workers press

The daily paper of the Socialist Labour League, 1969–1973: a searchable archive of the scans

Workers Press no. 713

14 March 1972 · 13 scanned pages · about 13,677 words of machine-read text

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workers press

FACTS BEHIND

TORY CRISIS

DAILY C

BY ALEX MITCHELL

NEW FACTS have emerged about the miners' strike showing that had the NUM leaders demanded the full amount, the Tories would have been forced to pay out. Four days before the Tories capitulated to the miners, the power- ful Engineering Employers' Federation was engaged in feverish, secret talks with Employment Sécretary Robert Carr asking for permission to sack millions of workers. In a confrontation at Carr's Department of Employment the EEF leaders asked the suspend the Guaranteed government to Week Contracts Agreement, Employment Act and the Redundancy Payments Act. If the government had agreed to the EEF's ruthless measures, engineering factories throughout could the country have immediately dismissed millions of workers. with the Cabinet's But Carr, acting authority, told the EEF that such a whole- sale onslaught on the working class was 'not on'. government resisted the EEF's The demands not out of any affection for the miners; but Heath and company realized that they were not in a position to wage all-out war on the working class

—YET.

Having misjudged the critical effects of picketing and the militancy in the work- ing class which the strike generated, the decided on a tactical stand-off.

Tories Workers Press has obtained a copy of a confidential EEF memorandum precise details of the which gives behind-the-scenes talks between the Tory government and the employers at the climax of the strike.

The document is headed circulated to officers only' and dated Thursday, February 17, the day before the Wilber- force tribunal reported to the government.

It reveals that the EEF's past president, D. C. Bamford, the deputy president, Tom Carlile, and the director general, Martin Jukes, held private talks with Employment Secretary Carr on Tuesday, February 15.

(Bamford, who has just retired as EEF president, is head of Chadburns Holdings of Liverpool, a mercantile engineering firm. Carlile, the new president, is manag- ing director of Babcock and Wilcox, the big engineering firm with £100m turnover each year.) The memorandum says that the three EEF leaders emphasized the extremely serious situation in the industry as a of the reductions strongly requested government action na power The EEF's main demand of government is summarized in paragraph *A'. It states: "That the government should assist in alleviating the burden of the Guaranteed Week Wage in the present extraordinary emergency situation by using its emergency powers, or some other legislative means, to suspend for the period of the crisis certain provisions of the Contracts of Employment Act and the Redundancy Payments Act.' From the EEF document it is absolutely clear that Carr was not prepared to accede Draconian to these demands. The docu- ment says: In brief, the reply received was that regardless of the merits of this case, there was no hope of the govern-

SUBSCRIBE

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • TUESDAY MARCH 14, 1972• No. 713 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

MIALIO

WE DEMAND

RIGHT TO

GLASGI

young socialists

YOUNG

SOCIALISTS

-NO

ISAY

ment being able to extend any such assist-

THE GLASGOW-LONDON MARCHERS

LED

YEST

ance as the did not powers

ERDAY'S

DEMONSTRATION THROUGH LONDON'S

enable them to take action of the type

WEST END SINGING THE RIGHT-TO-WORK SONG

request document goes on to say that Care • ANOTHER PICTURE p. 12. refused demands Pc flogged youth amending legislation in relacon to meso

IWO

Acts was not a pontical or practica possibility in the circumstances'.

The rebuke to the EEF shows that the until he collapsed poweru encineer. employers horses'. Fearing their own wage battles, the

EEF

PROBATIONARY

White (23), who lived in wanted the fight against the miners to be lodgings policeman who admitted at Ellesmere flogging youth warca al a more vicious level.

on had offered Port, It was a level of class warfare for which bare bottom pleaded vouth the choice of go the Tories were unprepared. But there guilty to five charges of ing to court or a flog- should be no doubt in anyone's mind that indecent assault was sing, the court heard the Tories given suspended Alan Phillips, preparing al C

HOW

aCuyery

SCIE

and fined behind the scenes attacks on the the

TOT

Drosecutor. SaId working class on precisely such a scale.

Crown Court prosecuting said the eneste yesterday. youth chose flogging and More details of EEF confidential fell to the grouna antel memorandum P.3. Constable Christopher the fifth blow

JOIN THE SLL

SUBSCRIBE TO WORKERS PRESS

STEPHEN JOHNS

All five Young Socialists' Right-to-Work marches massed together in London yesterday following their 8,500-strong Empire Pool rally on Sunday to march to the House of Commons to lobby Labour MPs. The banner of the five-week Glasgow-London march led the 400-strong column through Lon- don's packed West End. Lunch-hour shoppers crowded on the pavement as the marchers swung down Oxford Street, sing- ing "The Right-to-Work Song' .

Passers-by waved and smiled at the youth from Britain's un- employment blackspots. Collect- ing tins were quickly filled and hundreds of Workers Press sold.

In Fleet St, staff of the major capitalist newspapers came their windows and looked down on the chanting, spirited column.

Before the lobby, march leaders Labour attacked the Party hierarchy for attempting to smash up the march. Leader of the Right-to-Work campaign, Clive Norris, said yesterday's lobby of MPs showed *the marchers are determined to carry the fight against the Tories to the bitter end. He said: 'People have walked through London and marched hundreds of miles to give Labour MPs the same message they gave the labour movement along the road. •We trying to are force Labour MPs to fight the Tories, because they are now the only people standing between the working class and socialism.'

Kent leader Les Pankhurst said: "The march and lobby show the leaders of the Labour Party and the Tories that the working class is going to fight. If we can force Labour MPs to stand up and fight we can force this Tory government out.'

Glasgow leader John Barrie issued • a challenge to Labour MPs. We will ask them to condemn the campaign organized I. against us by Transport House' , he said. 'We will ask them where they stand on bans and proscriptions within the party. 'And I for one would like to know why a man like Roy Jenkins MP is allowed to organize a right-wing faction in defiance of party policy while men like Philip Bond, Mayor of Skelmersdale, is expelled for taking a principled stand of support for the Right-to-Work marchers.' • See 'Angry meeting during YS lobby'. p.12.

EMPIRE

POOL

PICTURES

Scan page 2

workers press

FACTS BEHIND

TORY CRISIS

DAILY C

BY ALEX MITCHELL

NEW FACTS have emerged about the miners' strike showing that had the NUM leaders demanded the full amount, the Tories would have been forced to pay out. before the Tories Four days capitulated to the miners, the power- ful Engineering Employers' Federation was engaged in feverish, secret talks with Employment Secretary Robert Carr asking for permission to sack millions of workers. In a confrontation at Carr's Department of Employment the EEF leaders asked the suspend the Guaranteed government to the Contracts Week Agreement, Employment Act and 'the Redundancy Payments Act. If the government had agreed to the EEF's ruthless measures, engineering could factories throughout the country have immediately dismissed millions of workers. with the Cabinet's But Carr, acting authority, told the EEF that such a whole- sale onslaught on the working class was 'not on'. The government resisted the EEF's demands not out of any affection for the miners; but Heath and company realized that they were not in a position to wage all-out war on the working class—YET.

Having misjudged the critical effects of picketing and the militancy in the work- ing class which the strike generated, the Tories decided on a tactical stand-off.

Workers Press has obtained a copy of a confidential EEF memorandum precise details of the which gives behind-the-scenes talks between the Tory government and the employers at the climax of the strike.

The document is headed 'circulated to dated officers only' and Thursday, February 17, the day before the Wilber- force tribunal reported to the government.

It reveals that the EEF's past president, D. C. Bamford, the deputy president, Tom Carlile, and the director general, Martin Jukes, held private talks with Employment Secretary Carr on Tuesday, February 15.

(Bamford, who has just retired as EEF president, is head of Chadburns Holdings of Liverpool, a mercantile engineering firm. Carlile, the new president, is manag- ing director of Babcock and Wilcox, the big engineering firm with £100m turnover each year.) The memorandum says that the three EEF leaders 'emphasized the extremely serious situation the industry in as of result the reductions and power strongly requested government action'.

The EEF's main demand the of government is summarized in paragraph 'A'. It states: 'That the government should assist in alleviating the burden of the Guaranteed Week Wage in the present extraordinary emergency situation by using its emergency powers, or some other legislative means, to suspend for the period of the crisis certain provisions of the Contracts of Employment Act and the Redundancy Payments Act.' From the EEF document it is absolutely clear that Carr was not prepared to accede to these Draconian demands. The docu- ment says: 'In brief, the reply received was that regardless of the merits of this case, there was no hope of the govern-

SUBSCRIBE

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTI

SAY

NO ment being able to extend any such assist- ance as the emergency powers did not take action of the type enable them to requested'. The document goes on to say that Carr refused the EEF's demands because 'amending legislation in relation to these two Acts was not a political or practical possibility in the circumstances'.

The rebuke to the EEF shows that the Tories had to tell the powerful engineer- ing 'hold their horses'. employers to Fearing their own wage battles, the EEF wanted the fight against the miners to be waged at a more vicious level.

It was a level of class warfare for which the Tories were unprepared. But there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the Tories are now actively preparing behind the scenes for attacks the on working class on precisely such a scale.

• More details of EEF confidential memorandum P.3.

RIBE TO WORKERS PRESS

TUESDAY MARCH 14, 1972

No. 713 • 4p

OMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

SOCIALISTS

THE GLASGOW-LONDON MARCHERS LED YEST

ERDAY'S DEMONSTRATION THROUGH LONDON'S

WEST END SINGING THE RIGHT-TO-WORK SONG

• ANOTHER PICTURE p. 12. A

PROBATIONARY

White (23), who lived in policeman who admitted Ellesmere lodgings at flogging youth Port, had offered on his bare bottom pleaded youth the choice of go- guilty to five charges of or a flog- ing to court indecent assault, ging, the court heard. was suspended Mr given Alan Phillips, sen- tences and fined said at prosecutor, the Chester Crown Court prosecuting, said the yesterday. youth chose flogging and fell to the ground after Constable Christopher the fifth blow

FORMS

JOIN THE SLL

STEPHEN JOHNS

All five Young Socialists' Right-to-Work marches massed together in London yesterday following their 8,500-strong Empire Pool rally on Sunday to march to the House of Commons to lobby Labour MPs. The banner of the five-week Glasgow-London march led the 400-strong column through Lon- don's packed West End. Lunch-hour shoppers crowded on the pavement as the marchers swung down Oxford Street, sing- ing "The Right-to-Work Song'.

Passers-by waved and smiled at the youth from Britain's un- employment blackspots. Collect- ing tins were quickly filled and hundreds of Workers Press sold.

In Fleet St, staff of the major capitalist newspapers to came their windows and looked down on the chanting, spirited column.

Before the march leaders attacked the Party hierarchy for attempting to smash up the march. Leader of the Right-to-Work Clive Norris, said yesterday's lobby of MPs showed 'the marchers are determined to carry the fight against the Tories to the bitter end.' He said: 'People have walked through London and marched hundreds of miles to give Labour MPs the same message they gave the labour movement along the road. 'We trying to force are Labour MPs to fight the Tories, because they are now the only people standing between Kent leader Les Pankhurst said: "The march and lobby show the leaders of the Labour Party and the Tories that the working class is going to fight. If we can force Labour MPs to stand up and fight we can force this Tóry government out.'

Glasgow leader John Barrie issued a challenge to Labour MPs. 'We will ask them to condemn the campaign organized. against us by Transport House' , he said. 'We will ask them where they stand on bans and proscriptions within the party. 'And I for one would like to know whyp? man like Roy Jenkins allowed organize a right-wing faction in defiance of party policy while men like Philip Bond, Mayor of Skelmersdale, is expelled for taking a principled stand of support for the Right-to-Work marchers! • See 'Angry meeting during YS lobby. p.12.

EMPIRE

POOL

PICTURES

RMS P. 11

Scan page 3

One in five United States youth without a job PAGE 2 Workers Press, Tuesday March 14, 1972

AROUND THE WORLD

THE UNITED STATES Supreme Court has refused leafleting, hindering and interfering with the • a 4-vear-old selective Service System' and refusing to report anc henr Cuban-born supporter of the Workers League, the submit crime consister organization. distributing leaflets against the Vietnam war to his American Trotskyist induction The imprisonment on fellow draftees army centre. Workers charges or violation or the selective service act ol Dullell o weekly January 31, 1971. Farinas was framed up on counts this week published the following statement from the League's political committee: of refusing to cease and desist from speaking and Farinas jailing aims to stifle fight = for Marxism years in a federal penitentiary at any moment, the full significance of his case must be understood.

In 1968. luan Farinas entered induction centre and distributed leaflet the against US had led to Juan's arrest would be Supreme that and that Vietnam time he wal. Al Court Nixon has made his August ary. The Workers ande realized helpless and reaction- was a member or the Progressive Party. This the arv. Ihe this dowr period protest, of building ano …rootec van's derence alancel the working class the wages the Lallyill. se zures American Cam- the States and support from trade puses, Punches in or h encouraging unemployment, leav- US Grosvenor and from unions student ana of working-class youth. ing millions young Square, London, and battles with workers. and old, with no future at all.

tanks cannon WIlD waler Juan Farinas' appeal was heard Germany and Japan. by the very same ~ York Times In the same period we have the Times' ruled New Farinas' act was many on the murder' of George hike seen the others around that It was Pentagon and the pubncauon Jackson in prison Papers. rarinas saw the war rebellion of the Attica prisoner.

a lolesi. was brutally suppressed the Which material revealed class and based his protest on orders of Rockefeller and extent to which the US govern- But still with the full support of Nixon.

this. his action was conspired to keep the ment had protest remove from une actual Vietnam the of TrUL Understanding the nature struggles of the working class.

from the working people of the the period and that the attack oi United States. 1968 • height of Farinas was movement. was also on all workers we supported the protest beginning end. The This court did not prosecute of the Farinas the organization Juan 'New York Times' for the movement of the radical students we ence material, upheld was an anticipation of the move- ing this but it this basis. Its statement of pur- ment working class the pose said: conviction uan. for, years earlier exposing whole. movement the class character of the "The charges against Juan the war in Class would recure Farinas are an attack on demo- break with protesting and a turn Marxist theory, canc ts. do var ana barcel The United States Supreme political attack the revolu- Court, government against workers, which Turned Honary movement or lae working down Juan -Pari case, guest, for They youth and minority peoples. class. his been review must be fought by mobilizing the hand selected by Nixon precisely Luan Farinas widest possible support from the He refused the to see that does labour, socialist iccept the court student of Progressive if he in he state angressise and and Black, turns movement those working class Pritants Rican and Chicano Insista Puerto historical accounting of Stalinism.

the seek wive Class As a consequence he was expelled theoretical lead. Between action of the US Appeals Court We received sponsorships from Labour and became a member of the Workers League. He thus anticipated a whole development now taking place among vouth who are turning to theory and acmanalng historical accounting of the Com- munist Party, Progressive Labour and the Socialist Workers Party The sharpening of the class struggle has been brought about by the deepening of the capitalist This compels the crisis. turn capitalist class to strengthen the repressive arm of the state, transform the courts into the lynching ments 1c ket. ot all wno oppose capitalst ruie.

dictatorial prepare for direct rule. which has is this tendency marked the evolution of Comrade rarinas case. In raci when Farinas first went to trial, because the dismissed Lasc Was had the or ele charle

OCCI

combined into one count. But the did not drop the government Juan re-charged case five counts and proceeaca persecu- their prosecution and tion. By the time the case 6970 the December to drain ll movement was and the class itself had the taken the fight against Vietnam ana azalst unc capitalist class at home.

WIFE HELENA AND TWO-AND-HALF-YEAR-OLD CHILD MARIANNA

JUAN FARINAS WITH HIS

judge rollack naa to interrupt proceedings issue an railroad asailis strike. to get The

CONT

Was

OUT

Farinas because he had taken ALMOST one in every five young a fight for Marxism, because he workers in the United States because he worker, was an fully Was d out of a job this month-the

TO SOIL

figure since the govern- working class with racism highest the decapitate it with the persecution ment began keeping records of who turn to Marxism. youth unemployment in 1948.

ana daull. slallus lhis is the Juan Farinas went to trial un- The figure rose from 17.8 per der conditions or tne prosecuuons cent ngure appear as cent in January per. lilanc and shootings organized against as possible and of the Soledad Panthers rebruary. •ardest ul the are black and Puerto Rican Davis. Drollers an Ancia youth. old attacks the leaders. nave orest methods ••••'In' Detroit, Michigan; capital of' • 'protest' which originally

JUAN FARINAS (L) LEAVING THE FE

FOLEY SQUARE, NEW YORK WITH A V

TRIAL IN DECEMBER 1970.

a wide number of trade unions and individual unionists repre- senting hundreds of thousands of working men. organized We received the support of organiza- tions in the Black and Spanish communities representing hun- dreds of thousands of minority youth. We did not receive the spon- sorship of either the Socialist Workers Party or the Communist only sponsor Party. Both groups that they would cases which saw these attacks as attacks against democratic rights but not as class attacks. Facing the blows of the class enemy the CP and SWP insisted that we rely for support on a section of the enemy class itself. We will never agree to this

LF-YEAR-OLD CHILD MARIANNA

administration and the ruling class. They tie their members to the coat-tails of the Democrats in electoral deals, while squalid making pie-in-the-sky speeches about reducing the working day.

James Hoffa, former Teamsters' (lorry-drivers) union president, claims unemploy- ment establishment of a 20-hour week at 40 hours' pay. Without a perspective for the

• THE FEDERAL COURT BUILDING IN

WITH A WITNESS AT THE END OF HIS

perspective. We stand with Sacco and Vanzetti and the early American Communist Party in rejecting it. It will lead us all to itself that the working class repression can be beaten back.

in this The working class period is very strong. This is why the ruling class fears it. This is why it steps up its repression against the militants, against the conscious Marxists. This is also why it is possible to beat back repression through the struggles of the working class.

It is with this perspective that the Workers League will continue to campaign on Comrade Farinas' behalf for reduction sentence. It is with this perspec- tive that we will battle all the • for Angela Davis, the way Soledad Brothers and the Tombs Seven. We will collaborate with all working-class organizations to this end. We urge the youth to learn the lessons of this-struggle. We urge the youth to take up the theoretical struggle Juan Farinas began when he broke with Stalinism and came to Trot- skyism. Join the Young Socialists!

Join the Workers League! Through the conscious struggle for Marxism we will build the party which will lead the working class to destroy capitalism itself and together with capitalism, all oppression, repression, exploita- tion, misery and racialism.

MORE

FOREIGN

NEWS P.10

building of a genuine Labour Party in the United States under revolutionary leadership, _ how- ever, such demands are worth- less. The American Young Socialists are calling a youth demonstration against unemployment on March 29, demanding the labour move- ment take up the political battle against unemployment and call- ing on the unions to break with Party and the Democratic builq a Labour Party based on a socialist programme.

Scan page 4

WORKERS at the St Helens Plastics factory extended their occupation on Saturday when they moved from the fitting shop into the main plant. They now control the whole factory, including the kitchen. Reaction from Linpac, the firm wanting to buy the factory, was swift. At their request the police went into the factory on Sunday to check that nothing was damaged. But occupying workers feel the for coming was to real reason weigh up the situation as pre- paration to remove them from the factory. The men are determined to establish the right to work, says statement issued by a occupation committee. Of their six main demands, the right to work is placed first. The workers, Transport and General Workers' Union members, have also insisted guaranteed on employment by Linpac; no victimization; continued recog- nition of the T&GWU; a return to work on the same conditions and compensation for loss of éarnings. On March 2 workers were Linpac shocked to learn that would close the factory for three months to reorganize production and then would only take back former employees on a selective basis. The following day the factory was occupied. 'We intend to teach the em- ployers in this town that the working class refuse to be treated like pawns. We have refused to be the victims of the wheeling and dealing of big business, says the committee's statement.

COMPUTER

GIRLS CALL

OFF GUARD

AT NEWARK, Notts, 40 clerks who have been sleeping around a computer since last Wednesday to make sure it was not moved, have called off their guard.

written They have received assurances from management at the Ransome, Hoffman and Pollard engineering plant that their jobs are safe. The girls—in the data process- ing they department-feared would be made redundant if the computer was moved. Now management has said that only four will be affected and they have been offered suitable alternative employment with re- training if necessary. The computer will be moved to Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, in August. Rates up HOUSEHOLDERS will have to pay 10 per cent more on their in the next 12 months, • rates according to present evidence.

levied by local The average rate authorities would be about 90p 8p on in the pound, a rise of last year's levy. TECHNICAL and supervisory staff at A. E. Dean & Co, Croydon, Surrey—a subsidiary of GEC Medical-have now been on strike almost four weeks in support of a pay claim. The 35 staff are demanding a £5-a-week increase in compen- sation for loses of regular over- time. Since March 1971 shopfloor workers at Dean's have had an agreement for an overall £6-a- week increase in compensation for overtime losses. The final stage of the increase will be paid next month when evening over- time in Dean's will be stopped altogether.

BY OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

James Airlie, chairman of the shipbuilding stew- ards on the upper Clyde, said yesterday that de- mands for a no-strike agreement lasting four years were no obstacle to agreement over the future of the Clydebank yard. A member of the Commun- ist Party's Scottish executive, Airlie made this statement after a meeting of the 30- stewards' co-ordinat- strong ing committee' to discuss a proposed bid for the yard by a US-based oil-rig firm. When asked by pressmen about reports that the firm wanted the no-strike guarantee, he said: 'We do not see that as a stumbling block ..• 'We feel that no-strike guaran- tee are not worth the paper they industrial written are on, as relations are human relations.

'We feel that it is sufficient for our undertaking to co- and. honour procedural operate agreements. We will not deviate from accepted British trade union.

practices.' In introducing this highly- equivocal Airlie statement, pleaded with the government to grant the 'meagre £12m' it is estimated the US firm will need to buy and re-equip Clydebank.

Final Tory stages 'butcher' strategy to Upper Clyde Shipbuilders are likely to emerge soon. Within the next few weeks, the government is expected to announce whether or not it will for the back a takeover bid threatened Clydebank shipyard by the Marathon Manufacturing Co of Texas. A deal over the 2,500-strong yard would clear the way for long-awaited 'meaningful negotia- tions' about wages and conditions between union chiefs, shop stewards and the rump company of Govan Shipbuilders Ltd.

In these talks, the company's no ENGINEERING firms in Britain are in a financially weak position to face the threat of industrial action over the present wage claim. This is clear from a document circulated by a branch of the Engineering Employers' Federa- tion to its Midlands members.

The document — outlined in today's front page lead story- on the eve of the was written in the settlement seven-week miners' strike. It describes how the EEF leadership asked Employment Robert Carr, Secretary, special dispensations during the The supervisory staff put in their claim for £5 compensation in April 1971 and on January 6, agree recorded at national level talks.

The men-all ASTMS mem- bers - immediately started work-to-rule which succeed in forcing GEC to make any offer. Then, after a one-day token stoppage, the men decided on all out strike action on Wednesday February 16. Since then they have only been receiving strike payonly two large families have men with been getting small social security payments. The men are now hopeful, however, that an acceptable offer will soon be made to them.

PONDENT DAVID MAUDE

Tory-appointed chairman Lord Strathalmond will press leaders of the 6,000 men at Govan, Linthouse and Scotstoun for a 12-month wage freeze followed by a period of nil rises except where justified by measured in- in productivity. Big creases pressure for redundancies is also certain. Yet the Communist Party members in the leadership of the UCS shop stewards co- ordinating have committee already promised full co-opera- tion with Govan Shipbuilders if the Clydebank deal goes through.

At Clydebank itself, Marathon wants a no-strike pledge lasting

NICHOLAS RIDLEY

for four years in return for a promise that pay can rise if the cost of living shoots up.

Dickie, Bob of convenor stewards the key yard, at reportedly foresees no difficulty about concluding an agreement with the company which would include guarantees 'against un- official strikes. The conciliatory position of leading stewards in both sections of the former UCS consortium must be seen against the back- ground that at. Clydebank, Marathon wants to employ only about 2,000 of the present labour force. And no guarantee. has yet been given that there will not be big lay-offs while the oil-rig com- pany refits the yard. Lack of orders is expected to demand similar redundancy targets at Govan-Linthouse and Scotstoun. In other words, there has been y's no major departure from the power emergency. The final paragraphs of two these requests to the govern- ment indicate that the engineer- ing industry is in financially tough times. (e) That the Inland Revenue Authorities should be per- suaded to be patient in relation to the fulfilment of member firms' tax and PAYE obligations, there- by assisting member firms with severe cash flow problems. The reply was that these points would be taken up strongly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

(f) That the government should bring influence to bear on the banks and other like institutions to be sympathetic to member firms in financial trouble because of the crisis. Again the reply was that this point would be taken up strongly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The whole tenor of the six-page document is one of considerable anxiety. -em- ployers also asked for pathetic treatment' in relation to breaches of the Factories Act or of the Offices, Shops and Rail- way Premises Act'. Breaches may occur, the docu- 'because ment said, employers tried to achieve maximum pro- duction in the hours of work available'. In other words, to maintain profits the employers were pre- paring to turn their premises into sweat shops during the three-day week which most industry was then working.

One of the final paragraphs also gives ancther indication of the financial situation in industry: 'Some firms may find that, as a result of the. crisis Workers Press, T Tories' original plan — the infamous 'Ridley document'-to break up UCS and destroy 1,500- 2,000 jobs. Yesterday's . Morning Star' predictably attempted. to gloss this over by claiming : that the shipyard workers 'Poised were for Total Victory'. Under this head, readers were told the Tories are likely to announce which will meet the measures workers' demands for the reten- tion of all four yards and 8,000 jobs' The Marathon plan, according Robert to UCS liquidator Courtney Smith, also involves a different 'mix' workers at Clydebank. Few if any finishing-trades workers would be needed. And though the company is anxious to retain the present steel- workers, it pointed out to Smith last week that they would have to be retrained in platform building and new flow-production techniques. Here is what Nicholas Ridley, MP, now shipbuilding supremo at the Department of Trade and Industry, thought on December 3, 1969, would be 'the best long- term solution' for UCS: 'Detach Yarrow from UCS and allow it to be independent...

bail out the rest of UCS- to write off its debts, sell off gov- ernment shareholdings, close one or even two of its three yards, appoint a new chairman and let it stand or fall on its own.

"This might cost £10m, but it would be the end of the night- mare.' In the event, it is likely to considerably than cost more Ridley's estimate if the Tory plan is allowed to succeed.

work-in But the disastrous policies of the CP Stalinists at UCS have so far fitted in almost exactly with the Ridley plan, confirming his insistence December 1969 on looking at 'the politics of the situation as well as the economics. With the pay-off possibly only a fortnight away, a break from these treacherous, reformist poli- cies is urgent. The Right-to-Work marches of the Young Socialists have shown the way. and regardless. of their legal obligations towards their em- they have no money ployees, available to pay wages or the such cases, those guarantee. In firms should contact these offices for advice.' It was against the background of this deep financial insecurity that the EEF held a council of which decided war to seek an immediate meeting with Carr.

And it was the leader of the EEF delegation Mr D. C. Bam- ford, who, one week later, gave sharpest warning engineering unions that he and his members were ready to go to war on wages. r8 Press, Tuesday March 14, 1972 PAGE 3 OVER 4,000 Rolls-Royce workers at three Scottish - factories will strike from the' end of the week if their pay demands are not met. And another 2,000 at a fourth could be out by next week.

Workers at the three machining factories at Hillington, Blantyre and E Kilbride (Tennat Avenue), where 20 per cent of the components for the RBZ11 air bus engine are made, gave seven days' strike notice on Friday. Union officials will make a bid to avert the strike when they hold last-ditch talks with man- agement in Glasgow today.

The 4,000 workers have rejected by a two-to-one majority an offer of between £3 and £4.50 after months of negotiations on a new 12-month agreement based on Measured-Day Work in place of the present bonus system.

Management threats over the RB21l's future were rebuffed by James McClymont, deputy con- venor at Hillington. illustrates the fact It the workers are producing something value. That is why we are indicating not getting we are paid for it,' he said. Workers at the fourth factory, at E Kilbride, will be asked by stewards tomorrow to give one week's strike notice after reject- ing a 6-per-cent pay offer.

The upsurge in militancy Scottish among engineering workers follows closely on the successful Chrysler strike at Linwood and the recently settled dispute British-Leyland's at Bathgate plant. Both smashed the government's 7 per cent wages norm. Trade figures BRITAIN'S 'visible' trade with the rest of the world was in deficit by £32m in February, according to figures from the Department of Trade yesterday.

It was the biggest monthly deficit since February 1971. The current account, however, is still in surplus because the balance of 'invisible' earnings-on insurance, banking etc. — was £50m in surplus. The Department said the figures had been affected by the prolonged US dork strike.

Acid closure A TOTAL of 239 employees will be hit by the United Sulphuric Acid Corporation's decision to end manufacture of acid and Widnes, clinker at its cement Lancashire, works next March, it was announced yesterday.

A spokesman said they would be working closely with local organizations' to find alternative work and hoped the majority of employees would be absorbed locally. Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62}p

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PAGE 4 Workers Prees, Tuezday March 14, 1872 The five Right-to-Work marches organized by the Young Socialists have climaxed their fight against the Tory government by a massive rally at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Now a new stage of the fight opens up. All the determination and political consciousness raised during the nationwide marches is today turned towards making a huge success of the YS annual conference at Scarborough on April 8 and 9. Scar- borough becomes the next signpost on the march to build the revolutionary party in 1972.

In the coming weeks this page will be devoted to interviews with the young marchers.

Things change as we go on bit of and it gives us a con- S fidence. And when we arrived in Northampton and we were Swansea there was a cheered by of comrade- really good feeling ship. 'These marches have let all the know workers who their real enemies are. I didn't and I don't think a lot of people do. More important they've let them know someone's doing something about it.' •Prospects for and me my family are completely nil' said Dennis Danton, 20, who has been unemployed four months, and whose wife is expecting a Ray Kidd, 23, has been with baby. the march since it began 100 'We are worrying the Tories. miles away on the Kent coast We saw on television on Tuesday at Deal. night that a Tory MP is trying He has been unemployed seven to bring in i Bill banning night months but before he joined the of 1,000 people. Even meetings Right-to-Work he political meetings will be Cal pal l against politics and didn't think about the law. They're worried about he'd never heard of the YS.

what we're doing. After 14 on the road, 'I think the marches will have days through of the some most effect. The marchers strong hostile Tory towns in Britain, are all between 17 and 24 and Ray told me: some of them are normally in the 'When I get back to Margate papers for doing things wrong or I'd like to help much as violence but we're showing we Socialist Young can set up just want to live as people.

•to branches. 'There's no job for me. I was haven't been offered punting are othe dole and any- courting a thing in months While she the last seven set one But and there has been nothing was at work I was searching.

do except hang around the coffee hard I tried I no matter how bars. When first the couldn't get a job. saw dole and Young Socialists outside Margate married on the Labour Exchange thought that was an even bigger let getting job may as well go because there down than not because her parents expected me was nothing else to do. 'But changed to be able to work. the march has 'When Rams- outlook Before get back to my political at all. e never gate I'll look at everything more wasn't than I have been. thought about politics the politically or I just knew there turning a blind to government. was just eye it in the past.' weren't any jobs. "Through listening at the meet- ings I came to realize why there are "no jobs and that it's the Tories who are to blame. don't think there's any chance of getting a job without getting rid of the Tories.

the 'Before march never knew the Young Socialists existed but now I've been with them for weeks I haven't heard any- two thing After against my views. this campaign I think we'll be able to set up quite a few YS branches. "The working class have got to have a new leadership and with these marches I think people are recognizing the Socialist Labour League as a leadership. Look at the miners at Hersden. We've got good chance of getting branch there now. 'We're from the following on miners. Knowing what I do now, when you look back on it they or less started more a revolu- The tion. working class know what they can do. now 'What really annoys me is the unions who are still accepting 8 per cent wage settlements.

Ray is a member of the march his committee and bush hat stands out with the red and black YS badge he drew on it.

18-year-old Russell, Bootle marcher has been the dole for nine months, after losing his apprenticeship as an armature winder. 'At the beginning I thought the march was a good idea, if we could get jobs again. But now I know more about it I'd like to form a Young Socialists branch in Bootle. 'At first if people came up to street and talked me politics I didn't know the first thing tò say to them. But as each day went by I learned more as 1 sold Workers Press. •I think the march was really necessary before the Tories push us back to the 1930s and we get too demoralized to do Kent march at Ramsgate. I've. been out of work for a year after I was made redundant from the job I had as a packer.

It's impossible to get work. I've been everywhere but you get the answer-"We'll same old take your name and let you know" • 'The march has been an eye opener for me. I was a bit com- 'The more you fight the more you learn. I had to explain the policies we were fighting for.

'After Wembley I reckon . the YS will be a big movement. The youth will see we are determined.

It'll be hard in Bootle because the YS hasn't really been there before. 'I think we'll have to explain why we're building the YS. If you don't explain the ins and outs of politics the youth won't know what's going on. difficult It was for me to understand some of the lectures and discussions . we had during the march. But when you took placent about the Labour Party. i didn't expect such an anti- Right-to-Work campaign feeling the right wing. They've from really exposed themselves as an enemy of the working class.

'I used to be in the CP and I'm really disgusted with their They've. really tried role. to slander through that UCS us business. They are people who've got to be shown up in front of the working class. 'We've really had to struggle to find places to eat and sleep but it has only strengthened us and made us more determined.

up the fight on the march begin to see the meaning of all these things. 'There's plenty of young people who want to fight back against the Tories don't • how to go about it and know that is why I want to build the YS. "The youth are important because they have so many years ahead of them. "If older workers can see the youth fighting they will support us all the more.

'We achieved something like that on the march when all those trade ùnionists assisted us.'

Northampton was really tremen- dous-much stronger even than at Alexandra Palace last year.

'The play showed the way we've got to build the leader- ship of the working class. What we want is a new model army in the labour movement. It will be unlike any party we've ever had in Britain. 'When we go back to E Kent if we can keep together the people we've got on the march we can really build something.

The area had never seen a march like this.'

Scan page 6

Workors Preas, Tueaday March 14, 1972 PAGE 5

THE WEMBLEY

EXPERIENCE

Wembley Pool had never seen anything like it: the best in the pop and entertainment world waiving their fees and playing for 8,500 young workers and trade unionists demanding the right to work and the resignation of the Tories. The four pages of pictures of speakers at the afternoon's rally and the performers who followed capture the atmosphere which surrounded the most significant and exciting event in the history of the Trotskyist movement in Britain.

5 L Colllery, Yorkshire. Christine Smith, Kirkby. Brian Lavery, Wheldale Top: Clive Norris. Above : Sidney Bldwell MP..

Scan page 7

We shall march throughout the country PAGE 6 Workers Press, Monday March 13, 1972 We shall ma

VICTERY:

YOUNG SUCIALISTO AL

WE DEMAND

VIETNAMESE

HORKERS

RIGHT TO W

INSEA TO LO

out the count

YOUR

WED

RIGHT

YOUNG STENUSTS

PEMANCAN

Workers Press. Monday March 13, 1972 PAGE 7 5

NAMONAL UNION OF MINEWORKE

SNOWDOWN S

EMPIRE POOL

WEMBLEY

SUNDAY MARCH 12

LAMBETH

RADES COUNCIL L

YOUNG SUCIALISTS

WE DEMAND THE

RIGHT TO WORK

DEAL TO LONDON

1972

Scan page 8

We shall march throughout the country PAGE 6 Workers Press, Monday March 13, 1972 We shall ma

YOUNG SOCIALISTS A

WE DEMENT

VIETNAMESE

RIGHT IC

INsi out the count

YOUR

WE

RIGH

SOL

VICTORY:

6 DEMANE

Workers Press, Monday March 13, 1972 PAGE 7 23

"AMONTLUNON OF MINEWORKERS

SNOWDOWN

V

EMPIRE POOL

intry

WEMBLEY

SUNDAY MARCH 12

LAMBETH

RADES COUNCIL

YOUNG SUCIALISTS

WE DEMAND THE

RIGHT TO WORK

DEAL TO LONDON

1972

Scan page 9

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Tuesday February 14, 1872 Top: McGulnness Flint friends. and Right : Slade. Above: Ram John Holder and the London Blues Band.

Scan page 10

Musicals are rather rare these days. Even so, though one of last year's better films, was a Clear Day You Can See Forever' , a viewing of Ken Russell's latest effort "The Boy Friend' could make you feel glad that this is so.

Though Russell had to keep his imagination within the arbi- trary confines of the British Censor's Board of Film certificate, he has succeeded in coming up with a confection in way as sick, lurid, sub- every jective and alienating as anything he has done in the past. "The Many who have seen Music Lovers', 'The Devils' and 'Women In Love' will know that Russell's film images veer quite consistently towards the lavator- ial. His characters are never more real than when working out some inner need created not so much by society or upbringing, as by the intoxicating flow the Russell imagination. What, they may well be asking themselves, will Russell do when faced with the task of creating a film for a 'family' audience?

Look what he did to 'Women In Love'. • Ignoring the working- class background of D. H. Lawrence's novel, Russell went in another direction. At one point in the film the protagonists turned up in Switzerland-and what was the first thing they saw there? The Matterhorn, of Sigmund Freud's beard course. must have fallen out hair by hair as that shot was being taken.

And 'The Devils? Well, he managed to transform a quite intricate and complex web of superstition religion, sexuality, and social forces into a savage farrago, moving at the drop of a hat from the pretentiously austěre to the monumentally irrelevant. In 'The Music Lovers' he went even further. The pathetic homo- sexual paranoia of Tchaikovsky was transformed into an excuse for a visual exercise in hatred of women. Madame von Meck, the composer's lifelong correspond- ent, just had to be a high-society brothel keeper. Tchaikovsky's wife just had to be a nympho- maniac. If the music survives the film, then it will be despite these 'interpretations'. Yet Russell rose to fame as an 'interpreter' of Ken Russell: other people's work. Remember those TV documentaries on com- posers? What has happened? Of course Russell has risen from being an interesting film-maker to being a famous film director. This has given him the right to treat other people's imagination as a blue- print for his gospel. The world is firmly fixed inside his brain, and anything that crops up in the original to disturb the pretty picture, can be cured. So Sandy (original author of the Wilson musical "The Boy Friend), Tchai- kovsky and D. H. Lawrence end up looking much the same as each other. The original musical The Boy Friend' was, in effect, a working out of a simple idea of playing theatre against reality. A back- a staged stage romance and musical romance commented on each other, creating interesting ambiguities and, to a consider- able degree, respecting the in- telligence of the audience.

Russell, however, is not interested in relationships, but in psychotic infatuations. A real emotion never crosses the screen except it is immediately denied joke, sick some camp innuendo, or visual wallowing.

Russell has created instead an elephantine homage to the 1930s Hollywood musical. Now Busby Berkeley, the most obvious reference in this context, was curiously deficient when it came to the handling of story and psychological elementsbut he knew how to put a big produc- tion number together so that it grew organically from a simple basic idea of design and choreo- graphy. Later in the history of the musical both Vincente Minelli ('An American in Paris') and Stanley Donen ('Singing In The Rain') not to mention the most obvious in this field, success Story'-developed 'West Side ways of integrating dance and drama in film, relating choreo- to psychological and graphy dramatic situations. 'homage' becomes Russell's high the dancing camp and merely pattern-making. Any pre- tensions the film may have to 'respecting' (within any reason- able definition of the term) either the Sandy Wilson original or the style of the 1930s Hollywood musical are quite empty. The film leaps from one irrelevant visual another, to linked only by the arbitrary in- trusion of Hollywood director Mister de Thrill-inside whose mind, we are led to believe, the more extravagant excesses of the staging occur. And one intrusion leads to another. All the girls in the cast want to make up to de Thrill so as to get a Hollywood contract.

This gives Russell the oppor- tunity to do seductive some routines which, from apart demonstrating his implacable show his hatred of women, inability to find value or mean- ing any aspect of human in behaviour. His satire has no irony or rich- ness. He cannot even allow a half-bitchy, half-respectful scene between Jackson and Glenda Twiggy to take place without the ritual suggestion of Lesbianism.

The shooting style veers between expressionless close-ups, lurid long-shots and tracking movements which have all the inevitability of the droppings of a pissing pigeon. the semi- documentary style of the 1950s British film lead, without so much as a pause for breath, to shots which even Mervyn Leroy, the most vulgar of 1930s musical directors, would have left on the cutting room floor. A single person puts some- thing real into it. Alway: it is undermined, but she struggles I refer to Twiggy. gamely on. Too bad she couldn't have made her debut in a different film.

Workers Press, Tuesday March 14, 1972 PAGE 9 of great and man sanıty integrity in the face of Black Power, the Mafia, long-haire»!

students and militants of one The leading Democratic con- variety and another. tender in the US presidential He was generously quoted is Senator Edmund for his views on how to smash primaries Muskie of Maine. drug-peddling, robberies and for him, Unfortunately a assaults: story started going the rounds Despite his law and order platform, that his wife was fond of cock- Addonizio lost the and dirty jokes. tails next mayoral election. This foul first saw And just for the record, he rumour the light of day in 'Women's has now been sentenced to ten Wear Daily'-not vital reading years' jail for extortion. During for presidential candidates, the trial it was alleged he had of taste. unless as a matter close connections with the also condensed in Mafia. But it was 'Newsweek'. And it appeared later in the New Manchester, Hampshire, 'Union Leaders', whose editor happens to be arch- an called William conservative Loeb. Loeb isn't all that fond of Muskie, he SO printed the under the headline *Big story Daddy's Jane'. So Muskie did a meeting outside Loeb's offices. But, to the embarrassment of his aides and the unbounded de- light of millions watching on TV, he burst into tears. 'He's talking wife,' about my he howled. 'He made her sound like a moll.' His rivals lapped it up. If he's like that with Loeb, what Holler: order The House of Commons is getting to be more exciting than the wrestling on the telly.

At least, no Sunday newspaper has published yet series showing how it's all faked.

The Labour MPs-past and present — are really tearing We've had Eric Heffer away. moving points of order, Dennis Skinner saying, or not saying, 'bloody, Willie Hamilton call- twerp' ing Prince Charles (though did write to the he apologizing), and papers one threatening to duff up Jeremy Thorpe. Eddie ing into And now we've got an ex- Loob offices herself slung out MP getting would he do with Brezhnev?'

of the public gallery. asked Democratic Senator During last Tuesday's Com- Henry Jackson. mon Market debate, Mrs Anne Kerr, former Labour MP for Rochester and Chatham, 'Rubbish' at Geoffrey yelled During the Tory-inspired law- Rippon, refused to be re- and-order campaign at the last strained by a doorkeeper, and General Election, the capitalist escorted shouting was out 'Resign, resign'. press gave prominent coverage to- Mayor Addonizio of Good god, a fellow can't Newark, New Jersey. get any sleep in the place, was portrayed as the these days.

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PAGE 1 Workers Press, Tuesday

AROUND THE WORLD

BY JOHN SPENCER

THE 13th CONGRESS Milan today in the mids crisis since the fall of fasci The centre-left coali- tion headed by the Christian Democrats has broken into fragments, precipitating a premature General Election on May 7, one year ahead of schedule. The coalition foundered because the Christian Democrats' right - wing partners accused them of being too soft on the working class. Faced with a cute economic crisis (unemploy- ment already stands over the million mark) the Italian employers are pre- paring for a decisive show- down with the organized labour movement. Since of 1969 there have been continual wages battles and strikes in the factories. But the Stalinist trade union leaders have held back the working class and confined the struggle exclusively to re- formist demands. The middle class, which was at first drawn into the struggle behind the work- ers. is being driven by these treacherous policies into the arms of the ex- treme right wing. The fascist Italian Social (MSI). once Movement regarded as pariahs even by the other right-wing parties, is rapidly winning support from big business as parhamentary democracy visibly decomposes. Vicious street battles be- and left-wingers tween by the fascists supported police are now i regular feature in Italy, as in the carly 1920s during Musso- lini's rise to power. On Sunday, before the congress opened, the centre of Milan was turned into a debris-strewn battlefield firing tear-gas after police and brandishing batons had charged left-wing demonstrators who were trying to break up a 3,000- strong fascist meeting. Ninety-two left-wingers arrested, and Mari- were Rumor. the Minister ano of the Interior, promised action of extreme rigour against them. They are expected to be charged for- mally with aggravated and resistance to police destruction of property. in this situation, the, CP is expected congress to elect Enrico Berlinguer, a Sardinian. 49-year-old succeed Luigi Longo (71) as general secretary. Like Longo, Berlinguer was a faithful lieutenant of Palmiro Togliatti. who • restoration aided the of Italian capitalism on Stal- in's orders after the war and elaborated the SO- called Italian road to socialism'. Based on the conception of 'structural reforms', this extremely • right-wing pro- gramme is a blueprint for betrayal of the Italian workers in the present extremely critical situation.

The Stalinists pose as the saviours of parliamentary democracy, hoping for an 'opening to the left' that will allow them to partici- pate in a capitalist coali- tion government. In reality, the employers , Tuesday March 14, 1972 RESS of the Italian Commun he midst of the country's mo of fascism in 1945. are already preparing to do away with the defunct and decrepit forms of democra- tic rule and install a right- wing dictatorship 1o smash the workers organizations. The programme of 'struc- tural reforms' put forward by the Communist Party is aimed at disarming the REVIVAL of 'psycho-s elimination of parts of t patients more docile-ha from US scientists and s The protesters broke meeting of Houston Neurological held Society behind closed doors in a guarded Texas hotel at the week- end. outside They gathered the meeting after Dr Peter Breggin, i Washington psychiatrist, had accused some of the surgeons there mentally mutilating of healthy people's brains. This was meant to pacify them and make their be- haviour socially acceptable.

The brain operation, known as frontal lobotomy widely criticised in and fell into the 1950s discredit. Some Americans surgeons are now trying to revive it in a more 'sophisticated' form. It consists in cutting out parts of the brain which control a person's person- ality and emotions. In many cases its victims become little more than human 'vegetables. Up to 600 'psycho- surgical' operations are performed each vear in the US. Dr Breggin has described the case of three California convicts whose brains were operated on in 1968. prison According to officials, who claim the ommunist Party opens in y's most serious political workers in the face of this growing threat. It poses in the most urgent form the need lor revolutionary alternative based on leadership, an irreconchable struggle agamnst the treacherous Communist Party leader- ship. psycho-surgery' — medical rts of the brain to make rile-has sparked protests s and students. convicts 'consented' to the operations. one showed 'marked improvement' and was eventually réleased. The two other victims are still in jail with part of their brains missing. horrific An even more case is that of a nine-year- old child who had six such operations in three I Cats at a Mississippi hospital.

This is reported to have produced 'markedly im- proved' behaviour in the child. The surgeon reports that 'intellectually, however, the patient is deteriorating'.

These barbaric practices are not confined to the US.

estimated that Breggin 400 such operations are carried in British out mental hospitals every year • and the number is rising. THE STRUGGLE for freedom in Namibia, SW Africa, illegally occupied by S Africa since 1966. has now. reached crisis point according to a state- ment from the Anti- Apartheid Movement. After a massive strike of workers 20,000 Namibian December 1971 against in S Africa's contract labour Milan students armed With Iron bars and clubs con- front police armed with rifles during the weekend's Clashes in Milan, where the police protected a fascist rally. French Socialist rightwards RIGHT-WING leader of French Socialist the Party Francois Mitterand won majority support for his government pro- gramme at the Party's convention in Paris at the weekend. Ratification of the pro- confirms the gramme leadership of the multi- millionaire over the Social- ist Party. The programme involves maintaining the institutions of the Fifth Republic, in- eluding presidential rule.

Mitterand achieved the support of the convention less difficulty than with had been expected, accord- ing to reports. the left in He said France needed a strong Socialist Party which would guarantee 'the respect of public freedom'. is to be How this achieved within the Bona- partist framework of the Fifth Republic established by General de Gaulle, Mitterand did not explain.

. for a 'Union He called of the Left, including the Party, but Communist asked the CP to stop its criticisms constant Socialist Party policies.

Mitterand's reactionary programme is a further move to the right by the Socialist French Party leadership, which has long been one of the bulwarks of French capitalism. laws and its illegal occupa- tion, eight Namibians were arrested and tried for the participation in the strike.

Guerrilla activity is also increase in the on the country. At the same time Afri- can leaders are presenting demands to the UN Secre- tary General for S Africa's ur: forcible expulsion. EGYPT, Syria and Libya t step to cement their feder end with the preparation o of movement, residence three states. The new laws were prepared at two six-hour meetings between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Libya's Gaddafi Muammar i and Syrian President Hafez al Assad. The Arab Federation is part of a big shift to the right by the bourgeois- nationalist leaders in the Arab states. It is supported by the Kremlin and local com- munist parties. It comes at a time when the Palestinian • liberation movement, already hard-hit by the repression in Jor- dan, has been effectively prevented from operating freely on Lebanese soil. The Lebanon sent in its army to prevent the guer- rillas operating across the border after a series of strikes against Israeli Lebanese territory earlier this month. The Arab Federation leaders have done nothing to aid the Palestinians in this desperate situation.

Kamal Nasser, Palestine Liberation Organization executive spokesman, warned at the weekend political that action in relation to Israel must not become a cover for sur- render. He told the Federation Assembly in Beirut that a political settlement must not be sought by making concessions to the Zionists.

These remarks are undoubtedly prompted by a sell-out in the fear of Middle East. The Soviet Union, which arms Egypt and has enthu-

ABERDEEN

trawlermen • staged an unofficial one- day token strike yesterday.

100 More than men attended a meeting at the Transport and General Workers' Union premises in the city to draw up a hve-point list of grievances.

Joe McLean, chairman of the fisheries section of the T&GWU at Aberdeen, who Bathgate men ba AT THE British-Leyland plant at Bathgate, truck West. Lothian, yesterday 3,200 shop-floor workers back at work after were their nine-week strike. A STRIKE at Chrysler's car - assembly plant Coventry was called off yesterday with workers safety satisfied about standards. Many walked out on Friday, causing 2,500 men to be laid off and produc- tion halted. They com- plained that there was a BAC pay strike or

IN LANCASHIRE, 3,500

British • Aircraft Corpora- tion strikers met yesterday and carried strike- a committee recommendation to stay out. Libya took another major ir federation at the week- ration of laws on the right idence and work in- the

SADAT

siastically backed the Fed- eration, is known to be putting out diplomatic feel- ers to Israel. Unofficial contacts were opened up last year when leading

•KGB

operative Victor Louis visited Israel.

Now the Soviet Union is reported to be seeking a more permanent basis for discussions with • an Israeli delegation in the Dutch embassy in Moscow and a Soviet delegation in the Finnish. embassy in Israel. Holland and Finland acting as 'go- have been betweens' since diplomatic relations were severed 1967. A turn in Soviet policy: towards a settlement with Israel in the Middlę East at the expense of the Palestinians would be en- are : tirely consistent ..with Stalinist history. 1948 the Soviet Union backed the forma- tion of Israel in the United Nations. chaired the meeting, said two points discussed were facilities for meetings and a claim for increased poundage rates on the value of catches. Another meeting has been called for today. In June 1969, the fleet began a strike that be- came official and lasted for ten weeks. en back The men, who on Wed- nesday accepted a £4-a- week rise, are now the highest paid hourly wor- kers in the truck-and- tractor industry. embly operates risk of injury with a new push-button system con- trolling the assembly track at the press of a finger.

Now a key, normally kept with the supervisor, which locks the machinery when brought to a tem- porary standstill, is to be made available to the track workers close to the push buttons. ike on They are striking for an 8t-per-cent, no-strings pay rise, plus a £20 minimum wage. Management with offered 6 per cent •strings. • ...

Scan page 12

DURING

the weeks said he next two electricians' and EPTU wil be statement press due the rules of his union. branches in the will nominations for taking post In his past election addresses of general president, which has he has opposed the joint Industry been since the death of vacant Board in the Electrical Contract- Sir Leslie Cannon, ex-communist ing Industry its inception, since party member, in November 1970.

has called for a national rate and The post is expected to be 35-hour week, is opposed to all contested deals, by least three productivity appointment of officials, opposed candidates, including Jim Dormer, union Tower Hamlets branch, a member being signed before agreements of the Socialist Labour League, membership have had the right who received 12,000 when to accept or reject them and all and opposing Frank Chapple for the opposed to bans post of general secretary last year.

proscriptions. He believes that the union's When asked by our reporter Right-to-Work rally conference must be held annually at the at Wembley on Sunday Jim Dormer and decisions reached must be

TRADING PROFIT AS A PERCENTAGE

*Cyanamid of GB *Merck-Sharp & Dohme Winthrop Group *Sterling Boots Co. "Aspro-Nicholas Beecham Group Pharmaceuticals Macarthys †May and Baker SUB-LIEUTENANT David James Glaxo Group Bingham Wellcome Foundation (31), naval torpedo expert, was sentenced to 21 years ‡Ciba Laboratories imprisonment at Winchester yes- ‡Ciba-Geigy for selling Naval secrets *Lilly Industries terday to the Soviet Union. *Pfizer under The charges brought *American-owned "Australian-owned. 1 Section One (1) (c) of the Official Secrets which deals with Act, espionage, allege that he passed information that might be useful to an enemy on six occasions in Surrey, and had that recorded Hamp- information six times in shire during the same period.

The Sir Peter prosecutor, Rawlinson, said that on August 31 last year, Bingham was serving

HMS

sub-lieutenant in 'Rothesay', alongside laying Portsmouth dockyard about to sail for Portland. 4.30 p.m., Lieutenant- About Commander Anthony Noyes, MAKING and selling medicin the senior officer of the ship, invited plied through the National him into his cabin. Bingham sat enormous profits to the big fir down and said: I am and have been for Soviet agent number of years a drug industry. The daily paper that loads the fight against the Tories. £20.28 for 12 months (312 Issues) {10.14 for 6 months (156 issues) {5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues).

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Name Address binding on the executive council, that branches must have the right to appeal against EC decisions, and calls for equal pay for women. He has been an outspoken opponent of the right-wing leadership and the Communist all Party inside the union.

At the Blackpool conference oi the union last November he called for industrial action to defeat the Industrial Relations Tory government Act and the and replace it with a Labour government pledged to socialist policies, and for the expulsion trom the Labour Party of the Labour MPs who voted with the Tories on the Common Market.

CENTAGE OF CAPITAL EMPLOYED

% Annual Year ended Rate of return Nov 30 1970 43.2 Nov 30 1970 40.0 Oct 31 1970 28.8 Mar 31 1971 28.1 Jun 30 1970 26.6 24.5 Mar 31 1971 Apr 30 | 1970 22.6 Mar 31 1971 22.1 Jun 30 1971 22.0 Aug 31 1971 19.4 Dec 31 1970 16.6 Dec 31 1970 11.5 Dec 31 1970 9.9 Nov 30 1970 6.7 n-owned. †French-owned. #Swiss-owned.

medicines, many of them sup- tional Health Service, brings a big firms which dominate the Beechams, Britain's second largest drug firm, once famous well, made other £4.1m in royalties last year. That meant that it drew that other manufacturers, sum from especially those making the drug Penbritin (a kind of penicillin) from which the bulk of the revenue came. For a development outlay of about £250,000 this drug is now bringing Beechams millions of pounds a year and will do until the patent expires. In fact, having valuable patent rights is the key to profits in the drug business. Hence the haste new drugs to launch on the market; in the case of Thalido- mide this policy had disastrous results. In addition, the drug giants are engaged in the merger and takeover game which brings in further profits. Profits subsidiaries American - owned appear to have been below those of the British-owned companies, they but that may be because have been charged for patents held by the parent company.

As above table from 'Labour Research' (March 1972) shows, most firms in the business have a high return on capital.

The average for manufacturing industry is below 20 per cent.

these A substantial part of profits come from drugs supplied under the National Health Ser- vice. Between 1967 and 1970 the average cost of a prescription in England and Wales rose from 54p to over 67p. products which Many of the these firms sell to the public involve large outlays on adver- tising in the press and on TV.

Prices to the consumer bear little relation to the cost of manu- facture. Selling medicine is an even bigger business than manufac- turing it, with free handouts and advertising material for doctors, highly-paid and big salesmen outlays on publicity. In addition, the firms concerned have a sure and profitable market in the National Health Service. Here is an industry ripe for nationalization, rejected, be remembered, by the Sainsbury Commission which reported to Labour government in 1967.

the Workers Press, Tuazday March 14, 1972 PAGE 11

BBC 1

9.38-12.30 Schools. 12.55-1.25 Fo a fe. 1.30 Andy Pandy. 1.45- 1.53 News and weather. 2.05 Schools. 2.25 Racing" fröm"Chetten- ham. 4.30 Deputy dawg. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 Vision on.

5.20 Motor mouse. 5.44 Crystal Tipps. 5.50 News and weather.

NAtIONWIDE. Magazine. 6.00 6.45

TOMORROW'S WORLD.

7.05

SPY TRAP.

FILM: 'RIVER OF MYSTERY'. Vic Morrow, Claude Atkins, 7.30 Edmond O'Brien, Niall MacGinnis.

9.00 NINE O'CLOCK NEWS and weather.

EMPIRE: ECHOES OF BRITANNIA'S RULE.

9.20

THE BRITISH

'New Gods for Old'.

10.15 FILM 72.

10.45 24 HOURS.

11.20 VIEWPOINT.

11.50 Weather. ввс 2 11.00-11.25 Play school.

6.05-6.30 OPEN UNIVERSITY.

6.35 HANDLING MATERIALS. 'It's all part of the system'.

7.05

OPEN UNIVERSITY.

7.30 NEWSROOM and weather.

THE FIGHT FOR PEACE.

8.00

COLLECTOR'S WORLD.

8.50 9.20 PLAY: 'POET GAME'. Anthony Hopkins, Billie Whitelaw.

11.00 NEWS ON 2 and weather. 11.05 THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST. Al Stewart, Paul Brett.

ITV

10.20 Schools. 2.35 Time to remember. 3.00 Houseparty. 3.15 Tea break. 3.45 Matinee. 4.10 Dr Simon Locke.

4.40 Once upon a time. 4.55 Sooty show. 5.20 Magpie, 5.50 News.

6.00 TODAY. Eamonn Andrews.

CROSSROADS.

6.40 7.05

DES.

Des O'Connor with Gilbert O'Sullivan, Johnny Vyvyan. 7.35 FILM: 'SEVEN IN DARKNESS'. Milton Berle, Sean Garri- son, Dina Merrill. A group of blind people on their way to a convention when their plane crashes in wild country.

LOVE STORY. 'Alice'. 9.00 10.00

NEWS AT TEN.

10.30

DOCUMENTARY: 'INSIDE THE WORLD OF

YOUR

DREAMS'.

11.30

DRIVE-IN.

12.00

THE CHURCH AND REVOLUTION.

'A Perfect Day' Is one of the playa In the serlos 'The Regiment'- stories of the late Empire and Britlah army. -screened by BBC 1. Tonight's eplsode has John Hallam as Lt James Willoughby and Marcia Altken as Dorothy Saunders the arrogance of showing their class and perlod. Nat onside 10152

BBC-1

5.20-5.44* Telewele. weather. Wales: 10.45 Music vision. 6.00-6.45 weather. News weather Nationwide. Heddiw. England: 10.15-10.45 All mod 10.15-10.45 Divided (North). tonigh kingdoms. cons Showing 11.52 Weather, (NW). Come inside and say that Scotland: 6.00-6.45 Scotland. (NE). Contact (Midlands). On Scotland Nationwide 10.15 camera (E Anglia You can't (West). Capital folk. 11.52 News, Cradle of lost (South). (SW). weather. land Peninsula N Ireland: 6.00-6.45 Scene around 11.52 News, weather.

REGIONAL

ITV

CHANNEL

London. 4.50 4.55 10.20-2.33 Romper room. New Lottery. Enchanted 6.00 Report. .15 Daw 4.10 4.20 house. explores. 6.35 Simon Locke. Bonanza. 8.00 Deadlin London. 9.00 News, Police. London. 11.30 Story

YORKSHIRE:

10.20 Pied Lookaround. London London. Film: *Santa 8.30 Des Fortitude London. Weather. Piper News. Women. 4.40 Gazette. Enchanted Weather. London.

WESTWARD

Channel Cal As except: lendar Gus 4.20 News. Film: •SaLondon 9.00 5.00 Diary. 11.5 8.30 Des. Weathe faith Painters 10.08 eath ondon

SOUTHERN:

3.35 гоеа 3 London. 10.18-2.33 Yoga. 4.05 break. our Houseparty. Pingwings. 4.30 6.00 Stive amig Day day. Film: Smith Black 8.30 7.00 *Bo rder River'. 00 London. 11.30 es. 11.40 Farm writers. progress. 12.10

TEES:

2.33 Weather. Discoverers

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HTV:

10.20-2.33 3.50 3.05 piper Play London British 3.45 Taste Museum. Tinkertain 4.40 ment. 4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 Lon- Crossroads don. West 6.18 Repor 4.55 London Today Hogan's Wales. 7.05 heroes 8.30 Coupes De 9.00 8.30 Film: Des

LOL

11.30 Snooker. Hord nest s Weathe don NeWS except: 6.01- London. foo 35 London Dateline. ateline 4.55 mawr. 050/ Wales as 6.20 Hogar above neroes 11.15- "Spare the Des. Dan sylw. Film: '11.30 Late Bring Museum call. 10.20-2.33 Lon-

GRAMPIAN:

11.00-3.00 London 3.05. Horoscope. Simon 3.38 NeWS 4.10 0g4.0 professor. 5 ondon. 4.40 time. 9S London. upon 6.00 Today. 6.35 time. 00 London. Royal 7.00 "Tanganyika' News and weather. 6.10 7.90 11.30 clansmen 6.35 London Film Tho knows? Weath Enough .20-2.33 London. 4. 9.00 London. 11.30 Epilogue.

ULSTER:

Scan page 13

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Tuesday March NONE of the 13 people sho troopers in Londonderry on wanted list, the Widgery inqu Army propaganda that they were wanted was admitted by counsel for the Ministry of Defence, Brian Gibbens QC, to be completely wrong. But he claimed the spokesman respon- sible had 'acted on good faith on information given to him'.

He apologized to the relatives of the 13 dead on behalf of the army and the Ministry saying: • I am happy now to tell the tribunal that none of the de- ceased was wanted list'. on But he added that the issue of whether they were on i list or had 'no relevance' to the not killings. McSparren, James who Is appearing for the relatives of some of the dead, told the tri- bunal that the validity of the statement had been raised at the beginning of the tribunal.

'It is quite unsatisfactory that this very belated expression of regret should be made when this inquiry had almost come to a close' he insisted. Earlier, a private from the Parachute Regiment, his identity masked by the title Private 'l, told Lord Widgery that he saw a rifle carried by one of the men he shot "quite clearly' after he had shot him. The soldier said that the sniper was crawling along the ground in Rossville St with a rifle cradled in his arms. 'I saw the butt stick- ing out,' he claimed. A platoon sergeant told him to shoot the man, so he took aim and fired one shot. It struck the man. He jumped is the round hit him.' It was then that he spotted the second man. "This other man was help- ing to pull the first man I had shot along' Another soldier near him then fired again at the first man, who was hit for a second time.

I fired again and hit the sec-

FUND NOW

£220.92 A MAGNIFICENT success. No other words can describe the tremendous Right-to-Work Rally at the Empire Pool, Wembley, last Sunday. It was a terrific climax to the great five Right- to-Work marches. This is only the beginning of a mass movement developing to force the Tories to resign.

Workers Press must be used to lead Help this fight. US, therefore, in our biggest effort so far for our March Fund. Let's press ahead now as fast as we can. Post every donation imme- diately to : Workers Press, March Appeal Fund, 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG. Hilli

LATENEWS

day March 14, 1972 ple shot dead by British para- rry on January 30. was on a ery inquiry was told yesterday.

ond man, said the private. 'He lurched over against a wall and I then saw the rifle clearly.

The second man took the rifle off the first man, when the second man lurched against the wall I saw the rifle across his chest quite distinctly. It was a carbine. After a second soldier-identi- fied as Corporal 'M'-made simi- lar claims about his victims QC Gibbens said all 103 shots fired in Rossville St, and the five fired from a derelict building in the William St area, had now been accounted for. IN THE House of Commons yesterday, Solicitor-General Sir Geoffrey Howe rejected a Lab- our MP's demand that legal proceedings be taken against Ministers responsible for author- izing 'criminal assaults' on people interrogated in N Ireland.

ALSO IN the Commons, Unity MP Frank McManus, for Fer: managh and South Tyrone, moved that there should be an emergency debate on the 'peace proposals' of the Irish Repub- lican Army.

BY OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

BEER BARON Sir William M man of the Scottish Tory Pa the freckless disregard' of cur He told a luncheon at Pol- lock. Glasgow: 'If there are further attempts to hold the community to ransom in sup- port of utterly unearned wage claims. the results will be disastrous for us all.' He said higher settlements would lead to increased prices, low growth. unemployment and redundancies' In i speech it the weekend, Secretary of State for Scotland said that Gordon Campbell 'wild communists and men, anarchists in Scottish industry were misleading the workers and harming the country's image.

'I know communism,' said Campbell, 'having worked at the Foreign Office.' He did not explain whether this was a satirical reference to Kim Philby, Donald MacLean, Guy Burgess and George Blake.

He went on to pay tribute to boilermakers' leader Dan MeGarvey for his efforts at UCS.

WEATHER

IT WILL be mostly cloudy over SW England and S Wales with some rain at times, but also clear or sunny intervals. Remain- ing districts of England and Wales and also Scotland and N. Ireland will have a dry day with yariable amounts. of cloud and clear or sunn! periods.

It will be mostly rather cold. with frost locally at night. but temperatures will be about nor- mal in the NW. Outlook for Wednesday and Tasional rahange showers.

with Thursday: Becoming less cold with near normal temperatures. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Workers Press, Office. Published by High Street, London, 186a Clapham

SW4 7UG.

PriD Capham Hikh Street London: Clapham Street, - 1806

SW4 7UG.

•THE FICKI

PONDENT

Iliam McEwan Younger, chair- Tory Party, yesterday attacked ' of current pay claims. • Prime Minister Edward

TORY

Heath has snubbed Labour MPs • him about who wanted to see scrapping or postponing the gov- ernment's Housing Finance Bill.

Anthony Crosland, shadow Minister, was told by Housing that meeting such letter wouldn't serve any useful pur- pose. Heath also made it clear that the government intended to push which . with the Bill "aims along to abolish housing subsidies and drive up council rents. 'We are determined that the very large sums of public money which will continue directed towards housing should be spent to help those who are in real need,' Heath added.

Improve homes • THE RATE of grant-aided home improvements should be speeded said former NCB chairman Lord Robens yesterday. 'With over 4 million homes lacking in at least one basic amenity, it will take more than 20 years to bring the existing housing stock up to a reasonable standard.' he said. Lord Robens, a director of a irm of builders' merchants, was opening home improvement a centre for building trades' em- ployers. FIFTY members of the Anti- Closure Committee from the British Steel Corporation's plant Newport, Monmouthshire, at lobbied the House of Commons yesterday. They were waiting to see Peter Thomas, the Secretary for Wales.

Michael Foot, and Labourites George Thomas and James Cal- laghan, all Welsh MPs. Joe Parry told Workers Press: 'We won't leave the works. They will need police to get us out."

NG 20 1070

E FICHT

THE

SOUTHAMPTON AND

DEAL

SECTIONS

OF

YESTERDAY'S

MARCH MAKES ITS WAY TO THE LOBBY OF LABOUR

MPS

AT

PARLIAMENT.

THE RIGHT - to - Work that the government had a 35 majority in the House. marchers met Labour They were immediately chal- lenged the 69 Labour MPs over MPs in the grand com- Tory who kept the government in the Common power during mittee room of the House Market vote. Sidney Bidwell said that the of Commons yesterday. disclaiming b of these MPs was primarily a matter for the local In a stormy meeting they constituency parties. challenged a series of Labour drew In speech that tre- mendous from the MPs how they applause to explain John marchers, Young were fighting to get rid of Socialist leader of the Tory government and the London marchers, said: what they doing to 'You talk about the Tory were We all know expel the traitors from Party's 35 majority. their that if it had not been for the own ranks. the last Labour policies of would the Tories The meeting was organized by government, Sidney Bidwell, MP for Southall not have this majority now.

'We Among the MPs who have come here not to came were Alex Jones hear you tell us how sympathetic under of hire the Rhondda, David Stoddart of feel the unemployed, you for Campbell Dun- because we are not begging for Swindon, lan of barton and Niel McBride of jobs. 'We want to know what pro- Swansea E. to force The MPs pleaded with the gramme you propose angry marchers that their ability this resign and government it with a socialist to force the government to re- replace administration.' curtailed by the fact sign was

YOUNG SOCIALISTS

WE DEMAND

RIGHT TO WORK

SWANSEA TO LONDON

1972

RICHAND THE

•MUNG SOCIALISTS

RIGHT TO WORK

GLASGONTO LONDO

1972 YOUNG SOCIALISTS 12th ANNUAL CONFERENCE Saturday & Sunday April 8/9 Grand Hall, The Spa Dance to 'BRAVE NEW WORLD' Saturday night 8 pm also see a star-studded show Cost approximatoly £4.50. For tickots apply to John Simmanco, National Socretary, 186 a Clapham High Street, London, 8W4 7UG

← no. 712, 13 March 1972no. 714, 15 March 1972 →