately to the coat- tails of the Stalinists and stub- bornly oppose the struggle for Marxist leadership within the working class. The construction of a revolu- tionary leadership is vital. It be done through. the must widest possible fight on wages and prices geared to the poli- tical demand to force the Tories to resign and return a Labour government pledged to policies-particularly socialist nationalization under workers' control and without compensa- tion. The whole working class must be mobilized to prevent the Tories from completing their term of office. The demands then placed on a Labour gov- ernment returned through the direct action of the working class will force the right wing to split and open the way for the revolutionary alternative in Britain. ley November 20, 1972 BRITAINS.. two biggest unions face threats from the National Industrial Relations Court this week. Today the Vestey organization will ask the court to stop dockers picketing its Midland Cold Stor- age depot in east London, while • is the last day the tomorrow engineers' union can voluntarily A MASS meeting of 300 maintenance workers from Arthur Lee's steel company, Sheffield, voted unanimously on Saturday to end what the had called the local Press most damaging strike ever in the company. 'We've been out on strike for six weeks and we've got nothing, said one striker as he walked out of AUEW house. At the meeting Communist Party member and AUEW dis- secretary George Caborn trict presented the men with a 13- point formula for a return to work which included no satis- demands for faction on an substantial rise in immediate bonus to compensate for erosion as a result of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions' pay deal. have The management promised 40p a week in February and £3 on the basic rate by next making £31 for 40 August, hours, which is not to be eroded from the bonus. Both of these concessions are subject to government pay policy. In return management is going THIS WEEK will decide whether the overseas tele- graphists' grade in the Post Office is to be cut by a third over the next three years.

Union leaders expect to know by Friday whether a secret ballot has given them the go- ahead for a pay-and-produc- tivity deal which will achieve the cut. been surrounded Voting has by a storm of controversy, first because of the grave issues in- volved and second because the deal has in fact already been signed by the two union chiefs principally involved. Tom Jackson, general secretary of the big Union of Post Office Workers, claims he had to sign in a bid to beat the Tories' pay- control deadline. But he told Workers Press categorically last week: If the members turn it down, it's no go.' The deal covers a total of 4,600 overseas telegraph opera- tors (OTOs) across the country.

Most OTOs-the men and who send receive women out, and relay telex communications between . Britain and the rest of the world—work in London. The bulk of these are to be found cable head- at the overseas quarters off the Strand, Electra House. If a majority of them vote in favour, they will receive the first of six half-yearly, flat-rate pay- ments. Top operators (OTOs I) will get £47.50, second-liners (OTOs II) £37.50. Additional amounts will be paid after the first year for any future measured improve- ments in productivity. In return the Post Office will get UPW co-operation on stream- lining the work flow and work- . study techniques. But the main points of the deal allow management to pro- ceed with three major changes it has been pressing since 1970: • Division of Electra House into separate managerial units.

• Introduction of a new com- puter for correcting telex mes- sages. legistered as a newspaper at the Pos Published by Office. Press, Norkers Street, London, 186a Clapham. High

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU), 180b Clapham High Street, London,

SW4 7UG.

! pay the £5,000 fine imposed on it by the court for contempt.

and Both the Transport General Workers' Union and the smaller National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers are ex- pected to be named in Midland's application to the court. The engineers' section of the Amalgamated Union of Engineer- ing Workers has said it is pre- to negotiate on productivity.

Men will receive a minimum £l 'co-operation money' while work study experts are in the factory. Alan Bentley, the convenor, told Workers Press: 'We are going to utilize the time to negotiate a proper bonus structure. Lee's are going to bring in the Engineering Em- ployers' Federation advisory service to work out a scheme. I am not entirely satisfied, but in the present climate we've gone as far as we can. The freeze has definitely strengthened the em- ployers.' meeting decided unani- The mously to call on the local and national committees of the Con- federation to call out their entire membership if AUEW funds or property are sequestered by the

NIRC.

COLLEGE staff at St Anne's, return to work today Oxford, after the temporary re-instate- ment of shop steward Frank Keen. Fired over two weeks ago in what the college call an economy drive, workers say he had been victimized for union activities.

BY DAVID M

• Automation of all relaying work through a computer system known as the Telegram Retrans- mission Centre. Jackson and the UPW execu- will tive claim that ~ no one actually be made redundant as a far-reaching of these result changes. But they admit that during the first stage alone-subdivision of Electra House and introduc- tion of the revision computer- 500 jobs will be lost. What they are not saying publicly at the moment is that they are in pos- session of Post Office estimates that the final result of the TRC programme will be the destruc- tion of 1,700 jobs nationally.

The argument that there will be no physical redundancies is,

UPW

according to. many activists, a complete sham.

Its opponents say that in the first place it betrays the prin- ciple of the fight against un- shrinkage employment, since a of 500 or 1,700 jobs in any sec- tor of industry makes it so much more difficult for the 800,000 jobless to find work. In the second place, they say, wastage', ban 'natural a on recruitment into the OTO grade six-month campaign and a sackings, disciplinary particu- House, have larly at Electra been used by the Post Office to create the impression no one will actually go. But this impression since the grade has taise, already been eroded. At a meeting of over 500 London OTOs last week, there uproar when Jackson's was assistant secretary responsible telecommunications, Kim for McKinley, attempted to sell the deal. The Electra House contingent was particularly incensed by the knowledge that on the day the signed (October 26), deal was without reference either to them or their branch committee, the branch had agreed a policy of no redundancy, no speed-up OI work-study and a shorter work- ing week. vented by policy decisions of its four-section national conference from paying the fine. If the union stands firm it will be up to James Goad, who is being denied access to the union's Sudbury branch because he worked during a strike, to appoint commissioners to seize the union's funds and levy the fine. SOUTH SHIELDS Labour-con- trolled council has threatened evictions and court actions against any of the town's 16,000 council tenants who refuse to pay the rent increases after 12 • Shields tenants' associa- South tions planned action starting today. TWO LABOUR councils who refuse to implement the 'fair rents' Act-Camden, north_Lon- don, and Conisborough, York- shire, could now be defaulted by the Tories and the councillors made to pay the missing rent.

Their one-month warning letters government expired from the over the weekend. TENANTS and trade unionists marched through Glasgow on a 3,000-strong Saturday on demonstration against the Tory rent Act. Factory, contingents Massey Chrysler, from came Ferguson, Babcock and Wilcox, Prestcold. Dundee, Clyde- and bank, Edinburgh and Glasgow trades councils were out in force.

PROVISIONAL IRA chief of MacStiofain staff Sean was arrested in Dublin yesterday and taken to Bridewell police station.

The swoop came only hours after Tory leader Heath's warning in Belfast that all parties would have to work harder to bring peace to the Six Counties.

DAVID MAUDE

It has also resolved that the fight against unemployment could not be separated from the fight to force the Tories to resign and elect a Labour gov- to socialist pledged ernment policies. One speaker from the floor tackled McKinley directly on the attitude to the Tory union's pay law. She attempted to give him the raising mocking brush-off, a clenched fist and asking: 'Do you think the trade union movement should unite against this govern- ment?' . she followed up • with Then what she obviously thought was the clincher. 'Do you think your would strike against members the government?' she asked.

In both cases a majority of the meeting roared back: "Yes!'

∞ Eastindia Docl Doors open 12 noon • Press

FUND

£651.43 AND

11 DAYS MORE

WE NEED £1,098.57 by the end of overber to complete our Fund. This means we must raise approximately £99.87 a day to complete our £1,750 target. We are sure that with your mag- nificent support, we could com- plete our target, and possibly go over the top. This month it is more vital than ever to raise our Fund. As thous- ands of workers are drawn into wages struggles, they come face to face with the Tories' state pay plan. A huge movement must now emerge to make this gov- ernment resign. In this political situation, all our plans • to expand must go ahead. New readers are being won all over the country. We need extra resources to help us expand our circulation, Increase our sales and improve our news coverage. We are confident that you will back us up all the way. Help us, therefore, with a major effort for the last lap of our Fund. Try and make it a record month. Raise everything: you can and post Immediately to: Workers Press November Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG.

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SARY OF WORKERS PRESS

See p. 1)

NEWCASTLE

SUNDAY DECEMBER 10, 7 p.m.

County Hotel Speakers : MIKE BANDA (SLL Central committee)

DAVID

JONES (YS national committee) BOB MAINS (Unemployed) VINCENT FOY (secretary Jar- row Trades Council. In personal capacity.)

GLASGOW

SUNDAY DECEMBER 17, 2 p.m.

Woodside Halls St George's Cross Speakers : MIKE BANDA (SLL Central committee) JOHN BARRIE (YS national committee) WILLIE DOCHERTY (chairman Paisley Tenants' Action Com- mittee. In personal capacity.)

BIRMINGHAM

SUNDAY DECEMBER 17, 7 p.m.

Assembly Hall Digbeth Civic Hall Speakers: G. HEALY (SLL National Secre- tary) WILLIE AITKIN (YS national committee) PETER SMITH (Rover shop steward. In personal capacity.)

Lucky number programme Hall Price 8p