'Hess meeting

and the necessary collaboration with it in the most important questions of an international character.

' (2) To agree to territorial concessions.

'(3) To permit German industrialists, in the form of concessions (or some other forms), to exploit enterprises in the USSR which are essenAĞAINST HITLERINE WILLIDEFENDHIST RAINE ENSLAVEN BY STALIN"

"The principles of this agreement, as Trotsky related, were finally elaborated and adopted during Trotsky's meeting with Hitler's deputy, Hess' (quoted from 'International Press Correspondence', p. 128. No. 6, February 1937).

This was the indictment with Trotsky before the war to overthrow Soviet power and restore capitalism in the USSR.

Here was a wonderful opportunity for Gollan's charge to be confirmed. The Soviet judges at the Nuremburg trials would surely now demand an admission from Hess and company that they had indeed worked with Trotsky to further the aims if it is menaced by danger on the part of imperialism. the Revolutionary Communist Party, organized a world-wide campaign to compel the prosecution at the Trials to open an inquiry into the allegations made against Trotsky.

This campaign was part of the struggle of the Fourth International against counterrevolutionary Stalinism, and was essential for the education of the working class in the G. ZINOVIEV LEV KAMENEV

dumn SWEETENING A POISON PILL policy and December IN FRANCE the state has already mobilized its legal thugs to fight the working class. So-called 'preventive arrests' are becoming more common. No charge, just detenIn Italy the authorities prepare to arraign policemen who refused to take part in attacks on striking workers.

In Britain, television puts out increasing floods of preparatory propaganda aimed at creating the atmosphere for acceptance of police repression in the coming struggles.

This is not, of course, always a conscious process for the producers, writers, directors and actors involved. But they accurately mirror the forces now sweeping through the society, even if at times they reflect a somewhat distorted image.

Let's speculate a little on how a series like "Special Branch' (Thames Television, Wednesday) might originate and get on to the air.

Response

If prices charged to advertisers are to be kept high, large audiences must be won to watch the commercial breaks. This management need will find a quick response amongst the heads of the drama department and from It also permitted a discussion by two English Special Branch men over the need for "preventive arrests' here, as advocated by the Russian.

The senior officer, of course, explained that this wasn't British or democratic, but the younger, sharper, trendier man passionately wondered whether, if a policeman's job is to prevent crime, such means ought not to be legally available.

The writer of this episode, without necessarily being conscious mouthpiece of the law, thus accurately reflects its needs. He did this in other ways too.

There was nothing sentimental about the forces involved. dentally by the wife of the technical adviser-helped to set the class background. She was directed as a chilly, uppermiddle class woman living in a luxury flat and designing clothes 'too expensive for anyone to buy'.

She, her boyfriend and the KGB man ate in an extremely expensive restaurant and peaceful co-existence was fostered all round. As one character urbanely remarked, 'We are all tools in the hands of our masters'. Central object As the plot developed, a single individual protester who was in no way political but polo-necked sweater (like all left-wing troublemakers) he apparently constituted a grave threat to the security of the expected Russian bureaucrat.

So he got the full works: visits from Special Branch officers, his phone was tapped, all his movements were scrutinized by anonymous cars, his mail was opened and English girl-friend investigated.

In the course of compiling their information, the Special Branch men got co-operation from a newspaper, checked with the Russians for their account of the suspect and never appeared to be delayed by any legal niceties.

The presence of KGB agents in London was constantly hinted at and the only unsympand protest organizations right down to tenants' associations. Any of the people named in these files would be startled ... They give a detailed picture of him—his favourite pub, where he takes his holidays, and his wife's family history'.

This force mans Customs desks, picks up people at airports, protects the Royal Family, Mr Wilson, Mr Heath, Mr Michael Stewart and Mr Callaghan.

It plants 'spies' in organizations and at meetings and unlike the thousands-strong MI5, has the powers of arrest and detention.

Its chief, Commander Ferguson Smith, is in direct contact with the Prime Minister and clearly receives maximum help in organizing this executive arm of the Security Services.

Most of the work is "slog and boredom' and includes renting offices opposite court where a political trial is on and photographing everyone going in or out, according to the "TV Times' article.

Clearly this series is indeed to help create a crippling tear of the state and its forces amongst those preparing for its revolutionary transformation.

It should certainly be taken seriously, and all workers in struggle should be aware that the coming period will bring big risks and an intensification of pressure.

A cameraman. at BSR in East Kilbride was recently recorded by a '24 Hours' team photographing the pickets from management offices. It's already with us.

But no one should miss the other side of the coin.

No Special Branch or political police in the world can deal with the force of the working class.

Our writers, producers and directors must stand ready for the day of judgement.

Those perpetrating 'Special Branch' appear to have chosen the other side. We have not failed to notice.

And please—no cries about 'harmless entertainment' Our comrades in France, in Italy, in Greece, in South Africa, in the Kremlin prisons, hospitals and camps, in South American jails and United States penitentiaries will testify that it is harmful.

And their voices will heard.

TV an education THE Labour Party has officially admitted that its policy of cuts in educaTHREE Powell This, briefly, is what is meant by 're-examining priorities'.

The article speaks of cuts in