Workers Press no. 997

workers press

'THE TIMES' SPELLS IT OUT

BY THE E

AS WORLD bankers wres crisis caused by the catastr dollar, the Tory governmen for a decisive showdown wit Times' made the issues quit "The British trade union movement is in the most dangerous situation it has occupied since the Gen- eral Strike 47 years ago,' it warned in a leading article. When 'The Times' speaks the Tory government speaks.

Heath and his Ministers are treating the battle with the unions over the state pay laws as crucial to their survival.

They will either beat the working class or be beaten.

question of power is The posed. But to imitate "The Times' and compare today's situation with 1926 in a mechanical way would be dangerous and wrong. The world situation is entirely different. The international capitalist system is gripped by the emergence of the worst economic crisis of its history.

relations have Monetary broken down. Monday's de- valuation of the dollar, forced on the rest of the world by Washington will mean trade war as the Americans exploit their competitive advantage.

The capitalist anarchy un- leashed across the world can only have one possible end recession and international the destruction of capital in the form of closures and mass unemployment. The days of bolstering up the economy with inflation and ficticious value are over.

The capitalist rulers of the world are called upon to wipe out the advances made by the working class in all the major industrial nations. Workers in Britain have already tasted the new medi- cine. The rise in the cost of living is endless. During the first three months of the so- called 'freeze' living standards plunged as prices rose a record 6 to 7 per cent and worse is to come.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1973• No 997 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

COLORER BIRMINGLY

SHOP

CONTANTS

TE TARDS

SUBMIT

UC: UPPORT B.CP.

COLOUR PRINTIN

OINT CHA

OR

BY THE EDITOR

AS WORLD bankers wrestled yesterday with the crisis caused by the catastrophic devaluation of the dollar, the Tory government made new preparations for a decisive showdown with the working class. "The

FIGHT

the High Court order Colour out yesterday workers from different parts

DELION

of Britain rallied to their support.

See p.12. The Tories are the architects the government in class battle.

The of the Tory hallmark ene to ne battery of this enforced poverty.

They Equally Labour legal repression being pre- Lne covernment scandal

COT

from conflict ruption and speculation. Since pared by Tory changes in the Hoalca une pound Mast une leaders shiink and leave the political Heath to and. ashe imes said veg arena aws and the disbandment terday, a floating pound which the wide open for the Tories.

have seen robber-baron work Secret ponce WhO consistently loats downwards against trade unionists. Lne proberty паткет But this cowardice and ser fêted as men of integrity and is usen a creat accelerator vility serves only to re-empha- inflationary process. goodwill instead of the petty • A completely free health size task the hour This they really are. government - inspired exploiters service and a massive increase the construction o revolu Shave een inflation will continue. Yester ordinary work- in NHS expenditure. tionary party lead the have day sterling took a battering transformed workers in battle. For let there on the exchanges and into criminals and • The repeal of the Housing be the lawbreak more value against its main muscake. wages Finance Act and a crash pro- eTs class has the power to deal beyond the pittance decreed gramme of house building. Curopean vais. thetical blow. braggarts fatal by Tory millionaires. These are the crisis condi- Withdrawing all tions that lie behind the battle But the working class will

TOOD

"The Times' identified the in British industry from abroad, including North- spreading can and will not lie down. lt main issue as one of power ern and the disband- meet the political whalenge Today. leader warned the ment standing of the hour and make here can be no musions General umons coal a Courike navy ana air lorce. The cannot of the waiter Chalke situation chich eared a Times' eat their words. their and the Heath This is the programme the situation which required CoulSC. the Socialist

SLL

puts forward to unite all cabinet know Enev nuse des General Election to resolve it.

Already every democratic right troy Labour League workers in action to bring the This is direct confirmation IS working class has the won Workers largest government down. of Press warnings

TOI

une de- against the Tory SuTer a DIStOrIC Dolllica! This would allow the elec unal sman elecuon. feat at the hands of the since it was elected midst montation fred by a false red- an industrial tion of a Labour government masses. The manifesto demand would then drawn go The task facing the work- by the

SLL

Central ommit out to the Labour leaders scare campaign unsoired ov ene ing class is therefore a revo- tee, published in the Workers secret police, is a serious pos- the programme Seas ate lutionary one- -something even sibility. clear the way from those who Press on rebruary Is noW of. The Times' 1s aware being circulated would. the Times' is une telling the labour movement unions 'submit or prepare for may be few revolutionaries Its not enough simply to a political battle for power". aiscussion. talk of programmes. The pre- in the trade union movement, This contains the pro- The enemies of the masses the launching of nere is no oreanizauon in une include the Stalinists the political action

TOIL

the less capable of revo- DarLy for the entire working class.

Party. Their Communist main initiative lution than the trade union Carry TorWard The reformists, to hide the are already afoot. Julke The of the anti- movement. repeal polical reality and to to Unwittingly the paper of the union laws restore The decisive campaign is for disarm working class British ruling class trade unionists their hard-won the mass Pageant of workers a time when it must hght for key to the situation rights. rights at Empire Pool Wem- posed the its life. bley on March 11. —leadersmip. But despite confusion and Full all emplovment for This will be the opportunity who the treachery and an end to all closures he men head the concitons are emera marie elonary for all workers to demonstrate totally the nationalization indus- capable of defending their revolutionary determina- the massive revolutionary the СУСИ commerce most modest demands of their compensation •Tories movement willn WOrK' under

LOR

DCaL Ine members-let alone defeating ing class. good. Unite in action to defend basic rights

CLAPHAM

MIDDLETON

JARROW

WEDNESDAY

SUNDAY

WEDNESDAY

FEBRUARY 14

FEBRUARY 14

FEBRUARY 18

8 p.m. 8 p.m. 7 p.m. Middleton Baths, Middleton Library, South Island Place Civic Centre, Jarrow Stockwell, SW9 Manchester Speaker G. HEALY Speaker: M. BANDA

HEALY

SLL national secretary (SLL Central Committee) (oLL national secretary,

workers press

'THE TIMES' SPELLS IT OUT

BY THE E

AS WORLD bankers wres crisis caused by the catastr dollar, the Tory governmen for a decisive showdown wit Times' made the issues quit 'The British trade union movement is in the most dangerous situation it has occupied since the Gen- eral Strike 47 years ago,' it warned in a leading article. When "The Times' speaks the Tory government speaks.

Heath and his Ministers are treating the battle with the unions over the state pay laws as crucial to their survival.

They will either beat the working class or be beaten.

The question of power is posed. • But to imitate 'The Times' and compare today's situation with 1926 in a mechanical way would be dangerous and wrong. The world situation is entirely different. The international capitalist system is gripped by the the worst emergence economic crisis of its history.

Monetary relations have down. Monday's de- broken valuation of thę dollar, forced on the rest of the world by mean trade Washington will war as the Americans exploit their competitive advantage.

The capitalist anarchy un- leashed across the world can only have one possible end- international recession and the destruction of capital in the form of closures and mass unemployment. The days of bolstering up the economy with inflation and ficticious value are over.

The capitalist rulers of the world are called upon to wipe out the advances made by the working class in all the major industrial nations. Workers in Britain have already tasted the new medi- cine. The rise in the cost of During the living is endless. first three months of the so- called 'freeze' living standards plunged prices rose a as record 6 to 7 per cent and worse is to come. INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1973 • No 997 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

SUBMIT

OR

BY THE EDITOR

wrestled yesterday with the crisis caused by the catastrophic devaluation of the dollar, the Tory government made new preparations for a decisive showdown with the working class. "The

FICHT

the High Court of. Britain railled so their The Tories are the architects The the government in class battle.

of the Tory hallmarr of this enforced They Equally poverty. the Labour Party scancal

COT

Moated from conflict ruption and speculation. Since bound last readers Shrink and leave political arena Heath came anG. "ne imes said ves terday, 'a floating pound which wide open for the Tories have the seen downwards consistently the proverly marker But this cowardice and ser as men of integrity and Is lisen a credl acce erdor o teted vility serves only to re-empha.

of the an inflationary process'. goodwill instead petty size the task of the hour in talion wil continue Tered This they really are. exploiters construction the sany len ordinary work- tionary ip battle. For let there lead have criminals and arbreakd

LOOK

workers in on the exchanges and into lawbreak- be mistake, more value against its main

BIOT

power to deal class Shas the beyond the pittance decreed european rivals. the cal blow. braggarts fatal by Tory These are the crisis condi- political tions that lie behind the battle But the working class will "The Times' identified the spreading in British industry can and no down T WIl main issue as one of earned wee meet the political loday. leader the of the hour and There make can be no illusions General Strike unions that a The Tories cannot change beader of the Winter Suation their course. Heath and the Times' eat their words. situation which required des General Already the Socialist comer know unev nUSC Election to resolve it. troy every democratic right League Labour is This is direct confirmation preparing the working class has won or the of Workers Press warnings 10I largest moonadon de- suffer a historic against the Tory government •onlical that snap election. feat at the hands of the since it was elected. midst an industrial con- masses. frontation fired by a false red- The San est drawn The task facing the work- by the Central ommit- scare campaign inspired by the Workers ing class is tnererore a revo- tee, published in the secret police, is a serious pos- lutionary one. -something even sibility. tress on rebruary IS nOW Times' of. The is aware being circulated "The Times' is telling the the labour movement unions 'submit or prepare for may be a few revolutionaries a political battle for power'.

discussion in the trade union movement, This contains the pro- 1he enemies of the masses mocre is o orcanizaton in une for political include the Stalinists of the country less capable of revo- for the entire working class.

Communist Party. main lution the trade than union to side reformists. nike • The repeal the anti- movemenil. to the worki reality and laws to restore to Unwittingly the paper of the disarm working class at trade unionists their hard-won British ruling class has a time when it must fight for posed the key to the situation rights. Is ite But despite confusion and all • Ful empovment for head the conditions who and an end to all closures by men treachery tine are emergi massive reel any unions today totally in- nationalization indus capable of defending. the revolutionary even massive the 4 ye Dallas within most modest demands of their movement

WUIK-

WILTON

members-let alone defeating ing class. workers' control. Unite in action to defend basic rights

CLAPHAM

MIDDLETON

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

FEBRUARY 14

FEBRUARY

14 8 p. т. 8 р.т. , South Island Place Middleton Baths, Middleton Library, Stockwell, SW9 Manchester Speaker: M

BANDA

Speaker: G.

HEALY

(SLL national secretary) (SLL Central Committee)

STEARDS

UPFORT B.CP.

CO!! VT IN C against the Briant Colour occ esterday, 2,000 workers from differary par I to their support. • See p.12.

An end to the battery of legal repression being pre- pared by Tory changes in the laws and the disbandment of the secret police who work against trade unionists. • A completely free health service and a massive increase in NHS expenditure. The repeal of the Housing Finance Act and a crash pro- gramme of house building. • Withdrawing all troops from abroad, including North- ern Ireland, and the disband- ment of the standing army, navy and air force. This is the programme the SLL puts forward to unite all workers in action to bring the government down. This would allow the elec- tion of a Labour government.

The demand would then go out to the Labour leaders to legislate the programme or clear the way from those who would. It is not enough simply to talk of programmes. The pre- parations for the launching of the revolutionary party to carry forward the initiative are already afoot. The decisive campaign is for the mass Pageant of workers' rights at Empire Pool Wem- bley on March 11. This will be the opportunity for all workers to demonstrate their revolutionary determina- tion to beat the Tories for good.

JARROW

SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 18

7 p.m. ic Centre, Jarrow Speaker: G. HEALY _L national secretaryi

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Wednesday February 14, 1973 GASMEN face 'explosion' propaganda Definitely Behind the Tory no more money -gas chiefs GAS CORPORATION chiefs yester- day tried to shrug off all responsi- bility for the dispute in the pay industry. Under Phase Two, of the

BY ROY. BULL OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

Tories' state pay control, the witch-hunt THE PROPAGANDA onslaught against Corporation could only redivide its existing £2.24 offer, claimed chair- official industrial the whose gasmen, man Arthur Hetherington. action started at midnight, continued in Some adjustment of the differentials the capitalist Press and elsewhere yester- be possible when between grades might guidelines day. une were

DUD-

be But snortly. there The 'Sun' newspaper switched to a 'Gas wild increase in the overall money he said. offer, men' theme following its 'Gasmen's roulette' of disclaimed nelnenn.lon the previous day. And another do-gooding safety situa- ponsibility for the Consumer middle-class group, the National industry after Protection Council, joined the attack.

midnight last night. There could be a serious situa- 'We are extremely concerned,' said the NCPC, far the of ex- tion risk 'that the consumers sense risk knowingly putting was he claimed. we them to ives at risk and ask consider whether any situation justifies a risk to the chairman DuL corporallon life: The campaign of intimidation the disappointed witch hunters against the believed launching gasworkers, who of campaign alre unions were trying maintain selective strikes works-to-rule and'overtime bans.

sale conaltions is in the tradition of propaganda stunts against possible. men on strike. purpose is to stampede the Neither Hetherington nor his middle class into all-out support of the industrial director, relations would ment and the authorities.

Worsfold. Dilan COll ment yawning gap on tha oe. "The Times' editorial yesterday revealed exactly why tween workers' wiselectricine than this is now necessary. Ihe capitalist industre - a have ana in Class and the working class are neading lor a revolu- SuDDIV tionary confrontation. It is essential for the govern- separate negotlations, worstold the middle class nent to have professional peopl and Corporation, Arthur Hetherington (lett) with the deputy The chairman of the explained Gas Rookes at yesterday's Press conference.

chairman, Dennis ale Lo cal a decisive cerer to the working class in this chal- lenge to the rule of capitalism.

take a lead from the trade unions, gooders instead of making sure miners all the years ago to incite their readers witnine way Tories' need is drive TO against the electricity One of the reasons for this was nrovider their actions are ceer- ine strike Is enecuve those sections of workers which decisiveness of mined and comprehensive enough.

While and the station workers with the 1 mes go on strike against their pay it crystal David Minister are of hospital stores coalents aculons. swarmile rouna 1 111s Wicke laws back to total defeat of the peril because of power cuts which country in specially hired trans.

and lohn Edmonds. the G&MWU Clear lal d concessions. 1 he government mus stopped heart machines and the and 500 showing port • with alarming gasmen is all tney are interested •disappointment his nreak growing strike into completely new territory weakness. like ment at all costs. that the govern- and … те сате атемо stop power stauons rom working oul li

11 ONE

dation were made during last The middle class, which suffers exposed these leaders Minister for Industry Mr Tom ment Is not lo ascuss year's pit strike. But the authori- as much from the disinte- spending cent the gasmen's case on its merits just Boardman made clear the govern.

with at a court of inquiry or similar their making nice mes determin redne ritais capitalist Lilit reduce Britain's occasion. Popular sentiment was as does the working class, will costs held up as ll Was There will be no reperson of the miners' strike. Left victory would mean Wilberforce Could got oft covere the hook after its wage restraint by the policy had been defeated The government must this or it will a clash with Pompidou not survive the sharpening com- capitalist petton in the WOrd markets. The fully government is now tactic geared up ELECTION of a left majority play and to his respect for the against ne movennenl- emergency powers, court fines, people's sovereignty.

BY FOREIGN EDITOR JOHN SPENCER

in the French National intimidation imprisonment, police CP Georges Marchais Icauci Assembly is now almost cer- ano a massive propazanda ulcil.

has said: we are opposea to a sive. President of the Republic who Under the 1958 constitution 60 and a (modest) minimum tain to precipitate a major decides established the Fifth Re- everything, on nis own Boardman's touching concern which wage. constitutional and political of old people and tor evervooov for the sulleills the Socialist and the

DOLS

does not mean that during the gas rights. This constitution but ThaT alspute was part crisis. Stalinist leaders are laying heavy as was his thoroughly Bonapartist and we recuce une rrestacul s their adherence to the that despite all the gas role to the opening of flower of the SLI COs statement Regardless President result allows unt shows. of COrSILLOR •cacclul President Pompidou has made supreme arbiter of the national enorts. Lue cancel parliamentary character of their Marchais' TV debate with plo some satisfaction, creare.

interest it clear he will not call ambitions. on a Board- some Union of the Left is com- the Gaullist leader Michel enre premier from the Union of the 1 nc Monday, he said: 'The people commended the Press and Faced with a ruling class bat- mittea to a very moderate pro- Left, even if this coalition of have the right to decide in March gramme of reforms (the Com- antly preparing for civil war in tne meala for gelling across tue Communist, Socialist and Rad- message of danger. Programme) including the the of left victory the new 969. Promises were event

TOT

were ical Parties wins a majority in micke hich were pot kept.

tricked 1969. of l Popular Front chiefs are appeal- This recalls the per cent of campaign sickening efforts of the Press two the March election. French industry, retirement ing to Pompidou's sense of fair "The French people who were betrayed 1969, rise and unem walcned onices ployment spread have the right Soviet Minister off to Spain say: this must change. But it was the Stalinists above all who played the crucial part this about. bringing diverted the working class behind the 1969 presidential election and the continuation of the

BY JUAN GARCIA

ensured the 'democratic' THE FRANCO govern- stater Donavarust recime in the Common Market. The CP- -Socialist alliance does ment has revealed that Soviet trade pact with Franco is not just a ques- The Carrillo leadership It is a conscious blow not intend fighting French capi- for the first time in his- against the Spanish work- Spain as a question of poli- refuses to speak about its tion or past nistory. talism or aetealing and students' tical The statement civil war role. It linked ers' opposi- points a Soviet Minister The leaders of this new-style tory police But issue out how the East Germans with the international Sta-

TOR

une lasCist LaC Lalcol Popular Front have made clear will visit Spain. 'Mundo the state. linist attack on the Trotsky- working class and pree

SHOE

ever will try repeately While the Soviet Minis- Party's fortnightly consult Carrillo about their ist movement as 'agents of paper, train the This weekend, Alexan- Canary Islands Execu- fascism'. carries decision. a page-long them beyond ler zels a vent going der Ishkove, Soviet Min- Also, the success of fas- sun frst-vear The murder of Andres ove Committee salement bounds of the Common Pro Fishing will cist Foreign Minister Lopez ister for sophy student, Maria Luisa East Ger- Nin and other POUMists gramme. inspect the Soviet fishing Fargas will diplomatic moves. Bravo's policy of stay many's opening who had had relations with Irenas However, it is precisely the The EC fleet base in Puerto de la up to the east strengthens Trotsky were the fruit barcelon of the independent strength fear fractured pelvis and serious the Franco regime 'while Stalin's desire for an alli- Luz, Canary Islands. • Thousands deniar cass brain damage. Carrero Blanco and communists died fighting ance with democratic im- The Soviet delegation clique intensify repression, the fascists part of perlalismn. the will then fly to Madrid as jeep during clashes using the It the methods TrOn hroadcast. Ishkove will have riot blackest period of fascism' between bureaucratic caste International Brigades. •May 1968s [General Strike] talks with the under-secre- 1,000 This which averted for once col

SUCCOR

are never ever, no tary of the Merchant Navy, port from cied later an illegal demonstra- attack from the Carrillo together with, its eastern on matter what people think.'

Hitler. Boado, and the from the closure of leadership reflects increased European satellites, tion against

PULL

seek head of the Spanish the defeat. Franco Pompidou sent unt is denverate mas. rank-and-fle anger and WILd industry, Fernando Marsil- Blue Division in the belli The Moscow-Madrid col- the same time, capital throughout Europe Nazi-fascist behind gerent aggres- class. laboration is deepening the strives to cover up the real against the class. act. Spanish against Sovie1 This within the Ine the betrayal British stock ane-connuast roetocs reasons for I he •Morning mcasuIc Union.' the preparation for war with the Moscow support for the Communist Star' continues to maintain Calming ThaT Tine working class. Franco members suffer the full im- 'We Spanish revolution- wrong application of the its silence on the plot have had rebuild establishment of fascist repression. aries to policy of peaceful co-exist- against Spanish workers The situation will greatly pact tent with the be The ence'. intensified Do lnica reapons senderso under our orces in concilons do e cocoon once Tire tween Madrid and the East secretary Santiago Carrillo unrivalled terror. This Hit- Proper peaceful co-exist- Spanish CP as part ation and the resulting setback to already accepted the lerite basis of the power of ence should be orientated peaceful co-existence today.

the French capitalist economy.

German government. had

Pay

PAGEANT DIARY

queue The Road to Workers Power restive

BY DAVID MAUDE

Worker-actors add

_ABOUR CORRESPONDENT

THE

GASWORKERS'

fight state against pay official became control from midnight last night.

A special sub-committee IN MERTHYR TYDFIL we of the General and Muni- embarked have the on cipal Union workers executive yesterday en- second week of rehearsals of dorsed proposals for the Taff Vale episode in the strikes, working-to-rule withdrawal of history of the working class and со- tions, such as making up scenes. the operation -and it's three weeks to go much material nave 47,000 claim can add to the script- -such to the Empire Pool Pageant.

pay increase. as the possibilit of the thousand CIVIL SERVANTS Two hundred working on the hills. Dalcic. We are already able to work pits dug into seams 1 nese were yesterday continued on crowd scenes and to tri coal the surface. The Their ban against Phase out movements of pickets and husband would work at these in Iwo of the pay-control laws.

their tamilies as night being they repulse анет covered now the blacklegs brought from over by his wife. Dele •uscussed ov Commons standing commit- London end the strike by We're also working local to tee. the Taff Vale railmen. colour and jokes into the script.

And vesterdav alternoon. Union of We For the National experimenting have aSO Sustance.

TEACHERS

the with more detailed improvisa- picket saying to another while names of 120 London schools where teachers will begin a Rockware pickets stop staff scabbing three-day strike against the next Tuesday laws readers

SIX

POST OFFICE unions will the Department of Employment todar to offer the Tories a deal over their across-the-board pay claim. involves accept- Gear. ance Phase T Phase in return for 'fairer' Suree. Tom Jackson, Union Post Office Workers' secretarv, moves as memoer with a f2 will be satisfied Phase Two deal. Talks be held or are to settle Friday British Road Services', with

1,000 MID.

its pute

LANDS

DRIVERS

over heavy goods vehicle licences.

(See page 11.) DOCKS union leaders 1N

LODOOR

nave promised reply today to a £2.60 pay which the offer, employers sav is une maximum alowed under Phase Two. A meeting dockers' delegates night lasl Was expected to reject the offer out orişinal claim was 45- hand. men's £2.60 Is an increase or only tp on the employers' previous offer. This claim affects 7,700 in London's enclosed mell

THE ROCKWARE

the Briant Colour Printing rally glass workers and but altogether there docks, 12). parliament (see Greenford Middlesex yesterday 20,000 are more held 24-hour strike protest Rockware dockers caught in the freeze against the threatened closure has announced its intention group nationally. close in January works. factory their Liverpool there has 1973 the 900-strong and still been no move to reopen persuade the white-collar staff work force talks on a big pay-and-hours not to work. The Rockware co-ordinating com- blocked last Novem- claim mittee consider Meanwhile strong delegation have ber. Old occupation lines о коскисте нег непо те alone A

PRINT

pay settlement Kent Road in South London to join Briant Colour. agreed last week the Depart- In vesuralea Dv ment of Employment. Employment Secretary Six charges dropped has Maurice Macmillan tain ine commons stanaing com- mitten Bill that it a uner in Dublin spy case clerical increase infringed the gov- workers standstill he ernment's

ENGLISHMAN

John Wyman and they will lace a lurtner lour sum- would act on it mary can mants under s Secrets Patrick Crinnion Irish police officer The clerical workers in- agent were acquitted of six volved members the are Swan the Secrets National Opera. Uncial Acl yesterday SocIely (38), of Rathmore Dublin, by a Dublin court. tive acquitted because state Printers. vrapnical and Media Personnel. But both official docu- were remanded in would produce 1l February 110L • Gas witch-hunt, p. I2. custody until 26 when ments in court. Second rates delegation beats path to No 10 MP for Derby,

TWELVE

delegates Last Friday the prom-

DOLI

Labour leaders of six government

TTON

ASHYLOI

Man- intervene cities matter. of Municipal Corpora- Mall increases Liverpool, checter. massive tions yesterday Leeds, Bristol rates. William Sefton, leader leaded with Edwarc and Sheffield beat also the of Liverpool's Labour leath not impose wishes to make group, the new rates revalua- ing Street on a similar gesture, must the talks had been tion. mission. surely intervene "successful and Heath delegates The Ther told rates front weIC

WCC

beel representing the Heath and anvironment least don boroughs, county Mr Geoffrey the Commons valuation, Secretary Monday, Phillip mitigate councils, rural that firm con- urban district councils. could Whitehead, the Labour sequences for the cities' commitment Workers Pross, Wednesday February 14, 1973 PAGE 3 awaiting the blackleg train from there is a great response to the London that perhaps he should of history questions that are first dropped into put English accent raised. Many have and cadge a couple of Woodies rehearsals, but so far the acting .. before booting them back to is mainly left up to the younger London. workers. Our local Pageant committee However, we need their experi- has become an essential weapon for such ence parts at James for the development of the work.

Holmes, South Wales organizer The fight that they are putting of the Amalgamated Society of up has given us enormous conti- Railway Servants, who, a year dence the of the outcome before the Taff Vale strike, pro- Pageant. building the of the Among older trade unionists abour Party at the

TUC.

During this week we'll have them taking the floor.

ON MONDAY

night the Jarrow in the episode cast dealing with the fight for union organi- zation in the north-east worked the binding when the on scene pit tried to bribe overseer the striking workers to sign a new bond with offers of free ale. The bond tract miners signed was yearly con- which fixed their conditions and wages, hours. When signed the miners were virtual slaves of the employers, living in houses owned by the colliery, shopping in the Tommy shops, also owned by the colliery up to 16 and working hours a day in the pit. The quickly gained a solid Geordie basis as the mem- bers of the cast drew on their own experiences to change and enliven it. overseer's speech cribed as er load of rubble, es- young ex-miner who now works in appalling conditions as a tanker cleaner, came to life as the workers injected their own class feelings into the historical conflict. Last night the Right-to-Work film was shown at the rehearsal.

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

APAGEANT 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 details.

NAME..

ADDRESS

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

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

NEW REGULATIONS-A 'SLAVE'S CHARTER'

PAGE & Workers Pross, Wednesday F The Greater London Council's sludgeboatmen call the new Tory Mer- chant Shipping Disci- plinary Regulations a 'slave's charter'. Until January 1 the crews had been working under barge articles signed with ships' mas- ters and including a code of discipline which applied to officers and men. But since the sludgeboats sail outside Britain's sea limits, they are legally ocean-going and therefore within the com- pass of the new regulations.

On January 1 the Tory-con- trolled GLC decided to apply the regulations to the sludge- men for the first time, thus exposing them to the chill . penal blast of its savage clauses-which they reject.

Crews of Post Office cable ships and fishermen are ex- empt and the sludgemen want to be similarly excluded. What- ever the views of the GLC, the new regulations are law and they are bound to apply them. But the government will not want to give way unless they avoid it. The National can Taion of Seamen want the regulations withdrawn entirely and substantial sections of the • sea Merchant Shipping Act 1970 repealed. As an interim measure, they have been pressing for the ex- .:! dnesday February 14, 1973 1883 emption of Britain's small home ships and the NUS would seize on a concession to the sludgemen as a useful precedent. Meanwhile the dispute be- tween the GLC and the sludge- men is deadlocked. They are willing to work without articles, but the GLC is ada- they can only • work mant under the new regulations.

For five weeks the sludge- men have been locked out without pay and without offi- cial union backing. The men belong to the Transport and General Workers' Union and the National Union of Public Employees. Last week after the T&GWU refused to make the dispute said official the sludgemen they would not allow the union's officials to represent them again. In bitter statement they a said: "The GLC has locked us out. The T&GWU won't pay any lock-out The uS pay. bloody Social Security are try- ing hard to give us no bene- fit. They are all trying to us into submission. starve They will not succeed. We will not sign those articles.

The Merchant Shipping Act of 1970 emerged from the re- port of Lord Pearson after the the • seamen's 1966 strike.

In framing their disciplinary regulations the Tories stuck to Pearson's recom closely mendations which hinged, broadly speaking, on the view that more discipline meant more safety. The NUS disputes this. And it wants all matters of disci- pline dealt with by industrial committees ashore. It wants the regulations which give judge and jury powers to ships masters with- drawn and the repeal of sec- tions 28, 29, 30 and 31 of the Merchant Shipping Act. These lay down £50 fines for seamen drunk on duty or wilfully disobeying a com- mand. For persistent disobe- dience the fine is £100 and is the same for the fine absence without leave. The regulations are comple- mentary to the statutory off- ences embodied in the Mer- chant Shipping Ačt. According to NUS spon- sored Kingston upon Hull La- bour MP Mr John Prescott: "This means that a • seaman can face a criminal trial and a fine of £100 for a range of offences embodied in the re- gulations.' Mr Prescott objects most strongly to the fact that a ship's captain assesses an off- ence, decides the penalties and in certain cases has the power to deduct up to £50 from wages he controls. Said Mr Prescott: 'The re- gulations give powers to a captain, who is the offended party, to be judge, jury and assessor' And he added that a captain does not have to prove what seaman's he says about a conduct, but merely has to allege it. A seaman can appeal to a marine superintendent, he is invariably an ex- but master. Mr Prescott quarrels with the regulation's categorization of offences, particularly what is and what is not a lawful command. He told the House of Commons on January 30; 'There was a steward who ordered a steak for an officer who had asked that it be cooked rare. It was well done.

The man was fined and logged for disobeying an order. That punishment could not be over- ruled. The trade union could do nothing about it. 'Another seaman was given mattress which was four inches wider than the bunk.

The captain ordered that the bunk board must be used. That meant that the mattress had to be bent and the man could not sleep at night. The master came down and found the bunk board out and fined that seaman for every time he discovered this.' Other sections of the re- gulations call for fines of up to f5 for men who fall asleep on duty. says Mr Prescott, should a steward who falls asleep waiting for his bell for coffee to ring be fined the Greater London Above: the Council's sludgeboatmen demon- strate against new regulations and pay. The clapute is dead- locked. same as the man who dozes at the wheel? Mr Prescott went on: 'Should a union convenor and members of the crew get to- gether, they are liable to a conspiracy charge. Under these regulations they will be con- spiring to commit a criminal act—disobedience of a legal command.' The effect of the regulations has already been felt and seen most graphically in the flying home of 200 members of the crew of 'Ocean Monarch' from Australia after they had de- manded better conditions.

Mr Prescott argued that it is nonsense to suggest more discipline equals greater safety. And he stresses that while the Tories are making so much fuss over the safety benefits of discipline, they re- fuse to legislate for the safety access of seamen aboard ship and to prevent under- manning which, on occasions, has turned out to be lethal.

There is considerable sus- picion among seamen that the regulations recommanded sub- stantially by the Pearson in- quiry have much more to do with destroying shipboard militancy than with safety.

..T.!

ALL DOWN THE LINE

The recent issue of the underground journal 'Chronicle of Current Events', published by the opposition in the Soviet Uniön, contains a report on the demonstrations which took place in Kaunas, Lithuania, last spring. On May 14, 1972 a Lithuan- ian student, Roman Kalanta, went into one of the main squares of Kaunas, poured petrol over himself and then set fire to his clothes. He died in hospital a few hours later with KGB at his bedside. Battle The report in the 'Chronicle' says that Kalanta distributed some notes explaining his gesture. On May 18, the date of his funeral, a large number of people joined the cortège, but the hearse swept off to the cemetery and he was buried before it arrived. The crowd then went to the shouting Freedom local park for Lithuania'. A number of demonstrators were arrested and the crowd then went to the local Party offices and de- manded their release. When it tried to reach the KGB head- quarters its way was barred by a strong force of militia and police and a pitched battle broke out. Kaunas was in ferment for several days before the militia was able to clear the streets and re-establish order. On May 19 troops went into action with rubber truncheons against a big crowd of demonstrators and made about 400 arrests.

Many were taken to a museum in a fortress which had been used by the Gestapo during the Nazi Occupation. Most of those arrested were released after questioning, but some were beaten up before being released. A certain number were condemned to 15 days in jail. KGB men had taken photographs of the events and some participants found themselves called in for questioning weeks or even months after the events. A local paper, 'Sovietskaya Litva' on October 5 published a report of a trial in which arrested during eight people and the riots, young workers students, sentenced to were periods in various labour camps and jails, the longest being for three years. Nationalist The movement in Lithuania mainly nationalist in is character and is a response to the policy of Russification pur- sued for many years by the bureaucracy. It is also con- nected with religious persecu- tion: the Catholic Church has a considerable hold on certain sections of the population.

The KGB has been making a concerted drive to wipe out the opposition and particularly to prevent the appearance of 'Chronicle of Current Events'. The issue from which this report comes was dated October 15, 1972.

BY JOHN SPENCER

The Soviet Stalinists have launched a cam- paign to draw members of parliament from all over Europe into a dia- logue supposedly aimed at strengthening peace in the continent. They supporting the are 'useful initiative' of the Inter- Parliamentary Union in hold- ing a conference at Helsinki, Finland, to coincide with the preparatory European Security talks there. Inter-Parliamentary (The founded in 1889, de- Union, itself to 'work on all votes questions connected with peace and reconstruction'. The president of its British group, according to Whittaker's Almanac' is The Rt Hon Writings of

NGS OF

Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSHY

12407-38 (1838-9)

WRITINGS OF

WRITINGS OF

TEOD

LEON

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 Publicat

COLLABORATION

E. R. G. Heath and its vice- The Rt Hon Sir presidents are Douglas-Home,. Alec KT, MP; Rt The Lord Butler Wilson, Hon June

OBE, MP;

of

KG, PC,

CH Saffron and the Rt R. M. M.

CH, MP.)

Stewart, This body, according to chairman Shitikov, Alexei of the

USSR

parliamentary 'provides meeting grace for place parliamentarians of socialist and the capitalist Europe. countries of He adds that in the opinion of Soviet MPs'who, well known, have no opinions of their own-'the differences social systems between European countries cannot and must not interfere with a dia- logue between MPs, especially when, as in this case, it is a of strengthening gutsuon peace in Europe'. ian, his Stalinis According "parliamentarian,' parlia-

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History of Russian Revolution special gift pack of three volumes £1.70 including postage Please tick those you require. Amount enclosed £. New Park Publications, 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG A New Park Publications Booklist is available, free, on request.

Workers Press, Wednesda ments of Europe have 'a great responsibility for ensuring that full use is made of the favour- able opportunities which are opening up for the establish- ment of firm and lasting peace in Europe. a lifelong Lenin, opponent of what he scathingly termed 'parliamentary cretinism' would have poured particular scorn on this extension of re- formism to the international plane. He wrote in 'State and Re- volution': 'To decide once every few years which mem- ber of the ruling class is to repress and crush the people through parliament-this is the real essence of bourgeois parliamentarism, not only in parliamentary • - constitutional monarchies, but also in the most democratic republics'.

The essence, then, of Shiti- kov's proposal is the collabo- Soviet parliamen- ration of Trotsky—a documentary by Francis Wyndham and David King £1.65 including postage eet, London SW4 7UG able, free, on request. Wednesday February 14, 1973 PAGE 5 Above: President of the Inter- Parliamentary Union, Heath, and vice-presidents, Wilson and | Alec Douglas-Home. tarians—who falsely claim to represent the interests of the working class-with members of the capitalist class elected to repress and crush people through parliament!

All this masquerades as part of an effort to 'strengthen peace. As if there can be any 'firm and lasting peace' Europe or anywhere else so long as imperialism in mortal crisis continues to dominate the majority of the world's population. Shitikov's article is nothing more than a cynical apology for international class-collabo- ration between the Stalinist bureaucracy, the monopoly capitalists of the Common Market and the fascist and semi-fascist dictators of Spain, Portugal and Greece. Not only the parliamen- tarians can play their part in this Stalinist scheme. Shitikov continues: When it comes to strength- ening security and peace, the governments, the diplo- mats, public figures and the organizations can act, mass each in their own sphere of competence and responsibility, supplementing one another's efforts, to create a new kind of situation, a new climate in Europe.' This is a campaign which in Britain involves the Tory gov- its Foreign Office ernment, functionaries, nameless public figures (readers can name their own candidates) and the mass organizations (the trade unions, the Tory Party?) each in their own sphere. And Shitikov adds for good measure that: 'In this case there can be no question of opposing the efforts of one side to those of another? In other words, it is collaboration all down the line ... The only thing missing from the whole of Shitikov's exposition is any mention of the working class.

Plainly the Stalinist bureau- cracy considers that the work- ing class has no independent role in Europe. It is quite adequately represented, after all, by its 'own' parliamen- tarians. That is, if there is any parliament at all.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday February 14, 1973 This is the first of a regular series of special reports Workers Press will publish from Italy—-a country torn by major class are supplied by journalists of the Italian upheavals. They Continua' (Continuous Struggle), the socialist daily 'Lotta newspaper of the group of the same name. This first despatch describes the new wave of repression sweeping Italy and gives more evidence of the collusion of the police, the judiciary and the employers in pro-fascist violence.

The criminal class- collaboration of the Italian Communist Party is also exposed.

Guido Viale (30), national and one of the tinua, leader of the Italian re- intelligent and most volutionary communist authoritative leaders and Con- theoreticians of the 1968 organization Lotta student movement, was arrested on January 27 in Turin, after a demon- stration during which the police fired at demon- strators, wounding five of them. Viale, along with the other nine arrested, has been accused of 'attempted murder' In the week after his arrest revolutionary many other militants were held by the police throughout Italy. Sum- monses have been taken out against them and their organ- izations for the most trivial of reasons. In this same period, charac- terized by the most brutal police repression witnessed in Italy the revolt of since workers against the extreme right-wing government of Tam- broni in July 1960, the police Andreotti's centre-right of government, who gave protec- tion in their thousands to the congress of the fascist MSI in Rome in January, have fired repeatedly on workers and students. One student, Roberto Fran- ceschi (21), was killed by an agent of the bourgeoisie on January 24 during an attack by the police on a group of outside demonstrators the university in Milan. Bocconi A worker also shot was through the lung. Most of the murdered people were shot in the back and the bulk of the injuries were sus- tained when protesters fled from the savage police attack.

The forces of repression are acting under direct instruction of the Minister of Interior, Mariano Rumor-the premier during the 1969 state of emergency when Italy was faced with a wave of labour unrest. These murderous attacks come at an extremely critical time for the Italian employers.

by without a dav strikes, demonstrations and Dickenaco workers agallisi the employers' bid to gain ground in the current battle of over the renewal wage contracts. As this movement is evel led by the Fiat employees, the spearhead of the Italian labour But unrest is wide. movement. spread in many factories and among south workers in the In this struggle organizations Lotta like lipposed the Stalinist line who of peaceful with Co-extent have played Italian capitalism, important role In the most militant sections the working class. Consequently employers have launched the determined campaign to smash victim- such groups bv izing its members and sup- and direct using porters methods of repression, includ ing gas, against r1Ol in factories. One major weapon in this arm allo and

LICI

evid by sma mer hav the hop atta the to sive real poir emp fasc fact ing real trai

CUPAZIONE IN ALLO SFRUTTAMENTO

yers. thout and allist gain attle Want nt is the bour wide- and outh. tions who of with layed ently ched to ctim- sup- direct clud- rkers this armoury is a new law which allows police to arrest suspects and convict them in court on opinion and hearsay mere regulation evidence; very similar to the law introduced by the Lynch government to smash the Republican move- ment in Eire. The Communist Party leaders have rushed to the support of the government, which they hope eventually to join, and attacked revolutionary students and workers. This has led to the treachery of asking Rumor, to intervene against subver- sive groups' (Cossuta, Central Committee member of the Communist Party made this request in a speech in parlia- ment). Stalinism has reached a high point of complicity with the employers and the advance of fascism in Italy! But the working class in the factories and districts are see- ing more clearly who are their real friends and who are the The employers and traitors. CP-controlled unions are con- tinuously trying to control the desire of workers to struggle and to help Andreotti, to make 'disorder in Italy' appear the work of 'extremism'. After the murder of Fran- ceschi, demon- there were strations of tens of thousands of students and workers throughout Italy against Andreotti and the CP leader- ship. The incredible police lies about the murder have been completely destroyed by revolu- tionary counter-information.

The head of the Milan police, Bonanno, has said that only one policeman fired three shots, because he was terrified when Molotov cocktails were thrown at him. But eye-witnesses, in- cluding lawyers and journalists, have confirmed that no bombs were thrown and that it was the police who opened fire.

In fact, it would be very strange if a 'terrified' police- was able, at a distance man of 100 metres, to murder one comrade and wound another as they ran away with two out of three shots. The Turin • shootings came after a 15,000-strong protest by students and workers over Franceschi's murder. At the of this peaceful demon- end stration MSI fascists attacked the march. They were chased into their headquarters which was surrounded by police who fired over 100 rounds at the Five people demonstrators. were shot in the back, and, despite the police talk of petrol bombs, not one officer received a scratch. of this On the strength provocation the police issued 30 warrants fgr arrest. Guido Viale was among those mili- tants picked up a day later.

This was despite a cast iron alibi-he and other comrades were holding a Press con- ference in the headquarters of ery Lotta Continua while the police Workers Press, Wednesday were firing on the demon- strators. Despite this evidence Viale and the rest have been charged 'attempted with murder'. Others have gone into hiding.

•Since then, a wave of re- spread to Milan pression has and throughout Italy. The leaders of the student movement in Milan, including Capanna, have had warrants taken out against them and the university has been closed down. A student hostel occupied by militants has been attacked by the police. The investigating magistrate in Milan, Alitto Bonanno, has published a 'report the on violence of extremists', in which he talks about 12,000 guerrillas of the left who are ready to put the city under the rule of the sword. A small section of the report absolves completely 'extremists of the right' who for years have made Milan the centre of their battles, under benevolent eye of the .. police. Vednesday February 14, 1973 PAGE 7 Left: Italian police. Right: The January 27 demonstration. Inset: Guido Viale. The arrests have caused a public outcry in Italy and inter- nationally. Thousands of in- tellectuals, students, workers and professional workers have called for the freeing of Viale who is the victim of a most vicious frame-up. Signatures have been collected from lead- ing trade unionists and writers.

The fight continues. The greatest mass answer to the fascist turn of the Andre- otti government came from the in Rome demonstration of engineering 300,000 over workers from all over Italy.

It was the biggest political demonstration in Italy since the war-and the most militant.

The slogans of the revolution- ary vanguard prevailed; revolu- tionaries who are uniting the struggle in the factories with the general struggle against the goverhment, fascism and capitalism:

SOME OF THE VICTIMS

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday F Torture is practised in prisons throughout Brazil, but there are also certain organizations and prisons where 'specialist' teams work. There is, for instance, the Bandeirantes Operation headed notorious Sergio by the one of the Paranhos Fleury, best leaders of the known 'Death Squad' There is CENIMAR (a naval 'information' centre) which operates on the 5th floor of the Ministry of the Navy in Rio de Janeiro-next door to United States' naval the mission. 'special' torture Other centres include: The OB, headquarters of the Second Army in Sao Paulo, rua Tutoia 921; Ilha das Flores (Flower Island) Ilha Grande in the Vila Militar, Guanabara; headquarters of the 10th com- pany of military police and the First Army Company; the the 12th infantry prison of regiment in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais); the Tiradentes prison in Sao Paulo; the Linhares prison in Juiz de Fora; the prison at Porto Alegre. There are the prisons at Recife, Fortaleza and Salvador; the CODI (Operations Centre for Internal Defence)' with its branches in each state, especially its headquarters in Guanabara; the OI (Integration Operation) a fusion of elements OBAN (Operacao from the Bandeirantes) and the military police in Sao Paulo; there is also the prison of the motor- ized regiment of Sao Paulo

(REC-MEC).

Operacao Bandeirantes (OBAN or OB) is a specialized school for torture formed in September 1969 by a group of 80 extreme right-wingers from the army, navy, air force and police. OBAN works in collab- oration with other extreme rightist organizations such as CRUNA (Nationalist Crusade) and CCC (Commandos to Hunt Communists). The Death Squads', men- tioned Monday, on were formed in October 1964 and named after Milton Le Cocq, a policeman who had been murdered in Rio de Janeiro.

Originally known as the 'Le Cocq Society' this organization has acquired a huge property Piripora) in the (La Fazenda state of Minas Gerais. It also publishes its own newspaper 'O Gringo' ', whose David president honorary is Nasser, director and editor-in- chief of the weekly Cruzeiro' and member of the International Press Association.

Such 'Death Squads' exist in every Brazilian state and are under the protection of the authorities. They habitually telephone the newspapers in advance telling them where a victim's body will be found.

Nevertheless, out of 123 murders attributed to the 'Death Squad' of Sao Paulo between November 1968 and June 1970, only five have been investigated by magistrates.

• Of the other murder squads the activities of the Com- mandos to Hunt Communists so horrible even for were public outcry Brazil-that forced an official inquiry.

The judge in charge of this inquiry-Agamemnon Duarte declared in June last year that the American CIA was behind the Commandos to Hunt Com- munists. He said, among other things, 'the constant involve- ment of the CIA in terrorist acts throughout Latin America, and in southern in Mexico Patagonia is well known' In July, 197, the Inter- national Commission of Turists estimated that there were 12,000 political prisoners in Brazilian jails. year-in June 40 That Brazilian prisoners were re- leased in exchange for bassador Ehrenfried V on Holleben. Inesday February 14, 1973

BY JACK GALE

Top: the work of the 'Death Squads'. Abo chair, who was subjected to terrible tortur One of these was 24-year- go old economics student Vera T Silva Araujo Magalhaes who 20, had been arrested on March 6, hea 1970, in Rio de Janeiro by hea CODI (Operations Centre for Mes Defence - military Internal Rio police). Gor was tortured intitially She solc two weeks after her arrest. She Poe had been wounded by a bullet Fon in the head and was given a S minimum of medical attention sort before she was able to under- as v Above: Vera Magainaes In wheel- interrogation. began on March the army at the at rua Barao Janeiro Gomez Carneiro Ziembinski, bi Sole Sergeant load Mado José was subjected to of physical ill-treatment as well as psychological torture.

She remained for more than 'pau de hours on the seven arara' and was given different of electric voltages shocks during this period; water was put in her mouth and nose; she was beaten with a trun- cheon and whipped all over the body, including the genital areas. She was then taken to the infirmary and later to the military hospital. At the military hospital, she was once again examined. She was only registered as a patient on her first visit for attention to her head wound. Her stay after torture was not put in the hospital records. The serious most conse- quence of the torture was paralysis of her legs. Miss Magalhaes witnessed the torturing of other people in the same barracks and dur- ing the same period. They were co Daniel Aarao Reis, Pedro Alves, Regina Farah, Efigenia, Eustâquio. They were tortured by Major Gomez Carneiro Ziem- binski and by soldiers Ailton Joachim, Marco Antonio and Povoreli by Sergeant Andrade Oliveira and Captain Guimaraes. The torture consisted of "pau de arara', lav electric shocks, beatings, sexual ill-treatment, near-drowning and sleep privation. The torturers forced the detainees to stay naked in a given position in a freezing cold place and doused them with water. After ten hours of this one position, without food, 'dragon chair' the 3 in wheel- (electric chair) means of tor- thr ture was employed. Another method of torture on March consisted in keeping the per- son hanging head downwards my police he CODI while being beaten and sub- de jected to electric shocks.

ca area of Another consisted in apply- y Major ing hot metal plates to the binski, by legs and arms - this caused ≤ Alfredo wounds which still have not and Major healed. In the military hospital d to all doctors gave Miss Magalhaes -treatment no medical care, contenting al torture. themselves giving sed- with Tpla 20 atives which weakened her psychologically. At the army police barracks no attention was paid to hygiene; there in the were rats and mice cells and in the infirmaries.

Food in the military police prison of Tijuca was impossible to swallow and hygiene was non-existent. Medical attention lacking and the doctors was in attendance only to are control the amount of torture to which a patient may be submitted or to prescribe sedatives to aid in interroga- tion. Medical attention is only in cases of serious or given contagious illnesses. Miss Magalhaes' lawyer, Dr Evaristo, had great difficulty in getting permission to see her and was not allowed to go into the interrogatioin room.

He could not contact his client until the torture stage was completed. Only then, with the court's permission, can a lawyer Visit his client in prison, but this is always difficult to arrange. The time limits set by the law were never respected She received very brief visits from her family while in hos- pital, but these were always in the presence of CODI officers. Neither relatives nor lawyers are allowed into in- terrogation rooms. In prison, visits are controlled; as she was held in the military police barracks and in the hospital, visits were very irregular. In view of her physical condition, the authorities wanted to prevent her family from seeing air' her and she saw them only three times in three months.

Miss Magalhaes was brought for the first time before a judge in the military tribunal after a month and a half of detention-her trial was already underway when she was arrested. But her case is an exception: generally the de- tained person is not brought before a judge until he has served approximately one year's detention. She was tried and then released on June 15, 1970.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

The state pay laws are not, it seems, being obeyed by Tory MPs at the House of Com- The secretary to one mons. group of Tory hardliners has just received an increase of f8 a week. Under the new legis- lation they could be taken to court and fined. And even jailed. We think, however, that this infringement will be over- looked. Meanwhile, those of us who are being asked to accept £l plus 4 per cent ..

Until recently Fred Peart was charge of two Shadow Cabinet portfolios-Defence and Agriculture. He used to be Shadow Minister of called Defence (Agriculture). One Labour MP described this curious combination of appointments as a classic piece 'Harold of Wilsonism. has managed to resolve the historic political dilemma of guns and butter,' he said. Then he added: "With Fred Peart we'll get neither.' The editors of a new magazine, to be called 'Poetry Nation' have said that they plan the to consist largely first issue "symposium', to which of a various people will contribute their views on poetry and its place in life and culture.

When someone Nation's, Suggested to editor, 'Poetry Michael Schmidt, that he might approach Dr David Craig of Lancaster University to con- tribute something to the dis- cussion, they found that Mr Schmidt was not to keen on this suggestion. Mr Schmidt explained that he thought it important to 'establish the tenor' of the new magazine in its first issue.

David Craig is quite a re- spected authority in the field of poetry. He is also a Com- munist Party member and was at the centre of a row over victimization political at Lancaster last year. university The authorities complained of a 'bias' towards interpretation' "social of a literature in his teaching.

Some time last year, a three- year fellowship for a poet, worth a fair became sum, available at Manchester Univer- sity. The usual practice is for Order from 186a Claph

WORKERS

NOTEBOOK

such appointments to be advertised. But in this Case. this was not done The fellowship was awarded to Mr Michael Schmidt. In charge of the selection Cox of was Professor Man- chester University. Professor Cox is now be co-editor with Michael Schmidt of 'Poetry, Nation'. Professor Poetry Previously, Cox has been editor Quarterly'. However, he is far better known for his part in another was one of literary effort. He the co-editors of the notorious Tory publication, right-wing the 'Black Paper' on Education, which academics In various and right-wing intellectuals such as Kingslev Amis poured out their denunciation of com- prenensive caucation, modern teaching methods and other said 'socialist evils LO undermining the nation's moral fibre.

'FOR ME'

Miss Germame Greer Mrs Margaret stratian Prime wife of the new Australian Minister, her publishing diary in a magazine called 'Woman's Day'. The fact that she is cleaning up in the capitalist Press with of her gossip is snippets Sorting Woman's Day belongit enough. But, wait for it- to the Fairfax group of news- campaigned for avers co the Liberal (Tory) Party in November's General Election.

She includes touching account of Miss a visit by Germaine Greer, author of "The Female Eunuch'. sorly beanier sifts. Gitts? aes *She quietly entered A gloxinia in a pot—for me.'

BOOKS

BY TROTSKY

Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37kp • Problems of the British Revolution Paperback 35p Lessons of October Paperback 60p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p Marxism and the Trade Unions Pamphlet 25p Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International Pamphlet 10p Postage: 10p per book, 5p per pamphlet.

Order from: NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG Workers Press, Wednesday February 14, 1973 PAGE 9 Anthony B. Herbert was

A MAN

highly-decor the most ated soldier the in Korean War. He was awarded over 25 medals, including three Silver

TO BE

Stars, one Bronze Star and four Purple Hearts. At one of many ceremonies in his honour, a bayonet said to have been run through his

SILENCED

side was polished up and pre- sented him by actress Jennifer Jones. Herbert then went off to which he re-enlisted in the tes Pittsburgh University

US ROUND-UP BY JACK GALE

army. Twelve years of training survival courses, Cold. call use War duty and spy work followed. of Then, with the rank lieutenant-colonel, he went to Vietnam and was given mand of a battalion. Herbert was not a com- he anti-war. munist, nor was But he Professional soldier ho should regarded himself as fight soldiers and not civilians.

Accordingly, he told the men under his command that with 'wanted Crestin «enemy soldiers, women, old or men or kids'. One practice he objected to was that of regularly including the numbers of civilian dead in the figures of 'enemy troops killed in action'. That not only covered up atrocities but made the American and South Viet- namese army performances look a lot better than they actually were. •In the first month Herbert's North battalion killed more Vietnamese than the other four combined. Dallanons days, he won another Silver and three more Bronze Stars.

He was up for consideration for Distinguished Service Cross. Then, suddenly, everything Herbert was stripped changed. of his field command, relegated desk. job back in. the States and United hounded he prematev retired from the army. although Ills was because, he was a professional military killer, Herbert repeatedly re- ported to his superiors He had a naive belief in the Geneva Convention and, to the the amazement of other he tried military commanders, to apply it in Vietnam. At irst he was denounced as 'soft on the Commies', then he was pushed out altogether.

In particular, Herbert had denounced his two immediate superiors of responsibility for atrocities of the My Lai type.

a book-'Soldier', Now in published by Holt, Reinhart and Winston-Herbert reveals in detail how US officers and interrogation experts' presided over whippings, water torture, and electric-shock 'therapy' of Viet Cong suspects (including women). He describes military bases being overrun by the North Vietnamese because defenders American were de- stuffed moralized and with drugs. le reports the profiteerin that went on in Saigor and elsewhere, and the soft jobs that manv too oicers secured for themselves well away from while the hiring line, 'grunts' (private soldiers) faced the dangers. And he claimed on a recent television broadcast he That had in his possession memos General. from Westmoreland, General Sidle and US Army Secretary Froehlke which state their intention to they discredit him. of army top orass. course, now accuses Herbert of fiction, insubordination and poor leadership'. But after the accumulation of evidence from Vietnam—-in- cluding the My Lai massale tiger now-notorious and the cages' at Con Son island prison-it will take more than that to undermine the story of Lt-Col Anthony B. Herbert.

Top: LI-Col Herbert. Above: Female Viet Cong suspect.

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Wednesday February 14, 1973

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

9.15 Schools. 12.30 Nai zindagi naya jeevan. 12.55 News.

1.00 Pebble 1.45-2.00 Made in Britain. 2:05 Mill One Sunne towa schools 2.50 Racing from. 4.150 Right hario .15 So an est mies 1-45 4.10 Play Jackanory. News. Weather.

6.00 NATIONWIDE. 6.45 ASK THE FAMILY.

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12.00 9.30 2.05 London News. 2.30 party. 3.00 London. 3.30 Dangerman. 4.25 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 Crossroads. 5.50 6.00 Day by 6.30 Whicker's London. 7.00 8.00 Persuaders. 9.00 London. 11.45 Shirley's world. 12.10 News. 12.20 Weather. Guideline. HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.30 House- party. 3.00 London. 4.50 Rainbow 5.20 Chuckleheads. 5.25 country. Crossroads. 5.50 London. 6.01 Report West. 6.15 Report Wales. 6.30 Arthur of the Britons. Weather. 7.00 London. 11.45 Cinema. 12.15 HTV Cymru/Wales above as except: 4.20 Miri 4.35-4.50 Cantamil. mawr. 6.01-6.15 Y dydd. HTV West as above except: 6.15-6.30 Report West.

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London. 12.04 News. 12.05 London. 2.30 Houseparty Rom- 3.00 Afloat. 3.30 Odd couple. 3.55 per room. 4.19 News. 4.20 London. 5.50 London. 5.20 Lucy. 6.00 About Anglia. London. 8.00 Survival. 8.30 London. 11.40 Spyforce. 12.35 Reflection. Fight rising rents and prices Defend basic democratic rights Force the Tories to resign OLDBURY: Wednesday February 14, 7.30 p.m. 'The Bulls Head'.

WOLVERHAMPTON: Wednesday 14, 7.30 p.m. "Little February Swan,' Horseley Fields. RUGBY: Wednesday February 14, 7.30 p.m. 'The Engine', Bridgit Street. HULL: Wednesday February 14, • Road Church 7.30 p.m. Wawne Hall, Bransholme. CROYDON: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road. 'Defend democratic rights'. of KINGSTON: Thursday February To 15, 8 p.m. 'Liverpool Arms', cor- ner of Cambridge Road/London Road. 'Build Councils of Action'.

SLOUGH: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. Community Centre, Farn- ham Road. 'How to defeat Phase Two' HOLLOWAY: Thursday February 15, 8 р.т. Со-ор Hall, Seven Sisters Road. 'Build Councils of Action'. WINSFORD: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. 'Red Lion Hotel', Wins- ford, Cheshire. LEEDS: Thursday February 15, 7.30 p.m. (please date note change). Peel Hotel, Boar Lane.

SWANSEA: Thursday February 15, 7.30 p.m. Council of Social Services, Mount Pleasant Hill, (near fire station). 'Defend de- mocratic rights'. GOOLE: Sunday February 18, 7.30 p.m. 'The Buchanan', Wea- therill Street. BRIXTON: Tuesday February 20, 8 p.m. Brixton Training Centre, Control Room. 'No state control of wages'. LIVERPOOL: Tuesday February 20, 7.30 p.m. AEU House, Mount Pleasant. DAGENHAM:_ Tuesday February Barking_Co-op Hall, 20, 8 p.m. Fanshawe Avenue. 'Defend basic rights'. ATV MIDLANDS: 9.30 London. 6.00 Today. 6.35 London. 8.00 Please sir. 3.30 London. 11.55 O'Hara. Weather.

ULSTER: 11.00

London. 1.32 1.40 London. 2.45 Romper room. 3.00 London. 3.55 Harriet's 6.35 London World 8.00 Protectors. London. 11.45

YORKSHIRE:

witched. 5.50 London. 6.00 Calendar. Weather. 6.35 London. London. 11.40 Spyforce. Weather. GRANADA: 9.30 London. 3.25 Yoga.

Cartoon. Crossroads. London. 6.00 News. What's on. 6.30 SKELMERSDALE: Tuesday Feb.

ruary 20, 7.30 p.m. Quarry Bank.

'Forward to the Pageant. EAST LONDON: Tuesday Feb- ruary 20, 'Festival Inn', Chrisp Street, E.14. 'Common Market Conspiracy' LANGLEY: Wednesday February 'Cardinal's Hat', Wood 21,8 p.m. Street. 'Defend Democratic Rights.

Forward to the Pageant'. PRESTON: Wednesday February 21, 7.30 p.m. 'Waterloo Hotel' Friargate. 'The Road to Workers' Power'. WOOLWICH: Wednesday Feb- ruary 21, 8 p.m. 'The Castle' Powis Street, S.E.18. 'The Crisis of leadership' TOTTENHAM: Wednesday Feb- 21, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers ruary Arms', High Road, near White Hart Lane. 'The case for a La- pledged to bour government. socialist policies'. LEWISHAM: Thursday February 22, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers Club. (opposite New Cross station). HACKNEY: Thursday February 22, 8 p.m. Parlour Room, Cen- tral Hall, opposite Town Hall, Mare Street. WILLESDEN: Thursday February 22, 8 p.m. Labour and Trades Road, N.W.10. 'Road Hall, High to Workers' Power'. Socialist Labour Le Lecture 2 1924-1933—The Left Opposi- tion's struggle against Stalin Lecture 3 1933-1938—From the German defeat to the founding of Fourth International ACTON: Wednesday February 14,8 p.m. WOODLANDS HALL, Crown Street, W3. Lecture 3.

EAST LONDON: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. OLD TOWN OFFICES, Poplar High Street, Lucy. 7.00 London. 8.00 Lovers. 8.30 London. 11.45 Kreskin.

TYNE TEES:

9.25 Song from the 4220 London. Moon Today 633 3.30 Champions. Lon- king Edgar don. Anna and 8.30 London. 11.40 News. 11.55 Wallace. 12.40 Lectern. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. Date- 5.50 London 6.00 London. Today. Crossroads. Sur- London. 11.40 Late call. 11.45 Blue light.

GRAMPIAN:

London. 2.45 Cartoon Women. Schools. 2.52 News. Harriet. 4.25 London. 6.00 News. 6.05 Thompson at 8.00 Stuart Gillies. 8.30 London. 11.40 Protectors. 12.10 SCUNTHORPE: Sunday February 25, 7.30 p.m. The Kingsley Hall, Cole Street. BASILDON: Sunday February 25, 5.20 p.m. Barnstable Community 'Road to Workers' Centre. ( Power' WANDSWORTH: Monday Feb- ruary 26, 8 p.m. 'King's Arms' High Street, S.W.18. 'Defend the right to work'. WATFORD: Monday February 26, 8 p.m. Trade Union Hall, Wood ford Road, near Watford Junc- ers' tion Station. 'Rise of fascism in Italy' ACTON: Tuesday February 27, Feb- 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, High Road, 'Forward to • W3. Pageant the -The Road to Workers' Power.

CLAPHAM: Tuesday February 27, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor Street, S.W.4.

'Defend Democratic Rights'.

PADDINGTON: Tuesday : Feb- 'Artesian' ruary 27, 8 p.m. corner Chepstow / Westbourne Park Road. CAMDEN: Tuesday February 27, 'Prince Albert', Wharfe- Road, Kings Cross. 'Les- of fighting the Housing Finance Act'. HARROW: Tuesday February 27, 8 p.m. Labour Hall, Wealdstone.

'All out for Wembley Pageant.

TOOTING: Tuesday February 27, 'Selkirk Hotel', Selkirk 8 p.m. Tooting Broadway: The Road, rise of Italian Fascism'.

our League Lectures E14. Lecture 3. NEWCASTLE: Monday February 8 p.m.

FORD ARMS,

SHEFFIELD: Monday February 19, 8 p.m. YS PREMISES, Portobello (near Jessops hos- pital) The economic crisis and the socialist answer'.

SHEFFIELD: Monday March 5, 'The Revolutionary Party in Britain'.

Productivity threat to

FROM OUR OWN I

FRESH TALKS will open a-half week dispute by Br drivers which has paralys industry. BRS management will meet Mr Alan Law, the Transport and General Workers' Union official, at Stratford-upon - Avon to discuss a settlement based on productivity. . The company has pre- pared a report on bonus earnings at one of its 18 depots. BRS hopes that by giving productivity bonus increases it can overcome the claim for a £2.50 bonus that the men are seeking.

The drivers' co-ordinating committee will be in readi- ness to hear any agreements which the talks may reach. But Mr Law has said that any decision on a return to work would be left to a mass meeting of the men next Sunday. Eleven British-Leyland car factories have been hit so far. A spokesman for the car industry has put losses at between £20m and £30m.

Commenting on the threat of Junior Tory Minister at the Department of Employ- Robin Chichester ment Mr Clark to issue an Order in Council against British Road Services if they. pay the £2.50 heavy goods vehicle drivers, Albert bonus to Caldicott, shop steward at Bromford Lane depot, Bir- mingham, said: 'We think BRS is hiding behind the government's skirts, but if we have to take on the government for 50 bob we will take them on. 'I am not speaking for myself. I am speaking for voted 1,300 drivers who unanimously to fight. 'We know that we also have the support of the British-Leyland trade union organization.' Drivers at the Bromford Lane depot told our reporter about BRS pay and con- ditions. Most drivers insisted that facilities were quite good, or at least comparable with most private road haulage firms. But as Albert Caldicott don't explained: 'Facilities feed my family!

BRS

drivers earn, on average £4 to £5 less each week than other drivers in the area. Trade union basic weekly

CLAPHAM

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14,

8pm South Island Library South Island Place Stockwell, Sw9 speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee)

WATFORD

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 8pm Trades Union Hall near Watford Junction stn speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee)

NORTH KENT

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 8pm The Shakespeare, Powis Street Woolwich speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec)

ACTON

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 8pm Woodlands Hall, Crown Street speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec) Fresh talks on bonus dispute on Friday

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

FRESH TALKS will open on Friday in the two-and- a-half week dispute by British Road Services lorry drivers which has paralysed the Midlands motor The firm's hiding behind the Tories' skirts: steward rates for driving a top class vehicle (32 £28.60 tons) are

BRS

rates WeeK are £24 a week. Drivers' maximum hours ot work are 60 a week. which would mean an average take honor pay a mes number same of nours, vehicles, drivers working for could private firms take {40 +0 {45

LOIC

his produced One driver slip. wage For 60 hours' work, which novolved anve away from home and journeys from Birmingham, Southamp- Scotland, Lon. London ane of all at the average speed 28 m.p.h. order to earn bonus, his cal ills were £42 and net earnings £33. Under their contract, Socialist Labour League Public Meetings

UNITE IN ACTION TO DEFEND BASIC RIGHTS

London

WANDSWORTH

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22,

Comm Wandsworth Town Hall Wandsworth Higt Street

MIKE

BANDA

speaker: (SLL Central Cttee)

SLOUGH

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28

8pm ritwell Community Centri ong Furlong Driv Britwell estate speaker: G HEALY (SLL National Sec) Workers Press, Wednesday February 14, 1973 PAGE 11 BRS drivers BRS drivers are obliged to enjoy the privilege of a free take lorries wherever they weekend. A record are Most their asked return This that when means depots on Saturday after. on a Mon- they leave home ther Only they work ud y ncve year for know when they will be Sunday can they return back. *ricav ane rous gave e On average, drivers expect following weekend with their families. SpenG our nients curing each week away from home. •• noost earnines. depots Securicor have negotiated bonus agree- Bromford Lane, •rivels can earli if they maintain an average speed of 28 m.p.h.

BY A WORKERS PRESS REPORTER

those _rOT many journeys, through large towns, for ANOTHER record year for Securicor, this is impossible. instance, They can 25р the armoured cars and cash-carry also earn their lories within an tading loading and unloading was disclosed yesterday. group, aime loll. increase in turnover of some €5m dur- But agreement states that call ing the 12 months to the end of time spent queues

TOT

waiting to unload and this September boosted the pre-tax profits Night E2. allowance often exceeds hours. There for from fl.1lm to a new peak of £1.39m.

use invers

WIIO

meals. Workers Press insisted Average price for digs is that their demands £2.50 for Associated Hotels, the parent company, £1.50, after days claim,

LWU

was Wart

DUL

ended the year with earnings of £2m com- bonus holding away, most anvers nina that

…TOT

the their expenses leave them HGV licence. pared with f1.71m. Nevertheless out of pocket and they resort it is un- More records seem likely during the current that doubtedly their caus true despite the higher costs being faced by the Night year, allowance most determination to win this group. higher than struggle comes partly from private £2 BRS and their feeling that the arduous Chairman Keith Erskine told shareholders: 'We 1S other job deserves another year of steady nante or mier

COOK

тожато то resonelg state-owned firm the

GPO.

better payment than they are and substantial growth similar to the 1l preceding drivers years.' Lorry only rarely at present getting. White-collar Levin case for jury power men

MEDWAY

delay claim THE HIGH COURT libel action TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 8pm Bernard Levin article over Hotel Times' the closure of Brompton Road 1 1C Sketch' newspaper is Daily The Gillingham

BY A WORKERS PRESS

to be tried with a jury.

MIKE BANDA

CORRESPONDENT

speaker: By a 2-1 majority (SLL Central Cttee) the Appeal THE POSSIBILITY of trouble Court allowed

DAGENHAM

Times Newspapers Ltd electricity supply in- appeal b THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8pm dustry was postponed yesterday from a High Court judge's ruling Manor Park Libran that Rd/Rabbitts Roa the trial should be Romford when leaders of 50,000 white- collar workers in the industry by a juage silling alone ooo Rabbitts Pub

G HEALY

speaker: agreed hold over further Said Lord lustice Lawton: " to (SLL National. Sec) the defendants lose their action their pay claim discussion and heavy damages are awarded

BRADFORD

until next month.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22

newspaper axalist Electricity workers have sub- scene in this country may never claim be the same again.' Central Librar increase to reduce the 'growing Top of Hall Ings gap' between pay and that OVERDRAFTS at National West- of the industry's manual workers (ILL Central Committee who got a rise immediately before minster-second largest of the the freeze took effect. big four banks will become At yesterday's meeting between The bank blames the rising cost acarel IrON lody. SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25, 7pm Electricity the "Council and the Civic Hall igbeth, white-collar workers leaders of money for the move. A state- Digbeth, Speaker: MIKE BANDA there was general agreement that ment said the bank's 'base' lend- lurtner discussion or ineir claim ne rate wore de increnseo trom

(SLL

Central Cttee) to 94 per cent for should await clarification of 81 cent overdrafts. government policy. their

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Wednasday February 14, 1973 MR REG PRENTICE, Labour Party Shadow spokes- man on Employment, has urged the Tory govern- ment to support the 'moderates' in the trade union leadership. Prentice-who last August denounced the five dockers jailed for defying the Industrial Rela- tions Act-said: I dissociate myself from anyone who says there should be a national confrontation between the unions and the government on the [pay] policy."

This leader not only accepts the principle of Tory state and Tory laws against the unions, control of wages advise the government's Employment but seeks to Minister, Maurice Macmillan, on the most effective way of carrying these policies through.

He told Macmillan in Monday's parliamentary com- mittee discussion on the state pay laws that in deal- he dealing ing with the trade union leaders was with men who were 'mostly moderate'. Hadn't the gasmen's leaders accepted a 200-per-cent increase in productivity over the past five years and a run-down of the labour force involving 22,500 redundancies?

*But this government had made it increasingly difficult for moderate counsels to prevail in the trade unions,' Prentice complained. Now that the days of compromise, of 'give and take' and between the state, the employers the union leaders have come to end, the Labourites con- an sciously collaborate with the Tory government against the working class. The Tory government wants a showdown. It has no pressure' 'moderate intention of yielding to the the union leaders nor of listening to the wise counsels Like the of Mr Prentice and his friends union leaders who waited at Baldwin's door in 1926 and fawned on Ramsay Mac- the Labour leaders who Donald in 1931, these reformists will be kicked in the teeth by the ruling class.

The Tory government has passed laws against the unions, against wage increases, against strikes, against elected representatives carrying out their mandates. right of the working It has attacked basic every class. It has deliberately accelerated inflation to force up prices. But one thing is still lacking—a total defeat for the This is what the Tory leaders must working class. to achieve. Collaborationist trade union seek nOW reformist politicians would allow the leaders and allowed them to get Tories to do this, just as they Industrial Relations Act, Common with the away Market entry and state control of wages. As the gasworkers go into battle, the Tories are un- doubtedly preparing to declare a state of emergency, with the possibility of striking workers being arrested, in order to panic the middle class in preparation for a snap election. An election fought on Tory terms—with powerful laws working class, a panicked middle class against and possibly a defeat for an important section of workers-would strengthen reaction for even more decisive steps towards corporatism.

But an election resulting from the defeat of the Tory government by the mass action of the working class through its unions, along with the construction of a leadership, would office a revolutionary place in Labour government pledged to socialist policies.

This would split off the right wingers, such as Mr conditions Prentice, and create gence of the revolutionary party at the head of the British working class. at the Published Press, Street, Printed (TU), by Plough Press 1 London, 180b Clapham High Street, SW4] 7UG.

DEMAND

MORE THAN 2,000 wor towns mounted a mass pic Colour Printing yesterday.

The picket and a lobby of parliament were called to coincide with the expiry yesterday of a High Court writ taken out by liquidator Mr P. Granville-White in a bid to regain control of the occupied works. The march was backed by workers from UCS, the Royal Docks, Kent miners, Shotton steelmen, London taxi drivers, Fine Tubes workers from Plymouth, British-Leyland and Rover workers, engineers, car electricians and students.

Although Fleet Street newspaper chapels stayed NGA, SOGAT and away,

NATSOPA

branches from all over London were represented. Leader of the eight- month-old work-in, Mr Bill Freeman, told a tactory- gate meeting: "They will have to put us in prison if they want to move us out of here. We are in a serious fight to defend our jobs and the welfare of our families. 'We demand the right to work. We refuse to accept the dole queue as a way of life. We will continue to conduct our work-in until we've won a victory.

'In the event of arrests or evictions, we are calling on the entire working class -and labour movement to stop work to demonstrate we will not allow this sort of thing.' UCS co-ordinating com- mittee chairman Mr James Airlie pledged £2,000 week to the work-in's fighting fund for a period of five months. 'We understand the debt labour to the we owe movement and we will sup- port Briant workers, Shot- ton workers or any other workers struggling for the democratic right to basic work.' Airlie called for a round- the-clock picket to sur- round the factory and he said that eviction any would mean 'taking on the organized strength of the labour movement'. London central SOGAT secretary Mr John Filkin said print union branches had fulfilled the pledge given eight months ago to back the Briant workers to the hilt. But, he said: It will

SHOTION

STEELWORN

BY IAN YEATS

000 workers from London and nass picket at the Old Kent Roa sterday. Alan Smith, one of the Shotton the meeting at Brant Colour yes need the determined and full support of the trade unions and all political parties to see that the sav- agery of the law is not enacted on our members so that in then end they are forced to give way.' Liverpool Labour MP Mr Eric Heffer told the meet- ing: 'As far as is possible within the limits in which we work in the House of Commons, we will do what we can to ensure the vic- tory of this struggle? London district secretary of the Communist Party Mr Bill Dunn said: "We pledge that if any action is.

HIIII

FEBRUARY FUNI

WE ARE halfway through February, but a very long way to half our £1,750 target. It is a tough struggle for our Fund this month. We know you, dear readers, will do everything you can to pull the situation around. But we urge you all-please don't leave it too late. As gasworkers prepare to come out on strike, they, together with the Clydebank Town Coun- cil was yesterday fined £5,000 for contempt of court for refusing to im- plement the Tories' rent Act. the Lord Lord Wheatley, Justice Clerk, told the Edin- burgh Court of Sessions that the council's decision not to 'deliber- raise rents was ate defiance and flouting of an order of the court'.

In tones reminiscent of Sir John Donaldson, presi- dent of the National Indus- Relations Court, trial Wheatley said: "The court must assert its authority. If it did not, of the whole rule law would be in jeopardy? Clydebank Last month council decided by a maj- ority of 14 votes to seven not to implement the Hous- ing Finance Act. There about five are other local authorities not implementing in Scotland as well as Clay Cross in on and a dozen provincial Derbyshire and Merthyr Tydfil and Bedwas and ent Road factory of Briant Wales. Machen in south The 11 rebel Clay Cross councillors have been ordered to pay more than £6,000 in back rents. They are now appealing in the High Court. The Clydebank council- lors were given 14 days to observe a Court of Sessions writ which was taken out against them. expired When this yes- refused terday-and they to attend court- Wheatley imposed the £5,000 fine which cannot be paid from local authority funds. It is the same amount imposed which was on Transport and both the Workers' Union General Amalgamated and the Union of Engineering Workers when they failed attend the NIRC last to year. At their second nffence were fined a both unions further £50,000. The Lord Advocate, Mr Norman Wylie, edinburgh told QC, the court in that the council's decision disregard the to court order was *a deplorable decision for any local auth- Shotton steelworkers who jolned ority to reach. olour yesterday. Wylie is the Tory MP taken against the leaders for the Pentlands division of this work-in we will do of Edinburgh. all in to mobi- Although the councillors our power lize workers in London and didn't attend, they sent a nationally in their support.

QC, Mr J. C. Robinson, to Kent miners' leader Mr represent them. Tack Dunn said the lesson He said the majority of of UCS and Briant Colour the council had found they was that they had brought could not *in conscience, the slogan of the right to Act which they operate an work.to reality. regard as harmful to their Before the demonstration constituents. moved off to march to par- I am not suggesting for liament, messages of sup- one moment that it is a port were read from Royal factor which would justify Group dockers' leaders what they have done, but Bernie Steer and Vic Tur- it is the dominant con- ner and from London lorry sideration which has drivers' leader Eric Rech- prompted this insistence on nitz. the majority's part.' rest of the working class, reach out to them. confronta- face major To expand, to improve tion with the Tory govern- our news Emergency ment. powers need our monthly and a crisis situation face We appeal therefore to all us all. of you to rally around to- In the present political day. Make sure we push situation Workers Press is this month's total up. decisive. absolutely Only Post all your donations our has prepared immediately to: paper the for enormity of this Workers Press economic crisis. February Appeal Fund AS thousands of workers join 186a Clapham High Street the fight, London, SW4 7UG our paper must