Workers Press no. 850

workers press

HANOI CRITICAL

OF MOSCOW AND

BY JOHN SPENCER

SOVIET and Chinese leaders are piling pressure on North Vietnam to accept American terms and end the Indo-China war. Over the past few days the North Vietnamese press has published several sharp denunciations of Soviet and Chinese policies, indicating that the North Vietnamese are resisting their demands.

time, however, At the same the American military is stepping up its air attacks on North Viet- nam in another attempt to force acceptance of Nixon's terms.

*han The Hanoi newspaper on Tuesday Dan', in an editorial anniversary of celebrating the the August 1945 uprising which began the Vietnamese revolution, attacked 'disastrous opportunist all shades from tendencies of outside. These tendencies, it said, were responsible for 'all sorts of none- too-agreeable actions' against the Vietnamese struggle. The paper contrasted them with the 'revo- lutionary offensive spirit of our people and their well-tested van- guard brigade' The han Dan' editorial is unmistakably directed at the Soviet and Chinese leaders.

last week the paper Only carried a lengthy article warn- ing that it will not be led into their path of compromise with perfidious imperialists'.

said the central The article point of Nixon's strategy was to achieve an equilibrium | among the big powers as a 'shield to give the US imperialists complete freedom of action in checking violence means of national liberation movement.

It added: If out of the narrow interests of one's nation one tries to help the most reactionary forces avert the most dangerous blows, just like throwing a life- belt to a dangerous pirate, that is a cruel reconciliation beneficial to the enemy and not beneficial to the revolution. This not only harms the Viet- namese revolution but endangers the revolutionary conquests of the very countries which carry it out, Nhan Dan' said. It added: "The evolution of each country is an integral part of the world revolution and the revolutions of all countries have the effect of impelling and assisting one another. The victory of a revolution in a country is not the end but only the beginning of the long travel towards the triumph of socialism on a world scale.' The Stalinist bureaucrats, how- ever, have gone behind the backs of the Vietnamese fighters to discuss with Nixon the ending of the war. President William Rogers, Nixon's Secretary of State, argued only last week that the USSR and China are both in favour of a deal and added pointedly that 'they supply North Vietnam'

INCORPORATING THE NEWS

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

Nixon is even more brazenly proclaiming the support of his new-found allies in Moscow and Peking. Photographs of Leonid Brezh- nev and Chou En-lai adorn the frontispiece of the fat, glossy official programme at the Repub- lican Party convention in Miami Beach. Hanoi has repeatedly said it will have nothing to Nixon's latest - so-called peace proposals'. These, in the words of Hanoi Radio, boil down to this: The United States will agree to withdraw its troops if the Vietnamese people agree to lay down their arms and accept the rule of the Nguyen Van Thieu puppet administration in South Vietnam... This •is the real nature of his plot to separate prob- the military and political lems in the solution to the Viet- nam issue. In short, Nixon's so-called generous stand is essentially an extremely stubborn colonialist and aggressive stand concealed under a glossy veneer." It now emerges also that the Soviet government was informed almost three years ago about plans Nixon's to mine North Vietnam's ports and escalate the war. Daniel Ellsberg, the former State Department employee now facing trial for publishing the Pentagon Papers, revealed conference at a news on Tuesday that the Russians were told of Nixon's secret plan on May 14, 1969. On that date, he said, Henry Kissinger called Soviet ambas- sador Anatoly Dobrynin to tell him that the US would escalate the war if necessary. From that time, Ellsberg said, the Russians knew that the renewed bombing and the mining of harbours were a possibility. almost three years' Yet with warning of Nixon's plans, the USSR made no attempt either to run the blockade or to challenge the US action. They had every reason not to do so. The blockade immeasur- ably strengthened their grip on the life-line of the Vietnamese revolution and their ability to force acceptance of a dirty com- promise with Nixon. The British Communist Party, which claims to support the struggle of the Vietnamese, has no comment to make on treachery diplomatic secret denounced by Hanoi. Its leaders are prepared to stand watch while the and revolution in Indo-China is slowly throttled with the aid of the Soviet and Chinese Stalinists. How could it be otherwise?

As Nhan Dan' correctly says, the revolutions of all countries have the effect of impelling and assisting one another'. Conversely the counter-revolu- policies of tionary the British Stalinists, who refuse to fight for the resignation of the Tory gov- ernment, are a stab in the back not only for the British working but for the Vietnamese class fighters as well.

HE NEWSLETTER :

• THURSDAY AUGUST 24,

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOC

A DANGEROUS develop- ment in the building work- ers' strike is revealed in this photograph. It shows a site in Southampton, Richard Miller Ltd, where a separate site agreement has been signed and the men are back at work. The site happens to be opposite the local headquarters of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

(UCATT).

The UCATT leadership is site deals pressing for separate and allowing men on those sites to return to work. This can only weaken the overall strength of the strike and leave sections of the building workers, particularly those em- ployed by the big construction companies, dangerously isolated.

In London yesterday, UCATT attacked the building employers' organization for instructing firms not to sign individual pay deals.

It claimed 50 firms had already signed despite agreements, National pressure from the Federation of Building Trade Employers. Men were now back at work on these sites but we are not saying which firms they are for obvious reasons', In Scotland, union officials an- nounced a new in their stage campaign to split the fight for the national pay claim by signing company agreements. 4p

GUST 24, 1972

No 850

IE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

UCATT Scottish secretary Don Macgregor announced that 36 Edinburgh, firms in Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen had now signed a 'model agreement' for a £25 basic rate for craftsmen.

Workers with these firms would be sent back and special emblems used to ensure they would no longer be picketed.

In North-East England, the unions claimed yesterday, 15,000 building workers were on strike and 180 sites idle. They also said that 12 firms had agreed to pay the £30 a week minimum, allowing 2,000 men on 30 sites to return to work. Among them was the biggest house-building firm, Greensit and Barratt, of Newcastle-upon- Tyne, which agreed on Tuesday to pay up. • More building news, pages 10 and Il.

ALL TRADES UNIONS ALLIANCE

MEETING

LONDON TODAY

LESSONS OF THE

DOCKS STRIKE

Thurs, August 24, 7.30 p.m.

Lister Room, Town Hall, East Ham High St South. Speaker: Larry Cavanagh (Liver- pool docks steward, in a personal capacity). Adm. 10p.

CLAIM

EIGHT DAYS TO

GO-AUGUST

FUND £877.78

WE NEED much more of a spurt to raise our £1,750 tar- get in time. Time is running out and there is still £872.72 left to raise by the end of the month. So do not hesitate- raise all you can today. There is no doubt that sup- port is growing behind our paper. A special team, which has campaigned over these last ten days to increase the circulation of Workers Press throughout Scotland has met with great response. So far in Glasgow, Irvine, Greenock and Aberdeen, hundreds of papers have been sold each day and many new daily readers won.

We know we can get this same magnificent response for our Fund. You, yourselves, have shown it can be done. Let's therefore have a huge drive now and pull our total up. We are just over our halfway mark. Do everything you can to ralse the other half. Post all donations immedi- ately to : Workers Press August Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG.

workers press

HANOI CRITICAL

OF MOSCOW AND

BY JOHN SPENCER

SOVIET

and Chinese leaders are piling pressure North Vietnam to on accept American terms and end the Indo-China war. Over the past few days the North Vietnamese press has published sharp several denunciations of Soviet and Chinese policies, indicating that the North Vietnamese are resisting their demands.

At the same time, however, the American military is stepping up its air attacks on North Viet- nam in another attempt to force acceptance of Nixon's terms.

The Hanoi newspaper 'Nhan , in an editorial on Tuesday Dan' the anniversary celebrating of the August 1945 uprising which began the Vietnamese revolution, attacked 'disastrous opportunist tendencies of all shades from outside'. These tendencies, it said, were responsible for 'all sorts of none- too-agreeable actions' against the Vietnamese struggle. The paper contrasted them lutionary offensive spirit of our people and their well-tested van- guard brigade'. The 'Nhan Dan' editorial is unmistakably directed at the and Chinese leaders. Soviet Only last week the paper carried a lengthy article warn- ing that it will not be led into their path of 'compromise with perfidious imperialists. said the central The article point of Nixon's strategy was to achieve an equilibrium among 'shield to the big powers as a give the US imperialists complete in checking freedom of action violence of the means national liberation movement'.

It added: 'If out of the narrow interests of one's nation one tries to help the most reactionary forces avert the most dangerous blows, just like throwing a life- belt to a dangerous pirate, that is a cruel reconciliation beneficial to the enemy and not beneficial to the revolution.' This not only harms the Viet- namese revolution but endangers the revolutionary conquests of the very countries which carry it out, 'Nhan Dan' said. It added: "The evolution of country is an integral each part of the world revolution revolutions of all and the have the effect of countries impelling and assisting one another. The victory of a revolution in a country is not the end but only the beginning of the long travel towards the triumph socialism on a world scale? The Stalinist bureaucrats, how- ever, have gone behind the backs of the Vietnamese fighters to discuss with Nixon the ending of the war. William Rogers, President Nixon's of Secretary State, argued only last week that the USSR and China are both in favour of a deal and added

INCORPORATING THE NEWS

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

Nixon is even more brazenly proclaiming the support of his new-found allies in Moscow and Peking. Photographs of Leonid Brezh- nev and Chou En-lai adorn the frontispiece of the fat,_glossy official programme at the Repub- lican Party convention in Miami Beach. Hanoi has repeatedly said it latest so-called peace with will have nothing to Nixon's proposals'. These, in the words of Hanoi Radio, boil down to this: 'The United States will agree to withdraw its troops if the Vietnamese people agree to lay.

down their arms and accept the rule of the Nguyen Van Thieu puppet administration in South Vietnam... This • is the real nature of his plot to separate the military and political prob- lems in the solution to the Viet- nam issue. In short, Nixon's so-called generous stand is essentially an extremely stubborn • colonialist and aggressive stand concealed under a glossy veneer.' that the It now emerges also Soviet government was informed three about almost years ago plans to mine North Nixon's Vietnam's ports and escalate the war. Daniel Ellsberg, the former State Department employee now facing trial for publishing the Pentagon Papers, revealed news conference on at Tuesday that the Russians were told of Nixon's secret plan on May 14, 1969. On that date, he said, Henry Kissinger called Soviet ambas- sador Anatoly Dobrynin to tell him that the US would escalate the war if necessary. From that time, Ellsberg said, the Russians knew that the renewed bombing and the mining of harbours were a possibility. Yet with almost three years' warning of Nixon's plans, the USSR made no attempt either to run the blockade or to challenge the US action. They had every reason not to do so. The blockade immeasur- ably strengthened their grip on the life-line of the Vietnamese revolution and their ability to force acceptance of a dirty com- promise with Nixon. The British Communist Party, to which claims support the struggle of the Vietnamese, has no comment to make on the diplomatic treachery secret denounced by Hanoi. Its leaders are prepared to while the stand watch and revolution in Indo-China is slowly throttled with the aid of the Soviet and Chinese Stalinists. How could it be otherwise?

As 'Nhan Dan' correctly says, 'the revolutions of all countries have the effect of impelling and assisting one another'. Conversely the counter-revolu- tionary policies of the British Stalinists, who refuse to fight for the resignation of the Tory gov- ernment, are a stab in the back not only for the British working class but for the Vietnamese fighters as well.

HE NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY AUGUST 24,

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOC

A DANGEROUS develop- ment in the building work- ers' strike is revealed in this photograph. It shows a site Southampton, Richard In Miller Ltd, where a separate site agreement has been signed and the men are back at work. happens to be The site opposite the local headquarters of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

(UCATT).

The UCATT leadership is pressing for separate site deals and allowing men on those sites to return to work. weaken This can only the overall strength of the strike and of the building leave sections workers, particularly those em- ployed by the big construction companies, dangerously isolated.

In London yesterday, UCATT attacked the building employers' organization for instructing firms not to sign individual pay deals.

It claimed 50 firms had already signed despite arreement National the pressure from Federation of Building Trade Employers. Men were now back at work on these sites but we are not saying which firms they are for obvious reasons'.

In Scotland, union officials an- in their nounced a new stage campaign to split the fight for the national pay claim by signing company agreements.

GUST 24, 1972

• No 850 • 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

UCATT Scottish secretary Don Macgregor announced that firms in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen had now signed a 'model agreement' for a £.25 basic rate for craftsmen.

with firms Workers these would be sent back and special emblems used to ensure they would no longer be picketed.

In North-East England, the unions claimed yesterday, 15,000 building workers were on strike and 180 sites idle. They also said that 12 firms had agreed to pay the £30 a week minimum, allowing 2,000 men on 30 sites to return to work. Among them was the biggest house-building firm, Greensit and Barratt, of Newcastle-upon- Tyne, which agreed on Tuesday to pay up. • More building news, pages 10 and 1l.

ALL TRADES UNIONS ALLIANCE

MEETING

LONDON TODAY

LESSONS OF THE

DOCKS STRIKE

Thurs, August 24, 7.30 p.m.

Lister Room; Town Hall, East Ham High St South. Speaker: Larry Cavanagh (Liver- pool docks steward, in a personal capacity). Adm. 10p.

RKING

EIGHT DAYS TO

GO-AUGUST

FUND £877.78

of a

WE NEED

much more spurt to raise our £1,750 tar- get in time. Time is running out and there is still £872.72 left to raise by the end of the So do not hesitate- month. raise all you can today. There is no doubt that sup- port is growing behind our paper. A special team, which campagned over these has last ten days to increase the circulation of Workers Press throughout Scotland has met with great response. So far in Glasgow, Irvine, Greenock and Aberdeen, hundreds of papers have been sold each day and many new daily readers won.

We know we can get this same magnificent response for our Fund. You, yourselves, have shown it can be done. Let's therefore have a huge drive now and pull our total up. We are just over our halfway mark. …Do everything you can to raise the other half. Post all donations immedi- ately to : Workers Press August Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG. 111411

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Thursday Augus

AROUND THE WORLD

BY JOHN SPENCER

FRANCE has proposed a sharply higher official gold price in a report submitted to the Inter. national Monetary Fund as part of the preparation for its conference Washington on Septem- ber 25. The proposal was included in the report against opposi- tion from the United States which wants to keep the official gold price at $38 an ounce even though it has no intention of selling gold from its depleted holdings France has indicated that un- official price is less the soon brought into line with the 'free market' price, now standing at nearly $70 an ounce, it will call for unilateral action by the Com- mon Market countries. This would mean unilaterally raising the gold price for central transactions within bank Market, establishing a Common 'three-tier' system in place of the present 'two-tier' mechanism.

The two-tier system was born in 1968 after the devaluation of the pound. The American cen- tral bank decided that in order gold to protect its remaining stocks it would sell gold only to central banks at the official price.

This stop-gap arrangement was formally agreed only by about six countries, many others refus- ing to subscribe or expressing reservations. The two-tier system breaking been has up since August 15 last year, when Nixon severed all links the between dollar and gold. The essence of the two-tier system is that central banks agree not to buy or sell gold on the free market but to value their own holdings at the price fixed in Washington. This was one thing while the price difference was only a few dollars, but cen- tral banks now stand make to almost 100 per cent premium if they sell on the free market.

For this reason, central bankers are now extremely re- luctant to use any of their gold stocks to settle international debts, and they have thus effec-

VIOLENT CLASHES

between demonstrating shop- keepers and the Chilean police force are a further mark of the bankruptcy of the Popular Front policies of the Allende government. As domestic economic problems worsen, Allende is driven into confrontation with those middle-class layers which the Popular Front was meant with its peaceful road to win to socialism. The Chilean Communist Party has chosen this moment to launch a vicious attack on all oppon- ents of the Popular Unity gov- in 'World Marxist ernment Review', journal of international Stalinism. Jorge Texier describes how Party advised Allende to the try to win over the supporters of the Christian-Democratic Party after the latter made some gains in the January by-elections.

The CP called for a public with the Christian dialogue Democrats and a clamp down on the ultra-lefts in the Left Revo- lutionary Movement (MIR) who were organizing the peasants to take over the land. From its Second Party Con- gress in 1923, the Chilean CP under Recabarren has fought for 'Communist participation in par- liament and has called on small - manufacturers, merchants and intellectuals to co-operate with lay August 24, 1972 tively frozen one-third of the total international liquidity.

At the same they are almost equally reluctant to accept paper uncertain parity- of currency above all dollars—in settlement of these debts. This has created an immense crisis in international trade and debt settlements particu- made larly for long-term contracts ex- tremely difficult. The Americans are pushing for the demonetization of gold and the formation of more special drawing rights (paper gold) to take its place In fact, however, increased numbers of SDRs would only raise the amount of circulating paper and represent no substitute for the metal.

The monetary breakdown be- tween the major capitalist states involves a real clash of interests and is not a technical question.

It cannot be resolved, therefore, by agreement to print more paper, even assuming such agree- ment is possible. American employers are The demanding nothing less than a complete overhaul of the entire post-war monetary system -and its replacement by another sys- tem tailored to their advantage.

Such a situation can only be VICE-ADMIRAL Hyman Rickover, head of the US Navy's nuclear reactor pro- gramme, yesterday launched a sharp attack on American shipyard workers who, he charged, were paid too much overtime, loafed about and were not properly supervized.

Rickover accused workers at the yards of repairing bicycles in company time, sleeping, read- ing, shooting dice or hiding in shacks specially constructed whose walls are covered by pin- ups. The statement, given before a Congressional committee secret investigating spending, arms indicates that Pentagon spies have been active for months in the shipyards, collecting material the working class.' Opposition to class-collaboration from this Manuel Hidalgo was condemned as sectarian, factionalist and Trot- skyist. The experience of the French Popular Front and the policy of uniting anti-fascist forces adopted by the Seventh Congress of the International, con- Communist firmed the line of the Party.

Stalin's turn to the Popular Front and to democratic allies in the struggle against fascism was in order to confine the working class to a defence of democ- racy and prevent any develop- ment of socialist revolution.

fear was that socialism The would frighten the middle classes.

In Spain the Communist Party dismantled the control estab- lished over production in fac- tories by the working class in Catalonia, dissolved the work- ers' militias and restored land property to its former owners.

This was accompanied by the persecution of opposition any from the centrist POUM or the movement as 'agents anarchist of fascism'. This policy demoralized large sections of the workers move- gave power to Repub- ment and lican leaders who had them- selves in government passed anti- trade union legislation and sent in troops against strikers.

As Trotsky warned, the Pop- Nixon brought about at the expense of the other capitalist powers.

The conflict cannot be resolved by mutual agreement, but only on the basis of ruthless struggle between the capitalist powers.

At the IMF meeting in Wash- ington, therefore, the only pos- sible outcome is to intensify the trade war and try and cut each others throats. for a concentrated attack on the workers' conditions. This is a direct threat to the shipyard unions, and comes at the same time as a major spate of closures in the East Coast naval yards. The clear implication of Rick- over's statement is that the time has come for the workers to be disciplined now that unemploy- ment is growing. US military has long The maintained a discreet silence on its attitudes towards the trade unions. But Rickover's state- ment heralds the start of a new era. Like other Pentagon officials Rickover has close ties with the big arms corporations. They share a common desire to see organized labour crushed in the United States and are now beginning to openly pro- claim this ambition. ular Front could only weaken the struggle revolutionary of the masses and convince the waver- ing middle class of the superior will and strength of the fascists.

Allende's government, promp- ted by the Chilean Stalinists, is treading on the same dangerous course. the Texier encourage can of the persecution

MIR

and other groups to the left of the CP on the basis that 'an effort is being made to goad the ultra- leftists into acts of violence that could furnish a pretext for mili- tary intervention' But the military draw • their strength from Allende's policies.

The 'battle for production' and 'wage-restraint' of cries the Popular Unity government are incentives for increased exploita- tion of the working class.

This exploitation and . the rapid rise in prices, drives large sections of the Chilean working class and middle class into strikes and demonstrations.

These struggles are met with Allende's backed by the Christian Deme, troops crats and the National Party, the right-wing and fascist parties of the employers. Chilean copper workers, ants and shopkeepers find ease Popular Front government on the side of law and order against them. WORKERS PRESS has shown that the decisive factor in halting the national dock strike, after Jack Jones had succeeded reversing the decision of the docks delegates, was the failure of Lon- don stewards' leaders to fight for the continuation of the strike in accordance with the resolution of port shop stewards' the national committee. A number of leading positions among the London dock stewards are held by members of the Com- munist Party. The experience • proves once again that the fight against the Tory government and against trade union leaders like Jones, who refuse to fight the govern- ment, cannot be successful with- out a principled struggle against Stalinism in the unions. That is precisely why every revisionist tendency now seeks to protect the Communist Party to prevent workers from and experiences like the dock strike.

This is certainly the role of the so-called International Marx- ist Group (IMG). Writing in their paper 'Réd Mole, IMG leader Pat Jordan seeks to convince readers that they should continue to place their confidence in the Stalinist- dominated Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions

(LCDTU).

"The Industrial Relations Act remains, Jordan says, 'because of the activities of people like Jones and the failure of organizations the LCDTU to deal with like this. But why has the LCDTU 'failed' to deal with the activities of people like Jones? Because it was created by the Communist Party assisted by the revisionist groups-specifically to prevent the working class from breaking with Jones and the other trade union leaders. LCDTU is not an organization created in struggle against the employers, the Tory government and their agents in the labour movement. It is a counter-revo- lutionary organization formed by the Stalinists and assisted by anti- communist groups in order to divert workers from the struggle against the Tories. It functioned above all as a means of keeping workers away Trades Unions from the All Alliance—the industrial arm of the Socialist Labour League which seeks to build a principled unity in the working class in order to defeat the Tory gov- ernment. Yet Jordan concludes his article by declaring that the responsibi- lity for leading the working class against the rests government 'such bodies as LCDTU' with And the 'Red Mole' editorial calls for the creation of 'new Committees for the Defence of Trade Unions' and for Councils of Action 'to draw all sections of workers in every area into the struggle' 'Red Mole' simply equates Com- mittees for the Defence of Trade with the Councils of Unions Action called for by the Socialist Labour League. It blandly blurs historically-dev- over the huge eloped difference between Stalin- ism and Trotskyism. The Councils are not simply to 'draw all sections of workers into the struggie' '. These workers are already in the struggle. Our pur- pose is to build Councils, which will include representatives from all trade unions, tenants' associa- tions and working-class political organizations, to lead the struggle that would force the resignation of the Tory government. Jordan rejects this and lines up with the Stalinists in advocat- ing 'pressure' on the Tory govern, ment. Jordan, who claims to be a Trotskyist, considers that Work- is obsessed by Stalin- ers Press ism. Jordan, of course, has never been a Trotskyist. He has as much right to call himself a Trotskyist as a member of the Labour Party's national executive has to call himself a socialist! (He has, however, been a Stalin- ist. Presumably when he was a leading Stalinist in Nottingham he also considered the Trotskyists to be obsessed with Stalinism.)

Now, under an assumed mantle the whole which developed struggle against stalinism 18100 Wald cerned scalt Con. major source class the globe. DeTence Seek exCI holding from the mobilizing class representatives. can no change by 1 ory capitalism. of Yet Jordan- Stalinists. leaves ism. working the leadership. ment witnout working taneously union this preventing fore, must best, confined behind these Witt committees. Above party Precisely can process. was 'State wrote: received bavdet scrupulous Slander "consolation" une aller. lutionary edge opportunists ng of Marxist by proclaimed the reality cerence stands for. sm, he seeks to ignore history of Trotskyism the ane Toucat Trotsky as a counter- ry force on a world ass in every part son Committee for the Trade Unions is the through which Stalinism olutionary pressure by tne workine cass particularly to create in 'pressure' can kers the solo breven the working 'nment can be e' not to act on behalf an—like all revisionists covering ip defending, collaborating with the counter ry nature esents the struggle of es that this develop- class that activities of the Stalir e fake 'lefts'. consciousness ed as developing spon- within the working grip cracy on the working reaken without a cons- gle against it. amunist Party and th aid to be incapable o process. of Trotskyism, there- at be irrelevant. ned to following on and uniting events body in trade union the theory • required. yorkers can mportant lessons fron iences, when they can contentions hey-

CLYDE CLIFFHANGER

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

LIVERPOOL docks clerks yesterday voted to continue their strike for job security and increased redundancy payments. Although the dockers returned to work on Monday, little has moved in the port because of the strike by the 800 clerks. 17 vessels remained idle yesterday. Speakers at the hour-long "slight meeting reported pro- gress' in negotiations. Talks will continue but there is no mass meeting scheduled until next Tuesday. Eddie Roberts, an organizer for ACTS, the clerical section of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said their main for the over-60s concern was who would be made redundant because of the proposed mergers on Merseyside. He said the issue covered no about 12 people in more than the branch. It was a question of trying to establish where the would come from money to cover their demands, he added.

One firm, Ocean Port Services, had agreed to withold the first redundancy notices for a month.

There were moves meanwhile, to settle a strike of 200 main- tenance men at Bristol and Avon- mouth docks to resume talks between shop stewards and port officials. The strike, over pay, began on Tuesday only hours after the return to work of 1,300 dockers.

Ulster talks common front BRIAN Faulkner, the former Ulster premier, and William Craig, leader of the Vanguard movement, held private talks in Belfast yesterday aimed at build- ing a united front. The talks were arranged by Grand Orange the reactionary Lodge of Ireland to which both men belong. The aim of the talks was to draw up a common loyalist policy to be presented at William Whitelaw's all-party talks later next month. Orange Order officials were disappointed that neither Ian Paisley nor the Loyalist Associa- tion of Workers were represented yesterday. C027i 28 Charlotte St

BOOKS • PERI

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

IT WILL BE another cliffhanger on the Clyde today — the deadline for signing a pay-and-condi- tions deal to establish Govan Shipbuilders Ltd. The firm want unions to sign the agreement at 10.30 a.m., but at the same time the 1,500 boilermakers from the Govan, Linthouse and Gilchrist Scotstoun divisions of the former UCS consortium plan to meet to decide whether or not to give the deal the go- ahead. Late yesterday talks between the chairman of the new com- pany, Lord Strathalmond, the unions and shop stewards were continuing in a bid to resolve two remaining problems. One is the position of the 139 'work-in men' at the three divisions. The boilermakers have insisted that these men reabsorbed by Govan Shipbuild- ers, but so far the company has refused. One possibility being can- Ulster death toll 527 THE DEATHS of nine civilians on Tuesday brought the official Ulster toll, since the current troubles began in 1969, to 527.

This year alone there have been 316 deaths: 221 civilians, 71 soldiers, 13 Ulster Defence Regiment men, nine police and two reservists.

CORR

e St

S • PERIODICALS • NEWSPAPERS

vassed . is that the men—77 of them are boilermakers - should get a guarantee that they will be taken on as soon as possible.

Shop stewards' leader James Airlie said the agreement could be signed if there were 'guaran- tees to cover the work-in'. It is not clear whether he meant a guarantee of immediate employ- ment for the men or merely a promise to do so. Another obstacle is a demand by the boilermakers that immedi- ate negotiations on a new pay structure should start. The draft agreement talks of a pay deal 'not later than' Jan- uary of next year. But the boilermakers, tradi- tionally the most militant of the 4,000 workers at the three divi- sions, are impatient. here has been a virtual pay freeze at the yards since the • UCS consortium went into liquidation last June.

Today the boilermakers will decide whether the meet to results of yesterday's talks have given enough assurances for the future. If they reject the formula the company will be in serious trouble. The Tory Cabinet has warned Archibald Gilchrist, chieé execu- tive of Govan Shipbuilder 35m that they will not receive the aid without a signed agreement.

A further delay would jeopar- dize orders Lord Strathalmond is seeking to secure in Kuwait.

All these pressures are being used to force the boilermakers rank and file to abandon their trade union rights and break faith with the work-in men. Resistance to the deal has been strong. At last Thursday's Airlie (second from right) with (| 1o r) A cool million ALEXANDER Black Mitchell, of Poulton Priory, Poulton, Ciren- Glos, a former High cester, Sheriff of Gloucestershire, left £1,149,686 gross, £1,119,820 net (duty £284,416). Mitchell, who died on June 29, left the Trull estate at Cherington and Rodmarton, near Tetbury, to the children of his son, lan N. Mitchell on their 21st birth- days, and the residue to his wife, Mrs Violette C. R. Mitchell.

NOW OPEN

Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 9 a.т.—6 p.m. Fri 9 a.m.-7.30 p.m. Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Workers Press, Thu

LOSURES

CONTRACTIONS

OF U.C S

These were the demands of the UCS Stalinists' policy betrayed them all.

meeting a large minority of boiler- makers voted to throw the deal out altogether. There are also talks at the Clydebank yard now owned by Texan oil-rig builders Marathon Manufacturing on the job posi- tion. This time the work-in is not such a big problem, since there are only 16 Clydebank men taking part despite the 1,000 redundancies that have occurred

JOINT

STEWARDS

SHOP

COMM

th (1 to r) Feather, McGarvey, Scanion and fell •THE MAN who the Tories have appointed in charge of the Ugandan Asian resettle- board is a director of ment Britain's largest Securicor, private police force. He is Sir Charles Cunningham, a former permanent secretary at Office who dealt the Home particularly with police matters.

In 1962 the Macmillan govern- ment appointed him in charge of the inquiry into the Vassall spy case and last year he headed the into security at investigation Belfast's Crumlin Road Jail.

the man Curiously enough who appointed Cunningham to the job is an ex-Securicor direc- tor, Robert Carr, the new Home Secretary. The other five board members today by the Home named Office are: Mark Bonham-Carter, chairman of the Community Relations Commission; Mrs Charles Clode, chairman of the WRVS; Praful Patel, secretary of the Committee on UK Citizen- ship; Douglas Tilbe, director, Community and Race Relations Press, Thursday August 24, 1972 PAGE 3 .. I

PANTRAC

0 R

OF 1C. SIRES)R

NO (N UCS workers last year ...

the over the last 14 months. The difficulties surround the number of men Marathon want immediately to employ. This total is around 150 and by September of approxi- a massive surplus mately 1,000 workers is seen likely at the yard. The Communist Party-led shop stewards want to have them 'absorbed' throughout the four divisions, but this task would be impossible. n and fellow-CP steward Reid last year.

Unit of the British Council of Churches and chairman of the executive committee of the co- ordinating committee for the weltare of evacuees from Uganda; and B. H. Wilson, town clerk of the London borough of Camden.

Profits bonanza MARLEY, the tiles and build- ing materials group, is on target tor another profits bonanza.

With just nine months of the trading period gone pre-tax pro- fits are already nearly £2,400,000 higher. At £7,015,000 they com- £4,632,000 for the with pare period in 1971. and same £6,940,000 for the full 12 months.

The latest figures show that around £750,000 of the increase was scored in the third quarter.

Good news had been expected on London stock markets and the shares were standing just a shade lower at 126kp.

MINERS IN THE WAR

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Thursday August Part one of a two part article by Jack Gale. The story of World War Il is always presented as one of wonderful 'national unity'. All petty differences - such as those between employers and workers-are said to have been put aside. Everyone 'pulled together' for love of the dear old country behind its dear old leader, Winston Churchill, in- spired by love of its dear old King and Queen. Certainly plenty cf people tried to make it so. These included the Labour into leaders, who rushed Churchill's wartime coalition, the trade union leaders who every hard-won threw away right of their members, and Communist Party who the outdid them all in patriotic fervour and vitriolic strike- breaking. But the reality was very different. Everywhere employers, backed by the Emergency Order • giving them Works legal rights against strikers, rushed to maximize profits and drive down wages and con- ditions as much as possible.

And everywhere the wor- kers-to the horror of the social-democrats and Stalinists -fought back. Nowhere was this more so than in the pits. Again and again miners struck against wage cuts.

In February 1943, 1,100 men at Bowhill colliery, Fife, struck work against a wage cut of 2d per ton being imposed by the Fife Coal Co.

They resisted threats of dis- followed by call-up missal into the army. It took Willie Gallagher, the Communist Party's MP West Fife and Abe Moffatt, another CP member on the the Scottish executive of Miners' Federation to get them to accept a wage cut of ld.

In December 194], and again in May 1942, 1,500 Cortonwood miners struck agreement signed against an without their knowledge by Joe Hall, the right-wing pre- sident of the Yorkshire Miners' which reduced Federation fillers' rates from ls 7d to Is 3d per ton (a loss of 30s to £3 per week). About the same time 500 men at Cinderhill colliery, Notts, struck against a re- duction of earnings through a new price list. In 1942 and 1943 all eleven pits in the Doncaster area of in Yorkshire were involved strikes over wage-slashing.

Indeed there were so many _early part of the strikes in the January 1941 (between war and May 1942 112,000 miners were involved in 234 strikes) concessions that some pay were made in June, 1942. These • as the Greene were known Award. About the same time the Committee recom- Foster increases for mended wage lads under 21 because of their involvement in strikes. But the Tory press and the union leaders were viciously hostile to miners who fought in this way. Early in 1942—after a strike at Betteshanger colliery in Kent - the 'Daily Telegraph' demanded that the 'full force of the state' be used against striking miners. the miners' leaders And were quick to toe the line.

In October 1942, the Miners' Federation of Great Britain National (forerunner of the Union of Mineworkers) cir- culated every lodge in the land Fi

100,000 MINERS

CAN'T BE WRONG

APPEAL

COAL OWNERS,

HORNER SELLING OUT

SABOTAGE

NATIONALISE THENPRODUGION

BY JOCK MASTON

'says Northumberlanc MINES Minerz

BITER PIT STRIKE

MID-AUGUST. 1011

HAMILTON MINERS

30 BOB WAGE SLASH

FRAMED By 1,500 Cortonwood Miners Out Over a Month,"

MINERS' LEADERS WITHOLD

11. THREAT AGAINST

UNION FUNDS FROM STRIKERS

SHOTTS MINERS

C.l.D. Via|t District Committee

N.E. MINE STRIKES

DECISIVE VICTORY fort

AGAINST PITBOYS

BLACKHALL MINERS

IMPRISONMENT

Six Years Grievance Settled by Strike Action

BY HENRY

BY JOCK HASTON

- a 20 SCOTTISH PITS

SON OF THE WORKE

YORKSHIRE OWNERS E

STRIKE AGAINST EW.0

PROVOKE PIT STRIKE LOTHIN MINERS

By ЛОСК HASTON

MINERS BETRAYED AGAIN-

overnment White Paper Attacks Workers and Strengthens Owners

"TELEGRAPH"

ELERK HASTON

SLANDERS MINERS

Appeal during the war in reced fence of the miners. Left: Bevin daystriotice hobe miring ings for skilled men, notice. the management put to work employers' struck against the with untrained vouths attempts to reduce the number dispute occurred of men working a face. Not Once more the Stalinist Abe 21 tinghamshire miners from Moffatt worked might and struck work when an to solidarity 18-year-old surface worker prevent action in other pits. from Newstead colliery was In June 1943, 20 men from gaoled for refusing to go down Tareni Coned 20 South the the pit. Again and again there were Wales, were fined for "impeding production'. over colliery owners disputes When they refused to pay, who used the excuse of war- time emergency' to do nothing they were gaoled for a month.

Sympathy strikes broke out in about intolerable working conditions. five more pits and the spread declaring 'well may the com- One of only halted by Arthur constant munity look upon our industry War Was friction was the fines system Horner, Communist Party one that can charged Northumberland, for ex- of South Wales with criminal neglect Tener Miners' Federation. ample, this worked because of irresponsible strikes following could way: a man In October 1944, nine miners and disputes'. Powell Duffryn, Is ld per ton from employed bj earn fact the force of the 3 ft 3 in seam. But South Wales the over- the coal mono- used the SLaLe was alist ordered by seer could 'lay out' his truck the miners.

WELC

search it for stone. courts to pay damages to thei -If 28a5 of stone was found The wartime Essential Works for 'breach of con Order enabled an employer to employers tract'. in the truck, the wa. drag worker the Delore fined 2d, if there was 56 agreed with courts if he "behaved in such court Powell Duffryn that the men he was fined 4d. a manner as to impede pro- work with due If there was 90 Ib of stone had failed to duction'. and proper diligence'. he forfeited his pay for the Emergency In addition, In March 1945, 1,000 miners entire tub-even though it lett Order 1A(a), the Trades Dis- 1,030 Ib of coal from Seven Sisters colliery in the Coal Mines Act of 1911 tre Act 1927 the putes West Wales : struck work be- was now getting for nothing! And on top of that, Mines Act of used against the miners. cause the Coal 1911 was used against a miner the miner had to pay for the the The depths which explosive he used! leaders had is objected to working in Labour sunk who Similar conditions applied shown by the use of the Trades thick dust. Disputes Act imposed on In June 1943, 2,000 miners every coalfield and the 1n were 86 strikes in 1942 alone at Bentley colliery, Yorkshire, class by the Tories working when 17- over this. after the General Strike.

went on strike trouble Another cause of It was a Labour Minister- year-old was victimized boy was the employers' refusal to swearing Ernest Bevin, who had tor been year 77 miners with for the General Council of the The same comply on Yorkshire, were safety from Hatfield, measures. TUC in 1926—who was now day for an 1944, for ex- fined £3 to use the hated Act against un- « october 400 Welsh lawful strike' which lasted two ample, miners the miners, the very men who strück work at Gelliceidrim in had suffered most and fought days. West Wales for 17 days be- which caused longest in 1926. One issue frequent disputes was the war- the employers refused Again and again Cause mines out an elementary were dragged before the courts.

time enabling the carry powers safety test. government to sena unwilling In March miners 1943, men feared an inrush Valleyfield down the pit. This The from colliery 1n youlns of frequently meant loss of earn- water in an area Fife fined for going were this had happened twice before. of It was typical the employers' casual attitude to these matters (after all, they weren't down the pit) that they produced maps to show that inrushes couldn't happen-and the maps were dated previous to the two disasters that had already happened! When the bosses were fin- ally forced to carry out the tests, Stalinist Arthur Horner agreed with them that they need not pay the guaranteed wage for the 17 days lost while they resisted doing. the tests.

during Of course all the talk of 'pulling together for 'of all' etc., reason- the good able people just didn't mention the fact that the mine owners were making a packet. Indeed, one Lt-Col Mayhew declared in the House of Commons in 1943: 'I do not wish to interrupt my Honour- able Friend, but there is a war on. I think he is not quite justified in talking about the profits of mine owners while there is a war on. 'The principle is to produce coal, and I think my Honour- able Friend has laid too much stress on the profits of the mine owners' And this when in the decade from 1927-1937 an average of three men per day had died in the pits. In the six years from 1937- miners 1943, 5,000 were killed and 700,000 injured. In the war years, death down the pits rose to 1,000 per year.

Then towards the end of 1943 some slight change began to appear. In October 2,500 strikers at Haworth, Notts, won 17s 6d.

A little later Hatfield Main men in Yorkshire won Id per ton. And when 360 of them appeared before the courts for illegal striking, they were fined only 10s each-much less than had become the custom. The owners were seeking to build up the prestige of the union leaders in readiness for the Porter Award on miners' pay which was announced in February 1944. This award provoked a storm of hostility. Within miners in Lancashire, days, Cheshire, Staffordshire and South Wales were out. Despite threats of prosecu- tion and imprisonment, there were soon 100,000 men out in South Wales and 80,000 out in Yorkshire. The Porter Award was, in- deed, an insult. Skilled men and piece- workers got nothing—in some areas they even got a reduc- tion. Surface wages were raised Is. The much-vaunted by minimum wage was so low that it was below what many men already earned-and these men got nothing. And a Is 6d charge per levied on week was conces- sionary coal, in addition the costs already paid transport by the miner. If a father and several sons lived' in the same house-as was frequently the case—-all of them paid the charge. This was clearly a wage cut. Moreover the union leaders, accepted the Award protest'-had signed a four- no-strike pledge and year undertaken to pay no strike pay if anyone broke it. The Porter Award provoked the largest miners' strike since 1926. And it was to meet every rotten device ever known to scabs and strikebreakers-used against the men by the right wing and the Communist Party.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

HIGHEST JOBLESS, FATTEST

Where do the American bosses make the most money? According to the 'New York Financial Times, in Newark, New Jersey. Yet this city has one of the highest un- employment rates in the country. Newark businessmen have a higher rate of return on capital outlay than any other city but the jobless rate there was doubled in three years - in May it stood at 14.5 per cent —worse than anywhere in the British Isles save Northern Ireland. Industry in Newark has been upturned as employers have run down old and antiquated factories and brought in auto- mation at a ferocious rate.

More automation means less workers-the dole queues in Newark speak for themselves.

During 197- the total num- ber of available jobs in the city shrunk by 11,000. kind redundancy The of drive is exampled by the purge in one corporation - Inc, who Harrison, Remco knocked down their labour force from 2,000 to 150. But the most disastrous un- employment crisis came in March this year when the Ballantine Brewery shut its plants and put 3,000 workers on the bread line. Brewing is one example of the vast run down in the city's older industries—at one time there were 12 breweries and it was the city's major industry —now there are only three.

Ballantine had tried to modernize without success.

The owners finally quit and sold their brand name to their

VARGAJA

competitors, Falstaff Brewers, who make beer at a fraction of the cost. They shoulder Ballantine's goodwill without putting on any workers. The day the plant shut one man summed up the oppression workers face in the United States. 'I worked at that place for 32 years,' he said, 'and they don't even want to give me a pension.' His wife added: 'These men built that place and Ballan- tine's have no right to close it down. It's not fair? The day the plant was scheduled to close the workers demonstrated their feelings.

Older workers find their destroyed while lives being prospects for the younger blacker and workers get blacker. In the past they were at least able to get part time jobs in places like Ballantine's. The pay was low but at least you kept off the dole. Now senior men trom the breweries already closed are first in the jobs queue at the remaining breweries and the youngsters are out in the cold.

Many are forced to go into the slaughterhouses to work clean- ing stinking hides and helping butchers deal with the meat.

Here wages and conditions are even worse, but the youth have no choice. Said one: 'I can't even sup- port a family. I worked at a slaughterhouse for a while but it was costing me more to get there and back than I was getting in wages? Occasionally the local bureaucrats promote some phoney campaign for jobs.

These get headlines in the city press-'Mayor Asks Youth , 'Newark Business- Job Funds', men to Pledge the 500 Jobs', 'Manpower Centre Graduate the young 210' — but all workers know is that the un- employment rate keeps on rising. Some find out the hard way.

One young recruit to the dole queue spent 15 months at a training school in Kentucky learning to operate a tractor.

'It was like a prison, he said.

You could only leave the place on weekends—it was in the woods. If they didn't like the way you handled your per- sonal life, they made you leave.' Politicians in Newark-from both the Republican and Democratic parties — have always promised to do some- thing about unemployment and the plight of workers in the city. When Kenneth Gibson, a black Democrat politician, ran for mayor in 1970, he was built • by LeRoi Jones and the other black nationalists as well as by the Communist Party as being the answer to the prob- lems facing black youth and workers. But from the very beginning of his election campaign, Gibson was backed by the Prudential Insurance Co and the Newark Chamber of Com- merceby the most powerful capitalists who have interests in Newark. Since his election, he has shown that he and the nation- alists stand in defence of their system against the workers, black and white. Gibson and Jones helped lead the attack against the me Newark, Teachers' Union Workers Pree during during their struggle.

And now, Gibson is pre- paring to destroy nearly 700 city jobs and lay off hundreds of city workers in attempts to speed-up rest workers. The trade union leaders have the refused to mobilize workers and youth against unemployment and the city, state, and federal government's policies which create the high jobless conditions. At the Ballantine Brewery, the union's joint executive council even collaborated openly with the company in sit-down order to end the which the movement with ranks had tried to defend their jobs. Teamsters at the Kingsland Drum Co and Smith Trans- port have been laid off without notice. One young worker from Kingsland Drum said that: "The company moved to a reconditioned plant and when they did it, they cut out some departments. "We got laid off. The union wouldn't do anything about it.

We need solidarity. We can't protect ourselves unless we do it together.' Another young unemployed worker interviewed at the un- employment centre said: I agree with you. 'We should have a labour party. I got laid off and now they are calling me for the draft. I might be in the army next month. A. labour party could stop that.' Prose, Thursday August 24, 1972 PAGE 5 Ould Daddah, the president of Mauretania, has launched a campaign to crush the independence of the trade unions and integrate them with the state. His action follows a series of strikes in the former French colony on the western edge of the Sahara. In August last year the dockers of Nouak- chott struck demanding higher wages. Their strike was backed by workers in the Société des de Mauretanie Mines (SOMIMA) and later by the iron miners employed in the Société des Mines de Fer de Mauretanie (MIFERMA). In November, the building workers also came out on strike. The workers' militancy has been building since up 1969 when the country's trade Union union federation, the Mauritaniens des Travailleurs (UTM), split at its congress.

The split came on the issue of the UTM's ties with the the Parti ruling party, du Peuple Mauritanien, which is personal the fief Ould Daddah and the sole legal party in Mauretania. The more militant union members broke from the old UTM in 1969 and set up their own union organization independent of the PPM. Daddah is determined to smash this body and bring the working class once more under his personal domination. This is totally in accord with the requirements of the mining monopolies which dominate the Mauretanian economy. Two months ago the leaders of the PPM declared that it wanted an end to the 'confu- sion' in the unions, which it said aided 'trouble-makers' and split the workers in line with the aims of 'political and anti- party elements'. It called on 'all honest work- ers' to work towards the crea- tion of 'healthy trade unionism' following the PPM line. Three weeks later the party decreed that the UTM would be integrated into the party within six months as the only legal union organization.

This decree is a blatant vio- Mauretanian lation of the constitution and the Interna- tional Labour Organization code, to which Daddah's gov- ernment is a signatory. It also directly contradicts the decision taken democrati- all the professional cally by trade union organizations at their which congresses, affirmed their desire to remain independent from the state.

Ould Daddah of Mauretanla

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Thursday August 24, 1972

BY JOHN CRAWFORD

When Industrial Then came the famous case the of 'O'Connell v the Queen' Relations Act and the The Irish Nationalist politi- National Industrial Rela- cian was appealing against his for sedition. The tions Court were used sentence Tory peers turned out in force against the dockers, it to deal with their enemy, and was accompanied by the a vote against O'Connell was actually taken. But Lord Chan- clanking of feudal cellor Lyndhurst refused to machinery of state and the result, fearing law. that would it rather

LOTS

blatantly display the nature of It verged on the bizarre the court. that in a dispute arising out The lay per- peers WATe of the most advanced tech- suaded to withdraw, and five in the nology transport Law Lords (judges who were industry a key role-that of also peers) voted three Whigs London arresting five dock- O'Connell's Tories in to two a Dick- favour. ers-was played by ensian character known as Since 1876 Lords of Appeal the Tipstaff. in Ordinary have been appointed- -the first life peers. And the release of the Pen- There are up to Il of them. tonville Five came about only Together with the present and after the fining of the Trans- Lords Chancellor and past and General Workers' Union had been upheld by ers other judges and ex-judges, decide the they alone cases House of Lords. before the House. The judgement of this body.

it will be recalled, had to be rushed out in record time so that the

NIRC

could order

MEN FROM

the release of the dockers. Heath, on television, reminded that the House of Lords, US

THE

which thought many people had lost all functions but pure decoration, was the judicial body. The reactivation of his- torical fossils like the Law Lords is no accident. clash But the remains As the between the unchanged. working and class the state Some day, when the issue is founda- shakes to its society of sufficient importance, hun- tions, feudal monsters long dreds of Tory backwoodsmen ago put to sleep begin to stii.

hurried In a period of will be from their revolutionary walks the ancestral homes or tax havens struggles, history to pronounce judgement as the legal authority. They Institutions like the mon- supreme will then be breaking conven- Council and archy, the Privy the House of Lords are indeed tion, the way things have been remnants of feudalism. done in 'normal' times, but They were left in existence they will not be breaking the law. by the victorious capitalist class precisely in order to con- The Privy Council is one of tinue to defend the rights of the most ancient institutions of the the British state. private property against In the days of the Tudors, danger of revolution. Their powers were cut down it most and restricted instrument of roval policy.

by rising When the Civil the War and the class. But in compromise beheading of Charles I had between the money power and the old nobility which charac- decided the issue of the rela- terized the English revolution, tion of the monarchy to par- many changes were not made liament. the Privy Council declined in importance. Today but by by legal statute 'con- it decides nothing acting

VANTIAN

purely formally in carrying out Accepted practice, the the policy of the Cabinet.

gentlemen's agreement, the Bút that is by convention. 'done thing' these are the In law, the Cabinet does not bases for vital aspects of exist. Nor does the Prime Min- government. British ister. The monarch 'in Coun- So when the ruling class cil' orders various things to sees its powers being chal- be done on the advice of Min- lenged by the fight for workers isters of the Crown. to defend their rights, it will Order Council, turn increasingly to methods, An in approved by four or five of the laws and institutions whose 300 or so Privy Councillors. is operation have been suspended "by convention' for centuries.

the usual way Acts of Parlia- although example Take the ment become law, as an of the House of Ministers also have their own functioning Lords as a Court of Appeal.

statutory powers. Privy Council, chosen The High Court of Parlia- The ment is one of the most ancient by the Queen, includes all past and present Cabinet Ministers.

roles of the Lords, going back members of the Royal Family (King's the Curia legis to Lords Tustice of Court) of early Norman times.

archbishops, Peers had the privilege to be Appeal and other worthy "before their peers' for notables. tried to 1948. It prorogues parliament and offence right up anv Tudor the summons a new one. I The tue In Lords 'normally' together, but. became the highest appeal go body for England and Wales. again, only conventionally.) Its Until 1844. any member of the members are sworn to secrecy.

All this has been for many House of Lords could take part of legal decades in judicial proceedings. matter curiosity, a constitutional tour- ist attraction. The 17th century struggles established that the monarch was governed by the common law, and exercised his preroga- through and tive only On advice of Ministers responsible to Parliament. But that is—or should we say 'was'—in 'nor- mal' times. Wade and Phillips' 'Consti- tutional Law' adds: 'In time of sudden invasion or formidable insurrection the King may demand personal service with- in the realm'. Is it not conceivable that the Queen in Council might at some time proclaim all kinds deal with measures to 'formidable insurrection'?

It is here that the House of Lords once more comes into the story. The House of Lords comes, not so much from the feudal epoch itself, as from its break-up, dis- as money solved the old relationships and serfdom disappeared in a noble medieval welter of thuggery. The Lords became a major power under the Tudors. Decimated by the Wars of the Roses, the peers were rein- forced by Henry VIII with the new aristocrats, men money and property who had done well out of the sale of lands. With Church the removal of the 30 abbots, the peers were now in a majority. By Stuart times, the Tudor trick of playing off Lords and Commons was not so easy; even the Lords refused to back Charles I all the way. But in the course of the revolution, the demand grew to get rid of the peerage alto.

gether. After the execution of the King in 1649, the Levellers in Commons succeeded in abolishing the Upper House along with all titles, which regarded instru- they as an ment of William the Norman and tyrant, Lil- ('that thief burne called him). Cromwell, always afraid of the movement against the old too far, tried " order going this unsuccessfully to stop move, and later attempted to 'another House' to set up which some tame peers could be persuaded to return. But it only at the Restoration was that the House of, Lords was recalled. the age of aristocratic In government, when the econo- of the new ruling mic power class was strong enough for it to govern through the remains of the old, the House of Lords really came into its own.

Lords Conflict between and Commons was rare in the 18th for simple century, a very reason. The Lords included the largest landowners, who were who able to decide was 'elected' to the Lower House.

This happy very was à arrangement when it came to enciosures of common land.

This type of skulduggery carried by usualiy out means of a Private Bill in the House of Lords. which was then easily passed through the The enrichment of Commons. the landlord and the ruin of thus the small farmer was accomplished with the help of a few noble friends and a little -the oldest parliamen- tary tradition. The industrial revolution, however, demanded new forms government, industrialist held power more directly. unere were mereoe conflicts between Lords and Commons, notably on Corn Laws and on the reform parliament itself. of But these struggles were resolved without too much dis- governmental ot the The threat to create enough to through the peers carry 1832 Reform Bill was enough to secure its passage through The the Lords. threat was more of their kind at Top: Lords, after investiture of three 'commonplace' state officers, at the arrest of the never carried out. surrounded by more battles The between the Lords and the Liberal govern- ments at the beginning of this were even less funda- century mental in character. In order to bring the Lords Lloyd George filled into line, the House with wealthy indus- trialists, who were happy pay him for the privilege of sitting in feudal splendour.

after the Lords In this 1911 ' Parliament the 1911 Act was This removed forced through. their Lordships' right to veto Bills concerned with any finance, down their and cut delaying power on other mea- sures passed by the Commons to two ycals In 1949 the Attlee i overt ment amended the so that the Lords could only delay Bills for one year.

The idea was to make sure that steel nationalization could Tory not be held up the by Deers. une event, nowever, Attlee backed down from confrontation and postponed the operation of the Steel Act as well as amending it so thai denationalization could easily be carried out. The House of Lords today is Knight of the Garter ceremony. Above: the Tipstaff (centre) at the arrest of the five dockers a very different body from its Workers Press, Thursd feudal past. The ancient noble families have been joined, first by the new aristocrats of Tudor times, then by the Edwardian indus- trialists, and finally by an assortment of domesticated trade union leaders, retired superannuated professors and actors since 1958 as life peers.

POWERS

HELD IN

But it still remains a solid fortress of property and pri- vilege. And, despite conven- tional operation, it holds cer- tain powers in reserve. We have already mentioned the power of the Queen in Council, which functions the Privy Councillors together But although it has never hap- pened since 1688, tne Lords can also sit in Council. Summoned as a Council of rkers Press, Thursday August 24, 1972 PAGE 7 the Crown, the Lords would then be entitled to approve ordered by Royal measures proclamation. Of course as with all conventional functions action could be chal- such lenged in the courts, by which time all kinds of things could done and people have been put out of the way. Perhaps the case would eventually find its way to the supreme tribunal -the House of Lords! seen how We have the House of Lords found its sub- ordinate place in the capitalist state, combining the functions of watchdog and brake, after emerging from the balancing act of the Tudor monarchy into the post-revolution com- promise between landed aris- tocracy and industrial capital.

Today as all the bases for historical compromise are smashed, the state once more enters a period of precarious balancing. One support is the army, another the monopolies and yet anther--much more frazie the trade union Ica ders. in this situation the work- ers' watch movement must our for the activities of very old institutiors in very modern operations.

From the Dockers' Tanner Strike 1889 to Devlin 1967. An historical series on the organization of the dockers by Jack Gale

THE DOCK LABOUR SCHEME

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Thursday Augus From the Dockers' Tan

PART 7

The National .D o c k Labour Scheme came into operation at the end of June 1947. Its aims were declared to be: ensuring greater regular.

ity of employment and an adequate supply of labour, to facilitate the rapid turn-round of ships and the speedy transit of goods through the ports. Authority was vested in a National Dock Labour consisting of a Board, chairman and vice-chairman appointed by the Minister of Labour, plus four mem- bers from the workers' side and four from the employers' The Minister has the right to appoint two more 'indepen- dent' members, but this right has so far never been exercised.

The Board's functions are to control recruitment to and dis- charge from the port registers to be responsible for and training and welfare, and the provision of amenities on the docks. These duties were to be financed by a levy of up to 25 per cent of the wages bill paid to the men. The scheme allowed for non- registered men to be used in an emergency and for a temporary register to be set up where seasonal fluctuations were common (as in Southampton).

The National Dock Labour Board was also empowered to cut the port registers. Each port, or group of ports, has its own local Dock Labour Board consisting of an equal number of representatives from each side. In legal terms, all dockers became employees of the Board (up to 1967) until the moment they were hired by a company operating in the port.

Men who were not hired at the free call were obliged to report to the Board's pen to find out if they were needed elsewhere in the port, or to card stamped, as get their attendance entitlement to money for the half-day. Under the 1947 transfer clause men were also obliged to accept any suitable work in the port, or at another port provided it was, in the Board's opinion, within daily travelling distance of home. Disciplinary powers were in local boards. The vested 1947 procedure was for an employer to lodge a written complaint with the Board. The accused man then had three days to lodge an appeal. The Board heard the case could issue punishments and ranging from dismissal to sus- pension for up to five working days. The Scheme also underwrote the agreements of the Joint Negotiation Council for the Docks Industry, which estab- lished the weekly guarantee and attendance money. Arthur Deakin, who had succeeded Ernest Bevin as General Secretary of the Trans- port and General Workers' Union, hailed the scheme as 'a form of workers' control'. But many dockers were more cautious. They pointed out that the 'men's represen- tatives' on the disciplinary tribunals were usually right- wing union officials who were only too eager to line up with employers in forcing the militants off the dock. The Scheme did, however, take away from the employer the sole right of hire and fire.

It also removed from the employers their previously un- limited disciplinary powers over the men. day August 24, 1972 ers' Tanner Strike 1889 to Devlin 19 Left: Arthur Deakin- under him union of have These gains been jealously guarded by dockers They have been ever since. equally consistently under fire from the employers who have been trying for a quarter of a century to destroy or erode the Scheme. In that time the employers have argued that the Board's disciplinary powers were in- that union officials adequate, carrying out management func- tions on the boards had in- over their adequate control members, and that the Scheme gave the employers inadequate control over the register.

This last was a polite way of saying that the bosses wanted to recover their old unlimited right to hire and fire. During the years of • full employment and economic ex- pansion, the old guard of the port employers were restrained by the more far-sighted repre- sentatives of the ruling class.

In 1955, for example, the National Association of Port Employers asked Sir Walter Monckton, the Tory Minister of Labour, to remove all union representatives from the Dock Labour Boards. Monckton appointed Lord Devlin to inquire into this and Devlin rejected proposal the employers' demands on the grounds that dockers could no longer be , declared HiS Lordship, 'disturb the minds of moderate men without deterring the extremists'.

In other words, the ruling class in the conditions prevail- ing at that time, preferred to rely on the union leaders hold- ing back their men rather than on direct dominance by the port employers. They relied, in fact, on men ary like John Donovan, the then Transport and General Wor- kers' Union's National Docks Secretary, who pledged to the employers in 1946—shortly be- fore the Scheme was brought into operation: 'We will take our respons- ibilities equally with you and we will fight our men if they are not playing the game."

NAPE's persistent The efforts to bring about large- evlin 1967. An historical series on t n union officials became a diaciplinary force aga scale modifications in the scheme during the 1950s re- mained unsuccessful. They frequently asked for periods of suspension longer than the five days laid down by the Scheme, and they tried to get money fines imposed on 'trouble-makers', in addition to suspensions. The bosses also proposed to suspend the Scheme during unofficial strikes so that men could be laid off without the guaranteed payments and so that unregistered labour could be used to move essential cargoes. This was turned down by Devlin in 1956 on the grounds that the government already held such powers under the Emergency Powers Act of 1920. employers' Despite the hatred of the Dock Labour Scheme and the basic gains which it represented for dock- workers-and which they have rightly defended-this Scheme was in no way a step towards workers' control of the docks.

Such control cannot be oper- ated until property is taken out of private hands. Revisionists like the Insti- for Workers' Control tute consistently present workers' control devoid of any revolu- tionary struggle against capi- talism: 'Workers' control signifies a struggle by workers and their organizations encroach to upon the prerogative of man- and to back agement cut managerial authority in the enterprise and the powers of capital in the economy. It begins with the simple trade union demands for con- trol of hiring and firing, tea- breaks, hours, speed of work, allocation of jobs and so on.

'It mounts through a whole series of demands (open the books, for example) to a point where, ultimately over the whole of society, capitalist authority meets impasse."

was not les- This conflict sened after the introduction of the Dock Labour Scheme. Less than a year after its inception, 19,000 London dockers plus a further 9,000 in Liverpool were on strike over discipline.

Eleven men in the Regents rejected had Canal dock a piecework price for discharg- ing 100 tons of zine oxide.

ies on the organization of the docke 'force against militants. Right: Str Walter Moncki Inspection committees found against the men and they were each given one week's suspen- sion and three months' dis- attendance entitlement to money and guarantee. The strike began over these punishments. 205,000 man days and 1,000 troops were lost were sent into the London docks in the first declared State of Emergency since the General Strike. Eventually, the punishments were reduced to two weeks' disentitlement. Within a year (April 1949) 15,000 London dockers were out again in the so-called 'Ineffective Strike'. On national instructions, the London Dock Labour Board had struck off the register 33 men who were said to be 'old and ineffective'. ' An official strike was called by the National Amalgamated Steve- and Dockers' Union, dores' though many T&GWU men joined in as well. The strike was defeated after a week, largely because the T&GWU fought against it, and NASD was expelled from all Dock Labour Board repre- sentation. A more powerful challenge both to the union leaderships and the state, however, was to arise out of the 'Canadian Sea- men's Strike of May-July 1949.

This was a stoppage in sup- port of the Canadian Seamen's Union, which the Canadian shipping bosses were seeking to smash. Dockers at Avonmouth re- fused to work a number of Canadian ships and similar in action rapidly followed Bristol, Liverpool and London.

408,000 man-days were lost, a State of Emergency was declared and once more troops.

worked the London docks. importance of this The strike, however, lay in its after- math. It had not only chal- lenged the Dock Labour Board, but the Transport and General Workers' Union as well. It was, strictly speaking, not a strike but a lock-out. The men had refused to work only certain Canadian ships. The employers refused to allow them to work any others un- e dockers by Jack Gale lor Monckion, Tory Labour Minlaler, 1955.

less they worked the ones in dispute. struggle was then led The by an unofficial London Cen-.

tral Lock-Out Committee. The T&GWU executive sub- sequently expelled three leaders of this committee — Harry Constable, Ted Dickens and C. H. Saunders - from the union and barred four others from holding office. Since no one could work on the London Dock without a union card this meant the three men were being put off the dock. A new Port Workers' Defence Committee called out 19,000 London men demand- ing reinstatement for the three.

The government (Labour) sent 3,000 troops into the dock and the London Dock Labour Board (including of course T&GWU representa- tives) threatened to withdraw registration from every striker.

The Communist Party pulled back from a fight against the T&GWU bureaucracy and the strike was defeated. : Constable was left without a union card, but, such was his standing on the dock, that he was permitted to work without one. The collaboration of the Communist Party with the wing leaders of the right T&GWU (the Stalinists hoped to persuade their 'friends' to withdraw the 'Black Circular' barring Party members from holding office in the union) was to take even more open forms in 195.4. But the immediate con- sequence of the pull-back in 1950 was to encourage the Labour government and the employers to go over onto the offensive. Immediately the expulsions strike was over, the Labour government set up the Leggett Committee of Inquiry into un- official strikes in the London docks. Less than a year later, dockers were to find them- selves on trial at the Old Bailey.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

" David F. Wilson: 'Dockers; the Impact of Industrial Change? p. 103. 2 Ken Coates and Tony Top- ham, 'The Debate on Workers' Control', pp. 33-34.

FILM REVIEW

Sam Peckinpah's 'Junior Bonner' (starring Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ida Lupino and Ben John- son). Sam Peckinpah makes very nasty films. Anyone who "The Wild saw Bunch' will know what I mean. The closing sequence was a shoot-out which set the screen with and the aisles awash blood and bits of flesh blasted by shotguns. To give added effect Peck- inpah showed a number of the victims being burst asunder in slow motion. It was a colossal exhibition of gratuitous violence. On the promise that his latest film 'Junior Bonner' (Odeon, Kensington) was 'more meaningful', I went along.

Peckinpah, however, was at it again. Could it be any other way? There's no mayhem this time.

The only 'bloodshed' is an almighty punch-up-again we get the slow motion bit-which is brought to a close by the playing of the American national anthem. The anarchic theme remains.

People are miserable, worth- less victims of the social con- dition they're caught up in.

In this film Peckinpah roarin' In the 1970s the Bonners are still hopelessly and romanti- cally wedded to the Wild West.

Head of the family is Ace Bonner (admirably played by Robert Preston), whose great claim to fame is that he busted the toughest bronc in the West at Madison Square Gardens before an audience of city dudes. His estranged wife, Elly pretends to being the tirm,.

sane' member of the family, but when the guitars start can't resist strumming she another ride in the saddle with Ace. Then there's Curly Bonner, their son. He's the wide boy in the family. Not for him the rodeo trail with its stinking caravans and its bone-breaking dangers.

Curly decides to cash in on the commercial aspect of the Wild West. He defiles the rest of the family's great passion by form- ing a company called Curly Bonner's Rancheros. This is a nightmare outfit which is into property develop- ment and also bussing tourists around Arizona to look at caged animals and Red Indians.

Curly has a hard-faced wife, a couple of dinky kids, a per- sonal advertizing spot on tele- vision and a big bank balance.

The moment of truth in the film comes in a sullen con- frontation between Curly and Junior his younger brother, Bonner (Steve McQueen). Junior, or JR as he is known, is hooked completely on the rodeo circuit. He carries on the unruly and cavalier tradition of his father and always tackles the mean- est and ugliest bull in the busi- ness. Over a drink in the saloon, Curly says to JR: 'I'm on my way to making my first million trying to break and you're eight seconds', , a reterence to IR's aim to ride a vicious-look- ing bull inside the time limit and win a couple of thousand dollars prize money. Peckinpah, therefore, poses two alternatives: unbridled free enterprise or refuge in rekindling the romanticism of the West. Curly the capitalist is shown in the grand parade driving a tractor which is pulling a float of mini-skirted gals giving away free goodies to the spec- tators. Ace and JR climb aboard the same horse and ride madly through the parade and then through the neighbourhood— in slow motion-causing ter- ror to the inhabitants. Their escapade ends at a deserted railway station where Ace asks his son for money to take a trip to Australia, the last frontier of the American dream, to prospect for gold.

When the film draws to its predictable conclusion-Ace gets his ticket to Australia, Curly's doing very well and JR has ridden the minotaur-one is left with some huge ques- tions to ask Peckinpah. For instance has he ever visited any of the Wild West towns where the rodeo riders operate? They are a far cry indeed from the all-American, apple on pie and toffy apple portrait painted by Peckinpah. They are dreary, miserable, poverty-stricken ghost towns.

that is, for Poverty-stricken, the majority of the population, who live off the tourist trade and a bit of seasonal work on the land is certainly none of There the bonhomie which Peckin- the tree- pah attributes to lined township in his film. He has the barman handing out free drinks to the broncbusters and the same host laughing gleefully during the fight which wrecks his pub. In Arizona, where the film an incident shot, such was would have provoked a police invasion of the scale which turned up at Attica prison...

and with the same murderous • results. Peckinpah's version of middle America not a cop is to be seen. Only god-fearing prairie folk. Their grand parade even has a military band-just back from Vietnam?-which gets a great reception from all the cleanshaven, bronzed cowboys who stand waving the stars and Stripes. The other staggering gloss is Peckinpah's womenfolk. In particular, there is the girl who JR charms into the haystack with his deep blue meaningful glances. She is Raquel Welch, Tricia Nixon and one of McGovern's daughters rolled into one. In fact very much like the super- girl in 'Love Story', , in whose mouth butter wouldn't melt.

But the rodeo circuit hang- ers-on are far different from this. • rather like the They stars. They crawl from pop one sleeping bag to the next and from one road show to That's the reality of the next. their cruel existence. The American cinema has already constructed one myth- ology about the West. Now Peckinpah is superimposing another. audiences will be British confused by the unrealness of this film. In New York it will have the middle class lashing around in a 'crisis of conscience' about the future of civilization.

In the poor towns of the American Mid-West it will be a sick joke.

A MAN OF PROPERTY

James Callaghan, shadow Home Secretary and the mar who sent troops into Ireland, may have to declare an interest when it to debating comes Labour's programme at annual conference. recent activities down His on the farm may be a source of embarrassment when dele- Labour the gates COnne Party's proposal for a wealt!

tax. The value of farmland has Farms of 100 soared recently. and 150 fetch an acres can average £368 an acre compared £263 an acre last year. Wild Over four Cal- cais ago laghan went into farming with a friend and bought 110 acres near Lewis for £22,000. Several

BOOKS

Press, Thursday August 24, 1972 PAGE 9 thousands have been spent on improvement and the two men managed to get a £400 govern- ment grant. The value of the property today is around a cool £80,000.

Half of this is Callaghan's.

With his interests in two banks Labour's and other assets Number Two is well into the wealth tax bracket that the Party rank and file will be pressing for at the October conference. Any questions on public ownership on the land might be slightly awakward as well.

Anyway the debate should be interesting. Callaghan, the Below: James Labour Party's wealthy No. 2.

LEON TROTSKY :

Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25—cloth £1.87% Where Is Britain Going ? Paperback 372p Revolution Betrayed Paperback 62}p-—cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.124-cloth £1.87} Permanent Revolution : Results and Prospects Paperback 75p in Defence of Marxism Paperback 75p Lessons of October Paperback 60p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

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• PAGE 10 Workers Press, Thursday August 24, 1972

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

TOMMY LAWTON,

workers of greed and disappoint- ing people in Preston over their Preston district organizer Guild period. of the Union of Construc- The resolution went on: 'We support the building workers in tion, Allied Trades and their struggle intolerable over Technicians has warned wages and local strikers against went on: 'I feel we should show splits generated by the tangible support for men's the capitalist press. fight. For example, should we continue basic work with firms Men at a recent builders' who employ lump labour?' meeting in the town called He hopes to move a resolution trades council banning for the ejection of a repre- in the lump labour in the area. of the Lancashire sentative Cilr John O'Connor, a building 'Evening Post'. They accused shop and member steward the of bias paper against Preston South Labour Party, told their strike. Workers Press that there was 'enthusiastic and unanimous sup- discussion After considerable building he was allowed to stay port' for the workers. because, At the pickets meeting yester- delegate said, the pub- as day morning the strike commit- licity 'would only get worse. delegation of Preston build- recommended that A tee every single and siders or forced ing workers will join a march Guild the scaffolders for through Bolton today in support September 3. week starting of the full claim. This is a complete reversal of Preston has also congratulated previous policy, and after the the Blackpool strike committee told meeting militants formed week ago-for many only Workers Press they were opposed pulling out local sites. the police headquarters to th Monday's decision Even meeting Hutton, mass at where the manage- Lawton Tommy had received ment had prepared secret ballot cheers when he said: 'We'll only forms, out by a majority came build if the Guild the stands of 28 to two when approached will let the people in for nothing by the strike committee. Cllr Parker told the strike building workers The Preston of committee that the Guild would have the the now support receive no profit from this work.

local trades council and the two At yesterday's meeting men from Labour Party constituencies. mid-Preston, Turner's CIlr Harold Parker, site, in chairman about the profits ¡nul's of the education committee, told asked Scaffolders would receive.

Workers Press that a resolution Another compared the issue to had been passed at the trades "They the miners' strike. struck council which 'condemned the "Even- said solid and they won,' one articles in the Lancashire building rank-and-filer. Post" accusing the ing Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

LABOUR

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

LEAGUE,

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

Name Address The daily paper that nade tha fiaht against the Tories. £20.28 for 12 months (312 laques) {10.14 for 6 months (156 Issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a woek the rates are: {1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send to: 186a Clapham High St., Irculation Dent.. Workers Pres ondon. SWA 7UC I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

MONDAY

THURSDAY

Days required

TUESDAY

FRIDAY

(Please tick)

WEDNESDAY.

SATURDAY

Or months. Full subscription (six days) for Name Address Amount enclosed £ Preston bullding workers at thet meetin At Monday's meeting Lawton said: 'We have not had an in- crease in basic rates from Jan- uary 1971 yet houses have on average increased by 20 percent.

'Profits of some firms have increased by 50 per cent. We want a guaranteed wage at the end of the week? He went on: 'We've reached the bottom. We can't go any lower. If we lose this one, you might as well go out of this industry because we will starve.

"Socialism is built on the work- ing man's struggle for survival.

'We try to create something better for those coming after us.

It's the employers you work for who runs your and millions families' lives. ›We are nghting for the right to live and the right to work? Tommy Irving of the Transport and General Workers Union read a prepared leaflet to be issued strike committee the to pickets which said: 'We have to advise that we are on official strike in the construction indus- try in support of this claim.'

He added that T&GWU drivers had general instructions not to the picket lines and, in cross particular cases, had been told by convenors not to.

BY AN INDUSTRIAL REPORTER

THE GOVERNMENT has agreed in principle to an application to develop 1,500 acres at Maplin Sands, Essex, for container and unit-load facilities. In April, the go-ahead was given for the development on an oil terminal to handle ships of up to 500,000 tons. The seaport will be a vital part in the total Maplin project to build London's third airport and a new city for 250,000 people to go with it. But the seaport itself is only expected to employ about 1,500 workers, and only half of those will eventually be dockers.

inte- The development of an grated port Maplin could at mean the end not only of the enclosed docks like the Royals but also the modern Tilbury complex. Maplin could become the basis eir meeting The lack of union leadership was questioned again. "They've talked about total escalation. Why don't Jones and Smith IT&GWU and

UCATT

leaders] stand up and say it's a national strike?' asked Alan Moon of the strike committee.

I propose a joint shop stewards' committee like on the docks.' Tommy Irving replied that on 17 at 4 p.m. he had August received a telex signed by Jack Jones which said: 'We will esca- late the strike until it becomes a complete national stoppage.'

ABOUT 7,000 building workers are on strike in south wales, according to UCATT regional organizer Ron Bowen. 'We have found tremendous enthusiasm among the men,' he said. 'Some are ringing us up asking us to send mobile pickets to get their sites closed.'

This week pickets have brought work to a halt on the Cardiff- trunk road and the Merthyr £200,000 hypermarket at Caer- philly. Smaller sites in Port Talbot and Swansea were also closed.

TBEATH THER

SPACE RESERYED FOR STORI

MARSHALLING. ROAD & RAIL

TRANSFER &

DERN WORKING AREAS

BERTH

DISTANCE DEPENOS ON.

SIZE & SHAPE OF

RECLAMATION

3s€ '230t" AIRPORT RUNWAY No. 2.

AUNNARA

SPACE FOR FUTURE-

1250°

AO-RO / LO - LO SMORT

SEA BERTNS

AIRPORT

PERIMETER ROAD

SPACE RESERVED FOR STOR

ROAD/ RAIL.

EXPANSION ETC

ALAPORT BOUNDARY

DOCK MAIN

ROAD & RAIL

The provisional berth-plan for Maplin 3a of a 'through' delivery service using sea, road, rail and air.

Use of large Continental-style lorries, an expansion of the rail freightliner service and barge ships will form the basis of this operation. Japanese ships carrying 1,000 containers at a time will arrive at Maplin and their loads will go straight to the buyer's door, cutting out all those who used to handle the goods before.

The Port of London Authority is planning two high-capacity load

BY OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

TWENTY-THREE members of the Transport and General Workers' Union are entering the fourth week of their offi- cial strike at Toyota (Great Britain) Ltd at Lydden Hill, near Dover. The strike began when two union members were sacked on July 21 for alleged 'inefficiency.

But the circumstances of their sacking are puzzling. Four days prior to the sacking one of the men was given a pay rise of £4 a week. Then he and the other sacked men were invited into the office and told that trade unions were not recognized. They were subsequently dis- missed. The area organizer of the union has been in touch with Pride and Clarke, Croydon, who are Toyota dealers in Britain, but with no success. Leading member of the strike told Mowles, committee, Vic Workers Press that attempts will be made to black Toyota cargo leaving Antwerp at the weekend.

He went on: 'If we can stop this ship Toyota have really got problems.' has gone to telegram Antwerp dockers' union by courtesy of the Kent area of the National Union of Mineworkers, appealing to them to stop the cargo leaving for Dover. Dover and Rochester dockers are refusing to handle Toyota cars and British Rail men | blacking all local deliveries and financial the strikers support.

SPENDING BEACH,

FUTURE No. 2 DOCK

TBERTH

SEAMALL

I RESERVED FOR STORAGE.

FEET

-LOCATION. ALIGNMENT & DESIGH

ISFER & EXTENSION OF

OF SEAWALL SUBJECT TO MODEL

AREAS

TESTS & AIRPORT LOCATION

- COMTAINER BERTN

STAGE I (90 ACRES)

1230° No. l

DREDGED CHAMNEL

DOCK

SHORT SEA LO- LO/

RO • NO BERIM.

STAGE I (50 ACRES)

175 0

STORAGE,

/RAIL TRANSFER, FUTURE

OIL TERMINAL

Maplin Sands which could kill the Royale terminals for Maplin stage one, one for deep-sea container traffic and the second for short-sea services using a lift-on, roll-on type of operation. The unit-load terminals at Maplin will be capable of hand- ling the largest container-ships that can be envisaged for the ' said the PLA. future, The ships will be able to navigate the channels, berth and unberth at any state of the tide and in virtually all weather conditions.

TV

BBC 1

ITV

9.45 Along the trail. 10.00 Robin- 11.35 East meets West. 12.25 son Crusoe. 10.25-10.35 Noggin Women today. 12.50 Common and the omruds. 10.40-12.45 One- Market cook book. 1.15 Bellbird cricket. Eng- 1.30 Zingalong. 1.40 Arthur. 2.05 day international 2.30 Matinee. 3.00 Castle haven. land v Australia. 1.00 Race to Houseparty. the White House. 7.30 Herbs. 3.15 Joker's wild. 1.45 News 3.45 Marcus Welby MD. 4.40 1.53 weatner. Nuts and bones. 4.55 Atom ant.

Show jumping and international 5.28 How. 5.50 News. cricket. 4.15 Play school. 4.00

6.00 TODAY.

Deputy dawg. 4.45 Jackanory. 6.30

CROSSROADS.

5.00 Harlem globerotters. 5.20 Barrier reef. 5.44 Sir Prancelot.

6.55 FILM: 'The Man in Grey'.

Margaret Lockwoou, James 5.50 News and weather. 6.00

NATIONWIDE.

Mason, Phyllis Calvert, 6.55

HE SAID,

SHE

SAID.

Stewart Granger An ex-

TOP

OF

THE POPS.

debutante in the 1790s is 8.00

THE DICK EMERY SHOW.

8.30

HAVING A

LOVELY TIME.

in love with a highwayman Auberon Waugh . . WIth but married to a rogue. the Guns

MAX BYGRAVES AT THE

9.00 9.00 NINE O'CLOCK NEWS and weather.

ROYALTY.

Guest Jack 9.25

PLAY

FOR TODAY: "The Smethurst. Man Sidecar'. in the

9.30 THIS WEEK.

Simon Gray. Gemma James Larenson,

10.00 NEWS AT TEN.

JUlIOS. David Collinas

CINEMA.

Clive James. 10.40

THEM.

James Booth, Cyril

THE AVENGERS:

Cusack 11.00 'Get a 11.10

ROBERT

WAGNER'S

way'.

GINI-NA

12.00

CHRISTIANITY IN ADVER-

11:45

LATE NIGHT NEWS.

Weather.

SITY.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 4.30 Distel with guests Petula One-dav internatona CHiCKeL Clark, Roy Castle, Steph- England v Australia. ane Grappelli and his trio.

7.30 NEWSROOM and weather. 10.10 NEWS ON 2 and weather.

8.00

SONS OF

THE

BLOOD:

10.15 FILM: 'Nothing but a Man'.

"The Great Boer War'. Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln.

8.30 EMMA.

of Part six the film American dramatization Jane doolt Negro's struggle for Austen's novel. acceptance.

9.15 INDUSTRIAL GRAND

Crich.

11.45 FESTIVAL

26. Edinburgh

LOUR.

SACHA'S IN TOWN. Sacha 9.25 International Festival. Manchester picket planned

POSTERS-OFENSER

230 NoW! With no strng A HL

PAI

FOR

PİNAT EE NS N LERA REAN

AliNAY

CLAUSIS

NAGE

'HEATH

OUT!'

was the General Strike on Rock central demand of Tuesday's 2,000-strong building wor-

WORKERS

Gibraltar kers' march through Man- staged a General Strike. this chester. week in at governor DIest But although a call for a Sir Varyl Begg's decision to total nationwide stoppage have British troops man the was carried Communist Party electricity generating station, relieve sought during a strike. pressure on the union leaders The public service employees to mobilize for all-out an on strike went the beginning battle with the Tory govern- the support week ment. 'Never mind the execu- demand. During the first committee, wase 24 hours of their strike six gov- London ernment technicians had Stalinist Jack Henry told a manned generalng station but meeting. on Tuesday they agreed to leave James Booth in 'Them' (last of the serle

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 2.50

3.40 Cyprus. 4.05 Nuts and 4.20 Puffin. 4.22 Dick Van Dyke.

4.50 Skippy. 5.20 London. 6.00 News and weather. 6.10 Hogan's 6.35 7.00 neroes. Crossroads. Film: 'Seven Hills of Rome'. 9.00 11.02 Marcus Welby. London. 11.55 News and weather in French. Weather. WESTWARD. As Channel except: 3.55 Gus Honeybun. 4.20 News.

ph- 6.00 Diary. 10.59 News. 11.55 trio. Faith for life. an'. SOUTHERN: 12.55 News and weather. 1.00 Afloat. 1.25 Hogan's 1.50 Common Market heroes. cook book. 2.15 Bellbird. 2.30 Let's face it. 3.00 Saint. 4.00 Houseparty. 4.15 Send for dithers.

4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 Stingray.

5.20 London. 6.00 Day by day.

6.45 On the buses. 7.15 Film: on Rock after discussions with union lead- ers. It was then that the governor ordered troops into the genera- ting station. After a demonstration of over 5,000 workers along the Rock's main street, the governor told public service workers' represen- tatives that he would pass on their request for a settlement of their pay claim to the official employers and the British govern- ment. He said, however, that he could not arbitrate or give a directive as requested by the unions.

Workers Press, Thursday. August 24, 1972 PAGE 11 6.20 Arena. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Sale. 7.30 Film: 'The Lavender Hill Mob'. 9.00 London.

ATV MIDLANDS: 3.10 Houseparty.

3.25 Paulus. 3.35 Horoscope. 3.45 Women today. 4.10 Family affair. 4.35 Nuts and bones. 4.50 Pretenders. 5.20 London. 6.00 ATV today. 6.35 Crossroads.

7.00 Sale. 'The 7.30 Film: With Spy My Face'. 9.00 London. 11.00 Marcus Welby MD. 12.00 Stories.

ULSTER:

4.10 Gourmet. 4.30 Romper room. 4.50 News. 4.55 Rovers. 5.20 London. 6.00 News. Partners. 6.10 6.35 Crossroads 7.00 of Their kind music. 7.30 Film: 'Gallant Journey'. 9.00 Lon- don. 11.00 Champions. YORKSHIRE: 1.45 Scotland Yard.

2.15 Bellbird. 2.30 Sound of 3.15 Corwin. 4.10 Calendar news.

4.15 Crossroads. 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55 Funky phantom.

5.20 London. 6.00 News and weather.

6.05 It takes a thief. 7.00 Film: 'Desperate Journey'. 9.00 London.

11.00 Department S. 11.55 Some- thing to about. 12.25 sing Weather. GRANADA: 2.25 Freud on food. 2.45 Wonderful world. 3.40 Scot- land Yard casebook. 4.10 News.

Peyton Place. Nuts 4.40 and bones. 4.55 Lidsville. 5.15 Lon- don. 6.00 News. 6.05 Amazing world of Kreskin. 6.30 UFO.

7.25 'The Gun'. Film: Silent 8.50 Sylvester. 9.00 London. 11.00 Police file. 11.05 Avengers. TYNE TEES: 1.40 Scotland Yard.

2.15 Bellbird. 2.30 3.00 Junkin. Sound of . 3.15 Calling Doctor the series), BBC 1, 10.30 p.m.

Gannon. 4.10 News. 4.15 Cross- roads. 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55 'Sam Hill: Who Killed the Mys- Woobinda. 5.20 London. 6.00 terious Mr Foster?' 9.00 London.

News. 6.05 Other Lindisfarne 11.00 News. 11.10 Film: 'Dark 6.30 Coronet blue. 7.25 Film: Eyes of London'. 12.35 Weather.

'The Hut'. 9.00 Little London. Guideline. 10.30 Sportstime. 11.00 Cinema. Police calf. 11.30 11.35 Calum's

HARLECH: 3.20

Common Market ceilidh. 12.05 News 12.20 cook book. 3.45 Dr Simon Locke.

Epilogue. 4.15 Tinkertainment. 4.30 Cross- roads. 4.55 Joe 90. 5.20 London.

SCOTTISH: 3.35 Horoscope. 3.40 6.01 Report West. 6.18 Report Animaland Women today 4.10 Wales. 6.35 Dick Van Dyke. 7.10 4.40 Nuts 4.15 Crossroads. ano Film: 'Whistle Down the Wind' bones. 4.55 Funky phantom.

5.20 9.00 London. 10.30 A game of London. 6.00 News. 6.15 Randall islands. 11.00 Spyforce. 12.00 Hopkirk. 7.10 Film: 'The and Weather. Adventures of Quentin Durward". and HTV

HTV

Wales Cymru/ 9.00 London. 11.00 Late call. Wales as above except: 4.15-4.30 11.35 11.05 Festival. On the Miri 6.01-6.18 dvdd. buses. 10.30-11.00 Celts. Songs of the

HTV

West as above except: GRAMPIAN: 2.31 News. 2.55 Job 6.18-6.35 Report West. Women look. 3.40 today. 4.10 Yoga. 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55

ANGLIA:

1.40 Remember. 2.05 Pippi longstocking. 5.20 London. Joe 90. 2.30 Women today. 3.00 6.00 News and 6.10 weather. London. 3.15 Randall and Hop- Top team. 6.35 Crossroads. 6.55 News. kirk. 4.10 4.15 Jimmy Film: 'The Girl Rush'. 8.30 Shut Stewart. 4.40 Paulus. 4.55 Skippy.

that door. 9.00 London. 11.00 5.20 London. 6.00 About Anglia. Young view. 11.30 Avengers.

AN APPLICATION

for the other conspiracy charges relating costs of the to anti-apartheid demonstrations private prosecu- as sports events involving South tion against Peter Hain, chair- African teams. man of the Young Liberals, to A spokesman for Bennion's be paid out of funds public solicitors said in London yester- will be heard by Judge Gillis dav: "It would be quite improper at the Old Bailey today. for me to say what the figure of It is being made by Francis is. costs Bennion, the 48-year-old barrister The has amount been esti- who brought the prosecution.

mated, however, at about £20.000.

Hain (22). fined £200 by was Bennion, director Freedom the judge on Monday after a jury Under the Law Ltd, is closely found him of conspiring connected guilty with the right-wing to hinder and disrupt the Davis Monday Club. Cup tennis match between Britain • For a profile of the Monday and South Africa in 1969. Club, Saturday's Workers Hain was cleared on three Press. Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 621p

MAX SHACHTMAN:

Behind The Moscow Trial Paperback 75p

ROBERT BLACK:

Stalinism In Britain Paperback £1.12}—Cloth £2

LEON TROTSKY:

Death Agony of Capitalism (The Transitional Programme) Pamphlet 50 Class Nature of the Soviet State Pamphlet 20p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p The Theory and Practice of Revisionism Pamphlet 150 Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG.

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Thursday Augu

BY PHILIP WADE

SHOP STEWARDS at London's West India dock yesterday joined stewards from the Royal group in condemning today's anti - immigrant march to the Home Office. A steward told me that there was no steward who would back the march by a group calling itself the Smith- field 'Workers Against Immigration. Leaflets have been given out urging dockers to demonstrate against the entry of Ugandan Asians expelled by the military regime of General Idi Amin.

stewards from On Tuesday, the Royal group attacked the march and said they would have nothing to do with it. I've never felt racial at any time,' Lynch, West India John steward said yesterday. "The situation has always been that the working class are slaves in one way or another. I am against any worker being worker opposed another to because he is coloured. The are helping to stir up Tories racial feelings because it's always been their policy to divide and conquer. 'A lot of Tories have no time for Edward Heath and would rather have Enoch Powell. But the Tories will never disunite because they want to keep the power. 'There's said to be a basic truth that we're a small island and not everyone can be king of the castle. But some people in thousands of this country own acres of land which cannot be built on. 'Only one man told the truth Party, even about the Tory though he never always stayed to the "left", and that was they Aneurin Bevan. He said were vermin, and he was right,' said Lynch. he knew what the He said Tories were like from his family's experience. had originally come They from Ireland during the potato in the 1840s and his 'Who are these Tories? Men

LATENEWS

Prob Captam He Street, London: day August 24, 1972 like Lord Vestey made his money when his family was in the slave trade. He owns the Ulster Bank and builds his ships outside the country because he is such a patriot! "This racial issue is being found for economic issues. 'Let me tell you this. If we get rid of all the coloured people there will still be one million unemployed because of the way the Tories are closing industries down. 'Men like Powell and Nabarro think that only one thing can split the working class and get the Tories popularity and that's the racial issue. "They used to get the King and Queen to come down this way and take our minds of our empty stomachs. Now they use racialism, and papers like the "Daily Express", , the filthiest one going. 'Look in Northern Ireland.

William Craig, a Tory who sup- ported the Industrial Relations Bill, and who is against the work- ing class and strikes, has set up a private army. 'Yet no one has invoked the law against him because he is a good Tory. The Tories are the greatest men of violence of all, added Lynch. The Smithfield demonstration today comes at a time when ex- treme right-wing groups in Bri- have launched a national tain campaign to whip up racial hatred and split the working class. It is aimed at fooling workers saying immigration is by the cause of unemployment and bad housing when it is the Tories who have closed factories, delibera- tely stepped up unemployement and attacked housing conditions and rents. Smithfield campaign is The being led by two meat porters, Danny Harmston and Ron Taylor.

Harmston led the 1968 pro- Powell march. He once stood as a candidate for the British Union led by Sir Oswald Movement, Mosley who organized fascist and pro-Hitler forces in Britain in the 1930s. Harmston was also a member of the National Socialist Move- the predecessor of Colin ment, Jordan's British Movement.

who London dock stewards have stood out against the march strike a blow for working class unity and follow the traditions of the dockers who in the 1930s battled it out on the streets with Mosley's Blackshirts when they tried to march through the East End of London.

WEATHER

AN ANTICYCLONE will remain slow-moving over western parts of the British Isles as a weak trough of low pressure moves South over the North Sea.

Northern parts of Scotland will while in have occasional drizzle South East Scotland and eastern parts of England it will be rather cloudy but dry. Elsewhere it will be fine after early mist or fog patches and sunny periods will in most places and develop although warm, there will be sea the coast keeping breezes near these areas rather cool. Eastern parts of England and Scotland will also be rather cool while in northern Scotland tem- peratures will be near normal.

Outlook for Friday and Saturday: Mainly dry with sunny periods some rain in but cloudy with West and North Scotland. Rather cool near the east coast, other- wise temperatures near, or a little above normal. John Lynch at West Indla docks THE TUC is to write to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Hail- circum- sham, about the surrounding the stances rushed House of Lords deci- sion in the container blacking dispute. The General Council decided yesterday to intervene on behalf Transport and General of the Workers' Union which had fines reimposed of £55,000 on it following the judgement. • The Council heard a letter which from the

T&GWU

described the 'unusual aspects' of the way the case had been conducted. The Lords reversed the judge- ment of the Court of Appeal and • thus enabled the National Industrial Relations Court to reconvene and release the five jailed dockers. The TUC will be writing to all affiliated unions advising implications of them of the the judgement. In essence the judge- ment means that it is the unions' THERE IS growing sup- trade union port among branches for dispensation to be granted to Workers Press and the Morning Star' in the event of a national closedown of the press in support of trade union struggles Many trade unionists now see that there is a need in such an emergency for the news- papers of the labour and trade union movement to • continue to function normally. The East London No 15 branch of Furniture, the Timber and Allied Trades Union has passed a resolution stating: This branch calls upon the executive council of Furniture, Allied Trades Timber and Union to urge the executive councils of the printing unions to grant special dispensation allowing Workers Press and the "Morning Star" to con- tinue printing in the event of further newspaper strike action?

The resolution will be for- warded to the union's execu- tive council. The shop stewards' commit- tee at the Ford body plant, Dagenham, representing 5,000 workers has passed a resolu- tion calling for dispensation for Workers Press and the 'Morn- ing Star' if any industrial action like that over the jailed dockers occurs again. rday responsibility to police their shop members, particularly stewards and militants.

IF THE

opening session of the TUC Congress at Brighton on September 4 decides to con- tinue the suspension of regis- tered unions, delegates from all 35 unions on the register will be barred from the proceedings.

Their resolutions before Con- and their dele- gress will fall will be ineligible for gates election to the General Council.

But it became clear after yes- terday's General Council meet- ing that the TUC leadership will not press for the expulsion of the 35 rebel unions. Instead their suspensions will be extended until December 31 during which time they will be to come off the Tory asked register. The question of registration comes up at Brighton on Mon- day afternoon, the first major business session of conference.

Any of the 35 unions may appeal to Congress against suspension.

They will send their letter and resolution to the executives of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades and the National Graphical Association.

The No 26 divisional coun- cil of technical and supervisory section of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers has agreed to send a resolu- their executive com- to mittee. It urges them to use their influence to secure special dispensation for both Workers Press and the 'Morning Star' in the event of industrial action being taken by printing unions similar to that recently taken against the jailing of the five dockers. The same call has been taken up by London airport branch of the electricians and plumb- ers' union. It was passed over- whelmingly will be put and before the next meeting of Hounslow Trades Council. The resolution states: In the event of any further indus- trial action or acts of solidarity in the printing industry of the type seen on July 25 and 26, this branch of the London air- the port EPTU calls upon committees of the executive printing unions to grant dispen- sation to all working-class pub- Workers lications, notably in Press and 'Morning Star', order to allow normal publica- presses that tion of support workers' struggles, as a matter of principle?

ALL TRADES UNIONS

ALLIANCE MEETINGS

TUC MUST BREAK OFF ALL

TALKS WITH HEATHI

MAKE THE TORY GOVERN-

MENT RESIGNI

AYLESHAM: Thursday August 24, 8 p.m. The Legion, Burgess Speakers include Cava- Road. nagh Weaver, steward from Wm. Griffiths, Canterbury.

SHEFFIELD: Thursday August Works, Portobello. 24. Western 'The builders' strike'. Chairman: Tal Clarke (UCATT branch secretary). Speaker: Sean Coulston (Sheffield strike com- mittee member). Both in a personal capacity. PRESTON: Wednesday August 30, 8 p.m. Railway and Com- mercial Hotel, Butler St (nr raliway station). 'The Tory government and the building workers' SLOUGH: Tuesday September p.m. Slough Com- 6, 7.30 munity Centre, Farnham Rd.

'Force the Tories out! Expose the traitors in the labour and union movement!' trade Speakers: Frank Tomany and Brian Bailey, both in a per- sonal capacity. Socialist Labour League

FOUR LECTURES

THE THEORY AND

PRACTICE OF MARXISM

given by

G. HEALY

(SLL national secretary) 1. Marxism as the theory of knowledge Tuesday September 5 2. Development of Marxism through working class struggle Tuesday September 12 3. Nature of the capitalist crisis Tuesday September 19 4. Historical materialism today Tuesday September 26

AEU HOUSE

Mount Pleasant Liverpool 1, 7.30 p.m. 01-622 7029 01-720 2000