Workers Press no. 691

workers press

MOMENT OF

BY ALEX MITCHELL

THE MOST DECISIVE vote Members of parliament will | Market Bill, the legislation wl Common Market. There is no doubt that a clear majority of people in Britain are totally opposed to membership. It is equally clear that had the Tories announced in their 1970 election manifesto that a Tory government would enter Europe without consulting the electorate, they would have been soundly defeated. Opposition to the market de- veloped last year throughout the unions' trade national con- ferences. It reached its peak when both the TUC and Labour Party annual conferences rejected Britain's entry by over- whelming majorities. The rise in opposition to the market was a direct result of the rise in militancy in the working class over many issues including the Industrial unemployment, Relations Act, the raids on the social services and the soaring cost of living. This militancy is now given dramatic expression in the miners' strike. The Common Market is nothing more than a con- spiracy of the big European monopolies to maintain their

DOLLAR

AT LOWEST

LEVEL

NEWS of the record US balance of payments deficit drove the dollar to its lowest level yet on Continenetal foreign exchange markets. Conditions on the London were described as exchange I have seen as much hectic: business in one hour of trading as I normally see in a day,' one dealer said. Rates were moving so fast that some operators were offering dollars and then buy- ing them back in the space of *the same telephone call.

Foreign News 2 Your rights 3 ATUA Manifesto discussion TV programmes 11

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL

'E vote in the life of this parliam it will be voting on the second re tion which will pave the way for 1 world market position (and big profits) by stepping up their exploitation of the working class. It is entirely dominated by big industrial groups like Krupps, Montecatini, Thyssen, Pirelli, Fiat, Peugeot, Shell Petroleum, Siemens, Bayer, and Hoesch.

They are demanding that the Tory government pay the entry fee straighten up British capi- talism by smashing the working class. Heath and his cabinet of mer- chant bankers and industrialists are only too willing to oblige.

They have created a massive 1 million-strong pool of unem- ployed to intimidate the working class. Stage 2-and this is where the miners come in-is the slash- ing of wages and the lowering of Playwright Jim Allen (above) Neville and playwright-actor will joir the Smith (below) beginning of the Liverpool- London march this Saturday.

SLETTER • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1972

ENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL

parliament takes place today.

cond reading of the Common ay for Britain's entry into the the standard of living of millions of working-class families.

Any Labour MP who votes or abstains in today's critical vote aids this conspiracy. They should be expelled, irrespec- tive of whether Heath gets his majority. Yesterday Ray Gunter, the former Labour minister in Wil- son's cabinet, resigned. (See p.4).

At least Gunter is honest. He's been flushed out of the labour movement in this critical hour to go off to the Tory roost where he belonged years ago. The scene is now set for bringing together of the politi- cal fight over the market and the industrial fight for wage justice for the miners to force this hated government to resign.

The eyes of the entire working- class movement locked out and living by candlelight are now firmly fixed Wilson and on Feather. •WE ARE marching to demand the right to work because the Tories want to push us back to the poverty and misery of the 1930s, Christine Smith, leader of the Young Socialists' Liverpool - London Right - to - Work march told a press con- ference yesterday. *We're not asking the Tories for youth hostels or jobs, but de- manding that they resign and call a General Election. We call for a Labour government to nationalize the basic industries under workers' control and re- store our basic rights including the right to work? Christine, who is l6, comes from Kirkby job. She told re- where 20 youth chase every porters: *We have called on the trade union movement to support us.

Kraft strikers gave us £20 after being out on strike nine weeks.

We're getting big support be- cause every worker realizes his job isn't safe any longer.

Danny Dickinson, another marcher, said over 60 unem- • • 17, 1972 No. 691 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

NCB WANTS

BIG

CONCESSIONS

Coal Board chairman Derek Ezra leaving the Wilberforce inquiry yesterday. • See story p.12. Leader of the Liverpool-Londor Smith, speaking on unemploym Liverpool. ployed youth would leave Liver- pool on Sunday morning for the 200-mile march to London.

We are all determined to see main thing it through. The that pushes us is the Tory government and its destruction of our rights. The miners have shocked the Tories and if the leaders of the other 10 million trade unionists took the same action, the government could be made to resign.' A contingent of unemployed youth from N Ireland will also join the march in Liverpool.

We're following the tradi- tions of the hunger marches of the 1930s, but there big are differences. In the 1930s they hungry and had really were suffered many defeats. 'But we're not going to London cap in hand. We're demanding our right to work and the resig- nation of the Tories, said Paul who is organizing the Lynch, Irish delegation.

PICKETS IN

HANDCUFFS:

POSTMEN

PROTEST

POST OFFICE workers in Edinburgh have protested over the handcuffing of arrested miners' pickets when they appeared in Dunfermline Sher- riff Court charged with 'mob- bing and rioting'. Officials of the Edinburgh outdoor branch of the Union of Post Office Workers gave a let- ter of protest to Gordon Camp- bell, Scottish • Secretary, in Edin- burgh yesterday. The letter described the handcuffing of the miners as 'utterly disgraceful'.

The pickets were arrested after clash between miners an angry and police outside Longannet power station in Fife on Mon- day. The petition against the men alleged that they formed part of a riotous mob of evil disposed persons which, acting with a common purpose, did conduct it- self in a violent, riotous and tumultuous manner to the great terror and alarm of the lieges, and in breach of the peace did swear, and utter threats curse, of violence'. The accused were remanded in custody after being refused bail.

Several busloads of miners who had come from early morn- ing picket duty at Longannet were prevented from entering Sheriff of the court when the Dunfermline took the unprece- dented step of closing the whole court building to the public.

TUC general secretary Victor Feather and STUC general sec- retary James Jack have also pro- tested at the treatment of the arrested men. Norman Wylie, Lord Advo- cate, has announced that he will investigate the circumstances sur- rounding the court hearing.

ool-London march, 16-year-old Christine nemployment on a previous occasion in The Liverpool march kicks off on Saturday with trade unionists joining a demonstration through the city followed by a mass meeting. At the head of the march will be Jim Allen, who wrote the TV plays 'The Lump', "The Big Flame' and Rank and File', and Neville Smith, whose "Gum- latest success is the film shoe. The meeting will be addressed by several leading Merseyside trade unionists including Fisher- Bendix convenor Jack Spriggs as well as speakers from the Right- to-Work committee and the Socialist Labour League. The march I hits the road on Sunday morning from the Pier- head Liverpool. It will stop in Kirkby for mid-day and" reach St Helens in the evening, where there will be a meeting with a performance of the play The English Revolution'. • For news of the Glasgow- London march see p.3.

workers press

MOMENT O соснот

BY ALEX MITCHELL

THE MOST DECISIVE vote Members of parliament will | Market Bill, the legislation wl Common Market. There is no doubt that a clear majority of people in Britain are totally opposed to membership. It is equally clear that had the Tories announced in their 1970 election manifesto that a Tory government would enter Europe without consulting the electorate, they would have been soundly defeated. Opposition to the market de- veloped last year throughout the unions' national trade con- ferences. It reached its peak when both the TUC and the Labour Party annual conferences rejected Britain's entry by over- whelming majorities. Militancy The rise in opposition to the market was a direct result of the rise in militancy in the working class over many issues including Industrial unemployment, the Relations Act, the raids on the social services and the soaring cost of living. This militancy is now given in dramatic expression miners' strike. The Common Market is nothing more than a con- spiracy of the big European monopolies to maintain their

DOLLAR

AT LOWEST

LEVEL

NEWS of the record US balance deficit drove the of payments dollar to its lowest level yet on Continenetal foreign exchange markets. Conditions on the • London exchange were described as hectic: 'I have seen as much business in one hour of trading as I normally see in a day, one dealer said. Rates were moving so fast that some operators were offering dollars and then buy- ing them back in the space of "the same telephone call.

Foreign News 2 Your rights 3 ATUA Manifesto discussion 5 TV programmes 11

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE

COMMON MARKET-SECOND VOTE

DECISION

THE MOST DECISIVE vote in the life of this parliament takes place today.

Members of parliament will be voting on the second reading of the Common Market Bill, the legislation which will pave the way for Britain's entry into the world market position (and big their exploitation working Tane class. It is entirely dominated by big Krupps, industrial 1nyssen. ruel. ¡ontecaul. Fiat, Peugeot, Petroleum, Shell Siemens, ( Bayer, and Hoesch. Entry fee They are demanding that the Tory the entry government pay fee- -straighten British capi- talism by smashing the working Class. Heath and his cabinet of mer- Chant i bankers ane only willing to oblige. They have created massive pool Uncl ployed to intimidate the working class. Stage 2- -and this is -is the slash- ing or wages and tne lowering or Playwright (above) Jim Allen playwright-actor Neville Joir beginning the Liverpool- London march this Saturday.

SLETTER • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1972

ENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL

parliament takes place today.

cond reading of the Common ay for Britain's entry into the the standard of living of millions of working-class families.

Any Labour MP who votes or abstains in today's critical vote aids this conspiracy. They should be expelled, irrespec- tive of whether Heath gets his majority. Yesterday Ray Gunter, the former Labour minister in Wil- son's cabinet, resigned. (See p.4).

At least Gunter is honest. He's been flushed out of the labour movement in this critical hour to go off to the Tory roost where he belonged years ago. The scene is now set for a bringing together of the politi- cal fight over the market and the industrial fight for wage justice for the miners to force hated government to resign.

The eyes of the entire working- class movement locked out and living by candlelight are now firmly fixed Wilson and on Feather. 'WE ARE marching to demand the right to work because the Tories want to push us back to the poverty and misery of the 1930s, Christine Smith, leader of the Young Socialists' Liverpool - London : Right - to - Work march told a press con- ference yesterday. •We're the Tories not asking for youth hostels or jobs, but de- manding that they resign and call a General Election. We call for • Labour government to nationalize the basic industries under workers' control and re- store our basic rights including the right to work? Christine, who is 16, comes from Kirkby, where 20 youth • job. She told re- chase every porters: 'We have called on the trade union movement to support us.

Kraft strikers gave us £29 after being out on strike nine weeks.

We're getting big support he- cause every worker realizes his job isn't safe any longer?

Danny Dickinson, another marcher, said over 60 unem- • No. 691 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

NCB WANTS

BIG

CONCESSIONS

Coal Board chairman Derek Ezra leaving the Wilberforce inquiry yesterday. • See story p.12. Leader of the Liverpool-Londor Smith, speaking on unemploym Liverpool. ployed youth would leave Liver- pool on Sunday morning for the 200-mile march to London.

'We are all determined to see it through. The thing main is the Tory that pushes us government and its destruction of our rights. The miners have shocked the Tories and if the leaders of the other 10 million trade unionists took the same action, the government could be made to resign? A contingent of unemployed youth from N Ireland will also join the march in Liverpool.

•We're following the tradi- tions of the hunger marches of the 1930s, but there are big differences. In the 1930s they hungry and had really were suffered many defeats. 'But we're not going to London cap in hand. We're demanding our right to work and the resig- nation of the Tories, said Paul who is organizing the Lynch, Irish delegation.

PICKETS IN

HANDCUFFS:

POSTMEN

PROTEST

POST OFFICE workers in Edinburgh have protested over the handcuffing of arrested miners' pickets when they appeared in Dunfermline Sher- riff Court charged with 'mob- bing and rioting'. Officials of the Edinburgh outdoor branch of the Union of Post Office Workers gave a let- ter of protest to Gordon Camp- bell, Scottish Secretary, in Edin- burgh yesterday. The letter described the handcuffing of the miners as 'utterly disgraceful'.

The pickets were arrested after an angry clash between miners police and outside Longannet power station in Fife on Mon- day. The petition against the men 'formed alleged that they part of a riotous mob of evil disposed persons which, acting with a common purpose, did conduct it- self in a violent, riotous and umultuous manner to the great terror and alarm of the lieges.

and in breach of the peace did swear, and utter threats curse, of violence'. The accused were remanded in custody after being refused bail.

Several busloads of miners who had come from early morn- ing picket duty at Longannet prevented from entering were the court when the Sheriff of Dunfermline took the unprece- dented step of closing the whole court building to the public.

TUC general secretary Victor Feather and STUC general sec- retary James Jack have also pro- tested at the treatment of the arrested men. Advo- Norman Wylie, Lord cate, has announced that he will investigate the circumstances sur- rounding the court hearing.

ool-London march, 16-year-old Christine nemployment on a previous occaslon in The Liverpool march kicks off on Saturday with trade unionists joining a demonstration through city followed by a the mass meeting. At the head of the march will be Jim Allen, who wrote the TV plays 'The Lump', 'The Big Flame' and Rank and File, and Neville Smith, whose latest success is the film 'Gum- ame shoe. The meeting will be addressed Merseyside by several leading trade unionists including Fisher- Bendix convenor Jack Spriggs as well as speakers from the Right- to-Work committee and the Socialist Labour League. The march hits the road on Sunday morning from the Pier- head Liverpool. It will stop in Kirkby for mid-day and reach St Helens in the evening, where there will be a meeting with a performance of the play "The English Revolution'. For news of the Glasgow- London march see p.3.

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Thursday February 17, 1972

PRESIDENT

José mown octop the bee Concentration of Popu- dent is to be supported flown out the lar Forces. The cil composed coun- Velasco Ibarra, coun- army Maria claims He is suc- dominant figure of Ducardli 1C W unquali- ceeded as head or state Lennese commander Ecuador politics for army chief Brig-Gen fied to stand. the navy and air force decades and three heads. Guillermo Rodri- The military chiefs Latin America's most as barde have opposed all along frequently ousted pre- Velasco's plans is a familiar The army has put the sident, was over. even a minimal popular country which has had thrown by a military say in electing the coun- siege and clamped constitutions since coup yesterday try's ruler. curfew over the ndependence 1830. ing. In proclamation country's Ecuador. colony vened prevent the early dominated bi Issuer yesterday, Is entrev Military said presidential election they said the aims of the big oil corporations sources Velasco head of scheduled for June. the government and fruit companies. Dr 'he new the world's largest times social justice LIve wavoured canucate Were alle and now ousted the election Assad the redemption

WAS

or lne for the fourth time by a Bucaram, leader of the humble. The new presi Panama hats.

NAVY WANTS

US TRADE

DEFICIT

HOME PORT

SOARS

THE US balance of THE UNITED States will con- payments tinue discussion with Greece for deficit $29,629m Sualtu year, about unree navv nome port in raels. times the 1970 record figure, despite a Soviet warning against the Commerce Department an- establishing US bases slo matie close borders, sources said yesterday. This lifted foreign claims on State Department spokesman massive S47,536m (£18,300m) and American

STOCK

Charles Bray said the US was simply seeking residential facili- reduced the reserves available ties for some 3.500 dependents these claims to $1Z.16/m ucIldy American seamen the (t4,00Um). Athenian port. The growth in the US balance This would allow to re- of deficit caused Pre- the sident Nixon to suspend the gold ranean without returning to

BY A FOREIGN

US for leave. The Nixon COnVCTLIDIILY last August 15. administration plans to

CORRESPONDENT

the dollar remains suercuren allance Will Portugal inconvertible, the foreign official Greece, Turkey and US aimed at winning a more power- reserves car- SYRIA'S Communist not be cashed. tul military basis. Party plans to merge with various bourgeois nation- including alist groups, the ruling Ba'ath Party, to form a Progressive Front of National Unity. The Front has been under discussion since last Novem- ber and its formation is due be announced publicly towards the end of this month. front will Taking part in the be the Socialist Union, led which Alasol ou- ports the present Egyptian regime; the Socialist Union led Jamal el Soufi; the by HIdD •ociallsl vovement Com- Akram el Hauranı and the Party, led by Khaled Bagdach. Atassi has been involved in almost daily with consuralion President General Hafez Syrian Assad on the formation of the new Front. Ba'ath will Assad's Party the dominate rront. Until now. the baath rarty has only legal political organization Syria where the Communist has Party been toleralcu only in so far as it subordinated itself

ILWU

CHIEF HARRY BRIDGES (FOREGROUND) WITH THE PMA's completely to the bourgeois

FLYNN

Mace mese terms are seid to accept these Le ills

DOCKERS TO VOTE ON DEAL

prison. Clearv the CP has now decided to Assad's accept terms in full. This move follows

UNION

leaders men's Union. of the representing une recent

CULEICO

15,000 dockers on the American The contract was reached last Lebanese Communist tended by Ba'athist represent- Coast nave recomnenced week neconatons wild The atives as "fraternal delegates'.

acceptance new contract Pacific Maritime Association rep- with the dock employers. resenting companies, includ- The contract must still be ratified shipping hrms. Federation 10s is we pecials in San Frant Created ov a maor c le cockers wo Kepublics with Libya and Egot.

have been on strike since last Fran- both pillars anti-communism cisco on Monday. summer. in the Middle The East. The contract falls well Mr Sidney Roger, deputizing the aisu short the for

IL WU

dictatorship

GOCKCIS

Ol allal Sudanese officials had cemanes it contains a guaranteed cald The Jaafar Numeiry. 36h hours of rooki on vpro ide mended that members 'approve hours work week he proposed agreement The Syrian regime described allu 'a step forward workers and 18 hours lun-ume terminate une sunce. part-time whether Voting through the union democratizing TOr WOrKerS road or not work is available. branches and could be finished regime'. But it The

BOOL

Full-time dockers will receive by this weekend. clear what, if any, will be the The strike has already Front's powers.

L4-CCOOL

8a V ACCase. spread over two years, bringing 130 days, not counting 80 days One of the clauses in the the hourly wage scale to $5.40 which the pro- were bars students hour. ordered back to work under It is not vet clear whether the ane soldiers Presidenna oroer. the Front. The Ba'ath Party will contract contains the vital Nixon has asked Congress to be the only legal guarantees rush through further on legislation organization the demanded the him Dolluical universities. Locanoemen sanes waterouse- sunkers sack

SHADOW POWER MINISTER ROY MASON, USING A POLICE

MICROPHONE

TO

CONTROL

TUESDAY'S

LOBBY

OF PARLIAMENT.

HE USES THE DANGEROUS SLOGAN 'VICTORY IS NEAR'

MR JOE GORMLEY, President of the National Union of Mineworkers, could spread a dangerous complacency among some sections of the working class. To declare, after the first session of the Wilberforce inquiry: 'We believe the battle is won.

We believe the court of inquiry is bound to come down in our favour' is lunacy.

THE BATTLE IS NOT WON.

The truth is that the Heath government has not given the slightest indication that it is preparing to make concessions to the miners. On Heath the contrary, declared in parliament this week, with 10,000 miners in the streets outside: 'It is not possible to give support to [the miners'] claim and at the same time pretend you are against inflation and unemployment?

The loud cheers that erupted from the government benches reflected the Tory Party's traditional hatred of the miners. The miners are well aware of this. The soft words of Gormley, backed up by Labour's former Minister of Power Roy Mason who declared that the battle was.

'almost won', will not disarm them.

The only purpose of the Wilberforce inquiry is to buy time for the government. It is an attempt to get the working class to lower its guard while measures, particularly in relation to picketing, are prepared against it. In this situation, optimistic burblings can only assist the Tories to do that. But Gormley and Mason, whatever else they may be, are not stupid. They know the miners' leaders have received no guarantees whatever from the Wilberforce inquiry. They know also that the miners.

picket lines are class-conscious to allow on the too themselves to be fooled by changes in Tory strategy.

The Labour and trade union leaders, trapped between the Tory offensive and the growing determination of workers to fight back on a scale not seen since 1926, are terrified not by the government but by their own followers: Gormley clearly expressed this: 'We don't think that there will be a cat in hell's chance of getting these men off the picket lines until this report is available.

'AND, BY GOD, IF IT ISN'T FAVOURABLE, I

HESITATE TO THINK WHAT WILL HAPPEN

TO BRITAIN'

The miners are right to take this attitude. Victory is not yet in the bag. There must be no relaxation of picketing, no slackening of the unity between miners and other trade unionists. The fight must go on until the Tory government is defeated.

DAY NINE-Hexham WE'VE begun to pick up people on the way. The latest took the decision to come on the journey to London after the Carlisle meeting and play.

I came is "The reason why because the march is in line with the battle down on the picket line - with . one big difference. are fighting for all the You working class and trying to build socialist movements every- where,' he told me. 'I believe in this. Socialism to is making the workers one me big family and getting a decent job and a good wage. Getting back to normal really, and away from what the Tories are doing to this country. 'When I say we want the right to live decently, I reach this con- clusion because I see this right is threatened. All these lads on the march don't have a chance under this set up. They come out of school then waste away on the dole. There are boys know with "O" levels who can't get work. This is no life for any- one.' John also gets angry about the fate of the • old people under Tory rule. He lives with his mother and father and they have to exist on £10 a week. 'It's better for me to go march- ing. It takes some weight off my parents and they back my beliefs anyway. One of the first things a Labour government must do is to give a better deal to the old.

'As a whole if the Labour Party do get in, they must adopt the Young Socialists' policies. As far as I know them I agree with them 100 per cent What does he think of the march so far? I have always been interested in politics and the main attrac- tion for me is to listen at meet- ings and talk to people we meet in the towns. "This has been a great experi- ence for me. At first I thought the aim of getting the Tories out was perl aps a little bit ambitious, but now, after seeing the feeling in the have passed areas we through, I know this is possible if people would come forward and fight.'

TONIGHT

Glasgow march arrives in

SOUTH SHIELDS

Thursday February 17 Greet the marchers at 8 pm at public meeting in the Town Hall Speakers 6 M. Barras, Durham Mechanic

NUM

Jock Graffby, Trades Coun- cil secretary John Barries, Right-to-Work leader on Glasgow-London -march. Arriving for lunch after a long, wet ma John Barrle (right). John is a great asset to the team. He has studied first aid in his spare time. Every evening the marchers attend the weary makeshift surgery where he treats their feet. The other recruit is Ken Gannon, an unemployed labourer from Carlisle. Ken knows just how the Tories are trying to smash the working because he's Class experienced it. Back in 1969 he was working for a tyre company. He was em- ployed as a cleaner then found he was expected to do a lubrica- tor's job as well. He complained, and lost his job. Then he went into one of the local sweat shops that promised money for a crippling 12 hours a day. But after three months the overtime fell through and Ken left to work on the M6 motorway. Une day the foreman drove up onto the site and sacked Ken and five of his mates with- out any explanation. Ken went to the site agent to ask for an explanation. He was told to get off the motorway or face police arrest. In his final job he approached the manager and asked for leave attend a to government re- training scheme. The boss told him if he went to the school, he went with his cards. Ken left the job and tried to train as a slater and tiler. He was dismissed because they said he was 'unfit'.

MARCHERS on the Young Socialists' Right - to - Work march are assured of a warm welcome at two centres on the route to London. Sheffield Polytechnic Students' Union has under- taken to organize a contingent to. join the march. when it... an

DEMAND

THE

RIGHT

TO

WORK

1, wet march from Haltwhistle, the Glasgow-l

JOHN HAMPSON, WHO JOINED

THE MARCH AT CUMNOCK

Ken was now cornered where the Tories wanted him. 'Eventually the assistance board came round, "Mr Gannon you have been on the assistance for we think it's some time now about time you found a job" What could I say? There aren't any jobs. I can't get one, l've been out 12 months. This is how vou get lower and lower in spirit I get £5.25 a week from the gov- ernment and I have to pay £4 rent on this kind of money. You can't get a job. You don't have the clothes-they are all second- hand—you don't have the fares to travel for the jobs, it's hope- less.' It was at this point that Ken reaches Sheffield, to open the Students' Union building for accommodation for the marchers and to raise £100 for the campaign. At Wallingford, near Oxford, the local Labour Party has agreed to support the march towards it.. and donate fIO Workers Pross, Thuras

GLASGOW

KILMARNOCK

CUMNOCK

SANQUHAR

THORNHILL

DUMFRIES

'CARLISLE

Glasgow-London marchers are led by read about the march in the 'Cumberland News'. I could see the march stood for the working class. 'Carlisle is a funny place, you have a lot of people who talk about things and doing some- thing else. Well for once decided I would do more than talk, I was going to do some- thing. I'm learning about politics on this march. I'm not brilliant at it, but I have made this step and end, foing to stick it out to the We welcome Ken and John. I'm sure their experience and knowledge will be a big asset on the march to London. A word about Hexham, last night's stop-over point. It's a rural area with one factorv—a chipboard plant in productivity. And here's a dramatic lesson This factory started out with 350 workers, it's now got half that number and the management hope to get another 100 out.

The reason for the savage re- dundancies is automation and particularly new machinery the firm has imported from Germany.

Now a tribute to local Labour Party secretary/agent Tom Flaws. He's just come in with eggs, bacon, cornflakes and milk for our breakfast. It'll probably get me the sack.

But you're left wing and on the move that's good enough for me' he said. expenses. The local supporters have also agreed to find accommo- dation and book the town hall for a public meeting. the women's Meanwhile section has decided to prepare soup and food for the marchers when they arrive. Workers Press, Thuraday Fobruary 17, 1972 PAGE 3

HALT

AN NAN WHISTLE NEWCASTLE

HEXHAM

YOUNG SOCIALISTS

NATIONAL RIGHT-TO-

WORK CAMPAIGN

RALLIES

to launch SWANSEA and

LIVERPOOL

marches

THIS SATURDAY FEB 19

St Georges Hall opp. Lime St Stn Liverpool 3 p.m. Soakers: Gerry Caughey (Pilkington rank- and-file committee) Bill Measures (Pilkington rank- andfile committee Cavanagh (T&GWU dock Larty steward) Bernard Bradley (Ford's con- venor) Jack Spriggs (Convenor Fisher Bendix) Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee) (YS leader of Christine Smith Liverpool march)

YMCA

SWANSEA 3 p.m. SLL, YS and trade union speakers Liverpool march arrives in St HELENS for a rally on

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 20

Town Hall, 7 p.m. see our documentary play

"THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION'

Directed by Corin Redgrave Written by Tom Kempinski followed by a meeting Speakers: Gerry Caughey, Christine Smith and Healy, (National Sec- Socialist rotary League)

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Thursday Februal

BY BERNARD FRANKS

Under the means test a detailed examination of all a person's income is made before a supplementary pay- ment is fixed. Some forms of income are counted in full or in part, meaning that you are only given an amount added to these to make up the scale rates. Some other payments may be ignored entirely. Possible sources of other income treated in this way are: State Benefits: Most National Insurance benefits are counted in full. So are family allowances and family incomes supplement.

Maintenance Payments: Whether under voluntary or court orders, these also are counted in full as weekly income.

Earnings: The first £2 of part- time earnings are not counted (£l if being registered for work is a condition for receiving benefit).

In addition, the first £2 of any earnings your wife may have are also not counted Disability Pension: Up to £2 a week of the total amount will not be counted. Other Income: The first £1 of the total of only a week other income, including such charitable payments, items as pensions from former employers, payments from friends regular war dependents' relatives, and pensions and the assumed income from capital will not be counted.

The value of a house owned and occupied by the claimant is totally ignored. Money in the bank or Post Office-or kept at home, if they get to know about ignored completely up to itis £325. Above this, they do not directly require to spend you any of it, but they deduct 5p a made to week from payments you for every £25 you have over £325. (5p off for £350, 10p off for £375 and so on up to £800, they take off 12kp after which for each £25.) , claim benefit using You can. Form Sl which can be obtained from Post Offices, and Social Se- be curity offices. The form can sent to your local Social Security Office or you can take it there.

Alternatively, you can go to your local office without an appoint- ment and be interviewed there.

If you are ill or disabled some- one else may go on your behalf.

In the case of a couple who are married or living together as man and wife the claim must be made by the man. Anyone unemployed and regis- tered for work can claim supple- mentary benefit through the un- employment exchange. Ask for it in and Form BI, fill Claim hand it back to the clerk who will complete it and send it off to the Social Security office. An interviewing officer will visit you, made and payment will be exchange. If you through the need money in a hurry, however, exchange get the employment clerk to complete his part of the form and vou can take it imme- diately to the Social Security office and get cash. An interviewing officer may be sent to your home or the office may be satisfied with the inter- view on their premises. In either case they will want to know de- tails of your present or previous employment; why you are claim- ing benefit, previous wages, present income from all sources, outgoings on rent, rates, number dependants and of children and any other state payments re- ceived. If itis your first claim and you require money at once at the Social Security office, they ay February 17, 1972 will want some proof of identity, Post Office book or pension book, etc. The officers may make periodic visits to your home after pay- ment is agreed to see if your have changed. circumstances They also keep in communication with the employment exchange to see if any of their rules have been broken -i.e. failure to take a job offered, failure to register for em- ployment. Anyone interviewed is entitled have a witness to present. Remember: • The benefits payments are not loans. This means grants, you don't have to pay them back.

(The only exceptions are the emergency payments to claim- full-time employment. in ants These may be repayable.) • Benefits are not charity of any kind. Your labour and that other workers is the sole creator of wealth. Benefits are paid for by you either directly in taxes and insurance contribu- tions, or indirectly from profits that you have created for the firms you worked at. Exactly the opposite outlook is promoted by the authorities- i.e. that supplementary benefits, being non-contributary-not paid for out of weekly National In- contributions - are in surance some way a magnaminous state gift. Everyone supplementary on benefits or with a low income can. claim exemption from pre- scription charges for themselves or their dependants and receive certificate from exemption the local social security office.

Families on supplementary benefit are entitled to free wel- fare milk and vitamin drops and tablets for children and expec- tant mothers and free school meals for children in the family at school. Exemption from payment for dentures, dental treatment and spectacles can be claimed by any- one receiving supplementary benefit, and their dependants.

Applicants can ask at the Social Security office or apply on forms F1 or FID which can be got from opticians or dentists.

is much The means test tougher if an 'exceptional needs' payment is concerned. Capital will not be ignored, over £100 but, on the contrary, may be a given for refusing an reason award. The fact that the claimant has no fixed address does not allow the social security clerks to re- fuse all payment, though some of them try to imply that it does.

In the Supplementary Benefits Handbook, clause 191 states: "The fact that a man does not have an address when he calls at the local office is not in itself a reason for refusing payment, although it is of course an indi- cation that the claim must be dealt with cautiously? It adds see him that a payment through up to the next working day, or to pay a deposit to a landlady' can be made, or a voucher for a lodging house given. dissatisfied with a Anyone payment awarded is entitled to go to an Appeals Tribunal. You do this by writing to the Social Security office, stating that you wish to appeal and giving your reason. Alternatively, you can fill in an appeals form. You are to make the appeal expected within 21 days of the decision you are disputing, but the chair- man of the Tribunal can ignore this rule if you have reason for a longer delay. Supplementary Benefit Appeals Tribunals are made up of three people, one of whom is usually a trade union official. All three, including a chairman, are state- appointed. You have : to go be- fore these and make your case.

You are entitled to take along a witness or representative to the expenses-fares Appeal whose fon loss and compensation of earnings-can be claimed from the Tribunal. The representative can be a friend, relative, social worker or trade union official.

You can even take a solicitor, though in this case expenses are legal aid not payable and the system does not apply. If the appeal is loaded against evidence being you by alleged brought which you did not know about, or if an important witness is unavoidably unable to attend, you are entitled to ask to have the appeal adjourned while you examine the evidence, get more advice or ensure that your wit- ness will be present. It is not generally known that anyone on supplementary allow- ances can get free legal advice.

A special Law Society scheme en- titles an applicant to one hour and thirty minutes of oral ad- vice from a solicitor on any one legal question. The cost 12}p to a very low income someone on and with capital less than £215- and free to anyone on supple- mentary benefits. For anyone else, the rate is fl for 30 minutes. The solicitors in the scheme are on a legal ad- vice panel maintained by the Law Society. Names and addresses of such solicitors can be got from the citizens' advice bureau, local court offices, probation officers and Law Society offices. This is useful for obtaining professional advice before attending a Sup- plementary Benefits Appeals Tri- bunal. Various benefits may also be obtained from the local authori- ties, usually by applying at the town hall. For example, help with school clothing, reduced bus fares for the elderly, rent and rate re- bates and family planning.

councils are In theory local now required by law to locate and provide special services for the disabled, though reports in- in many cases no dicate that than a nominal effort to more do this is taking place. If your answers in the initial interview are considered satisfac- tory, a first payment can be made to you in cash immediately over counter at the Social Se- curity office to cover emergency urgent need. Likewise, the or visiting officer can pay you your own home, again in cash.

Alternatively the first payment may be sent to you in the form of a money order to be cashed at the Post Office. For regular payment a book of orders is sent to you. Each order has a date on it and is cashable at the Post Office on or after that date.

Unemployed 'avail- workers. able for work' receive their Social Security payments at the Employment Exchange together with unemployment benefit.

Tomorrow Bernard Franks ex- plains how supplementary benefit payments can be restricted.

REVOLUTIONARY

PARTY

DISCUSSION

ON THE

ALL TRADES

UNIONS

ALLIANCE

DRAFT

MANIFESTO

On November 6 last year a national conference of the All Trades Unions Alliance decided adopt draft to manifesto to transform the Socialist Labour League into Since a revolutionary party. . the conference a country- wide discussion has been initiated in League branches, in the ATUA, in the Young Socialists and among Workers Press supporters.

Until the Right-to-Work rally at Empire Pool, Wembley on March I2, we intend to carry a full page each day devoted comments the to your Draft Manifesto. We have received more than 100 con- tributions to vital Now discussion. we want at least another 100. Workers and their families, youth, students and the un- employed are all invited to join in this discussion. If you haven't got a copy of the Draft Manifesto write to Workers Press or contact your local ATUA branch.

DAVID KETTLE

Draughtsmen's section of the Amalgamated Union of Engineer- Workers, works at GEC- ing Claudgen, London. * have studied the Manifesto agreeing carefully and while with the main parts, it is most important that it is absolutely firm in principles. I certainly agree that there must be an alternative leadership in the unions to carry through of all the defence and most the victory of the working class of which the building of a new party is a means to this end.

• centrist My union has a which follows the policy of ignoring the Industrial Relations Act. This policy is a highly dangerous trap: one might say to the Irish workers, ignore the British troops, look at the events of Bloody Sunday. Therefore the policy of making resign the Tory government through a General Strike is absolutely correct. There must be the return of a Labour government pledged to the Charter of Basic Rights as a political preparation to take power. Definitely all banks should be should nationalized. Why have to minorities depend on socialist planning....T charity when can make it passible to improve their lot all round, instead of begging for pitiful grants for social amenities? I want to raise the question of full representation of all minorities of deaf and handi- capped in the unions which I think should be included in the Charter. In order to make such repre- sentation possible the Manitesto raises the question that the working class is the only force that can defend and fulfil what all minorities cannot do on their I see the ATUA as an alter- native to the treachery of the TUC and welcome all workers who want to fight for their rights and win.

MIKE JONES

Shop steward at CAV Liverpool. The ATUA Manifesto is a docu- ment that should be read by member of the working every class in Britain. The questions it asks and the demands it makes are both vital and long overdue. It attacks the enémies of the working class— the Tories, the Labour traitors, the TUC. It also proposes the principled alternatives to these servants of capitalism. But for me the most relevant thing is the Charter of Basic Rights. This seven-point plan should be forced down the throat of the TUC with a demand for a general strike to bring down the Tory, government. Workers Press, Thur

TOM CLARE

President of Mitcham 58 ME AUEW branch. At 51 he works as a toolmaker in Sutton, S Lon- don. This Tory government is trying to push us back to the 1920s because worker who is prepared to work cowed want for a mere pittance. want a docile, They menial worker. I am not prepared to be slapped back to the 1920s and neither are my sons. We won't defeat the Tories with the Labour and present trade union leadership. These leaders are only out for them- selves. They always abandoned the working class to improve their conditions. The answer own is to elect people who are pre- pared to fight for the working class and not for their own glory.

I agree wholeheartedly with the Manifesto and I support the building of a revolutionary party which concludes the Manifesto.

The state controls everything and you can't defeat it with the leadership we have got now. We have to clear the lot out now with a revolution. I support the Right-to-Work . and I will be at the campaign rally at Wembley Pool because it symbolizes our protest against interpretation the Tory of justice for the working class.

I think the Workers Press is a cracking paper. It portrays truth and it's paper of the the workers. I support wholeheartedly the new 12-page Workers Press as long as the present standard and content is maintained rosa, Thursday February 17, 1872 PAGE 5 July 1970: Liverpool dockers lobbying Transport House learn that the 1970 national dock strike is on. JOHN McGINNIS Docker, South End docks, Liverpool. Unemployment is beginning to be felt on the docks with more signing on. It is obvious that a fight over redundancy is coming up. In the present situation, with over a million unemployed, we are faced with the task of fight- ing through the trade unions to bring down the government.

It will only be brought down with a General Strike. Workers have no faith in the present leadership. We saw in Liverpool how Feather tried to recently dodge the issue and soft soap Christine Smith (Young Socialists' member who demanded General Election to end unem- ployment). Crawshaw, who is our MP, is one who voted with the Tories on the Common Market. I sup- port the demand by borough Labour Parties and trades councils for the expulsion of these MPs from the Labour Party. The call for socialism and the fight for genuine socialist policies is the only way to solve workers' problems. An alternative leader- built. I ship must be think in the workers will find that Socialist Labour League and the ATUA because their policies are correct.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Thursday February 17,

THEATRE REVIEW

BY ANNA TATE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

SOPHIE BAKER

IT WAS exciting to imagine a London production of one of the most popular works of the greatest socalist writer of this Bertolt century, Brecht. Especially 'The Three- penny Opera', a universally musical, human, accessible funny, tragic, aggressive, with the music of Kurt Well matching Brecht's anti-bour- geois drama so aptly that it is hard to envisage one with- out the other. hursday February 17, 1972 .. Of course, Knife, Pirate Jenny and the knew there would be painful contradic- Peachums. tions. The theatre a bour- What could have saved this geois medium in this society, new production from such a and the West End the Mecca fate, which sends audiences or The nicole-class. away content in tell own sell- tion, the itself had opera esteem and liberalism, would nervegth ossessed the Lcyc do what Brecht have been to Brecht's later would undoubtedly have done works which more success- had he been directing it, which the relevance eno astre them to bourgeois entertain- of the opera to the prevailing As it is, the director, situation. or, hard Madiar, has been seen that Tony and The translator, Hugh Brecht's attempt to counter seemed to be doing evervthint Monadesm and senturer tality had, The in their power to reduce th some extent, impact and significance of th failed ThreeDenny Opera' and that have pied to underset ita present-day events, people char- a glitter- always romanticized ingly: liberalistic, sophisticated acters and songs of Mack' The Vanessa Redgrave Peachum, heath SChe Threepenny 'The Dan Meaden Messenger, and Jenny. chistic despair. In effect, Hugh and had on rence Daly and having are strike-to analogy. The Marc the stead burlesque Macdiarmid's suffers of direction The cast rassingly managing, how, quite is a good choice Vanessa Redgrave as Polly right de Mella as Mac- wedding in from Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera'. Left: Queen's as the Messenger, and Annie Ross as the undertones of anar- In effect, Tony Richardson Macdiarmid have had on 'The Threepeny Opera' the kind of effect that Law- rence Daly and Joe Gormley the miners' having on strike-to stretch a political The original translation of Marc Blitzstein was neither literal nor poetic, mirroring in- human dimensions of Brecht's outrage, and the used rather as a weapon than as entertainment.

method is slavish rather than dialectical.

The production as a whole • therefore from these two major weaknesses — that of direction and translation.

The cast struggle heroically with such odds against them.

Vanessa Redgrave is badly mis- cast as Polly Peachum, embar- rassingly imposed on, yet managing, one never knows quite how, to make the part stand up. Annie Ross as Jenny is a good choice with just the right degree of brashness offset with dignity. Joe Melia, hardly anyone's idea of a cut-throat, nevertheless succeeds in con- sinister veying machinations quite sinisterly. Barbara Wind- does usual her turn sor communicating working - class idiocy in that inimitable fashion which makes her the darling of middle-class theatre audiences. is, But what a pity it all given that the Brecht-Weill- Blitzstein version has a power- ul relevance to us now, Ior The Threepenny Opera' pre- sents a picture of that marvel- lous world of free enterprise in which the ruthless gangster is king. The real message is that there is very little differ- ence between the present-day of free enterprise gangsters white who wear starched shirts, pin-stripe trousers, rolled umbrellas and carry work in City merchant banks and the world of hard crime.

Then, by a strange and not unhappy coincidence, the hero of the opera bears the same name as our present Prime Minister, and those who mourn their dead in Derry might also have found other coincidences in the Ballad of Mack The Knife: just the . 'When the shark bites; Workers Pross, Thuraday F With his teeth, dear, Scarlet billows start to flow.

Fancy gloves, though, wears Mack Heath, dear, trace of So there's not a red.' There are also shades of Derry and Bloody Sunday in other tales of Mack Heath: 'On the sidewalk, Sunday morning, Lies a body oozing life. Someone's sneaking round the corner- Is that someone Mack the Knife?' And there are other paral- lels for those who wish to see them in "The Threepenny Opera'. A thought of British troops in Ulster might not have gone amiss in the follow- ing song: 'Let's all go barmy Live off the Army See the world we never saw.

If we get feeling down, we'll wander into town, And if the population Should greet us with in- dignation We'll chop them to bits Because we like our ham- burgers raw. And. if that seems rather extreme to you, Brecht was clear on one thing: But blood is blood and red is red ars Press, Thuraday February 17, 1972 PAGE 7 And the Army is still re- cruiting. But most relevant of all in this time of the miners' strike, the caliing of commissions of deals, inquiry, arbitration, negotiations and the attempt to drive men to settlement, is the finale of the Ballad Mack The Knife: 'Happy ending, nice and tidy, It's a rule I learned at school, Get your money every Friday, Happy endings are the rule.

So divide up those in dark- ness From the ones who walk in light, Light 'em up boys There's your picture, Drop the shadows Out of sight.' And that is exactly what the production of The Three- penny Opera' at the Prince of Wales theatre does; it drops the shadow the real Over relevance of the piece. Inas- much as there are indestruc- tible elements in Brecht and in the music of Kurt Weill, there are reasons for going to see it, although the price of admission no longer bears any relation to the original three- pence which was intended.

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Thursday Februa An amazing piece of diplo- matic trickery has been staged by the US State Department in a desperate bid to prop up the tottering economy of its puppet regime in Cambodia.

of the fraud has The story light following to the come Australian government's decision to chip in almost £400,000 to an for fund international support the Cambodian currency, the riel.

It gives yet another twist to the Maoist dictum that imperial- ism is just a paper tiger.

Reeling under repeated blows from the Cambodian liberation army, the National Union of by deposed Free Khmers, led Prince Norodom Sihanouk, the dictatorship anti-communist Marshal Lon Nol is breaking up.

So in Washington a bizarre was hatched. scheme Begging letters were drawn up for Lon Nol to sign and send to various foreign governments asking for a total of almost £10m. The letters were to be sent out as 'personal notes' to heads of state, designed to bring Excellency's attention Your directly the economic problem that we are now confronted with in the Khmer Republic (Cam- bodia)'. They ended on this surprisingly direct note: 'I am asking that your government make a con- ribution of .. to the fund for 1972 at a meeting to be held in Phnom Penh (the Cambodian capital)? Commented American column- ist Jack Anderson, who published the story. 'all Lon Nol had to fill in the blank space do was with the correct amount for each country'. The prospective victims of this confidence trick were the United Japan, Australia, Britain, New Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. The amounts they were to be asked for ranged from £4.8m from the US to £100,000 from the smaller countries. Britain was down for £200,000. In the event Australia coughed up only a third of what it was asked for, following up with a flurry of denials that the don- ation was its answer to a "personal' approach from Lon Nol.

The British Tories' response is yet known. Despite the not denials, however, there is little doubt that the Anderson revela- are completely authentic.

tions At the end of last month, Lon Nol announced a major construction and irrigation pro- gramme in the areas surrounding Phnom Penh--now just about the only land under the Marshal's control. The communist-killing dictator, who has been ruling by decree since October last year, announced that a fund of 80,000,000 riel was on hand for the projects. grandiose measures are Such a frantic attempt to retain some credibility for the regime in the of the 2 million or so eyes Khmers still nominally under Lon Nol's control (the country's total population is 7 million).

Their basis is purely US aid, which is now running at £136m a year-almost a third of it for military purposes. year an International Last Fund team visited Monetary Cambodia and it was from there ay February 17, 1972 Top: Lon Nol (r) with Sirik Matak, Cam that the idea of an exchange- support fund emerged. A similar fund is already in operation for the US puppet regime in Laos.

The idea is that participating countries give the riel, which is not quoted on foreign-exchange markets, a stable but completely artificial value by buying it up Top: Lon Nol (r) with Sirik Matak, Cambodian vice-premier. Below: Australian Prime Minister W. McMahon with 'hard' currency - if any be described in currency can those terms these days. In other words, the capitalist powers buy up Cambodian paper with their own paper and thereby trv to give the Lon Nol regime some purely imaginary reserves.

It was this scheme the State Department confidence trick was designed to boost. And it was this that the into Australian £400,000 disappeared.

Anderson says the secret docu- published prove that US lying the government was Australian Prime Minister W. McMahon when it claimed Cambodia had undertaken to make its own approaches to donors for the fund. What premier William McMahon and the Australian government are worried about is that, even though their con- tribution was cut, it makes them the dupes of a huge look American fraud operation.

The twist it gives to Mao Tse-tung's teachings is-imperial- ism may well be a paper tiger, but these days even the paper can be fictional. Brazil plays a key role in the United States strategy for the continued domination of Latin America. This was shown by the importance attached to last December's secret talks Washington between Pre- in sident Nixon and the head of the military regime, Emilio Garrastazu Medici. President Garrastazú Médici However, the Americans want the regime to restore bourgeois- democratic forms to give greater investors and confidence to counter the claim that. the US is backing a corrupt dictatorship.

Washington is concerned about the dangers of revolution in a country where the rich get richer and the masses live in extreme poverty. Washington believes that a safety valve is necessary. Medici sibilalready refereed to the p sibility of a return to democracy' and a less prominent political role for the army.

Support for this comes from business circles close to the US corporations and banks which life of control the economic has been Brazil. The chorus taken up by a number of poli- to reflect the ticians believed views of Washington. Military chiefs are emphasiz- ing the dangers of lowering the guard before the 'Marxist-Lenin- ist threat' and there is no relaxa- tion in the fight against 'subver- sion. in Early January the young revolutionary leader Jeova Assis was shot dead at a foot- ball match. arbitrary Police shootings, arrests and torture are everyday law-making All occurrences. powers are concentrated in the hands of the executive and the deputies and senators have no The power. government can deprive them of all political and civil rights if they do not behave themselves. The hard-line militarists intend to hold on to power and believe that they indispensable are the struggle against the guerrillas operating in various parts of the country. The underground guerrilla bul- letin, "Venceremos' reports a series of actions at the end of last year, despite heavy losses.

Army units fighting the guerrillas are trained and equipped by the US army. Besides fighting its guerrillas at home, the Brazilian military régime is taking the lead in back- ing reactionary regimes up throughout Latin America on behalf of the US and threatening those countries which step out of line. The American Inton firm will provide 49 per cent of planned investment in a domestic appliances factory to be built in Celinac, Yugoslavia. The investment is to be for a 20-year period. Marketing the products in Western Europe will be undertaken by the American partner. Factory operation should begin early next year and reach its full capacity by 1975.

The deal is a further example of the growing links between the Yugoslay economy and Western capitalism.

You may not have taken much notice, but half the Royal Family recently packed their bags and left for an extended tour of SE Asia and the Indian Ocean. You probably don't care, anyway.

Anyway they're there now. In King Bhumibol. Thailand. With Why Thailand? Well, you won't find out from "The Times'. On the day the visit began they chose to print a lengthy and incredibly po-faced - despatch which looked as if it had been cobbled together out of back 'Readers Digest' copies of the and 'Encyclopaedia Britannica'.

It didn't tell you why the Queen was there, or much about what she was doing, but it did give a good deal of fascinating information Prince Bhumi- on bol's remarkable gifts of compas- sion, redemption and righteous- ness (bestowed at his coronation in 1951, 'The Times' assures us).

Ceremonial on the Royal visit is likely to get rather tiresome if the top people's newspaper is to be believed. The Thai mon- arch's full title is His Majesty the Supreme Divine Lord, Great Strength of the Land, Incompar- Realm, Lord Ram (sic), Holder Greatest of the Kingdom, Chief of the Sovereign People, Sovereign of Siam, Supreme Protector and Monarch. on certain occa- All persons sions are still required to pros- themselves in the Royal trate Times' 'The describes presence. Bhumibol as a 'lean youthful figure in rimless spectacles who plays jazz, gives lectures to uni- versity students and travels on foot to the hill country to present small gifts to tribal leaders'.

This monarch constitutional ascended the throne in 1946 after his brother was shot in circum- stances which 'have never been satisfactorily cleared up', again according to 'The Times'. Bhumi- bol later executed two page boys for the crime. Another man was implicated in the 'plot largely The fate of the French tabloid daily "Paris-Jour' is a good illustration of what 'press free- dom' means under capitalism.

It belonged to Cino del Duca, the multi-millionaire owner of women's mag- mass-circulation azines and comics, who ran it at a huge loss for the power and prestige it gave him.

Since his death five years ago it has been run by his wife in reverence to her husband's memory. Like the heroines in her hus- band's magazines, she was the married shorthand typist who the boss. Knowing nothing about newspapers, she tried to dictate the paper's contents as well as things, its policy. Some like abortion, could not be mentioned in its pages. One day, entering the office and finding the sub-editors pour- ing over the news agency tapes, she shouted at them: 'I don't pay you for reading.' Despite the fact that the paper tripled its circulation to 600,000 in the space of a few years, it continued to lose money heavily, largely because of Madame del Duca's inept control. It ran for with full-colour six months a front page, despite the addition which this meant for the deficit.

Kittikachorn because he once crossed his legs in the king's presence. Bhumibol is, says 'The Times', 'close to his subjects. There is much more in the same vein, going back to the abolition of slavery (as long ago as the turn of the century) and ending up the information that the with country fought with the Axis powers during the war. The gen- eral impression that every- thing in the garden is lovely.

'Times' readers are allowed just a sniff of what's really hap- pening in Thailand. 'A constitu- tional monarchy was established by bloodless revolution in 1932; says. A tendency paper dictatorship military towards manifested itself soon afterwards and has never been eradicated.

This is conceivably the year's biggest understatement. Thailand is ruled by one of the most repressive military regimes in the whole region. Its leader, Field Thanom Kittikachorn, Marshal holds hundreds of political prisoners in his jails without trial. He presides over a country which is in reality little more than a vast air base for the American heavy. •bombers which daily pound N Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. A typical savoury item giving the flavour of life under Bhumibol Kittikachorn and is tucked away in two paragraphs under "The Times' eulogy of the regime. It states: 'Field Marshal Finally, in an attempt to save she sacked 22 some money, journalists and 1l other workers.

A majority of the staff decided to strike to try to save their jobs, including the editors. Out- raged by the temerity of her servants, Madame decided to sack the lot and close the paper.

Now 315 people have been sacked. In this country as well as in France, well as the policy, of the daily papers depend upon the caprice of a few rich men. 'Paris- Jour' shows, in an extreme and absurd form, what might happen to any of them. The proprietors show a complete contempt for those who buy and read the papers as well as for those who write and make them. Another saga of press freedom is taking place under our very noses. It concerns London's two commercial radio proposed stations and the city's two even- ing newspapers. Both the 'Even- News' 'Evening ing and the Standard' had hoped to lay hands on the lion's share of the London radio contracts. Apart unadulterated from greed—no doubt their main Thanom Kittikachorn, chairman of the ruling national executive council, has ordered the summary execution without trial of a man of 21 for the rape and murder of a girl aged Thailand Radio reported.' That's more like the kind of regime that's needed in defence of democracy and the rule of law, don't you think?

It took the more outspoken 'Daily Telegraph' to reveal the real significance of the Queen's visit to this brutal US puppet regime. "Telegraph' correspondent Brian Crozier went straight to the point: 'In Thailand .. • she will be greeted as the head of an allied state and fellow-member of the South East Asia Treaty Organiza- tion (SEATO), at times derided but still active and in fact with much work on its hands these days.' He even stated that: 'What the will see is perhaps less Queen significant than what she will In Thailand, terrorism not see. word for which is (the polite "insurgency") began in 1965 when the Thai Patriotic Front, sponsored by Peking, was created.

... they ... In recent weeks have _staged daring ambushes in the S In its usual cynical upper-class "Telegraph' style, the doesn't bother to conceal the fact that the Queen is touring SE Asia as a PR job for British imperialism, promoting the 'defence of democ- racy alongside the Supreme Ram and Marshal Kittikachorn.

motive in bidding for the highly lucrative contracts - the two papers rationalized their claim the grounds that the radio on stations could take away a lot of their advertising revenue.

The 'Standard' and the 'News' are reported to have been con- fident of getting their slice of the commercial radio cake until Christopher Chataway dropped his bombshell. They are now about the whole pretty upset business. * original Chataway's Sound Broadcasting Bill was tailored to the press magnates' requirements.

It actively encouraged provincial papers to take part in forming local commercial radio stations.

But other men of means felt being squeezed out they were of the Act. Their spokesman in parliament John Gorst, the secretary was and founder of the Local Radio and a long-standing Association, campaigner for commercial radio.

He is now Tory MP for Hendon N. His proposal to amend the Broadcasting Bill to keep the newspapers' hands off the new stations has been accepted by Chataway. As Chataway put it: 'While we .

going to accept the press are play a large part in local com- merical radio, we want to be able to ensure that unsuitable press not being excluded interests are automatically' Gorst's interest in the affair academic. He is not entirely recently joined Standard Broad- casting, a Canadian company that been showing interest in local radio. Workers Press, Thursday Fobruary 17, 1972 PAGE 9 It isn't only human beings who by Left cover at a time when he get killed capitalism. The polar bears at the North Pole is facing growing criticism from are having a hard time of it, the workers and poor peasants of Chile. too. They stand in danger of being wiped out by ruthless hunters equipped with motor boats and aircraft. Penetration Memo to the Pilkington rank of the Arctic for oil explora- and File Committee. tion has also threatened the You'll interested to polar bears, who now number all be that the latest issue of only 10,000 to 12,000. learn General and Next week a conference of the Municipal five Workers' Union journal is out nations with territory round the North Pole (Canada, today. The front page is just the Denmark, Norway, Russia and United States) will meet of sort thing to warm the in Switzerland to plan ways of cockles of your heart. It pictures a leading chef at saving the animals. the Grosvenor House Hotel in London's West End preparing a tray of roast partridges.

Meanwhile, back the at black puddings ... The saga of Castro and the Christians entered a new chap- ter when students and staff at the Havana seminary of San Carlos San and Ambrosio month cutting spent a sugar cane alongside Communist Party members and other Admirer of Che Guevara, workers from the towns. of guerrilla theorist warfare, This is clearly what Castro Regis Debray, who spent three meant when, in Chile, he spoke Bolivian jail, of the co-operation of Chris- years in a has out in full support tor come tians and Marxists as being a reformist the Chilean presi- key factor in the revolutionary dent, Salvador Allende. process. His support for Allende has Shortage of labour in the grown since the first appear- cane fields has been a beset- year of for some years ance last his book ting weakness 'Conversations with Allende'. and the trainee priests, all 40 In an interview last month he of them, and their six teachers, apologized for the are said to have done quite sharpness of some of the questions which well for beginners. he had asked the 'campanero During month's their stint presidente'. the seminarists cut the equiva- Debray is preparing a book lent of 250 metric tons of on Chile which is expected to The priest in charge sugar. reflect his admiration for said: Allende. He said recently that, 'To of thinking, our way 'it would not be wise to attack work means taking part in from the Left Allende The God's plan for the world. As immediate task is unity and a Cubans, this means the need to united front before the com- work to develop our country mon enemy. Perhaps I under- which is making a gigantic estimated that in the course effort, in a revolutionary way, of our talks last year'. to emerge from underdevelop- His open support for popu- ment. lar frontism It may be asked why God's is not only in marked contrast with his plan only requires one month's earlier book, Revolution in work a year and how a supply the Revolution', written when of holy men is going to over- he was a Castro supporter but Cuba's underdevelop- come provides Allende with a useful ment.

LEON TROTSKY:

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But did Paynter really oppose PAGE 10 Workers Press, Thursday February 17, 1972 abuse being directed by some of Dear Editor, our so-callea leaders ater reas

LETTER

Tory newspapers to use tor their mon lack of leadership these scapegoat thanks to your paper for the you have and are giving support and defeated, and fight. sold being out give their they three ica pet I am not a member of any poli- realize that ‹ know you will sons: tical but do believe man should speak the save come In lor culte We Let's wait considerable amount hire, st and can't. a bit , and defend people stano lo Yorkshire, why dont they medal being accused doing are somebody else but themselves. believe this is because the people something which they not ale are whO are guilty of. Let me frightened of the truth and are concerned picket leader. m lack very conspicuous Let these people who leadership during attacking allion seculons 0ul contact Into Will militants get off Inis present strike. action by Com- Then they and get into the fight. Iney are quite preparea to sit munists members which has been directed Until then on their backsides and blame the criticize. you Lal

MINERS

Trotskyists, Communists and left- We need help keeo up une wolk from every quarter, not attack. during picketing York- Labour 101 ally any More power to your elbow.

shire. nare ThaT picket lines. But when they are the picket I have seen these people being asked themselves he sones. subjected by Brodsworth colliery, violence unes Ways Yorkshire. ponce. I nave read and seen the to prevent Tre SInKe

PAYNTER,

former Paynter then wrote the

WILL

Union Yorkshire that National of Mine- useful purpose would be served' workers' general secretary by acting on this suggestion.

and former Communist Party (The texts of both these letters member (for 40 years) takes News- "The were published in 'strong exception' to a state- 1969) letter, rebruary 2), ment in The Guardian' that In fact, Paynter's only gesture he had assisted in the 'con- relation

CLO

closures was contraction' of trolled the offer concessions the very to which was closing mining industry. government Tuesday's ine bils. elen

NCB

publication 'Coal "Guardian', Paynter Claims opposed the rundown 1968 ne declares *the union News and this that he would accept seven-day opposi- of the working in selected pits in return Tion became a mall of a slow- tion of the union leadership.

for Wilson's or elise down in the rate or out closures Miners today, says, miner in the land knew paunter a bargaining power vastly 'have working himself out that he was Wilson superior to tnat of the that the of a lob and decade. ney lost ground under Cnically broker leadership because "condi- promises made to the miners tions were more difficult.

in 1964. held these positions, his record show? Paynter's parting gift Those What does the the now far from statement Paynter's attitude enounce publi Did who members was took growing militancy of the work- pavnier more Guardian' Harold nowever. was „to tne eneci per vear 00 On -devotes its entire fierce. that the should base Is Class Wilson's Commission on Indus- behind placed blame the the eco- aler „towaro when retired their strategy trial Relations not the 'official' leaderships of 'lefts'.

NUM

really fight nomic ane nancia recuirements which of their members, but on those anterest Ddylliculls closures? These mistakes, It are no are bleeding it white, but on the of the employers ! theories and policies Did more dithcult conditions miners themselves! which prevent any closures inevitable? really Government Labour oron His attack on absenteeism gave of the Communist Party Was 'morale low' among miners, industrial rela- member light to every vindic- the green from developing revolu as he claims? We are facing the land

TONS

tionary within its ranks. Lenin tive mander permanent and pushed for the irreversible launch an against was anciency orive change in society. Our collective. CIR job by both "The Times' and against the men. Throughout all best bargaining depends on 'The Guardian'. Party communist workers LIlIs. who came une com overal economic and finan The "The Gúardian', in Paynter munist movement, to free them particular, derenaed anu Ilially cial requirements of two groups sincere rank-and-file members lavish praised him in the most desperately sought for fig leaves manner Guard- • TOr prevenuing IrOUDIt with which to cover him. lilalll over pit closures! ian', December 6, 1968.) was: he 'His outstanding performance The line

NUM

during minority Pavnter not an isolated the in the national execu- Was at individual. predecessor traction of the industrv and his doing, secretly

NUM

general secretary was what Constant avocaly another Communist Party mem- 'sympathizes with the milltants admirers.' etc., etc. - Arthur Horner. Horner. February h, 1969a0y won the first days of nationalization, That was true. in assiduously opposed strikes Make the Tory 1964 special delegate government But Paynter devoted his 'out- 'betrayals of the Labour govern- called for a strike in conference resign! standing periormances

TO SOD

ment

WOLO

industrial action against pit increase for das suboort ola dI Labour government's betrayals of wage men. Closures. the miners!) and he intervened supported Return a Labour government this demand against to end the 194' His most blatant performance personally to try the opposition of the NEC pledged to restore full employ- the frimethorpe strike was nis intervenuion azallsl Here was Paynter's oppor- New 1906. Monckton men ment and repeal all laws The story of Horner and When 1,600 men lost their jobs tunitv! He had the ranks solidi Paynter is the story of Stalinism against the unions! behind him, and conference this Yorkshire area vote to back it up. Now he could Britain Dominated the council decided to hght. really go to war against the right Yorkshire area Party wing. Communist socialisin. Int official, Sid then February schoneld. LUTON: Thursday failed to build and train Marx- phoned Paynter and received He went to war, right enough Centre, ists in the unions. 8 p.m. recrealon which from him he Old World Bedford Rd.

ICLICI

back In the immediate post-war economic crisis. declared moa pir closures were two-thirds* ballot with government policy and that the years the Communist Party held could not change that be ared Sidney car be union major leading dositions in a number of SE

LONDON:

of official) he without the support key unions-such as the National February Gormley's 17, 8 p.m. Room as 'the Union Electrical Trades Unicke Laut f the NUN Deptford Engineers' Club (opl the union movement'. acul country opposing Cross Stn.) Support sunke acuon New Paynter urged the Yorkshire- Brigades Union and on the eve of the ballot.

une Ailalza- miners and Ulster workers.'

mated Engineering Union, among with the Coal men to co-operate Paynter openly declared that others. of New closure only for he the NEC, N LONDON: Thursday Feb- Monckton ana tnis intervention Party members were frequently Town Hall, enabled the right wing in but ruary nton. Reformism the when reassured that class battle leadership Edmonton. and Yorkshire area to underline tnis, the rignt-wing the area council in Lancashire had Partv would trade unions. decision developed reverse une orevious printed and distri- come into its own because of its his speech take action against the Closure strength. Yet now the industrial branch in the Towards the end of 1967 both •uled every MANCHESTER: Thursday Feb- area in time for the vote.

Communist Party has lost posi the Scottish and Yorkshire areas 17, p.m Room 3, ruary hon alter posinon in one union of the NUM demanded a special Wythenshawe social centre, after another. *This re-call conference of the Labour After years of covering up for Party over closures.

IERS' STRIKE

DAY 39

Willlam Paynter left the NUM to take a job on the Commisslon on Industrial Relatlons in March 1969. He is right with seen (I. to r.) Leslie : Blakeman, of Ford's, J. R. Edwards, deputy chairman of Harland and Wolff and a director of Joseph Lucas, fellow of Nuffield Allan Flanders, college, Oxford, George Wood- chief former TUC who cock chaired the Commission, and Norman Singleton, Its secretary.

Woodcock and Paynter left the after the Tories came CIR soon to power. the dominance of bour- from geois ideology. He carried out this fight in the early Congresses International of the Communist such as 'Left- and in writings Wing Communism'. Stalinism not only liquidated the leading cadres of the Com- munist International, it also abandoned the struggle for revo- lutionary consciousness among the advanced workers. That is what accounts for the industrial decline of the British Communist Party and Paynter's pathetic excuses. Wythenshawe. Rd, Brownley campaign'. 'Right-to-Work BARNSLEY: Sunday February 20, 7 p.m. 'The Victoria', Dar- "The miners' strike and field. the Tory government'. Speaker: A Yorkshire miner. DAGENHAM: Wednesday February 23, 8 p.m. Room Il, East Ham Town Hall. 'Labour must force a General Election.'

Monday

WILLESDEN:

28, 8 p.m. Trades February and Labour Hall, High Road, NW 10. 'Labour must force a General Election.' W LONDON: Tuesday Febru- Albert, ary 29, 8 p.m. Prince Wharfedale Rd, off York Way, Kings Cross. 'Crisis of capital- ism'. SW LONDON: Tuesday February 29, 8 p.m. Small Hall, Clapham Manor Manor Baths, Clapham St, SW4. 'Labour must force a General Election'.

EXCLUSIVE

Pit closures coming rail chief warns

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

A CONFIDENTIAL memo written by a top executive in British Rail states that the Tory government is not prepared to 'give in' to the miners' pay demands.

And he also warns that after the strike is settled, many colleries are likely to be closed down. 'In the longer term', he says, Officially the NCB are not talk- 'it is unlikely now that we ing to anybody about the posi- snall ever see again a nanona especially Ton Ine strike. coal production figure of 140 about colliery closures. million tons per annum, and the strike there may in fact it could well go down Alter by industry to nearer 100 million tons per and other fuels which with consequent loss to ourselves. place, but there is no sign yet any such revenge upon the

NCB

of The author the circular their although letter 1s Mr K. A. Savill. regional Inis Is bouna to nappen. Ireignt manager (tor coal) in tne London Midland region of Savill also anticipates the rush British Rail. to get supplies when the strike is over. Savill's memo gives very insight clear 111lu Supply "The onl in the strike. me savs: inside information which I have been able to obtain that both scramble the government and the National Coal Board are determined not to give way ect belore to see any simo or Warning about the future of weeks before we see any sign throughout the country, pits compromise.') Savill says: 'It may be that some colliery He reveals: "There will un- will - be so doubtediy-be a scramble to get

WORS

armaced that they will never open again.

hold of coal immediately after The daily paper that leads the workers press fight against the Torles. £20.28 for 12 months (312 issues) 210.14 for 6 months (156 Issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) you want to Works 2 restwice a week the rates are: {6.24 for 12 months (96 issues ) Fill in the form below NOW and send to: Circulation Dept., Workers 186a Clapham High St., res! ondon, SW4 7UG I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

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Name Address itive in British Rail states that many colleries are likely to be the strike in order to make up depleted supplies. 'It is expected that consider- able stocks of coal in Scotland will need to be moved to power stations in England.. 'There will probably be a flood of imported coal, and, for example, I have already had a for rates for Australian request coal to be imported through Im- mingham and moved the to Rugby Portland Cement Com- pany.?' On the in revenue loss to British Rail, Savill writes: 'If the strike is settled within a week or then we shall largely get two, back during the rest of the year that volume of business which we have lost. If, however, the strike lasts two or three months, we shall never recover this lost ground.' In view of these remarks, what are the chances of the 'substan- tial' pay claim just submitted to British Rail by the three rail unions? A ROW has developed at Acton, over payment through the government's nationwide lock-out. Because the management offer for days lost is not high enough, the stewards have decided to pull everyone out-including main- tenance men—on these days.

Originally, the CAV manage- ment offered time rate for Wed- nesday and Friday, provided that the stewards agreed to certain personnel attending on these days to maintain essential services. The management claims that the offer is 'generous' since many other firms intend to make no payment at all. Stewards met on Tuesday afternoon and were told that the management wouldn't budge. Therefore, no one will be allowed in. There is a lot of resentment because staff workers. who will attend work on these days will have no loss in pay at all during the state of emergency. A GLIMPSE of the chaos caused by the Tory regulations can be judged from situation at Egham research laboratories of the giant Shell oil company.

About 400 workers, all salaried, have been put on a two-day week on full pay.

But many experiments require several days' continuous work and these have been halted. Many other research projects have been ruined because ovens and refrigerators are off four days a week. Incredibly, the Shell manage- ment has asked research workers to take work home. For example, the staff has been invited to write up reports, read technical litera- during the ture Tory-created lock-out. As one worker told us: 'I don't think many of us will take much notice' Workers Press, Thursday February 17, 1972 PAGE 11

BBC 1

00 OWEN MD. Saddier's Challenge part

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ввс 2 11.00 Play School. 6.35 Rosla and After. 7.05 Open University.

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9.20 SHOW OF THE WEEK. Lulu's Party.

10.00 NEWS, weather.

WORLD CINEMA: 'LA BELLE _ET LA BETE'.

The first of 10.05 two films by Jean Cocteau. Based on fairy story Beauty and the Beast. 11.30

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ITV

10.20 Schools. 2.32 Yesterdays. 3.00 Houseparty.

3.10 Tea Break 3.40 Marcus Welby. 4.40 Origami. 4.55 Roadrunner.

5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News. 6.00

TODAY.

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7.05 Stewart Granger, FILM: 'THE LITTLE HUT'. Ava Gardner, David Niven. Husband wife and and best friend ship- wrecked on desert island.

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10.30 CINEMA. James Stewart. THEATRE OF THE STARS. Anthony Franciosa in 'A Case 11.00 of Armed Robbery. 11.55

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BBC 1's Play for Today at 9.20 tonight Is Willis Hall's 'The Villa Maroc'. With George A. Cooper, Stefan Kalipha and Ann Beach.

All regions as BBC-1 except: 6.45 weather. Nationwide. orting Scotland,

BBC

WaleSales 2.30-2.50 Schools. Nitreland. Scene 6.00-0.43 today, weather. six. weather. Nationwide. 11.47 0.00-0.45 Nationwide. 6.50 Heddiw. 7.15- News, weather. Tom and Jerry. 8.00-8.50 England: 6.00-6.45 week out. 11.47 Look Fast, Points Midlands today, week Weather. Look East, West, south Spotlight sW. oday weather. Scotland: 2.30-2.50 Schools. 6.00- 1.47 News, weather

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YORKSHIRE:

10.20 Schools. 2.33 6.15 farming where. 6.20 the 3.00 As Women news. race 333S News. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Film: 3.45 ›ports. Man in the White Suits. 830 today. Crossroads. Ori- "iha 4.40 British museum. 19.30 News.

This your life. 9.00 London. gami. Lone ranger. 5.20 Mag- 11.02 5.50 6.00 ole weather. Bottom Channel except; .20 don. 12.00 News 11.30 11.35 Cinema. Drive-In. Faith Weather. Horoscope.

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10.58 Schools. 3.40 3.40 Houseparty. break. .30 4.10 world. 4.05 News. 's Aviolaner Grossenads. view 4.35 upon a tim Magpie. Arthi News. by day 6.45 Nease 00 file. 6.00 Peyton *School place. Villians 11.00 •London. London. the line News. 11.10 British museum. British museum.

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TEES:

10.20 2. Schooker ai50 3.00 Holidays abroad. ross dis. Tinkertais museum. 4.30 room. Women today Huckleberry Finn. 5.20 4.40 5.20 Maggi 5.50 News. 6.01 Y Dydd Captain Magpie 6.35 The 0.30 limit. •Move Over family. Elvis. 9.00 1ondn000 Songs Love 141.sl Marcus Con. delight. 12.00 Weather Wales nd the West anc 5.20 Magpie as ob above ex- Magpie. Report West as above except: 6.18 West 3 40

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3.45 Newsroom. today LOnG Rupert 4.55 Bush London. About Arena Dyke. 4. 4.55 Film: News. 9.00 gami. Magpie. weather: 3.45 Crossroads. Blair. Smoke. British museum. Epilogue.

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Thursday Febru

BY OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDE

COAL BOARD chiefs yesterday called for a no-strike agreement with the miners, binding arbi- tration on future pay claims and talks on a 'copper-bottomed' long- term productivity deal. On day two of the Wilber- force inquiry, NCB chairman Derek Ezra warned that pit jobs would be at risk if way were not found to avoid all-out confrontations over pay. He called on union leaders to agree a procedure for the settlement of disputes; written evidence made clear this would mean a return to the pre-1961 practice of binding arbitration.

Lord Wilberforce and his in- quiry team spent yesterday feel- ing out the possibilities for an increase in the last NCB offer of £2.75-£3.50 over 18 months, posibly with a further rise in the price of coal. No prospect Any recommendation on these lines from the inquiry would cer- tainly contain demands for big from productivity concessions the miners. But during a lengthy exposi- tion of the financial position of member industry. board the David Clement insisted that there was no prospect of meeting the ES-f9, 12-month union claim in full-'not even if the board's whole capital was written off and no interest paid Ezra argued that an increase of 15 per cent or more ir the could lose the price of coal NCB a third of its present mar- ket by 1980. And Clement told Wilberforce that a 10-per- Lord cent increase would support only a slight increase in the offer.

The cost of the latest offer. Clement told inquiry member John Garnett. would be £52m over 12 months as compared to the union's negotiating figure of £100m. If the board was to meet addi- tional costs, there would have to be further improvements in pro- ductivity. Industrial - relations board Shephard told member Cliff Wilberforce that the NCB would which welcome agreement an gave miners an assurance of pay increases over more than one year. At the end of yesterday

LATENEWS

NEWS DESK

01-720 2000

CIRCULATION

01-622 7029 day February 17, 1972

ESPONDENT DAVID MAUDE

efs morning's session, W. O. Camp- director-general bell Adamson, of the Confederation of British Industry, arrived to tell the court that big business was wor- ried about a high settlement with the miners. This would have a serious effect on settlements elsewhere, he said. Legalistic feathers were slightly CIVIL servant Christopher Jar- dine is carrying the can for the Vehicle and General Insurance collapse which left about £8m debts. The dominating finding of the tribunal, into the now-liquidated company, is that Mr Jardine (now retired) was 'negligent'.

He was Under Secretary in Department of charge of the Trade and Industry's insurance and companies division. by Mr The report, headed says: 'He did not Justice James, display initiative or imagination considering the company's in affairs. •The ultimate responsibility for the failure of the department to take action against the company THE GOVERNMENT is with the cost of research and develo project. And officials of the D Industry have been accused o The government's reluctance to give vital costs information occurred yesterday during a hearing of the trade and indus- try sub-committee of the Com- mons Expenditure Committee.

handed a The committee was memorandum from John Davies' Department of Trade and Industry explaining why it could not comply with a request for information on costs. memorandum said: The by the manufacturers Knowledge of officials' of their estimates part of the project would weaken the discipline and incentive of complete the to pro- trying gramme within their estimate of costs. 'As such, it could result in an increase in costs.' Mr William Rodgers MP asked Sir Robert Marshall, of the

WEATHER

E SCOTLAND and E England will be cloudy with occasional wintry showers turning to snow over high Scotland, N ground. Ireland, Wales and W England will have spells and sunny snow in isolated showers with places over mountains. It will be colder than of late in all areas, with strong to gale force northerly winds in places.

Sunny Outlook for Friday: period cloudy with some wintut periods showers in the S and SE. Rather cold, with night frost in most but temperatures parts, near normal in NW Scotland. Office. Street, 186a Clapham High

SWA 7UG.

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ruffled when Lawrence Daly, secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, pressed Adam- son to tell the court first his salary, then the tax benefits he gained from the Tory had government. Adamson refused point-blank to answer the first question, and said he did not know about the second. lies with him. His conduct as a whole fell below the standard of competence which he ought to have displayed and constitutes negligence.' Mr Jardine's father was the late Judge Willoughby Jardine and he is the son-in-law of Sir George Duckworth King. The report exonerates Minister John Davies and his department.

Referring to the company it- simply describes self the report 'mismanagement' and 'weaknesses in its structure'. Tell that to the 800,000 policy holders whose contracts with the company are now worthless!

is withholding information on 1 development of the Concorde f the Department of Trade and cused of 'concealment'. department: 'Can you think of a parallel field where information about the spending of £500m of been denied public money to parliament?' Robert: None. spring to Sir mind.' Mr Rodgers asked another wit- ness, Sir Samuel Goldman, sec- ond secretary in charge of the Treasury's public sector group, about this "concealment. Sir Samuel replied: I would not accept the word "conceal" This is not a matter of conceal- ment, but trying to commercial interests , Protect our Mr Rodgers persisted: 'I think it is the most outrageous example parliament being denied infor- of mation about public expenditure since John Hampden refused to pay ship money!' NOTE: John Hampden was the statesman who refused English in 1637 to pay ship money, a tax imposed during Charles I's reign.

JOURNALISTS

BEATEN UP

PRESS BARONS in Puerto Rico, America's Caribbean colony, have no inhibitions about strike-breaking. When the 500 journalists and on the San Juan news- printers paper 'El Mundo' struck at the weekend for higher wages and the paper's better conditions owner immediately called in the Dolice to run a blackleg labour workers' through the force picket. The police made ten arrests, beat up everyone on the premises and seriously injured six people, including Bienvenido Otero, vice- president of the Journalists' Union. The attack was supervised by the Puerto Rico governor's press secretary and the colony's police superintendent.

SARAH HANNIGAN

WILL RAY GUNTER join the Tory Party? This is the obvious question as one hears of Gunter's resignation from the Labour Party yes- terday-just before depart- ing on a visit to S Africa.

says Labour Chief Gunter, Whip Bob Mellish, has had an 'appalling' record in Commons since last autumn. divisions He hasn't even seen Gunter since October! to Gunter's According reason for his family, the resignation is his disagreement with Labour policy opposing entry into the Common Mar- Mellish says it has 'nothing to do with the Common Mar- ket ... *I am sure that he would not have conscientious objec- the three- tions to obeying line whip oth eensions, unem- ployment, mıners many other critical divisions, he says. But not many other people share Mellish's views on the state of Gunter's 'conscience'.

In addition to voting with the Tories for entry into the EEC, Gunter also supported the government over its plans for wholescale attack on the trade unions with the Indus- trial Relations Act. His record of hatred for the working class is long and clear. As Minister for Labour in the last Labour govern- ment, Gunter's task was to impose and maintain a wage freeze while prices rose.

Having failed to do this, the Wilson government was forced to devalue the pound and work out a new strategy to control the unions. in July Gunter resigned 1968 because he said he 'did not like the way the govern- ment was being run'. And as can be seen from his record since the Tories came to power-Gunter's resig- nation was because he wanted tougher measures taken against the trade unions and the work- ing class. One more question - how many more Gunters are still roosting in the Labour Party?

WE APOLOGISE to those readers — particularly postal subscribers — who may be experiencing delays in the delivery of Workers Press.

Despite the government's power-cuts policy, we are endeavouring to get your copy to you at the usual time.

JUNIOR hospital doctors are on duty 100 hours a week, according to a survey carried the Junior Hospital out by Doctors' Association. conference At a London press yesterday the association said that a comprehensive question- completed by naire had been more than a third of all pre- registration house officers.

It revealed that the average house officer was officially on call for 105 hours a week and could be expected to work for 80 per cent of that time. half doctors Nearly covered for colleagues patients as well as their own for more than 30 night hours a week. The General Medical Council had recommended that junior doctors should not normally look after more than 30 beds. Over 50 per cent had more than the and when they covered for the recommendation by day, and 91 per cent at night. In addition, a third of them were expected to assist their consultants with private patients, and 73 per cent of them did not get paid for it.

FEBRUARY

NOW £630.91

THIRTEEN days to the end of ' the month and we have $619.09 left to raise. Keep up this magni- ficent effort and we will be well on our way to completing our target. In spite of all the threats from this Tory government, nothing will force the miners back to work. The urgent issue now is for every trade unionist to rally behind the miners and force this government to resign.

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Help by taking extra copies to and if you can, make for February's special effort Fund. Post all donations imme- Workers Press February Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG.

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OF BASIC

RIGHTS

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Fight for she 1 barter of Hanie Rightr!