HEATH MEANS

FOREIGN ministers dates for membership their autumn summit monetary integration, next month.

The Nixon measures of August 15 last year, removing the dollar's convertibility with gold, have created an enormous problem for the To arrive at monetary union, the various European currencies must be brought closely into line with one another, but the fluctuations of the money markets and the weakness of the dollar make this more and more difficult.

Under the December 18 Washington agreement on currency realignment, the parity bands within which different currencies can vary against one another were widened, increasing the disparity between them.

This has led to a split between the • Germans and the French. Neither side wants to use their gold and foreign currency ANGELA DA EDWARD HEATH's warning that the government would 'not tolerate anything which undermines our country and our way of life' must not be lightly dismissed.

Coupled with the open challenge to the engineering workers by the engineering employers' chief D. C. Bamford, and the action of ICI in substantially reducing its coal purchases, Heath's television speech last Sunday shows that the employers and their political representatives mean ICI's action-plus other likely reductions in coal orders from the Central Electricity Generating Board and the British Steel Corporation - confirm a confidential memorandum issued during the miners' strike by a senior official of British Railways. Industry, said this memorandum, would 'take its revenge' after the strike.

Meanwhile, the Tory government-with the exception of the miners' strike and sections of the car workers-is succeeding, in collaboration with the trade union leaders, in holding wages down while unemployment and the cost of living soar. If this is unchecked, it could seriously weaken the working class in the next 12 months.

Thanks to the ineffectiveness of the TUCs opposition, the Tories are now fully armed with the Industrial Relations Act which, among other things, makes it illegal to take industrial action against a third party not involved in a dispute. This could, for example, outlaw much of the picketing that was done during the miners' strike.

It is highly likely that in the event of a strike of a key section of workers-such as the engineers the Tories will seek to use this Act, which amounts to the organized legalization of scabbing. Heath's references to the 'growth of violence' are designed to lay the basis for such action.

A campaign to frighten the middle class with the spectre of 'anarchist violence' has been intensified since last summer when two top London policemen, in a specially arranged interview with "The Times', called for harsher legal and penal institutions.

The interview was a calculated reply to Mr Robert Mark-now the Metropolitan Police Commissioner—who had stated that violence was NOT on the increase.

Such a clash reveals a conflict within the ruling class and its agencies about 'get tough' measures. Heath's: warning now about 'violence' shows that the government is preparing for a direct, harsh confrontation with the working class and is rejecting the advice of those who wish. to continue the long-established co-operation with the" trade union leaders.

In these circumstances it is dangerous nonsense te say—as the Communist Party's 'Morning Star' did yesterday—that Heath is 'blustering', that his tough talk is a cover for weakness'. It cannot be said too often: • • THE TORIES ARE NOT BLUSTERING.

On the contrary, they have decided on a period of intensive preparation for a show-down with the working class. The climb-down over the miners' strike was a readjustment which was forced upon them. But it was not a final defeat and it has not changed their overall strategy. It has alarmed them and made them more determined.

The Tories will not willingly give up power. They have every intention of using the Industrial Relations Act and, il necessary, even more repressive legislation in an effort to break the working class before going to the country. A defeated working class would ensure a Tory victory, as it did in the 1930s.

1972-1973 will be even more working class than 1925-1926. decisive for