Dangers of provocation

DRAMATIC headlines in the press have told recently of a 'Black Power' bid to seize control of Britain's municipalities. Speculation as to the nature of this takeover has centred on a Manchester group which tried, unsuccessfully, to field more than 90 candidates in one city ward.

But what kind of people are behind this group which operates under two names— the Committee for Action for the Relief of Need (CARN) and the British Community Welfare Association?

They claim to have the interests of the immigrant community at heart. But couldn't they be used by right-wing elements to whip up a white backlash to split the working class on racialist lines?

Infiltration

Before we delve into the northern events, let us reflect on the rich history of rightwing infiltration and provocation by British intelligence and their allies on the right.

Perhaps the most celebrated episode was the case of the Linoviev letter, where certain high Tories, with the help of Foreign Office officials and a professional forger, produced a false document purporting to be from the secretary of the Communist International to STALINISM IN BRITAIN amall dentron ark Publication vlapnam nign si.. sW The capitalist press began an enormous 'Red scare' campaign er the "Zinoviev letter' hich was Instrumental in the defeat of the 1924 Labour government at the polls. the infant British The phoney • letter, which called for revolution in Britain, was instrumental in the defeat of the 1924 Labour government at the polls.

This defeat was actively encouraged by the willing participation of the capitalist press in the enormous 'Red scare' campaign built up around the forgery.

Of course, efforts by the right and the police to weaken and confuse the work of those who struggle to end the capitalist system are not accidental.

They reach their most frantic and calculated in prerevolutionary periods when JUISITIOUIT NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS OUR REDE.

PEITMA DIM LINED DESTERDA MAXIN ALID 1111 EN AITI 4100- трі то кам.

22 suit. there are the objective conditions for the working class to break from their reformist leadership and dispense with bourgeois ideology.

It is hardly surprising therefore that in Britain at the present time there is a rash of attempted subversion from the right.

Consider, for example the ubiquitous activities of the mysterious 'Militant 1 Workers' group who issue, apparently from nowhere, leaflets and posters calling for strike action and revolution in Britain, couched in the language of Victorian melodrama, garnished with public school homilies—-'let's get the bloody swine off our backs', etc.

Their addresses to people contain no indication of how or where this group of fighters can be contacted and, according to the press, the Special Branch are 'investigating' — their probe so far being apparently without success.

The genuine left and all trade unionists treat these publicists with extreme scepticism.

Another development — exposed in Workers Press and other left-wing publications — is the attempt of the Special Branch itself to infiltrate demonstrations, presumably to glean what information they can about future activities and names and addresses, etc.

Bomb scares

Then there have been the attempts by the Tory press to link the recent bomb scares in London cinemas with the Irish Republican Army or other similar organizations, despite the fact that Scotland Yard was forced to admit they have no reason to suspect that the IRA is responsible.

(In N Ireland a number of explosions, blamed on the Republicans, turned out to be the work of Protestant extremists.)

When the newspapers turned their attention from the intone 4s - CIVIL WAR PLOT BY SOCIALISTS' MASTERS. WRKK FOM HINA İNHE-TAI.

I0 1%: 'HAr MAILE (NY mAr.

stees so0estilhos Pa1th1"201 .... T. CHAINENHIHY MATTEN nonsslinya TH WAIS.R Irish to the 'Black Power' issue, a letter conveniently turned up, allegedly from POQO (a guerrilla movement in S Africa) threatening to kill a policeman.

Again the language was somewhat curious, with frequent allusions to 'you white cats'.

The Special Branch are reported to take this seriously and are investigating.

During the Second World War both British and German intelligence utilized the method known as 'black propaganda'. This involved the creation of radio stations issuing leaflets and newspapers supposedly coming from the enemy - all kinds of rumours and fake news bulletins were broadcast in a bid to spread confusion.

Warfare

There was one really authentic-sounding 'German army broadcasting station' staffed by British psychological warfare experts—a number of whom have exercised their skills in Fleet St.

This type of technique is the sort of thing that appeals to the mentalities of many of the extreme right.

Before I describe my investigations in CARN, let me say that I make no allegations that the organization is working in the traditions of the earlier groups.

There may be quite genuine people in this group who do not realize there are certain peculiar features which should be explained by this organization if it stands for what it claims to stand for.

I first heard of the group when I met its organizer, Mr Tony King, collecting for the British Community Welfare Association (BCWA) in a Manchester public house. BCWA appears to be the same organization as CARN; at least it has many of the. same personnel.

King carried a collecting box and yet had no literature to explain the aims of the Association.

He informed me that the Association wanted to help needy old people and that it was a militant group.

I visited Mr King at his home in Moss-Side, Manchester's immigrant quarter, and found there a tall West Indian, Mr Trevor Beach, a co-organizer of CARN and the BCWA. • There were some Black Panther posters on the walls and some collecting tins around the flat, but again, no Activities, as far as I could discern, consisted mainly of raising funds.

But Mr Beach told me that they were also encouraging Moss-Side people to stand for their rights, and that the BCWA had contacts with the Black Panthers in America and that they aimed to run candidates in the local elections.

In May this year the two organizers made CARN a little better known by fielding . 19 candidates in the municipal One candidate was Mr Anthony William John King, who stood in St Marks ward and gained 20 votes. Agent for Mr King and other candidates was Mr Enos Trevor Beach.

Though they won few votes and had apparently engaged in little canvassing, CARN had contested an impressive number of seats.

An article in 'The Guardian' of June 24 by Simon Hoggart and Alec Greenheugh headed 'Curious behaviour of new group in politics' revealed that CARN wanted to build a movement among black people in Manchester, but that it was going about it in a strange way.

Not only did it carry out no canvassing, but its candidates seemed to be completely in the dark as to what the movement was all about.

A Mr Binkell Campbell, a 37-year-old West Indian, candidate for Crumpsall, never visited the ward during the election and had no intention of representing it. He told 'The Guardian' how he came to be on the ballot papers:

I was at the petrol filling station filling my car when Tony King came up to me. I have seen him around, but I don't know him too well. He said he was standing in the elections and asked me to sign a form.

'He said I would be a candidate, but that there was no chance of my winning and any votes I got would be transferred to him.

I didn't understand what it was all about at the time, but it sounded like a favour I could do him so I signed the paper.

I forgot all about it until forms began arriving from the Town Hall about me being a candidate. I realized then how serious it was and wrote back saying I wanted nothing to do with it. They told me it was too late to withdraw.

I did nothing during the election campaign. I didn't seek any votes and I have heard nothing from CARN.' The reporters found it difficult to trace other candidates. Some had moved and those who had proposed candidates were completely in the dark.

A Moss-Side woman said she remembered signing a form for Beach under the impression it was a petition for a children's nursery.

An even more peculiar factor attached to CARN's activities. As 'The Guardian' article remarked:

'Even more puzzling to the people was the couple's open associations with Manchester supporters of the British Union Movement' It went *Both men equally refused to entertain any thoughts that they might be manipulated by fascist elements Manchester. Mr King said: "Of course, I know many fascists in this city; you can learn a lot from them. They are great fixers. I have used them, but they have not used me"?

Candidates

The next episode in the CARN saga came this month when Messrs King and Beach declared that the 'Black Power movement' would offer more than 100 candidates in a ward by-election next month.

So far 98 nominations have been handed in - 95 from CARN and the others in the name of the National Freedom Movement!

TV tant black organization struggling with the moderate West Indian Co-ordinating Committee.

Suspicious

This brings the story up to date, but no doubt more will be heard of its participants' future-and past-activities.

Such groups as CARN and BCWA are bound to appear at the present time in Britain when • there is a growth of radicalism and militancy.

Where 'instant militancy' replaces theory, they can survive and thrive for a time.

It is with the development ot the revolutionary party 'that they will be understood by both black and white workers. It is this understanding that Will bring about the downfall of such groups.

The death agony of capitalism -tasks of the 4th International

behind THE NEWS Cause effect September 'ECOLOGICAL DISASTER' and 'biological backlash' are terms that are becoming all too tamillar. being tened insane increasing flood which deal an ever Will this that and otten unplanned catastrophic interference WITH environment waich reTuses to be parce ed up into neat, separate compartments. piece to the mOSL interesting helement for some a boa voraoI Thorns which appeared in the voser ver magazine of septen Comprised an bing chear of thornknown as the 'crown (norns logically Acantnaster plancı) whim 1l the coral in the threatening acific Ocea Eaten that abresea qtarter reported 1,000-mile-long Great Barrier upsurge cause Richard Cr, Guam University quite sure and THREE