OUR FIGHT IS THE SAME-MINERS TELL MARCHERS

Right-to-Work THIS IS a tough part of the march. We're in Kirkconnel, which is just a high street trapped between the hills of the S Scottish Uplands.

There's a dirty drizzle falling outside The school where we're billeted for the night. I had to laugh on the way in, despite the weather and the aching feet. We were passing the local graveyard— 'this is the dead centre of the town', said one of the Renton boys. It just about sums up Kirkconnel, which has astonishing 35 per cent male unemployment rate.

We are all learning one political lesson — the people who have least always give. The miners in their fifth week of strike welcome the marchers the most. It's the local bureaucrats who give us the most jaundiced reception.

Just now the marchers are rallying round and rustling up some grub. Cooking is problem because we have been denied facilities. But there's one bonus, the local football club (miners' influence again) have thrown open their shower room and, believe me, after four days Broad (54 mules from Glasgow) you need But don't get the wrong impression. all scal spirits. Two young Cumnock miners joined the march today and the news of support build. ing down the route makes hit that road all the harder.

So keep it going comrades, we can't wait to reach the NE and the Yorkshire coalfield. The way the strike is going I imagine the march will have a profound effect when we reach these areas.

Today's most dramatic moment came in New Cumnock. We were the Working Men's Welfare Club there-guests of the local strike committee who shared out their food (soup, sandwiches and rice pudding) when the Tory declaration of a state of emergency came over the TV.

There was immediate reaction from the miners. If they send the troops into Ayrshire they are for a battle. But there was anger too.

Miners at Cumnock cursed the leaders of the power workers for selling out their own members, ratting on the strike and accepting Tory wages policy into the bargain. The gap between the rank and file and the leadership JOHN 'We Now IT TO WORK up here and man the but we will be with you Our fight is the same.' BILLY CRAWFORD, face worker at Lochlea mine. He was talking a day before the state of emergency decision, but he anticipated 'I think they will use the troops and I think this will be the biggest upset in the country. The working class are not the same people they were in 1926 Whee Creadil sed rough Stur have already used rough against us at Kilmarnock. They put the police in on us, about 250 of them against 400 miners. We call them Heath's army.

I feel very strongly about Feather and the TUC. They have done nothing to help us!

HAMPSON, are out for I l have my achi pickets, in spirit.

Killoch pit: the full f9. reservations WE DEMAND RIGHT WORK THE CENTRAL London GLASGOW KILMARNOCK CUMNOCK SANQUHAR THORNHILL ASTLE