Workers Press no. 991

workers press

ANGRY LOBBY PROTESTS AGAINST WEEK'S DELAY

GASMEN TO STRIKE

AGAINST PAY LAWS

INCORPORATING THE NEV

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

THE NATIONAL

executive of the General and Municipal Workers' Union yesterday called for selec- tive strikes, overtime bans and withdrawal of co- operation in protest against the Tory government's state pay laws. But an angry lobby of 1,000 gas workers strongly protested against the week's delay in starting the industrial action. The overwhelming view of the lobbyists was that national strike action should start immediately.

Already there are more than 11,000 gasworkers throughout the country involved in unofficial action in support of their pay claim.

Of these, about 4,000 are on strike.

The strike notice by the G&MWU executive brings the gas- workers into the forefront of the opposition to the state pay laws. Under the dictatorial legislation, the union could be taken to court and fined unlimited and amounts union officials could be jailed.

BY OUR

National industrial officer

INDUSTRIAL STAFF

John Edmonds repeatedly was shouted as he announced down that one week's notice was being ing will vote to continue with the given to the Gas Corporation all-out strike action that has al- as required by "agreement", of ready started at most of them.

of 'campaign industrial action Edmonds completely was including stoppages, overtime drowned with of out shouts bans and withdrawal of co- resign you scabs', Tory bastard' operation'. 'We've been on strike three days Nearly all of the men on the already'. lobby have already been One gasworker shouted clearly: strike for three days in the North If haven't got the you guts to Thames Gas Board They area. lead the strike, of the get out regarded the week's one notice do it. job and let someone else ludicrous of piece Edmonds's remarks were finally wasting. drowned out completely with the It seems certain that the mass football 'What a load chant 50 depots meetings at over crescendo rubbish, and to a of throughout this the area morn- boos and whistles he was escorted by nearly 60 policemen through the crowd back to the executive meeting.

THE OTHER

industrial major action against the state pay laws -the British Road Services lorry drivers' dispute - strengthened yesterday. This followed a management decision to stop wages the 1,200 drivers who are refusing to drive heavy unless transporters they receive a £2.50 bonus which THE WEST German government is already paid by 170 other called ambassadors of yesterday local hauliers. the ten which signed countries The drivers' dispute has the Smithsonian currency realign- created havoc in the Midlands ment deal to a meeting in Bonn Finance Nine British- industry. with Minister Helmut car Schmidt. Leyland plants have ceased 24,000 duction and more than The called meeting was as workers in the car and car com- dollars flooded West Ger- industry have been laid ponent many's foreign exchange markets off. despite the barriers erected by Informal talks between Alan the government on Saturday Law, district official of the Trans- (see story page 2). General Workers' and ort State Secretary Gunther Poehl and the

BRS

Jnion, manage- told the ambassadors that Bonn ment, reopen this morning.

regretted having to impose

THE GASMEN,

the civil currency controls, but it still re- ser- of floating vants, the Midlands lorry drivers jected the alternative fight the or upvaluing the mark. Tory pay laws on their own and win. stressed He the of urgency This requires the mass mobiliz- world monetary reform, which he of the whole and said could not be delayed with- ation labour out serious damage to the world trade union movement in economy and trade. General Strike to force the Tories out of office. The imposition of currency controls and the gradual dis- In its place must be elected a Labour mantling of convertibility in other government pledged to of European countries were back- the repeal all anti-working ward steps hindering the liberal- and impli- class legislation of world trade, he said. mentation of socialist policies.

ization

THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY F

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE

Determined gasworkers won't lead us, we shall have t

NEARLY

deter- 1,000 mined gasworkers lob- bied the executive of their union in London yesterday in support of a call for all-out strike action against the gov- ernment pay laws. men's leaders The handed in a resolution aro passed unanimously by Pre a meeting of shop ste- wards from the North Thames Gas Board, one of the biggest in the tice country, calling for na- me tional strike action. Leaders of the shop stewards, Mr Bert Col- the lins and Mr Albert be Gooch, and their col- leagues, said that feel- ing for a nationwide strike had grown since the national delegates' conference a few weeks ago when a decision was taken on industrial action. VESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 1973 ® No 991 • 4p

OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

ers and stewards lobbying their union executive meeting yeste all have to lead them. Without exception the Thames area since last men in the boisterous Friday. crowd outside the Bon- *Even if the executive nington Hotel were de- does not accede to the manding national strike overwhelming demand action. from all areas for strike They sang songs and action, meetings mass 'Heath Out. chanted we will hold tomorrow Stewards crowded (Wednesday) morning around the Workers will definitely decide to Press reporter to state continue the strike. their case. 'We need to get a They said there was Labour government no other way to get jus- back with socialist tice under the govern- ment's pay laws than by policies. 'We strike action. would put the pressure on them too, They went on: And and we would strike the end product must just determinedly be to get the govern- as against an unfair wages ment out. by Labour "Wage controls laws control a government. are hurting us because prices going 'The real answer is are up faster than even the £2 for the TUC to levy all increase we have been trade unionists in sup- offered could cope with. port of one key strike 'We have been such as the gasworkers. on strike in the North *It would be the easi-

HOOVER

¿COST OF LIV

PAY RISE

bring this est nine government down. "The thing that only makes workers back Is nuncer and me let Post Office workers get picked off that way. the government used Day laws we should use industrial action against them. ther we do it mere house. Either we do we don't do it. Collins, shop HArT stewards' leader in whole area, predicted announce ment was made what outcome would and how the men would re-acto me executives failure to call immediate strike action. very Haney WIll very very angry," he

workers press

FANGRY LOBBY PROTESTS AGAINST WEEK'S DELAY

GASMEN TO STRIKE

AGAINST PAY LAWS

INCORPORATING THE NEW

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

THE NATIONAL

executive of the General and Municipal Workers' Union yesterday called for selec- tive strikes, overtime bans and withdrawal of co- operation in protest against the Tory government's state pay laws. But an angry lobby of 1,000 gas workers strongly protested against the week's delay in starting the industrial action. The overwhelming view of the lobbyists was that national strike action should start immediately.

Already there are more than 11,000 gasworkers throughout the country involved in unofficial action in support of their pay claim.

Of these, about 4,000 are on strike.

The strike notice by the G&MWU executive brings the gas- workers into the forefront of the opposition to the state pay laws. Under the dictatorial legislation, the union could be taken court and unlimited to hined and union officials amounts could be jailed.

BY OUR

National officer

INDUSTRIAL STAFF

industrial Edmonds John was repeatedly shouted down as he announced that one week's notice was being ing will vote to continue with the given to the Gas Corporation as all-out strike action that has al- required by agreement', of ready started at most of them.

'campaign of industrial action Edmonds was completely including stoppages, overtime drowned with shouts out and withdrawal bans of CO- "Tory bastard, 'resign you scabs', operation. 'We've been on strike three days Nearly all of the men on the already' lobby have already been on One gasworker shouted clearly: strike for three days in the North If you haven't got the guts to Thames Gas Board They area. lead the of the strike, get out regarded week's notice the one let someone do it.' Job and else ludicrous of piece time. Edmonds's remarks were finally wasting. drowned out completely with the It seems certain that the mass football chant 'What a load of 50 depots meetings at over rubbish', crescendo of and to throughout the area this morn- and whistles boos he was escorted nearly 60 policemen through the crowd back to the executive meeting.

THE OTHER

major industrial the state pay action against laws -the British Road Services lorry drivers' dispuțe - strengthened yesterday. This followed a management decision the to stop wages to 1,200 drivers who are refusing to drive heavy unless transporters they receive a f2.50 bonus which THE WEST German government paid 170 is already by other called ambassadors yesterday of local hauliers. the countries which signed drivers' The dispute has the Smithsonian currency realign- created havoc in the Midlands ment deal to a meeting in Bonn Nine with Finance Minister Helmut industry. British- car Leyland plants have ceased Schmidt. pro- 24,000 than duction and more The meeting called as workers in the car and car com- West Ger- dollars flooded into industry have laid ponent been many's foreign exchange markets off. the barriers despite erected by Alan the Saturday Informal talks between government on (see story page 2). Law, district official of the Trans- Workers' and General port State Secretary Gunther Poehl Union, and the

BRS

manage- told the ambassadors that Bonn ment, reopen this morning.

having regretted to impose

GASMEN,

but it still re-

THE

the civil ser- currency controls, vants, the Midlands lorry drivers jected the alternative of floating fight the Tory upvaluing the mark. cannot pay laws on their own and win. He stressed the urgency of world monetary reform, which he This requires the mass mobiliz- said could be delayed with- ation of the whole labour and out serious damage to the world trade union movement in General Strike to force the Tories economy and trade. out of office. The imposition of Cull cuc In its place must be elected controls and the gradual dis- mantling of convertibility in other Labour pledged to government back- European countries the repeal of all anti-working were ward steps hindering the liberal- class legislation and the impli- he of socialist policies. ization of world trade, said. mentation

THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY F

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE

Determined gasworkers won't lead us, we shall have t

NEARLY

1,000 deter- mined gasworkers lob- bied the executive of their union in London yesterday in support of a call for all-out strike action against the gov- ernment pay laws. men's leaders The handed in a resolution passed unanimously by a meeting of shop ste- wards from the North Thames Gas Board, one of the biggest in the country, calling for na- tional strike action. Leaders of the shop stewards, Mr Bert Col. lins and Mr Albert Gooch, and their col- leagues, said that feel- ing for a nationwide strike had grown since the national delegates' conference a few weeks ago when a decision was taken on industrial action. VESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 1973 • No 99

OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUI

ers and stewards lobbying their uni all have to lead them.' Without exception the men in the • boisterous crowd outside the Bon- nington Hotel were de- manding national strike action. They sang songs and chanted 'Heath Out. Stewards crowded around the Workers Press reporter to state their case. They said there was no other way to get jus- tice under the govern- ment's pay laws than by strike action. on: 'And Cop the end produci must They went be to get the govern- ment out. 'Wage controls laws are hurting us because prices are going • Up faster than even the £2. increase we have been offered could cope with. We have been on strike in the North 3 • No 991 4p

LABOUR LEAGUE

their union executive meeting yeste Thames area since last Friday. 'Even if the executive does not accede to the overwhelming demand from all areas for strike meetings action, mass we will hold tomorrow morning (Wednesday) will definitely decide to continue the strike. 'We need to get a government Labour back with socialist policies. 'We would put the pressure on them too, and we would strike determinedly just as against an unfair wages control by a Labour government. 'The real answer is for the TUC to levy all trade unionists in sup- port of one key strike such as the gasworkers. 'It would be the easi-

BOOST OF LIV

RIS

PAY RISE

RO bring this es trine government down. 'The only thing that makes workers bact Manen Post Office workers get picked off that way. 'If the government used lawe us, should we use industrial action against them. inere house. Either we we don't do it.' shop BerY collins. stewards' leader in whole area, predicted ment was made what the would and how the men would execunves failure to call immediate strike action. *They will very very angry,' he said

Stalinists want compromise on Italian claims PAGE 2 Workers Pross, Wednesday February 7, 1973 LIFTING the Appeal Court's ban on the showing of the Andy Warhol film, Lord Denning, Master of the Rolls, warned the Independent Broadcasting Authority on Monday: they should always remember that there is a silent majority who say little, but view a lot. Their feelings are to be respected as well as those of the vociferous minority who, in the name of free- dom, shout for ugliness in all its forms.'

Appealing to this mythical 'silent majority' is an old Mussolini Tory trick. Reactionary regimes from and Hitler to de Gaulle and the Greek colonels have always claimed to speak for this amorphous group of people. Yet how do they purport to know what this 'majority' thinks and by what right do they claim to speak for it?

In fact, the 'silent majority' is an abstraction like 'consumer', who is always counter- abstract the posed to living strikers.

Society is not divided into abstract categories but into classes. Under the guise of Lord Denning's blanket phrase, right-wingers of all descriptions will rush letters to the Tory Press. This is what Mrs Mary Whitehouse-of the Moral Re-armament-backed National Viewers' and Listeners' Association—-was calling for when she declared that the Warhol decision would be 'a beacon to the silent majority'.

The campaign for censorship of the arts and the communications media, linked as it is with the right-wing campaign against the right to strike and the right to fight for higher wages, comes not from a majority, but from a conscious reactionary minority. It is deliberately and carefully prepared and stage- nanaged and is directed against the working class and the left. It is through the activities of their conscious minorities that classes become factors in history. Trotsky made this point in 'Communism and Syn- dicalism' (contained in 'Marxism and the Trade He pointed out that the right-wing Unions'). French newspaper 'le Temps' always set up 'the working class as a whole' against the revolutionary party and the trade unions every time there was a strike. 'In other words' said Trotsky, 'the bourgeois ideologists oppose the working class as object to the working class as conscious subject. The majority of people in this country are workers who have to struggle every day for wages and jobs prices and increasingly in the face of rising reactionary Tory legislation.

Lord Denning—-who conducted the government in- quiry into the Profumo scandal in 1963-and Mrs Whitehouse seek to oppose a mythical 'majority' as a thing existing as an object in itself, outside social relations, to the real struggling majority existing in fact and in social conflict. They do this as a conscious minority seeking to impose shackles on all those who oppose and fight against capital- ism. That is why it would be foolish to regard the lifting of the Warhol ban as a great victory for 'freedom'. Not only do other television programmes remain banned—the films on Poulson and the Irish Republican John Michael Collins-but the legal offensive on the working class by the Tory government is intensified while the Labour leaders put up no fight against it. The conscious offensive of the minority-the ruling class and its agents-can only be halted by the working class becoming conscious of its own historic tasks, which are determined by its social position and its role in production, in society and in the state. This subjective insight into its objective class position can only be brought to the working class by the struggle to build the revolutionary party.

NEARLY

25,000 Fiat latest 160,000-lira-a-month workers halted Turin car offer and accompanying plants yesterday in the productivity measures. struggle for the renewal of La Malfa, the employers' their wage contract. is demand- representative, flexible The Communist Party ing shift more leadershiP is catling engineering working and rigid controls for over 'absenteeism'. workers a demonstration in mass He welcomed some of Rome on Friday and later the proposals from

CGIL

three-hour General leader, Lama, who union Strike as part of their that the question of said on the pressure campaign better use of plant, the engineering employers. the rationalization of holi- Negotiations have and higher produc- been days tivity could provide "the proceeding since October.

The main difficulty is the terrain for a possible com- promise'. workers' resistance to the THE WEST GERMAN govern-

BY JOHN SPENCER

The monetarv union scheme is an construct European ment yesterday instructed the attenot heavy demand. The price rose $1.30 bloc the opposition to Bundesbank to intervene on the the London market dollar. The American government 15 And Frankfurt foreign exchange mar- yesterddy LUld. CouLI® any such plan determined to nip nental centres was heavy „nere ket to support the rate of 3.15 the bud, and the easiest way is to demand for gold coins. marks to the dollar. lorce vermany to revalue The renewed eruption oI collal io German resistance Behind the The instruction came as more se ind ne lem goro of the freneti sobernme tt is the anti-US position Ger- markets demonstrated the impotence dollars flooded West into German government against Win cr. many despite tight currency con- OI tne adamantly opposed to any scheme the might of the Euro-dollar market which involves European capitalism

LOIS TILDOSCI

DO LUtS CIV In fact, it is beyond the powers of determined effort to keep them paying off America's huge $6,000m European prevent a revaluation of out and balance-of-payments deficit.

$70,000m the the the mark. The crisis ripping through the ana no longer convertible into gold an hour's trading yes- In addition the movement of money markets Anter onl aked Solass terday morning the bank had dollars Germany, the Brandt at conciliation be- IuLLu bought estimated $1,000m- For manen teis facie i rect demes the embattled look tween parties the US mark revaluation from cvcc une puny and menectudi. the mauks dt its existing parity.

Thursday and Friday to hold administration. George Schultz, Sir Alec Brussels on Monday, Secretarv. Douglas-flome. adressing the EEd

INLXOLES

LICODULY

Lauc an unprecedented direct request for Ministers' meeting, urged in Donu. soar enocc ca- upsetting the cellor Willy Brandt held Ministes crisis revaluation Saturday. His inter- his colleagues to avoid with Finance. meeting undoubtedly provoked Us oyer trade questions

VOLLIUL

Schmidt Helmut Economic The Common Market, he said, nulnuder oressure on mne mark.

Not only would mark elemente datin ate us tectires.

spokesman said ment revaluation worsen the competitive eenents VOLgIesd defend German industry, determined This an evasion of the main Lult HaIk position parn Switzerland, the dollar fell two cros Wielo dis Coorn arela Nixon already made point. has Market within the that Congress Cear centimes against the Swiss franc as which have already more of a cipher than ever during ocen u•ser oi sterling float and the weakness his second term

SOOR

Lue oe en excitace ooere• Zurich yesterday. And there was, of the Italian lira. Nixon leading who 1s the similar fall the Paris on market. It would be mortal blow to the "brotecuobisi element' in the united In the Brussels, States and Home's style of concilia a cuis

TOH

establsament oi a com• at floor level and the mon Monetary Union, the first and compromise will quotea Its tion CIve Ulliy central bank was forced to inter- of which stage due start, to mercase ms appelte

TOT

• Turte enough April concessions from Europe. The situa- aDDUCLey pound London floated Fool's The last such scheme tion graphically demonstrates the zarily, go poi, rea chion Mondayo$ (dubbed snake in tunnel') positior subordinale cunodem $2.3895, up.on Monday's collapsed capitalism and its inability to combat aLLEl WASeN in Britain floated sterling.

the US. once.

COTO!

Around the world

BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

DURBAN city in South Police carrying batons white the golfers-into and non-white. tear gas stood by as clubhouse. The Africa was crippled yes- nencosters creed workers were sater SCIl

MORE

THAN

9,000 terday by a total stop- the city engineer's depart- home. ment's labour shipyard and engineering where page of black municipal The situation is extremely workers are on strike ın slikels cuanlce ano waved tense not only in Durban sticks. Bilbao, northern Spain, workers, who have Cape but also Pretoria, demanding more pay. joined 20,000 workers City Town, Past London. Pieter. engineer Cecil maritzburg and other cities The three shipyards of Hands told them their re. in private industry on now affected by the strike 'Astilleros Españoles' have fusal back to work strike for higher wages. appealed to movement. been paralysed for ten days by one-day strikes and Sir de Villiers Graaff, municipal About 4,000 to the council through the zO-slOWs. leader of the parliamentary central for The 3,000 workers in workers yesterday rejected opposition, said in a debate Bantu (African) Liaison. Olaveaga, Asua and Sestao on the situation that labour out hand the city in the Bilbao industrial unrest amone dacks was concil's 15 per cent pay They invaded the offices threat to the belt have now been l locked greater of the city's Bantu (African) offer. position out. whites' privileged administration and Calcu Iheir demand is for a tenorsa

LIC

At their out workers present wages TIne NaCk borders. 3,000 pesetas a month wage the building. The acting about rands dyclase Town Clerk, E. J. Goodwin, He was assured by Here se esatarcuc! (tol) week Marais Viljoen, the Minister is offering only 6,000 strikers want 10 rands (£5) sala essential services Were spread pesetas over being kept going by white of Labour, that the govern- week more. whole year. staff. ment was not prepared The striké spread as The Babcock and Wil- Nationalist Ministers Strikers also invaded the with future cox factory in Sestao has way by Pretoria South brought to a halt by

ANNIC

arr suTer Tne oreers been stoppages to outside course and drove African trade union rights to the demand- SariKeN W ae Indian black and workers-and majority. ing 2,100 fluences. increase pcscas a month. And 4,000 workers the Eusaklduna SuLDyarO are out on strike for a wage and claim re- emplovment of 30 of theil dismissed work-mates. The determination of the Andretti The need to remain com- Fascists of the 'National small industry Basque class has working help industry Vanguard' have petitive and group strengthened bv the vees employers step the headquarters маткет was lie state participation

DOWI

police arrest nine in industry. the Socialist Party leaders Workers® the provincial federation in Brescia. unions' demand for a 38 behalf And it is all on illegal Commis- abun week The attack was led by strengthening sions. unte The employers' 160,000 AveNaid The arrested workers offer would represent The dead Milan student and regional weight be held in prison are head of the fascist group.

Stalinism is heaviest in the least months

LWO

101 struggle of engineering The Italian In November 1972 refusing pay fines workers. Party and its trade union over £6,000. «'ntmo arrested amounting leaders have not his part in an attempt They are held back when murder ated this policy left-wing students the fascists are • According to a report

OCHLO

ILUVL.

at the Cattanee Institute in the exiled Spanish mic nationalism. forward with greater confi.

from Milan. They Rights for the pursulng denke ann wuure Sudde GenIe 'policy of compromise. the same employers there were 2,400 Stalinist with whom Stalinists because 'lack evi- daile 'L'Unita' dence' against him seek a compromise.

Clydebank rebels defiant as

PAGEANT DIARY

The Road to Workers Power IN AN atmosphere of intense excitement-and not a little anxiety.-the first rehearsals for the pageant, Road to Work- ers' Power, have been held. In Merthyr Tydfil last night an enthusiastic group trade of unionists, house- wives and youth attended a rehearsal called by the local pageant committee. The draft scripts were read The and discussed. Merthyr pageant is based on the Taff Vale judgement of 1901 which levelled a fine of £23,000 on which started the cam.' the Morthyr pageant from paign in the area the railway union. court order expires

BY IAN YEATS

a High HOURS before Court order against intervention of the Secretary of pinning their councillors them expired, Clyde. officials State hopes town refusing He could order them to co-operate. tnus rendering dis bank's 13 rebel council- bE job impossible. surerarced lors reaffirmed their de- missioner to administer the Act.

for But they have with turnser no deal legal Brown how But .Clir Mrs Betty cision not to implement action by the Court of Sessions.

told me vesterday that whatever happened they do every. the Tory rent Act. Wond The the group has called on thing possible make the

STUC

and on tenants' associa- the operation of Act in Clyde. backing, but After a special meeting on Clydebank won, nght Monday night, yesterday they She said: We are determined Inancial ano moldi SUDOOTL WIl that this Act will not be imple- need concretized in in- were standing by for further mented in the town. dustrial action. action from the Court of Ses- If a housing com successel. 11 ine possibility or mass Dack sions or from Tory Secretary appointed successtul, increases daily. Was ing Despite of Labour- of State Mr Gordon Campbell.

Think we would have co ask our surrender 8,000 tenants not to pay. Corporation, Ulaszun The now 'We in the can't pay. The increases Tenants nona city omplemorter instructing them to no means dead. fl would be near enough and implement they that comes at a time of rising Glasgow tenants' committee eligible that cant cola be Jor mmes. 111 - prices people cope Mr John Lyons told chairman prisonment or debarment from withallyway associations throughout public office. Lilal "This Act is designed to create The metropontan area were half expect We reject it completely. Aprily They. that their poverty. their members not will be taken of the If a due fate out is appointed rent increases by which rises irst date courts nanas ov une last-minute Lne

LOIV

covernment. Lne T&GWU drop dock charges

THE

LONDON

re- gional of the Transport and General workers Union has decided against disciplining five London dockers connection with the lobby of union's headquarters last August. meeting of the Ray Halsey Tony

T&GWU

Con enemies II month will hear off of the national dock All five had to appear decided to expel anyone, from report before strike. dockers would that the

SUL

Certal committee if there January have continued to work Although Jack Jones, dockers have no drastes 10 вес не with these five men even answer under union union secretary, talked mis- without union cards. any darkly at a special Press rules. five • Con conduct The results of the photo- there had been, they Clancy, Ray Halsey, graphs' and Jones - Aldington Severa could have faced John Hatton, dence' against the men scheme which has Ray slashed the docks labou Holmes and Mer- whose conduct was to tony The - ve Deer livest let cited dur- informed the stituted by the executive evidence was per cent in six months office the after

T&GWU

hearing and increased rank-and regional disciplinary called. hostility face

WELC

action has been lifted. leadership hostlle to their calling- The leadership's policies. Workers Press, Wednesday February 7, 1973 PAGE 3 has been immensely successful. At the first public meeting/ the cabaret pageant organizers filled the Pentrebach Labour Club. Then, last Sunday night, another very successful cabaret was staged at the nearby Dow- lais Labour Club. There were some intriguing interventions. In both audiences, for instance, there were members the Welsh nationalists, of Plaid Cymru. They had earlier ex- pressed hostility to the pageant but following the Dowlais work, meeting, nationalist suppor- one ter said: Taff Vale and the other legal 'The only reason I'm in Plaid attacks on the unions at the turn is the complete failure of the of the century forced the labour Labour Party and trade union movement any leadership' seek political solutions to defend their rights. The unions turned

IN LONDON

yesterday an inau- their traditional from support of gural rehearsal was staged of the the Liberal Party and built their historic contributions made by own Labour Party. Marx and Engels to the develop- The campaign to gain support ment of the workers' movement for the pageant in South Wales in Britain and internationally.

The will series t sketch contain sketches showing their lifelong struggle for socialism and the founding in 1864 the of First International. The meeting was well-attended and the organizing Cote ado took the opportunity of also reading through the draft scripts of the other episodes of history to be re-enacted at the Empire Pool, Wembley on March Il (see advert below). From today Workers Press will daily of present diary d under the rent Act take effect.

pageant events from all the areas working. where the teams are He said: 'All the housing Two other groups are also in schemes are being organized and Middleton, near Manchester, and whatever tenants Shields on happens.' at Jarrow and South Tyneside. The associations, representing 150,000 tenants, will ask Glasgow Reports from these areas will Corporation to throw its keep readers and supporters in- weight behind Clydebank in a last bid formed from day-to-day of the to persuade the Labour reform- pageant activities as we prepare ists to reverse their climb down.

our biggest-ever rally. Defend trade unionism and basic living standards Unite in action to make this Tory government resign The road to power is through the building of the revolutionary party

YOUNG SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

A PAGEANT OF HISTORY -THE ROAD TO WORKERS POWER

EMPIRE POOL. WEMBLEY

SUNDAY MARCH 11

I would like to take part in the Pageant/come to Empire Pool.

Please send me further detalls.

NAME..

ADDRESS

No. of tickets required Amount enclosed (£1 each £..

Complete form and return to : Pageant Office, 34 Hamilton Gardens, London, NW8

THE HERITAGE

OF THE GASWORKERS

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Wednesday Fe

BY PETER JEFFRIES

The gasworkers are now in the front line of the struggle against the Tory government's legally-backed wage-cut- ting plans. For many people this may come as a surprise when they consider that the gasworkers' union-the General and Muni- cipal Workers' Union-with an extreme right-wing leadership one of the most has been conservative throughout the post-war boom years. But those with a knowledge of the history of the British working class will find the leading role now being played by the gasworkers far from surprising. group of For it was this workers who were right in the vanguard of the fight in the 1890s and 1900s, a fight which saw not only the emergence of the ! New Unionism of the unskilled workers, but one which brought a sharp political turn in the working class lead- ing eventually to the creation of the Labour Party in 1906.

And for the revolutionary at such a movement, now decisive point in its history, the gasworkers are of special interest. For at the centre of the fight to organize the gas- workers and turn them in the direction of socialist politics more than 80 years ago was a decisive group of Marxists, led by Frederich Engels and including Marx's most talented daughter Eleanor ('Tussy') and her husband, Edward Aveling.

It was in the late 1880s and early 1890s that the trade union movement was transformed in both size and scope by the entry of the unskilled. Like all periods of great up- surge in the class struggle, oi which today is no exception, this was a time when previously groups of workers backward • great thrust by class were forces into the leadership of the entire working class.

Until the 1880s, trade union- ism in Britain had been almost entirely the preserve of the groups of workers, skilled comprising. perhaps only one tenth of the labour force.

But the end of the 19th century saw British industry rapidly losing its position of dominance in world markets as rivalries grew be- imperialist tween Britain, Germany and res today the America. Just employers were thrust desperate attacks to counter this trend, including the full use of the law to undermine the independence of the trade union movement.

GASWORKERS

UNION

It was in such a situation that the unskilled, with the gasworkers to the fore, began to form their own unions. The centre of the gasworkers' struggle was at first the East End of London. Faced with appalling conditions, including a 12-hour day, and failing to get any help from the Liberal Party (whom workers had traditionally supported), the men at Beckton gasworks, led formed the by Will Thorne, Gasworkers' and General Wor- kers Union in 1889. From its birth, the union was at the centre of the struggle for socialist politics which pre- among the New dominated Unionism of the unskilled.

Engels wrote enthusiastically to •Sorge at the end of 1889: people are throwing 'The nesday February 7, 1973 around Left: Eleanor Marx, who was at the cent themselves into the job in quite different way, are leading a l far more colossal masses into the fight, are shaking society more deeply, are putting for- more far-reaching ward much eight-hour day, demands: general federation of all organ- izations, complete solidarity.

Thanks Tussy, womens' to branches have been formed for the first time - in the Gas- workers' and General Workers' Union. Moreover the people regard their immediate de- mands only as provisional, although they themselves not know as yet what final aim they are working for. But this dim idea is strongly enough rooted to choose only openly declared socialists their as leaders. Like everyone else they will have to learn by their and the experiences conse- quences of their own mistakes.

But as, unlike the old trade unions, they greet every sug- gestion of an identity of interest between capital and labour with scorn and ridicule, this will not take long... The new union was also at the heart of the reconstituted Second International which met in Brussels in 1889. It was at this gathering that the International adopted slogan of the Legal Eight-Hour its principal Day as one of demands, a slogan for which Marx had fought so tenaciously throughout the period of the First International against the Anarchists. The gasworkers were also prominently represented on the 200,000 May Day parade in Hyde Park that same year.

to It was from this period that the Legal Eight-Hour Day and International Labour League formed-with the gas- was workers again playing the leading role-with the aim of creating an independent wor- kers' party on the broadest possible base. At the Second Congress of the International the gas- workers had the honour of which presenting the report with the situation dealt Britain. Of all the New Unions, the it the centre of the fight to organize the gaswork gasworkers' was the first to establish an extensive, national network of branches. Here various socialist organizations, but principally the Social Democratic Federation, were vital in establishing branches in new areas. The union's first meeting took place in March 1889 at Canning Town Hall, with lead- ing socialists such Tom as Mann, Harry Quelch and John Burns on the platform. By the end of July over 60 branches had been set up. But in all these activities the Marxists were .of decisive importance. ' Under Engels' leadership they won a pre- dominant position in the union.

Will Thorne, the union's first secretary was strongly in- fluenced by Eleanor Marx who had taught him to read. She became a tireless worker for the union in the East End, speaking . night after night at meetings as well as carrying out an exhausting programme of open air meetings and other activities. She became a leading mem- ber of the union executive and founder of its first women's branch. She was known affec- tionally as the 'Boss' of the union. In all this work she col- laborated closely with Engels until his death in 1895. It was who largely directed Engels operations from behind the scenes in the Yorkshire strike of 1890 which followed the attempts of Thorne and Pete Curran to set up new branches in that area. The struggle was won and Engels rewarded a delighted Will Thorne with an inscribed copy of 'Capital'. The new temper of the union can be seen in the preamble to the union rules, revised in 1892. These rules were almost certainly drafted by Eleanor and Edward Aveling. Preamble to the Rules of the Gasworkers' 1892. Union, (Drawn up by Edward Aveling and Eleanor Marx Aveling.)

FELLOW WORKERS:

Trade unionism has done ex- cellent work in the past, and • gasworkers. Right: WIll Thorne, formed the un in it lies the hope of the workers for the future; that is trade unionism which clearly recognizes that today there are only two classes, the producing working class and the possess- ing master class. The interests of these two classes are opposed to each other. have known The masters this a long time; the workers are beginning to see it, and so are forming trade unions to protect themselves, and to get as much as they can of the product of their labour. They are beginning to understand that their only hope lies in themselves, and that from the masters as a class they can expect no help; that divided they fall, united they stand.

This is why every form of labour is now organizing, even what is 'unskilled' called labour and admits all workers, women as well as men, on an equal footing. The immediate objects of this union are the improve- ment of the material conditions of its members; the raising of them from mere beasts of burden to human beings; the making brighter and happier the home of every worker; the saving of little children from the hard, degrading, bitter life to which they are condemned dividing more today; the equally between all men and women the tears and laughter, the sorrow and the joy, the labour and the leisure of the world. is important that all It members should understand the necessity for and aims of this union; that they should accept and loyally carry out its rules; that they should remem.

ber that the interests of all workers are one, and a wrong lone to anu kind of labour is a wrong done to the whole of the working class, and that victory or defeat of any por- tion of the army of labour is a gain or a loss to the whole of that army, which by its organization and union marching steadily and irresist- ibly forward to its ultimate goal-the emancipation of the working class. That emancipa- led the union in 1889. tion can only be brought about by the strenuous and united efforts of the working class itself. In 1973, when the decisive struggle in the working class is against all forms of spon- taneity and syndicalism, the gasworkers will also be re- membered as in the leadership of the struggle to establish the Labour Party.

POLITICAL

INSTRUMENT

Despite the bitter offensive of the employers and the law against the unions courts throughout the 1890s, a tena- cious struggle had to be waged in the movement to convince the unions that they could only advance by creating a new political instrument. Under the influence of Engels, the gasworkers fought consistently for this policy.

Not only did they take part in the negotiations which led to the formation of the In- dependent Labour Party (1893), but they were also represented.

at the founding conference of Labour Representation the Committee (1901) out of which came the Labour Party (1906).

After the Amalgamated Rail- in- way Servants-the union volved in the famous Taff Vale case-the gasworkers in 1901 had the largest affiliated mem- bership to the LRC, 48,000.

Thus the gasworkers will be remembered today as among the very first to recognize, in a period of great crisis, the inadequacies of purely trade union, syndicalist forms of struggle. The fact that they are once more so determinedly in the vanguard of working-class struggle indicates more clearly than anything that the revolu- tionary traditions of the British working class are once more being activated. just as And the Marxists played the crucial role in the great events of more than 80 so too will the years ago, Marxists of today, organized in the revolutionary party.

A novel just published in the Soviet Union which depicts Joseph Stalin in a favourable light has become a best- seller overnight. Block- ade, by Alexander Cha- kovsky, deals with Sta- lin's role in the early stages of World War II. It centres on the siege of Leningrad. It was published in instalments in the literary East-West trade pro- mises to be good busi- ness and will receive a big impulse from the ending of the Vietnam war, said David Rocke- feller, President of the Chase Manhattan Bank in a recent interview on Hungarian radio. Asked what role the banks could play, he said: 'First, we can finance trade; we grant credit to the exporter so that he can deliver the goods and it will be repaid by the im- porter when he has sold the goods. Besides, we can grant credits both to the government and to individua! enterprises.'

This lesson in capitalist economics—or how to turn an honest buck-was no doubt appreciated by the Hungarian bureaucracy. Rockefeller is re- garded as No. l economic diplomat of the Nixon admin- istration and his visit to journal, 'Znanya'. Part four, in which Stalin appears, was snatched off the bookstalls and is now virtually unobtainable.

It shows Stalin as the wise and tireless war leader much as he was presented at the time and until the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956. It pre- pares the ground for a re- habilitation of the one-time dictator who destroyed the Bolshevik Party and murdered its Old Guard. The Hitlerite attack on the ho eastern Europe had consider- able significance. In another interview, Rocke- feller said: "The main aim of become my visit was to acquainted with some of the members of the Hungarian and government especially with those at the National Bank with whom we have had good relations for many years.'

Hungary's Referring to growing economic ties with the capitalist world, he said: 'We are pleased to find that the is encouraging government economic contacts with foreign countries and even joint ven- tures between private corpora- tions and government entities in Hungary? In other words, he looked forward to lucrative prospects for capital invest- ment in eastern Europe. 'I think our bank could perhaps be helpful in promot- this kind venture,' ing of Rockefeller said. After his visit to Budapest, Rockefeller went on to Yugoslavia and Rumania where he met Marshal Tito and Nicolae Ceausescu. Soviet Union on June 21, 1941, a direct outcome was Stalin's policies—the liquida- tion of the leading staff of the Red Army and the pact with Nazi Germany concluded in August 1939. Stalin carried out the terms of that agreement to the end and would not believe the reports from Soviet in- telligence agencies, such as the 'Red Orchestra' in western Europe, which supplied details of the coming attack. According to this book, however, Stalin was simply Writings of

WRITHIGS

Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSKY

0077-38 (1938-9) :#

WRITINGS OF

WRITINGS OF

TEOR

LEON

TRO SAY

TROTSKU

11933-341 (1834-35] Six volumes of Trotsky's writings during the years 1933-1940 {8.00 including postage Please tick those you requi Name Address Complete form and post to: New Park Publications, 18 A New Park Publicati Workers Press, Wedne caught by surprise. He is shown talking to a general, a personal friend, and saying: 'We did all we could. Almost everything. However . we made mistakes. Miscalculations were permitted. But before the people are told this, the enemy must be beaten. Stalin, of course, never told them. The present Soviet leader- ship now seeks to bask in Stalin's undeserved glory as a war leader to detract attention from the serious crisis in the country and reinforce its rule.

In the novel the period of the purges in the 1930s is hardly touched upon, or only with allusions which will be familiar only to older readers.

Its author is editor of 'Literary Gazette', organ of the Writers' Union. It is believed his presentation of Stalin was authorized by the Communist History of Russian Revolution —special gift pack of three volumes £1.70 including postage u require. Amount enclosed £ ions, 186a Clapham High Street, Lor 'ublications Booklist is a vailable, fre 38, Wednesday February 7, 1973 PAGE 5 The Red Army counter attacks in Rostov, 1941. Inset: Stalin. The novel portrays him as the wise and tireless leader during the Second World War. Party leadership if not actu- ally commissioned. Treatment Stalin in books, of whether fiction or non-fiction, has to be approved by the authorities.

This is the most thorough- : whitewash job in fic- going tional form which has appeared since 1956 and must have the full sanction of the bureau- cracy. It is already causing bitter resentment among those who lived through the Stalin period and suffered from his brutal repression. anniversary of The 20th Stalin's death falls on March 5 and it will be interesting to whether it will be the note occasion for any public assess- ment of his career in the official Press. Trotsky—a documentary by Francis Wyndham and David King £1.65 including postage eet, London SW4 7UG able, free, on request.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday February 7, 1973

BY IAN YEATS

On a foggy winter's day Glengarnock steel the works lies inert among the gentle Ayrshire hills like some awful sleeping monster with great spikes sticking out of its back. The huddle of century-old, grey stone houses that consti- tute Glengarnock are passed

STEEL

Part five. Scotland: 10,000 jobs will go in a few seconds to give way but shops Crampea somewhat brighter houses of Kilbirnie. Forty years ago same „Tne streets narrow rang with the sound of hobnail boots police baton-charged starving iron workers out of a job-the plant closed in 1930 because of the slump. Now up to 700 of the 1,300 men at Glengarnock are under sentence once ardill. Tory Industry Secretary Peter Walker has said that open-hearth steel-making at the end. works will The rolling mills, turning out primarily railway products and employing about 800 men, are to stay open. But with the mills ever intact, the loss of 700 jobs in a 6,000 town only If the entire serious. works shuts it will be a disaster and it may not be long before the Riot Act is read in Kilbirnie for the second time in half a century No definite date has been given for the closure, but it is expected to be within the next two years. The steel-rolling plant at considered Glengarnock modern, but few people in the believe that time comes to replace which could be in two to four years-the machinery will be repla the herst the first place mills of the semi-automated, computer- type being developed Scunthorpe re- quire a third of the labour.

And the second, once steelmaking at Glengarnock i ended it would be lifficult tr justify the cost of transporting Ravenscraig, steel near Motherwell, within spitting distance of the Irish Sea merely to get it rolled. The arguments apply same rolling mills in scot-

LOLACT

land- -Clydebridge, Dalzell and Lanarkshire and also to Ebbw Vale and Shotton, in Wales.

According to Ayrshire (central division) Labour MP Mr David Lambie, over 54 per cent of the 6,000 strong total population of Kilbirnie and Glengarnock work at the steel plant. Allowing for women and children, 13,000 men represents almost the whole of the male work force. It was this sort of effect that STUC deputy general secretary Mr James Milne had in mind when he told me the axing of 7,000 jobs in Scot: land in the next two years was a lot worse than it looked.

Far from being spread all over Scotlana, most of the job losses would tall into two com- pact areas, turning them at a stroke, into employment black spots. Glengarnock is in a particu- larly vulnerable position. Iso- lated deep in Glasgow's agri- cultural hinterland there is no alternative work nearby. The town would have been saved had the much-talked of Hunterston steel complex got off the ground. But it has not. And all that the Tories now plan at the

coastal town only seven miles from Glengarnock is an ore terminal with the possibility of a small pellet plant at a later date. Action committee secretary Mr Jim Stevens told me: 'We certainly not going to are accept the closure of the open- hearth furnaces • until either there is alternative work or an alternative method of making steel. 'The social consequences of closure would be worse here than anywhere else in Britain.

"The steel industry doesn't belong to Melchett. It belongs to us. They are making a hellish mistake if they think they can close us down. 'We've absolutely no inten-. Gl tion of lying on the ground and somebody kick us to letting death.' Last July the action commit- tee organized a monster march through Kilbirniethe biggest the town had ever seen-to protest against the closure.

Tougher tactics may soon be considered because although everyone, from the Communist Party to the local Tory Party, has counselled that their fight is with the BSC and not the the Glengarnock government, men are beginning to suspect that both the Corporation's and government's hearts are the made of stone. Although little will be known until the government's White Paper on the steel in- dustry is published, the second major black spot is certain to be east Glasgow. The Clyde Iron Works will close by 1975-1976, axing 1,053 jobs, and the six open- hearth furnaces at the adjacent Clydebridge works will also go, reducing the 2,123-strong force there by about 800. There are already over 12,000 people unemployed on en- Glasgow's east side. In the city as a whole 42,000 are out of work, representing 8.5 per cent of the insured work force and 12 per cent of the men. Both these closures and con- tractions are on the east side at Cambuslang where the old sprawling works fingers in- wards from the city boundary.

In addition, if BSC decides to concentrate steel foundry capacity at Grimethorpe, near Walker: Peter will Glengarnock Slagging steel at a ne arc lant due to repla open-hearth method Sheffield, 350 more jo o at the foundry at on the edge of the C complex. Glasgow has alreac slice of and heav ing industries. In Sc a whole- -but mostly trated in Glasgow—70 have been lost in the since 1948. Despite the city's tion as a Developme next to.no new indust moved to the city, those Leyland, IBM and which moved into adja tricts at the beginnin 1960s. Locomotive engineer locks, pumps, cotton and tobacco and industrie trades have either the was relauvery iron industry, but th 'open-hearth I at a new electric. replace the old more jobs could indry at Tolleross, of the Cambuslang steel, ship- engineer- concen- -70,000 jobs st in these trades designa- evelopment Area, from apart Burroughs, into adjacent dis- beginning of the engineering, lifts, machine tools all tobacco are which industries disappeared or contracted century « There fourishing , but the transi- But tain making and losses area. The Dalzell, I naces closed sacked. 1,377 the go well 1,386, first glance does no bad. But within the travel-to-work It is against this t nock, fight the closures where in the found special steelworks i jobs could be threat Committee William Mustarde that it was difficult to act until they 1 nitely that Toller close. But he noted that ber of Scottish fou been halved in years and that Shef dries to which all Sc duction could be The transfer foundry capacity would involve the wo plants in additi cross at Craigneul side, employing 180 already has that would res loss the government targ to 3,000 higher A small works at -the Terminus Quay, em men. This will be r the new modern or at Hunterston A special STUCs mates that the most tern of the post-W which ore, steel production craig and welds fou special steel two other major £55m is to be spe side, indicating of special steels beir trated there at the works. at Craigneuk oss, - cross. Craigneuk shuts, will lose their jobs. The only other which jobs could b significant that the spend largest Scottish tube Clydesdale, Lanarksh If tube production concentrated at Clyd Harose be that tube plants a and three Calder, Imperial and would close, axing 1,100 jobs The overall effect measures would be i trate the Scottish st try in Lanarkshire finished-product plar elsewhere at Ing and Cambuslang. Output at Ravens Motherwell, is to be and there is a pro Workers Press, Wedne el after 1870 found vithout suitable ore O even scrap had to awbacks still apply. and social it is near cel vould 'be no steel rolling capacity n Scotland-even at ion to the 2,500 job Cambuslang and 4,000 more to I's 25,000 steel jobs d in the Motherwell open-hearth fur- alzell, Motherwell, about r proportion of the canarkonire in Motherwell, will six open-hearth e blown out there. Mother- 1,386, at which does not look too in the Motherwell of north area the total leaps to nst this background eel industry redun- part from Glengar other action up to foundry and the to 700 up be threatened. Mr cnalrinan explained difficult for them defi- knew Tolleross would oted that the num- ttish foundries had the 20 foun ich all Scottish pro- be transferred capacity. of all Scottish to Sheffield the closure of in addition to Toll- and Hall. ying 180. been an- Hallside will ng only the fate of in the balance closures and con- the ut 4,000 jobs, but nent target is 2,500 vorks at Coatbridge shut, ut 180 men, plus 60 employing will be replaced by odern ore terminal TUC survey est the most likely pa post-White Paper ru in coan concentrates at Ravens- velds foundries and works into just aor centres o be spent at Hall- the prospect teels being concen- at the expense of raigneuk and Toll- area from could be trimmed s division and it is hat the Tories will modernizing plant at Lanarkshire. 'oduction was to be d at Clydesdale and prospect would • plants at Tollcross Lanarkshire erial and British- another effect of these ould be to concen- cottish steel indus- with only duct plants surviv- Glengarnock Ravenscraig, near expanded is to De is a prospect of a s, Wednesday February 7, new electric-arc Hallside, which v ip to 500 new j But on the wi would making, rolling ar around the single at Ravenscraig wi about 7,000 of closure smaller units. Redundancies certainly not end Once Glengarnock already compared to mated mills Scunthorpe, they will almost c with a further 2,000 men. In the long 1977—the futur Dalzell plant at works in M shire volving another would be in since rolling plant Ravenscraig near expanded. If all this hap end of the decade of lost jobs 10,000—the figure a secret BSC in 1968 and first the "Glasgow Her last yea ruary 23 Significantly th saged the facilities at nock, Lanarkshire bridge, where in ishing processes linked to making. The closure of hearth furnaces most . existing Ravenscraig would There would effect among buil cal and engineer tors, hauliers works. would power business. prosperit One other be needs labour and trade u crats have fairly b ted

BSC

employment run spread over five to James Milne to few people paid off. The redu happen over a per Two crucial fac tervene to drive horses through the assumption age and non-repl The first is Market entry arrangemen Ixing and prices are bor Since up to two open-hearth furna be the scrap keeping these furi day longer than n rapidly fall-perh decade. plants, doubt on the econ PeCTriC - arO planned for areas employment. Provided the BOsTonts Plants sheer size the can bear far prices more than their smaller Neither the government lalnly wann scrap • prices and, tantly, how the c which recession produced worle apacitv will ru The prospect electric-are craig or at ift--bein questionable In other redundancies the over

OCCI

seven years could 1975! bruary 7, 1973 PAGE 7 ectric-arc works 0 new jobs. n the whole the plan steel- concentrare rolling and tube plants the single big complex scraig with the loss of jobs and the of about a dozen dancies would almost not end there. rolling mills at ock and Člydebridge top heavy with men the near auto- being built at become obsolete, further loss of up to term—up to rolling le future of and Lanark- rks in Motherwell, in- 2,000 men, doubt, especially ling plant at Gartcosh, is to venscraig, this happens by the le decade, the number obs will have risen to the figure envisaged in report prepared and first published in gow Herald' on Feb- last year. milling e closure Dalzell, Glengar- narkshire and Clyde- here in the past fin- been • open-hearth steel- osure of both outside plants aig would push unem- still higher. be a ripple electri- bullaine. engineering contrac- and all those the purchasing lost local depress prosperity. crucial point made. Scottish d trade union bureau- e fairly blandly accep- forecasts that the will be ent run aown five seven years. Milne told me: 'Very will actually ver a pertou or ume rucial factors will in o drive a coach and rough the comfortable that natural wast- non-replacement will problem. that Common ended price- for rangements scrap s are bound to soar. ip to two thirds of an rth furnace charge can desirability of these furnaces open a er than necessary will all—perhaps by mid- certaint emand from new BOS throw serious the economics of the mini - steelworks for areas of high un- excessive, not alone means they the increased scrap more economically r smaller rivals.

BSC

hor the with cer- to ces and, more impor- w the course of the has already excess steel rospect of the new at Ravens- plant 'East Moors, Car- built already IS words, the 10,000 scheduled to the next five to rs could be a fact by

UNDER APARTHEID'S RULE

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday Fi

BY ALEX MITCHELL

For many years the South African govern- ment has illegally main- tained its grip on the former German colony of South West Africa, known as Namibia. After 1919 Namibia was administered by South Africa under a League of Nations mandate. When that body was superseded in 1946 by the Africa United Nations, South announced that it would con- tinue to administer the ter- ritory. In 1966 the United Nations terminated the mandate, but the South African government refused to budge. The reason is obvious. Namibia is a rich source of minerals extracted • th with cheap labour. The South African apartheid system is in full force and the mass of the black population has no poli- tical rights. In 1967, after the revocation of the mandate, a United Nations body, the Council for South West Africa, was re- fused access to the country.

Meanwhile the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) had launched an armed struggle for indepen- dence. The South African police inesday February 7, 1973 quickly pounced and arrested a number of its leaders. In February, 1968 they were sen- tenced to long terms of im- prisonment on Robben Island.

In June, 1971 the Inter- national Court of Justice at the Hague ruled by 13 votes to 2 (Britain and France) 'that the continued presence of South Africa being illegal, South Africa is under obligation to administration withdraw its from Namibia immediately and thus to put an end to its occu- pation of the territory'.

These fine words had no Africa's effect and South apartheid rule continued. Its ugly reality was revealed when the Ovambos, who make up 46 cent of the population, per after mass strikes in the mining areas, called for the ending of •the contract-labour system.

In the repression which followed in Ovamboland police shot at least 50 Africans and wounded many more. Pretoria revolt onto the blamed the the "terrorists' of the SWAPO.

All political meetings were declared unlawful and the police were given powers to arrest without warrant and to detain any suspect. In October 1971 the United Council Nations Security voted a resolution (France and Britain abstaining) condemning South Africa's attempt to destroy the unity of the ter- ritory and calling for her with- drawal. When the Austrian "liberal', Dr Kurt Waldheim, became UN Secretary-General, one of his first assignments was to negotiate with South Africa concerning Namibia's status. The talks he had with the South Africans were described 'exceptionally by them as frank'. He then went on to South West Africa. South Africa's Prime Min- ister, Balthazar Vorster, could hardly keep out such an ele- vated official as Waldheim and he and his party were able to tour the country. Before leav- ing Europe, he was told in no uncertain terms by SWAPO leaders Sam Nujoma and Peter Katjavivi that they could accept nothing less than full and total independence imme- diately. Waldheim's visit to Namibia in March 1972 lasted only two days and had all the elements of a mystery tour. The South African which government, master-minded it, made it as difficult as possible to track Everything movements. was done to facilitate his meet- ing with those people favour- able to South African occupa- tion and to make it difficult for those who wished to put the case for Namibian inde- pendence to find him. Early South African com- ments on the Waldheim visit unfavourable. Prime were Minister Vorster said in the House of Assembly, if Wald- heim 'wishes to come to South Africa as the mouthpiece of the • the extremists of the Organiza- tion of African Unity and others ... I can tell him in advance that he will be wast- ing his time The visit was used to gain time in order to put this policy into effect. Vorster followed it up by stating bluntly: 'South West Africa has been entrusted to us as an integral part of South Africa ... We do not recognize UN rights over South West Africa' Meanwhile the apartheid the creation of policy of 'bantustans' has been pushed ahead in Namibia with the help of collaborators from among the black population.

Many opponents of South African rule have been arrested and others have been confined to certain areas. Directly under the control of the South African Depart- ment of Bantu Administration, Namibia has been divided up into a number of 'homelands' each coinciding with the ter- ritory allocated to a so-called ethnic group. Dr Kurt Waldheim: His visit gave the tacit stamp of approval. Left: Copper mine in Namibia. Rich resources controlled by whites.

This is intended to divide the country and weaken the independence struggle. Limited powers are transferred to local bodies while the overall control of the government in Pretoria is strengthened. This policy requires the forcible removal of about 100,000 people out of a population of only 750,000.

When fully carried out, the 'bantustanization' of Namibia will leave the small white minority in control of the containing the main areas economic resources and con- fine the blacks to poor lands, many of which are suitable for nothing more than nomadic pastoralism, hunting and sub- sistence cultivation. The object is to drive down still further the standard of living of the black Africans and force them into depen- dence upon the low wages paid by the big white employers.

The 'homelands' will become simply the recruiting ground for serf-like contract-labour for white-owned mines and farms. From the start of the man- date, South African farmers were encouraged to come into the country and granted lands already confiscated from the by the Germans. By tribes 1960, 48 per cent of the land was in European farms and 26 per cent in African reserves.

There were only about 5,000 white farmers. After 1945 the expansion of mining and the development of some factories and small- scale manufacturing had in- creased the volume of internal migration by the African popu- lation. Large numbers no longer live in their traditional areas. The 'homeland' policy cuts across this development and units which have creates neither historical validity nor any economic justification. The Africans will be thrown • back on the poorest type of sub- sistence farming, preventing them from competing with the big white farmers, who already hold most of the best land.

The Waldheim mission pro- vided no more than a cover for the Vorster regime to complete the subjection of South West Africa and its integration into the apartheid economy South Africa. The imperialist powers have no desire to see the situation changed since it provides them with big profits on capital investments and to rich mineral re- access sources. Instead of calling for imme- diate independence the Wald- heim mission, which included of Somalia, representatives Yugoslavia and the Argentine, only proposed further investi- gations with a view to prepar- eding the ground for self- government. No timetable was set and Vorster's policy of development separate was tacitly endorsed. Yugoslavia went along with this deal which condemns the Namibian people to the tender Vorster's slave- mercies of drivers and policemen. The heroic struggle of the Ovambo strikers last year showed the way to independence, which can only be won as part of the general struggle against im- perialism and all its agencies.

LORD MELCHETT'S PLANS

Trouble in the corridors of Monday Club the right-wing at Failsworth council, is in another ideological fix. power Manchester. near The other This time it's over the Phase night the council had to con- Iwo pay laws introduced in sider rent arrears following parliament this week by their rent strike in the district by premier, Edward Heath. people refusing to pay the new When the laws were un- Tory charges. presidential-style For 90 minutes the council Press conference at Lancaster went into closed session to House, the Club issued a discuss the matter. When it statement slamming the pro- ended they all filed out smiling posal as 'text book socialism'.

and apologized for having Now, however, the club … TO close the public gallery.

Jonathan Guinness, chairman, All seemed all right - but who is prospective Tory can- was it? didate has dis- Those close to the scene sociated himself the could hear through the closed, statement. He said it was put heavy door the shouting and out without his knowledge or raging of councillors. authorization, although it was Councillor A. McAnulty, the attributed to him personally.

chairman, banging committee He went on: 'Although it is the table, ringing the bell and that Conservative clear any demanding order. must feel deep concern at the A committee member told that measures proposed, in a waiting reporter: 'It was like they involve a measure of con- Dad's Army in there tonight- trol absolutely foreign to what absolutely ridiculous.' we have thought of as party policy, nevertheless circum-

SENTENCED

stances alter and blanket no condemnation should have In a miners' club in Yorkshire been issued, rather a detailed the other night, men were dis- and informed critique. 'Any would cussing the year-long sentence government imposed on Ernie Critchley for have failed in its duty if it did poaching. not take some emergency 'It could have been worse, action. What all true Conserva- 'If he'd stolen one miner said. tives must hope is that the -emergency.' a side of beef he would have action is just that- 'freedom got ten years.' He hoped that would be restored as soon as Below: Mrs June Critchley after possible' This is receiving a letter from her jailed not the first time husband, Ernie. that the Club has found itself making contradictory state- ments. It used to be against the Common Market-now it is in favour of it. Late last year there was a move to expel Geoffrey Rippon because of his involvement in the Uganda affair. Asian In the end he was kept in the fold. Guinness, the merchant banker and stepson of Sir Oswald Mosley, is desperately trying to bring veneer of respectability to this organiza- tion which is obsessed with race and anti-communism. But by repudiating a section of the Club's full-time officials, Guinness has acted rashly. The knives will be out for him..

By LEON TROTSKY Paperback. £1.00 Illustrated leading Sharp pen-portraits of Second Interna. figures the tional in Russia and Europe, for first time published in the English edition. The translations were first commissioned by the Young Keep Socialists' paper Left' Their enormous success has the led to the completion of of the book, translation whole which is the first part of Volume 8 of Leon Trotsky's 'Works' pub- lished in the Soviet Union in 1926. It provides the most vivid picture available of the historic figures of the Second Inter- their and national, strengths weaknesses, written by an obser- also a participant ver wno was in the daily struggle of the Euro- rotsky pean and Russian working class.

Now available from New Park Publications 186a Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UG The Common Market has suddenly emerged as one of the most potent forces behind the Tory drive to modernize steel.

In a special BBC programme on steel on Friday ('Money at Work') Lord Melchett said the government could find itself in court soon unless steel prices are allowed to rise. Steel have been prices pegged since 1968 and the Tories twice refused to allow any increase. One major consequence of this has been to force the British Steel Corporation to speed up its modernization plans to cover its losses.

Within hours of Melchett's warning, "The Times' broke the news that the European Com- mission had told the Tories to comment within one month on the incompatibility of its Phase One freeze on steel prices with full EEC member- ship. The letter and the sugges- tion that the Tories could be taken to court do not, in fact, herald dramatic events. The government has already agreed to free steel prices at the beginning of Phase Two. But there are still two major reasons why the Tories do not want steel prices to go up.

First there is the contribu- tion this would make to domestic inflation. Secondly there is the threat to Britain's edge over her com- petitors afforded by low prices. French steelmakers say that British prices should be raised by as much as 15 per cent to bring them into line with Europe. The Tory strategy is thus directed at both curbing infla- tion and maintaining and im- proving British steel's com- petitiveness by making sure prices stay down. The only real problem is holding the prices line during the period of transition from open-hearth to basic oxygen (BOS) production. The answer is the speed of conversion.

Lord Melchett left no doubt that the BSC would press ahead vigorously. 'We cannot lose any more time, he said. The truth of the matter was that the old plants could neither produce at competitive prices nor at the quality of

FOR A 'VIABLE' BSC

Michael Foot: Wanting time to get Melchett: In the timetable of closures, speed is the key BOS works. "The old plants just can't do it, he empha- sized. The BSC is the largest steel producer in the EEC and there Tories intend is no doubt the pull the rug from

LL V

LU under their competitors' feet. They being callously ale realistic. World steel output is up ana compennon is neice. Under these conditions, Mel- chett said the BSC was reluc- tant to commit itself to output targets. 'We want to be flexible, he said, and asked if flexibility could mean more sackings, ne 'We'll adjust our sights said: as we go along. Replying to criticism from Labour's steel spokesman Eric Varley that output targets were too low, Melchett warned that higher capacity could only be created by building another big new complex - involving more closures and still more sackings. It was pure illusion, he said, to believe that -higher output saved jobs. The changes in the steel in- dustry and the social con- for communities occucules were absolutely necessary, he said. 5, Wednesday February 7, 1973 PAGE 9 to get people work at the coast. Lord losures, speed is the key.

It should be remembered that 'these communities and the nation as a whole can only be supported by viable indus- tries'. British works were grossly overmanned in terms of the best large plants and the only way to reduce it was to close the old-fashioned, high-cost, high-labour works and build new ones. The response of the leaders of the action committees at two of the doomed plants looked positively sickly in comparison with this icy • frankness. Welsh T&GWU leader Tom Jones complained repeatedly that Wales was being 'raped' once again. 'Nai Bevan's heir', Michael Foot, was primarily concerned that the closure timetable did not give people time to find alternative work 18 miles away at the coast.

Lord Melchett has previously some willingness to shown make closure dates flexible.

Since, as the programme re- vealed, it has taken £80,000 to attract a mere 400 jobs to Ebbw Vale, they will need to be very flexible indeed to allow work Mr Foot to find for nearly 5,000.

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Wednesday February 7, 1973

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

9.15 Schools. 12.30 Nai zindagi naya jeevan. 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble Mill at one. 1.30 On the farm.

1.45-2.00 Made in Britain.

2.05-2.50 Schools. 3.00 Sunday debate. 3.35 Young scientists of the 4.00 Deputy 4.10 Play school. 4.35 4.50 year. dawg. Jackanory. Right Charlie. 5.15 Screen test. 5.40 Wombles. 5.45 News. Weather.

6.00 NATIONWIDE. 6.45 ASK THE FAMILY.

7.05 TOMORROW'S WORLD. In Holland. 7.30 NOW LOOK HERE.

BARLOW

AT

LARGE.

Strays. 8.00

WEEK

BY WEEK.

This same week in February 1914. 8.50 9.00

NEWS.

Weather. 9.25

SPORTSNIGHT.

Figure skating cham- pionships. 10.15

JOYCE

GRENFELL. 10.45 MIDWEEK. Including a look at the problem of the homeless. 11.30

THE SKY AT NIGHT.

Practical work in the observatory.

11.50 LATE NIGHT NEWS. 11.55 Weather.

ITV

9.30 Schools. 10.35 Yoga (London only). 12.04 Mr. Trimble. 12.25 Rupert Bear. 12.40 First report. 1.00 Sing out with The Settlers.

1.30 Crown court. 2.00 Harriet's back in town. 2.30 Good after- noon. 3.00 Whose baby? 3.25 Saint. 4.20 Get this. 4.50 Arthur of the Britons. 5.20 Survival. 5.50 News.

TODAY. 6.35 CROSSROADS.

6.00 7.00

THIS IS YOUR LIFE. 7.30 CORONATION 'STREET.

8.00

THE FIRST OF LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR.

NEAREST AND DEAREST. Far from the madding 8.30 pong. 9.00

PUBLIC EYE.

Egg and cress sandwiches.

NEWS AT TEN. 10.30 FOOTBALL.

10.00

EUROPEAN FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

11.25

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

12.25

A CHANGE OF COURSE.

12.40

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 5.25 Open University.

7.05 MAN AT WORK. Moving where the jobs are.

7.30 NEWS SUMMARY. Weather.

7.35 JOHNNY MORRIS IN MEXICO. Merida, Chichen Itza, Oaxaca.

8.00 MAN ALIVE. Pot. FILM: 'THE DEADLY AFFAIR'. James Mason, Simone Signoret, 9.00 Maximilian Schell. An intelligence officer is determined to find out why a Foreign Office official committed suicide.

EDITION. 11.15 NEWS EXTRA. Weather.

10.45

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London. 1.15 1.30 London. News. 2.30 Galloping gourmet. 3.00 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 6.35 Hogan's heroes• 7.30 London. 7.00 Treasure hunt. London. 8.00 This is your life. 8.30 London. 12.25 Epilogue. News, weather.

WESTWARD.

Channel except: As 12.05 London. 12.25 Hammy Hamster.

12.37 Gus Honeybun. 12.40 London. 12.57 News. 1.00 London. 6.00 Diary. 12.25 News. 12.28 Faith for life. London.

SOUTHERN:

9.30 12.00 News. 02.05 LOndon Danger man. 4.35 Danger 3.00 London. 3.30 man. 5.2 Londonon. Cross- Day roads. 12.30 Weather. Guideline.

HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.30 House- 3.00 London. 4.50 Rainbow party. 5.20 Chuckleheads. 5.25 country. Crossroads. 5.50 London. 6.01 Report 6.15 Report Wales. West. 6.30 Arthur of the Britons. 7.00 London. 12.25 Weather. Fight rising rents and prices Defend basic democratic rights Force the Tories to resign Febru WOOLWICH: Wednesday ary 7, 8 p.m. 'The Castle' ', Powis Street. SHEFFIELD: Wednesday Febru- ary 7, 7.30 p.m. 'Dog and Part- ridge', Trippett Lane.

SKELMERSDALE:

Wednesday February 7, 8 p.m. Quarry Bank Community Centre. WOOLWICH: Wednesday February Castle', 7, 8 p.m. SE18. 'Defend Powis Street, basic rights'. TOTTENHAM: Wednesday Febru- ary 7, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms'.

STEVENAGE: Thursday February 8, 8 p.m. 'Red Lion', Old Town.

HACKNEY: Thursday February 8, 8 p.m. Parlour Room, Hall (opposite Town Hall). 'Build Councils of Action.' WILLESDEN: Thursday February 8, 8 p.m. Labour and Trades Hall, High Road NW10. 'Victory to the NLF. Down with Stalinism and imperialism. BASILDON: Sunday February 11, 5.30 p.m. Barnstable Community Centre. 'Defend basic rights'.

WANDSWORTH: Monday February 12, 8 p.m. 'King's Arms', Wands- worth High Street. 'Fight rising rents and prices'. WATFORD: Monday February 12, 8 p.m. Trade Union Hall (down- stairs), opposite Watford Junc- tion station. CLAY CROSS: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Social Centre, Derby 'Fight rising rents and Road. prices. Defend basic democratic rights'. COVENTRY: Tuesday February 13, 7.30 p.m. Wood End Com- munity Building. as 'Barlow At Large' — a new BBC I series featuring the "tough cop' without assignment is at London airport, attached Home Office, to find a to the 8.30 London.

HTV

Cymru/Wales except: the king. 12.25 Weather. 4.35-4.50

GRANADA:

9.30 3.25 Miri mawt. London Yoga. 4.2l 6.01-6.15 Y dydd. Cartoon. Crossroads.

HTV

Westsas as above except: 6.15-6.30 London. 6.00 News. 6e 6.30 Lucy. 7.00 London. 8.00 On buses. 8.30 Report

ANG: 300

o London don. 3.30 2.30 House-

TYNE

TEES: 925 Prologue. 9301030 Odd News. London. 4.18 don. 2.30 London. Romper News. Champions. 4.20 6.00 T92.%0 5.20 5.50 Lon- Here's 12.25 News. London. don. 6.00 About 8.00 Survival. 12.25 Reflection.

SCOTTISH:

9.30 London. 2.30 Date- 12.00 3.00 London. 5.25 Crossroads Today ongoos. 12.05 London. .50 Today. London. 6.00 6.30 Survi- Please 10.30 Sound Love 11.20 London. American style. Late 11.40 11.25 What the papers say.

11.00 1.32 News. London. Ice 3.00 skating. 1.40 So. 3.35 2.45 Romper 9,55 Har London. Women Harriet's

GRAMPIAN:

10.58 1.38 back town. 4.23 London- News 2.45 Schools. Cartoon. 6.00 Reports 3.25 Women today. 3.00 London. 3.55 8.00 Protectors. 3.30 London 3.30

YORKSHIRE:

9.30 London. 6.00 Stuart London. Be- 8.30 10.30 Un- 5.20 witched. 5.50 London. 6.00 11.25 London. 12.25 Medi- Calendar. touchables. Weather. 6.35 London. 8.00 Anna tation.

SOUTH

EAST LONDON: Thurs- CLAPHAM: Tuesday February 13, Baths, February 15, Dept- p.m. Clapham Manor day p.m. Manor Club, Clapham Street, SW4. ford Engineers opposite New Cross station. 'No state con- 'Defend basic rights' trol of wages'.

CAMDEN:

Tuesday February 13 'Prince Albert', Wharfe- p.m.

LEEDS:

Thursday February 15, dale Road, Kings Cross. 'Lessons 7.30 p.m. (please note date of the rents fight. Peel Hotel, Boar Lane. change).

HARROW:

February 13, Tuesday February

LIVERPOOL:

Tuesday 8 p.m. Labour Hall. 'Defend basic 20, 7.30 p.m. AEU House, Mount rights. Pleasant. TOOTING: Tuesday February 13, Selkirk BRIXTON: Tuesday February 20, 'Selkirk Hotel, p.m. Training Centre, 'Defend basic Brixton Road. rights' p.m. Control Room. 'No state control OLDBURY: Wednesday February of wages'. 'The Head'. 14, 7.30 p.m. Bulls February 15,

DAGENHAM:

Tuesday February SLOUGH: Thursday Centre, Farn- 20. Co-op Hall, 8 p.m. Community p.m. Road. 'How to defeat Phase Fanshawe Avenue. ham Two'. rights'.

HOLLOWAY:

Thursday February

ACTON:

Tuesday February 27, 15, 8 Co-op Hall. Seven p.m. Hall, High Road. Co-op p.m. Sisters Road. 'Build Councils of W3. 'Forward to Pageant the Action'. Road to Workers' Power'. -The

KINGSTON:

Thursday February "Liverpool

CROYDON:

Thursday March 1, Cambridge Road/London Road. Detend democratic rignse.

Ruskin House, Coombe Road. 'Build Councils of Action'.

I would like information about Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

SECRETARY,

LEAGUE,

SOCIALIST

LABOUR

186a CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON SW4 7UG.

Name... Address.

Workers Press, Wednesday February 7, 1973 PAGE 11 Building industry Agriculture Minister admits EEC farm policy chiefs fear new means dear food confrontation PEOPLE HAD to accept that fluctuations in world and prices partly the reflection of higher prices the Common Agricultural Policy for food in the Common Market, he (CAP) which came into effect said. 'It has been our aim to secure THE BUILDING industry must expect more labour trouble despite on February 1 would mean gradual and orderly transition,' Godber added. the long-term wages settlement reached last September, Mr John higher food prices, the Tory Godber was speaking at the Wal- Westacott, president of the National Federation of Building Trades Minister for Food and Agricul- dorf Hotel in the Aldwych-not a ture, Mr Joseph Godber, said Employers said this week.

›lace noted for cheap canteen meals.

His audience were members of the yesterday. In a foreword to the

BY OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

Education Hedera! rust for and to federation's latest annual This partly the result of Research, who meeting Wee Westacott report, de. their attitude to the claim building sites Telford at discuss 'European Agricul- clares: I believe we are ana the stale pay. laws. Al airews•lr oeD. ture after the Mansholt Plan'.

deluding ourselves if we of 30 stewards tember And north in Wales last week the following month, Godber think that this marked in the told the business sallic reso uroR was passea un- Avexance ketle executives present that Britain end of

ADON

animously: assistant chief constable of problems major food untl Novem. West Mercia, said that sev- — di

HU DOLC.

'In the eventuality of the 1974. would be paying a major share increase due June Tinlc CIal slatenerl of the cost of the CAP. Since He described last year's being paid were taken during the in- 12-week vestigation. .agricultural industry bitter strike pesult et the gose menns onanns was relatively small and highly freeze, worst nanona alspute meen? The papers are now with the history of the in- calls for developed, Britain was un- the Director of Public Pro- dustry. of all building workers to likely to receive as much back secutions in London. Last month 12 pickets in as it contributed. He said the industry's re æn be cæs bæe as a result of three months' no Wigan were fned a total o In Godber wace soniciure was other or the was struggle are not lost.' longer suited to either the local magistrates tolu by bluntly tenar execuuives building following a 'show trial'.

methods or to the that although the cost of accept- • Police are to charge The length and ing the CAP is huge, the benefits varel o skus and senn- cost pickets who allegedly 'in- skills employed. the will be nil. building and DONCe houtes Vaucu

SILEN

Westacott's alarm about the building strike indicate intimidated other workers' Food prices are to continue that the forces of 'law and another pay confrontation during the country-wide soaring. order' up entre vs usaeo uner unofficial are The businessmen the slubbarcs labl 'f ave the state pay laws the massive dossier on build. year. when he finished. round Minister applause second stage the ers' militants. of pay The charges follow is likely to be settemer joint investigation by the They also want Had he made these same com- refused by the employers.

the bulders West Mercia and Gwynedd sharoy fine ments outside the nearby Bon- Union Construction, police in Wales. and bring as many to court Agriculture Minister Joseph Godber (left) with Hotel, he would not nington and Techni- Allied Trades Twenty so they have police special officers can Professor Dr G. Weinschenck. director of the insti.

have received the same reception stewards dratted for tute for Agricultural Economics, University of cans Leeds lALO coe

«CUNV

TeCOrOs unne national ekecutive b cont Gas have already made plain following incidents at next confrontation. Hohenheim, yesterday. executive complained about the particularly accelerat- Torie on yol vant ber on under Lucas have little to offer to reporter: want work ol sullady vulve lu hours. end CAV occupation

SIT-IN STRIKERS

the CAV factory in Fazakerley, Liverpool, expect to hear to-

NEWS DESK

day whether the Lucas com- bine will offer CAV workers are bitter that shares the Fazakerley site, nor- same men who consistently re- Inem ALe - mal working has resumed follow- the union officials who fused to organize blacking action native work improved 01-720 2000 or ing a decision by the CAV occu- redundancy redundancy terms.

SUDOONL

terms with the combine are the pation committee to allow man- Union officials have been in agement without passes.

'LIE

contact with Lucas's following The workers

CIRCULATION

have been Campus security walk-out a mass meeting last Thursday, working in TOr weeK which agreed the new approach.

accepting the committee's pass Shop stewards told the were sysLeil 01-622 7029 has The combine moved its men at the Leeds The only men working are outcome vesteroay.

LUCAS S

rOW sl anhang en Betama thi a all.

Merseyside central transport University are on strike follow- four supervisors, nothing in return for a call- operations away from ing Fazakerley the dismissal

JULI

policenten. security men sit-in. of the have rejected the latest return- wirere l nas a six •olres. secrelary o the Na s Meanwhile at the Lucas Indus- month lease on a vacuum-flask Leeds branch National to-vorsity amulrmade by the trial Equipment factory, which factory. Union of Public Employees.

Lecture 3

SLL

1933-1938From dieg an the founding the Socialist Labour League Public Meetings aerodl Fourth International

LECTURES

given by

TOM KEMP

(SLL Central Committee)

UNITE IN ACTION TO DEFEND BASIC RIGHTS

ACTON

DONCÁSTER

CLAPHAM

MEDWAY

TUESDAY: FEBRUARY 27, 8pm

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14,

Wednesday February Locture 2 8pm Aurora Hote London Sunday February 11 outh Işland Library Wednesday February 14 rompton Roac In Britanutionary party South Iśland Re COnT RANDA Locture 3 18iL. Contat CiNDA Woodlands Hall speaker: MIKE iven l ift Siaughte

SONESDAY FEBRUARY 28

Crown Street, W.3. 8 p.m.

AGila HARVARY 20, 8pmm

SPREAD EAGLE HOTEL

WATFORD

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 8pm 8pm Westlaithgate

EAST LONDON

ritwell Community Cent 7.30 p.m. Crone G HEALY ng Furlong Dri d Junction stn near speaker: Thursday February ® Lecture 2 Britwell Estate speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL National Sec) aker: G HE/ (SLL Central Cttee) _L National S

SHEFFIELD

Thursday February 15 Lecture 3

NORTH KENT

(ANDSWORTI

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19,8pm

"HURSDAY FEBRUARY 22

Monday February 19 The Shakespeare, Manor Park Library 8pm The economic crisis and the Old Town Offices Wandsworth Town Hall Romford Rd/Rabbitts Road rowis sireet socialist answer. Woolwich Wandsworth High Stree opp Rabbitts Poplar High Street Monday March 5

HEA

peaker: MIKE BAND/ aker: G HEA party in SLL Central Cttee) _L National Se E.14. 8 p.m. The revolutionary _L vóc Britain.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11.

BIRMINGHAM

IDDLET

Young Socialist Premises

NEWCASTLE

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25, 7pm

EDNESDAY FEBRUARY

Portobello 7.30pm 8pm Govan South Town Hal Monday February 12 Digbeth, Civic Hall (near Jessops Hospital) liddleton Bath: Lecture 2 Digbeth, Birmingham a a nca underground liddleton, Mancheste 8 p.m. netesr Monday February 19 Govan Cross peaker: MIKE BAND Lecture 3 (SL National Sec) Lecture 2 Ford Arms (SLL Central Citee 1924-1933-The Loft Opposi- Shields Road, 8 p.m. tion s struggle against Stalin

Crafty move by premier to avert crisis in south Lynch poll aimed at working class PAGE 12 Workers Press, Wednesday Fo BY DECLARING A General has ended the 19th Dail-and craftiest Prime Minister.

The February 28 election is chiefly concerned with two issues: skyrocketing prices and the deteriorating situ- ation in Ulster. The timing of the election reveals clearly the nature of Lynch's politics, which is itself a reflection of the desperate crisis of the Irish capitalist class. First Lynch and his Fianna Fail party are asking the elec- an open mandate. for torate Their Third Programme expired in December 1972. Faced with a tidal wave of inflation and declining export prices they have deliberately to produce any pro- refused gramme since then. The only significant thing that the Fianna Fail government did was to stampede the opposition into for the Offences voting Against the State (Amendment) Act. This considerably increased the power of the Free State tn suppress Republicanism, but did nothing to enhance Lynch's repu- workers' tation southern eyes. Common Market and the rapidly mounting economic diffi- culties for Irish agriculture and industry has also led to consider- resistance-despite able union the repressive state powers.

an all- If Lynch now seeks inclusive mandate, it is aimed at curbing the militancy of the working class. He chose the date of the elec- tion principally for this purpose —it occurs only a few weeks before the new register of voters is added to the electorate.

new register includes This 140,000 18 to 21-year-olds who were enfranchised last year by a nationwide referendum. Lynch obviously fears that a good proportion of these votes could the opposition go to Labour Party or even the Sinn Fein. The election timing has also caught the opposition parties— particularly Sinn Fein-flatfooted.

Funds are low and they have had no time to select candidates.

The Labour Party and right- wing Fine Gael are having ex- ploratory talks about coalescing.

But whether they will be able to do this before February 28 is doubtful. The last General Election was held in June 1969. Since then Fianna Fail has suffered from severe dissension which depleted its forces in the Dail. At the time of the dissolution Fianna Fail had 59 seats, Fine Gael 50, Labour 17 and indepen- dents six. The 'arms conspiracy' crisis in 1970 led to the resignation of Messrs Boland, Haughey and Blainey, who sympathized with the extreme wing of Republic- anism in Ulster. If the Ulster crisis weakened the Fianna Fail party to the point where it found it difficult to gov- ern, it is, once again, the Ulster which has precipitated situation the present election. Having done everything to the British campaign appease against the Provisional IRA, the Irish bourgeoisie nevertheless find themselves unable to obtain a secure agreement about Ulster.

Prime Minister Edward Heath's refusal to divulge the contents of the White Paper before the Inesday February T, 1973 General Election, Eire premier Jack Lynch il-and established his reputation as Europe's

ABOUT

London 30 sludge boatmen picketed the headquarters of the Greater London Coun- cil yesterday (right). The council suspended 82 men without pay 'on January Il for refusing management and sign articles of more power em- than civil judges. ployment under the new Tory Merchant Shipping "They sack can you Act. don't just because they look of your Transport and General like the Union and there is Workers' face con- Mr Tony Smith do venor nothing about it, you can told "The Act me: scraps the staff code we Should a union con- to have with the used vener and of members

GLC

together at a crew get 'Under will sea they could be liable it men now sign articles of em- to a conspiracy charge. ployment with manage- Technically, the Lon- ment's marine superin- don sewerage boat crews tendent instead of ships are not seamen and masters.' claim

GLC

they the

T&GWU

Said shop could ask the govern- Tony steward Mr ment for their exemp- Murphy: "This Act gives tion. BELOW: OVER 100 electricians on Indefinite strike at St London, Thomas's Hospital site, in support Phase Two of the of their pay rise frozen under Tory state pay plan, picketed the site yesterday.

SACK THE

GOVERNMENT

border poll and the massive cam- to govern, she has not succeeded of intimidation in getting but paign against concensus has minority Catholic opinion (it was split the people of the north into recently revealed and admitted segments ... that the army was canvassing for 'There is another reason why the poll) has created uneasiness, it is essential that the south has if not fear, in Dublin government a strong government in the next circles. few months-the forthcoming White Paper on: which so many It now seems that Dublin will hopes are pinned could very well have little or no say-despite the Darlington and Chequers be interpreted from the present talks— of Ulster. drift of British policy to contain in the future In dis- Dail, hinted disappointment for the solving the Lynch beleagured minority of the north broadly at this relation: and for the majority of people in 'The incoming in government, this island who hope for peace its the British appraisal as a result of it. White Paper, will need the un- 'If it in fact does do this, then equivocal support of the people situation astat develop the with deal suitably new has been This apprehension clarified the Trish amply in MANAGEMENT at the British Press' which supports Fianna Fail Steel Corporation works at policy. In a long and explicit Jairow have locked out the main editorial the paper attacks British work force. policy in Ulster and warns of a Anglo-Irish The lock-out took place yester- new crisis in relations: day morning in retaliation against an unofficial 24-hour strike which "The unspoken thought of the the men staged on Monday.

people is majority great that Britain has failed miserably The original dispute involved

POLLUT

PAS!-

.. i

THE CESTY

FILTH

ELECTRICIANS

STRIKE

FOR-A

LIVING

WAGE

NOW

of con- the whole position in this country, stitutionalism not just the position of one parin be adversely affected much the same way as was John Redmond by Britain's failure to "deliver" Home Rule in 1914' The editorial concludes that in the event of the White Paper being unacceptable, Britain must be told to keep your tinkering. We don't want concessions, we want justice'. In this sense the dissolution of the Dail signifies an • intensi- fication of civil war in Ulster and an unprecedented crisis in Eire. a claim by three furnacemen for payment of extra duties. Both shifts voted last weekend not to let management divide the work force. A mass meeting of 200 of the 400 steelmen employed at Jarrow voted yesterday to stay out until Thursday when the situation will be reviewed.

FEBRUARY

FUND NOW

£87.97 WE ARE now at the end of the first week of our February fund and we should be a quarter of the way through our target of £1,750. But as you can see, we are still some way behind. Let's possible imme- do everything diately and catch up. We know you will. In every struggle, whatever the difficulties, our readers, have never you, once let us down. You always prove that behind our paper is every ounce of your wonderful support. Workers Press has a big task ahead. As gasworkers, car wor- steelmen, civil servants ers, of the working every section class—Joins the battle for wages, this paper must prepare Our great movement for the political fight ahead. Back us up all the way. We have a tough fight ahead for this month's fund. We only have three weeks left as February is a short month. Raise all you can. See If collect extra amounts. you can • Immediately Post all donations to: Workers Press February Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UG 119114100008 A LABOUR GLC will not oppose the Tory rent Act if it means breaking the law it was revealed yesterday. At a Press conference to launch the Party's manifesto for the April elections to the GLC, Labour group leader Sir Reginald Goodwin said: "We would go to the full length of contesting this Act, but if at the end it came to the crunch we would not refuse to imple- ment it.' The Manifesto, published yes- terday, says: 'The Labour GLC will immediately on being elec- ted postpone further rent in- creases planned by the Tories.

If the government tries to force us to increase rents under the Housing Finance Act a La- sion, GLC will fight that bour deci- In an earlier draft of the Manifesto, Co-op delegates moved that a Labour GLC 'will refuse to implement the Act, but the wording was modified after Goodwin and others threa- tened to resign. There is certain to be an ex- plosion at the London Labour Party's annual conference later this month and many delegates will seek to have the original wording restored. year's Last conference in March voted overwhelmingly to instruct the GLC Labour group not to implement the Act.

A resolution at this vear's conference will call on GLC La- bour leaders • to carry out this policy or resign. Other aims include a halt to office building and the Covent Garden redevelopment and the impositien of a cheap fare policy on London transport. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Ofice. Published ty Workers Press, 186a Clapham Hich Street, London.

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