Workers Press no. 1077

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Behind Lonrho and Watergate scandals

MAJOR

CRISIS

ON THE

WAY

FREE

THE BELFAST

10 TOMORROW-We start our two-part reply to Com- munist Party member Monty Johnstone whose letter was printed in Workers Press on May 17. This should be read in conjunction with our extensive series start- ing today on page 8 STALINISM AND TROTSKYISM.

Be sure of your copy of Workers Press for these im- portant articles by telephoning circulation 01-622 7029.

• MONDAY MAY 21, 1973

G THE NEWSLETTER

THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE S

AN ECONOMIC and poli- tical crisis of unprecedented proportions emerging 1S within the major countries of the capitalist world. The Nixon-WATERGATE scandal in the US is merely the surface appearance behind which a divided bourgeoisie grapples with the worst econo- mic crisis in its history.

The LONKHO affair in Britain, following close on the heels of the POULSON scandal and Tory Home Secretary Reginald Maud- ling's resignation, is only the tip end of the crisis which is blow- ing up underneath. The feverish policy twists and cabinet, turns by the Heath coupled with the spineless capi- tulation of the TUC leaders, simply the growing express and indecision dilemma in the camp of the most reactionary forces. During the 25 years of the Bretton Woods economic agree- ment of dollar conversion into gold, the representatives of inter- national capital able to were exercise a certain control over the working of the capitalist system. Such control enabled them to modify the periodic crises by the "stop-go' fiscal methods deflation and inflation. This came to an end on August 15, 1971, when Nixon abandoned dollar convertibility. From that day onwards, world trading relations between the main capitalist countries, as well as the problems of their internal economy, became more and more subject to the objective anarchic laws of capitalism which were well to the forefront in the 1920s and 1930s. But with fundamental one difference this time: capitalism now has to pay the accumulated price for having held back the full cyclical functioning of these laws over the past quarter of a century. FIVE HUNDRED demonstrators marched from Clapham Com- mon, London, to Brixton prison yesterday afternoon to demand the release of the 'Belfast 10'- seven men and three women charged in connection with the Old Bailey explosions in March.

Contingents on the demon- stration included the 'Belfast 10' No. 1077 4р

THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

This means that an inflationary ted boom, such as we have in Britain, the US, Japan and West Ger- many, begins, almost immediately it is launched, to generate un- controllable inflation. Likewise, deflationary measures begun within the US and West Germany will become even more uncontrollable, and it is at this point that the major split within the capitalist class becomes irre- concilable. Powerful sections of big busi- ness have set their sights on a trade war and deflation, which will almost immediately introduce the greatest class battles in his- tory throughout the capitalist world. Statement by the Central Committee of the SLL This policy will also bring into them conflict with those sections of big business which have profited from the infla- tionary boom. Despite all the prattle about the 'boom', this split will openly emerge before long within ranks of British capitalism.

From the effects of this crisis, the working class will undergo which will an enormous shock place the need to take the power firmly on the agenda. All those agencies such as the Labour leaders and the Stalinists, who set out deliberately to blind- fold the masses as to the grave of the crisis, consequences are simply disarming the working class, as they always do, in the teeth of the most determined and ruthless offensive of capital.

As the objective laws of capi- talism assert themselves, so the bourgeois democratic structure of

REOU

35 ON C Defence Committee, the Anti- Internment League, and Sinn Fein. At the back of the demon- stration, Kilburn Provisionals marched in formation. Our picture shows relatives of some of the imprisoned ten marching at the head of the procession. lary parliamentary politics and its laws ain, will begin to crumble almost overnight. To have lasted as long as they un- have has been due almost en- tirely to the economic implica- tions of the Bretton Woods in- flationary process. The Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League declares that the most urgent task before advanced workers is to join with us and prepare to transform the Socialist Labour League into the revolutionary party. Either we build. this party to prepare the working class \ to take the power, or dictatorship and fascism will destroy the la- bour and trade union movement in all those countries where basic democratic rights still survive.

We must rouse the masses and warn them about what lies ahead. It is within this context that the Central Committee welcomes the decision of the All Trades Unions Alliance to hold a mass rally in Belle Vue, Manchester on July 1. This rally must meet the res- ponse of thousands. It must be the beginning of a mighty cam- paign which will: • End Phase Three collaboration • Restore free negotiation be- tween unions and employers.

• Repeal the Industrial Rela- tions Act. • Force the Tory government to resign. • Elect a Labour government pledged to implement social- ist policies. This programme opens the way to the exposure of the Labour leaders who will never agree to carrying out socialist policies.

Only the intervention of the masses, having broken with re- formism, will achieve this.

We appeal to all readers of the Workers Press and supporters of the Socialist Labour League to join us in this vital, task.

May 19, 1973 THE battle for our fund is definitely on. We have now reached £24,116.69. It is still not yet half way to the first leg of 250,000, which we were planning to reach on May 31, but we know that the next ten days will see our readers and sup- porters fighting as never before. Socialist Labour League branches sent in: Aberdeen £7.70; Dundee £6; Kings YSSS £11; East London £25; Liverpool £5.50; Southampton £20; Coventry £10.30; Sunder- land £8; Swindon £5; Leeds £80; Leicester £10; Reading £5; Luton £20; Rolls-Royce Ansty £2.20. Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG.

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE Behind Lonrho and Watergate scandals

MAJOR

CRISIS

ON THE

WAY

(FREE

BELFAS

THE

TOMORROW—We start our two-part reply to Com- munist Party member Monty Johnstone whose letter was printed in Workers Press on May 17. This should be read in conjunction with our extensive series start- ing today on page 8STALINISM AND TROTSKYISM.

Be sure of your copy of Workers Press for these im.

portant articles by telephoning circulation 01-622 7029.

G THE NEWSLETTER • MONDAY MAY 21, 1973 €

THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE S

AN ECONOMIC and poli- tical crisis of unprecedented emerging proportions IS within the major countries of the capitalist world. The Nixon-WATERGATE scandal in the US is merely the surface appearance behind which a divided bourgeoisie grapples with the worst econo- mic crisis in its history.

The LONKHO affair in Britain, tollowing close on the heels of the POULSON scandal and Tory Home Secretary Reginald Maud- ling's resignation, is only the tip end of the crisis which is blow- ing up underneath. The feverish policy twists and by Heath cabinet, turns coupled with the spineless capi- tulation of the TUC leaders, simply the growing express dilemma and indecision in the camp of the most reactionary forces. During the 25 years of the Bretton Woods economic agree- ment of dollar conversion into gold, the representatives of inter- national capital were able to exercise a certain control over the working of the capitalist system. Such control enabled them to modify the periodic crises by the 'stop-go' fiscal methods of deflation and inflation. This came to an end on August 15, 1971, when Nixon abandoned dollar convertibility. From that day onwards, world the trading relations between the main capitalist countries, as well as the problems of their internal economy, became more and more subject to the objective anarchic laws of capitalism which were well to the forefront in the 1920s and 1930s. But with fundamental one difference this time: capitalism now has to pay the accumulated price for having held back the full cyclical functioning of these laws over the past quarter of a century. inn and!

REPUBLI

FIVE HUNDRED demonstrators marched from Clapham Com- mon, London, to Brixton prison yesterday afternoon to demand the release of the 'Belfast 10'- men and three women seven charged in connection with the Old Bailey explosions in March.

Contingents on the demon- stration included the 'Belfast 10' 1, 1973 • No. 1077 • 4p

THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

This means that an inflationary boom, such as we have in Britain, the US, Japan • and West Ger- many, begins, almost immediately it is launched, to generate un- controllable inflation. Likewise, deflationary measures begun within the US and West Germany will become even more uncontrollable, and it is at this point that the major split within the capitalist class becomes irre- concilable. Powerful sections of big busi- ness have set their sights on a Tory trade war and deflation, which aud- will almost immediately introduce the greatest class battles in his- throughout the capitalist tory world. Statement by the Central Committee of the SLL policy will also bring This them into conflict with those sections of big business which have profited from the infla- tionary boom. the soot t1 Despite the prattle about , this split will openly within the emerge before long ranks of British capitalism.

From the effects of this crisis, the working class will undergo an enormous shock which will place the need to take the power firmly on the agenda. All those agencies such as the Labour leaders and the Stalinists, who set out deliberately to blind- fold the masses as to the grave consequences of the crisis, are disarming : the working simply class, as they always do, in the the most determined teeth and ruthless offensive of capital.

As the objective laws of capi- talism assert themselves, so the bourgeois democratic structure of ON

TEE

Defence Committee, the Anti- Internment League, and Sinn Fein. At the back of the demon- stration, Kilburn Provisionals marched in formation. Our picture shows relatives of some of the imprisoned | ten marching at the head of the procession. nary parliamentary politics and its laws tain, will begin to crumble almost overnight. To have lasted as long as they have has been due almost en- tirely to the economic implica- tions of the Bretton Woods in- flationary process. The Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League declares that the most urgent task before advanced workers is to join with us and prepare to transform the Socialist Labour League into the revolutionary party. Either we build. this party to prepare the working class to take the power, or dictatorship and fascism will destroy the la- bour and trade union movement in all those countries where basic democratic rights still survive.

We must rouse the masses and them about what lies warn ahead. It is within this context that the Central Committee welcomes the decision of the All Trades Unions Alliance to hold a mass rally in Belle Vue, Manchester on July 1. This rally must meet the res- ponse of thousands. It must be the beginning of a mighty cam- paign which will: • End Phase Three collaboration • Restore free negotiation be- tween unions and employers.

• Repeal the Industrial Rela- tions Act. • Force the Tory government to resign. • Elect a Labour government pledged to implement social- ist policies. This programme opens the way to the exposure of the Labour leaders who will never agree to socialist policies. carrying out Only the intervention of the masses, having , broken with re- formism, will achieve this.

We appeal to all readers of the ital. Workers Press and supporters of the Socialist Labour League to join us in this vital task.

May 19, 1973 THE battle for our fund is definitely on. We have now reached £24,116.69. It is still not yet half way to the first leg of £50,000, which we were planning to reach on May 31, but we know that the next ten days will see our readers and sup- porters fighting as never before. Socialist Labour League branches sent in: Aberdeen £7.70; Dundee £6; Kings YSSS £11; East £25; Liverpool London £5.50; Southampton £20; Coventry £10.30; Sunder- land £8; Swindon £5; Leeds £80; Leicester £10; Reading £5; Luton £20; Rolls-Royce Ansty £2.20. Post all donations to: Party Building Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG.

'Most serious crisis in ten years'-banker hits Euro-bonds Palace guard to spill Watergate beans?

PAGE 2 Workers Prose, Monday May 21, 1973 THE CENTRAL Committee of the Socialist Labour League, meeting on Saturday May 19, demanded a clear pledge from the Labour Party leadership that a future Labour gov- would ernment immediately nationalize Lonrho without compensation.

Without the measures outlined in the CC's and all Harold Wilson's strictures on ' are totally meaningless. Wilson's criticisms are completely hypocritical unless stern measures are undertaken to deal with the profiteers and speculators.

What is involved in the Lonrho affair is not just another 'scandal' but the class relations based on private property in the means of production, distribution and exchange.

'Scandals' are, in any case, a normal aspect of capitalist commercial and political relations.

Lonrho is merely the last in a long line of 'incidents' which include the Profumo affair of 1963, the excessive profits on government contracts made by firms like Ferranti and Bristol Siddeley, and the Poulson revelations.

Prominent Tories connected with Lonrho are Duncan Sandys, a former cabinet minister, and Edward du Cann, former Conservative Party chairman. Tories were also involved in Poulson's Top business dealings. One was Reginald Maud- ling, one-time deputy Tory leader, and pre- sident of the Real Estate Fund of America, whose initiator, Jerome Hoffman, was jailed for fraud. Wilson is forced to keep silent about Poulson because leading Labour figures in parliament and local government were also involved.

According to a report in yesterday's 'Sunday Times' one of these men—Alderman Andrew Cunningham, a member of the Labour Party's NEC-is likely to lose seven of his eight key positions in the north east. policy statement contained no measures of nationalization. Wilson's 'left'-sounding talk remains a cover for abject reformism which the property of the ruling class un- leaves touched. Anthony Wedgwood Benn's statement that a Labour government would nationalize Rolls- Royce Motors without compensation brought howls of protest the Tory from employers, . and from leading Labourites.

benches .. Even now, Wilson has merely asked that 'above sum' rent-free accommodation, a certain compensation and payment of salaries in tax havens should have to be 'disclosed by law'.

The Social Democrats are not the only ones . to run away from the central question of property relations. Saturday's 'Morning Star', carried a long the Communist Party daily, Lonrho article which did not mention on nationalization once. While workers' wages are held down by law and the cost of living soars through rising prices and higher rents, the profiteers live in and receive thousands of pounds opulence a year without lifting a finger. There can be Their property only one conclusion. must be taken away from them and owned and controlled by those who produce all the wealth-the working class.

who built the Labour That is why workers it through their trade Party and finance unions must insist that the exploiters must be expropriated. If the Labour leaders re- fuse to do this, they must be replaced by others who will. The mobilization of the working class to defend its living standards and basic rights will create the political and economic conditions for forcing the Tory government to resign.

By demanding that the Labour leaders carry out socialist policies of nationalization with- out compensation and under workers' con- trol, the real nature of reformism be can exposed and a revolutionary leadership constructed. THE PANIC flight from the dollar has created 'easily the most serious crisis in the Euro-bond mar- ket's ten years of existence' says one banker. Investors are rushing to dump any bonds de- nominated in dollars. The banks and traders are reeling under their losses. Last weekend one of the top Euro-bond banks, the Kredietbank of the Bene- lux, said it was ceasing trading in these bonds. Trading in bonds is now running only half the level of a year ago. During the past week alone more than $100m-worth of bonds was sold in a sharply falling

SIX

HUNDRED

Canvey islanders launched their 'oil- mada' against the govern- ment on Saturday and sailed into London aboard four pleasure boats and several fishing vessels. They docked at Westminster and angrily marched on Downing Street.

Their modern armada was the latest in a series of pro- tests against two giant oil

JOHN EHRLICHMAN,

once President Nixon's second closest aide, has said that he acted on the President's instructions when he carried out actions which could lead his indictment on to criminal charges. He told this to top Re- publicans within hours of the testimony of John Mc- Cord, a convicted Watergate burglar, whose evidence to the Senate Watergate inquiry

BY JOHN SPE

market. One Swiss banker explained: 'My clients just don't want long-term dollar frankly I agree paper and with them.' This situation is especially serious for the consortium banks which placed the majority of Euro-bond issues and underwrote the bonds on offer. A distinctive feature of the Euro-bond and related markets has been the forma- tion of consortium banks, in which most of the big names of international high finance are involved.

SERIOUS

EFFECTS

the The pull-out from Euro-bond market will have extremely serious effects for the Tory government's at- tempts at 'management' NO refineries to l be built on Canvey Island, Essex. Environment secretary Geoffrey Rippon recently granted planning permission for the refineries. Shouting, 'Oil out! Rippon out!' and waving banners, the islanders halted traffic in Whitehall.

A delegation handed in • 20,000 petition signed by people with a children's peti- tion of 400 signatures. directly implicated the Pre- sident in the attempts to cover up the scandal. Ehrlichman and H. R. (Bob) Haldeman were the two leaders of the White guard. If House palace Ehrlichman begins to reveal what actually happened in these top circles, Nixon can- not avoid being dragged down. John Mitchell, once the President's law partner and the man who left the job of Attorney-General to take a leading post in the Com-

N SPENCER

the inflationary boom. The government is trying to overcome the effects of the £1,000m balance-of-pay- ments deficit by encouraging local authorities to raise foreign currency in the Euro- markets. But now that the shutters are going down on the Euro- bond markets the Tory gov- ernment will be brought face to face with the impossibility of raising further funds at the same time as much of the invisible earnings the City gets from Euro-market suddenly coupon-clipping dries up.

MEANWHILE

mounting evidence of the slide towards recession in the United is having a direct States effect on the New York stock market as investors are beginning to sell in response to slump predictions. Rippon has now agreed to meet a delegation of Canvey councillors early next week.

Said Clir Mrs Dot Shaw: "This gives us hope. We are all bitter and angry with frustration because we have not been able to see anyone in government? Canvey Island urban coun cil had subscribed £500 to- wards the cost of hiring the boats. mittee to Re-elect the Pre- sident, has told a reporter: 'Any attempt to make me the fall-guy isn't going to work.' Mitchell himself has already been indicted on charges of corruption and perjury for having accepted $200,000 from shady financier Robert Vesco who wanted to escape an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. All the indications now point to the direct involve- ment of Nixon-not just in Wall Street fell 16 points on Friday, not least because of an article on the front • 'Wall Street page of the Journal', which listed the opinions of a number of lead- ing economic analysts who predict a slump. prestige National quite definite in its predic- tions. Geoffrey Director H. Moore, says: 'We now see clear evidence that a • slow- down, and very possibly a fully-fledged recession, lay ahead. 'It should begin to show up in the index of leading indicators before many months.' He cites several technical and statistical in- dicators which bear out this standpoint. The bureau's prediction is echoed by A. Gary Shilling, of White, chief economist Weld and Co, the big New York stockbrokers. Shilling believes a full-scale recession will be under way by early next year.

REACT

STRONGLY

Similar predictions from other economists are also quoted by the 'Wall Street Journal'. The significance of the article lies not in the pre- dictions, so much as in the fact that the stock market is now beginning to react strongly to them. Wall Street is also feeling the direct impact of the in- ternational monetary crisis.

Foreign holders of dollar- denominated bonds are sell- ing their shares en masse in a panic flight from the shaky American currency. According to sources quoted by Reuter's news agency: 'Overseas corpora- tions and other institutions are large holders of which US Treasury Bills, govern- ment and corporate bonds and common stocks, are be- coming increasingly con- cerned about the future of their investments in the cur- rent political and economic climate in the United States.'

LIQUIDATE

HOLDINGS

Some of the very large institutions are actively dis- cussing the partial or even full liquidation of their holdings. In the last two and a half months, according to the Federal Reserve Board, the of government net sale securities by foreign holders was $2,800m-nearly 10 per the total foreign cent of holding. the bugging Watergate affair, but in a whole com- plex of corruption and criminal activity designed to systematically subvert the constitution and abolish basic democratic rights. The President's efforts to in- control the Watergate , through a combina- Juries ion of threats and briber to have failed. appear He has been forced to announce the appointment of a Harvard law professor, Archibald Cox, as special investigator into the scandal.

Mrs Peggy Deery, the only woman to be shot on Bloody Sunday (January 30, 1972), has alleged that troops used foul language, were very abusive and put a hole in the ceiling of her home at 82 Creggan Heights, Derry, Northern Ireland, during a recent raid. Mrs Deery said it was the fourth time she had been raided. Up until she had moved to this house she had never been raided before. "The raid took place around five o'clock in the morning. I heard banging, in fact kicking at the door. I looked out the window and saw soldiers at the door. One of them said, "Get this f—door opened"; she said. 'She told them that she could not move very fast.

She then • called her 16-year- old daughter, Margaret, to go down stairs. 'When she opened the door soldiers immediately the rushed in and upstairs. They did not say what they were looking for. Nor did they quote the Special Powers Act.' Kicked Mrs Deery • said that she and her children were told to down stairs and were come kept in the downstairs living room while the search was taking place. She said that in the confusion she forgot all about her year-and-a-half old daughter Bernadette, who be- gan to cry when she saw the soldiers. I told the soldiers that I they wanted her down and said we could not leave the room. Margaret went to go up for her but was kicked on the leg by a soldier. When told them that I was wounded on Bloody Sunday, they all laughed. At least the soldiers who raided the house before had some respect but these boys hadn't.' She added that the search lasted for about three-quarters of an hour and that nothing was found. All her fourteen children, whose ages range one-and-a-half to 17, from were at home at the time.

Denial A British army spokesman said that there was an officer present during the search. He told Mrs Deery that they were looking for a wanted man.

He denied the allegations that the soldiers used foul language and said: 'Regret- tably Mrs Deery and one of her daughters were extremely abusive to the search party.'

He also denied that the soldiers were aggressive and said that they carried out the search with two officers pre- all times to keep sent at control. He said that when the baby was heard crying the search officer suggested that some- body should go upstairs to her. Mrs Deery's daughter did go up and was in no way hampered. He admitted that a soldier put his toot through the cell- ing but arrangements were be- ing made to have repairs carried out. Alarmed by the growing militancy of the working anxious to pro- class and mote foreign investment, the Spanish fascist government planning to increase expenditure arms and on riot equipment. Coupled with this programme will be an attempt to step up recruitment and training of the national guard. In Barcelona last month a building worker was shot dead by the police and in May Day demonstrations there was fur- ther clashes resulting in the death of a policeman. Pressure for a tougher line against the working class is coming from the foreign inves- The district 4 police station which is of police brutality. Inset: Judge Romm

A STAKE IN FRANCO'S SPAIN

tors who have substantially increased their stake in Spain during decade. the past like International Companies Telephone and Telegraph Cor- poration (ITT), International Machines

(IBM),

busıness Chrysler Corporation and Armco Steel have led the way.

The Ford Motor Company has also announced plans for a $200m car plant. There is no way of measur- ing the total flow of US dollars into Spain because the govern- records direct in- ment only vestment of more than 51 per cent in Spanish enterprises.

That figure rose to a record $160m last year from $2.4m in 1960. But it doesn't include the It police brutality. inset tudge Romming thed the law allegations which is at Workers Press, foreign capital pouring into investments, minority real estate and the sky-rocketing Madrid stock market - and which gave Spain an 8.3 per cent inflation rate last year, of western Europe's one highest. Speaking about his company's any investment package in Spain, one US executive said with utter candour: 'The reason i isn't hard to find—labour is cheap! He also pointed out that Spain is la handy springboard to the Common Market'. 'It's a great place to invest, said Alan B. Helffrich, Junior, director general of Armco, the Spanish subsidiary of Armco Steel. His company plans to Police station district 4 in Nuremberg, West Germany, is a place to remember for workers and youth many who had the misfortune to come into contact with it.

William Novack (22), a plumber, went to station 4 to make a statement and came away with blue bruises on his body. Novack's lawyer was told that five policemen had admit- ted to pushing him, and that he had fallen to the ground'.

But 'no one had beaten him, and it was impossible to note precisely what took place' Butcher William Popp (35) was taken to station 4 and, while being searched with his hands up in the air, was hit in the face by the police. Although one of the officials who was present said he had heard the sound of 'flesh on flesh' , the public prosecutor declined to take up the allega- tions on police brutality.

Case after case of allegations of police brutality in district 4 led lawyer Dieter Berthmann (48) to take up the defence of victims who came to him seek- ing legal assistance. In his defence of a group of street musicians, who were accused of resisting arrest.

Berthmann made a sharp at- tack on station 4. The effect of his criticism was that the public prosecutor decided to prosecute Berth- mann for public insult and defamation of the police!

In the massive trial that fol- lowed, 80 witnesses gave evi- dence. Two other recent cases in Nuremberg where the police had been accused of brutality, had found them guilty of lying to the court and placed fines on the officers involved.

Lawyer Berthmann was not so lucky. Judge Romming fined him 2,000 Deutschemarks. • Press, Monday May 21, 1973 PAGE 3 Left: ITT production of switch- boards in Madrid. The company substantially increased its stake in Spain during the past ten years. expand manufacturing opera- tions by about 20 per cent this year with an outlay of $1.5m.

'There's a good, hard-work- ing labour pool and a good market for steel in the con- struction industries. Tourism is bringing in billions of dollars, so you know the gov- ernment isn't going to go broke.

That means they can go on providing the roads, harbours, police force and other things needed to make it attractive.'

• The average industrial wage still runs from $6.25 to $7.15 a day in spite of the 15-per- cent increase last year. This compares with the $10 to $20 a day paid to the average non- farm workers in neighbouring France and West Germany. On the surface the foreign investment appears to be strengthening the fascist rule in Spain. But on the contrary, Us dollars are being dumped in such a way as to aggravate the worst inflation in the country's recent history.

Speculation in shares is ram- pant and is conducted under conditions of almost zero regu- lations. The market rose 250 per cent in value in the four years from 1968 to 1972, in- creased about 35 per cent last year and another 20 per cent has been tacked on in the first four months of this year.

Fuelled by unwanted US dollars the Spanish economy is on heat: speculation, bribery, corruption and fraud are commonplace. At the same time, however, the working class is being made the scapegoat of the in- flationary situation. Wage rises are kept to the barest mini- mum while prices go through the roof. A labour professor recently warned General Franco that the labour unrest was as a result of 'situations of injustice that oppress and prevent the free exercise of basic rights.

'A dynamic of rising expec- tations has been created and the government is under pres- sure to meet it.'

REFORMISM ON THE CLYDE

REFORMISM ON THE CLYDE

'Reformism on the Clyde' the first exposure of Com.

munist Party tactics at the UCS work-in. It shows how a powerful challenge to the Tories degenerated into a reformist protest. It exam.

ines the records of the men who led the struggle.

James Reid, James Airlie and Sammy Barr. Price 30p. 128 pages, illustraled.

Available from: New Park Publications 18Ga, Clapham High Street London, SW4 7UG or the Paperbacks Centre 20 Charlotle Street London, W1 (Enclose 10p for poslage)

TRANSFORMING THE SOC

INTOA REVOLUTIONARY

Extract from the policy resolution adopted unanimously by 2,200 delegates and visitors at the All Trades Unions Fellow trade unionists, comrades and friends we address you with this urgent call to action: PAGE 4 Workers Press, Monday May 21, 1973 Extract from the policy resolution adopted unani Alliance conference, Birmingham, on October : Fellow trade unionists, comrades and friends we In its place must be elec- THE TORY governme ted Labour government frontation with the which is pledged by the mass workers are forced to action of the working class to implement socialist policies.

defend their standard cost of living. We say 'pledged| to socialist knowing policies' that the pre- sent leaders of the Labour move- Large sections of the ment have no intention of intro- policies. Indeed, ducing such in answer to their fight t the last analysis them Nottie General Strike. That is will be prepared to join a coali- tion government with the Tories conditions which will f to head off the working class.

But if the working class is strong enough to force the Tories 3) The democratic right to out, it is strong enough to deal strike and to organize in trade with the traitors in its own Only organized unions. the midst. This can only be achieved can lead working class man- by exposing them in the fight for kind out of the historical alternative socialist policy. Every right and crisis. every The Central Committee of the gain won by the working class, Socialist Labour League calls every democratic right in Bri- upon the working class to sup- the following policies to tain, has been because port won the working class unite against of the organized of strength the Tories and the the unions and the strike Wilson-Feather leadership of the weapon. labour movement: Here is the policy which the A Labour government must next Labour government must immediately repeal the Indus- be forced to carry out. trial Relations Act. This fight 1) A Labour government must must begin now by forcing the TUC to break off all relations immediately repeal the Indus- with the government and trial Relations Act, Housing mobilize the working Finance Act, Immigration Acts, class to destroy state control of wages.

Fair Trading Act and all wage control. After the repeal of all 4) The right to defend rights anti-working class won in the past and change sures, there must be legislation the system. All the changes in to implement the Charter legal procedures made by the Basic Rights, along the follow- Tory government must All secret police 2) The right to work! Capital- MI5 organizations must be dis- ism demands mass banded and fully exposed.

ment. The right to a job must Tory adminis- be guaranteed. tration in this sphere must be done by breaking published. All rights to assem- of capitalist ownership on the bly, free speech and the Press Employed economy. must be guaranteed employed must unite to insist Labour government na- tionalizing the main industries now. No closures, no sackings, must be the policy of the trade control and without. compen- Occupation tories threatened with closure, The Tories are saying they've standard of living raised the and helped poor people. I think that's can't see that. rubbish. policies of the League The are right, but it is not going to grow into a mass party until Steve Armstrong an the Labour government's been appren- tice (17), came into politics as in and the working class see a result of his experiences dur- they are not going to do more ing a strike at the Kingston than the Tories. Thames garage of Lan- the working upon That's when kesters Ltd. class will really turn to the Before 1 had the struggle at The League will lead League. Lankesters I didn't a fight against the employers even know who Scanlon as we thought the trade union was. didn't know his face or what leaders would do. I think it is very important he looked like. League build the was only through the to into that I get things done for party to struggle at Lankesters the working class. found out what the trade union Labour leaders are doing to the work- The TUC and the Party willing ing class. seem more to Workers want to get up and negotiate and compromise and all the but the trade they are giving away struggle, union rights of the working class. leaders want to kick them They've given away the right down. The AUEW district commit- to picket and the right to tee was telling go back negotiate your own rates with us to Thev've let the to work without any solid your emplovers. Tories agreement. It seems that way butt in and put ceiling all the way up to the top.

a rises. unanimously by 2,200 delegates and visitors at th ober 22, 1972. 1 the working class. Each day new sections of rced to become criminals — under Tory law - to andard of living against government-inspired soaring s of these workers openly acknowledge that the only fight to maintain a decent standard of living is a That is, the creation of the industrial and political h will force the government to resign.

as part of the fight to bring ernment cut in welfare bene- down the Tories. fits, in the health service and all public spending in must 5) The right to a higher stan- be revoked. On the of basis dard of living. It is not the nationalization, a crash pro- living standards of trade gramme of expansion of ser- unionists, but the profit sys- the unemployed, the vices to tem, which causes the crisis. low-paid, the sick and the aged The first step must be to ex- must be undertaken as an propriate all the great fortunes The working absolute priority. the rich, close down the class and the Labour govern- Stock Exchange, place a state ment must take immediate and control over all movements of absolute responsibility for capital in and out of the 'these victims of the capitalist country. system. Nationalization of the basic 7) The right to decent housing.

industries and of all large com- Decent housing is not a luxury; panies, banks, building and in- it is a necessity. People have will provide surance societies the basic right to decent the resources for unified a accommodation at rents they to improve the living plan afford. Nationalization of can standards of the whole people.

the handful of building mono- Workers' control of these, as polies and building well as the present national- societies will provide the basis for a ized industries, will run them of massive new in the interests of the workers programme house building. The disgraceful and consumers. problem of the homeless in Again, the fight must begin the cities must be immediately State control of now. wages solved by census and taking- must be answered by the most of all unoccupied over pro- widespread fight for wage in- perty. creases to meet price rises The and improve standards. This 8) international respon- of the working means a fight to remove the sibilities class. The working class is interna- Tory government and change We fight for the un- the union leadership. tional. restricted right of any worker 6) The right to health and wel- of nationality any to move fare benefits. Every Tory gov- the world. freely through Before I had the struggle at Lankesters I didn't even know who Scanlon , at the All Trades Unions Withdraw the troops from Ireland. Unite the Irish and British working class to throw out the Lynch and Heath gov-.

ernments. Unite in the struggle for the Socialist United States of Europe, the only alternative to the Common Market plans for dictatorship. Withdraw all British troops from abroad and disband the present standing army. Sign treaties with • all ex- colonial countries for pro- grammes of equal trade and mutual assistance. Break from NATO and all ro- imperialist alliances.

the For the carrying out of such ged policies the SLL fights for the setting up of Councils of ing Action to lead the struggle against the Tory government every area. These Councils for unite trade unionists, tenants, unemployed, all political par- and tendencies of ties working class (Labour Party, Communist Party, SLL, IS, IMG, etc.) to fight against the main enemy, the Tory govern- ment. The SLL calls upon every • of. socialist and class-conscious worker to consider this pro- gramme and manifesto very carefully, and to decide now to their inescapable re- take up sponsibilities. The building of the revolutionary party is the burning question now, not in some remote future. The SLL pro- is determined to carry through its transformation into a re- volutionary party. JOIN the Socialist Labour League and help transform it into a revolutionary party.

Central Committee Socialist Labour League • Scanlon (above) was ... I found out s. Workers want to get up and struggle

CIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

'The Tories will have us Eleanor Ward is a London housewife: & I realize it's the Tories who are keeping the working class down and I see the League as the only answer. Let's face it. We've jumped from Labour to Tory and got nothing. That's why we need a complete change of leader- ship. It was hatred of the Tories that first got me interested in politics. We used to have meat every day. Now we have it every other day. Even the egg meal we have in between is more expensive. The Tories will have us eating bones if they can. I see the League as the only for working-class answer people. We are definitely the underdogs and the only way we can change our way of life is with policies like the League's. This house the three of us live in is just an old house converted into three or four flats. It's not a very good way of life. Everyone is entitled to a flat of their own. Decent housing is not very • much to ed ask. The whole business of the present leaders of the labour movement is in selling us down the river. They are pussy-foot- ing with the Tories. The TUC leaders are not really on the side of the work- ing class. They are on the side the Tories. That's where their bread and butter lies.

A lot of working-class people The Young Socialists' 13th an- nual conference at Blackpool.

"That really impressed me. See- ing 14 and 16 year olds getting up there and they knew what they were talking about.'

believe all this claptrap about the boom and if the Tories have a General Election they might get back and then we'll take a step backwards again.

I went to the Young So- cialists' conference at Black- pool and that really impressed me. Seeing 14 and 16 year olds getting up there and they knew what they were talking about.

It surprised me and the person I took with me. The ATUA conference at Birmingham impressed me too.

Seeing all those workers united. The ATUA is fabulous.

It brings a terrific body of people together from all walks of life and at the meet- ings they really listen. To take the working class to power' Glyn Gorringe (31), works on a London golf course. He used to look after the grounds General and Municipal Work- ers' Union headquarters Ruxley • lowers What really interested me in politics was seeing what at Ruxley Towers. went on Then I saw all these people round here in their £100,000 houses-that's more than I'll in a lifetime. course I think to Al the 'In myself: hour I call 75p and the bloke sitting there smoking a tat cigar and drinking a cocktail has earned a month's wages in the sallit time. My wife and I are lucky. We've got a but my wages get less and less week because y every of rising prices. It's prices that worry Glyn's wife Maggie (31): • When Glyn started this job they "Have you said: bought a nole ar"But a reliable car" we once Glyn's paid for this and odds and ends of bills, we naven l got pocket money for the kids.

Said Glyn: 'When we were hrst married we were buving bits of furniture. But lately just buying and were Dasics there's no money to spend on ant sug else. suppose prices are going up all over the world because 'The Tories are preparing for a dictatorship' Brian (22) is a factory labourer from Leicester: The capitalist class go deeper into crisis, threaten- ing the basic rights oI ine The Tories say working class they'll Phase Three to 'control inflation'. This really means cutting the standards of of the living class working further. 8 Press, Monday May 21, 1973 PAGE 5 of the international monetary crisis. The only way they can get value back into paper money is by grabbing it back from the working class.' Said Maggie: 'I have never interested in politics. I been don't even think about it. But then you only had to walk in to get your weekly groceries to see how things were going up. 'We had to start cutting down on things. Then we ot in contact with the League and they made it clear why all this was happening.' Although Glyn and Maggie want to see a principled, fight- ing leadership built in the working class they have their doubts. Said Glyn: 'Half the people in the TUC and the Labour Party don't give a damn about the working class! Said Maggie: I'd like to see the Party try to fight elec- tions. I think the League's ideas and policies are what we need and I think they'd get a good following.' Glyn believes that for the League to put up candidates would split the Labour vote.

He wants to see a General Strike against the Tories and he thinks Labour will hang themselves, politically, in the eyes of the working class once they are elected. I agree : with the League's policies. I had a bitter row with my brother in law the other day. He praises the Tories for everything they've done. 'I agree with taking the working class to power, even if it means a fight.

With the help of the leaders of the Labour Party and trade unions, the Tories are cutting; jobs, raising prices. raising rents and so on. They want to aid the big capitalists: The Tories are preparing fo: a dictatorship, but the leaders of the trade unions confuse the working class because all they do is talk. The Tories.

are trying to tie the unions to the state. So we need a new leadership revolutionary party that -a isn't going to sell us out, and this that's going to get rid of and fight for government socialist policies. It's the only way forward for the working class.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Monday May 21, 1973 Last Monday—May 14—was the 25th anniversary of the found- Parkins recollects another anniversary—that of the massacre at the Arab village of Deir Yassin in 1948.

VIOLENT

CONQUEST

OF THE LAND

Deir Yassin was an Arab village situated near Jerusalem. Twenty - five years ago it was part of international the zone which United the Nations proposed in the partition Palestine scheme. Deir Yassin the means for Arab people the same thing nday May 21, 1973 as the 25th anniversary of the found- n a second article on Israel, Charles anniversary-that of the massacre Yassin in 1948. ab as Lidice meant for the Czechs, or Oradour for the French, or My Lai for the Vietnamese.

In 1948, the village of Deir of Yassin was not known for its militancy or support for Arab nationalism. The mukhtar (headman) of the village had made an agreement with the nearby Jewish community of On - Giv'at Shaul that they would not attack each other. Nevertheless, on April 9, the 1948, Zionist forces belonging ing to the Irgun Zvai Leumi and d- Lehi (the Stern group) attacked this village and massacred the inhabitants. Over 250 men, and children were women killed. The attack commenced at 4.30 a.m. Units of Etzel (the Irgun) and Lehi had surrounded the village in the night. Hear- ing the attackers coming, the villagers were alerted and took The Zionist forces had soon smashed their way into the village, however and eventually a Haganah force with a mortar was brought in to decide the battle. General Meir Pa'il, who retired from active service with the Israeli army last year, was a liaison officer between the Haganah (official Zionist army) and Irgun forces at the time of the Deir Yassin attack, and here is part of his account of what happened: 'It was noon when the fight was finished and the firing ceased. The situation was quiet, but the villagers did not surrender. The fighters of Etzel and Lehi went out of their hiding places and began to make a "clearing action" in the houses. They had fired with all the weapons they had and had thrown dynamite into the houses. They shot every- body they had seen, including women and children, and the commanders did not even try CI to stop the shameful killing. I and several people other from Jerusalem asked the com- order manders to their men stop shooting-but in vain.

Meanwhile about 25 men were taken from houses. They out were taken on a lorry and were driven in "victory cele- bration" Mahaneh- through Yehuda and Zikhron-Yosef Quarters, "Roman Triumph". 'After this, they went brought to a quarry between Deir Yassin and Giv'at Shaul and shot in cold blood. The and children who re- mained alive lorries and driven to Mander- were baum Gate General Pa'il goes on to say when the Haganah that com- mander in Jerusalem, David Shaltiel, arrived at Deir Yassin, the Irgun and Lehi commanders said ther were leaving 'The commanders of Etzel and Lehi also relused the re that their should quest men bury the 254 Arab dead who were dispersed the al ca This unpleasant task was given two forces of Gadna [cadet which brought units] were Jerusalem.' the village from (General Pa'il's account given to Ilan Kifir, of the Israeli 'Yediot Aharonot'.) newsbasel Richard Catling was a British police ofncer Assistant insec. General of the Palestine CID. In a report to the Man- date authorities, he describes a visit to the village of Silwan, some of the survivors where of Deir Yassin were sheltering.

He wanted to inquire about atrocities, but found the Arab women 'very shy and reluctant relate to their experience especially in matters concern- ing sexual assault and they need great coaxing before they information. will divulge any The recording of statements is hampered also by the hysterical state of the women who often break down many times whilst the statement is being recorded.

"There is, however, no doubt that many sexual atrocities were committed by the attack- ing Jews. Many young school girls were raped and later slaughtered. Old women were also molested. One story is current concerning a case in which a young girl was literally torn in two. Many infants were also butchered and killed.

'I also saw one old woman who gave her age as 104, who had been severely beaten about the head with rifle butts. Women had bracelets torn from their arms and rings from their fingers and parts of some women's ears of the were severed in order to remove earrings.' Some 40 orphaned children from the massacred Village were taken in care by Mrs Vester, at a Jerusalem child- ren's nursing home. When she

one frightened approached 'She little boy, he is one of , and collapsed of a heart attack, dying soon after. The Jewish Agency, which was official leadership of the Jews in Palestine, tried to dis- sociate itself and the Haganah from the Deir Yassin massacre, and Prime Minister David Ben Gurion telegram to sent a King Abdullah of Transjordan, apologizing for the deeds of the Zionist terrorists. But meanwhile, an agree- ment was ratified by the Zionist Central Council for co- operation between Irgun Zvai Leumi and Haganah. The Irgun, for their part, were able to their paper, reproduce 'HaMashkif', on April 11, a copy of the letter they had received from the Haganah commander in Jerusalem a few days before the attack, in which he stated: 'I have no objection to you carrying out the operation provided you are able to hold the village.'

Menachem Beigin, former leader of the Irgun, today a prominent figure in Israeli politics, was to write after- wards in his book 'The Revolt': 'In Jerusalem, as elsewhere, we were the first to pass from the defensive to the offensive ... Arabs began to flee in " panic shouting "Deir Yassin"?'

Responsibility for the Deir pe Yassin massacre, and the place en it should be accor tory, remained for of matter Israel. When the abroad, supporter: Israeli government present it as an 1S0] committed heirs Zvai Leumi, that it had served a pose in creating a p the Arab civilian and causing the fl refugees. preparation f June 1967, was coalltion the extreme clude Menachem a ministerial post. 1 this move, given official recogn the role of terrorists in fightin lish the state, and f official Israeli has 'exonerating' Deir yassi Events like Deir not "just happen', men who perpetrate from nowhere. To launch bloody massacre, movement imbued with the id superiority, convinc people being accorded in his- ined for some years controversy supporters vernment tried as an isolated excess, The to the however, argued served a useful pur- eating a panic among civilian opulatio ng the flight of th aration for the war the Israeli in- enlarged to and extreme right, Beigin was giver ial post. In line with the government has the 1al recognition to Irgun and Lehi in fighting to estab. ate, and furthermore, Israeli government published been the perpetrators Yassin massacre like Deir Yassin do the happen', nor do perpetrate them come an organized of the civil 1 like this requires a of men and women ith the ideas of racial , convinced that the are any human Lett: The Allenby Bridge, reached by the Israelis in June, 1967. Far left: Ben Gurion. He never believed in the possibility of co-existence with the Arabs.

consideration, and that there need be no hesitation butchering them, even their children, or in driving them from the land. Remember that, as Meir Pail recalls, the commanders refused to order their men to stop shooting. Note also the th satisfied way in which Beigin refers to in terrori of the terrorizing the massacre Palestinians into fleeing their homes. The Irgun Zvai Leumi-and its political heirs in the Herut party and the Jewish Defence League—represents the extreme chauvinist right wing in Israel; but it was an ofishoot of Zionism, which even in its more 'moderate", official, forms, has refused all along to recog- nize the rights of the Pales- tinian Arabs. Deir Yassin not was an isolated excess. It was part of a deliberate policy, enforced by all the Zionist armed forces, of driving the Palestinians out.

The Haganah command in 1948 worked out a plan-Plan Daled'-under which whole areas were to be cleared of their Arab population. This plan was implemented in some cases by psychological warfare, in others by force. Thus the Arab inhabitants of Haifa and Jaffa were driven out and eastern Galilee was cleared, as well as the Arab villages between it and Tiberias destroyed. The Bedouin communities in the Beisan area were driven and out Haganah forces attacked the Katamon suburb of Jerusalem to drive out the Arabs. Arabs were also made to flee from areas in western Galilee, which had been allo- as an Arab zone in the cated UN partition plan. Yigal Allon, who was com- mander of the Palmach in (Haganah striking force) Galilee, was to write later in the book 'HaSepher HaPal- mach': 'There were left before us only five days before the threatening date, May 15. We saw a need to clear the inner territorial succession entire area of upper Galilee.

The long battles had weakened our forces, and betore us stood great duties of blocking the Arab invasion. routes of the . 'We therefore looked for means which did not force us into employing force in order to cause the tens of thousands of sulky Arabs who remained in Galilee to flee ... I gathered all the Jewish who have contact mukhtars, with Arabs in different villages and asked them to whisper in the ears of some Arabs that a great Jewish reinforcement has arrived in Galilee and that it is going to burn all of the villages of the Huleh. They should suggest to these Arabs, their friends, to escape while there is still time goal reached its The tactic completely.' After the declaration of the state of Israel, and during the UN truce from June ll to July y, the Lionists prepared to step up the offensive, and new state's premier, Ben the Gurion, told his cabinet that was no obligation there stick to the UN partition boundaries — 'the situation in Palestine,' he declared, 'will be settled by military power.'

When fighting resumed, the Haganah forces seized Arab villages on the central front inhabitants and the were, according to the Zionist phrase, 'encouraged' to leave. On July 11, Israeli forces under Moshe Dayan attacked the town of Lydda, Jon and David Kimche, two Zionist writers, in their book 'Both Sides of the Hill', say, that Dayan 'drove at full speed into • Lydda shooting up the town and creating confusion and a Workers Press, N of terror among the degree population .. its Arab popu- lation of 30,000 either fled or were herded on the road to day, Ramallah. The next Ramleh also surrendered and its Arab population suffered the same fate. Confronted with the question of the Arab refugees, Zionist propagandists and their dupes have usually been prone to reply that it was all the fault of the Arab leaders who urged their people to leave and that Israel bears no responsibility for the problem. We shall take a look at the role of the Arab ruling classes in a later article; but suffice it to say here that detailed monitoring of Arab states' radio broadcasts for the period failed to uncover any official call for an Arab exodus.

On the other hand, events like Deir Yassin must have been a very persuasive argument; and all the evidence • shows quite clearly that the Zionists set out deliberately to drive the Arabs out. In his book 'Ben Gurion— Armed Prophet, Michael Bar- Zohar describes the Israeli leader's attitude as follows: 'Ben Gurion never believed the possibility of in • a co- existence with the Arabs. The fewer Arabs within the frontiers of the future state the better. He did not state this explicitly, but the impres- sion given by his speeches and asides is quite clear: a major offensive against the Arabs would not only break the force of their attack, but would also reduce to a minimum the pro- portion of the Arab population within the state for which they were now preparing. He may be accused of racialism, but in that case the whole Zionist movement would have to be put on trial, since it is based on the principle of a purely jewish entity in Palestine.

The attitudes and policies that were to culminate in the war of 1948 can be traced back to the early days of Zionist colonization in Pales- tine. In its Utopian beginnings, Zionist movement had the spoken of taking 'the people without a land to the land without a people' But did have a Palestine people. At the time of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government, then plan- ning , to carve up the old Turkish empire, declared its support for 'the establishment of a Jewish National Home' in Palestine, at least 90 per cent of the population of Palestine was Arab. For some of the early Zionists, realization that the Zionist state project would mean imposing upon, and dis- placing the indigenous popu- lation of Palestine, came as a shock. more "practical' But the leaders of Zionism did not see the problem of Arab rights as any objection to their plans.

For one thing, having come from a European bourgeois they cultural background, generally tended to see the Arabs as an inferior people, who did not have 'rights'.

Zionist attitudes in this have differed respect not essentially from those of other white settler groups. Even as recently as a few years ago, Golda Meir, when asked by foreign reporters for her views on the question of the Pales- tinian people, replied scorn- fully 'What Palestinian people?'

Secondly, it was a parti- cularly characteristic element in Zionist ideology to regard nationalism and national an- tagonisms as being natural- part of human nature. Zionism, The founder of Theodor Herzl, had regarded anti-Semitism in this way and so, in effect, • have his later followers. In the same way, they have been prepared to accept an- tagonism between Jews and Arabs as inevitable and to take it for granted that there must th be conflict. s Press, Monday May 21, 1973 PAGE 7 In preparing the basis for a Jewish state in Palestine, the Zionist colonizers adopted the twin •Kibbush slogans of Ha'aretz'-the conquest of the land; and 'Kibbush Avodah'— the conquest of labour. The first meant the systematic acquisition of land for Jewish settlement. In the early years this was by purchase from Arab landlords, usually absen- tees. In later years, as in 1948, it was by military means. With the war of June 1967 and the occupation of Arab territories since, the use of force, intimi- dation, and purchase, have been combined. 'Kibbush Avodah', the con- quest of labour, meant a "return to the soil', the 'dignity of labour' and the regeneration of the Jewish people through settlement on the land and physical labour. For the practical Zionists it meant getting rid of the Arab labourers from the farms and citrus groves and replacing them with Jewish farmers and workers to lay the basis of a Jewish nation-state. Where land was bought by the Zionists from absentee landlords, Arab tenant farmers were 'persuaded' to leave by various means, or evicted. In one series of deals, with the Sursock family who were resident in Beirut in the late 1920s, the Zionists acquired about 50,000 acres of land, which included 22 villages with a population of 9,000 people.

These Palestinian Arab peas- ants were all evicted. Meanwhile, the Zionist Labour movement-the Hista- drut title - Histadrut (full Klalit Ha'Ovdim Ha'Ivriim b'Eretz Yisrael-Gęneral Fed- eration of Hebrew Workers in Israel) was pursuing the aim of 'Kibbush Avodah' by insist- ing on the policy that 'Jewish enterprises employ Jewish labour'-in other words, 'No Arabs Need Apply!' The Histadrut argued that cheap Arab workers were labour, competing with the Jewish workers. But it made little attempt to organize them.

On the contrary, the Hista- drut itself was prepared to lower Jewish workers' wages and strive to make Jewish labour more productive, so as to replace and exclude the Arabs. The aim was not to unite Jewish and Arab workers against the employers, and against British imperialism, but to unite Jewish employers and Jewish workers in a partner- ship to lay the economic, social —and military-basis for the Zionist state. The Zionist leaders, for the most part, recognized the in- valuable role of the Histadrut, and its associated co-operative enterprises, both in creating a Jewish working class and in undertaking the constructive tasks, essential to the future state, which private capital might consider too risky.

In 1926, arguing with those who wanted to emphasize political demands for Trans- jordan to be included in the area claimed as a Jewish state, Zionist leader Chaim Weizman asserted: 'The road to Allenby Bridge along which we shall Cross over to Trans-Jordan will not paved by soldiers but by be Jewish labour and the Jewish plough.' In June 1967, the Israelis reached the Allenby Bridge.

It was the combination of 'the Jewish plough' and the soldiers that got them there. publications, the In Zionist war of 1948 is usually referred to as the War of Liberation.

In reality, it was a war of conquest. The whole basis of the state of Israel was the conquest of the land. The state was estab- lished on the destruction. of and the rights of the homes the Palestinian people. As events since 1967 made have clear, those who defend 'Israel's right to exist are really defend- ing conquest and repression, ust • the denial of the Palestinians' right to exist.

TROTSKYISM

AND STALINISM

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Monday May 21, 1973 Since May-Tune. 1968, the Soviet Stalinists have been haunted by the spectre of revolution in western Europe and the growth of Trotskvism in the advanced countries in the west. Fearful of losing their parasitic privileges at home and their control of the labour movement abroad, the Soviet bureaucracy has again discredit and distort the begun a campaign to once principles and history of Trotsky's struggle for the regenera- tion of the USSR and the world-wide revolution of the work- ing class. The Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1972 'Against Trotskyism', a compendium of documents, articles, aimed at discrediting speeches and resolutions extracts, Trotskyism and distorting completely the truth about the re- lations between Lenin and Trotsky. In this series of articles MICHAEL BANDA replies to this book.

The more openly the bureau- cracy capitulates to imperialism and collaborates with it against the world revolution, the it must slander and more attack Trotskyism. This book is an exception- ally crude attempt to blacken Trotsky's by bringing name together in one volume all the unfavourable references to him extracted from Lenin's writings.

These are accompanied by a vitriolic commentary which obscures and distorts all the issues with which it deals in them order to misrepresent and confuse the reader. Against Trotskylsm. A collection The extracts from Lenin are of Documents.' Progress publish- juxtaposed arbitrarily quite 406 Distributors_ ers. pages. passed after with resolutions Central Books. §1.25. Stalinist-domi- his death by and nated Communist Party The publication in Eng. trade union organizations.

lish of the book 'Against The book ends abruptly in Trotskyism' (Progress August 1927, thus freeing the editors obligation to any Publishers, Moscow) defend the wave of purges and testifies to the Soviet Old against the repressions leaders' fear Bölsheviks in the 1930s. of the These of revolu- massacres growth of the Fourth culminated in tionists which International. Moscow Trials and the the cowardly assassination of Trot- sky himself in Mexico in August 1940 were all part and parcel of the 'struggle against Trotskyism' which this book exalts. And by covering up for the crimes of the past and system- atically distorting the history of Bolshevism its authors-B.

S. Vlasov, I. P. Genenko and A: A. Solovyov of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism in Mos- founda- cow-are laying the for a tions new counter- revolutionary attack. They have surpassed even the usual standards of lying and distortion for which the Institute of Marxism-Leninism (Stalinism) is well known.

Their shoddy anthology is presumably intended to serve the hacks of the various Parties Communist western anti-Trotskyist 'ammuni- with tion'. It falls into three parts: the first deals with the differences between Trotsky and Lenin in the period before the February 1917 revolution; the second with the period when they were both leaders of the Soviet government and the Bolshevik Party; and the third with the period after Lenin's death until expulsion from the Trotsky's Stalinized party in 1927.

Facts speak louder than lies and the facts about the close alliance between Trotsky and after the Lenin during and conquest of power in 1917 not only transcend the episodic of the pre-revolu- differences tionary period, but also. com- pletely unmask the Byzantine lies and impudent distortions of this book on the post-1917 period. In his famous letter to the Bureau of Party History (Istpart), written when the campaign against him led by Stalin was at its height, Trot- sky anticipates allega- these and refutes them de- tions cisively. this important letter In Trotsky revealed how the bureaucracy was carrying out a 'conscious and spiteful dis- tortion of the past, which is now organized on an enormous sustained the scale, by authority of all kinds of public institutions and even carried into the textbooks'. There is no greater tribute to the superiority of the Marxist method over the crude metaphysics of Stalinist the 'Institute of Marxism-Leninism' Trotsky's than to contrast analysis of the Stalinist lie campaign with the sterile rub- bish of the Moscow hacks.

to Trotsky: 'The lie Listen in politics as in daily life, serves a function of the class society. structure of The oppressors erect the lie into a of befuddling the system masses in order to maintain their rule: 'On the part of the oppressed the lie is a defensive weapon of weakness. Revolution ex- plodes the social lie. Revolu- tion speaks the truth. Revolu- tion begins by giving things and social relationships their real names 'But revolution is neither a harmonious single nor a Revolution of cess. contradictions. It unfolds only by taking one step back after Above: Lenin and Trotsky, lead- ers of the Soviet government, pictured in 1920. taking two steps forward.

• Revolution in its own turn sweeps into power a new rul- ing stratum which strives to secure its privileged position and is apt to view itself, not historical the temporary as vehicle of revolution, but rather its crown- its completion and ing work. "The epochs of ideological reaction which, more than once in history, have run parallel with economic success, en- for revising gender the need revolutionary ideas and methods; and create their own conventional lie.' The creation of such con- ventional lies, for all their subjective arbitrari- apparent ness, are rooted in social and material reality. Trotsky's imperishable con- tribution to Marxism consists not only in his factual expo- sure of the bureaucracy's lies and his courageous defiance of their Stalinist authors, but above all in his scrupulously scientific and materialist analy- sis of the social origins of these lies. In this way he helped to train a new generation of fighters of the Marxist method who understood not only the methodology of the Stalinist counterfeiters but also contradictions which deter- mined the campaign against Trotskyism. Trotsky exposed these con- in the traditions succinctly 'The foreword to his book Stalin School of Falsification'.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDE

A party of Chinese journalists which visited Britain recently did not actually leave saying 'your policemen are wonderful'. But they came pretty near it. for the In their articles Chinese Press after their month's stay they gave a typi- cally tourist picture, emphasiz- the existence of old traditions alongside evidence of rapid change. They discovered that 'British people are fond of gardening' and had a friendly talk with Alec Douglas - Home, the Foreign Secretary. They were ushered round the House of Commons by Conservative MP 'Mrs Wicks [Chinese form of Dame Joan Vickers, perhaps?], happily recalling her visit to China in 1961'. They enjoyed la grand re- ception at Lancaster House on April 12' laid on by the under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Anthony Kershaw, and 'had many friendly and cordial Press circles, many friends in talks with Whether they met anyone connected with the tiny and warring Maoist organs they did not record. But as they visited Cambridge, Stratford and other places on the tourist circuit it seems unlikely that they would have had time. Apart from the members of Welsh choir, they do not a to have met any appear workers, nor did they show any curiosity about the fate of the English peasantry.

did with They mention Writings of

WAITINGS

OF Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSHY

F2837-38 (1938-8)

WRITINGS OF

WRITINGS OF

LEON

LEON

TROTSKY

11933-341 1534-351 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

A SPLENDID TIME

WAS HAD BY ALL

Chinese included the Foreign hands with Edward Heath) opened and China. gratification that "The friends contacted in industrial we circles during our trip showed great interest in the promotion of economic relations between Britain and China. Many of that they had them told us pleasant memories of visits to

CHINESE TOAST HIROHITO

reception in the Japanese Embassy in Peking to honour Mikado's birthday Was attended this year by a number of high-ranking Maoist officials, Kuo Mo 'Nationa including vice- chairman of the Peoples' Congress, Peng-fei, the Foreign Minister.

The ambassador proposed a to the health of Mao toast Tse-tung, Tung ri-Wu, acting chairman, and premier Chou En-lai. In reply, the health of Left: Emperor Hirohito.

STILL AVAILABLE...

History of Russian Revolution special gift pack Inraa vo limac £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.

Iler visit to Britain. This delegation, which n Trade Minister (shown above shaking opened the way for following visits of n of economic relations between Britain 'friends' evidently These came from the boardroom, not the factory floor, and the 'old China hands' they encountered must have recalled the days when parks in the European quarters of the so-called treaty ports bore the legend: 'No dogs or Chinese admitted.' Emperor Hirohito and his Prime Minister Tanaka was proposed by Chi Peng-fei and the Chinese dignitaries downed their saki together with the diplomatic corps in what the New China News Agency de- scribed as 'a friendly atmo- sphere. Such antics can only cause revulsion among those Chinese who recall the role which Hirohito played in the Japanese militarist's plan for expansion . was the first of which China victim in 1931. My Francs! Trotsky—a documentary by Francis Wyndham and David King £1.65 including postage VAT Registration No. 235 9135 59 reet, London SW4 7UG lable, free, on request. Workers Press, N warfare in In February 1970 Seven-Up applied register to a new marketing theme for 'The Un- cola'. Coca-Cola opposed the applica- tion. A legal battle has been conducted in the courts for the past three years. Now the US Trade Trial and Appeal Board has given Seven- Up permission to use the 'Un- cola' slogan in its advertising.

The board dismissed Coca- Cola's contention that the con- suming public is likely to be confused, mistaken or deceived by the similarity between The Un-cola' and Coca-Cola names.

"These marks don't look alike, they don't sound alike, and the meanings thereof are distinctly different.' After the decision Seven-Up Company said it would be 'intensifying use of "The Un- cola" concept. Coca-Cola is appealing.. There are still some people who seem to think that the role of the British army in Northern Ireland is to pre- serve law and order and stop the fighting. They still worry about 'our boys' risking their lives for such a laudable aim.

A lot of the soldiers them- selves do not see it in quite those terms, as a reporter from the North West London Press papers found when he interviewed men from his area at present on manoeuvres in Germany with a battalion of the Queen's Regiment. The special training was aimed at teaching them to 'wipe out' an enemy and one of the things they were doing was firing at still and moving man-shaped targets set up in a model village. They were con- stantly being told it was pre- paration for action in Ulster and other similar places.

'It's a great life,' said Pri- 'You Paul Rouse. vate can achieve something and get somewhere." Corporal Christopher Poyn- ton (23) has been to Ulster three times in his five and a half years in the army. He has a vivid memory of a gun battle with an IRA force hold- ing out in a block of flats in the Falls Road area of Belfast.

He said he enjoyed the variety of army life. Perhaps the most telling statement came from Private Frank Dalby (20). He has already had a spell in Ulster and can't wait to get back there. ES SK Now available from New Pa 186a Clapham High Street, 3 Press, Monday May 21, 1973 PAGE 9 'I like a bit of excitement,' he said. 'If the army didn't have anywhere to fight, it's no good being in it.' A Manchester reader has sent us some clippings of interest- ing anniversaries: One is of 50 years ago last week. It reads: 'London members of the a picturesque Fascisti gave send off to King George and Queen Mary as they left Lon- don on a state visit to Rome.

"They were not allowed to wear uniforms, but gave the ancient Roman salute with the right arm outstretched. In Rome the King and Queen were received by King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Elena and Signor Mussolini.'

Our reader's other clipping refers to an event 25 years ago last week: "The Jewish Stern gang admitted being responsible for sending a parcel bomb to the Midlands home of British army officer Capt Roy Farran, whose younger brother was killed by the explosion./ It was sent on the first an- niversary of • the death of a Jewish youth killed in Pales- tine for whom Capt Farran was tried and acquitted.'

Japan's Yasuhiro Nakasone, Minister of Trade and Indus- try, was asked the other day whether the Watergate affair was creating difficulties in US- Japan relations. 'No, Nakasone replied. 'The electronic equip- ment and tape recorders used at Watergate were not made here' Another Watergate story. Dem- ocratic Representative Hun- gate of Missouri has written and recorded a song. In the first week of release more than 10,000 people have dialled 202-797-5972 to hear the dulcet tones of Hungate singing: 'Come, come, come and play spy with me Down at the old Watergate.

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

New Park Publications 1 Street, London, SW4 7UG

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Monday May 21, 1973

BOOKS

BY TROTSKY

Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37₺p , Problems of the British Revolution Paperback 35p Lessons of October raperback oup 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 Subscribe now!

AY PROTEST WOR

SUINGE TORIES

PRESS

Do you get

WORKERS

regularly? If not take not, why out a subscription now? £20.28 for 12 months (312 issues) {10.14 for 6 months (156 issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are : 21.50 tor s monins (24 Issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send to : Circulation Dept., Workers Press, 186a Clapham High St., London SW4 7UG. I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

Days required

MONDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

TUTODAY

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

Full subscription (six days) for .. montos Name Address Amount enclosed f I would like information about

THE SOCIALIST

LABOUR LEAGUE

Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

LABOUR

LEAGUE,

186a CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON SWA 7UG.

Name.. Address... He has been variously described as 'aloof and 'surpris- unemotional, ingly warm' and 'a soft touch'. Others say he is 'sharp tempered and arrogant', 'subtle yet assertive' while yet an- other group of associates say he can be 'awash with sentimentality. Whatever the truth about his personality, Stanley Gold- blum is a living legend. He's the man who is at the ferocious of the top most business scandal to hit Wall Street for generations. In the space of a couple of years Goldblum and the other heads of Equity Funding cleaned up some $2 billion with bogus insurance policies.

The main company over which Goldblum presided and its subsidiaries have been under public seizure since the whole deck of cards collapsed leaving many of America's top banking houses holding fake policies... and consider- able debts. While government investi- gators pick their way through complicated the set accounts, Goldblum remains in his elegant house on Whittier Drive in Beverly Hills, Cali- fornia. I don't think I have any- thing to say to the Press at this time,' he said shortly crash. 'Maybe I'll after the be able to talk freely some- time soon.' And that has been the only comment from the self-made multi-millionaire whose for- tune is believed to be about $30m. In the absence of Press con- ferences from Goldblum, have number of reporters been examining his track re- cord. Though somewhat in- conclusive at this stage, they paint a picture of an in- credibly nerveless character who successfully •deceived a major part of what is called 'the establish- Wall Street ment'. Stanley Goldblum is now 46. He wasn't always a quick- silver financial entrepreneur.

Indeed, his background hardly indicates that he would have been hailed in the late 1960s as one of the flagbearers of the new-style approach to the insurance industry. American A new English edition of the First Fiv Years of the Communist International' it corporating hitherto unpublished materi from Volume XIII of Trotsky's 'Works'.

THE FIRST

FIVE YEARS OF THI

COMMUNIST

in trikes blue this According to a company-pre- Goldblum pared biography graduated with a BSc from the College University of Los Angeles in 1949 Stanley Goldblum. But UCLA says this wasn't the case. Their records show insurance and create more than $120m in he won a two-year Associate non-existent 1948. This of Arts degree in assets. One of his employees com- historical discrepancy is pretty pointless consider mented: when we 'Everybody was always sus- young Stanley's first job-he became a This picious of the company's very butcher. was with the Cherry Meat Packing but aggressive accounting, nothing like this.' Company in Los Angeles. The amount of 'aggressive Goldblum once confided to that he suffered accounting' is beginning employee to arthritis. When asked surface the preliminary from in reports of the court-appointed how he got it, the boss said he used 'to push beef around trustee, Robert M. Loeffler. He a cooler'. Beyond this he has revealed that more than in half the 'funding programmes' didn't elaborate. He also took other jobs on Equity's books are bogus.

But, said member such as a swimming and gym a instructor before getting Loeffier's staff, the into program- mes 'held by real people the field that made him are real'. famous—-insurance. His first insurance job was At present it appears that 1955 with the Midland all the customers who thought in Insurance Com- Mutual Life they purchased insurance, pany as a salesman. His suc- mutual funds and combined cess was meteoric; by 1960 he from the programmes com- 'We're con- bought his did. way into a group pany really funds and tying mutual in- firming this now with every- surance into a single pack- one who is real, Loeffler said.

He said the phantom cus- age. The following the only the year tomers-existing 1n became known as company's computer were group Equity Funding Corporation the 'policy holder vic- only tims' with an adventurous foursome of the phoney mutual at the top: Ray Platt, a dyna- fund shares, pledged against Eugene salesman and phoney loans. to buy phoney mic Cutherbertson and Mike Rior- which appeared on insurance, Equity Funding's books. dan, two insurance men with considerable flair and style.

The whole operation was the worked through Equity Fund- Goldblum surfaced at head of the growing organiza- ing's computer which stored the names of clients, their in- tion in the most bizarre fashion. A colleague explains: surance programmes, the loans the beginning there on their investment, etc.

were four horsemen. Platt died 'Apparently', said Cuthbertson Equity Funding executive who of a heart attack, is in the clear, the computer was bought out, Riordan was covered by a mudslide, and phoney figures tape ran out Stan padded with non-existent pro- then there was just one. grammes.' ended up with all the marbles The company's because left the lawyer thought that all the everyone shares and notes were at the game. By the time Goldblum took firm's bank. They weren't. But no one actually looked beyond 1969, over sole control 110 the computer read-out to see was a Equity thriving con- In its the where the mutual cern. nine years notes or company had grown from fund shares really were. ported of $409,217 There have been some ex- revenues But $45,571,643. it was tremely generous reports in to under Stanley's leadership that some US financial newspapers.

One described Stanley business really started to get how Annual off tendered his resignation from the ground. re- the board and then repaired to the next two years venues in reached $100m. Wall Streeters his office to clean up. 'The tragedy showed in his and City editors marvelled at eyes,' business skills. report said. Mean- his one while Goldblum waits at home, Until his operation was down, the retired multi-millionaire closed company Rolls-Royces parked managed to sell than with two more $2 billion worth of fraudulent in the spacious garage. First Five in- material The First Five Years of the Communist International This first volume of Trotsky's writings and speeches for the Communist International covers the period Congresses when the post-war of its first three revolutionary upsurge reached its peak and then began to recede. It establishes, without fear of con- tradiction, the important role which he played in the foundation of this, the Third workers' International, and'in the formation and early development of the French, German and Italian Communist Parties. At this time the theory of 'socialism in one country' had not been invented and loseph Stalin was still a second-line Bolshevik leader who played no part in the international movement which he was later to pervert and eventually destroy.

OF THE

Price: £1.50, 421 pages. Available from: New Park Publications 186a Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7UG or the Paperbacks Centre 28 Charlotte Street, London, W1 (Enclose 10p for postage)

RUBERY OWEN workers at Darlaston, Stafis, who have been waiting for Tory Pay Board approval of a wage increase are to get a government instituted inves- tigation into labour relations instead. The Department of Employ- ment has applied under sec- tion 121 of the Industrial Relations Act to the Commis- sion on Industrial Relations for the inquiry. The reason put forward by the Department is the crucial posi- tion that Rubery Owen holds as major components supplier to the motor industry. five-week strike which The ended two weeks ago with a pay agreement is said to have cost industry f30m in lost pro- the duction. Rubery Owen itself claims to have lost £2.5m through the strike. Transport and General Work- ers' Union Wolverhampton or- Harry ganizer Littlehales and Union of Engin- Amalgamated eering Workers' secretary Fred the local Griffiths both told 'Express and Star' that their unions would not be taking part in the investigation as it was part of the Industrial Relations Act. But what is obvious from the announcement of the investiga- determination of tion is the Rubery Owen, backed by the Tory government, to prepare for the next round of the wages and conditions struggle in October.

For the return-to-work formula only in- agreed to wage not creases of between 50p and £2.50, but it also provided for negotia- tions on a new wages structure to be implemented in October 1973. While the official union leader- ship has adopted a wait-and-see attitude, Rubery Owen has pre- pared quite differently. Prior to the attempt forcibly to change the wages structure from April 2, which would have re- sulted in wage-cuts of up to £13 a week for some workers, the firm had taken advice from The Grubb Institute • of Behavioural Studies. This led to the strike.

Where the Grubb Institute ACTON: Monday May 21, 8 p.m.

'Six Bells', High Street, W3. 'Force the TUC to break off talks with the Tories'. LEWISHAM: Monday May 21, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers • Club, New Cross Road. 'Stalinism and struggle the to defend demo cratic rights' ABINGDON: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. Above New Top Taxis, Ock 'Stalinism and the Street. gle to defend democratic rights.' def BATTERSEA: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. 'Nags Head', onr Wands- Street. "The worth Road/North economic crisis and the rising cost of living'. BRIXTON: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. Brixton Training Centre, 'The • Economic Control Room. Crisis and what it means for the working class' DAGENHAM: Tuesday May 22, 8 p.m. Barking Co-op Hall, Fan- shawe Avenue. 'The inflationary crisis and the rising cost of liv- ing • TOTTENHAM: Thursday May 24 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms', High To Road, nr White Hart Lane.

READING: Tuesday, May 22, Hil The T&GWU offices, 8 p.m. Road. 'The TUC and Phase Three! HACKNEY: Wednesday May 23, 8 p.m. Parlour Room, Central Hall, Mare Street. 'Build the Revolutionary Party' HEMEL HEMPSTEAD: Wednes- day May 23, 8 p.m. Adeyfield Pa Hall, Queen's Square, Adeyfield. str "The fight against Stalinism' failed, Rubery Owen has turned to the Tory government, its laws and commissions. T&GWU shop steward Brian Downing commented: 'I am get- with government in- ting fed up tervention in the trade unions.

We have not got the money yet that was agreed at the end of the strike because they say it is over the government's f1 plus 4 per cent norm. 'But if they want a fight they can have it. 'We have not officially been told about the government's in- vestigation yet, but we are get- for the next round ting ready ourselves G.N

CHARGES

of committing a 'blemish of the peace' against St Thomas's hospital site electrician Brian Moody (25) have been dis- missed by Camberwell Green magistrates, south London.

Moody was among the 80 elec- tricians at the site who struck work 16 weeks ago in a dispute over a pay claim. PAISLEY: Wednesday Bakers Rooms, 7.30 p.m. The Rooms, George Place. 'Build Councils of Action'.

WEENSHAWE

(Manchester): 2, 8 Vodkesday Nor23, Portway.

North', Portway. 'Stalinism and the struggle to defend democratic rights.

FULHAM: Thursday в p.m. The Swan, May 24, Fulham ; TUC to Broadway. 'Force the break off talks with the Tories'. HOLLOWAY: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Seven Sisters 'Marxism and the trade Road. unions' LEEDS: Thursday, May 24, 8 p.m.

'Peel Hotel', Boar Lane. 'The Stalinism in the trade role of unions.' LUTON: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m.

Recreation Centre,_Old Bedford Road. 'Force the TUC to break off talks with the Tories'.

TONBRIDGE: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m. "The Foresters', Quarry Hill, Tonbridge. WILLESDEN: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m. Brent Labour and Trades Willesden High Road, Hall, N.W.10. 'Forward to the ATUA Conference'.

BERMONDSEY:

Tuesday May Arms" 'Havelock 29, 8 p.m. Balaclava Street, off Southwark Park Road. 'Stalinism and the struggle to defend democratic rights' A PUBLIC inquiry into the Sea- field colliery disaster of May 10, in which five miners died, is to be conducted by Mr J. W. Calder, OBE, HM Chief Inspector of Mines and Quarries. EIGHT weeks and still going strong. A group of Coventry tool- room strikers guard the entrance to the Stoke plant of the GEC combine in the town. Over 200 toolroom strikers at Stoke and GEC Helen Street are fighting for higher wages.

The firm has refused to offer 'an any money and has got opinion' from the Pay Board which says the men's demands against the government's are Phase Two pay laws. Behind the issue of the strike, however, is the Coventry tool- room rate. Last year the practice by which all wages in the dis- Below: Some of the toolmakers on p GEC plant. яаС

OFECIAL

NECOTIATE

NOT

OFFICIAL

GEC

KINS

He told Workers Press after the case: 'It was claimed that we two scabs to Waterloo followed March 22 and stood station on on one of their heels. They said that we threatened one of them.' The charge of 'blemish of the peace'-an Act dating from 1361 CAMDEN: Tuesday 8 p.m. trayal at UCS-the struggle against Stalinism'. PADDINGTON: Tuesday May 29, 8 p.m. 'Prince of Wales', Harrow Road, or Gt Western Road. 'The economic crisis and the trade unions'. TOOTING: Tuesday. May 29, 8 p.m. Tooting Baths, Tooting Broadway, SW17. 'Stalinism and the struggle to defend demo cratic rights'. SLOUGH: Wednesday May 30, 8 p.m. Community Centre, Farn- ham Road. 'The economic crisis and the rising cost of living'.

Usterie 'Marxism and the trade unions'

WALTHAMSTOW:

Wednesday May 30, 8 p.m. 'Crooked Biflet', • Waltham- North Circular Road, stow. 'Labour to power pledged to socialist policies'. WEMBLEY: Wednesday May 30, Copland High 8 p.m. Road. 'Forward to the conference'. FELTHAM: Thursday May 31, 8 p.m. Three Horseshoes', High Street. 'The economic crisis and the rising cost of living'.

Workers Press, N Mr Calder is also to conduct the public inquiry into the Loft- house colliery which • disaster in their miners lost lives. seven That will open in Wakefield on Wednesday May 30 trict went up by averages was abolished after a long struggle.

Now employers like GEC who initiated the struggle against the rate want to keep wages down.

One striker said that wages in the GEC toolroom were up to £6 below other toolroom workers in the town. kers on picket duty outside a Coventry

THIS STRIKE

Is Now

OFFICIAL.

WEEK OF

PLEASE HELP

YOUR FELLOW

WORKERS.

LEASE IVE

DONT UELIVER-

YOUR

US —was also brought against other St Thomas's site electricians in alleged incidents with men who have crossed the picket line.

In the last week cases against two other electricians have been dismissed, while one man has been bound over for a year on a surety of £50.

ALL TRADES UNIONS

ALLIANCE

Public Meeting Reformism on the Clyde - The Story of UCS.

WEDNESDAY MAY 30

7.30 p.m. McLellan Galleries Sauchiehall Street Glasgow. Speaker: Stephen Johns (Workers Press) All Trades Unions Alliance Meeting After Jones-Aldington What next for dockers?

SOUTHAMPTON

Wednesday May 30, 7.30 p.m.

Conference Room Civic Centre Speaker: M. Banda (SLL Central Committee) 01-720 2000 s Press, Monday May 21, 1973 PAGE 11

SOCIALIST LABOUR

LEAGUE LECTURES

Given by Gerry Healy, National Secretary of the Socialist Labour League Wednesday May 23 Theory and Practice of Marxism Wednesday May 30 Role of the revolutionary party at St David's Church Hall, Church Street, Merthyr 7.30 p.m. Jarrow Given by Cliff Slaughter SLL Central Committee member Civic Hall, Jarrow 7.30 p.m. Monday May 21 The Socialist Revolution In Britain: 3. The state and revolution. Reformism and revolution in Britain. The fight for democratic rights today means preparing for working-class power. Basic reading: Perspectives for transforming the SLL into a revolutionary party.

Marxist Analysis of the Crisis.

Problems of the British Revolu- tion (Trotsky). Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth Inter- national, Communist Manifesto.

Council of Action North London TUC must break off talks with Tories No negotiations on Phase Three No capitulation to corporatism Make the Tory government resign TUESDAY MAY 22, 8 p.m. Lord Morrison Hall, Chestnut Grove, Tottenham, N.17 All Trades Unions Alliance meetings

TEACHERS' MEETING

The way forward after the NUT conference Thursday, May 24, 7.30 p.m.

Conway Small Hall. Red Lion Square, Holborn (admission 10p)

HOSPITAL WORKERS'

MEETING

Hospital workers and the fight against the Tory government Tuesday May 29, 7.30 p.m.

Norfolk Room Caxton Hall, Caxton Street, London SW1 (admission 10p)

BUILDING WORKERS'

MEETING

TUC must break off talks with Tories! Build revolutionary party!

Wednesday, May 30, 7.30 p.m. Tudor Room Caxton Hall. Caxton Street, London SW1 (admission 10p)

POSTAL WORKERS'

MEETING

Break off secret talks with the Tories! Force the Tories to resign!

Sunday, June 3, 10.30 a.m.

Conway Small Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn (admission 10p) Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. by Workers Published Press, 186a Clapham High Street 7UG. Printed by Newsdesk: 01-720 2000. 01-622 7029.

Left-wing groups 'subvert' the union-smear Post union chief joins the conference witch-hunts PAGE 12 Workers Press, Monday May 21, 1973 RIGHT WING postmen's leader Tom Jackson had his union conference in uproar at the weekend when he attacked a rule amendment on the grounds that it would enable the Communist Party, the Socialist Labour League and the International Socialists to 'subvert the union'. Later, Jackson apologized to the movers of the rule change, who were Labour Party supporters, for having called them sub- but did not with- versives, draw the witch-hunting

FROM OUR OWN

allegations.

CORRESPONDENT,

DOUGLAS loM alleged Com- Jackson that Party members of the munist UPW had met in London to dis- to reply after debates on amend- fares they had the agenda and their ments moved to the cuss King Street. had been paid by general report, was lost following The SLL and the IS had nothing Tackson's intervention. give the union, he added. But the executive was defeated to Stalinists at the conference did on a similar issue concerning the not speak against the witch-hunt.

right of reply to composite One delegate who did-before amendments to the general report.

he was ruled out of order- -Peter Previous! emselves the executive Ie- Bradford, that demo- tained for the right said the rights of trade unionists of reply on all amendments cratic to their report. hold political views must be to Another successful rule change defended. He likened Jackson's carried against the advice of the outburst to the witch-hunting at was to permit amend- other recent union conferences. axecutive the general report ex- The rule change, which would ments to have allowed delegates the right pressing direct opposition to it.

BRIEFLY - BRIEFLY

THE

EXECUTIVE

of the National Union of Teachers yes- terday condemned the 22 per cent increase in school buildings cost announced by Education limits Secretary Mrs Margaret Thatcher this week as 'wholly unsatisfac- tory'. The local authorities in- sisted that a general increase of 400 per cent was necessary.

FORD HALEWOOD Transmission Top plant workers met at the Rank, Liverpool, yesterday and the company's voted accept Tory pay offer in line with the state pay laws. Convenor Bernard Bradley refused the to put to 750-strong meeting a resolution of confidence in the union no leadership and another calling on the TUC to lead a fight against NO the government.

NOW AVAILABLE

ASES

A journal of international Marx- published by the Inter- ism national Committee of the Fourth Spring 1973 International Contents include: Ceylon: The Centrism of Bala Tampoe By a Ceylon correspondent April Dictatorship: The Tasks of the Greek Trotskyists... Resolution of the 5th Congress of the Workers International League Several translations of articles from the German Trotskyist newspaper Der Funke Italy's New Fascists By Stephen Johns

LENIN AND TROTSKY WRITIN

GREENWICH tenants picketed the and six International Committee in protest against the actions of t statements rents question. Hull Thursday May 24, 8 p.m. 'Cape of Good Hope' 8 p.m. Windmill Hotel' The Textile Hall. Thursday, May 24 7.30 pm Witham JACKSON . . . Fares paid Previously, these had been ruled out of order. An executive motion to allow rules revision conferences only every five years instead of every three was also thrown out.

But a motion for automatic suspension from office of union officials who ignore union policy was defeated after an executive opposing it. The intervention issue arose out of alleged strike- breaking instances during the 1971 post strike.

REAT UP

NO

EVER

RENT

RENT

NO ного!

INCP

INCREASES

eted the town hall at the weekend ons of the Labour council on the But they later attended a meeting called by Labour coun- cillor M. Jeffrey specifically to persuade the rent strikers to start paying. The tenants claim the council has adopted a two-faced attitude since capitulating to the Tory Housing Finance Act. On the one hand it had resolved offi- cially not to evict tenants for increases. On withholding rent the other hand, it had harassed strikers with eviction rent threats. Mr W. Jeavons, for the Green- wich Tenants' and Residents' Campaign Committee, said: It is we who are carrying out La- bour policy and not the council.

It is not just an isolated strike here. Thousands all over the country are refusing to pay the increases' smear POST OFFICE workers' leaders have been given a virtual blank cheque to sign joint agreements with other unions, even if these have not been approved by a conference. The executive of the Union of Post Office Workers defeated moves, at a rules revision con- ference, to commit it firmly to calling ballots the members concerned before signing.

By a narrow card-vote majority it won approval of a rule amend- ment stating simply that it is the duty of the executive to consult the members. Amendments to the special executive report on wages in- dicate little opposition to the leadership's policy of going to the Pay Board. The UPW annual is to debate wages conference this week.

MAY FUND

NOW

£763.46

ONLY 11 DAYS

WE'RE getting to the last lap of our May Fund and we still need £986.54 to complete our monthly target. It still is a tough fight so let's waste time. Go any into action today and help us change this positon. As more and more revelations come out about the Watergate affair, the depth of the crisis facing the ruling class can clearly be seen. But this is just a glimpse of the crisis facing the capitalist class throughout the world. Only Workers Press has warned of the serious nature of this political situation. Our paper therefore, must be used, to reach out to thousands more workers who will be Immediately affected by these major events.

Our Fund. this month is more than vital Without it we can't expand. We urge you all, dear readers, don't sit back. Raise all you can and, where possible, try and collect extra amounts. Rush every donation immediately to: Workers Press May Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG

BRIEFLY - BRIEFLY

RETAIL price index published by the Department of Employ- ment has shown a record rise in April. In one month, prices went up by 1.9 per cent, which is a rate of 23 per cent a year. Wages in 1973 are being kept by the Tory pay laws to an average 7 per cent a year increase. Com- pared with earlier, the a year index has been rising steadily since the alleged prices standstill came in last November when all wage increases were banned for five months. The record prices leap in April was caused, the D of E says, by higher meal charges, rates and other services. Nearly half the 1.9-per-cent rise was caused by VAT, the government claims.

STRIKING technicians decided on Saturday to obey a court order allowing officials of the Univer- sity of East Anglia into the com- puter centre which they have been occupying since Wednesday.

A High Court injunction required the operators and any others in- to allow the university volved and its agents to enter any part of the computing centre. But it did not require the operators- on pay strike for eight weeks- to leave the building.

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

9.38-11+55 Schools. 12.25 Llwybrau'r 12.55 1.00 Pebble Mill wlad. at one. 1.30 Joe. 2.05 Schools. 3.10 Expedition North America. 3.35 Holiday 73. 4.00 Huckleberry Hound. 4.10 Play school.

4.35 Jackanory. 4.50 Blue Peter. 5.15 Champion for the king. 5.40 Hector's house. 5.45 News. Weather.

NATIONWIDE.

6.00

FORM.

6.50

TOP O THE

The Spike. 7.15

Z CARS.

PANORAMA.

8.00 quarter of century of Apartheid in South Africa. 9.00 9.25

LAURIE LEE'S

ROSIE'.

Screenplay Hugh Whitemore. With Rosemary Leach. 11.00

JUMPING FOR THE JELLY

BEANS.

What makes us work hard? 11.25

LATE NIGHT NEWS.

Two 11.30

MAN

IN

HIS

PLACE.

Societies. 11.55 Weather.

ITV

9.30 Schools. War 10.30 World I (London only). 11.00 Schools 12.05 Doing afternoon. board. 4.50 Tomorrow people. Thirty minutes Worth. 5.50 News.

6.00 6.40

DAVID

Peters and Rendall. Lee, Kocky 7.30

CORONATION

STREET.

8.00 BLESS THIS HOUSE. I'm Not Jealous, I'll Kill Him. 8.30

WORLD

IN ACTION.

"The 9.00

PLAY:

By John Elliot. With James Stephen Shep- Caroline Harris, Beavis. pard, Ivan 10.00

NEWS AT TEN.

10.30

WILD

WEST.

The Night Games. ART OF THE CRAFT. Restor- 11.30 ing Antiques. 12.00

WORLD

WAR 1.

12.25 A COMMON MIND.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 5.25 Open University. 7.05

PARENTS AND

• CHILDREN.

Mum I'm Bored. 7.30

NEWS.

Weather. 7.35 INSIDE MEDICINE. Accidents happen

CHAPARRAL.

8.00

HIGH

Sea of Enemies.

8.50 FACE THE MUSIC.

FAMILY

9.25

ROY HUDD

SHOW.

10.10

PHILPOTT FILE.

Sporting The Part 2: The Fisherman. Life. 11.00 11.30

OPEN

DOOR.

Ring Roads.

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 9.30-12.00 London. 1.15 News. 1.30 London. 2.30 Women. 3.00 London. 6.00 News. 6.15 Survival. 6.45 London. 10.33 Stanley Baxter. 11.03 History of motor racing. 11.23 Protectors. 11.50 News, weather.

WESTWARD.

As Channel except: London. 12.37 12.05 Gus Honeybun. 12.40 London. 12.57 News. 1.00 Lon- don. 6.00 Diary. 6.20 Sports. 6.35 Date with Danton. 11.50 Epilogue.

SOUTHERN:

9.30 London. 12.04 12.05 London. News. House Streets of 12.00 Farming. 12.25 Weather. Guide- line. HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.00 At vour service. 2.30 Dateline.

3.00 Lon- don. 6.01 Report West. 6.22 Report Wales. 6.45 London. 10.30 Film: 'Kiss of Evil'. 12.05 Weather.

HTV Cymru/Wales as above except: 2.30-3.00 Hammdden. 6.01-6.22 Y dydd. 8.30-9.00 Yr wythnos.

HTV West above 6.22- as except: 6.45 This is the West this week.

ANGLIA: 9.30 London. 12.04 News.

London. 12.25 Larry the lamb.

12.05 12.40 London. 2.00 At vour service.

2.30 House Darty. 3.00 London.

6.00 Above 6.45 London. Anglia. 10.30 Gardening. 11.00 Film: "Inside De- troit'. 12.30 Epilogue. ATV MIDLANDS: 9.30 London. 2.00 At your service. 2.30 London. 6.00 Today. 6.45 London. 10.30 Romantic versus classic art. 11.00 Man in al 12.00 Christians suitcase. large. Weather. ULSTER: 11.00 London. 1.33 News.

1.40 Schools. 2.40 Romper 3.00 room. 4.23 London. News. ( 4.25 London. 5.20 Emmerdale farm. 5.50 London.

6.00 UTV

6.15 Please don't the daisies. London. 10.30 eat Mondav night. 10.40 Banacek.

YORKSHIRE: 9.30 London. 2.00 At 2.30 London. 6.00 vour service. Calendar. Weather. 6.45 London. 10.30 Emmerdale farm. 11.25 Out- sider. 12.20 Weather.

GRANADA: 9.30

London. 2.00 At service. 2.30 Yoga. 2.55 London.

your 6.00 News. 6.25 This is your right. 6.40 London. 10.30 Film: A Rage to Live'.

SCOTTISH:

9.30 London. 2.00 At your service. 2.30 Dateline. 3.00 Lon- Superman. 4.50 London. money. 11.05 stairs.

GRAMPIAN:

1.38 Schools. 2.40 Cartoon. 2.52 3:50 London. 65.2 News. London. 5.20 Emmerdale farm.

6.05 Strictly Scottish. 6.45 London. 10.30 Romantic 11.00 University. versus classic art. challenge. 10.30 Odd couple. 12.00 Meditation.