British CP leaders must accept responsibility

think In Mosley's HAI WAS TI + of witnec that this taltniul!

No ordinary demo for sure. Fiveilent minority neare led were unrougn une annoy sureels o pray: to the cathedral to pray• Asithe heere horsebackesd and mingling backers are anere plain-clothes policemen. PALACE FEW worthwhile answers can be expected from the promised union investigation of the recent sevenweek reinstatement strike at Sheffield's Batchelor's Foods plant.

Like the Yorkshire district committee of the Communist Party, the national executive of the Amalgamated Engineers and Foundryworkers will be mainly concerned in its discussion of the settlement — possibly tomorrow-to establish its own innocence of the BY STEPHEN JOHNS due to start.

A DANGEROUS belief that the Tory government were not serious in their drive to smash the working class was the biggest single problem facing youth in Britain today, Aileen Jennings, editor of 'Keep Left' told a rally of young workers and students on Saturday.

Reporting the year's progress of the socialist youth monthly at the 'Keep Left' 20th Annual General Meeting she warned the packed audience to 'beware £3,000 pay-off accepted by convenor Terry Devey.

However, the time for buckpassing has long since gone.

NOTORIOUS

Chief responsibility for the now notorious Batchelor's settlement rests squarely with the leadership of the British Communist Party; with Yorkshire district secretary Howard Hill, with national industrial organizer Bert Ramelson and in the final analysis with the entire CP executive.

The CP's Yorkshire district committee has described the pay-off as 'a retreat before the same forces which are behind the Industrial Relations Bill'.

Yet Hill admitted on television last Wednesday night that both the committee and he personally were in touch with the strike throughout.

If the CP lays claim to in ihe norshire ation where a leading member -Devey was at that time chief area spokesman for the Stalinist-dominated Liaison Com mittee for Defence of Trade Unions-faced the sack.

DISCUSSIONS

Discussions on CP policy on this issue must have taken place involving Hill, AEF district secretary George Caborn, other members of the Union's district committee and Devey himself.

The first evidence of retreat came in the same week as the Décember 8 token strike against the anti-union legislation, when approaches were made to bring a Department of Employment conciliation officer into the dispute from Leeds.

nitiative for this is said t lave come from Caborn, an no denial of this charge made by Batchelor's strike committee members the fol. lowing week-is on record.

Even if Hill was not aware of this development until its announce!

Faber 1] still had which to act before talks involving the DEP official were Ramelson, CP secretary the Stalinist executive did So the talks went ahead with the company.

First came an offer from the union officials-Caborn leading them—-to accept conditions on Devey's reinstatement.

When this was rejected, the officials agreed to take bac} to the strike committee terms involving a money offer.

TELEPHONE

Devey is known to have been in contact with Hill br telephone during that evening (Monday, December 14), to ask for advice before twc Feather press strikers By an Industrial correspondent LONDON, SUNDAY: Mr Victor Feather, TUC general secretary, today met leaders of the unofficial journalists' strike on the 'Sun' and 'Daily Mirror'.

Mr Malcolm Withers, father of the 'Sun' National Union of Journalists chapel said Mr Feather met him, Mr Bryn Jones, father of the 'Mirror' chapel and senior NUJ officials this morning.

'We had a meeting with Mr Feather this morning lasting a number of hours.

"There was a general discussion on the whole situation. Certain proposals were put forward by us and at one stage by Mr Feather,' said Mr Withers.

He added that the talks were 'extremely helpful.

The dispute follows a new pay deal for national newspapers agreed by the NUJ and Newspaper Publishers' Association-which includes an 18month freeze on talks on house agreements.

The new agreement was accepted by a ballot of journalists in London and Manchester last week.

Mr Ken Morgan, NUJ general secretary, has called the unofficial strike by 'Sun' and 'Daily Mirror' journalists 'unconstitutional' and instructed his members to return to work.

During the dispute, the papers - and Daily Record and 'Sunday Mail' also hit by a journalists' unofficial sympathy' strike -have been produced by executives.

crucial meetings the following day.

First of these was the strike committée meeting which decided to recommend Devey's resignation in return for £3,000 and second was the regular meeting of the AEF district committee that evening.

It is claimed by CP members in Sheffield that Hill told Devey not to accept the pay-off.

Whatever the truth or otherwise of this, Hill certainly knew what members of time full knowledge-on the morning of December 16 could still have had far-reaching effects.

Again nothing was done and it was not until the strikers had been back at work for six days that the CP issued any statement at all.

Even then, it is believed that CP members were unwilling to raise the matter It is not the first time the CP has backed down before victimization in Sheffield and other areas and it will not be the last, if the Stalinists are allowed to get away with it.

But this settlement takes place in a new and dangerous political situation.