Workers Press no. 268

Tories prepare to smash workers press

NUMBER 268 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1970

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY •

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

What Behind the public health 'emergency' we think Legal noose ready for councilmen's strike unions UNC One coporate state nder Still a big

BY CLIP- SLAUGHICH

Tories dere acs and THIRTY THOUSAND more local council work- trade ers yesterday joined in the wages strike which and brutspel began last week. working the Combination On the grounds that emergency a national Mussolini in the field of public health has arisen, the 1) A new national industrial ra u ustal te avan cour ruling class and all its relations television and ul cos mouthpieces are how- for the ing use of the sesponsibly ot co my troops to the sutase res por collee tene strike. (This means Tory government cars castle in proposed rey trap a to rity alerted to de avalladie 3) Collective agreementesto tbe necessaryssible unless the et sir warn 4) Secret ballots in disputes Lat th r nele stopt che dictional disputes 6) days betore sirike actin. 60 sene ah oo ») A trade unions nons wic West Ham depot delegate Harry Wils London cuncimell.

all-out strike at yesterday s meclig ol t rulen py with sovern Statutory Iways faithful to the plan Stalinists 'appreciated' Ambulance Industrial is sonsan hume inonalre 1, headed by Wood cry. Picss men join said The by "The Times' wally Express yesterday: wihoup elayd o malled it These Prop Sos or an ond o tl strike proposals fo PERHAPS the Stalinists of stitl ts highly striking council employees.

the British Communist Party is caretull strika braaking, alestion would like to explain the "оreiю instant health of the nepae political meaning aerorig edited opposite and it must be met. attention paid lo tem Dy tere hand 24-hc yesterday's issue ot"lhe very nane to lose. Times'. On its edit its tull backing rapid! nis bens paniked labo t decisi a anlayershos All Throu ehoue the Mitind threaten lesders to api e. troops, orkers visionist and middle-clas welcomes a the ict of Salis . natona inte, st ask the sta inists Council ford homoni pres, ei Clear pays up ef the employers Ashton-in-Makerfield UDC Roow long an Ese tp hat thy ewage or no emands th back to work as permis association, ama tilte o asmas an October 1. Ceasefire mis-used by pen wh the t hIS, Jordanians

FIGHTING

hat is necessary once again in North 'Now vincial capital of trbid, Jordan around the

GUERRILLAS CLAIM

strongnold ine guerrillas Government troops lguet determined ing eran itt hy Al in the naton ary acio by the masc. revey con Tre of ver aet hunted down, and destrayed This is precisely what he taret ni che sikma on ief of the guerrill ho want Perciorgent ato huel d ees • Popular Front for tl alesti A vay mena stik tat aser s eladader, nok svstematically 1920 Ceneral emergency tane Öcebi union lams supplies". iblipo ra sike d others returned and the salinist Yesteraay s Daly delegrapl the deter le pete bourgeois

• PAGE FOUR COL. 6

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The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League PRICE 6d.

Y, OCTOBER 6, 1970

NIXON TOUR ENDS

Four untried Opposition

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

members A MAJOR foreign-policy announcement is expected from Washington President released atter Nixon has discussed the results of his European

BY A

tour with advisers.

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

He arrives in the United states today aller two udys Bus in the Irish Republic. vith his chic union brought to trial.thout Paris Vietna Soviet naval forces in the retreat boosts MARSHAL KY, vice-presiden translator Vladimir Tel arrived in London yesterda nikov.

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

Kapill ain he delay okra are guarding ky MOST AREAS of Britain one a scene a cit one release CORPORATION busmen in were hit by the council struCk workers' dispute yesterday s Winamese ambaser. morning woen unree con Among signatories l as the tour unions involved ductors were victimizea tor deminan Sakharen serenes! sanctions intro called out over 40,000 of release, among calls for the unions to their members on official i ne back up their • £4 3s basic

PRESSURE

strike. Arter he topen of the in areci worke Transpo Canen tata atones. ay board sandit today attenutside mase conside checutithe industry's Council's • also mentons cue dail of Anatoli spokesman

GLO

Workers Pres of troops had beer

BOLIVIA

used to tare alects ear he city's sewag pumping stations operating.

NATIONAL

To neto as the encertak Leaders outlined plans to e Raw sewage TWO DAYS after right-wing army officers the had raised the tag of revolt against olivian government of Presider Alfredo vando Candia, they yesterday called a truc This followed a meet- mobile and Tortire trac ing with Ovando himself,

:ORRESPONDEN

arranged by the papal Corporation the US-owned Bolivian Gulf nuncio. Everything now eems to point to a dea But his Swing has me n which Ovando make Do wan Swanse concessions to turtlet the right. esters in Bolivia had can Workers' Six killed their esten to defeat the nigh were killed in demonstra i emeral rebel tions against Ovando's deci to a head dratatis Conciliated Wars and See and al and lacko orating more to in them to Cobet Minitor. Marcell tock Droyls- reshuties in the las say Swindon engineers strike spread during den. Holyakes, Leigh, Atherton nationalization ast May chiely reop

• PAGE FOUR COL. 5

c he sen passed deplorin TUC meets on Carr plan also carrie Detschke to leave Protectly serior to be comiced ya peei met ing of the Trades Union's Congress's the his studies at a mo pate urposes Coat hit Think and Late New committee university.

Tories prepare to smash workers press

268 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1970

NUMBER

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY What Behind the public health 'emergency?

we think Legal noose ready for councilmen's strike unions UNCONDITIONAL surrender to the co meani onsulative note Car Still a big yesiciuay.

BY CLIFF SLAUGHTER

THIRTY THOUSAND more local council work- trade se ers yesterday joined in the wages strike which leaders and haver began last week. the the Combination Laws. On the grounds that Mspiri lives in cad document national the field of public whose proposals include: health has arisen, the "relatien ruling class and all its press and television mouthpieces are howl ing for of The use the troops to chase strike. s to be available warn in West Ham depot delegate Harry Will Londol councill an al-out strike at yesterday's mcellus o 5 poet omply with govern- unwise to speak out Stalinists 'appreciated' of big business, the milionaire Ambulance ndustria press is sow in full cry.

led by Wood. men join Express' by 'The Times' yesterday: Troops should be called in strike PERHAPS the Stalinists of highly praised. the British Co mmunist Party and Lo would like to explain we political meaning is andy workers the 1 OL attention paid to them by of w Lon thất be sed to of the 24-hour "The of The yesterady s Issue times'. With o te lose, nether a and On its editorial page, The reserves of stories 1 troops crease pro li and preparati workers trial of strength'. On th tradin There is ditoria authorities car emphasis.

to lose s his to in explanation Council Clear attentior hat it is actually pays up ce the employers® an by the • nationes clear Ashton-in-Makerneld UDU here made which they $16 105 of the coming association, from of the build-up unions. Ceasefire mis-used by about calling nette sensitivitherever unions at and Jordanians

FIGHTING

has broken in the fan again in North is necessary. nd the 4 sens necesar Irbid, shed by the valve i pro

GUERRILLAS CLAIM

of stronghold Trade Vorone sole Friendsia lise a med least mohar labash and j Government troops, leger.

' i determined when yers mile to there is t0 cont Lad used the cease fire He certainly makes evera.

any action by the masses.

cover think that by feat- action masses. ing relation i on the heads of pitalist s These blic health, teas bei hunted down, and destroyed.

ublic * and Nayet Here This is precisely what h she reced a ran and fat, chief of the want to work agains workers. ois nationalist rking Loves hose Too in te Reat orgao ball knows treate will deal only with inst matter forces to defend the and unton las he name of emergency want They need and but Yesterday's Daily Telegraph' and the perialism

• PAGE FOUR COL. 5

• PAGE FOUR COL. 6

bureaucracy. The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League

NIXON TOUR ENDS

Vietnam deal dangers increase Four untried Opposition

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

members A MAJOR foreign-policy announcement is Washington from after President released expected Nixon has discussed the results of his European

BY A

tour with advisers.

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

He arrives in the United demand for all- FOUR detained Soviet lease States today after two days Bus in the irisa nebuone he held talks He union out Heath retreat action boosts MARSHAL KY, vice-president radimir TS

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

speed-up MOST AREAS of Britain Kaplun CORPORATION busmen in the were hit by council Derby workers dispute yesterday motors were victimized tor three morning • senatories a- as the tour unions involves demician intro- called out over 40,000 of operating sanctivis duced by their members on oncial back

PRESSURE

up inel t4 ›s basic strike. brad General pav cralin for pecial ragers Worke Transp All beat i son inion Crimen fatar atonality. man a stend a m industry's Nite is still undoubted one that of ed at the age of 19 for th Hanoi, hoping Same activities as Kaplun and interpret diplome of their mite lied situation was being watched negotiating

BOLIVIA

closely. Right-wing Voluntary labour was being d to keep the city's ser cate in troops decided

NATIONAL

call generals learned later. call truce Raw sewage army officers

WEST

TWO DAYS after right-wing se red hate long 20 art, had raised the flag of revolt against the Alfredo 2222 vando Candia, they yesterday called a truce Road Cand unis toulowea a meet- ing with Ovando himself,

OYA

mobile

CORRESPONDENT

arranged ov the papal nuncio. Everything now the US-owned Bolivian Gulf

HOLD LINE

seems to bolnt to a deal in which Ovando makes ere out in cardit, Newpors from concessions lu une rent. Lesters in Bolivia had dents children were at Welsh school Six killed were at home because their schools were closed.

action ere killed in demonstr My emeral Rogen Miranda were to the on Ovando's ompensation more claim *ompany brought to a head drsatis.

Conciliated rised ing resident ted Automobil rando has swung sn cal. inc. the right in recent mon the isd lack erating the arattempt to conciliate ech Norby. busmen throughout on deal severnment to join the working Let Dutschke stay say Swindon engineers ment reshuffles in the las en, theo,

• PAGE FOUR COL. 5

TUC meets on Carr plan Tory ned by Robert Cares De to Be comicred by a eil mat The resolution attache is ul the eard ate i Se What We Think and Late News - on Frany morning.

urge execuuve

BUS WORKERS FIGHT

TORY WAGE FREEZE

PAGE TWO

AT THE present time thousands of bus workers up and down the country are taking industrial action in support of their current wage claim. For the 162,000 men and women involved this is a direct fight with the Tories who have told the bus com- panies not to pay any in- creases because it is less than 12 months since the last award. Examinations by various Prices and Incomes Board reports have included muni- cipal bus services, London company buses, Transport, platform and garage staffs, as well as the working of agree- ments in a number of areas (Dundee, Gt Yarmouth, Wigan, Rochdale, Belfast and Glas- gow).

SINGLE-MANNING

The greatest emphasis has been on the introduction of single-manning and the con- sequent 'elimination of con- ductors'. The Labour government also financed research and develop- ment of purpose-built one-man buses. Just a few of the proposals put forward in the PIB reports have included: • A cut-down on the time buses spend at bus stops.

• A speed-up of the runs be- tween stops. • Elimination of restrictions on standing passengers. • Extended use of part-time labour. • Introduction of flexibility of labour, with bus crews garage work and doing garage staffs doing platform duties. • End of 'rigid allowances for breaks of one sort or another.' • End of 'rules controlling the employers' freedom to split up working periods'. Fill in the form below and se

SECRETARY, SOCIALIST L

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, L

Name Address ...... • End of union limitation on speeds of vehicles and garage rules which define the way in which rosters should be worked. • • Introduction of work study into all aspects of depot work and where this already exists, a re-examination and 'tightening-up of slack a times'. These proposals are in- corporated productivity in deals which the employers want to see introduced every- where. However, the drive to attack busworkers is not a once-and- for-all affair. The employers expect the run-down of jobs to be a continuous process, and the above measures constitute the first step only. Innovations which are expected to contribute further the jobs to cut-back on include: • Larger one-man operated buses (taking up to 100 passengers). Installation of two-way radios so that directions may be issued at any time. Planning of routes and manning by computer which can be programmed to fix schedules and shifts to operate with the minimum number of buses and plat- form staff. Use of electronic eye bus beacons to monitor the movement of buses from a central control point. Also being examined is the use of 'flying squads' of bus inspectors in VHF-radio equipped cars--as opposed to having a series of inspectors at points along the routes.

On the work-study front the long-term aim is to replace ordinary time study with the pre-determined time system Methods-Time-Measurement-1 (MTM-1), which fixes a stan- dard time for every working movement. This is a preparation for turning all incentive schemes into the Measured-Day Work system. Many of these methods have already been tried out in some areas. That they are aimed specific- e information about below and send to NATIONAL

OCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE,

HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4.

ally at cutting jobs was shown in a letter to "The Times' early in September this year. The chairman of London Transport explained how it was proposed to attack the labour-intensive nature of the service. He wrote: 'We can undoubtedly in- crease our present level efficiency by introducing pro- ductivity measures and incen- tive bonus schemes which reduce our dependance on large numbers of staff.' Also planned was 'the con- version of all London's 5,500 buses to one-man operation'.

The design and building of buses has been one of the most rapidly-changing sectors of commercial vehicles over recent years.

STANDARDIZATION

The special bus factory being built in Cumberland by partnership between British- Leyland and the National Bus Company will, for the first time, bring a standardization to bus measurements which will make construction a flow-line process similar to car produc- tion. This will also mean a reduc- tion in the cost of bus-building.

Another step has been taken by Mercedes-Benz, who have begun making buses with auto- matic gear-boxes on the basis that drivers of single-manned vehicles have so many other operations to control that the actual driving movements must be kept to a minimum. In the USA Westinghouse is now making a battery-driven bus which can run for up to

WORKERS PRESS

eight hours on one charge. Use of big articulated buses which have also been developed in the USA is being considered by some authorities in Britain.

'CATTLETRUCK'

Although buses are stated as taking so many passengers, there is no way for the driver single-decker 'cattle- of a truck', , which officially takes 32 seated passengers and 34 to know just standing, how many he has got aboard. The turnstile system checks how many enter, but there is no check on how many get off so that he can see how many to allow on. He certainly has no time to count heads. In this situation passengers continue to cram on well be- yond the limits stated in the bus. Tempers fray, and lack of control a conductor to crowd and help the aged and infirm, leads to more pressure on the driver. In fact, it is ludicrous for the makers to talk about 80 and 90-passenger buses. With the elimination of the 'no- standing' rules and with the driver in no position and with no time to check, there could over the stipulated be well numbers in rush-hour con- ditions.

SERVICES CUT

The deterioration in services over recent years has been enormous. The number of bus- has fallen in ten years men from 250,000 to 162,000 and bus services in major towns have been cut by a quarter- in London from 10,000 in 1953 to 5,500 at present. have ma Most authorities and com- panies claim that bad services are due to shortages of staff, with some garages up to 30 per cent below strength. However, they know very , well that so long as paltry wages and poor working con- ditions prevail, such a situation is likely to continue. This is decidedly to their advantage as it is considerably easier for employers to elimin- ate unfilled jobs than it is to try and sack workers. For this reason it actually pays them to maintain poor wages and 'staff shortages' as a basic policy.

REST-DAY WORKING

Certainly the job is bad enough; it can include 4.30 12-hour spread- a.m. starts, overs; rest-day working, keep- ing schedules in increasing traffic congestion and in all weathers, and having to do masses of overtime to get a living wage. Platform staff face a permanent health hazard from the fume-laden atmo- sphere. PIB figures show that fares rose by 70 per cent between 1953 and 1964. Since then they have continued to rocket, some doubling, then doubling again.

The aim of the companies is clearly a ls minimum to be introduced as soon as possible, with all subsequent stages a Is a time. To put up short-distance fares in this way is particularly vindictive as it hits at pen- necessity, must take a even over short distances.

Tuesday, October 6, 1970

REPORTS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED

INDUSTRY - INDICATING THAT THE

MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING

MUCH A POLITICAL CONSIDERATION.

CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED BY THE PIB:

Bv virtue of their position- it was the husworkers acting crimina to introduce living on pension and disability through the union who, manning in this situation.

supplements they 1948, virtually eliminated It is a fundamental working- from Central impossible make uter class and London and many other areas.

right to have hos tournevs ShoDs hils services. employers pitals or to visit their triends.

who propose the cuts travel in 1067 the

TROW

leadership reversed this policy their own cars, often chauffeur- and agreed to single driven, anyway.) manni in return for 'agreed-rewards' in some cases mis invove a

SUPPORT

ls-a-weak honna nayment to drivers, (the companies were £1.500 a on each It ic in every elimination interest to support the busmen.

con- ductors rotas). Busmen must demand: when Now. at a time • A united all-out action for united fight against Tory the €20 basic, without on strings. public services is a vital neces-

T&GWU

• Defend the service - No The executive cuts, no single-manning. Committee neonses to breake struggle into local tho • Improved holidays and shorter hours to encourage recruitment.

LOCALIZED

to be tied to The fact is, the employers' ın amental hepn do hei localize negotiations, be- ductivity with the different levels methods of and militancy different • Unite with all workers to defend the absolutely impos- service areas and to defeat the sihle to introduce one produc tivity deal on a national basis.

get them out or ofice olic The busmen must win their this for a new 'adershi claim for a better wage. which will union not At the + me tilet the sed- ser- of workers the hetray the riohts vice must will hunt which for Worsening conditions the socialist policies of extending roads impossible bur- and will fight put and den drivers for workers' control.

JUST OUT

No one should be fooled for an instant into thinking that it wage demands that leading to high fares and cut services. These are specific policies of employers and the

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

determ away entirely with the concept should that tranchort carvica to thace who 1ce it Their workers need to get trom one place to another and to cut any which are 'un- economical'.

SHARP RISES

Sharp forcing the workers they would normally ride add.

o tho fautoo for tho donin assenge bus journeys which th employers glibly use to prove that services can be cut again. ( At the present time, 64,000 nunicipal and 98,000 compan

A TROTSKYIST ANALYSIS

emanding a £2 busmen are a-week minimum hasic wage.

BY ROBERT BLACK

The wages between get as Trans. little ac Caneral Workers' nort Availablo fron Tinian leadershin hoc Now Dark Dublicatione 86A Clapham High St.. Swa productivity Price 2ds nost incl

Tuesday, October 6, 1970 Martin Balsam as Richard Benjamin as Col. CATHCART Major DANBY

CATCH 22 REV

CAPTAIN YOSSARIAN played by Alan Arkin.

TV

BBC 1

9.15 a.m.-12.25 p.m. Schools. 12.40 Cynan: Ilanc o lyn. 1.30 Watch 1.45-1.53 News 2.05-2.25 Schools. with mother. and weather. 4.20 Play school. 4.40 Jackanory.

4.55 Vision on. 5.20 Marine boy. 5.44 The magic roundabout. 5.50 News and weather.

6.00 NATIONWIDE. London. TRANSWORLD TOP TEAM. International top of the form.

6.45 7.05 Z CARS. 'A Big Shadow'. Part two.

THE LAUGH

PARADE.

'As Long as They're Happy. With 7.30 Jack Buchanan and Janette Scott. The impact of an American pop star on a British household.

9.00 THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS and weather.

'EVEREST 1924: THE MYSTERY OF MALLORY AND IRVINE'.

9.20 Tuesday's documentary about an ill-fated expedition.

THE

SHOW. Featuring the Philips 10.10

THE HORSE

OF

YEAR

Electrical Championship. 10.45

24 HOURS.

VIEWPOINT. 'The Twilight People'. Alcoholics.

11.20 11.40 Weather.

REGIONAL BBC

6.45-7.05 Heddiw .20-10.10 The All regions as above except: 11.42 Weather 6.00-6.45 Nation- Midlands, idlands Scotland: Reporting wide. .20-11.45

LOOK

tast • land. weather. 11.42 News, weather.

11.45 tich viewnoint News. weather Nrendn-o.4 North, NW. umber andl And weather Nationwide News Westmorland: 6.00-6.45 Nationwide. Look weather. 11.42 News, 6.00-6.45 South, West: Nation wide. Points West today. South Stoday. Nationwide. Telewele. Spotlight SW, weather. 11.42 News, Wales today. Weather. вВС 2 11.00-11.20 a.m.

PLAY SCHOOL.

p.m. NEWSROOM. Weather. 7.30 FLOODLIT RUGBY LEAGUE. BBC 2 trophy.

8.00 8.50

WHEELBASE.

MENACE. 'Good Morning, Yesterday!' New thriller series.

9.20 10.35 NEWS ON 2 and weather.

10.40 LATE NIGHT LINE-UP.

ITV

11.00 a.m.-3.00 p.m. Schools. 3.50 Mad movies. 4.17 Hatty TOWn 4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 Bright's boffins. 5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News from

ITN.

6.02 TODAY.

THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR.

6.25 6.55

THE

TUESDAY

FILM.

'Coast of Skeletons'. With Richard Todd. Dale Robertson, Marianne Koch and Derek Nimmo. An hired to investigate the loss of undercover agent is diamond dredger. 8.30 CRIBBINS. With Bernard Cribbins, Sheila Steafel, Tim Barrett and Bob Todd. 9.00 ARMCHAIR THEATRE. 'The Company Man'. With Peter Bark- Tom Isobel Black, Edwin Richfield, Chadbon and worth, Michael Goodliffe.

NEWS AT TEN.

10.00 10.30 THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY. 'The Rise and Fall of Supermac'. PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. Presents Holland 11.45 12.15 a.m. IN YOUR INTEREST. Professor John Yudkin talks about research in the field of nutrition.

REGIONAL ITV

CHANNEL:

11.00-3.00 London. 4.00 WESTWARD. As except: 3.58 Channel Puffin's birthday greetings 4,10 News. 4.00 Gus Honeybun. 6.00 12.35 Enchanted house and Diarv 12.30 Faith for life 4.55 London. the hetessiio 6.00 Weather Police se. 16.0

SOUTHERN:

11.00-3.00 4,00 are Ride 4.30 London. 4.15 Enchanted доне 1230 5 12.25 4.30 6.00 day. 11.45 style 650 Film. "The Aquarius. Lady Guinness, News. wearner. Buck Henry as Lt. Col. KORN

CATCH 22 REVIEWED BY BEN JONES

10.16-4.8..68-6.35 Wind Shi the Willows L30 Matinee 1 meniety. 8.30 Londone i Fou

SCOTTIS 50003.00

FARE

Orson Welles as Gen. DREEDLE

I JO NES

BY BEN

6..... ...•

SOME HOLLYWOOD

war films have come a long way since Errol Flynn used to defeat the Japanese without getting any blood on his uniform, or theirs. Outrages like "The Green Berets' still happen, but some directors are beginning to acknowledge that killing is not something to be gloried in, and that-while there are causes which have to be fought for - the death and destruction which war neces- sarily creates are both foul and brutalizing. Following, quickly on the much-praised 'M*A*S*H' - a film which, although it recognized the squalor of war, seemed to be preoccupied with the congratulation of Ameri- can ingenuity which enabled men (officers) to have a rela- tively good time in spite of difficult conditions (the Korean War) comes 'Catch 22'. * It is directed by Mike directed a big Nichols, who profit maker "The Graduate', and who has as a result been allowed to make a film on what looks to have been a limitless budget. It has a star cast, most of whom give undistinguished performances, and spectacular scenes of Second World War bombers. This kind of lavishness seems to me to be based in a contempt for the cinema audi- the idea that people ence, Peter gang rob- 11.55 4.18 55 Lon- Report onanza. 1. 11.45 • 68-6.35 41 as 4.30 é. 4.55 6.35 "Tiger' PERHAPS THE difficulty rol and 11.45 with making a documentary about pollution-as far as the London. 3.52 bourgeoisie is concerned—is ce. 4.40 15 Lon- how to present the material ssroads. With in a way that does not raise kins. A hunter. awkward questions. driving, Over the last few 4.30 years is Lon- there has been a wealth of Cross- material, which has shown that onished 30 Lon- the continual drive to produce commodities for profit trans- 4.15 lated into the unplanned mass Matinee. weather. production has poured into the 6.50 air, water supplies and every Con- pore of man's environment a eronimo all- flood of chemicals that threat- 8.30 terdays. ens his continued existence on this planet. 4.10 Origami. Pollution is profitable-but, All of it mustn't be course, "Mister repeated too often just in case Martha crooked the 'wrong' conclusions are by drawn. 30 Four п. 4.10 Problems 4.40 6.00 jobs There is a way out. Eco- Dawn'. Malden, logical problems affect every mbalist. aspect of man's day to day life nidnight —so take a few aspects, link 4.10 them loosely together, mutter e. News. 4.40 a few words about 'urban 7.00 society' and 'the human con- Hunter dition' and you have a book or couple Violence a film that may or may not 11.30 make interesting reading or viewing, but which cannot but 3.40 morrow. leave you with the feeling that chanted it's really God's will that it all Dateline. lephone came about and that nothing D. 8.30 much can be done outside a few adjustments п. 3.52 here and house. there. London Tommy That just about sums up the 1 Victor West- last TV offering on the subject cavalry which looked as if it might say on from something, but managed to ng com. better for an hour with a drag on few cliches, some pretty pic-

WORKERS PRESS

Anthony Perkins as Chaplain TAPPMAN won't come unless what they see is spectacular, and that they haven't the ability to be interested in what the film- maker has to say. It is an idea which Holly- wood still clings to, and is only having to give up slowly and painfully as the profits fall, and companies cannot afford to spend as much as they used to. * The film is the story of Yossarian, bombardier in the Second World War, on a base on an island off Italy.

His squadron has to go on regular and usually dangerous bombing missions, Yossari- ambition to be an's i is grounded and sent home out of danger. "They're trying to kill me,' he says of the Germans to his buddies. He sees no point in that, and spends his time thinking of ways to get out. Can he get sent home if he's crazy? he asks the doctor. Sure he can, the doctor replies, confirming that he must be crazy to be flying on those missions-but there is a catch -Catch 22. If he asks to be sent home, he can't be crazy. If he is not crazy, he can't be sent home.

The film is based on the best selling book by Joseph Heller, and it follows the book in showing most of the char- acters and most of the situa- tions as extreme exaggera- tions. By this technique, the book was extremely funny, but as it went on it became more and more serious, and more and more horrified at the effects of war. tures and a couple of pop songs. This was the award-winning is a matter 'Pollution choice', a 'white paper' from the American National Broad- casting Company. How was the illusion pre- served in this particular case?

Machiasport is a small town on the East Coast of the United States in the State of Maine. The scenery is beauti- ful, but there is no work for its inhabitants except farming or the fishing industries.

Fourteen per cent live below the poverty level and get free handouts of food. Eleven per cent are un- employed and youth usually leave to work in the big cities.

Two-thirds of the farmers earn less than $3,000 a year. Get the picture? No pollu- tion, but no jobs. Meanwhile in Alaska, work is continuing on the huge oil strike which promises to fulfill the domestic needs of the US.

We are told that 600 million gallons of petrol a day will be needed this year and 800 mil- lion gallons by 1980. Huge supertankers, like the USS Manhattan, carrying 300,000 tons of crude oil, plan to crash their way through the ice-bound North West Passage —if the oil companies get their way...and end their journey at Machiasport which happens to have a bay deep enough to hold them. With the tankers come the refineries and the petro- chemical plants ... and pollu- tion. There is also the promise of 3,000 jobs over a period of ten years. The picture becomes plainer.

Pollution means jobs. The film tries to retain the humour and the seriousness, but in the end one is left wondering whether it has any courage or any convictions.

It goes some of the way. It some attempt to show makes Yossarian developing from a who just wants to get man away from it all, to a man who is sickened and disgusted not just by the awful suffering that war entails, but also by the terrible corruption which it breeds. Slowly, he realizes that he has to contend not only with the German anti-aircraft fire, but also with the total cor- ruption of his superior officers.

They are shown making a fortune out of black-market trading in partnership with one of Yossarian's fellow officers, an archetypal capitalist dealer called Milo Minderbinder, even to the extent of doing a deal with the Germans to bomb their own airfield; and they are also shown ruthlessly pur- suing their own self aggran- disement to the extent of ordering raids on helpless vil- lages, just to get good tight bombing patterns on the aerial photographs. * To most of these events, the reader or the cinema viewer is able to react by dismissing them as absurd exaggerations.

But all the time the evil logic of the capitalist system is being brought home to him.

The book brings that point home harder and harder as it goes on, but the film backs away. The most important section of the book deals with a trip Yossarian makes to Rome to The point is made again and again. Protests prevented the world's airport from largest being built on the edge of the Everglades in Miami, Florida, an area which harbours many different species of wild life.

It also meant 70,000 jobs less in a state where the population is increasing at a rate which will double it in ten years. Easy access In any case, says the com- mentator, another airport is People unreasonably urgent. want easy access to such facili- ties without having them ón their doorstep. Gary, Finally, a alook at Indiana, a steel town-'2,500 acres of blast furnaces slagheaps'-providing a living for 30,000 families and pro- ducing seven million tons of steel and 36,000 tons of soot a year. So take your choice. 'This is the price for sur- and then affluence. vival Trapped in a landscape of our own making. We cannot go back to that pre-technological time. If we fail to adapt, we may disappear like the dino- saurs.' The choice is starvation or poison. But there are a few thoughts to mull over while you wheeze your affluent way through the daily labours.

'What is progress? Do our institutions, conceived in simpler (!) times, have the vision, etc., etc?' So remember-'stop having babies or give up machines'.

As I said, the photography wasn't bad. tell the prostitute fiance of a pilot that he has been killed.

Yossarian cannot find her, and wanders through streets. At every corner, he finds a new and horrifying human tragedy, and the quality of the writing enables the reader to experience what Yos- sarian experiences-disgust not only of the effects of the war, but also those of the system he is fighting to defend.

* He is reminded all the time 'of all the shivering stupefying misery in a world that never yet had provided enough heat and food and justice for all but an ingenious and unscru- pulous handful. What a lousy earth! He wondered how many people destitute that were same night even in his own prosperous country, how many shanties, how homes were husbands were drunk many and wives socked, and how many children were bullied, abused or abandoned. How many families hungered for food they could not afford to buy?' The film deals with this incident differently, and it is significant that this is the place where the major change from the book takes place. It lapses from human experi- ence to melodrama. When he gets to Rome, Yossarian finds that all the brothels have been forcibly taken over by Milo Minderbinder (What's good for Milo Minderbinder Enterprises is good for the country!).

He goes to find the girl in the the only existing brothel, walks by a never ending queue of GIs and finds that even his own girl friend is working for Milo.

TRADE UNIONISTS

familiar with the role of the capitalist press during strikes and other working-class struggles usually and rightly treat it with great caution, and try and keep the press as far away as possible. The 'publicity level' of the 1969 teachers' strike, however, was deliberately kept up by the National Union of Teachers' publicity depart- ment. The various gimmicks used to achieve this are described in a booklet published last week by the National Union of Teachers called 'The Teachers' Strike 1969-1970'. The author, Miss Toni Griffiths, 24, , is the union's senior publicity assistant.

Original ideas According to the blurb handed out with the book, 'Although marches, demonstra- tions, lobbies, leaflet distribu- tions, and public meetings were extensively used as platforms, some original ideas very emerged. 'A giant New Year Card was sent to the Prime Minister, giving details of the teachers' case, a double-decker bus was hired and driven around Lon- don bedecked with posters and banners, parents stormed County Hall, motorcades were organized and local public opinion polls organized.

PAGE THREE

Milo himself is shown driv- ing through the streets with an armed escort, and is repre- sented as some kind of fascist dictator. Yossarian's walk through the streets is cut down to almost nothing, and the few incidents which take place there are coldly symbolic. The director seems to be saying that he has gone far enough. He has said something people may be able to under- stand in their heads. To give them the opportunity of relat- ing it to their experience is too dangerous for him. The major inadequacy of both the book and the film, however, is that neither make any analysis of why things are the way they are, or how they can be changed. Yossarian comes to know that peace is not very well to do going anything about the things that hurt him most.

He exists in a state of pain and near impotence. That is his Catch 23. What he needed was Marxism. It would have enabled him to understand.

Director

MIKE

NICHOLS

'Teachers took part in 24- hour vigils, undertook social work while on strike, rowed boats, flying banners, down the Thames, went to see the Prime Minister and talked to the newspapers about their per- sonal difficulties in living on low incomes.' The gimmickry, as far as the union leadership was con- cerned, was quite deliberate.

Their aim was to pressure the government into giving a little more money for their interim cost-of-living claim, while holding back as far as they could the thousands of teachers who wanted to strike and were not called out. Euphoria But amid all the euphoria, it should be remembered that last year's strike was only for a cost-of-living increase.

The real battle-for a decent salary structure - is still in front. And with a Tory govern- ment in office this will not be won by gimmicks. Nor, to judge from its re- to the public em- actions ployees' pay battle, will the Tory government be impressed by another round of selective strikes. The teachers' pay claim has already been seriously threat- ened by the treachery of the National Association of School- masters, which submitted a later and much lower demand.

Teachers need to prepare for an all-out struggle against the Tories, in conjunction with all other workers, if they are to win the pay scales they want.

PAGE FOUR

Food

EIGHT HUNDRED

dele- rank-and-file gates and forecast trade unionists voted unani- mously in Liverpool on Saturday for the widest pos- sible campaign to reinstate SHORTAGES of meat and St Helens and Pilkington's milk this winter and rocketing Pontypool glassworkers and prices of most farm products Tory could follow from the severe defeat anti-trade- to union legislation plans. problems racking the agri- The conference con- cultural industry. vened by the All Trades Sharp increases in the cost Unions Alliance - raised of farm machinery and ferti- £400 and almost in fees lizers over recent months are donations towards the vic- now followed by a rise in the timized workers' organiza- price of animal feeds. tion and hardship fund, and This is said to be due to a and failure in the US maize har- after lively wide- ranging discussion endorsed vest seriously attacked by a the following resolution: new fungus disease. (The Pilkington rank-and- file committee warmly Concentrates thanks all those members of The major changes in animal the trade union movement and dairy production over have who supported our have included a recent years struggle against victimiza- trend towards less use of con- tion. pasturing ventional systems The action taken by the and heavy reliance Pilkington on management en- brought-in feed concentrates.

joys the full support of the With the rise in price- as 33 -possibly by as much Per cent- -the small farmers will be faced with no choice Ford men but to slaughter an increasing number animals of as the not to winter progresses. Many more farmers than the 16-a-day already leaving pursue the industry will be forced out. pay claim Farmers are urgently lobby- ing for government and aid WORKERS at Ford's Dagen- the newly-formed 'militant ham press shop have decided farmers' association' claims pursue their claim to that nothing less than a £112 not be paid shift rates during million 'cash injection' will holiday periods until after the save the situation and prevent conclusion of a new national a breakdown of food supplies.

agreement next March. Minister of Agriculture, Mr shelved The claim is to be James Priors' remarks last so that the press shop can week 'mili- on opposing the on a fresh cam- tants' indicate that the Tories

CHLOLE

paign for wages parity planned and less concerned are less stewards bv shop coincide over the position of the small with the national negotiations.

farmers and support is major "This decision means we are unlikely to be forthcoming.

all solid behind the parity steward campaign, one shop Workers Press after the told

RADIOMEN'S

250-strong meeting in Dagen- ham on Saturday. for shift pay

STRIKE

The demand during holidays involves about £16 a man each year.

STILL ON

130 wireless operators at three Post Office marine stations Clerks stop continuing their strike Were yesterday over a pay claim.

Jaguar models The stations, which handle calls from world and coastal shipping, are in Devon, Somer-

PRODUCTION

of Jaguar's Daimler Sovereign and dollar- set and Kent. The operators say that more earning XJ-6 saloon cars pay is desperately and 1,000 assembly needed stopped men were laid off indefinitely attract recruits. One striker had not had a day off since because strike by pay docket clerks yesterday. September 6. Pressed - Steel Office workers' Clerks at Post Fisher of Birmingham are sup- union official was expected to porting 24 Coventry Somerset clerks in meet operators in their four-week official strike, last night to ask them to with the result that no car await a decision on their pay within the bodies were being delivered claim, expected next fortnigh'SUBSCRIBE NO Watory.

Two editions Pull subscription you select {10 a year OR . (For any two days (Posted daily) {1 for three montha £2 10s for three {4 a year months 186a Post to: Circulation Organizer, wo Workers Press, (Tel: 01-720-2000) Clapham High Street, London, I would like to subscribe to Workers Press for Name... Address..

LATE NEWS

THOSE FINES-COURTS'

TUC ON CARR PLAN

Mother workload on yet another is to holda special i council ten days time to consider the danger serious down It will have Finance committee members see the Minister before may the Generas Cetari meetinor secretary tive Actorney-General months think we're the 186a Capham London, S.W.4. et: Londor: | fede Plough Press Street, Tuesday, October 6, 1970

WORKERS PRESS

repon to the send are

BY AIR MAIL

more than means of self-protéction.'

Corps

PAR AVION

For all From our Industral correspondent tne neea lor a viv forts sovernmen ruling coalition is mobilize the widest po Sace that he atten tothe ing and the Laterur feeling over upe pro- he anti-trade meet hall toes trade To es are fornice 4. Raise Paper strings fund: are taking eklu financ all the force to help these betrayalrship LONDON newspaper sus ins the following ways: the victimizendship tion workers anterwar movement to stir up ' inevitable. > 1. Cam Louide blacken t work-to-rule yesterdas ailkington products. ther usion were mien the di: can vin their chi. ployers 124 per workers i a Vine the pend se diale Allied Trades officials. ee, leadi round conse leader speaking is teet he Midland offered us her cent had been enemy flag. Legal noose m London and Liverpool Assemble a Bens Be. the SW, The picture it seems was again the sovere Read, at * Tocked-out deit 10:30 am. no the Party is ready for coASthough the Labour Party 3. Organ ot reside arioniss.

draughtsmen of linking pay to anose Coventry. the when in higher productivity. wh photograph a demonstrapear: unions • unal •aurin Canberra Federal pature was tabs did CSEU must back DATA come Minised cameraMort on House) election is in the off been busy taking including Whitan: That the TU Council, " what are viously contrived pictures has force the Ton Whitlam's govern- Rad to sen ITALIAN trade unions have agreed 'in principle' with the government on reforms of health trimmed.

BY DAVID MAUDE

certainly 1 ne services and urban housing.

ENGINEERING employers in several key industrial centres are

BY DAVID BARNES

might jumping enthusiastically on the bandwagon behind Rolls-Royce's and pro-communist Catholi lock-out threat against draughtsmen.

never. WHILE the A further 3,000 mem- bers of the Draughts 'Both the CSEU executive- and Allied neg is eld Work. so Associa- mend the Malkamated Union in York on wages all included in? will tion be out of ever original demands. union it the

WOLK

to accept arising out of the Moratorum Ferodo pay-and- cent per productivity offer by next Monday strikers Pud An Employes warmed the London strike ivo per cent. Publiche hiten be cause they heet suffer This action has resulted in a barrister seeking a contempt of certain osition to challenges ts maintenance for the action. services. setback Even if most the news- I am from the East End o desperate 100 per cent

NUPE'S

200 mine. me on sees of pick him and Pennines dustmen Ferodotire, factory has ended.

goes down, s, pileat meat or the whol the ettort being made. Bradford field, Radio on el a end recent stoppare I think we should -ton official leader Jack Jones Luton, certainly • excuse for throughout demonstrations make it Gillingham retreat by the Call. all out and lets get cracking Raho sad in the roadst Law i here is no more no

STIFFENING

their basic rate to 35 in ia.

Picketed monitored in Hong Kong, tha the section. warmly acclaimed acceptance. No ra Union lie Senoral threat diren dant, face the thorkers Laid plans It also protested against th Works director C.S. Clifford savage or pressions and mass savage mas: hicials, noeu refuse i a separate broadcast tl struggle enforce the My or the an have r preparing tore one time to s od • duo sai last to confrontation, A loss of large orders would anti-US fight mean produe tons What sort of scale, or ever

WEATHER

set the disper a Mere wants and the cost mounted, he said.

windy, show, is accepted at dereded with s demanding orat

WOIK•

and Works at Sheffield are nego- whi accepuld master tiating bonus increases mis reditempey threapement most manual workers. mer drives schipers and h not ted. drivers, From our Industrial correspondent ancillary rand ways in the same form. impatient is have her ying Pre-conference Direct attack goriation for different Cabinet stockr exchange Help the Young hey THE CABINE, met yesterda.

profitable the government' review rest Socialists make their moredits opening of the Tol tour a productivily flexibility and mobility asit will b conference in Black management pool.

GRAND XMAS

es by as car Full ahead Preparation ending of Ministe Plans, the Cabinet were ate a ne drivers and shes have an operating the meeting. a great success like those at laid resiting against If you are able to sew, knit, paint and can make Lanelli plants in S Wa goods for our bazaars. If you can give us jumble productivity gifts, tins of grocery. Please contact Young Socialists The Beat balready in horr Bazaars, 186a Clapham High Street, London, SW4.

strike

THE BAZAARS ARE AT:

near at poor, reena.

LEEDS

years comes as no,

LONDON

by lone unscrambling the Co a shop meeting. Saturday, November 28 Saturdav. December 12 lat this yes urn is demand a TS straight increase to The decision Ward Mayne tam tube) Corn Exchange appeal was to be made to Call on Confed Doors open 12 noon drivers * the 1) micon strong cond This involves a f4 in- through crease which marcaseu federation of Shipbuilding and already agreed rises