Workers Press no. 761

workers press

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER •

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Still waiting ...t

BY IAN YEATS

THE RAILWAYMEN'S fight The answer is 'No'! A spokesman for the British Rail Board said immediately for a living wage is in great after the talks that they would 'stand danger. At 12 noon yesterday firm' their latest offer of a 12.5 per cent pay rise effective from June 5.

leaders of the three rail unions The leaders of the three rail unions -NUR, ASLEF and TSSA- have been told over and over again that there is absolutely no chance postponed a decision about the of the Board giving in to their full £20-a- next step in their pay fight for week claim from May 1. improved the second time in 24 hours.

Aware will be there no Board the offer from the rail union leaders waited at Unity House

NUR

Sir general secretary yester- day marking time and waiting for an Sidney Greene told reporters offer which would not come.

Government sources made it clear after a two-hour joint meeting that as far as they concerned, at Unity House, London: were provided the rail did not call unions for a renewal of industrial action fol- We are doing everything we can lowing the of the 14-day, to show, as always, we are in a cooling-off period at midnight, May 8, conciliatory mood. It hangs on this.

they could go on calling and adjourning Do people want to talk to us?' meetings as long as they liked.

ANOTHER

union has de- cided to defend itself in the National Industrial Relations Court. The Electrical, Elec- Telecommunications tronics, and Plumbing Trades Union is to fight the Union of Electricity Supply Workers' recognition bid for. as registered union. of the Ian Clark, chairman ship and union's Shingliding conference in New- said that the castle, yesterday had executive council decided unanimously to defend the union before the Court. Is it not logical then that the unions should make nominations to the Industrial Relations Com-

TIE-BURNING PROTEST . . .

Youths from yes therefore have miscion and London burn their ties outside County Hall. Westm in Court as well as adver- friends saries?" he said. uniforms. 4p No 761

WEDNESDAY MAY 10, 1972

AMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAC

ng... the NUR's Sir Sidney Greene as concili Meanwhile no pay rises were being rail services were shelled out and running normally. But behind the stalemate between the two sides yesterday, the swords of class were still, nevertheless, war drawn. While Heath and top Tory Ministers had met on Monday to draw up their battle plans, late on Tuesday the rail- way leaders were showing a marked reluctance to enter the fray.

Not only did yesterday's noon meet- ing of the rail unions make no call for action, but Greene stressed: *We want to see if we can do something without landing up in an industrial dispute.'

But neither the Rail Board nor the government is under any illusion that the stark choice for the unions is nOW-EITHER GIVE IN OR

FIGHT.

rom yesterday's 3,000-strong pupils' march throu , Westminster. One of their demands is against sch Another picture and story p. 12.

IR LEAGUE

s conciliatory as ever. To fight or not to fight was the vital question which disturbed the minds of the union leaders throughout yester- day. The determination of rank-and-file railwaymen defend their to living barely- standards - expressed in controlled militancy on the Southern Region and in Scotland a fortnight ago -cannot be in doubt. All three unions have already climbed down before the National Industrial Relations Court and two of them-NUR and TSSA-voted against recalling the TUC to discüss the work- ing of the Act. The present standstill is playing into Tory hands. We say to these leaders: If they are not willing to fight, they should resign and make way for those who will. A

RESOLUTION

condemning President Nixon's Vietnam escalation moves was passed by the International Committee of the Labour Party yesterday.

It said: "The events in recent months have led to further death suffering of thousands of innocent civilians. "The mining of the ports could involve a possible act of against war an as-yet non- combatant nation, and will have long-term repercussions.* Speaking on BBC radio, James Callaghan said: The duty in these circumstances a friend is to point out to the President that the course on which he has embarked cannot bring suc- cess and will certainly heighten international tension. It was up to Sir Alec Douglas- Home to make a public or private ch through approach to President Nixon, he said. ainst school See Blockade story p. 2.

workers press

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEI

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTE!

Still waiting..

BY IAN YEATS

THE RAILWAYMEN'S fight The answer is 'No'! A spokesman for the British Rail Board said immediately for a living wage is in great after the talks that they would 'stand danger. At 12 noon yesterday firm' on their latest offer of a 12.5 per cent pay rise effective from June 5.

leaders of the three rail unions The leaders of the three rail unions —NUR, ASLEF and TSSA- have been told over and over again that there is absolutely no chance postponed a decision about the of the Board giving in to their full £20-a- next step in their pay fight for week claim from May 1. Aware there will be the second time in 24 hours.

no improved offer from the Board the rail union leaders waited at Unity House yester-

'NUR

Sir general secretary day marking time and waiting for an Sidney Greene told reporters offer which would not come Government made it clear after a two-hour joint meeting that as far at Unity House, as they concerned, London: Were provided the rail did unions not call for a renewal of industrial action fol- 'We are doing everything we can lowing the of the 14-day, expiry to show, as always, we are in a cooling-off period at midnight, May 8, conciliatory mood. It hangs on this.

they could go on calling and adjourning Do people want to talk to us?' meetings as long as they liked.

ANOTHER

has de- union cided to defend itself in the National Industrial Relations Court. The Electrical, Elec- Telecommunications tronics, and Plumbing Trades Union to fight the Union of Electricity Supply Workers' recognition bid for registered union. Ian Clark, chairman of the union's shipbuilding chin repairing New- said that the castle. vestered executive council had decided unanimously defend the union to before the Court. 'Is it not logical then that the unions should make nominations the Industrial Relations Com.

TIE-BURNING PROTEST

Youths, from yes! London burn their ties outside County Hall, Westm mission and therefore have friends in Court as well as adver- uniforms. saries?' he said. INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY MAY 10, 1972 • No 761 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE ... the NUR's Sir Sidney Meanwhile no rises were being pay shelled and rail services were running normally. But behind the stalemate between the two sides yesterday, the swords of class war were still, nevertheless, drawn. While Heath and top Tory Ministers had met on Monday to draw up their battle plans, late on Tuesday the rail- way leaders were showing marked reluctance to enter the fray.

Not only did yesterday's noon meet- ing of the rail unions make no call for but Greene stressed: 'We action, Wall to see if we can do something without landing up in an industrial dispute.'

But neither the Rail Board nor the government is under illusion any that the stark choice for the now-EITHER

GIVE

IN OR yesterday's 3,000-strong pupils march through London burn their ties outside County Hall, Westminster. One of their demands is against school • Another picture and story p. 12.

JR LEAGUE

s concillatory as ever. To fight or not to fight was the vital which disturbed the minds question of the union leaders throughout yester- day. The determination of rank-and-file railwaymen to defend their living standards — expressed in barely- controlled militancy on the Southern Region and in Scotland a fortnight ago -cannot be in doubt. All three unions have already climbed down before the National Industrial Relations Court and two of them—NUR and TSSA—voted against recalling the TUC to discüss the work- ing of the Act. The present standstill is playing into Tory hands. We say to these leaders: If they are not willing to fight, they should resign and make way for those who will. A

RESOLUTION

condemning President Nixon's Vietnam escalation moves was passed by the International Committee of the Labour Party yesterday.

It said: "The events in recent months have led to further death and suffering of thousands of innocent civilians. "The mining of the ports could involve a possible act of against war an as-yet non- combatant nation, and will have long-term repercussions.'

Speaking on BBC radio, James 'The duty Callaghan said: a friend in these circumstances is to point out to the President that the which he course on has embarked cannot bring suc- cess and will certainly heighten international tension' It was up to Sir Alec Douglas- Home to make a public or private ch through approach to President Nixon, he said. ainst school • See Blockade story p. 2.

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Wadnaeday Mal

IT'S TEDDY COOPER!

THANK YOU

VERY MUCH

THANK YOU

VERY MUCH

BY OUR FOREIGN DESK

ITALY'S ruling Christian | Party emerged yesterday at same strength as before from Election which saw cor fascist advances and Commur losses in the Senate. The Christian Democrats los fraction of their Senate vote, bu to have gained slightly in the elect lower house. By contrast, the Party lost seven seats in gained slightly in the lower hous The fascist Italian Social Movem Giorgio Almirante, a former aide _ Benito Mussolini, increased its vote in both houses, winning 9.1 per cent of the Senate poll compared with 6.7 per cent in 1968. The main losers were the Social Democrats, heavily com- promised in workers' eyes by their participation in the coalition which collapsed government at the beginning of this year.

undoubtedly The result will strengthen the Christian Demo- to

HOW THE SEAT

THE final provisional results of voting in the Italian General Election, announ Rome yesterday (figures for brackets) : Votes Christian 11,457,746 Democrats Communists 8,565,820

PSIUP

Soclalists

(PSI)

3,224,778 Social Demo- 1,644,780 crats (PSDI) ...

M.S.I.

(Neo Fascists) 2,763,719 Liberals 1,317,909 Republicans 917,392 ... South Tyrol People's Party 113,392 33,326 Others crat right wing, which has adamantly refused to consider any government with Communist Party participation. A coalition with the Repub- licans is now likely, which may lean on the fascists for support, is now likely. The Communist Party bears a major fascist • responsibility for gains. Instead of mobil- izing the working class around a socialist drawing programme, behind it the frustrated sections of the middle class, the Party posed as the respectable defender of capitalist democracy. Its programme dropped any readay May 10, 1872

EHEU! AHA!

НА НА НА!

WHAT

D'YOU

UNEMI

MEAN, GET

OFF, I'VE

JUST COME

- MEI

ON! HA HA! istian Democrat day at about the 'e from a General w considerable Communist Party rats lost a small vote, but appeared the elections to the st, the Communist in the Senate, but ver house elections. 1 Movement, led by ner aide of dictator mention of socialism in favour of so-called 'structural reforms' and did not oppose either NATO or the Common Market. During the election campaign the CP dis- couraged any effort to drive the fascists off the streets and vigorously denounced as leftists' those workers and students who did fight the MSI. Far from being an alternative to fascism, the bankrupt Italian

SEATS CHANGED

of voting for the senate (upper house) n, announced by the Interior Ministry in in the May 1968 General Election Percentage of Seats Votes cast 38.1 (38.3) 135 (135) 28.4 (30.0) 94 (101)

10.7 (15.2-PSU)

33 (36) 5.5 11 (10) 9.2 (6.7) 26 (13) 4.4 (6.8) 8 (16) 3.0 (2.2) 5 (2) 0.4 (0.5) 0.1 parliamentary system is, in fact, the spawning ground for extreme right-wing tendencies. The out- come of the present General Election will do nothing to resolve the chronic parliamentary crisis. There is no stable combination of bourgeois-democratic parties in the new parliament and what- ever coalition emerges will face the same conditions of economic crisis and class struggle.

However, the right-wing gains in the General Election are the prelude to new attacks on the living standards and organizations of the Italian workers.

- MENT

TRAINING

CENTRES

PRUNGDOÄN 57

North Vietnamese troops contin namese bunker.

AMERICAN

planes roa yesterday dropped Chi time-fused mines at the entrances to North Vietnamese ports while ships of the Seventh Fleet steamed to positions off the coast to stop vessels entering or leaving the country's harbours. In the North an army newspaper reacted • by saying: 'It is not the Vietnamese people that are frightened. Nixon himself is scared, despite his efforts to create with bombs pressure and shells.' President Nixon's plans are the latest desperate effort to save the doomed South Viet- namese puppet govern- ment and the American presence in Vietnam. announced the blockade and mining of It i the harbours in a speech yesterday morning fol- lowing a crisis meeting of the National Security Council in Washington. The mines will activate themselves at 10 a.m. tomorrow giving ships already in harbour just time to leave before the blockade into comes effect. After that, ships try- ing to sail out would do so at their own risk, Nixon said. There are at present about 35 ships in Haiphong harbour, most of them Soviet or East European. Nixon claims the blockade will cut off 90 per cent of the sup- plies coming into North Vietnam from the USSR and Eastern Europe. Air force jets will also bombard the rail and

LITTLE TRICK

LOOK... I'M GOING

TO POUR ALL THIS

WATER INTO THIS

GLASS LIKE THAT!

SEE, LIKE THAT!

HA HA HA!

EHEU !

0 0 ps continue the drive southwards. T ines road links between China and North Viet- nam, in an effort to cut off supplies coming in overland. The bombing of towns and villages in the North will also be stepped up, in another futile attempt to break the iron solidarity and determination of the Vietnamese workers and peasants. Hanoi Radio has said that the North Viet- namese are 'resolutely prepared to meet any new war provocation' The North Viet- namese army newspaper 'Quan Doi Nhan Dan' Nixon hoped to said frighten the Vietnamese people by escalating the war against the North. 'This however is but reaction of the crazy desperate imperialism. It is not the Vietnamese people that are fright- ened.' The blockade will do VOLKSWAGEN, one of Ru the world's largest car producers, its lowest has nounced profit since annual World War II. The embattled VW combine, which recently had a boardroom purge, is to raise its prices in an attempt to solve its financial problems. Executive director pet hwards. They are seen above on a nothing to improve the desperate situation of line the puppet army in the South. Yesterday, liberation forces with tanks were closing in on the pro- vincial capital of Kon- tum, while other regi- ments thrust towards Hué, south of the demilitarized zone. There was also a new flare-up of fighting around An Loc, the town north of Saigon which has been under fror siege for almost a month. The situation of the government troops on all these fronts is con- sidered virtually hope- less, by their even American advisers. Nixon's blockade is act of desperation, an but it clearly indicates the Americans have no intention • of accepting defeat so long as they continue to push can South Vietnamese con- e of Rudolf Leiding told reporters the company would have to increase prices by about 5 per cent to help pay for con- stantly growing labour and material costs. It raised car prices by an average 4.9 per cent at the beginning of this year. But international com- tor petition on major mar-..

HA! ove on a captured South Viet- scripts into the firing of line. With his Moscow summit conference less than a fortnight away, Nixon hopes to put pressure on the Kremlin through the blockade, which primarily affects Soviet vessels. The Kremlin bureau- crats, who want agree- ment with the US on ting trade, European security and arms limitation, are not eager for a con- der frontation with the US • a at this time. In his efforts to crush the Vietnamese revolution, however, Nixon is signalling that he will stop at nothing and is even prepared to risk military confronta- tion with the USSR and China. world labour The movement must come to the defence of the Viet- namese. revolution and beware any secret of sell-out over Vietnam. kets, especially from Japanese car manufac- turers, might make it difficult increase to prices by the necessary amount of 5 per cent, he said. It sold 2.3 million cars-about 5 per cent more than the previous year - when profits amounted to £49m on £1,900m sales..

More Brixton sit-downs? REMAND prisoners at South London's Brixton jail are planning new pro- tests against squalid con- ditions. In particular the inmates are complaining about over- crowding and bad food. In the past week they have organized a series of four sit- downs in the jail's exercise yard.

About 200 men have been in- volved in the protests. • Prisoners on remand are not Under so-called convicted men. justice' they 'British all are innocent until proved guilty. Yet the conditions created at Brixton are deliberately persecutory.

THE ENGINEERING Em- ployers' Federation is jubilant over the Trades Union Con- gress about-turn after the government's confrontation with the three railway unions across the bench of the National Industrial Relations -Court. The Federation's latest bulletin, has

'EEF

News', It says. prompted the unions to. think agaın on their approach to the Act and the results of this are by no means discouraging.

'There are signs that the unions may at last discard the massive self-deception that the law does that it can be not exist and safely ignored. 'The step from here to work- ing constructively within the framework of the new law may be a painful one, but it is a comparatively short one. There will be a good many more hurdles to cross before the law has proved itself. But its indirect results are considerable and important for the mere existence of the law and the Code encouraging of Practice are people-including the unions— to rejig their policies and to form much more carefully con- sidered judgements.' The EEF is cautious about the of the Act and is watching the direct situation on the docks and railways carefully.

What happens there may be of immediate relevance to the steps it may eventually urge Man- chester engineering employers to take as a means of ending the occupation of about 30 of their factories.

ALL TRADES UNIONS

ALLIANCE MEETINGS

SLOUGH: Thursday May 11, Community • 8 p.m. Slough Centre, Farnam Rd. Speakers, ex-convenor Omes Faulkner. personal capa- AUEW (in a city). The Industrial Relations Act. Recall the TUC Expel the traitors Make the Tories resign CROYDON: Thursday May 11, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Rd.

LUTON: Thursday May 11, 8 p.m.

St John's Ambulance Hall, Lea N LONDON: Thursday May 11, 8 p.m. Bricklayers Arms, Totten- ham High Rd (nr White Hart Lane). SE LONDON: Thursday May 11, 8 p.m. Deptford Engineers' Club, New Cross Rd (opp New Cross station). WILLESDEN: Monday May 15, 8 p.m. Trades and Labour Hall, Willesden High Rd, NW10....

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

Because of the huge backlog on Sunday about 140 prisoners organized a five-hour sit-down.

of cases waiting to go to court A and the persistent police refusal Home Office spokesman said that bail, the sit-down started at 2.40 p.m.

to grant most ordinary cases, the remand prison and ended at 8 p.m. at Brixton has become wretchedly The demanding prisoners overcrowded. that the fort- authorities allow 'open' The protests were sparked off nightly meetings - where high the prisoners are allowed physical when the majority of 'in parity remand prisoners in the visitors- security contact with sat-down jail's 'A'-wing and with Pentonville prison'.

refused to during their moment are onso allowed opene Brixton prisoners move exercise period last Wednesday.

Thursday a meetings once a month. action similar half the staged bile most large the almost They have demanded that like Holloway radio loud- prisoners in prison be speakers should installed remand wing. in Another protest followed and cell blocks to make life bearable Mr K. Wedderburn (I), carries little Relations Court yester hearings over container bers. See Court report p

BY AN INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

AS THE Transport and General Workers Union went to court yester talks day to face contempt charges, resumed in Liverpool aimed at lifting the dockers' black on the new £50m Seaforth container terminal.

The dockers have refused to work unless they the terminal get a new agreement covering improved pay and conditions, plus assurances that con- tainer-handling will be carried out only by registered dock workers.

Today's official opening of the terminal was postponed because of the dockers' decision.

The first ship scheduled to unload at Sea- forth has gone on to America with Liverpool- bound cargo still on board. Six other vessels due to arrive at Seaforth between now and Saturday are standing by to hear from ships' agents. MacAndrews have the 'Velasquez' due in today from Bilbao and the 'Cervantes' due tomorrow from Barcelona. Both fruit and are carrying other perishable cargo. The Ellerman Line's 'Tagus' is also expected tomorrow from Portugal and the "Tiber' from Israel, both carrying textiles and general cargo.

A spokesman for the Mersey Docks and Harbour 'No Company said yesterday: date for the opening of Seaforth has been arranged?

IN HULL one of the firms blacked by dockers is threatening to go to the National Industrial Relations Court. Pilanpina spokesman for (Northern) Limited said the all through had company gone in court the but it had not procedures, helped. He said it was quite likely the ATTORNEY-General Sir Peter Rawlinson would go to the Court will company present High 'because there is no other way'.

Court action Friday aimed at on stopping the four-day for the other pop spokesman festival in the Fenland parish of blacked firm, MAT Transport Lincolnshire. Tupholme, Limited. said a full board meet- Opponents of the Spring Bank ing would be held in London to Festival Holiday review the But at the are trying situation. keep the of thousands of tens the firm would not be momant fans out of their locality.

taking action in the Court.

the The writ against Yesterday almost 2,000 Hull Great Western organizers, dockers stopped work and Festivals, is being brought by marched privately-owned Lindsey County Council, ( Horn- wharf to stop unregistered labour Rural District Council, castle unloading timber from a coaster.

eight landowners and by Rawlin- The city's docks were brought to son, appearing on their behalf.

a standstill as shop stewards met Two of the directors of the the wharf company management. festival former company The stoppage made 27 ships idle.

British ambassador in Washing- At a mass meeting the dockers Lord Harlech, and ton, actor defiance decided Stanley in of the Baker. Court and their own union The case is seen as a test case leadership-to continue blacking in the for the preparing way Tories' the two firms. Night Assemblies Bill. Workers Press, V for men who often have to wait over nine months for 23 hours a day in cells before standing trial. The men also want their food improved. At the moment, they claim, the food is almost certain prisoner from being to prevent strong and vigorous in court at the end of a prison spell.

Their main diet is bread and potatoes, with just enough meat, fruit and vegetables to stop a complete physical collapse.

Almost 900 men are at present detained in Brixton-700 remand prisoners, 50 awaiting sentence and a further 140 'short-term' prisoners serving up to 18 months. The nearly governor earns $5,000 a year for administering the prison's affairs. burn (1), legal adviser to the T&GWU, • into the National Industrial urt yesterday when there were fresh container blacking by the union's mem- rt report p. 12. 18 Press, Wednosday May 10, 1972 PAGE 3

THREE HUNDRED

try met on Monday to discuss the implications of the Industrial Relations Act on their union.

Speakers condemned the TUC General Council for its retreat

T&GWU

and criticized the executive for paying the €55,000 fine. resolution passed A was demanding the executive recall the biennial delegate conference the to discuss means of beating Industrial Relations 'tyrannical' including ballot for Act, a national strike action. It also called on the TUC to reafirm the policy of non-co- operation with the Act. Failing the T&GWU should con- this, sider withdrawing its affiliation.

In the event of a further NIRC fine, the Coventry committee was asked to call a meeting of all 1,000-odd T&GWU stewards in the area to move district strike action.

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PAGE & Workers Pross, Wednesday May 10, 1972

CONTAINER

FIRMS

GET READY

BY ALEX MITCHELL

The containerization boom has entered a new phase. A big firm has now been set up to lease con- tainers to exporters who will be taking advantage of Britain's entry into the Common Market. The newly-formed company, Containers, Eurolease advised by Robert Fraser and Partners, are particularly directing their business the ports Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Israel.

IMMENSE

Eurolease chairman Robert McCarthy has described the immense profitability of une scheme: "The container leasing market consists of meeting the requirements of shipping com- forwarding and Dallies archild who need units either to meet snort-term increases in demand without or to ship one way having the trouble of returning or who lease over a long period as an alternative to buy- ing. dday May 10, 1972 'It is this latter business of long-term leases in which ECL will specialize. Higher rates are available from short-term or one-way. leasing, but the over- correspondingly heads are higher. 'We have had a great deal of experience in these matters,' McCarthy said. 'We saw an opportunity where we could contribute something of definite value to the container industry. 'Circumstances have changed radically in containerization and we are now in the age of long-term leasing. We are able to offer the industry finance and when you consider that a reefer box costs £7,000 we are talking about very expensive equipment. short, we 'In are in the market to meet the require- ments of the trade for certain capital equipment which, is too expensive for them to buy out- right, even if they could.'

Eurolease are currently building up a fleet of regular specialized container and equipment. It is expected that during the first two years of operation the will company purchase 2,500 20ft units and 1,500 40ft units. It is envisaged that at least 1,500 containers will be leased in Italy, and 1,000 in Portugal.

These areas will take priority, although McCarthy said that many other inquiries were in the pipeline in other European sectors. It was estimated that the present world market for con- tainers numbered some 400,000 and units the replacement market figure alone was running at 50 per cent. Experi- ence had shown that many leasing companies had invested in fleets of containers over five-year periods and had found that the units lasted only three years. The whole of the Eurolease.

operation drive cut-throat into Europe. At risk in this drive are the jobs of thousands of dockers whose labour will be made redundant by the con- tainer boom. In its bid for new markets and new profits in the Common Market, the container operators regard dockers' jobs as 'expendable'.

DOCKERS

TOLD GET

CRACKING'

Docks union leaders came in for praise last week from a port em- ployer, who, in his next breath, urged dockers themselves to 'get cracking'. The employer in question, Dermod Cmdre Jewitt, out- going chairman of the London Ocean Trades Emplovers' Asso- ciation, said in a retirement too many instances where the fixed-wage policy embodied in Devlin Phase Two was not working. 'Everyone knows this, he said, 'and, in general, each side blames the other. "lack 'Employers of effort" timekeeping" and "bad manage- Whilst men sav ment". With goodwill on both sides -and this must be all want as no one can work in unhappy atmosphere - we can make our present produc- agreement success livity which is vital to us all' Just the kind. of public-

MONOPOLIES TO

The big monopolies have prepared plans for con- exploiting trolling and the working class on a Common Market scale. Details of their intentions are unfolded in a document on industrial relations just pro- duced by the Confederation of British Industry. The document shows that Community has the European the power radically to influence the relationship between man.

and all agement unions in member-states. The Treaty of Rome, for example, embodies principles employment, OI. law, working labour, Coll ditions, and advanced Dasie vocational training, the law of trade unions, collective bar- equal paid gaining, vay. holidays and free mobility of In other words, just about school, play-up-play-the-game, jolly-old-esprit-de-corps mes- sage to get the troops pulling their socks up and pulling together, what? But, hang on. Haven't we met Cmdre Jewitt before? Wasn't he the philanthropist who proposed forcibly booting 800 light-duty dockers out of the industry early last year so as to pay for a wage increase?

Well, yes he was, which puts something of a strange con- struction on some of the other aspects of his message. Your unions— as I know from experience — have done and are doing a first-class job.

I have always been an advocate of an incentive scheme to produce results where man-handling is para- mount, but the Transport and General Workers' Union opted for a fixed-wage policy in 1970 and I have always endeavoured to make that policy a success.'

Nice for the union bosses.

But not so nice for the men who have to work Phase Two.

Jack Jones, T&GWU general secretary every basic right won by the working classes in western Europe is threatened by the new super state centred on Brussels. The 'Journal of Commerce', the newspaper of the port em- ployers and trading companies, commented on the implications of British entry last week: 'In many fields progress has been slow. But the pressures are growing and British em- ployers will come face to face with them. Already there are trends towards common con- ditions of employment through- out the EEC which cannot be ignored.!' The intentions of the mon- opolies are clear: they want to create a western Europe of Orwellian proportions with a mobile and docile working class exploited by uniform what labour laws. However, the bourgeosie wants and what the bourgeosie gets are two quite different things.

WILL RUSSIA HELP

BALE OUT THE DOLLARP

The Soviet bureaucracy is taking a considerable in the current interest plans to reorganize the world monetary system. Nixon Brezhney, will Козу- gin and Podgorny (top) for talks This is expected to be one of the items on the agenda visits when President Nixon Moscow for talks with the Soviet leaders in two weeks time. Leonid Brezhnev and Alexei Kosygin are expected to tell Nixon that they are interested in having a say in forthcoming international talks the on monetary crisis. The Soviet Union and China have already taken an active part in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Santiago, Chile, with their sup- porters in the so-called 'third world' pushing for Soviet in a new participation monetary deal. The Soviet leaders hope for an expansion of trade with the West, but their interest also has a more sinister implication.

They have in mind the forma- tion of a new monetary cra in which the Soviet system currency can take part along- side the dollar, pound and other capitalist currencies.

Their intervention follows the breakdown of the Bretton Woods monetary system formed by the capitalist powers This system, after the war. which formed the basis for the inflationary boom, post-war finaily broke down last year on August 15 when Nixon ended the sale of US reserve gold for dollars. Since that time, the capi- talist powers have proved un- despite many meetings able, and international conferences, to agree on a system to replace Bretton Woods. There are already signs that the capitalist world is splitting into several mutually-hostile monetary blocs notably the US and the Common Market. The Soviet government refused to take part in the Bretton Woods system because its currency could not be made fully convertible with those of the capitalist countries with- out breaching the state mono- poly of foreign trade estab- lished by the October 1917 Revolution. The Soviet leaders apparently hope that their gold reserves - the massive largest in the world outside the United States-would give them a big voice in a post- Bretton Woods deal. Their interest in a new monetary deal implies that the Soviet leaders are ready to see form of convertibility some between the rouble and the capitalist currencies—in other words to submit the rouble to the processes of the capitalist money markets. Already the Tito bureau- cracy in Yugoslavia has made sweeping concessions along these lines and is working towards making the dinar a fully convertible currency. This has had a violent impact on the country's shaky economy.

Rumania, under the 'inde- pendent' leadership of Nicolae Causescu, is moving along the same road, opening the country to foreign capital investment with fewer state controls than ever before. Soviet The economy, of course, is far more powerful than Yugoslav the or Rumanian, with a much more developed industrial base. This could make it possible for the Soviet Union in to compete the market with the capitalist powers on more equal terms.

But the Soviet economy is far from equalling the still major capitalist countries in terms of the productivity of labour and, in many industrial spheres, quality of output.

At present, the state mono- poly of foreign trade allows the control of imports and exports and enables the central negotiation of the most favour- able trading terms. But accept- ance of currency convertibility must tend to break down this all-important barrier between the Soviet economy and the world market. The Soviet leaders are likely to demand as the price of any participation in a new mone- tary system that the 'official" price of gold be raised con- siderably. One monetary official quoted in the New York Herald Tribune' said: 'I don't think the Soviet Union would take part in a new monetary system without a substantial gold price increase.' The US administration has set its face firmly against any Workers Proze, We such step. The furthest Nixon prepared to go was was to raise the gold price by a token $3 an ounce to $38—and he has made it clear there will be no return to convertibility, at least until the other capitalist states take steps to cut their own trade and help the US balance of payments back into surplus. The Soviet Union is still a long way from any monetary deal with the capitalist powers.

The big bankers of the West have shown no inclination to Soviet Union into bring the their discussions on the monetary crisis. In many ways they regard the Soviet Union as a poten- tial competitor rather than an ally in dealing with the crisis.

And they also retain the ulti- mate ambition of restoring capitalism in the workers' states of Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and China. The fact that the issue is being raised in talks with Nixon, however, indicates that the Soviet bureaucracy is pre- pared to gamble the gains of the October Revolution on the doubtful prospect of more trade with the crisis-ridden capitalist world. It also illustrates in the most vivid way the impasse of the Stalinist ideal of 'socialism in one country. Fifty years after the Revolution, the Soviet economy still cannot sever itself from the capitalist world —indeed this is less possible the more Soviet industry and economy develops. In the pursuit of this reactionary Utopia, the Stalin- ist bureaucracy is forced into great contradictions which now threaten the social order and the gains of the Soviet working class. Press, Wednesday May 10, 1972 PAGE 5.

Hungary is no nearer getting a Soviet under- taking to supply increased quantities of raw material fuel and despite a visit to Moscow at the end of last month Trade by Foreign Minister Josef Biro. Janoa Kadar, Hungarian Com munist Party chlef. Earlier visits by Janos Kadar and Janoe Fock had failed to produce the desired results and further talks are scheduled for later this month. The main Hungarian problem of the economy is its narrow raw material base and unless the Soviet Union can supply its needs it will be impossible to to fulfil the plan in the coming years. The Soviet Union is faced with its own raw material problems until new resources can be opened up, which re- quires heavy capital invest- ment. The Soviet leadership is trying to impose the con- tradictions of 'socialism in one country' on its "partners' in COMECON (equivalent of the

EEC).

There are signs of growing in the Hungarian resentment government against what is felt to be a lack of comprehen- sion of the problems of a small country whose ties with the world economy are curtailed on the orders of Moscow. Fock has even had to make statement denying the diffi- a culties with the Soviet Union which have been reported and commented upon in the capi- talist press. Since 1956 the Hungarian clung bureaucracy has to power with Soviet support, •while increasing the flow of consumer goods in an effort to gain some popular support.

This delicate balance will not last long if the Soviet Union does not come across with more oil and raw materials to permit the plans to go ahead.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday May 10, 1972 The tyrant who spied on 100 million Americans

BY ALEX MITCHELL

When one of his aides pressed The New York Times' Hoover, the him to depose last week produced its blunt-talking LBJ replied: I'd epitaph on the late J. rather the sonofabitch have inside the tent pissing out than Hoover, head of Edgar outside the tent pissing in.

Federal Bureau of - the Because of his huge appara- Investigation: tus of agents and personal records - he accumulated 'Few, if any, men in the his- records on 100 million citizens tory of the United States have -Hoover and his G-men were accumulated much power SO a formidable force in intimid- and wielded it for so long. His ating rebellious elements in spaeed a fourth of the history servant career American society. fostered, The notion was of our nation. that the FBI was in however, 'His power and influence far fact designated to fight organ- outweighed that of men he ized crime. Because of his own worked for the nominally involvement in the capture of -and some- mobster, Hoover was cast attorneys-general— one surpass even the of No. times seemed to in role gang- if that of presidents, only buster. Television programmes, he here when films bad because was and hundreds of they came and they knew he novels were written to create would be here when they left.'

the legend of Hoover's fight against 'The Mob'. Hoover worked under eight If Hoover was indeed fight- which presidents in a career ing the Mafia, his career must half a covered more than have been a total failure and century. the New he stands nominated as But if the powerful York Times', publishers of the most incompetent police officer in history. For during his Pentagon Papers, can now organized mighty reign, crime the sinister role. of poke at spread into just US why about every Hoover in affairs, business in the country—real didn't they write it a year ago, banking, timber. estate, ten years ago or 20 years ago- pharmaceuticals, gambling, at the height of McCarthyism?

road haulage and even com- The liberal establishment making for the They ponent space were cowed by Hoover. detested but privately him race Behind this massive network publicly held their tongue.

of business stand the heroin This is perhaps anderstand- smugglers, the currency able. After all, it was Hoover's hustlers, bond fraudsmen and department that, Martin after King's art thieves. assassination, This unparalleled increase in leaked stories alleging lechery crime occurred without Hoover with white women and heavy batting an eyelid. In fact, when whisky-drinking. he was pressed about the crime the Kennedy Members of increase, Hoover pretended it family, and certainly members didn't exist. of its entourage, WOe The reality of Hoover's of FBI-fabricated of this type secret police is that it is more slander. The liberals were un- concerned with preserving defend themselves able to capitalism than attacking its against the opera- poisonous enthusiastic and reckless pro- tion of the FBI because many ponents in the Mafia. recognized the of them his

FBI

carrying war of the out thoroughness against militant groups Hoover research. arrainged the vicious Hoover In article on weapons of the police state: 'Newsweek' magazine year ago wire tappings, undercover administration quoted an agents, provocateurs, frame-ups Hoover official doesn't threaten. All he does is and brutal interrogation methods. call someone on up His political role was com- [Capitol] Hill and say: pletely exposed year ago "Senator, you don't have to when, Philadelphia, anti- worry about a thing. I've taken war groups obtained copies of your file out of the main record FBI memoranda. The section and I'm keeping it here secret papers showed that local FBI right where I can keep my eye agents ran checks on a Phila- on it." says it very sin- delphia who openly couple the message cerely, but gets visited the Soviet consulate in across' Only a week ago Washington Anderson columnist Jack Hoover that prepared vealed films and dossiers on the extra- of curricular sexual activities senior members of the admin- istration. These were shown in the private rooms of the White House to ex-President Lyndon Baines Johnson who apparently had a hearty appetite for this. type of FBI reportage. stayed in, office But Hoover until he was 83 the because various presidential administra- tions- -Republican and Demo- crat — wanted him to. Indivi- dual presidents and attorneys- general have had skir- may mishes with him, but he basic- ally represented a force which they relied upon. President Tohnson certainly took John Edgar Hoover In 1924 this pragmatic view. Washington; an Idaho scout- master who wanted to take his Quaker troop to Russia; a couple who invited a Czech academic to the US for a lec- a congressman's ture tour; daughter who went abroad to a peace conference; a 14-year-old boy who spent a summer vaca- ., tion in East Germany. In recent vears the number of 'defections' from the Bureau has grown and many of the former agents have told the press "inside stories'. Robert Harris was recruited at University of Illinois in 1968.

He served for 11 months hand- ing over information on left student leaders. He also wing identified photographs, reported on student politics and bank balances of campus groups. He decided to quit, however, when the FBI asked him who in the Students for a Demo- cratic Society (SDS) was sleep- ing with whom. evidence of FBI Further methods surfaced recently in the Berrigan trial. One of the prosecution witnesses star turned out to be a 'prisoner' who occupied the next cell to the Rev Philip Berrigan in Dan- bury jail, Connecticut. Even before the trial began Hoover prejudice began to whip up against defendants the publicly testifying that Berrigan and a number of other Catho- lics and nuns were engaged in incredible scheme blow up heating tunnels in Washing- He also alleged that they conspired to kidnap senior House White official, Hallely Henry Kissinger. out- Bure Crucces were rageous, but the Nixon Admin- istration kept a bold front and supported "the Chief". totally As his body lay in state in Washington last weekend, Nixon went on television to of the give one most im- passioned funeral orations heard since they buried George Washington. Nixon, had good of course. rampantly praise reason to Hoover. worked closely They during the McCarthy period, Hoover busily feeding the senator with every possible piece of red-mania his could lay hands on. More interestingly, however, their brought careers were together as far back as 1937.

In that year Nixon's university dean wrote to Hoover saying: 'Some time ago you sug- gested that I might refer to you an exceptional young man who has an interest in the work of the FBI. I have such june. Richard in mind who Top: Hoover Alvin Karpis Into court in New nersonally arrestino leading friend and assistant Clyde Tolson.

bachelor, with one close graduate in Hoover, Right: with Nixon, who is just one of the eight presidents Hoover has served.

Nixon. Workars Pro day May 10, 1072 PAGE 7

FEDERAL

BUREAU OF

MUSTICE

Above: badge of Hoover's FBI. J. the Edgar Hoover once held Etrem up Zimbalist star of the television Multie 'The FBÍ', as a model for series, his real-lite agents. He, wanted his men to be fastidlously woUld dellver sermons against 'facial hair' and fired agents whose sideburns grew 100 beards moustaches. down (voluntary overtime), cuts n his TO time in orice, and eat the BUDED (the bureau deadline fo assignment). an: Hoover fired agents for having affalrs for man cleorcar other so oro sapped messy divorces;

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday way

BY CHARLES PARKINS

The trouble at Lancaster university, which began over the issue of victimization of left-wing stafi, could well be far from over. Dr David Craig, the senior lecturer in the English depart- ment who was facing the threat 'dis- of dismissal for alleged ruption', not to be sacked after all. The special committee of the University Council shelved the charges last Tuesday after discussions with Dr Craig and his legal representatives.

is to be given He a new teaching post outside the English department. Lancaster students, But nine reported to the who were Director of Public Prosecutions called in to after police were investigate a sit-in in support of Craig may still be charged with 'conspiracy to commit a trespass'.

Also the university has refused withdraw internal charges to against the nine. So even if they are not prosecuted in court, they will still have to face a university tribunal, which could dismiss them. Three of the other teaching staff in the English department, David Craig supported who against discriminatory moves at the start of the dispute, are still being refused permanent tenure in their posts. And Craig's own position is satisfactory. The far from original demand was students' that he should be reinstated to the modern literature course he had been teaching. Now he has been removed from the English department altogether. In a statement last Wednes- Lancaster vice-Chancellor day, Charles F. Carter said that Craig 'on almost permanent was now probation' and that the state- ment drawn up by the special committee of Council was one of 'unprecedented severity.

said that the charges against Craig had not been with- drawn and they could be revived at any time. By accepting the agreement, Craig had admitted of the charges substance against him, Carter claimed.

a very unfavourable 'This is document indeed to Dr Craig,' the vice-Chancellor. I am said surprised that he accepted the formula? who had English students, spent an entire term opposing political what they saw as a witch-hunt, viewed with dismay what appeared to be a successful purge of left-wing teaching staff from their department. Head of the Department, Professor Bill Murray, they feel, is confirmed in a position of strength. initiated the Murray, who original moves against Craig and others, once commanded British during the Malaya troops in 'Emergency' and is known in the university for his anti- communist attitudes and policies.

In the course of the struggle to defend the lecturers, students that Murray had demanded resign. Relief at hearing that Craig was not to be sacked after all, turned to anger on Wednesday when students realized the settlement left out the nine students and • the other three teaching staff, and that vice- Chancellor Carter was once again claiming a victory. There were cries of 'sell out', not only at a mass meeting of aday May 10, 1972 students on Wednesday evening, but also at a meeting of teach- ing staff in the Association of Scientific, Technical and man- agerial Staffs branch meeting the same day. The students' meeting passed a resolution saying the Craig settlement was unsatisfactory. It acknowledged that since Craig himself had accepted it, there was nothing more that could be done about his case. staff meeting

ASTMS

The passed unanimously a resolution calling on the university to drop charges against the nine students and to try to persuade the DPP to drop any legal prosecution.

The mass meeting of students and some staff also voted for a resolution demanding Carter's resignation as vice-Chancellor. Speaking in support of this re- solution, a young staff member attacked the calling of the police.

onto the campus to investigate the sit-in. Dr Craig's "trial' took place under conditions considerably more oppressive than those of either a factory negotiation or law-court. The committee Council set up hear which to the charges against. him included representatives the same administration which was bring- ing the charges. The University a purely Council itself 'Establishment' body, with strong representation of business interests. meeting was held in The The previous week, Carter refused to see a delegation of local townspeople who had wanted to press him to either drop the charges or, at least, make the committee proceedings public. On the Tuesday afternoon, Peter Kennedy, full-time regional organizer for the ASTMS, of which Craig is a member, and Geoffrey Bing, Q.C. were both refused observe • permission to the proceedings. Dr Craig's wife, Gillian, who is a Morecambe GP, was also kept out. Craig faced charges relating to 'public criticism of the in- stitutions of the university and reviling of running persons • them' and incitement of student strike action', both these exer- cises in free speech being held be breaches of univerity to rules. Apparently, towards, the end of last term, when students were holding meetings to dis- cuss strike action, someone had followed Dr Craig from one meeting to another, taking notes and tape recordings of speeches he made. In accepting the settle- ment reached last Tuesday, Craig in effect pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

OCCUPIED

It was the threat of dismissal to Dr Craig, when these charges were announced at the end of last term, which led to a student mass meeting voting to occupy the university administration building and computer centre.

Now, while Craig has accepted a compromise, nine the students who supported him face the possibility of court action and even jail sentences. On Tuesday, as the committee on Craig's future met to decide behind closed doors in Lancaster town hall, extra police from all over Lancashire brought were into Lancaster. Mounted police waited at the bottom of the university drive to escort a town, and more police, both on Lancaster vice-Chancellor, Charles F.

horse and on foot, were guarding the town hall in strength. Police remained on duty out- side the town hall after the demonstrators had passed, while inside the worthies of the University Council, having com- pleted their deliberations, went on to enjoy a buffet. Both buffet and policemen, not to mention the deposits left by the police horses in the Lancaster streets, presumably cost a considerable sum of public money. But so far none of the professional 'rate- payers' who regularly protest at money being spent on students have expressed any complaints.

The mounted police were not needed. There were no incidents at the town hall; the students demonstration passing off peace- fully and orderly. About 1,500 students took part in the demonstration, in- cluding some from as far afield as Southampton and Brighton. A large number of ASTMS teaching staff also took part, both those from Lancaster and delegates from the union's East branch. Some Anglia young workers from Lancaster, mem- Young Socialists, bers of the also participated. The Communist Party, of which David Craig 1s a member, seemed to be out to get as much as it could out of this demon- Besides number of stration. a CP students from other colleges who took part, Fergus Nicholson student organizer, the Party's to be seen the carrying was Preston Communist Party banner.

at the criticism Concerned left-wing students, the from Stalinists were determined to use the Craig affair as a prestige struggle. A special leaflet issued demonstration at the Lancaster attempted to claim a special significance for the CP as the target for the university witch- hunt and to suggest that the Party was playing a leading part in the students' struggle. At the mass meeting after the demonstration, CP member and Students' National Union of president Digby Jacks struck 'militant' postures and promised that the NUS would take further action if Craig was dismissed. But most students felt that the Stalinist student leader failed to offer any lead to the students.

The speaker from the Inter- national Socialists - IMG re- visionist amalgam, the 'Liaison Committee for the Defence of Student Unions', was, if any- F. Cartier: students and some staff voted for his resignation thing, than Jacks. He spoke of the student defend themselves needins against star for The crinicizeo coe

NUS

leadership but then, paus ama pointed Oul. nave no programme to oner himself. The Liaison Committee speaker called demon- more IOr suauons cro snow une state widi we think'. After various other speakers including Kennedy Lan- of the AN vo. one nine caster students warned the being isolated. •If we struggle militant be alc. as we Ilke, ana sull de cercated.

He called on students to make turn labour definite He reminded those movement. present year ago that over ancaster students had invaded he University Council meeting, the Lords

DUT

miev are and Ladies and Bishops and all ths oto use raskins as som there.

other parasites are still there.

them ala ol WC We have think" got to TRink calkins about how we of about It's no use Inell. what "showing Toe stalte we think " whas! or showing the we They ment what we think, already that s why they re trying to clamp our unions. We have to get rid of this govern- got ment.

THREATENED

PROSECUTION

He went on to say that the threatened of prosecution nune students was alrecury Con- nected attacks with „The being made on the working class. 'What's happening us the railwaymen, who have been told that they can be made It's by law.

WULK N

the dockers; and it's the same will happen to what who worKers are occupying their factories, if they with defeating us. get He assured the meeting that

TUC

the could eynect that cockerc Liverpool, Preston and else- would their were carry on There suruccie. were be some big struggles and a lot would be themselves about the state, about Iney taff voted for his resignation would learn tar more be taught in a univer people had Mank the Lancaster 'the liberal university was. Lnen point in trying corpse Students would has choice. students, wanted i Tories -and the SocieLY revolutionary it. Tuesday's Since reelings in been very mixed. But increased been

CURS OR

seriousness …thanneto Many ask of to sorts ure and only union leader Mick M a CP member-has criticism because ment that Council understanding for compromise negotiation. Students are contr the university with tion's aggressive In way, - cries directed against. Crai may be unfair, in that lecturer althougl the middle of this stru tareer or victimization university. say rept from student struggle at L a prestige booster All this rebounded reaction against Craig accepted alter cil's 'judgement'. But not the cynicism, cona recriminancas heard, which thought defend the Lancaster A serious turn to movement, in lust words. is absolute for students—or for t academics-to context of within the the revolutionary alte taught in a university politics that peone had said dead'. there was kind a better building expenence But there has political dis- leve prepared and way .they before. but student his state- had showr need _the and peaceful administra- tones 'sell-out' thrust into kind

T LO

workers' Reid. Gerso Lancaster the the use the Stalinists Coun needed now is per- or nave could well how and not anything

A scene from 'The Coremony'

REVIEW BY STEPHEN JOHNS

"The Ceremony'. Directed by Nagisa Oshima. At Academy 3, Oxford Street, London. The Ceremony' is a subtle and intricate film about the crisis of value and identity experienced by the Japanese ruling class since their humilia- tion in World War II. A process of decay and alienation is unfolded within the Sakurada family whose over marriage and rituals death, which once bound them become increasingly together, empty and finally grotesque.

The impact of this on the young men and women of the household drives them into a fruitless search for some mean- ing, equilibrium or escape that ends in suicide and mad- ness. The story is told in flash- back by the young man Mas- umo who returns from Man- churia with his mother at the end of the war to his grand- father's house. There he is befriended by his young relatives — two boys, Terumichi and Tadashi, and a girl, Ritsuko. The blood links between them are a source of mystery. To the end Masumo does not know whether he is the cousin of Ritsuko, whom he loves, or her brother.

The confusion, I think, is deliberate - an expression on one level of the incestuous relations within 'the Sakurada family, but on another, a sym- bol of the bewildered groping by the youth for an identity they never find. Though all the action takes place within the stifling con- fines of the family, the film's underlying theme. is the tre- mendous trauma caused by the war and the colonization of japan by American capital.

This is directly never expressed, but the disintegra- of tion family and ritual within the upper class is the expression of this upheaval.

This is keenly exposed by the director Oshima, when he examines the ceremonies - climaxed by a ludicrous arranged wedding. Masumo's bride fails to show up, but the authoritarian grandfather declares doggedly that the event must proceed for the benefit of the guests.

Masumo is forced to through an awful mime of lead- ing the imaginary bride in and out of the banqueting hall to the applause of the diners.

The ceremony is an empty shell—without the main parti- cipant-and life is reduced to a hopeless pretence. An outraged Tadashi, in his own desperate attempt to find an escape, condemns the pro- ceedings and calls for a 'New Japan'. He is bundled out and ineffectual death meets an under the wheels of a car out- side the wedding hotel. A hysterical Masumo drags out the ritual to a nightmarish climax. Before the family he 'makes love' to his imaginary bride and finally turns his attentions to the grandfather 1d- who has caused his humilia- tion. The Sakurada family could be taken as a microcosm of the Japaese ruling class in crisis. Masumo describes the stages of decline. At first the lead- ing members-are 'war crim- inals', then they are rehabili- tated and grandfather becomes the head of a corporation. The older members face the future clinging cynically to rituals and procedures that no longer have a real meaning. But the young are completely disorien- tated. Their search for identity appears sometimes mundane.

In the opening minutes Mas- umo asks Ritsuko: 'What are we?' He could be inquiring whether he is her brother since his own father was Rit- suko's lover. But the question has greater import. He is also asking what is happening to my kind, my caste, my class, my family-what roles are we supposed to play? They all seek desperate solu- tions to the problem. Tadashi wallows in his fan- tasies of a 'New Japan' and becomes a dedicated member of the police force. The strong man is Terumi- chi. He can stand up to the grandfather and eventually leaves the family for a self- imposed exile. He nihilistically accepts the hopeless logic of his position and commits suicideso end- ing, as his testimony states, the Sakurada family. Masumo is weak, unable to break from the ritual and the family, yet unable to find peace or a role within it.

He became, for example, a baseball player-the game is a symbol of the American threat.

But then burns his equipment in a fit of remorse because he misses his mother's death to play an important match. He compares himself to the Flying Dutchman-condemned to a lonely and tortured limbo.

Eventually the enormous pres- sure drives him crazy. The film is a perceptive insight into the crisis facing the Japanese ruling class anc through the person of Tadashi clearly gives some hint of the way, the crisis could be resolved. is, however, ultimately nihilistic. The only 'solution' is offered by the 'noble' suicide of Terumichi. I think Oshima must be influenced by Mishima - the writer who acted out his own fantasies on the restoration of Japanese power, by committing ritual suicide. This philosophy is ultimately reactionary - though I would not say this of the film. It is deliberately obsessed with the sterility, frustrations and in- ward-looking nature of the Japanese upper class — hence the theme of incest and Masumo's mock sex attack on his grandfather. But no solution is offered -and, of course, within the confines of the Sakurada family and their kind there is none, bar a return to fascism.

Workers Press, We The great new • 'New States- man' has been born under the dynamic editorship of Anthony Howard. Back the front on page go the editorials, out go the front page cartoons. The editorial says: 'Nearly 60 years ago the first leading Top: 'Now Stateaman' editor, Anthony Howard. Above: Harold Wilson article that the "New States- ever published con- man" cluded: We have put our cards on the table. We have said enough to show our readers where we stand, that we really intend the New Statesman to be an indepen- dent journal in the fullest sense of the word. It only remains for us to invite their support, not merely as as critics, readers, but correspondents and collabor- ators in the task which we have undertaken. "There is not a word in that which we would change? But who are the scintillating new recruits to the magazine?

Michael Parkinson takes time : Press, Wednesday May 10, 1972 PAGE 9 off from writing about his vasectomy to describe local elections, Jeremy Isaacs loes a 'fun' piece on the ner ode of conduct at the BBC and Peter Paterson, the new assistant editor, writing on the unions. get-up-and-go The new, magazine also carried a piece from that all-purpose favourite of the masses, Harold Wilson.

He wrote on a book by... Richard Crossman, the pre- vious editor of the New Statesman'. All in all one could say that the Turnstile nest has been disturbed very much by the 'workers' control revolution'.

An Austrian Jury has acquitted a former SS officer, Johann Gogl, on charges of murder and cruelty while commanding a section of the notorious Mathausen death camp in 1944. There were shouts of protest in court when the not guilty verdict was pronounced The communist daily 'Volk- stimme' described the verdict 'incomprehensible and as shocking' and said that it indi- cated Austria 'did not consider it necessary to atone for mon- strous crimes' It was alleged that Gogl had personally murdered and tor- tured Jews, communists and british paratroop prisoners bi naking them haul heavy stone up the 186 steps of a quarry.

Those who survived the ordeal were flung against an electric fence at the top. A Russian witness claimed that Gogl headed an SS squad which murdered 15 Austrian anti-fascists. A strong impression on the jury was made by a petition from the entire adult population of the village where Gogl is a watch- saying what a 'decent maker • citizen' he was. About 30 other people charged with World War II atrocities are due to go on trial in Austria this year.

There are many people whose own records during the Nazi period would not bear close scrutiny who find such trials over a quarter of a cen- tury after the event too dis- turbing. Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62Łp

MAX SHACHTMAN:

Behind The Moscow Trial Paperback 75p

ROBERT BLACK:

Stalinism In Britain Paperback £1.123—cloth £2

LEON TROTSKY :

Death Agony of Capitalism (The Transitional Programme) Pamphlet 5p Class Nature of the Soviet State Pamphlet 20p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p The Theory and Practice of Revisionism Pamphlet 15p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

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Fighting the Tories' Rent Bill PAGE 10 Workara Pross, Wedneaday May 10, 1972 Imaginative in lay-out and design Newcastle's housing threatened by double

RIDIOTFE

Even though austere-looking, these flats -Sutton Dwellingswere revolutionary for 1934 and the area they were built in.

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BY A SPECIAL

CORRESPONDENT

FIFTY YEARS ago the bulk of the working-class population of Newcastle lived in row upon row of terraced houses winding away up the steep sides of the Tyne valley. The cobbled streets usually led directly to the factory gate, since at that time-and still to a large extent-all the industry was concentrated along the waterfront of the River Tyne. Home was a place within few minutes' walk from the gloomy workshops where you spent your working day. Indeed, home seemed more like an ex- tension of the factory yard. The huge slums that existed at Els- and Scotswood directly wick across the road from the Vickers works and at Low Walker within a stone's throw of the shipyards, were stark testimonies to this conception. The houses themselves con- litl sisted mostly of two or three small rooms with one 'upstairs' and one below on the ground Into these would be floor. crammed workers and their families with maybe four or more in the one children sleeping room. The long terraces had no gardens and the best view ob- tainable was often • only of the hills in the disiance beyond the lofty black corrugated iron sheds in the foreground. silhouetted But these slums largely are becoming a thing of the past as the bulldozers move in to level them flat-the Scotswood Road slums are now no more than a pile of rubble. Over recent years Newcastle has been extremely active in removing these eyesores and replacing these with modern homes. Some of the very latest schemes initiated council- building projects are extremely imaginative in layout and design.

It was in the early 1930s that council housing was first properly initiated in the area. Flat com- plexes such as the Sutton Dwel- lings in Benwell and the Walker Dwellings at Low Walker were built which, although not being a great improvement in terms of space, nevertheless provided what were then luxury amenities.

After the war several huge housing estates were built by the council around the periphery of the city. They were largely identi- cal to the pattern of most other council estates built up and down the country at that time. The This is old Newcastleterraced will soon be for demolition but will the A Newly-built houses in Newcastle's Crudd houses were arranged in long being absolutely each rows, identical to the next one, built to a standard design. The flats were either of the ugly mono- lithic multi-storey type, or else arranged in row after row of three-storey blocks. Such estates provided quick, cheap housing. Design considera- tions went beyond this never framework. Still, to the families that moved out of the slums of Byker onto the Benton Estate, this must have seemed like a great improvement at the time.

Recently the planning , has im- proved significantly with the accent on creating a pleasant environment on the estates. One of the latest projects the New- biggin Hall Estate, is arranged in neat terraces and squares which help to create the community atmosphere of small streets. New • shapes figure material and new largely in the designs. This council house building programme established over the last 20 years, although still in- adequate and in the case of the older estates poor aesthetically, has still firmly established cheap and decent housing as a basic class right of the working in Newcastle . . . as elsewhere in Britain. The Tory government by its cut back on council house build- • and by its so called 'fair rents' Bill has placed this basic right in jeopardy. The rents of houses set at £3 to £4 now would be raised to £6 to £8 upon the implementation of the clauses in the Bill now of going through parliament. To many families on the Newcastle estates this will bring extreme hardship, it will drive others out of their newly-acquired homes ed houses in Byker, with the Tyne bridge in ut will the occupants_ afford the rents for now e's Crudda Park area. back into the slums, or even worse-out onto the streets.

With much of the substandard housing demolished, this is the stark reality for families any evicted because of the Bill. The houses they had vacated would then be let to the few people wealthy enough to afford the new rents. Faced with such a pros- the removal of the Tory pect, the instigator of government, these attacks, becomes an urgent task. It must be replaced with a Labour government which would defend the right of the working housing by class to decent policy of nationalizing the build- ing industry under the control of the working class. John Robinson is the secretary of the Old Scotswood Tenants' Association. When I spoke to him his three-bedroomed at council house about the 'fair rents' Bill, he said: of the people with 'Many families on this estate and the old age pensioners on fixed in- comes will not be able to manage if the rents are increased. The £4 a week now, rents are October they will be increased by an extra £l and doubled to £8 over the next three years.

If they go ahead with • the increases, there definitely will be a rent strike. The Tories have got everyone's back definitely up round here. We want a Labour goverment back as soon as possible: The working class could put pressure on Labour government, they would whereas the have to listen, Tories don't. 'We could try to force General Election over this issue alone, never mind all the other things the Tories have done.

ridge in the background. Such houses for new houses?

Film cash 'lame-ducked' THE TORY government effectively has lame- ducked' National the Film Finance Corpor- ation which was set up in 1949 to foster the British film industry. In a statement in the Commons the under-secre- tary for Trade and Industry, Anthony Grant, said financial support further would be given to the corporation. The government has noW agreed to contribute £lm to the consortium to support its

BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

YUGOSLAVIA'S

northern Party has expelled four form 'encouraging nationalist and S The expulsions followed the Croatian central committe nationalist upsurge. The expelled members include of the Party, Dr Savka Dabcevic ex-representative on the 22-member Pero Pirker and Marko Koprtla, bot committee of the Croatian CP.

Croatia swept into a state of emergency last December with student riots, police ferment. brutality and racial The expulsions were based on 120,000-word report by a inquiry. commission of special The key section of the report contains a hitherto unpublished by President assessment made Tito at a meeting with Croatian League leaders last July.

Tito pointed out that with its 'raging nationalism' ', Croatia had become the key Yugoslay prob- lem. He observed that Serbs had become so alarmed they had started to arm themselves.

'A surgical intervention' was told the Croatian needed, Tito Party leaders 'and I myself will not hesitate to resort to it..

In the same speech Tito said: Party leaderships 'Communist united. Now there has are not begun this trend against me both here and in Serbia. I have had enough of power. But now, in such a situation, I am not going.'

THE

PONFERRADA

mining yesterday closed down company of its coalmines four Asturias after 2,000 colliers week for a refused staging an illegal strike The miners to return to work. have been on strike for two weeks, in demand for higher pay.

banned in Such stoppages are Spain. GREEK security authorities are holding 25 students after demon- stration in Athens and Salonica.

The students-20 in Athens and five in Salonika - were arrested while inciting other students to demonstrate against the army-backed regime on the eve of May Day. They face sentences of up to ten years' imprisonment or de- portation to remote villages.

Student unrest broke out recently for the first time since army takeover five years ago. efforts to achieve financial have only given £2tm the independence, he said NFFC-half Labour of what promised. 'The does government not, however, intend to make any The has government also further advances in the future.'

drastically the a tered corpor- In 1970 the Labour ation's character. To obtain govern- additional sources of money, the re-authorized fresh funds ment NFFC has become a to the NFFC amounting to £5m.

But involving capital and directors when they came to power, Tories from the merchant-banking the decided destroy the film fraternity. state-financing industry. Instead of remaining This week's announcement of for institution fostering young a final flm means that the Tories British film talent, it will be a

TALKS

have started between student leaders and the author- the Nottingham College ities at of Education to discuss remov- ing residential restrictions on second-year students. A spokesman for the students told a Workers Press correspon- dent there had been 'break- through', but he did not specify what concessions had been the First-year k students at college have managed to get rid of rules limiting mixed visiting in halls of residence while third- thern Croatian Communist students have the option year of finding their own flats.

ir former leading officials for t and separatist tendencies.

llowed a one-day meeting of ommittee called to discuss the • include a former. woman president A RESOLUTION demanding the recall of the TUC has been sent Kucar; Mr Miko Tripalo, to the executive and London -member Yugoslav state presidency; district committee of the Furni- prtla, both members of the executive Timber Trades ture, and Allied Union. It passed Monday was night at a meeting of the union's No 15 | branch in East Lon- BRITISH journalist detained don area. Members passed the by Ugandan police three days amendment. resolution without ago is being held for question- It said: ing on suspicion spying, told magistrate's court was in "That this branch condemns Kampala yesterday. the decision of the TUC General Martin Meredith (27) central Council to co-operate with the Africa correspondent of the Lon- Industrial Relations This Act. don "The Observer', decision violates the policy of newspaper, had pleaded guilty before the non-co-operation democratically telephone agreed at last September's

TUC

court to stealing directory from his hotel.

conference at Blackpool. As the

ITV

BBCI

9.20 Pogles' Wood. 9.38 Schools.

11.00 Schools. 1.10 Remember. 10.45 Boomph with Becker. 11.05 1.40 Schools. 2.32 Good After- Schools. 12.25 Nai Zindagi Naya noon. 2.55 York Racing. 3.45 Jeevan. 1.00 Disc a dawn. 1.30 Edgar Wallace. 4.40 Hatty Town.

Camberwick Green. 1.45 News, 4.55 Lift Off. 5.20 Escape. 5.50 weather. 2.05 Schools. 4.15 Play News. School. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 Laurel and Hardy. 5.15 News

6.00 TODAY.

Round. 5.20 Before the Event.

6.35 CROSSROADS.

5.44 Hector's House. 5.50 News,

7.00 THIS IS YOÜR LIFE.

weather.

7.30 CORONATION STREET.

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

6.45

WHERE IN

THE WORLD.

8.00 CADE'S COUNTY. Slay Quiz programme. Ride.

7.00 SPY

TRAP.

Redmayne- 9.00 CALLAN. Call Me Enemy.

episode 1. 7.25 STAR TREK. The Change-

10.00 NEWS.

8.10 THE EXPERT. The Man 10.30 MAN AT THE TOP. Fix- tures and Fittings. on My Back. 9.00 NEWS. Weather.

11.30 PROFESSIONAL WREST-

9.20 SPORTSNIGHT.

LING.

10.30 24 HOURS.

12.00 WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

THE

DAME

OF SARK

11.05 talks to Tom Salmon. 12.05

ONE POINT OF VIEW.

BBC 2

11.00 Play School. 5.35 Open

9.00 POT

BLACK. Snooker University. 7.05 Measure of Competition. Conscience.

9.20 FILM:

'THE TRIALS OF

OSCAR

WILDE'.

Peter

7.30 NEWSROOM.

Weather. Finch, James Mason,

8.00 TIMES REMEMBERED.

Yvonne Mitchell.

8.10 MAN ALIVE.

An unusual 11.20 News, Weather. American television re-

11.25 LATE NIGHT LINE-UP.

porter. Workers Press, We purely money-making operation along the lines of the other film- backing groups. NFFC managing director John Terry was putting the best face on the government's decision.

He told Workers Press he felt 'we can do something' with the money the consortium now had. He said cash in hand stood at £3}m-made up of the govern- ment's final £lm, £750,000 raised by the NFFC in the City and £2m made available by various film distributors. It seems optimistic, to say the least, to propose to sustain an ındependent British film industry on the sum of £3}m—enough foi producing two full-length films or perhaps three 'low-budget' productions. But second-year students have registered 'digs' under to live in the eye of a landlady who has to report to the college if. they come in late or bring guests of the opposite sex. The union has been negotiat- ing for two years to get more civilized rights extended to the second years. The board of governors re- the question fused to take up and the evasions of the principal were eventually brought to an end when a deputation led by union president, Mr Z. Klich, went to see him. voting at last week's meeting clearly shows, there is in majority of over 200,000 favour of recalling the TUC Congress. ~ 'And therefore we condemn the decision of the TUC Coun- cil not to recall Congress as a violation of basic democratic trade union principles and rights.

This clearly minority attempting to rule the majority.

'And we further call upon all those officers who voted for a recall of Congress to begin a campaign now to force the Tory to resign, and to government replace it with a Labour govern- ment pledged to repeal the Act and committed to carry out socialist policies.

REGIONAL TV

SOUTHERN: 2.30 London. 3.45 Cartoon. 4.00 Houseparty. 4.15 Enchanted house. 4.30 Cross- roads. 4.55 London. 6.00 Day by day. 6.30 Challenge. 7.00 Lon- don. 10.30 South scene. 11.00 News. Weather. 11.45 11.55 death. WESTWARD: 10.20 Schools. 2.32 Racing. 3.55 Gus Honeybun. 4.05 Paulus. 4.20 News. 4.22 Good afternoon. 4.55 London. 6.00 Diary. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Treasure hunt. 7.30 Coronation 8.00 Cade's St. county-Dele- gates at large. 9.00 London.

10.30 Both meet. 11.00 ends Wrestling. 11.44 News, weather.

11.48 Faith for life. HTV: 11.00 Schools. 2.32 Racing.

3.20 Talking hands. 3.35 En- chanted house. 3.50 Ugliest girl.

4.15 Tinkertainment. 4.30 Cross- roads. 4.55 London. 6.01 Report West. 6.15 Report Wales. 6.30 Odd couple. 7.00 London. 8.00 small Cade's county - One 9.00 London. acceptable death. 10.30 Alexander, 11.00 Wrestling.

movies. 11.45 Mad 12.15 Weather. HTV Wales and HTV Cymru/ Wales a bore cop: 350 00 Hamdden. 4.15 Miri Mawr. 6.01 Y Dydd. HTV West as above except: 6.15- 6.30 Report West. ANGLIA: 2.30 London. 3.45 Yoga.

4.15 News. 4.18 Cartoons. 4.30 Romper room. 4.55 London. 6.00 About Anglia. 6.35 London. 10.30 Alexander. 11.00 Wrestling. 11.45 Music. ATV MIDLANDS: 2.32 Racing.

3.05 Good afternoon: 3.35 Horo- Log Press, Wednesday May 10, 1972 PAGE 11 men to

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

THE NINE-WEEK long pay battle at the Birmingham Battery and Metal Company may well come to a head today when 350 members of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers meet to hear a report from local union officials. There is a general feeling that the company is ready to make a cash offer. But the workers fear it is likely to be little more than £1.50 with no concession on hours and wages-in accord- ance with guidelines laid down by the local Engineering Em- ployers' Association. According to a recent report in the Birmingham 'Evening Mail', 250 of the 800 firms which make up the West Midlands association have so far been faced with demands based on the national engineering ; claim. The report boasts that 70 per cent of the : claims have been settled for £2 or less. Not one firm has conceded a shorter working week and only a 'handful' have made any con- cession on holidays. The 'Battery' men have been on strike since March 15 in de- fence of their claim for £6-a- week increase plus 35-hour week and improved holidays. Last week's meeting dropped the demand to £3.50 wages with no mention of hours or holidays.

meet EIGHTY-FIVE dustmen at Jar- row, Co Durham, will be meeting today to review their ten-day- old strike. The men stopped work when the local corporation re-employed a scab who worked during strike last August. The General and Municipal Workers' Union to which all the men belong has yet to make the dispute official. scope. 3.45 Women. 4.10 Mrs Muir. 4.40 Grasshopper island.

4.55 London. 6.00° Today. 6.35 London. 10.30 Alexander. 11.00 Wrestling. YORKSHIRE: 11.00 Schools. 2.32 London. 3.40 Dr Simon Locke. 4.10 News. 4.15 Crossroads. 4.40 Hatty town. 4.55 London. 6.00 Calendar, weather. 6.30 Univer- sity challenge. 7.00 London. 8.00 Cade's county - Violent echo.

London. 10.30 Alexander. 9.00 11.00 Wrestling. 11.45 Weather.

TYNE TEES: 11:00 Schools. 2.32 London. 3.40 Dr Simon Locke.

4.10 News. 4.15 Crossroads. 4.40 Make a wish: 4.55 London. 6.00 Today. 6.30 University challenge.

7.00 London. 8.00 Cade's county -Violent echo. 9.00 London. 10.30 A tale of two hawkers.

11.15 Wrestling. 11.45 News.

12.00 Epilogue. SCOTTISH: 11.00, 1.40 Schools.

2.32 Racing. 3.30 Pinky and Crossroads. Perky. 3.45 4.10 Dateline. 4.55 London. 6.00 Date- line. 6.20 Cartoon. 6.30 The more we are together. 7.00 London.

8.00 Cade's county-The arma- geddon Contract. 9.00 London.

10.30 Alexander. 11.00 Sport. 11.30 Late call. 11.35 Saint.

GRAMPIAN: 11.00 Schools. 2.55 Racing. 3.38 News. 3.45 Women.

4.10 Jimmy Stewart. 4.40 En- chanted house. 4.55 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.05 Grampian Week. 6.35 London. 8.00 Cade's county-The mustangers. :8.55 Police news. 9.00 London. 10.30 Branded. 11.00 Wrestling: 11.45 ro- Log drive. 12.15 Epilogue.

PAGE 12 Workers Prese, Wedneeday May

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

A QUESTION of whether u by the National Industrial Re or discipline militant shop s balance yesterday. This was made clear when the 1.75 million-strong Trans- port and General Workers' Union appeared before the Court for the second time to answer contempt charges, arising out of the blacking container lorries in of Britain's docks. Court president Sir John Donaldson told counsel for the union, Peter Pain, QC, that the Court had already made its view clear. He was referring to an earlier statement when he said the union had the responsibility to dis- dismiss shop cipline or even who disobey court stewards rulings. "The real issue, as we see it, is whether there is any account- the ability by the union for action of shop stewards. We need, of course, all the factual information that can be given on this, he said. He said the union would not be faced with further penalties arising out of the blacking since the imposition of £55,000 fines for contempt of the order.

But he warned if the Court did uphold its existing view on the disciplining of shop stewards 'the union will be obliged comply with the order hereafter and do far more than it has up until now. added it would be Mr He Pain's duty to make it clear to the union that if they failed to issues do this, 'very serious would arise'. out evidence Mr Pain read including officers from union Tim O'Leary, the national docks In these, officials secretary. claimed that they had consist- ently advised dockers, particularly on Merseyside, to stop blacking container traffic. In his statement O'Leary said: 'It has always been the union's policy to obey orders of what- The

LATE NEWS

NEWS DESK

01-720 2000

CIRCULATION

01-622 7029 A RESOLUTION calling for a special delegate conference of the National Union of Journalists was passed by a narrow majority at the union's Central London branch yesterday. The right wing in the union is campaigning for another confer- to try and overturn the ence recent annual conference decision to register under the not Industrial Relations Act.

Annual voted national ballot in registration. HOME Secretary Reginald Maud- ling, questioned in the Commons yesterday about overcrowding and demonstrations at Brixton prison, told MPs that he had the Regional Director of asked Prisons to visit Brixton to see what improvements might be made. aday May 10, 1972 ether unions will be ordered trial Relations Court to sack shop stewards hung in the however distasteful ers' ever court, these were.' He believed the union should work within the law, but under- stood why the men were react- ing as they were. "The spectre of unemployment hangs over their heads. me, explains everything. That, to He added that action against stewards would lead to a national docks strike and the possible of emergence an even more militant leadership. Counsel for Heatons Transport (St Helens) Limited, one of the blacked irms, chal- transport lenged this evidence. Mr Richard Yorke, QC, read a written statement from Robert Heaton, Junior, which claimed recent World in that on a Action' television programme, docks Lew Lloyd, Liverpool secretary, had made it clear that a perfectly the blacking was normal industrial action and that he was in fact 100 per cent behird the men. Mr Pain complained that he given no notice of had been He said this further accusation. that this evidence implied 'that is not really genuine the union in what it says. That it says one thing to the court and says one thing behind its back to its members. If the court ordered the against its T&GWU to act stewards, it would be the most serious challenge to the trade under union movement Industrial Relations Act so far.

Mr Pain asked for a review of the contempt orders against the union made on March 29 and April 20. He argued that the court was of the scope of the unaware authority the union had over its shop stewards. If shop stewards acted outside the authority given to them by the union, the union could not responsible for their aid: be held actions. nat- The hearing continues.

WEATHER

From the Opposition front Williams bench, Mrs Shirley (Lab, Hitchin) had asked what action was being taken to relieve overcrowding. • See story p.3 NORTHEAST Scotland will start cloudy with rain but it will become brighter from the south with showers at times. - Southeast Scotland, the Mid- eastern districts of lands, and England will be sunny at first, develop, but showers will becoming moderate and pro- longed at times later. and south- Central, southern Northern west England, Wales, Ireland and western Scotland will have a day of frequent showers, prolonged and heavy at times.

Temperatures will be mostly near normal. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Workers Press. Office. Published by 186a Clapham Hish Street. London,

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU).

180b Clapham Street, London. Hirh

SWA JUG.

Sixteen-year-old Simon Stayne addresse

BY SARAH HANNIGAN:

PUPILS marched over 3,000-strong through Lon- don yesterday in protest against unfair canings and victimization. Youth from schools throughout the West London area joined the march from Park to London's Hyde education headquarters at County Hall on the Thames Embankment. A delegation of 15 youth from schools on the march went to officials when meet education at County the march arrived Hall. The march was headed by the banner of the Schools Action Union and followed by the ban- ners of pupils from Paddington and Maida Vale High Schools demanding "Democracy in schools'. In pouring rain, the youth gathered at Speakers' Corner at noon where they heard 16-year- old Simon Stayne explain that Steve Finch (18) had been re- manded on £50 bail until June 7 for his part in organizing Monday's march. After the meeting, representa- tives of the capitalist press crowded around the teenager

MAY FUND

REACHES

£496.15 WE ARE now well Into the month of May. After a magnificent start there must be no slipping back on this month's Fund. We are alming to ralse an extra £500 to help us cover our Increased expenditure. We are sure from your magnificent response so far that you will do your best to ralse this amount. The serlous lengths that Presl- dent Nixon will go to in Vletnam a warning to the working are class all over the world. Des- perately the capitallst class will fight back and defend their sys.

tem. The great strength of the class must be mobl- working Ilzed. Workers Press must expand its circulation and reach out In every district. Go Into action today. Step up the fight for this month's Fund. Raise as much as you can and, If pos- sible, add something extra your- Post every donation imme- self. dlately to : Workers Press May Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG. addresses the mass meeting at Speakers' C seeking details of his 'political affiliations'. One asked: "What political groups are behind this movement?' Simon: 'What do you think, Peking?' Pressed further he did admit that the SAU was affiliated to the 'London Alliance in Defence of Workers' Rights' He told them the political philosophy of the union was with a 'Marxist-Leninist-liberal front'.

Cheers welcomed the declara- tion of the demonstration's de- mands-for an end to school uniforms, no canings, detention or victimization and for an end the system of passes for to pupils who want to leave the

ORDER NOW

First issue out Saturday May 13 Tre eight-page youth paper which leads the fight against the Tory government, for the right to work, in factories, schools on the dole and queues. Please send me 'Keep Left' for one year I enclose £2.86 Name.. Address.. UR bakers' Corner yesterday.

school grounds at lunchtime.

Schools represented on the march were Rutherford Compre- William hensive, Marylebone Roman Catholic School, Padding- ton, Quinton, Kynaston, William Collins, Sarah Siddons, St James's, Pimlico and Haverstock.

magistrate's At Marylebone court yesterday Finch, a pupil Rutherford Comprehensive, at Paddington, was remanded until on charges of insulting July 7 behaviour and obstruction.

He was granted bail on his own surety of £25 and one other surety, Alfred Frank Finch, of Plenty of views and news, features at 3p a copy. Order your regular copy Yearly subscription £2.86 Send to Keep Left, 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG