Workers Press no. 1079

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

DEFLATION IS

LESSER EVIL

U.S. BANKERS SAY

BY JOHN SPENCER

A POWERFUL section of the Wall Street banking clique has stepped up its demand for a deflation of the US economy. This group of bankers and industrialists wants to put the brakes on the runaway inflation which is undermining rapidly the value of the dollar.

Their demand was carried in a main edi- 'Boom Bust' New York in the torial or Times', one of the newspapers piling the Watergate scandal of President

£100,000 PARTY

top Nixon's head.

BUILDING FUND

The editorial demands a far tougher policy on wages and describes the current Phase Three policy as 'disastrously weak'. It amounts to a A SPLENDID post. Socialist administration immediately cemane Labour League branches set in motion a slump, even though this may and Workers Press readers get out of control. are really going into action.

In sections of the ruling class in New York Our total now and Washington the knives are now well and £24,980.75, almost halfway truly out for Nixon. So much garbage is being to the £50,000 we need by piled outside his door that it seems unlikely that he can remain in office much longer.

May 31. The most blunt and influential attack hac come We are not in the least from the former director of the at Nixon Richard downhearted because we Helms, who has publicly stated that was have only eight days to go.

implicated to the hilt in attempung to cover-up We know when our com- Watergate. rades set out to do some- Helm's shock testimony against the man whom than four years was followed for more he served thing, they will fight and fight again to do it. yesterday Turtner statements Lne senate investigating committee by James McCord, a CIA Socialist Labour League operative convicted of Watergate offences.

branches East sent in: TV, he sing under the limelight nationwide London £31; Slough £10.62; ne sale Intense oressure was brought on nim portray the bugging of the operation are Acton £68; Manchester £54; headquarters last a CIA June as operation. £20; Holloway Willesden of the pressure to involve the CIA was to purpose £32.06; Brixton £10.50; Tot- clear and the Committee to Mouse £21.56; Re-elect the President of blame for the bugging. tenham Basildon £15; Wandsworth £57; Swin- 'By now I was completely convinced the White House was behind the don £3.80; Exeter £6.50;

CHOICA WAN

turning ruthless in my opinion,' he said.

£5; Middleton He also testified that James Schlesinger, the £14.50; £12.50; Defence Secretary and former Southampton £27; Leeds chief, involved in putting pressure on him Was Bradford £10; Bristol £2; White House. the bugging and not the blame the ciA lor £20.50; Portsmouth £16.52; Dagenham £80; Croydon against this background of presidential scandal that the New York Times' said: £2; Western Region Con- ference SLL £50.40; North The flat American economy is now running West Area Conference SLL that could turn

OUT

Inauonary DOOm The latest internment at room that corporate £58.70; Crawley

ATUA

show government corporate £1.10; Paddington YS £3; $11,600m profits jumped by the years

HEST

YS disco Oxford Cowley quarter- -the second biggest increase in history.

£5: Swindon YS £1: I. Flynn, Gross national product has been climbing even Brixton £5. Taster reported earner. une nadon s output was advancing at a 14.6 per cent annual first quarter- the with an inflation rate Post all donations to: rate of 6.6 per cent. Party Building Fund This at home and abroad anxiety deepened 186a, Clapham High Street a ack or concence in une administratons ability to manage the economy.

This has produced London SW4 7UG. slumping stock market and heavy pressure on une donar.

TURN TO BACK PAGE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 1973• No 1079 • 4p

INICIPAL

GENERAL AND

WORKERS' UNION

CAPITALISMS

UGLY FACE

SCONLS AGAIN!

SAVE. OUR

JOBS

WORKERS

from the Hunt- ley Palmer's ana Tactory shareholders Bore parent shareholders of parent company. Associated

DIS

cuits Man paces sat terday, planned 'phase-out of their plant. The closure, to be com- pleted by 1976, will cause 700 jobs

GIVR US JOB

CRUMBS.

Even biscuit capitalism can be ugly factory has ine only one strike years and workers can simply decide to close ¡actory the FULHAM branch of the Amal- gamated Union of Engineering Workers has voted unani- mously to send the following resolution to the Peruvian Embassy: *We demand the immediate imprisoned release of the Peruvian Trotskyists and all other victims of the Velasco repression. We further de- mand an end to the anti- working class repression in Peru.* • Picket details see p. 12

CENERAL AN

THE PEDINE

A.E

SHAREH

CLOSURE

TAKES THE

BISCUIT

The token lobby was organized by the Huntley and Palmer Action Com- mittee, comprising shop stewards and union offi- cials of the four main seen e in 150 unions. rkers are In their leaflet given to company shareholders they say: We le to close will fight to keep biscuit e interests lo maintain our jobs, and production in Reading

workers press THE DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

DEFLATION IS

LESSER EVIL

U.S. BANKERS SAY

BY JOHN SPENCER

A POWERFUL section of the Wall Street banking clique has stepped up its demand for a deflation of the US economy. This group of bankers and industrialists wants to put the brakes on the runaway inflation which is undermining rapidly the value of the dollar.

Their demand was carried in a main edi- 'Boom New York torial or Bust' in the Times', one of the the newspapers piling. Watergate scandal President

£100,000 PARTY

top Nixon's head.

BUILDING FUND

The editorial demands a far tougher policy on wages and describes tue current i nase 1nree policy as 'disastrously weak'. It amounts to a A SPLENDID post. Socialist demand the administration immediately Labour League branches set in motion a slump, even though this may and Workers Press readers get out of control. are really going into action.

In sections of the ruling class in New York Our total now and Washington the knives are now well and £24,980.75, almost half way truly out for Nixon. So much garbage is being to the £50,000 we need by piled outside his door that it seems unlikely May 31. that he can remain in omice much longer The most blunt and influential attack has come We are not in the least from the former director of the Richard downhearted because we Helms, who publicly has stated that WaN have only eight days to go.

attempung to cover-up We know when our com- Watergate. rades set out to do some- Helm's shock testimony against the man whom was followed for more than four years will fight and he served thing, they fight again to do it. vesterony statenents senate investigating committee by James McCord, a CIA operative convicted of Watergate offences.

Socialist Labour League East branches sent in: -Appearing under the limelight nationwide London £31; Slough £10.62; …ne sallel tense oressure was brougnt on him the bugging of the portray Acton £68; Manchester £54; headquarters last

CIA

June as a operation. £20; Holloway Willesden of the pressure to involve the DurbosC was lo £32.06; Brixton £10.50; Tot- clear the White House sof blame for the Committee to £21.56; Re-elect the President bugging. Basildon tenham £15; Wandsworth £57; Swin- By now 1 was completely convinced the White House behind it the £3.80; Exeter £6.50; House was and don VY ulEC Was turning ruthless in my opinion, he said.

£5: Middleton He also testified that James Schlesinger, the £12.50; £14.50; Defence Secretary and former Southampton £27; Leeds chief, involved in butting pressure on him Was £10; Bristol £2; Bradford White blame the bugging and not the the CIA Iot £20.50; Portsmouth £16.52; House. £80; Croydon against this background presidential Dagenham scandal that the New York Times' said: Western £2; Region Con- ference SLL £50.40; North The American flat economy is now running West Area Conference SLL cole cut The labest unless meist dona round coconta.

Crawley £58.70;

ATUA

government corporate £1.10; Paddington YS £3; $11,600m pronts the yeal s YS disco Oxford Cowley quarter- -the second biggest increase in history.

£5; Swindon YS £1; I. Flynn, Gross national product has been climbing even Brixton £5. Taster reported Toe TOTa output was advancing at a 14.6 per first quarter- inflation Post all donations to: of 6.6 per the with an rate cent. Party Building Fund This disorderly boom has bred anxiety at home and abroad— anxiety that deepened been 186a, Clapham High Street *all Ilas connoence The ac ministratons This has produced ability to manage the economy.

London SW4 7UG. slumping stock market and heavy pressure me colar.

TURN TO BACK PAGE

• WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 1973 • No 1079

COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST

GENERAL AND MUNICIPAL

WORKERS' UNION

WORKERS from the Hunt- ley and Palmer's factory in Reading, Berks, lobbied shareholders of the parent company, Associated Bis. cuits Manufacturers, yes- terday, in protest at the planned 'phase-out' of their plant. The closure, to be com- pleted by 1976, will cause 700 jobs to disappear. • No 1079 • 4p

IALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

ASSOCIATED

BISCUITS

GIVE US JOBS

NOT NENINDANCY

CRABS.

factory. has only one and bitte can simply decide to close iactory in the Interests of profit FULHAM branch of the Amal- gamated Union of Engineering Workers has voted unani- mously to send the following resolution to the Peruvian Embassy: 'We demand the immediate imprisoned the release of Peruvian Trotskyists and all other victims of the Velasco repression. We further de- mand an end to the anti- working class repression in Peru.' • Picket details see p. 12

GENTRAL AND MD

WORKERS

WORKERS

THE PEES 1E

A.E TE

THES

BISCUIT

lobby The token was organized by the Huntley and • Palmer Action Com- mittee, comprising shop stewards and union offi- cials of seen the four main unions. In their leaflet given to are shareholders they say: We will fight to keep biscuit interests

Pompidou obsessed with power PAGE 2 Workers Press, Wednesday May 23, 1973

BY OUR OWN

Food prices swell

CORRESPONDENT

water and

JUST ADD

watch them swell ... is. meals that packet Rises cent in the Kingdom) has been permitted to products supplied to the est ball and rollen mical increase the cost 84.05 its standard Com- bearings Now the Prices catering industry be. 1.7 and 8.6 per cent from have. also been announced.

LONI

mission has added some The Price Commission, imple- lightweight newsprint by June l. loss-making extra liquid... menting food manufacturer of Both rises, are to take effect code. has caabury-scnweppes

-ISO

Batchelors' Serve size allowed the Bowater Corpora- Iminerater. go-ahead for price hikes this tion put of Also both Bowater and Reed Vesta up are ameris go up week. $6 for still further ton are applying 0.74p and Serve size by standard newsprint by Increases of 0.75p to 12oz and lightweight newsprint by £7 effect from July will 1.48p. Savoury rice and mixed jar Jam a ton. will vegetables cooking aids effect from June 18. Bowater's British manufac- profits last year be- newsprint Tues- rise in price from been granted turers had already Cadbury-Schweppes' net interest Tore

WCIC

day. before and tax last £16.9m. March 1! of t a ton trom interest price uSe Reed Paper and Board (United dishes and year was £24.8m. Batchelors' ready Poles refuse cod war aid ICELAND tried to lease a gunboat from Poland to strengthen its coastguard in the Cod War with Britain, but the Polish Stalinists refused to provide assistance.

Iceland's premier Olafur Johanesson told of the leasing attempt in an interview with the Danish newspaper Berlinkske Tidende'. He said approaches have also been made to several other countries, without response.

Jerzy Szopa told the Icelandic Polish shipping minister Foreign Minister Einar in Warsaw on Monday that Agustsson Poland opposed all one-sided decisions by any state to extend An Icelandic 'gunboat' and trawler.

its fishing limit beyond the conventional 12 nautical miles.

Posand alsd refered to aceland's Szopa this stand Hardship in Sri Lanka decision expand national 50 milen •I have shelf to malaicated Agustsson our conversations yester-

BY OUR OWN

The government has sent the A MAJOR economic and fin- day,' and the into the

CORRESPONDENT

army police ancial crisis in Sri Lanka The expansion national and couluysice

LIY

Iccuisi" fishing limits, articularly by (Ceylon) is causing great hard- tion stocks 'surplus' grain— foreign rice suppliers de- smaller whicl have the working people of action which ship to SUlC blaleu 1101 laultea on tneir obligations.

peasants. the island. deared it to the same time the price in their waters, was dangerous At the At the same time. in the cities the world's food News emerged economy.

COSIS

rose steeviv. and villages, unemployment con- from the island despite the ing to internal inflation and cre- "The fish die out their natural tinues to grow uninterruptedly- ditions tight problems those death wortd is thes these waters and the censorship on this year could close with more of fixed external debt deprived the posed by the incomes. reclue. out of work interest pay- increaser C101 neeced aroumen. Domestic food production island with a total population of ments on past debt. Szopa said. unable keep pace the about 12 million. loans He added Poland had are eaten up population, the but simply the Meanwhile thousands of youth withdrawn its fishing vessels 1cDayillk Inicicou econony is so aeep ThaT previous 50-mile Caroes Tae reorme s TrON Tne miroecause essential food can no longer be vicious circle which imposes prisons and concentration camps wanted to avoid unnecessary purchased abroad. the the conflict, although had ever-increasing burden following uprising two years enougn ago by the JVP. Mrs Sirimavo. Bandaranaike's Cevlon working class. means to oppose Iceland coalition government-containing Stalinists renegade revision-

(LSSP)

Lebanon: Guerrilla deal attacked 10L0 auuilion 1CI empty resorting demone the crisisi demagogy futile effort

THREE

Palestinian guerrilla leader Yassir Arafat, includes the machine stored their In Mrs Bandaranaike says a revo- guerrillas leaders have openly denounced Cantos. needed: lution populated At the o the tre Palestin in held in To make such a revolution, it is the terms of the secret agree- weapons from the the three memory blood. veat e nerd is not blood but ment that ended the flerce fight- necessar bulenered Israel ing with the Lebanese army One of Al Fatah's top leaders, commandos In Beirut last month, Salah Khalef, memorial two other guerrilla leaders ac- also earlier this month. Ayad, cused Franjieh of doing nothing Last year's harvest was bad. in

AOU

part at deal, was agreed Beirut that the Pales sovereignty least because oi a snort- ine Wolen meeting in protect age of water. The drought between the country's would not hand over the against repeated Israell Incur- Suleiman sions. general throughout Asia and Franjieh Fatah mortars large-callbre PRESIDENT Georges Pompidou of France is Step nearer civil war steadily tightening his own personal power and making his Bonapartist regime ever more dicta-

BY FOREIGN EDITOR JOHN SPENCER

He has made it clear discussion March has been on A csemo v many and be for 'reform' of varied personal cut the presidential term that there will not from seven five years military service not interventions. to what any the These handed and ave use to denacomic tare sallic he contemptuous v terms partisan overtones'. Press the greatly strengthen his out the *regime of parties' powers. These remarks not of are COse Sessen parliamentary demo- Even (1.e. the liberal indication of the the nation is then invited the only cracy). ponder over their Monde' was moved to com. sig- way romocou ment that if this was really nificance the And making the reins of power into his rather ne the of the aim regime, systematic effort $ im own hands. Greeks ancent used Pompidou would be better to dissolve ponder the significance of the remasculated Wats As if to emphasize his the Delphic oracle. parliament altogetner role the footman to In any case its right of to vote down presidential Assembly. Pompidou's 'little president Minister latest amendment has decrees. rIme been greatly phrase' about Pierre Messmer has vir- Involved in the restricied DV une Consulu- tually disappeared from presidential demarocic partisan tional changes made personal dent s pursull or particularly sight for than Gaulle estab- power the mounting measures Dy majority Coe. sinister. cision. month. lished the Republic. crisis facing the It immediately raises the Pompidou's policy contrast, Pompidou's ruling class which more and Was remarks question whether the clearly spelled personal authority is being the parties' more requires a 'strongman' meeting of the Council asserted levels caused Monde' ask to deal with the working National Assem o v to Ministers last week: future to have any power the government machine whether the regime is reall Ciass to discuss and amend what here presidential one uaullist-style personne. Comocous aominista. alll whether it is the return of the of shuffles. betore not becoming tion came dangerously close regime

LIC

rICSUCIL DuLS civil war in March. parties and I shall prevent Every Council of Minis- an monarchy! this meeting since Earlier tersi The vear Dir une oveston Is no mne de menos to de dellel end of the same Gaullist victory the the exhausted by an issue of prepared. At the second National depriving the National whether the The biggest round of not question session his dIl- Assembly should be able nounced that the National Assemblv of this all concerns the regime and Assemov electons

FROM OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

JAPANESE Premier Takuei Tanaka yesterday made a second concession to the opposition in an attempt to end an 1l-day boycott of parliament by four parties over his proposals to reform the electoral system. The premier announced he has disbanded a committee set up to advise on a realignment of the lower house constituencies-a proposal which brought opposi- tion charges of 'gerrymandering'.

Last Wednesday, premier Tan- aka dropped his reform plan in face of criticism by his own Con- servative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) well as the as mainiy left-wing opposition— Socialists, Communists, Komeito Government) (Clean Democratic Socialists. The premier had sought to establish a one-man constituency Takuel Tanaka second concession. system accompanied by propor- tional representation voting for elections to the lower house.

the plan The opposition said was 'a challenge to parliamentary democracy' and jeopardized the existence of smaller parties.

The opposition stiffened its attitude to Tanaka's proposals when the LDP lower house mem- bers last Saturday unilaterally extended the current parliamen- tary session by 64 days to July 24. Observers believe the four opposition parties will not return to parliament for some time since they are awaiting fresh pro- posals by the LDP. the working class, which has demonstrated consider- able militancy in the past months despite two Stalinist leaders' desperate efforts to hold it back. These leaders are col- laborating with the govern- ment in corporatist schemes like their British counter- parts. They have just announced their intention of joining the European parliament, alongside the Communist Party of Italy. They form one of the two pillars of the Pom- pidou regime, the other leg of which rests on the. re- pressive state apparatus.

The President's arrogant bid for untrammelled per- French sonal step civil war in France. Until now the Stalinists have held the ring for the Gaullist regime. But Pompidou is clearly looking forward to the day when he can dispense with their services and establish a full-scale regime of per- sonal power without parties.

JOHNSTONEK

THE PURPOSE of the Mos- cow Trials of the 1930s was to discredit Trotskyism in- ternationally, to declare it counter - revolutionary and disruptive and to justify the campaign of slander and assassination against Trot- skyist groups in France, Spain and other countries.

Its main aim was to prevent the political and theoretical rearming and regrouping of the vanguard of the European and American working class.

In short, to forestall the for- of the Fourth Inter- mation national. This is no forensic argument.

The question posed by the Mos- cow Trials is this: is Trotskyism, 'objectively' in any way, or counter-revolutionary? Is Johnstone prepared to de- fend the right of the Trotskyist movement to exist as a legiti- mate political tendency? If so, what secretary John Gollan's public refusal to support the SLL-Inter- campaign on national Socialist basic rights on the grounds that the SLL is 'disruptive'? Isn't this the same old smear of 'counter- revolutionary Trotskyism' served up in a trendy, post-20th Con- gress garnish? of Stalinism's Is the era 'crimes' • How does John- over? stone characterize the supply of Polish coal to Franco during a Spanish miners' strike, or the relation between the USSR and China on the one hand and the Greek and Spanish regimes on the other? And how does he explain the Soviet recognition of the Cambodian regime? Are we to wait another 17 years for a confession about these? The posthumous rehabilitation of Rajk does not exonerate Johnstone and his Party from the far graver charge that both he and his Party leaders justified the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution and the dissolution Workers' in of the Councils 1956. They gave every possible help to the same leaden fist which strangled the later Czechoslovak CP. Johnstone no doubt wants to put his conscience • exhibi- on tion, but he should be more careful when he does it in the presence of Trotskyists. John- stone dates his disillusionment Stalinist. with frame-ups and murders to 1955 when, like Saul on his way to Damascus, he suffered his first blinding reve- lation. A MASS meeting of BSA- Triumph workers, Meriden, Coventry, yesterday near accepted the shop stewards' recommendation of total opposition to the company's wages and jobs cut plan. The meeting voted unanimously to resist any cuts in wages and any redundancies. An immediate ban on overtime and a policy of non-co-operation with the pre- sent management was agreed.

Transport and General Wor- kers' Ünion convenor Dennis Johnson told the meeting, with reference to previous concessions the stewards had made: The Hungarian Revolution, however, took place in 1956 and Imre Nagy-ex-Prime Minister of Hungary—was foully mur- dered without any trial in 1957.

should have consti- This alone tuted sufficient ground to pub- licly denounce Hungarian the regime of Kadar and the British CP leaders who covered up for it. Yet to this day Johnstone has done neither. The truth is that for 17 years Johnstone has been fighting against the truth behind the frame-up_of Rajk, the assassina- tion of Trotsky, the Hungarian Revolution. He remains a Sta- linist after all these years, fight- theories the ing on same policies and which led to the 'crimes' The posthumous rehabilitation of Rajk and his party from the graver charge th of the Hungarian Revolution Councils in 1956. Until Johnstone demonstrates in practice his desire to break away from the sordid past of Stalinism, we shall be compelled what Comrade Slaugh- to repeat ter wrote on March 14: 'He is posted by the Gollan to • mix •"revisionist clique circles and perfect the technique of separating "dissident" Com- munist Party members from Trotskyism. 'He played this role in relation to the YCL and CP • opposition in the early 1960s. He repeated it at the CP Congress in Novem- ber 1969, at which the leader- ship, deliberately and by prior arrangement with him, kept him executive because the new he was useful to them as a con- trolled focus of opposition.'

Mr Johnstone tries to evade these questions by pointing a finger Comrades distracting Kemp and Slaughter. This will not do. Whereas Johnstone left the Trotskyist movement to slander and distort Trotskyism in the most vulgar and unscrupulous 'We were led up the garden we are not going path once, there again. We are fighting this all the way through. There has been a lot of criticism and disgruntlement in the factory from the night-shift and others about the leadership in the past, but now we are all united, not only on the shop stewards comfoittee, but among The take-over by Manganese Bronze is not yet completed, but the proposals by the present BSA-Triumph board are obviously the full the preparation for take-over. In a statement after the meet- ing to Workers Press Dennis

PART TWO

Comrades Kemp and way, Slaughter fought uncompromis- ingly for their principles and were expelled after the Hammer- smith Conference of the CP. They joined the Trotskyist movement in order to smash Stalinism and carry forward the programme of the October re- volution. Mr Johnstone, on the con- remained on the best trary, possible terms with the Gollan leadership during this period and a prominent became apologist for Stalinism while setting up a phoney opposition in the Young • of Rajk does not exonerate Johnstone charge that they justity the suppression and the dissolution of the Workers' Communist League which he skilfully betrayed to King Street.

Both Kemp and Slaughter fought the Stalinist Communist Party in complete independence from the rightward opposition of the intellectuals around the 'Universities "and 'Left Review' Kemp and Slaughter Unlike these men wanted, in rejecting Lenin Stalin, to reject and Bolshevism! Now, it is to this very same liberal opposition that Johnstone has turned his face ever since 1956. In 'Labour Review' Fourth International, are then 'The Newsletter,' and then I Wor- kers Press, Kemp and Slaughter have fought consistently not only against Stalinism, but also against these middle-class mud- dle-heads, who in various ways have found their way back to peace with Stalinism, so long as they can share opposition Trotsky and Trotskyism. why Johnstone now This is sits with 'New Left Review' as a trustee of the Isaac Deutscher ous Memorial Fund. Johnson said: The information in today's Workers Press is sub- stantially The work correct. force at BSA-Triumph will resist.

We have no interest in meeting the present board, but we will meet the new board. BSA-Triumph workers have taken the first step in resistance to the attacks. But there must be no illusions. While the present management is putting forward these attacks, it is precisely to lay the ground for the Manganese Bronze- government sponsored take-over.

Workers must be prepared for action against this board and the government in the very near future. Workers Press, Wedi Of course, here we are at the crux. Johnstone says his defence of the Stalinist trials till 1956 was due to his 'naïve belief that not conceivable it was that workers' states would engage in judicial murders. such really a question of naïveté?

What Comrades Kemp, Slaughter and others have to face up to was that they had been Stalinists and that they would have to re-examine their whole historical and political, theoretical approach, the on basis of the great experiences thrown up by the struggle of the Soviet and east European worker against Stalinism.

It was necessary to learn and through this learning to build the Trotskyist movement, the only movement which had preserved Bolshevik and defended the tradition against Stalinism.

It was not the 'workers' states' judicial which committed the murders, it was the agents of a new, privileged bureaucracy who an excrescence on the first were workers' state. Their rise to power was made possible by the isolation of the proletarian revolution in a back- ward country, Russia. In these historical conditions the struggle individual of individual against to preserve life against scarcity and poverty made necessary the temporary revival of small-scale capitalism. The isolation of the USSR and 'the economic the cultural and backwardness of economy provided the social foundation for a state and Party bureau- cracy to divide and repress a

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NOW OPEN Monday to Thurs Frdays (late night opening) Saturdays 9 a.m.- ress, Wednesday May 23, 1973 PAGE 3 weakened and temporarily dis- integrating working class. This bureaucracy built itself privi- positions leged and fought against Bolshevism and against in Russia, the proletariat and internationally, to preserve these positions. In this way it reflected workers' state the pres into the sure of imperialism. Its policies and methods then actually assis- ted imperialism in administering historic defeats on the working class, as in Germany and Spain.

Johnstone must above all con- ceal this role of the bureaucracy.

He is still a Stalinist-and this is why he says it is a workers' which commits judicial state murder. In this way the Stalinist into agreement with comes every anti-communist enemy of the Soviet Union. The test of a communist who claims to oppose Stalinism his relationship to this • Stalinist join bureaucracy: either the Fourth International and fight in the life-and-death struggle to resolve the crisis • of leadership; or remain a sophisticated 'critic' of its ugliest features, while its real historical covering up role. That is the difference be- tween Johnstone and those who left the Communist Party for the Socialist Labour League. Comrades Kemp and Slaughter have demonstrated in practice their break with Stalinism. No or explanations are apologies called for here. Mr Johnstone, however, has neither fought nor broken with Stalinism. That is the concrete Marxist truth.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

KS, PERIODICALS AND

PERS FROM THE

ÄCKS CENTRE

to Thursday 9 a.m.—6 p.m. 9 a.m.-7.30 p.m. opening) am -5 p.m

TRANSFORMING THE SOC

INTOA REVOLUTIONARY

PAGE 4

Workers Press, Wednesday M Terry James, actor says: Educating the in Marxist Without a leadership based in the working class, society will be doomed to the necessities of the ruling class.

For them to save this system we face depression, unemploy- ment, poverty, trade war and inevitably a third world war.

The development and calls for the i use of mini-nuclear weapons in America bears wit- ness to the desperation of the capitalist class internationally.

that in They now realize order to stop the working class seizing power and taking away 'their property, they must necessarily destroy the lives of millions of workers, and if possible without harming the means of production. These nuclear weapons are geared exactly to their class interests and demonstrate their venomous hatred for any- one or anything on this planet that will not fall in with their own greedy selfish interests.

The working class is driving them to insanity and they are now bent on a course of total annihilation of mankind. Accordingly, the hatred of class must the working against inflamed roused and this 'typhoid' in our midst. We must fight with the most ruth- less determination to rid the world of the disease of capi- talism. The once progressive role of this system is long since dead.

The programme of the SLL, ATUA and YS is to flush out and unmask the traitors in the labour movement who do deals with the Tories at every turn, who consciously and cynically aid and abet their plans against the working class and to build a leadership that will face and fight for the historical task of revolution. To build a Revolutionary Party to take power on behalf of the working class is the highest expression of Marxism, not just in Britain but the world. Educating the working class in Marxist theory is vital in carrying out this programme and during the two years I have worked with the SLL I know that this is being achieved.

For a longincredible rate time events moved at an whilst attitude seemed to change at a snail's pace and I the dnesday May 23, 1973 Members of Equity, the actors' union within my union and now the right win retreated from the tasks which I knew to be necessary. But having just spent a week work- ing in Merthyr Tydfil, I now see clearly the strength of our movement. I now see that a mass move- ment can be built and for any- one who is conscious to hold back is to hold back the move- ment and aid the class enemy.

At the same time there must be no illusions about the vast- ness of making a revolution; the difficulties are great, but we are witnessing the Stalinists being forced further and fur- ther to the right and proceed- ding to isolate themselves from the working class. at mass meeting and special confe right wing is being pushed back at an ever The trades union and TUC bureaucrats are finding it in- creasingly difficult to hide be- hind the silent majority, be- cause it is now finding a very angry voice. It can be done and it must be done. I am actor and when I first came into contact with the SLL I had just spent about four years struggling to make a liv- ing which was just above the bread line. I had a short run of decent work with good pay. Then I had to reconcile myself to settling back into all the old round of money difficulties for which I had always blamed my cial conference this year. Terry James says, • an ever Increasing rate...

own lack of ability. I was fought consistently on principle and the cynicism that the world could not be changed, which was very much generated by the industry I work in, began to give way to an understanding. I began to see how not just I, but millions of people were held down by the system. When I first recognized the class struggle, I underwent a profound change. I suddenly began to see the world in a truer light and all the anger and frustration which had alway: eaten into me was be channelled into able to es says, 'With others, I took up the fight changing the world instead of destroying me. With others, I took up the fight within my union and now the right wing is being pushed back at an ever-increasing rate in spite of slanders and witch- hunts against the SLL. Our principled fight is gain- ing more and more support and this is reflected in many other trade unions. I have decided to place my talents and skills at the disposal of the Revolutionary Party, not just as an actor in the revolu- tionary movement, but as an actor struggling to be a revolutionary.

CIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

'Leaders hand JV is a car worker at Oxford: The British working class is faced with a situation where its leadership, in a spirit "joyful acquiescence' of handing over to the capitalist class all the workers' basic rights gained in 200 years of struggle. The employers put forward statements that the country is in a situation of economic growth and prosperity and the TUC leadership, personified by Feather attending a Financial Times' conference, denies that Britain has an economic crisis.

This is a situation con- sciously prepared to confuse and disarm the working class.

Backed completely by the the present TUC Stalinists, leadership knows how to serve the capitalist class. There is a crisis of capital facing the capitalist class. Not only are they conscious of this, they prepare to overcome it.

The way forward for the working class is shown clearly on page 4, column 1 of the Draft Resolution on the trans- the Socialist formation of Labour League into the revo- lutionary party: "The gains of all past strug- gles are at stake, and new ways of struggle must be found.' This can only be achieved by • transforming the League into a revolu- tionary party. 'You've got others to Steve Coil (28) is a Dagenham Ford worker and T&GWU shop steward: I want to emphasize that I'm just an ordinary bloke and I feel I've got to break Everything seems to be out. going against me as a worker.

I came into politicis mainly unionism. through trade didn't like the way the unions were being run. I looked at the Tory government and it didn't seem to be doing a lot for the working man, but the . to be going unions . seemed away from the working class as well. The leadership didn't seem part of us any more.

Then there was Ford's. It looked to me as if the men who were representing me just wanted a cushy job. They took your arguments and put them across to management, but if they didn't get anything they gave up. In the end I de- cided to get a shop stewards' job. saying don't People were mix politics with trade union- ism, but you realize that it's politics that decide what trade unions do. Then a new chap started at Ford's and he read Workers Press. Everybody was opposed to what he thought and I asked myself why. I started reading the Workers Press myself and attending a few meetings and it made sense to me. Basically it's just what the ordinary man is thinking. Now when I talk to people at Ford's they basic- ally accept what I say. is about The Workers Press Henry Ford in Britain after talks Heath. Above: Workers at with Fords' Dagenham plant during a mass meeting on this year's pay claim. the world. You've got to understand the world. You can't just judge by yourselves.

Ford is American owned and we're almost as worried about as they are in the dollar America. If the dollar crashed, what's going to happen to all the American-owned firms?

The Labour Party is not interested in socialism, but they are the only alternative to the Tories we've got at the moment. If we could find an- other, we'd put them up in- stead. That's why we need an alternative party. People always talking are about inflation. I didn't under- stand how dangerous it is. If it gets bad you can have the more right-wing parties take they did in Germany over as and Spain. The • wages deal at Ford's caused me a lot of concern.

The union suddenly started calling for official strike, an but they called it after every- thing had died out. If they had wanted a strike they should have called it eight weeks ago. The danger at the moment we've had is that although some really good lads, because they haven't achieved any- we're right thing, getting wingers standing for office who have never been interes- ted in politics in their lives.

If we don't have a party for Workers Press, Wedn the working class to turn to, they are going to get caught up in right-wing nationalist groups. The Labour Party leaders have moved away from the working class. So many of them are big businessmen now and on the boards of direc- tors. They • are not worried about the working class. Look at Vic Feather. One day he says we won't go into the Common Market. The next thing you know he's got a big job. Jones and Scanlon say no to Phase Two and then you read in the Workers Press they're having secret talks with Heath. Press is the only Workers left-wing paper that's for the working man. is The League not a lot of fanatics, it's a of ordinary working group people. The things that are in the documents basically are common sense; things like democracy and freedom - which you shouldn't have to fight for anyway. From what I've read of ess, Wednesday May 23, 1973 PAGE 5 Marxism I think it's the only sort of philosophy the work- ing class can have. One thing that spurred me on to join the League is the great amount of enthusiasm. People know they are doing something and they willing to participate. are • The League puts a lot of emphasis on youth. In all these other they are associations not much interested in the youth--they just tolerate them.

I couldn't say it's one thing or another that has made me interested in politics, It's just the general development. Everything is closing in on you and you ask yourself 'What's happening?' You suddenly realise your wages and your rights are being eroded away. Everything is going from the working class. But you also realize you can't do anything by yourself.

You've got to organize with others to do something. The only thing the Tories under- stand is power. The working class has either got to of take power or go down.

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF MR CHAN

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday May 2 Alex Mitchell looks at the Rise and Fall of the Hang Seng Index. Mr Peter Chan is one of Hong Kong's more spec. tacular financiers. Just over a year ago he kicked off a new stock exchange, the colony's fourth. Stock exchanges in Hong Kong are not so much capital- institutions as giant gathering gambling houses. They flourish the island in the same on fashion as the casinos in near- by Macao. In his biographical profile Mr Chan describes himself as "inventor, public accountant, stockbroker, social worker and a very well known figure on the financial scene'. His major 'invention' to date is undoubtedly the Kowloon Stock Exchange. It came into being in January 1972 by the specific authorization of the Governor-in-Council of the colony. This meant the island had four - the now long- established Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Far East Ex- change, started in 1969, the • Wednesday May 23, 1973 Kam Ngan (1971) and Mr Chan's. Until June last year the exchanges quoted the same stocks with about 400 brokers vying for the business of less than Total companies. turnover averaged $50m (HK) a day. The comfortable, Somerset Maugham atmosphere in finan- cial circles was shattered by a number of factors leading to one of the most astonishing share speculations in the his- tory of capitalism. From 330 points in January 1972, the official Hang Seng Index soared in 12 months to From January 1 to 977.8. March 9 this year the index rocketed to 1,775. In one day of colossal trading the index rose 66.67 points. Total turnover for last year was $41,311m (HK) compared with $14,793m the previous year. The number of brokers rose to more than 1,000. This new army of financial advisers was drawn from such sections taxi of the community as drivers, waiters, restaurateurs and other, even more dubious callings. The share fever reached into every corner of the island's European and Chinese popula- -except, of course, tion- the working class who labour in the textile sweat shops produc- ing the colony's only wealth "for pitiful wages. The atmos- which gripped phere the moneyed classes was much like the phenomena described by Professor J. K. Galbraith in his analysis of the Great Crash of 1929. wrote that, the furious He speculation preceding the crash 'a seminal lunacy which was has always seized people who are seized in turn with the notion that they can become very rich. The Florida boom was the first indication of the mood of the 1920s and the conviction that God intended the American middle class to be rich.' The holy men were them- selves up to their armpits in the Hong Kong boom. Monks from the Polin Monastery at Lantao Island bought shares in the Hong Kong Telephone Com- The chairman of the pany. monastery's finance committee, the Venerable Yuen Wai, said: 'If other people can buy shares, why can't we? Monks have to eat in order to live' They had quite a portfolio.

Apparently the late Venerable Fat Hoi left 1,000 shares to help towards the building of the Tai Hung Precious Temple.

Mr Chan was busy too. He was a director of the newly- floated firm called the Harbour Engineering Company. Queues stretched 50 yards down Chiu Lung Street as people stormed the company's office to fill in share application forms. Office boys and girls did some free- lance land illegal) business selling share forms. 'You want to dig gold?' they cried out.

'Line up? Sometimes the price of black market application forms reached $20 each-and then the buyer had only a 30 to one chance of securing a parcel of shares. The clamour for new issues was fuelled by a verit- able riot of new issues. In August 1972 no less than 20 new companies were listed on the exchanges. Many were of dubious worth. By this time many local entrepreneurs had cottoned on to the fact that they could throw some pro- perty together-sometimes as flats and few ittle as a garage-and call it a property development One company. such new listing had a solitary 16-year-old tramp asset—a steamer. Michael Sandberg, manager of the Hong general Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, said: You could probably float off Brooklyn Bridge.' Mr Chan's most amazing share issue was the Hong Kong Antenna and Engineer- This was ing Company. launch an invention patented by Professor S. C. Loh of the Chinese University called the 'Backfire Loop Antenna'. The shares in this outfit rocketed from $1 to $20 in a few days.

In March this year, after the colonial government moved in to restrain the wilder excesses of his vear-old exchange. O leaving the organization he thanked members for their support and "specifically for their November decision to vote two further terms for the founding committee and an ex gratia payment of $513,000 to himself for his work in getting the exchange off the ground'.

talked Mrs Chan to the Press and made clear that her husband had quit of his own volition. 'I should like to put it this way,' she said employing an old Chinese proverb: has made it to shore from the rapids.' Thousands of others, how- of them small ever, many investors, were The swept to economic ruin. market plummeted hundreds of points wiping out the value of their investments and their life's savings. The breath-taking scale of speculation on the Hong Kong markets didn't happen by acci- dent. It was the outcome of forces at work in the inter- national money markets and the special historical attributes of Hong Kong as a speculator's haven. The first sign that Hong Kong had achieved inter- national status in the money Left: Michael Sandberg-'You could probabl Sir Murray MacLehose. Above left: Hong Kor firms on the Hong Kong exchange through world was early in 1972 with the appearance of Mr Jim Slater. He is head of Slater Walker Securities, the financial conglomerate started some ten by two • whizz-kid years ago financiers, Slater and former Peter insurance salesman, Walker, who is now Heath's Trade and Industry Secretary.

In a rapid series of moves, Slast and then used his tigat Slater set Par, affiliate, Haw pore to acquire a dormant pharmaceu- tical firm, Kwan Loong. He also acquired 10 per cent International, of Hutchison the youngest and most dyn- amic of the 'hongs' (local trad- 'You could probably float off Brooklyn Bridge. Centre: bove left: Hong Kong's commercial centre. Above right: exchange through his affiliates in Singapore.

ing houses). Others followed.

Malcolm Horsman's Ralli International became active through Cathay Securities while Sime Darby mounted a of take-overs. The number latter is an interesting com- pany. Its investment advisers are Rothschilds who helped Sime Darby acquire Clive Dis- count, the London discount The company's main house. money-making is enterprise buying rubber plantations in the Far East and selling them as industrial or tourist real estate. The attraction of the Hong Kong share market is that there al trad- is no capital gains tax and Workers Press, Wednesda yn Bridge. Centre: Philip Haddon-Cave. Right: centre. Above right: Jim Slater who acquired there are virtually no controls on the flow of capital. So hot there for hole up money can a few days in speculative deal- ing and then move on to other pastures without any of the being usual regulations observed. This kind of money began to proliferate in 1972 following the Nixon decision of August ibility!, to eed thilacon the ibility the dollar. The measures were followed by a furious round of currency re- alignments including the de- valuation of sterling. Many big companies began on the Hong Kong punting markets in an attempt to beat rs Press, Wednesday May 23, 1973 PAGE 7 devaluation , and increase the size of their foreign earnings.

This practice was particularly true of companies which live on narrow margins and need continuously to present share- holders an optimistic with vision of possible earnings.

But when the big boys moved in to gee-up the market they also incited the locals to take their savings out from under the mattress and try their luck.

One mighty merchant banker involved in a take-over battle went looking for an important shareholder at the peak of the boom: he found a street stall- holder in singlet and shorts...

with a trunk stuffed with share certificates. The colonial government was forced to step into the fray when, among other things, fake found scrip was changing hands. James Selwyn, a Bank of England wallah, was imported and given the title of Commis- sioner for Securities to or- ganize the regulation of the market. He estimated number 300,000. This, he said, was a 'modest guess' He added: The majority of those who buy shares on the stock exchanges make no at- tempt to assess what risk they are taking or to seek advice from those experts who are in a position to give it. Indeed, they give the impression that they do not want to know about what they are buying. They just want to believe that they are going to make money and they welcome any rumours that please them. The stock fever in Hong Kong is gamb- ling in its blindest form.'

LEGISLATION

On Thursday, January 11, the Fire government acted. brigades went to two of the exchanges in the midst of frantic dealing and proclaimed them dangerously overcrowded.

One wit on a local newspaper said the unexpected visit by the firemen wasn't really to do with fire regulations but with the overheating of the markets.

He was right. At the same time the island's financial secretary called in the chairmen of the four exchanges and asked them to sign a joint statement warning against un- due speculation and the gov- ernor made a speech disclosing the government's plan to intro- duce special legislation to control the markets. One of the most interesting facts to note is that the govern- ment's offensive did not make slightest impression the on speculation. Indeed, it was not until March, some eight weeks later, that share values began to slump. This was after the European speculators pulled out and the banks began to put the squeeze on clients who had been in- vesting on margin. In recent days the market has levelled off. This has not been because of the proposed legislation which relies heavily (and optimistically) on good sense and decency of the the business community. The share boom in Hong Kong was a desperate fling by financial conglomerates who gamble their shareholders' money in an attempt to gather paper a time of falling capital in profitability. It is an expression of the utterly parasitic nature of such business houses. These market fixers share and profiteers do not produce goods or services for the rest of society. They are manipu- lators of capital who rely on the gullibility and greed of others to build up empires of share scrip and paper money.

Their activities recall an ancient and anonymous Per- sian proverb: Although the house has no foundations, Look, the owner's up there papering the ceiling.

TROTSKYISM

AND STALINISM

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday May 23, 1973 Since May-June 1968, the Soviet Stalinists have been haunted jy the spectre of revolution in western Europe and the growti f Trotskyism in the advanced countries in the west. Fearfu of losing their parasitic privileges at home and their control of the labour movement abroad, the Soviet bureaucracy has begun a campaign to once again discredit and distort the 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 published 'Against Trotskyism', a compendium of docu- ments, articles, extracts, speeches and resolutions aimed at dis crediting Trotskyism and distorting completely the truth about Lenin and Trotsky. In this series of the relations between articles MICHAEL BANDA replies to this book.

PART THREE

Russia for a second room in would Gapon, there be no The Institute for Marx- room for a truly 'great', con- ism-Leninism's attempts democratic summated revolu- tion. To become great, to evoke to prove Trotsky wrong 1789-1793, not 1848-1850, and by to surpass those years, it must the articles against the rouse vast masses to active life, to heroic efforts, to theory of permanent 'fundamental historic creative- revolution in written ness'; it. must raise them out frightful 1905 are sufficient evid- of ignorance, un- paralleled oppression, incredible ence of the political backwardness, and abysmal bankruptcy of the Mos- dullness. already revolution is cow leadership. The raising them and will raise Here is the extract from the govern- them completely; Lenin's article, 'Social Demo- facilitating the ment itself is cracy and the Provisional process by its desperate resist- Government, written against ance. But, of course, there can Pairvus (collaborator with be question a mature no Trotsky formulating the political consciousness of a revolu- theory of permanent Social - Democratic conscious- tion): ness of these masses or their for Equally incorrect, the 'native' popular numerous are Parvus's same reason, leaders 'muzhik' or even that 'the revolu- statements leaders. They cannot become tionary provisional government Social-Democrats at once with- in Russia will be a government out first passing a number of democracy, of working-class tests, revolutionary not only that if the Social-Democrats because of their ignorance are at the head of the revolu- (revolution, we repeat, en- of the tionary movement lightens marvellous with Russian proletariat, this govern- speed), but because their class ment will be a Social-Demo- position is not proletarian, be- government', that, the cratic the objective logic of cause Social - Democratic provisional historical development con- government 'will be an integral fronts them the at present Social- government with a time with the tasks, not of a Democratic majority'. This socialist, but of a democratic impossible, unless we speak of revolution. fortuitous, transient episodes, and not of a revolutionary dictatorship that will be at all durable and capable of leaving its mark in This is history. impossible, because only revolutionary dictatorship sup- ported by the vast majority of the people all can be at durable absolutely, of (not course, but relatively). The Russian proletariat, however, is at present minority of the population in Russia. It can become the great, overwhelming majority only if it combines with the mass of semi-proletarians, semi-proprie- tors, i.e., with the mass of the Parvus (left) and Trotsky.

petty-bourgeois and urban In this revolution, the revo- Such a composition rural poor. lutionary proletariat will par- of the social basis of the pos- sible desirable ticipate with the and revolu- utmost aside tionary-democratic dictatorship energy, sweeping the of miserable tail-ism of some and will, affect the course, the composition of the revolution- revolutionary phrases of It will ary government and inevitably others. bring class lead the participation, definiteness and consciousness to or into the dizzying whirlwind of predominance, within it even the events, and march: of most heterogeneous on in- representatives of revolution- trepidly and unswervingly, not fearing, democracy. It would be but fervently desiring, ary extremely harmful to entertain the revolutionary-democratic If dictatorship, fighting for the any illusions on this score. that windbag Trotsky republic and for complete now republican liberties. fighting sirites unfortunately, side ba Parvus) that for substantial economic with re- Father Gapon could forms, in order to create for appear only once, that 'there is no itself a truly large arena, an arena worthy of the 20th cen- room for a second Gapon', he tury, in which to carry on y does so simply because he is If there were no a windbag. the struggle for socialism 1905: The crucible in which the theorie Potemkin, June 14, 1905. Above: Cossac In another article in 1909 which the book reproduces, Lenin criticizes Trotsky's theory and advances the argu- ment, central to Lenin's thesis on the revolutionary democra- dictatorship of the pro- letariat and peasantry, that the peasantry was capable of creat- ing a party independent of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

Both in the First and Second Dumas—in spite of the fact that the counter-revolution had wiped out the first contingents of advanced peasants — the peasantry, now for the first time acting on a nation-wide scale in the all-Russia general immediately elections, laid the foundations of the Trudo- vik group, which was undoubt- edly the embryo of a distinct peasant party. In these embryos and rudi- ments there was much that was unstable, vague and vacil- is beyond doubt. lating: that But if political groups like this could spring up at the begin- ning of the revolution, there cannot be the slightest doubt that a revolution carried to such a 'conclusion', or rather, to such a high stage of develop- ment as a revolutionary dicta- torship, will produce a more definitely constituted and stronger revolutionary peasant To think otherwise party. would be like supposing that some vital organs of an adult retain the size, shape and development of infancy. the theories of Lenin and Trotsky were teste ve: Cossacks sent in to control working class c Here Lenin explicitly states the possibility of the peasantry playing an independent role in the Russian Revolution. His- tory, however, proved other- wise. The failure to realize the in democratic dictatorship conversely, the Russia and, of the proletarian success dictatorship, is irrefutable proof of the correctness of Trotsky's theory and the poli- tical impotency of the peasan- try. Lenin, however, and unlike the editors of this book was no dogmatist. At the April 1917 conference he realized the in- adequacy of his formulation revised his prognosis of and revolution. Lenin never the looked back on his previous and mistaken conception. The proof of this is contained in an article he wrote in May 1919 called the 'Deception of the people by slogans of freedom and equality. The whole of political economy, if anybody has learned anything from it, the whole history of revolution, the whole history of political development throughout the 19th century, teaches us that the peasant follows the worker or the bourgeois ... If you do not know why, I would say to such citizens ... consider the development of any of the great revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries, the political history of any country in the 19th century. It will tell you ere tested out. Mutiny on the cruiser ing class districts of Moscow.

why. The economic structure of capitalist society is such that the ruling forces in it can only be capital or the pro- letariat which overthrows it. There are no other forces in the economic struc- ture of that society. (Lenin 'Collected Works', 4th Russian Edition, Vol. 29, p.

338. Lawrence and Wishart.)

Quoting this passage in 1930, 'The Per- Trotsky wrote manent Revolution': It is not a matter here of modern England or Ger- many. On the basis of the lessons of any one of the great revolutions of the 18th or the 19th centuries, that is, of the bourgeois revolutions in the countries, Lenin backward comes to the conclusion that • only the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie or the dictatorship of the proletariat is possible.

There cannot be a 'democratic', that is, an intermedi- ate dictatorship. ('Permanent Revolution', p.

128. New Park Publications, 1971.) Trotsky's formulation of the relationship between the pro- letariat and the reasantry in the coming revolution proved more accurate than that of Lenin, who advocated until April 1917 the 'democratic diciatorship of the proletariat and peasantry'.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

NOTHING CLOWNISH ABOUT BRECHT'S SATIRE

TV REVIEW BY ANNE BLAKEMAI

PLAY OF THE MONTH: 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle'. By Bertold Brecht. Producer Cedric Messina. Director Bill Hays. BBC 1, May 16. The villagers argue about their grazing lands: into their midst comes the Storyteller. He is known and loved. He begins a tale - they settle down to listen. It is a tale of The Chalk Circle taken from the Chinese, the Storyteller explains, for 'old and new wisdom mixes admirably. In a far off principality, there is war and uprising. The Governor and his wife and household-a mean, depraved set of hypocrites, are forced to abandon the city and flee.

In the rush to preserve her favourite possessions, the Governor's wife forgets her newborn child, Mikhail. Grusha, the peasant girl, the baby and, comes upon although fearing for her life, there is a price on the for child's head, takes him with her on her journey to another land. Her travels are long and arduous; she leaves the child on a doorstep once, only to anguish and claim return in him back in face of the evil Ironshirt soldiers. She travels many miles, crosses the rotten bridge against all warnings, starves and falls ill. At last she reaches her brother's house only to be faced with the same petty greed and indifference from him, cowed as he is, by a mean and malicious wife. Grusha dreams of the love she has pledged to the young soldier Simon, gone to the wars; but her brother, anxious to be rid of her, sells her to a local peasant woman and arranges her marriage to the woman's dying son. But the grotesque funeral celebrations are upset when the war is declared at an end, the son recovers instantly and Grusha finds herself trapped in marriage for the sake of the child which is not hers. So the first half of Brecht's celebrated fable 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle, shown on BBC 1 last Wednesday, systematically sets out to dispel our illusions about society and the human race. This is one of the most popular of his plays and, over the years, has been much

ALL IN THE

LINE OF DUTY

Weights and Measures inspec- tors sometimes have to drink beer-all in the line of duty, of course. But now a row has blown up in Durham because they don't pay for it. The inspectors claim that it is business, not pleasure.

But a statement from Vaux Breweries says that licensees who draw beer for these con- scientious men regard their 'akin to non-payment as robbery' So, when six, yes six, pints of beer were drawn in a

AKEMAN

Sara Kestelman as Grusha In Bertolt Bre abused by various productions treating the play largely as a piece of romantic whimsy and missing Brecht's stringent irony, the harshness of his humour. The BBC production by Bill Hays fell much into the trap skimming the along surface, although things im- as the play went on. proved And the evening , was illumi- nated by rare performances from Sara Kestelman as Grusha and Leo McKern giving us a full-blooded showing as Azdak, to end all judges, the Judge dominates who the second half of the play. Durham City pub for hard- working inspectors and not paid for, the brewery sent a bill for 54p to Durham County Council. Legal proceedings will be instituted, if necessary, to get the money, say Vaux.

CANNY MOVE

Lord Stokes One of the things that bugs investors in fascist foreign Spain is the frightening scale of the bureaucracy. Decisions can take months; the place is laced with red tape. investor re- An American cently commented on the wis- dom of establishing contacts high in the fascist bureaucracy if you wanted things done fast.

He particularly applauded a Bertolt Brecht's "The Caucasian Chalk Circle', s What was also illuminated was the quality of Brecht's history—one-time mem- own ber of the Communist Party, self-styled Marxist intellectual, a virulent anti-Nazi and pro- pagator of a whole cult and a body of theory in Marxist theatre, in which he concen- trated the major portion of his talents. The Berliner Ensemble, even now consoned so be threats exponents of Brecht's work and long time under the direction of Brecht himself and his wife Helene Weigel, still remain a considerable as memorial to his work. canny move by Lord Stokes' British-Leyland empire. When it came to getting a man to head the Spanish subsidiary, British-Leyland chose a lawyer whose father just happens to be the army's chief of staff.

SACKED

organizations re One of the sponsible for building in Lenin- grad failed to meet its targets in 1972 for construction and assembly work. An inquiry has revealed that a couple of the head officials of the building trust had been taking advantage of their posi- tion to build their own dachas villas). They had (country obtained building material at reduced prices through the organizations they controlled.

One of them, Pashkov, has been sacked from his job and expelled from the Communist Party. His case, and tnat of his accomplices, is now being con- sidered by the Leningrad Pro- secutor's Office.

ZHIVAGO AD

A quarter page advertisement for a film showing in what the as 'the most copy describes elegant cinema' appeared in the French Communist Party daily 'L'Humanité' on May 9.

Nothing unusual about that, perhaps, except that the film in Workers Press, Wed , shown on BBC last Wednesday.

The In Chalk Circle', Brecht's philosophies range through a mish-mash of 'left- views from wing' confused liberal notions to flashes of his exceptional grasp of the class struggle, ot contradiction and matter in motion-of the dis- tortions in man's relations to man perpetuated by a capital- ist or fascist society. The second half of the play is concerned with the gigantic, flamboyant character of Azdak: set up as a Judge through a series of misunderstandings— we watch a dazzling display as Azdak manipulates the army, members of the ruling class question David Lean's is 'Doctor Zhivago', based on the novel of Nobel prize-winning Soviet writer Boris Pasternak.

Neither the novel nor • the film have been permitted to appear in the Soviet Union.

Nor Boris Pasternak was allowed to go to collect his ress, Wednesday May 23, 1973 PAGE 9 and doles out justice in his unique fashion, giving reward to the innocent, the weak, the downtrodden, the workers and peasants and punishing • the exploiters. After all, 'the law is a very sensitive organ', ', he sneers. But eras come and go in the play—the delights of 'chaos and disorder', ', the reign of the carpet weavers, comes to a close and Azdak is appalled to find that the ruling class has once more retained its grip on the land. Although he crawls and begs, he narrowly escapes a brutal death at the hands of those who once gave him his power—he lives on by a fluke of circumstance and presides over the famous scene of the chalk circle where he wins back the child Mikhail for Grusha the serving maid, and blasts the vain, cruel Gover- nor's wife and her corrupt lawyers, out of court. Finally he grants a divorce to Grusha and enables her to rejoin Simon the soldier so that all ends well and the Story- teller is able to comment to the townspeople as the tale finishes that piece of doubtful morality: 'What there is shall go to those who are good for it. Bill Hays' production tended to exacerbate the weaknesses of the play and was inclined to much heavy-handed frolic- some enthusiasm among his with together cast, some execrable costuming and head- gear which made nonsense of some of the characters. Brecht's satire, which sav- agely undercuts the military, the landlords, the petty bour- geoisie, may have a clownish style to it, but there is nothing clownish about its intent and content. But although the play itsell hasn't the stature of some of the others-'Mother Courage', 'Arturo Ui' or 'Mahoganny'— yet even the BBC couldn't but shine in the great moments like Azdak's songs—'Is it so'— or his song of triumph-'The People Now Have Granaries, Who And Bill Southgate's music did much to highlight some of the better moments. Whatever the limitations of Brecht's convoluted theorizing and his political confusion, no- thing can obscure the glitter and boldness of his extra- ordinary intellect and the translation of it in some of the finest dramatic work of this century. prize. In fact he was vigorously denounced in the Stalinist Press at the time, doubtless in 'L'Humanité' as well. Perhaps the paper will ex- plain to its readers how it now comes to be accepting a sub- stantial sum of money for advertising the film. Where is Britain Going? Paperback 37$p Problems of the British Revolution Paperback 35p " Lessons of October Paperback 60p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p Marxism and the Trade Unions Pamphlet 25p Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International Pamphlet 10p Postage: 10p per book, 5p per pamphlet.

Order from: NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Wednesday May 23, 1973

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

ITV

9.38 Schools. 12.30 Nai 9.30 10.35 (London 1.00 Pebble mil Yoga jeevan. 12.55 News. only). 11.00 12.00 Cartoon. 1.30 Barnaby. 1.45 Ma 2 10 12.05 Rainbow. Cuddles otch Slice 2.00 here. Co. 12.40 1.00 JUKe 3.00 shall 2.00 Great ZoOs. What tell corner. court. the children? 3.35 Television top of Harriet's back town. 2.30 Good 4.00 Peter 4.10 Play school 55 familiar ensen 3.25 the form. afternoon. 4.50 5.15 4.20 4.50 Boss Hector's ity Challenge! jackanory. University Cabbages and 5.40 code. 5.20 5.50 house. News News.

NATIONWIDE

6.00

TODAY.

6.35 CROSSROADS.

6.00

WORLD?

6.45 IN

TOMORROW'S

7.00 MISS TV TIMES. London final.

7.05

WORLD.

7.30

GORDON

PETERS

SHOW.

7.30

CORONATION STREET.

Generation Gap. 8.00

MOTHER

MAKES

COLDITZ.

AND

8.00

THREE.

Sweet Homes.

FROM®

Home, 8.50

SIX

COLDITZ.

Inter- with Damiaen

BEST

FATHER,

view van 8.30

THE

OF Doorninck who escaped

DEAR FATHER.

An Explosive trom Colditz. Situation. 9.29

NEWS.

Weather. 9.00

SPECIAL

BRANCH.

All the

SPORTSNIGHT.

Featuring John Men. Chris Finnegan 10.00

NEWS AT TEN.

fighting the British, 10.30

UEFA

CP Liverpool. Borussia Munchen- Commonwealth and European gladbach v title. 0.15

MIDWEE

NIGHT THEATRE: "The 11.25

LATE

11.00

MOIRA

PERSON.

Moira Old Days'. Anderson with Russell Hunter. 11.55

GALLERY.

she house H.3S

NIGHT

NEWS.

of Certain Shadows

BRITAIN.

NAIRN (

ACROSS

Wall. Trans-Pennine Canal. 12.50

COMMON MIND.

12.05 Weather A Do you get WORKERS PRESS regularly? If not, why not take 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: £1.56 for 3 months (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.

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Name.. Address. Bill Pertwee and Gordon Peters in a scene from 'The Generation Gap', the fi halt hours called 'The Gordon Peters Show' on BBC 1.

REGIONAL TV . BBC 2

CHANNEL:

9.30-11.55 London. 1.15 11.00-11.25 Play school. 5.25 Open News. 1.30 London. 2.30 Galloping University. News. 6.10 2.55 London. 6.00 7.05

HOMES

AND

THE

HOME.

SOULLE

7.00 hunt. 7.30 6.35 How much is it to the LondOn. ¿casure 8.30 Anna_and the Promised Land? 9.00 Epilogue. king. London. 11.55 7.30 NEWS SUMMARY. Weather. News, weather. 7.35

LOOK,

STRANGER.

Our

WESTWARD.

12.25 Channel except: Mum's Mountain 600• Hammy Hamster. London. 8.00

MAN

ALIVE.

Some of Our Gus Honeybun. 12.40 HoW Children are Missing. 12.57 1.00 6.00 Diary. 11.52 News. 11.55 Epilogue.

SOUTHERN:

9.30 London. 7.00 Anna and the 7.30 London. King. • London. London. 8.30 9.00 Lon- News. 12.05 2.30 11.55 Reflection. 3.00 don. artor ) Day b crossroads.

ATV

MIDLANDS: 9.30

London. 12.00 day. 7.00 lite. 12.05 London. 6.00 12.00 News. 12.10 Weather. LONe DR ondon. .00 le. 7.30 This your Guideline. Kid. 9.00 London. 8.30 Our

LIC.

HARLECH:

9.30 London: 20 London. House- Chuckle- ondon. party•

ULSTER:

11.00 London. 1.33 News. 5.25 Crossroads. London. leads, Scho 1320 2.45 3.00 room. 6.15 Report Wales. ondon. London Cuckoo the 7.00 Pro- 6.00 6.35 London. 12.25 Weather. 7.30 London. 11.55 Cinema. 8.30 and ture king. London. 12.25 and the 9.00 London. You and your golf.

HTV

except: Houseparty. 3.00 2.30 haWL Har. Weather. Calen- You and ITV West as above except: 6.15-6.30 dar. London. 7.30 eport West rectors. your golf. 12.25 Weather.

GRANADA:

London. London. About

NOW AVAILABLE

Contents include: Ceylon: The Centrism of Bala Tampoe By a Ceylon correspondent pril Dictatorship: The Tasks o he Greek Trotskyist A journal of international Marx ism published by the Inter Resolution of the 5th Congress of the Workers national Committee of the Fourth International Spring 1973 International League HACKNEY: Wednesday May 23, Parlour Room; Central p.m. Hall, Mare Street. 'Build the Revolutionary Party'. HEMEL HEMPSTEAD: Wednes. Thursday day May 23, 8 p.m. Adeyfield May 24, 'Belle Vue Hall, Queen's Square, Adeyfield. p.m. High Street 'The 'The fight against Stalinism'.

(upstairs), unions and the Tory trade government.' PAISLEY: Wednesday TONBRIDGE: Thursday May 24, 7.30 The Bakers' Rooms, p.m. 'The Foresters', Quarry p.m. George Place. 'Build Councils of Hill, Tonbridge. Action'.

WYTHENSHAWE

TOTTENHAM: Thursday (Manchester): May 24 Wednesday May 23, p.m. 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms', High Cock ť' Portway. Road, nr White Hart Lane.

0' North', •Stalinism to and the struggle defend democratic rights. 8 p.m. Brent Labour and Trades

WILLESDEN:

Thursday

FULHAM:

Thursday May 24, Hall, Willesden High Road, 'The Swan', Fulham p.m. N.W.10. 'Forward

ATUA

the Broadway. 'Force the

TUC

to Conference'. break off talks with the Tories.

HOLLOWAY:

Thursday May 24,

BERMONDSEY:

Tuesday May 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Seven Sisters 29, 'Havelock Arms' p.m. Road. 'Marxism and the trade Balaclava Street, off Southwark unions' Park Road. 'Stalinism and the Lee Hoter orLan, Pin defend struggle to democratic Hote!', Peel Boar Lane. rights role of Stalinism in the trade unions.'

CAMDEN:

Tuesday May 29, LUTON: Thursday May 24, 8 p.m.

'Prince Albert', Wharfe- p.m. Recreation Bedford dale Road, Kings Cross. 'Be- Centre, Road. 'Force TUC to break trayal at

UCS.

-the the struggle off talks with the Tories'.

against Stalinism'. iap', the fiith In a serles of six comedy mary children run away each 8.50 FILM: Bringing : Up Baby'. Cary Katharine Grant, quiet anthropoloigst who falls in love with a lady with a pet leopard.

10.30 EDITION.

11.00 NEWS EXTRA. Weather.

6.30 University challenge. 7.00 Police 7.30 London. 8.30 surgeon. again. 9.00 London. 12.00 touch. TYNE TEES: 9.25 Back to Bede.

9.30 London. 12.25 Hammy Hamster.

12.40 London. 6.00 Today. 6.35 London. 7.00 Mr and Mrs. 7.30 London. 11.40 Streets San Francisco. 12.35 of Lectern. SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Date- line. 3.00 London. 5.50 London. 6.00 Today. 6.30 Univer- 7.30 London. 12:00 Late Salour lite.

challenge. 7.00 London. 1.38 Schools. London. 5.15 Wildlife theatre. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.05 Thompson at teatime.

6.35 London. 7.00 Hogan's heroes. 7.30 London. 10.30 Journey to the unknown. 11.25 London. 11.55 Medita- tion. Several translations of articles from the German Trotskyist newspaper Der Funke Italy's New Fascists By Stephen Johns

LENIN AND TROTSKY WRITING

ON EUROPE

and six International Committee statements PADDINGTON: Tuesday May 29, 8 p.m. 'Prince of Wales', Harrow Road, cnr Gt Western Road. 'The economic crisis and the trade unions'. TOOTING: Tuesday May 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'.

SOUTHALL: Wednesday May 30, 8 p.m. Southall Library, Osterley Park Road. 'Marxism and the trade unions'

WALTHAMSTOW:

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

FOLLOWING THE WITCH-HUNTS AT RECENT UNION CONFERENCES OUR LABOUR

CORRESPONDENT DAVID MAUDE COMMENTS ON COMMUNIST PARTY

Stalinists and

FOLLOWING THE WIT(

CORRESPONDENT

THE COMMUNIST PARTY

has endorsed right-wing witch-hunting of the Social- ist Labour League and the International Socialists at the Union of Post Office Work- ers' conference. In two issues of the 'Morn- ing Star' it has complained of "a blanket attack' on the CP, SLL and IS by union secretary Tom Jackson: Monday's 'Star' was distressed that Jackson 'lumped members of the CP together with mem- bers of the IS and the SLL as undersirable working groups within the union'. Yesterday the paper carried a denial by Bert Ramelson, CP industrial orga- nizer, of charges made by Jack- against the CP, but in no son way condemned the union chief's attack on the SIL and IS.

As Workers Press reported on Monday, Jackson made his attack in speaking on a proposed rule change, which would have given delegates the right of reply in debates on amendments they had moved to the execu- tive's reports. The change would help those who wished to subvert the union political he for purposes, claimed. He referred to an alleged CP faction meeting on conference and claimed falsely that SLL and IS delegates 'working together' in the were conference and the union.

Workers Press also reported that Stalinist delegates did not speak in the debate. Only one delegate at the con- ference, who declared himself an SLL member, rose to detena the right of trade unionists to hold and fight for political views, before being ruled bureaucra- tically out of order by the chair.

All Trades Unions Alliance Meeting Special dockers' meeting to discuss What next after the accept- ance of casualization?

LIVERPOOL

Wednesday, May 23, 7.30 p.m. Workers Press office, 14 Col quitt Street (off Bold Street), Liverpool I.

ALL TRADES UNIONS

ALLIANCE

Public Meeting

GLASGOW

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) 01-720 2000

E WITCH-HUNTS AT RECENT

)ENT DAVID MAUDE CON

REACTIO

UPW secretary Tom Jackson ... attack The 'Star' failed to report this principled stance. But as this delegate pointed out, Jackson's attack in runs line with a number of witch- hunting moves inside the unions.

At the conference of the union APEX, the IS clerical actually proscribed was group after a campaign by the leader- ship. William McCall, general secretary of the Institution of Servants, Professional Civil opened up a witch-hunt against left-wing 'extreme elements'.

Despite this disturbing back- ground Jackson's attack, to Ramelson's statement fails even to defend delegates' right to hold and campaign for political Views inside the trade union movement. He simply denied that the faction meeting, Jackson had alleged the CP organized, had taken place. He said of the UPW leader- ship: 'It is a measure of their inability to allay the postman's GUSTY SPENCE, leader of the extremist Loyalist Ulster Volun- teer Force, has confirmed that he and three other detained Loyalists may contest four Belfast seats in the new Northern Ireland Assembly. Spence was sentenced to life TILBURY, Essex, dockers have placed a ban on four cases of cargo bound for Nigeria's Fede- ral Police. cases contain 500 leg irons, sets of gang chains and 500 pairs of handcuffs-all form- ing part of the Tory govern- ment's export drive! Hughes, the metro- George politan terminal steward, told a 'Of local newspaper: course, we've got nothing against the handcuffs. But we don't think the leg irons and especially gang chains are the kind of things that we should be sending out of THE FORMER Solicitor-General bu for Scotland was fined f50 yes- terday at Ayr Sheriff Court for offences involving two school- girls. Anderson, OC, David a pleaded not quilty to a charge of breach of the peace. He was a Tory MP during the early 1960s and became Solicitor-General for Scotland.

Last October he was appoin- ted to a top legal post in Edin-

CENT UNION CONFERENCE

COMMENTS ON COMMU

ACTIONS

•.altacked CP, SLL and IS.

fear of bargaining away thou- sands of jobs for a few pence, that they resort to the discre- dited McCarthyite techniques of discovering communist plots'. (It is worth noting that Ramelson fails to mention the role of CP members on the UPW executive in helping Jackson carry out 'Star's' this policy and the silence about it.) Leading CP members at the UPW conference have consistently refused to participate in a joint effort to make Jackson withdraw his remarks. In fact they at- tacked delegates who wanted publicly to defend the right of trade unionists to campaign politically. And Stalinist delegates were prevented from themselves holding a full discussion on the issue when a faction meeting at the weekend was called off.

By refusing unequivocally to condemn Jackson, and defend the rights of all left tendencies, the Stalinists open up great dangers imprisonment in 1966 for his part in a murder. The three who may stand with him are Ken Gibson, George Orr and William Davidson. They would be sponsored by funds from Loyalist organizations in Canada. this country. 'We have asked our men to black these four cases until we can get in touch with some organization-whether it be civil rights whatever-who will or lodge a protest about this.

'We think there should be an this-an interna- outcry about tional outcry? A Port of London Authority "There spokesman commented: are certain things laid down— such pornography—-which as not be exported. But leg may irons and gang chains do not fall into this category.'

burgh-he was given a new £8,250-a-year post of Chief Re- Scottish Public porter Inquiries. During the hearing one of the 14-year-old school- girls said that Anderson invited her and a friend to a quiet place for 'judo exercises'. The charge against Anderson is that he offered them fl each for walking on him, jumping on him and kicking him. ...Anderson: told, the court, he Workers Press, Wednes

ENCES OUR LABOUR

OMMUNIST PARTY

within the trade union movement and prepare a rod for their own backs. Moreover, attitude of the Ramelson and the 'Star' on this issue is entirely in line with general secretary John Gollan's rejection of proposals from the SLL and IS for a cam- paign in defence of democratic rights against attack from the capitalist state. In all the discredited and bureaucratic traditions of Stalin- ism, Gollan, Ramelson and the 'Star' take their stance with the right wing and their ruling-class masters. Jackson's remarks are the negation of free trade unionism.

This man, who accepted Phase Two of the Tory pay laws with- the slightest consultation out with his members, is an ardent of supporter even more an "flexible attitude towards the Tories than an already prostrate TUC General Council is at pre- sent pursuing. He holds the Communist Party in contempt, claiming, cor- rectly as it happens, that with an occasional pat on the head the Stalinists will always do his bidding. Unembarrassed by any of this, the CP feels injured by his attack only because they have supported him so faithfully. CP members Maurice Styles and Richard Lawlor sat silent on the UPW executive while Jackson accepted Phase Two. Now they sit silent while he assaults trade unionists' most basic rights. 'Star', The meanwhile, has made its position clear. The implication of its reporting this issue is that the paper would support a witch-hunt of the SLL and IS-as long as the CP itself was left out of it.

TRI-ANG

has Pedigree Ltd of the announced . the closure Cefn Coed Merthyr factory, Tydfil. Some 175 office staff and indirect workers will be made redundant. Peoductio centred be ratione alized and centred Cyfarthfa works. The manage- ment states that 196 vacancies for direct workers will arise at the Cyfarthfa works and all those made redundant who wish to apply for jobs as direct workers will be considered. In addition the management is seeking a long-term wages and productivity agreement to settled by June 1. It is rumoured that if these terms are not accepted, the management in- tends to close both works.

could have been framed in an attempt to embarrass the Heath government. *I have actual official warning against this type of thing taking place against men in public life and I have a letter from the Prime Minister to men in public life warning them of this serious possibility Anderson said he was he happily, married, man.!!!

s, Wednesday May 23, 1973.

PAGE 19

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.

SOCIALIST

LABOUR LEAGUE

PUBLIC MEETING

Salford The Angel, Chapel Street Wednesday May 23, 8 p.m. 'What is the Socialist Labour League? Wednesday May 30, 8 p.m. 'The Revolutionary Party and the Working Class'. 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 (SLi Central Committee) All Trades Unions Alliance meetings

TEACHERS' MEETING

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

Conway Small Hall. omission 100)

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 Published by Office. Workers 7UG. Printed Plough Newsdesk: 01-720 2000. 01-622 7029.

WAGE-CUTTING BEGINS TO BITE

DEALWITHTORIES EAT

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Wednesday A AVERAGE earnings in Britain fell during March for the first time in over two years. This means that there was less money in people's pockets at a time when price rises were LEADERS OF BRITAIN'S t Workers, spoke up yesterday Tories involving TUC curbs o While voicing mild fears that the Treasury's deflation- ary new public-spending cuts might represent 'a return to Tory stop-go policies', they made clear they felt unions would have to accept TUC restraints under such a deal.

Clearest expression of this position from Derek came Gladwyn, G&MWU southern officer and a council regional member of the corporatist Indus- trial Society. Gladwyn presaged his remarks with a demagogic statement that the Tories 'had to listen to the

TUC.

But he quickly adopted a more conciliatory tone. "This is not a dark threat,' he It is a fact. said. want something • more definite much than lightning visits to Chequers or No 10.' He urged the TUC to draw up a policy framework. on the level of incomes, saying that unions would have to accept TUC intervention in bargaining.

"The TUC should lay down guidelines on equal pay, low pay, a national minimum wage and threshold agreements and unions would be expected to conform to those guidelines. 'Such a policy would give the TUC tremendous power over the of affiliated bargaining power unions' Gladwyn claimed this would mean the TUC supporting those unions who were in dispute with employers because they were a claim in line with pursuing TUC policy. He did not attempt to explain why this did not happen, for in instance the case G&MWU-led gasmen, despite the March undertaking of the to mount "co- special Congress ordinated action' in support of unions in conflict with the pay laws. David Basnett, G&MWU general secretary, called on the Tories extend zero-rating under Value-Added Tax or even declare negative taxing of a wide range of goods. Basnett said the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement that there were to be cuts of £600m in public spending had brought to trade fear union hearts that there might be a return to a period of Tory stop- go policy. A resolution seeking to urge the TUC to stop discussions with the government was rejected.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Labour League in dnesday May 23, 1973 from 16.6 in November to 12.4 working their way up to the in March. recorded in record increases But the latest figures show, April. for the first time since Tory attack on wages began, The increase in earnings as absolute decline in total over the a percentage same an between one month month a year earlier has been earnings dropping for some time, down and the next. IN'S third largest union, the General and Municipal sterday in support of a corporatist-style deal with the curbs on wage claims.

PLEASE

DO NAT CROSS

PiCKE carried, would

FURTHER

recruitment of were the union have to negotiate the redundancy part-time labour in sorting of 11,500 part-time workers al- offices was banned yesterday Post employed by the ready the Union of Post Office by Office. Workers' conference, against delegates rejected Earlier, an from fierce opposition the to withdraw executive request union executive. amendment demanding an Delegates overwhelmingly car- of special services to so-called VIPs. The ried two branch amendments to firms and amendment the report of general secretary was carried over- Tom Jackson. whelmingly. Eddie Lee, from London, said They did so after warnings a special collection service used particularly that, where parcels traffic City being concentrated by about 400 irms in the central sorting offices, them f4 a year each when at redun- cost about £45. full-time staff the true dancies amongst In one area of London, could be created by the use of where wigs' lawyers and "big more part-timers. a lot of executive, Communist lived. there were. instances of For the Party Styles officials delivering member Maurice management mail themselves. argued that if the amendments

FROM PAGE ONE

The administration has continued to follow too stimulative a fiscal policy too long. Mr Nixon had hoped to get by without a tax increase and shop social expenditures to the chose instead to bone-while continuing to increase defence outlays.

The time has come for him to face up to the necessity of putting more fiscal restraint upon an has boomed faster than expected.

economy that There is to be sure some risk that more fiscal restraint now could deepen a recession that may be already in the works. But there is greater danger that the boom allowed to run on until it is too late- will be nd give way, not to a mini-recession, lisastrous collaps but to a ue into the The Textile Hall. Thursday, May 247.30 pm This means that not only are average wages improving more slowly than prices are rising, which results in an effective wage-cut, but that there is now an absolute cut in the total amount being earned. A MAN who gave a two-finger salute as two High Court judges passed him in their official car was brought before Teesside Crown Court yesterday for show- ing contempt. Mr Justice Lawson told Wil- ham bangs 51), an electrician, of Coxwold Road, Stockton, that he could put him in prison.

Bangs told the judge that it was all a mistake. 'I thought it was the mayor's car and I have for the mayor of no respect Teesside. I humbly apologise to you. There was no intention disrespect to your lordships,' he said. He was freed. PANEL-SHOP workers at a south London garage, just returned recently strike for union recognition, GB have been told they are to lose their jobs at the end of June. the British- Lankesters, Leyland main dealer in Kingston upon Thames, say because of their commit- ments to Leyland, they need to expand their work on car sales. So the panel shop is to be A DEMONSTRATION will be staged outside the Peruvian Embassy today in protest against the and tor- imprisonment ture of leading members of the Liga Comunista, Peruvian section of the International Committee of the Fourth Inter- national. The Peruvian military junta, backed by the Communist Party, has outlawed the Liga Comunista and seized its Press. Members of other left-wing in Peru have organizations also been subjected to perse- cution and the most brutal repression. Today's picket outside the a.m. until embassy-from 9 5 p.m.-has been called by picket line to protest against the right-wing militarists and their agents should come to Peruvian Embassy 52 Sloane Street London, SW1.

MAY FUND

STANDS AT

LONG WAY YET

WE ARE still a very long way from reaching our £1,750 target and we are now very concerned.

Our campaign to raise the May Fund is grinding slowly to a halt.

But It can and must be changed.

We know you, our readers, have never let us down, and we are confident that you will help us with an enormous effort to rapidly change this now position. Press is vital today Workers for preparing workers every- deflationary where for the measures ahead. As the Torles cut back on public expenditure, thousands in nationalized In- dustries must be hit. But this is only a beginning. Use our paper, therefore, to never before fight back as against the Heath government.

Don't let our Fund slip behind.

turn out amounts, Raise extra supporters coming to new around our paper. Post all dona- tions immediately to: Workers Press May Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London, SW4 7UG knocked down to make room for car-cleaning. A meeting is being arranged between the man- agement and the district organizer of the Amal- gamated Union of Engineer- But shop ing Workers. stewards have already said they will not accept the redundancies. Among the seven workers to be made redundant are the convenor and other union activists.

BRIEFLY - BRIEFLY

LEADERS of the rail locomen's union, ASLEF, told the British by Railways Board telephone yesterday that they were lifting their 11-month-old ban on the new 125 m.p.h. advanced passen- ger train after a 'reluctant' con- ference decision at York.

But union chief Ray Buckton warned that the union would ban all runs by the train if there was any more delay on talks over a new pay structure.

COMMISSION

Industrial on Relations recommended yesterday actors' union, that Equity, the should be granted an approved closed shop in the theatre, films and commercial television. The National Industrial Relations Court will now give up to three months' make an order endorsing recommendation, during

CIR

which time workers affected can apply for a ballot. Equity's joint application with closed the employers for the shop, under the Industrial Re- lations Act, led, along with its Act, to registration under the its suspension from the TUC.

-TOMORROW NIGHT-

Young Socialists and Socialist Labour League presents

GRAND DANCE

AND CABARET

Lisa Martin plus supporting group Heywood Civic Hall

HEYWOOD,

MANCHESTER

Thursday May 24 B p.m. to 12 midnight Music Force Band-Iron Maiden-Spider Mike King Plus support system Admission 50p.