Workers Press no. 855

worhers press

UNITED STATES VERSUS THE COMMON MARKET

BITTER TRADE

WAR HOTS UP

DAILY O

BY PETER JEFFRIES

AFTER MONTHS of bitter argum American and European trade exp agreement on the reform of the world Their report, to be published next week by the Organization European Economic Co- for operation (OECD), has already been rejected in advance by the US members, led by William adviser on trade matters.

a minority statement the In Americans make explicit their total objection to the report's main line : • The US refuses to discuss changes in world money arrangements outside of proposals to drastically reduce Euro- pean tariff levels to the advantage of American exports. • Eberle also rejects the proposition liberalize that it is impossible to agricultural trade, except in the very long run. The Americans pressed for fundamental changes in the EEC's farm support policy, the corner-stone of the Common Market. • The US also rejects one of the report's main findings that the chief responsibility for changes in present monetary arrangements lies with the deficit countries. of Bristol OPERATIONS in the Port were hit yesterday as a strike by 200 docks maintenance men entered its ninth day. Of 24 ships in Avonmouth 13 were partly worked. out of action, Two large cranes are many forklift trucks are lying idle because of flat batteries and shunting tractors are at a standstill because there is no one to refuel them. The unloading of grain ships has been affected through the breakdown pumping equipment and a refrigerated cargo, tea, coffee, cocoa, potash and ani- mal feeding stuffs are also being held up.

Another three ships which had been waiting in the Bristol Channel were due to join the strike-bound ships in Avon- mouth last night. The maintenance men want a £7-a-week pay rise because, they claim, differentials between them and dockers have been eroded. DOCKERS at Borthwick wharf in Dept- ford, south-east London, have been told that they are to lose their jobs.

A spokesman for Borthwick's, who gave €1,000 to the Tory Party and £200 to the Economic League last year, told Workers company had Press yesterday that the intended making no public statement on the closure until talks with the NDLB and the dockers' representatives were over.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNES

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTE

argument, a committee of top-level de experts has failed to reach any e world money and payments system.

Here is the clearest possible indication of the grave nature of the crisis of the capitalist system. Nixon's August 15, 1971, measures abandoning the gold backing for the dollar marked a fundamental water- shed in the history of post-war capitalism.

Since then the scene has been set for an even sharper struggle between European and American capitalism. The OECD report is an expression of this growing clash. For millions of workers throughout western Europe and America it is a con- flict with one immediate implication: unemployment. The sharp rise in hard core unemploy- ment in Britain-reported in yesterday's Workers Press—is only part of an inter- national trend. Despite frantic efforts by the Nixon the administration in the run-up to November presidential election, American unemployment still stands at over 6 per cent. In France unemployment is also grow- ing rapidly. In July the unemployment level stood at over 381,000, an increase of more than 10,000 the previous on month and more than 50,000 up on the same period last year. And as the trade war intensifies and foreign markets are eliminated through drastic protective measures, so unemploy- ment must continue to grow at an increas- ing pace. This is the real economic background to the political struggle which every worker faces against the Tory government.

Even Harold Wilson has been forced to voice his concern at this prospect. Writing in the first issue of a new Fabian Society journal Third World', the Labour Party leader warns of a world unemployment crisis that could threaten world peace.

Needless to say the reformist Wilson has no solution to this crisis. But in his own way he expresses the growing fear in the labour and trade union bureaucracy at the implications of the trade war.

In the background stands the huge US trade deficit. Last week Nixon was forced to report the country was a staggering $500m in the red for last month alone after an equally large June deficit.

Following the record $3.3 billion first half-year deficit, it now seems certain that figure will top the $5 billion the yearly mark, over twice the figure recorded last year. As recently as 1964, the US had a trade surplus of over $7 billion. Here is but another indication of the rapidity with which the crisis has developed.

At the OECD talks the Americans made clear that they will not yield an inch to European pleas for monetary reform until there is a fundamental turn round in US trade position. But such a turn round means the crush- ing of all her leading rivals in western Europe and Japan. It is in this situation, with the ruling being forced to turn more and class more openly to the extreme right, that the building of the revolutionary party becomes increasingly urgent.

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE All-out strike is still builders' main aim see p.12 Ift any person is seen removing property from this site out of normal hours, please telephone police 999 and note the registration number of any vehicle used

OFFICIAL DISPUTE

AnS SITE IS

IN STRIKE FOR

Building workers, strike for ten weeks at the Laing's hotel site in Gloucester Road on penniless and yesterday Many of them now London. sian up to claim hardship money complained bitterly that union leaders had done nothing to help them.

Builders: Preston press hero fails

BY INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

The 'Post' NOeD to Split building reported a return on the latest em Low's claim that the men which workers Preston, ploymen

LCHHS

the collapsed yester- were bemna run DV were reTecte

LWG

Lancs, The management unions involved the when over 100 day with the after pres supplied him strike strikers unanimously addresses the rank and names ane IrOl jected pleas to return to their striking employees file. work. and he organized a meet- Stan But he shouted Crane operator Wa. Low has recently rom ne- down angry men WnG Bưt yesterday his effort voted to out on strike. page coverat ITOl ended failure be- 'Lancashire Evening Post* The *Lancashire Evening Post' one- has TOrE

LIUU

workers.

DIUS

aistinguisneg building large posse of the capital- self during strike plan get Ilan ehe pe repara te od and workers ist press and Son break the acpollase Low began by calling for strike. bullaing workers struggle

workers press

UNITED STATES VERSUS THE COMMON MARKET

BITTER TRADE

WAR HOTS UP

DAILY O

BY PETER JEFFRIES

AFTER MONTHS of bitter argum American and European trade exp agreement on the reform of the world Their report, to be published next week by the Organization for European Economic Co- operation (OECD), has already been rejected in advance by the US members, led by William Eberle, President Nixon's main adviser on trade matters.

a minority statement the In Americans make explicit their total objection to the report's main line: • The US refuses to discuss changes in world money arrangements outside of proposals to drastically reduce Euro- pean tariff levels to the advantage of American exports. • Eberle also rejects the proposition that it is impossible to liberalize agricultural trade, except in the very long run. The Americans pressed for fundamental changes in the EEC's farm support policy, the corner-stone of the Common Market. • The US also rejects one of the report's main findings that the chief responsibility for changes in present monetary arrangements lies with the deficit countries. OPERATIONS in the Port of Bristol were hit yesterday as a strike by 200 docks maintenance men entered its ninth day. Of 24 ships in Avonmouth 13 were partly worked. Two large cranes are out of action, many forklift trucks are lying idle because of flat batteries and shunting tractors are at a standstill because there is no one to refuel them. The unloading of grain ships has been breakdown affected through the pumping equipment and a refrigerated cargo, tea, coffee, cocoa, potash and ani- mal feeding stuffs are also being held up.

ships which had been Another three waiting in the Bristol Channel were due to ioin the strike-bound ships in Avon- mouth last night. The maintenance men want a £7-a-week pay rise because, they claim, differentials hetween them and dockers have been eroded. DOCKERS at Borthwick wharf in Dept- ford, south-east London, have been told that they are to lose their jobs.

A spokesman for Borthwick's. who gave £1,000 to the Tory Party and £200 to the Economic League last year, told Workers Press yesterday that the company had intended making no public statement on talks with the NDLB the closure until the dockers' and representatives were over.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESD

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTE

argument, a committee of top-level de experts has failed to reach any e world money and payments system.

Here is the clearest possible indication of the grave nature of the crisis of the capitalist system. Nixon's August 15, 1971, measures abandoning the gold backing for the dollar marked a fundamental water- shed in the history of post-war capitalism.

Since then the scene has been set for an even sharper struggle between European and American capitalism. The OECD report is an expression of this growing clash. . millions of workers throughout For western Europe and America it is a con- with one immediate implication: flict unemployment. The sharp rise in hard core unemploy- ment in Britain-reported in yesterday's Workers Press—is only part of an inter- national trend. Despite frantic efforts by the Nixon administration the run-up to the November presidential election, American unemployment still stands at over 6 per cent. In France unemployment is also grow- rapidly. In July the unemployment ing at over 381,00 the previous level stood an increase than 10,000 of more month and more than 50,000 up on the same period last year. And as the trade war intensifies and eliminated through foreign markets are drastic protective measures, so unemploy- ment must continue to grow at an increas- ing pace. This is the real economic background to the political struggle which every worker faces against the Tory government.

Even Harold Wilson has been forced to voice his concern at this prospect. Writing in the first issue of a new Fabian Society journal 'Third World', the Labour Party leader warns of a world unemployment crisis that could threaten world peace.

Needless to say the reformist Wilson has no solution to this crisis. But in his own way he expresses the growing fear in the labour and trade union bureaucracy at the implications of the trade war.

In the background stands the huge US trade deficit. Last week Nixon was forced report the country was a staggering to alone $500m in the red for last month after an equally large June deficit.

record $3.3 billion first Following the half-year deficit, it now seems certain that the yearly figure will top the $5 billion mark, over twice the figure recorded last year. As recently as 1964, the US had a trade billion. Here is but surplus of over $7 another indication of the rapidity with which the crisis has developed.

At the OECD talks the Americans made clear that they will not yield an inch to European pleas for monetary retorm unti there is a fundamental turn round in US trade position. But such a turn round means the crush- ing of all her leading rivals in western Europe and Japan. It is in this situation, with the ruling more and being forced class to turn more openly to the extreme right, that the building of the revolutionary party becomes increasingly urgent., DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE All-out strike is still builders' main aim see p.12 If any person is seen removing property from this site out of normal hours, please telephone police 999 and note the registration number of any vehicle used. OFFICIAL DOroT

73 SITE IS

DIVE TO

Bullding at the Laing's hotel site in Gloucester Road, workers, on strike for ten weeks penniless and yesterday Many of them are now up to claim hardship money.

London, complained bitterly that union leaders had done nothing to help them.

Builders: Preston press hero fails

BY INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

The 'Post' a return on the latest em- A BID to split building reported which the men terms workers Preston, Low's claim that buyichl rejected the collapsed were being 360111- were

LWO

Lancs, vesler. tants. The management unions involved the when over 100 day with after pres- him strike supplied strikers unanimously addresses the rank and trom names Sure jected pleas to return to their striking employees file. work. and he organized a meet- But he shouted Crane Stan operator Was Low has recently got front- angry men Gown

WRO

But yesterday failure ores voted to stay out on strike from the page coverare total failure 'Lancashire Evening ended 'Lancashire Evening Post' after one- Post ha: Tore workers. building large posse of the capital- during biased and strike get ce t illail the particularly workers ist press. 1 urnel hostile and Son to break the 1c cass Low began by calling for strike. bullaing workers struggle

Fat bureaucrats throw garlands at airport PAGE 2 Workers Press, Wednesday Algust 30, 1972

BY JOHN SPENCER

class? She cannot believe that ANGELA DAVIS is US workers want to join reaping the now re- the boots of 1C1 admiration for the leaders of wards of her refusal to stain s neirs. the Soviet bureaucracy. wnen she lelt the courtroon answer the desperate "The Sunday Times' recently in San Jose after her acquittal, 'considers reported that she appeals of persecuted Davis announced: am sure any hast curopean communis the people who struggled for and Czechoslovak does praise me across the country and Brezhnev ... a traitor to the Soviet communists. around the world are that my acquittal is a symbol At Moscow Airport on free Davis was acquitted in Call- ToaT we are going to Monday, fornia after the state had tried prisoners and all the W da gal- charges of oppressed! landed by a special recep- her on i alle The Like the Czechoslovak com- tion committee composed murder consbilaly chief reason for the frame-up munists' appeal, these words of fat bureaucrats' wives.

her membership in the forgotten as Miss Davis was are About 400 women who had whirl the social Communist Party into arrived in special coaches that yet „sne wel ol the privilegea rung canque Brezhnev's concentration in the

USSR.

ne airbort marew mowers her and held banners As Trotsky in "The up contain wrote Laus her brave acclaiming as Revolution Betrayed', discus- imprisoned solely communists for their opinions. Stalin's apologists abroad: band American wretched Also at the airport to greet She has received a number the form er Continon Turesho oas Valentina of moving appeals from these 'Friendship for the Soviet of Stalinist terror-all bureaucracy not friendship victills become sookesman which she cHosen tor the brolerama revoluton.

of Stalinist womanhood. An underground group but on the contrary insurance ignore. She told Davis: "To every- against it? Czech oppositionists, have one in our country you exampie, wrole to ner Davis visits the USSR not as become very close very 'Your dear. Allow hug you

VICTOR

revomoonary behalf seemingly all-powerful arro- against oppression and kiss you all but gant bureaucratic machine.

admirer of the ounter people of Soviet •LAe tne Kremlin Union. collidal! Davis replied: 'I bring soli- "Unice stru the defendants •OWe. Lenin's black people "Unlike the the corpses of darity trom trials] comrades. [in the recent purge United States ot the ane. for of hypocrisy and from the working class which hope Her record Illoral rapidly achieving material support from They! her netraval because any pub- vak communists imprisoned by will countrymen consciousnes: make her of sympathy Brezhnev's puppets eventually allow us in the o 'friend' join the Soviet people in qualined result of measures against such the ranks socialism.' of Ine kremiln. Real revolutionary struggle She added: in- sympathizers. all ruthless The went straight involves expressibly wonderful appeal Tee in. of this to be here on the soil of the wastepaper the Davises InTO basket. world and the political Soviet Union. What right has Stalinism, doubt this woman Tee mo the they represent. closely linked with her great SDeaK 101 and planes. Vietnam,

LIKE

HIS

earlier about announcement fighter. present al c the abolition of con- «American trooos Amer caus ponders actually President scription, actually South Viet- Thailand based in Nixon's number of the US decision to The Viet- ized war is situated. troops in troops nam are non- back from Vietnam in actual combatants- any way implies bases A mercan fighting is rest ground June are many all carefully slackening the Thailand, pilots and gunners who being South gone protected from brutal Indo - China prying from outside Vietnamese troops. operate the 1 hal of South cycl The have Wal. Americans

LAC

authorted WInG Kees The 'residual force' Vietnam. grown so disinclined to them strictly off limits of US soldiers, airmen They that they even include another all. inquisitive employ mercenary and 39.000 men on the air- civilians. will be left in Vietnam troops from the Centra cratt carriers and omne after the cut-backs have US vessels in the Gulf There are 800 fighter- Highlands and pay of bombers and 200 B52 them : to $200 a week Tonkin. up been put into effect are guard outside heir iob is the bom. bombers stand the nare core necessa Lul- to run and service the bardment of the North rently operating over their bases.

JAPANESE

would accept deferred payment Hawaii on Thursday before he correspondents Peking yesterday reported visits Peking lacilities japan migat provide 1o1 Chinese had agreed to exports of steel industrial plant Nixon certain Japanese facilities and other capital goods. Tanak; with lengthy list consider consosals for expanding US trade and monetary Tan- demands. apanese premier Kakuel The proposals, to come anywnere meeling inese.

visiting private trade for talks on expansion of trade Japanese big business must low- etwee the two countries. urgently seek new markets else- included bartering oil for idde surgen the thrive given to where. these talks Japanese petrol, gas oil and from This explains the abrupt United States the close in Japan's policy towards China Chinese trade officials also told American markets. Tanaka is eagerness with President Nixon they. businessmen a panese

ALL TRADES UNIONS

mercial Hotel, Butler St (nr 'The Cow railway station). Tory p.m.

ALLIANCE MEETINGS

the Guild Hall). "Lessons of the and the building government August dockers and builders' strikes.

DUNDEE:

Wednesday workers'. YMCA Constitu 30, Septem. DAGENHAM. Iuesday

EAST

LONDON:

Thursday tion Room. 'Lessons of uGs ber 5, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Fan- and the docks strike.' Festival Inn, August 31, 8 p.m. shawe Avenue, 'Les- Barking Chrisp Street sons of docks strike. UCS jobs PRESTON: Wednesday August Market Square 30, 8 p.m. Railway and com- E14. fight.' ALL 23,000 British - Leyland workers who participated in Monday's one-day strike in of the jobs • fight at support Transport Equipment Thorny- croft, Basingstoke, deserve to be congratulated on their stand.

But particular credit for this powerful act of solidarity, un- precedented within the and heavy-vehicle combine, must go to the shop stewards at the Bathgate truck plant, Scotland; Motors, Leyland Lancashire; Tractor and Trans- mission, Birmingham; Morris Motors, BMC Service and export plant, Cowley, Oxford. The struggle of these men for the strike call, unanimously agreed by a meeting of 150 senior stewards from all over the combine August 9, on exemplifies the fight for leader- ship in the unions today.

Their struggle was by no means easy. Yet it was in support of a basic working- class right: the right to work.

Also at stake was a key prin- ciple-that once the decision to fight for this right had been taken nationally, it should be implemented. It is only in the most ruth- less and determined struggle for these rights and principles that any victories can be won today against the Tory govern- ment and the employers, whose ruling-class arrogance and ruthlessness becomes more sharply defined with each in- crease in the unemployment figures. In this sense Monday's strike was a vital test of those forces really fighting the who are Tories and employers in the Leyland combine. As Gordon Owen-Jones, convenor of the 1,500 workers who are currently occupying Thornycrofts, says: if the trade union movement in the com- bine doesn't show its teeth now, no one's job will be safe.

Leyland's home and overseas markets are shrinking. It is desperately short of cash. Chairman Lord Stokes is hell- bent in knocking it into shape for entry into the Common Market. But rank-and-file car and vehicle workers are determined that they will not be made to US TRADE union chief George Meany yesterday killed any linger- ing hopes that he would endorse Democratic Party Presidential McGovern. candidate George Meany, president of the AFL-

CIO (US

equivalent of the TUC) told his 35-man executive that there could be no change in the decision to remain neutral in the November contest. This followed expressions of hope by both McGovern and his running-mate Sargent Shriver that Meany might at the last moment Democratic Party endorse the ticket. THE TORY government yester- day announced it had frozen a £10m economic and development loan to Uganda which was agreed in principle last August.

Officials from both countries were on the point of finalizing when President contract Amin announced he was expell- ing all Ugandan Asians from the country. pay for their employer's crisis.

Stokes is currently trying to force the hated Measured-Day Work pay system - already imposed on 49 per cent of workers in the combinedown the throats of 2,000 Jaguar strikers. They have been fight- ing for ten weeks. A new push for MDW at Leyland's massive Austin-Morris complex at Longbridge, Bir- mingham, has been answered by a rash of sectional piece- work claims. None of these struggles can be won, however, without the firmest devotion to the fight for principle. It is significant, dangerous, that the stew- and ards' leadership at Longbridge failed to fight tooth and nail for Monday's stoppage. Stokes will take it as a good augury for his MDW strategy. Top stewards' positions at Longbridge and several other Leyland plants in the Midlands are held by members of the Communist Party, which has never led a single principled struggle against MDW or for the right to work. For years these have coexisted men amicably with right wingers who put up no fight at all for Monday's strike. the fight At Cowley, where for the senior stewards' national decision was waged against particularly vicious shop-floor intervention by management, the supporters of the strike at fire one stage came under from the so-called International Socialism group for their activities. Both these tendenciesthe CP and ISare experts at attempting to stab the fight for principle in the back while it is on and then turning round cynically blaming the working class. They did it in the fight against MDW. They did it in their sham fight against the Industrial Relations Act. They did it over the pay claim. They engineers' tried to do it over the docks strike, but for many dockers the trick is wearing out. No one will listen to this poison in relation to Monday's strike.

This was a significant demon- stration that the fight for leader- only on in the ship is not unions ... it is starting to be won.

Workers Press, Wednesday August 30, 1972 PAGE 3 Fighting the Tories' Rent Bill а a South Shields unionists

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

SOUTH SHIELDS Labour Council now stands alone in the plan rearguard rent action Tyneside area in its refusal to implement the Tory Rent Act.

All other Labour controlled councils in the North East area that local Labour This apparent climbdown has incensed now been organized and a fourth have declared they will imple- ists are suspicious the meel- local tenants and trade unionists who feel Hall splan is planned for tonight on the Biddic council will fall in line with other Labour ment the Act and raise council councils soon. Here the trades council hopes to chalk The Labour Party won back control of further somersaults. house rents. the town council in May after their The council has tried to up niggest success. especially this with crash snubbed by Labour councillors in These include Teesside, Jarrow, a rigorous pro- Coullet refused to mount a joint the ward who The Labour group, organize tenants association: Hebburn and Boldon, nowever, nas ignored crame co we as the housing smile conciles to pronge in ent camoden tor me meeune. Sunderland, which have applied to strike National extra staff to assist the Tory-appointed event of a complete climbdown by the union

COT

vineworkers dele. Tory Minister Julian Amery for a Mike Peel trades council assistant gate, rens commussioner sent In. has been involved in the who reduction in the size of the increase At their last meeting, called when one- Labour group. secicialy, third of the holiday, Whitelease and Cleadan Park associa- campaiza. told us because of the economic position and have voted unanimously for rent 13-12 not to hinder rent- tions rollowing the untortunate decision o group decided high unemployment. the South Shields trades council to delay raisine acents. to contnue Is poncy SuIKes of Three of the on the In South Shields, however, trade union- of non-implementation. area's 2 estates have sculls of the councu

ACRON.

Later councile of sate hod to rake on Edinburgh still stands alone local opposition Aberdeen Rent Act 'We are grossly undermanned and ill-equipped financially to land- forced. Last week about THE HOUSING Com- mouthed in view of the council's building trades of ten people have caucus ward members at Cupar builders mittee A berteens

SLANDERIN

undertaken this mammoth task of Eins in estation. stewards Labour-controlled town voted i to 1s lor the Shon

COI-

the While council voted amendment to a motion demned the decision has their efforts are commendable, a and called for the re of after greal teal renegade JaCK thought' and 'under until of the VeAT. bring down the lory government protest'-to implement still does not be implemented. Labourites rebresentatives. workers' reserve will contain the struggle purely Housing absolute Tory In Dundee the 10-6 within the bounds economics. Lave Finance Act. majority. the Labour vote has that realize muck A lass meeling This follows a similar groun on the •council been called Marryat HITe valuable experience will come oul right decision in Dundee, has voted on an amend- favour of implementing objectives this the narrow Dundee Hall, Sep by Cllr Act violated City trades the council also ment moved the coun- tember Waert discuss Glen- Labour Party policy. this history Mclaire policy of rent strikes to conning Isout Labour control. rothes imple- An increase backed by industrial rents, ensures mar i caes noved averare ment the Act. for rent strike collapses, there is These decisions of 9lp week on pay are ahnvore a lot of activists danger that pected if the Act is en- evicted. particularly mealy- meeting the wil be asuuusioned oecduse unt much broader issues of all-round attacks on the working class will have been neglected.

Mike South Shields Trades Council the north As unemployment in east rockets towards 100,000, the means test of the Act Tory Rent Doses In concrete way ine rodu or tne 195Us The rights of the working standard of living and class, be unions Cal OlLy today detencedi Loe comotere mobilization of the working class General Strike remove to Tory from office. coverinci Unions ance demand for the building of Council of Action South Shields must be taken up as the UCATT leadership were prepared to sell us down the river oniv means Craven ABERDEEN builders are picketing all scab sites in the city.

The Tories abscouncils before before? Immediately after the meeting there was trouble The decision to step up their campaign was taken at a mass Tories' offensive between pickets and police at the Hilton site, where a small The strikers cheered their chair- This bringing meeting in the city. If the TUC and CBI The picket would not leave the site Ewen Sinclair, put this motion: contractor was working. tenants associations man, trade unionists, unemployed and until union officials had intervened and stopped the scabs our claim were to negotiate a settlement on our meeting on all working-class political organ- behalf,

UCATT

working. members reserve the right to accept Councils we

OLLO

tale their decision, because of the fact that the Action. reject, on a vote,

POCKET LIBRARY

-227. series which .S.0. appeared Press 1972 June, Why a available

TOW

•amonel the Labour League Socialist Pocket Library. Labour

'WHY A LABOUR GOVERNMENT?

to centrist critics.' A Reply some Government? Cliff Slaughter Price 5p Other titles in this series include: 11fl The Case for a General Election

PAPERBACKS CENTRE

A reply to some By Alex Mitchell. The Ulster Dossier centrist critics The Social Security swindle the All Trades which includes Draft Manitesto violo nuance 28 Charlotte St and the Charter of Basic Rights.

Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs By Cliff Slaughter 9 a.m.-6 p.m London W1 rn y a.M.—1.30 p.m. Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m. All are avallable from 186a Clapham High St, London SW4 7UG.

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PAGE 4 Workers Press, Wednesday Aug Part I of a series on Picketing '... in all countries the police defend the right of the strike- breakers to injure and kill the striker, to whom, as is well known, the law of the sanctity of human life is not extended? - Leon Trotsky, 'Where is Britain Going?'

World capitalism is in serious economic crisis to which it reacts every- where by violent suppres- sion of workers rights, conditions and organiza- tions and by preparation of a yet more oppressive round of exploitation. In Britain, the Industrial Relations Act encourages every scab and bosses' nark to come out of his bolt-hole and find that the atmosphere is now much more favourable to his existence. Not merely the terms of the Act but the overall tenor of Tory rule-the fact that the law generally is being used to coerce trade unionists—gives every blackleg the feeling that he can ram a picket line with impunity. and their The employers spokesmen are Tory Party making it quite plain that the passing of the Industrial Rela- tions Act is only their first step as far as repressive action against the labour movement is concerned. What they want is a major development now towards the destruction of the trade unions, with all strikes made illegal. The picket line is now being made the object of a special attack. situation where the The working class directly pits its strength and ability against the combined forces of the employers and the state to conditions, jobs and defend rights is especially feared and hated by the ruling class. They political on- aim now at a slaught through parliament and the courts to give em- ployers the untrammelled right to operate and exploit as they please. The Tories claim that what about is talking they are so-called illegal picketing — actions alleged to be outside the laws of peaceful picketing.

The fact is, what worried the government in the miners' and dockers' strikes was that successful picketing w a s the within achieved even narrow confines of the existing law. Thousands of workers were peacefully persuaded that here were serious and determined men entirely justified in their demands and actions who should receive the utmost support. This is exactly why the Tories wish to change the law even beyond the Industrial Relations Act. If in a time of capitalist crisis, when every penny and concession squeezed from the working class counts, the law allows effective and successful picketing, then as far as capi- is concerned the law is talism useless and must be changed.

The door must, they insist, esday August 30, 1972 cketing by Bernard Franks be opened even wider to scabs, non-registered dock labour, ' the company 'the Lump', union, the non-union shop, the blacklist, the private security force and the use of violence to break strikes. no more than the 'rule of law'.

In practice, as Northern Ire- shows, Tory 'law and land order' is the right to use state violence to impose on the working class rising unemploy- ment, a continuously deterior- ating standard of living and the suppression of all social and political rights. The present cringing efforts of the TUC leaders to 'con- employers ciliate' the and placate the Tories-offering to police and penalize the work- ing class —is welcomed by Heath and company as useful collaboration with their policies. But it in no way detracts from the preparations for more extreme forms of repression.

It is taken as a supplement, not a substitute, for creating powers of state additional action against the trade unions.

If the condemned man likes to go quietly to the scaffold and tie the rope around his own neck, so much the better for the executioner. But the authorities will not think of calling off the execution consequence. The working class has both The massacre of Peterloo, August 1819, workers on St Peter's Fields.

a right and a duty to continue its defence of all strikes small, large, economic or political - by whatever methods suitable. The Socialist Labour League has shown the necessity for the creation now of Councils of Action in every area to organize and carry out the Tories. struggle against the These bodies are entirely suited to organize the defence of strikers and pickets against the violence of blacklegs.

Now by order of Heath and company picketing is a poli- tical issue. The political programme to make the Tories resign and to elect a Labour government pledged to socialist policies is a fight directly to defend all such rights. Anti-labour laws in Britain —the prohibiting of the right to organize and strike-did not begin with the Combina- bs, tion Acts of 1799-1800 but have existed as long as there have been workers. surprising. This is not Fundamentally the law is an instrument of the state for en- forcing continued suppression and exploitation of oppressed classes on behalf of the ruling class. From the 14th century on- ward, laws fixed wages and made work compulsory under pain of severe punishment in- cluding torture and death. Uprisings by labourers and against starvation peasants existence and inhuman treat- punished with ment were especial ferocity including slow strangulation, disembowelling and quartering while still alive.

Karl Marx examined some of the early laws in Volume I of 'Capital' ('Bloody legisla- tion against the expropriated', chapter 28) and found: 'Coalition of the labourers is treated as a heinous crime from the 14th century to 1825, the year of the repeal of the law against trade unions.'

From the earliest times, labour laws were inseparably bound up with laws against treason and sedition. The capitalist class, new like the feudal regime before it, realized that labour unrest might quickly become political once the labourers understood that the state machine belonged entirely to, and acted entirely for, a minority group of employing classes. Cut him down, gust 1819, where mounted soldiers charged and * For this reason too, the rulers always attempted to suppress all parties and press which set out to lift the class consciousness and political understanding of those oppressed. Incitement to dis- affection in the state's own forces, the army and navy were especially feared. laws against This is why picketing cannot be looked at in isolation from much other legislation for protection of private property and the state, and against the literature and organizations of Labour and sections of the middle clases.

which has One early law been available against indus- trial and political action up • is the to the present times Riot Act. Passed in 1714 in face of Jacobite rebellion and the widespread riots over the com- ing to the throne of the first kings the Hanoverian (George I), it required that a judge, mayor, sheriff or local Justice of the Peace approach the rioters or 'as near to them can safely come and as he proclaim "with a loud voice' the following: 'Our sovereign lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, im- mediately to disperse them- and peacefully depart selves, to their habitations or to their lawful business under the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God save the King!' The definition of a riot has slightly modified been only since 1714. In a court case early this century it was deci- ded that 'there are five neces- sary elements of a riot: 1 Number of persons, three at least; 2 Common purpose; Execution or inception of 3 the common purpose; An intent to help one 4 another by force if neces- sary against any person who may oppose them in the execution of their common purpose; 5 Force or violence not merely used in demolish- ing, but displayed in such a manner as to alarm at least one person of reason- hot Kills mort shall be made a None but the brou ok pr lunt arged and hacked their way through a peacefu able firmness and cour- age.'1 Actual violence need not have been done to any per- son or property for a riot to be declared, nor does it matter whether its purpose 1s of a public or private nature, nor legal or illegal (though in the latter case the rioters may also be charged with sedition or treason). As far as the authorities are concerned, little is needed to turn a political demonstration ol a picket line into a riot beyond a scab's or a police officer's declaration that he has been 'alarmed'. According to the Act, if the rioters had not dispersed with- could be in one hour they arrested and imprisoned though in later years the mili- tary took it as their right to open fire on the crowd as soon as the proclamation had been read Originally the maximum sen- tence was death. Even now it is imprisonment for life.

During the recent miners' strike, 13 pickets were charged under an equivalent Scottish law (and subsequently acquit- ted) with 'mobbing and riot- ing' It was claimed that they: 'Formed part of a riotous mob of evil disposed persons which acting with a common purpose did conduct itself in a violent, riotous manner to the great terror of the lieges?

and in breach of the peace did curse, swear and utter threats of violence.' the Riot Act' 'Reading rarely frightened the working class, and often the authori- refrained from using it ties for fear of bringing the law into disrepute. Neither orders by authority nor appeals to reasan, for ex- ample, stopped the economic and political actions by Lon- coal-heavers don seamen, (forerunners of the dockers) and others in strikes and demonstrations during 1768.

the time of Newspapers showed the determination of the strikers and also gave some of the earliest examples of the modern working-class pickets dealing with blacklegs.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

1 Field o Metropolitan Police Receiver, 1907. & A liege is a vassal bound to serve his superior. are so brale doan't a peaceful demonstration of Manchester

SECOND TIME ROUND FOR

by Jack Gale Avery Brundage, 84-year- old president of the Inter- national Olympic Com- mittee, has told the world of his 'astonishment, shock and surprise at the success of the African campaign to exclude Rho- desia from the Olympic Games. No one, however, will be astonished, shocked or sur- prised at the attitude of Brundage. For this is not the first time he has advocated playing games with racialists. It was none other than the worthy Brun- dage who led the fight to stop the United States from with- drawing from Hitler's specta.

cular 1936 Olympics. In November 1933, the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States voted almost unanimously to boycott the Ber- lin Olympics unless the Nazis permitted Jews equal oppor- tunities in athletics. But although the AAU domi- nated American sports the res- ponsibility for US participation in the Olympic Games rested with American Olympic the committee. businessmen The AOC consisted almost entirely of wealthy business- men and retired generals-and its president was Avery Brun- dage. In September 1934 Brundage announced that the United States had accepted an invita- tion to participate in the Olym- pics. As to charges of anti- Semitism, Brundage had been to Germany to see for himself and he'd discovered that everything was just fine. The German Jews, Brundage told the AOC, were perfectly satisfied with their treatment 'from a sports point of view' At that time there were over 50 concentration camps in Nazi Germany. As Arthur D. Morse pointed out in a blistering attack on the American rulers' failure to speak out on behalf of the German Jews: 'Since the committee had agreed unanimously to consider the anti-Semitic situation in Germany only as it related to sports, the debate was not com- plicated by such extraneous considerations as concentra- tion camps, economic boycott and terror in the streets' A year before the Berlin Games were due to take place, the infamous Nuremberg Laws of November 1935 were passed. These said, specifically, that German citizenship would in future exclude all Jews; that marriages between Jews and Germans were forbidden; that extra-marital relations between Jews and German citizens were forbidden; that Jews were for- bidden to employ German citi- zens under the age of 45 as servants; and that Jews were forbidden to show or touch the national flag. These laws could have been no surprise to anyone: they had been written into Nazi the Party programme in 1928. Yet Brundage still insisted that Jews would get equal access to training facilities and an equal opportunity to win places in teams representing a country of which they were not allowed to be citizens. And Drundage could hardly have failed to see what these laws meant in practice. The 'New York Times' carried a report, shortly after the laws were passed, which read: 'Gestapo visited the homes of between 300 and 400 Jew- ish families... Afterwards the heads of the families in ques- tion were conducted to meet- ing places in town and from there to various sports places in the suburbs of Nuremberg.

'Some of the people were arrested in the streets or in shops, others during the morn- ing services in the synagogue.

'Besides the moral torture objugations and the those several hundred men had to endure, some of them were beaten and scourged. Several were tortured with steel rods and dismissed only after they had signed a paper saying that nothing had happened to them."

about fascism But more was to follow. Jews were barred from employment in government, the arts, the professions in and manual crafts. A list of towns from which Jews were barred was it included drawn up-and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Brun- dage can hardly have failed to notice that. Garmisch-Parten- kirchen was the venue of the 1936 Winter Olympics! On July 15, 1935, 200 Nazis attacked Jews in Kurfursten- damm in Berlin's West End.

They beat up everyone who even looked Jewish, while the police stood quietly by. Jewish organizations in America raised a storm. But Avery Brundage calmly reiterated that he knew of no racial reasons why the United States should withdraw from the Berlin Games. Brundage wasn't moved by protests about fascism. People were always complaining about something. or other, he said. 'Regardless of in what country the Olympic Games are held, there will be some group, some religion or some race that can a protest because of register the action of the government of that country, past or present.' 3 A few days later a German high-jump champion, Greta Bergmann—a Jew-was told only members of the German Light Athletic Association could enter Olympic qualifying field events. Jews were barred from membership. Only members of the Reich League for Physical Exercise could enter track events. And one of the qualifications for membership of the Reich League was "ideological fitness' It was ruled in advance that Jews could not be 'ideologi- cally fit'. In October 1935 a represen- tative of the American Embassy in Berlin reported that Jews were barred from all open com- petition and denied the use of sports fields. Nevertheless Brundage went to the December 1935 AAU convention determined to fight for American participation in the Games. Women fencers at the victory ceremony. !

In third place, a German fencer gives ti Workers Press, Wednesday August 30, 1972 PAGE 5 Left: Avery Brundage (centre) pictured in 1936 with other ex- Presidents of the IOC, the Belgian count, Henri Baillet-Latour (left) and Sigfried Edström. Above: Two Ger- man athletes featured in publicity as models German Aryan woman- hood. Below: Workers in a labour camp in 1936. One of his chief supporters crystals were dropped through was a General Sherrill who was shaft. the ventilation 'After a quarter of an hour, record as saying that Mus- on solini was 'a man I have long other Jews were forced to clear and The known admired'. the dead bodies and collect General had expressed a wish valuables, including gold teeth, that Mussolini could come to which deposited in were America and 'deal with com- special account at the Reichs- as he has in Italy'. munism bank. 'The slaughter was given a grisly twist by scientific ex- Collections periments. were made of skulls and other human Skin was parts, made The AAU voted by a majority into lampshades. 'Doctors tried out the limits of two to participate in the of human resistance to freez- Games. The president resigned ing and the rupture of lungs at in protest and Brundage took high altitudes. his place. But in Avery Brundage's im- Less than six years after the Berlin Olympics, Hitler's final mortal words: 'Regardless of in what coun- solution' the Jewish to pro- the Games are held. there blem was under way: will always be some group.

'Mass killing techniques were perfected. 'While Sir 'New arrivals Arthur D. Morse, were stripped Million Died', p. 144. in preparation for a supposed Wykes' Quoted in Alan shower. Soberly-dressed musi- 'Nuremberg Rallies', p. 150.

played light cians music to Arthur D. ease their filing into giant gas Morse (op. cit. chambers able to hold up to p. 148). Richard Proktor, 'Nazi Ger- 2.000 at a time. When the doors many', p. 97. had been sealed, prussic-acid Each gold medal winner received a potted oak from the Black Forest.

er gives the Nazi salute.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday August 30, 1972 Photographs by Abisay Tüllmanr, Te. racialis lar Smith regime has been force al indon its plans to gain dip- lomate respictabilly by participating in the Munich Olympics, 4 threatened mass walk-out by all African athletes, supported by black members of the United States contingent was instru- mental in bringing about Rhodesia's ignominious departure. The enforced departure of the Olympic team will undoubtedly be welcomed by Rhodesian African masses who are now suffering intensified racial oppression by the illegal regime. Since the Pearce Commission finding that the vast majority of Africans opposed the pro- Smith-Home deal, the Rhodesian Front posed government has launched a massive intimida- tion campaign. Africans issuing for donations to receipts National Council have been the African arrested. Some have been paraded, handcuffed to donors, through the townships as an example to others. The racialist Smith regime is also trying to crush a whole tribe--the Tangwena.

For the last lived in years this tribe have the SiX eastern highlands in an area regarded as their ancestral territory. A peaceful people, the Tangwena were content to carry on a mean through subsistence farming in un- existence hospitable temperatures. Since 1966 their huts and crops have been burned, tribesmen have been savagely attacked by police and dogs, heavily fined and jailed; the Tangwena's children have been forcibly taken away and now dispersed all over Rhodesia.

The Smith regime had invoked the hated Land Tenure Act, which found that the Tang- wena were occupying 'white' lar d, destined for Europeans. No blacks were allov. ed to be there.

They had to be moved out.

Today most of the tribe are in hiding in the the Mozambique mountainous region near border. Meanwhile air force helicopters are tracking them down. The Tangwena people are part of the Barwe tribe who inhabited a vast area stretching some 200 miles from the Zambesi to the Macheke river; it formed part of an empire which ruled Rhodesia, South of. the Zambesi for several hundred years. In 1902, when the Makombe, the Tangwena's eastern neighbours, rebelled against the Portu- guese, the Tangwena living in Portuguese East Africa gained permission to join the 70 families in Rhodesia, bringing all the Tangwena together there. By 1889, Cecil Rhodes' British South African Co had by Royal Charter gained governmental Southern Rhodesia. In 1905 the powers over company sold 250,000 acres of land—including section of Tangwena country-to the a major Anglo-French Matabeleland Co.

Of course the African inhabitants were not informed about the sale and, as the company made no use of the land, they remained un- aware of it for many years.

The Tangwena were also unaware of the passing of the Land Apportionment Act in 1931, which was to lay the basis for their present oppression by Smith and his police and armed forces. This Act divided the land between the Euro- Tangwena territory peans and the Africans. was classified as 'European' and the people in became "squatters' on their own consequence ancestral land. In 1944 the_Anglo-French Matabeleland Co ceded 58.000 acres to the Gaeresi Ranch Co for £8,400. William Hammer, the managing direc- tor, settled there in 1948.

It was on this land that the Tangwena tribe were living and farming. In 1965 Hammer ordered about 1,000 Tang- wena to quit 'his' land or be fined £100. No Rekayi Tangwena, one left. The tribal leader. twice fined f30 for living on 'European was land. Eventually he won his appeal which held his people were lawfully living on ancestral land.

But Smith was not satisfied with the law.

A proclamation was issued under the Land Apportionment Act. It ordered the Tangwena off the Gaeresi Ranch by August 31, 1969.

The TEr refused to more non- and whit the governrier! effered Eurupear The: insisted on their ancestrai home.

At 3 a.m. on September 18 the poice moved with bulldozers. Rekayi was taren away their and the rest of the tribe fled, leaving livestock and possessions behind.

When 160 and women marched to men demand the chief's release, they were promptly arrested. Rekayi himself was taken to a nearby tribal trust land. Rekayi was released, the rest of the When tribe made their way back to the ranch to find their homes had been razed to the ground and their possessions destroyed. They immedi- began rebuilding operations.

ately A month later village and government officials again destroyed the property of the Tangwena. The people, scattering into the mountains, were chased with helicopters and dogs.

In 1970 police with dogs again burned huts and destroyed crops. They impounded more than 200 Tangwena cattle and later sold them at auction. A few tribesmen then moved to the new area reserved for them by the govern- ment 20 miles away. The remainder fled into the surrounding hills, living off wild fruits while police hunted for them More than 100 children were sent to the nearby Nyafaru farm where they were to be cared for. Chief Rekayl Tan In the once more returned his tani Last year the Tangwena to their land and rebuilt their huts. Maize was family's utterin planted. Then last month Smith's thugs moved in the tribesmen but again, not only against against their children. On July 25 the raid began. The whole area The vas cordoned off by the armed forces. Tangwena again fled into the hills, leaving just ten old men who couldn't make the journey.

The huts and crops were burned once more.

old Tangwena were savagely beaten The ten by the police. When one appeared in court he was heavily bandaged on arms and back. He said he had been attacked by a police dog He along with the others was fined about £17 and given a four-month suspended sentence One of them for squatting on 'European' land.

told the magistrate: I would rather die than leave Tangwena country? all the children of the A few days later, Tangwena tribe were herded into trucks by armed police and driven away to institutions. This barbarous act meant that the Tangwena would find it absolutely impossible to find their they came forward and children again unless gave themselves up to the authorities.

The Smith government refuses to recognize Rekavi as the Tangwena chief. They have tried to bribe him off and failed.

He said: 'The government does not need our land and we have never troubled them. If they will try to move we only return again. us They cannot defeat our will.'

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday August 30, 1972 abortive Bolivian revolution of August- The September 1971 which brought the CIA-sponsored regime of Col Banzer to power has had a consider- able impact on the Trotskyist movement.

Not only did these events prove the complete bankruptcy of the revisionist forces of the Unified Secretariat in Latin America, but they also revealed the theoretical degeneration and blatant political opportunism of the Lora-Lambert tendency within the International Committee of the Fourth Inter- national (ICFI). These grave events gave a vital fillip to a discussion on the philosophical and political roots of the opportunism of the POR (Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bolivia) and its subsequent betrayal of the Bolivian proletariat.

we believe is No development of Trotskyism possible without an understanding and assimilation of the lessons of the revolution and counter- revolution in Bolivia 1970. In the interests of such a discussion we are publishing this critique of the 'Workers' Vanguard' statement on the POR. It has been submitted for publication by the Greek section of the ICFI. Bolivian miners c PART 2 of the series 'Workers' Vanguard and the Bolivian Revolu Let us look at the critique justify the popular front with the bourgeoisie with references proper which the WV to the positions of the Third makes of the POR's poli- Congress of the Comintern which concern the united anti- cies. imperialist front in the colonial It is impressive that the countries. critics themselves are not abso- front would united That lutely sure about their critique.

have permitted combined If this impression is and action of the proletariat then how can we explain how the peasants with sections of on the one hand the document the national bourgeoisie condemns

POR

for the not joint defence in a war against having advanced the slogan imperialism. Torres' 'Down with and for The Third Congress of the waited for the military having Comintern defined quite clearly work- government to arm the the boundaries of this tactic: ers, while on the other hand 'The working class movement it comes to the defence of the in the colonial and semi- POR against 'Pabloite slanders' colonial countries must first of on the same subject by saying: all win for itself the position 'The POR did not support of independent an revolu- Torres the POR line is tionary factor within the anti- crystal clear.' imperialist front as a whole.

We would find it rather 'Only when its importance unclear. independent factor is as The policies of the POR and recognized and its political the Popular Assembly always independence secured, then stood in support of the bour- provisional treaties with bour- geois nationalist government. geois democracy are permitted And they never denied this, ' ("The Com- and necessary.. much less now that all the International 1919- munist of Popular organizations the Vol I', 1943, Documents, Assembly together with Torres, Oxford University Press).

his military clique and one sec- of the MR (the other tion seich he Bare to the with Banzer Falange fascists) together are in front, the common infamous FRA (Anti-imperial- ist Revolutionary Front).

The WV wants to reconcile the irreconcilable. How can it on the one hand accuse the POR of 'trying...

avoid the of to necessity an uncompromising struggle the overthrow of Torres, and on the other hand rebel against the exclusively (it would have Pabloite believe) US accusa- tions about the POR's support for Torres. ... At another point the WV accepts that: "The Trotskyists Lenin stressed independence of the POR did make a dis- Lenin and Trotsky particu tinction of the class antithesis Torres. larly emphasized the point that to 'They announced that: "The Lora prefers to forget: no Torres "irreconcilable is not amalgam, workers goerenmen a pre- government", but in servation of the independence this they should have of the proletarian movement, saying characterized it categorically as even if it is in an embryonic stage' capitalist, dictatorial and counter-revolutionary' The WV however ignore all Lora did not seem willing these attempts to present the however to follow this advice.

capitulation as logical. POR did Continuing along his 'crys- The not support Torres.' clear' line, tal he went on categorically characterizing the His deviation lay in the fact Torres government as a formed 'mili- that he popular front with the Stalinists tary nationalist government who with bourgeois content, that is supported Torres. And with an anti-imperialist orien- what was the danger according tation.' (Document the WV, carried by this presented to

POR

the Latin united front POR-CPB? They by the at American conference in April but that had nothing to say 'La Verité', No 557).. 1972, 'the Stalinists would have done Lora's group wants to jus- their everything in power to "united anti-imperial- tify theoretically' this even drag the front" wretched capitulation to the ist towards guerrilla warfare national bourgeoisie with vari- in the mountains or ous tricks by legerdemain.

the cities and the to turn into a petty-bour- One of the most seemingly movement serious is the one that seeks to geois one, leaning it on the Bolivian miners during street fighting In 1970 est knowledge carried ist agencies, cularly in Latin even more in ism', sabotage CP for a ists, this is because adventures in with covite stalinism Maitan which alley, but they desire to known stand in occupied the guerrilla nature'. ary

HOT

Trotskyists of only Tee! guerrilla leadership pied by the the guerrillas, Bengalese Chinese loite ERP in geois second this Divine WV! man and the an come and Stalin- America and against the name conscious betrayal, wV the America accusation they are not So many well- took because had the whole move- played we mee

EDE

can about the 'generally'. Staiinist Europe

OCCU-

super- try to fit the Vietcong, the Bahini, the together the Pab- American of the cases Stal- conflict with Stalinism within raising for the sciousness of the ma In the same served b the United Front of th the and Lora support of the the ment by characterized as 'M Lora himself woul agree at all with th terization! On the contrary, wanted to justify alliance with the Bolivian Stalinism Menshevik', eccentri and is forced to cal to the pressure of I counter-rer character of the Stalinist CP ot the under the screen of ionist conception of shevik' character From the time of Lenin we know unscientific cise, tion comes. to cover political op and capitulations. Let us now point which the leac Ouvrières"-OCI clair covery of a new kin for the conquest of "Popular Assembly type Why this distort Soviet theory? drawn the building soviets, to frame a which 'the Popula would deepen Committees"? 'Why the attempt Bolivian-typ new, lution, in place of October?' The WV bases its tal attack against th a monumental conf Nowhere does have a clear idea here exactly the o lay n Lora's lin‹ So does the deviat POR lie in the fact perhaps without LOUr the Sovietization ular Assembly omitted their forward the put Soviets..'? Let us confusion Confusion comic, especially wh Popular the Paz called in one parliament, geols Constituent another time compa 'Small Parliament' shows son WV not only has no the Popular via, but furthermor ing on a sea of confu as the situation in G is concerned. Harmless body unbelievabl The from the document 'Similarly dopoulos sory appointed people alf of 9,000,000 body cast in the Let us leave time the spectacle o where, according tural institutions 'appointed bo to the away La Paz. The Popular Asse born in January 19: the mobilization layers of oppressed lowed the seizure of the Bonaparte Torres This body of nembers cent had beer the the masses, of the con- of the masses indictment Le WV against the nt of the Stalinists the tencents. the Torres govern- CP Bolivian is as 'Menshevik'. self would not dis- with this charac- contrary, he always his whole with alliance the that eccentric and radi- SuCCUl D sure of Trotskyism. unter-revolutionary 'left' zig-zags CP is hidden screen of the revis. eption of the 'Men- racter of Stalinism time of Marx and that an impre- entific characteriza- most of the time. litical opportunisms come the the most signifi- the leaders of the "Informations OCI claim the dis- new kind of organ quest of power, th ssembly of a sovie distortion of the Why were they parlament instead of they constitution, Assembly en its roots in the attempt to create ivian-type of

ACYU

lace of the proven bases its fundamen- gainst the POR on ıtai contusion does it appear to ano ı Whz! Assembly is and ly the opportunism the deviation of the the fact that '. . realizing sis) in fighting for of the Pop- ? they basic duty, to slogan for to dissolve the times tragi- cially when we see Assembly in another and Assembly', le compared to the of Papado- l insane compari- clearly that the y has no idea about Assembly in Boli- rthermore 1s arlit of confusion as far tion in Greece itself believable extract ocument reads: Papa- the advi- where 3,000 pople vote on be n the mould of the or ur emphasis). another

TOT

ectacle of a Greece the WV, to nd long-lived struc- of 'fascism' g, and let us return inted body' in far- ]lar Assembly was nuary 1971, out of of broad pressed which IO1 eizure of power by te Torres. consisted of 240 whom per nominated by and the other 40 per organizations. Most representatives had inated by assemblies, file in the places of obliged to ha were date from they could be reca moment, if they of the rank and file. we are miles awa 'small parliament' poulos. Most of the whether the Popula has a Soviet chara are carried out, or be carried Jul. trends for defending the trend and of avoic the matter. The Pabloites denied the the Assembly in an dissolve the the remains of Gu Lora and other defended (and defer Soviet of Latin cultivating the 'dual power' which against and with the cond port of Torres, to : Illusion reigned This illusion fina within the Bolivian even in its most sections, with the on August 21, face to face cists, unarmed, only its unrivalled I its high revolutiona The Popular pole continua influence ing and socian lion Torres, as much thugs, did not hide the Assen towards the imperialist any • tied cally geols nationalism The Assembly ideologic rottenne tions. accepted o theses which basis of a

POR

to the position of the Ovando regime the served within support of the Tor The

POR

pare this support w given by the port Kerensky agains It wants the letter from Centra Committee ber of so correctly remin *Even now, we d an obligation to governm question is: for the struggle aga lov? Naturally we a is not one and the There is a limit has been Surpasse Bolsheviks "reconciliationism" themse ver the flow of ever by 'We struggle against do not support we uncover The distinction is fine, but very must not Wherein lies tactics after tl our uprising? 'In this, in that forms oI ine Kerensky.' Germany 1931-193 The Popular As just as the 'old Bols Stalin had done. waiting for Bolivian revolution. nilov-Banzer came i

CONTINUED TOM

ives had been nom- • fonferences the rank and places of work, they ed. to have a man their electors and be recallea at any lost the trust ‹ and file. As we see, iles away from the liament of Papado- disputes iet character or not various out, the sole reason o the policies of eac of avoiding discus- the essence of the bly in an attempt to movement into is of Guevarism d other opportunis and defend) the 'fir the illusion the conditional sup. rres, to socialism. asion finally reigned Bolivian proletariat, s most avante-garde result that 21, 1971, it stood 'e with Banzer's fas- CouLd us u rivalled heroism and volutionary morale. ular Assembly was a continually increas- the political on life of the people as much as the CIA not hide his hatred ne Assembly, which vas impotent against designs,

COOI

legislative power, and practi chariot of bour embly always stoo ideological founda• been voted were had COB, on th capitulation of th f the COB towards o regime con- the conditional the Torres regime wanted to com- upport with the su y the Bolshevil however to forget from Lenin of which Trotsky y reminds us: ow, we do not have ion to support the That government. unprincipled. The s: then are we not uggle against Korni- ally we are. But this and the same thing. s a limit to this: it surpassed many into Wito and let carried away of events. will fight, we weaknesses. ction is much more very important and be forgotten. • lies the change in • after the Kornilov in that we vary the Trotsky, 1931-1932) Assembly and 'old Bolsheviks' and were one part rolution to arm the volution. And Kor- er came in.

ED TOMORROW

When Hugh MacDiarmid (C. M. Grieve) celebrated his 80th birthday re- cently, it was not surpris ing that John Gollan should send a congratu- latory letter on behalf of the Čommunist Party. MacDiarmid, internationally recognized as a major poet, leader of the revival of Scot- tish literature for half a cen- is well known as a CP tury, member. But one paragraph in Gol- lan's letter might have seemed out of place in the 'Morning Star'. • You have not always seen eye to eye with us,' wrote the leader of British Stalinism, 'nor we with you. But that's Hugh MacDiarmid. We would not like to see you changed one iota. And even if we did you would not oblige? Such liberal sentiments, from a party which has expelled thousands of members in the course of its history, many tor merely questioning its line on the history of the communist Mac- movement! Was not Diarmid's own friend and col- laborator, the novelist Lewis Grassic Gibbon (J. L. Mitchell) charged with "Trotskyism' and expelled? But an examination of Mac- of Diarmid's special type unorthodoxy explains Gollan's unaccustomed flexibility. Mac- Diarmid was never a Marxist, and his noisy quarrels with the CP at no time questioned the domination of the Soviet bureaucracy or challenged its betrayal of communist prin- ciples. He first joined the Party in 1935, although he had been very close to it for some time.

been In the 1920s, he had prominent in Scottish Nation- alist circles, rubbing shoulders uncomfortably with the right- wing tendencies and middle- class cranks to be found there.

He gravitated towards the Communist Party only when it already succumbed had to His Stalinist degeneration. 'First Hymn to Lenin' (1931) fits the mystical subjectivism of his nationalist politics to "Third Period' Stalinism: 'Here lies your secret, Lenin-yours and oors, No in the majority will that accepts the result real will that But in the bides its time and kens The benmaist resolve is the poo'er which we exult naebody's willingly Since deprived o the good; And, least o' a', the crood!'

This poem played an impor- tant part in turning poets like W. H. Auden towards the CP.

The 'Second Hymn to Lenin' (1935) was influential, but in a different direction. Gone is the leftism of the previous few MacDiarmid years. Instead, propounds a relationship be- tween poetry and politics which opens the way for liberal intellectuals into the 'People's Front'. And inseparable from this is the studied insult to Trot- sky; the appeal to the liberals went hand in hand with the campaign of slander against revolutionary politics. Scottish poet, and Communlat Party mor 'They're nocht but romantic rebels Strikin' dilettante poses; no wi TrotskyChrist, croon o thorns But a wreath o' paper roses.'

Thus MacDiarmid earned his licence to hold all kinds of unorthodox opinions in the Stalinist movement. In his autobiographical book 'The Company I've Kept', he tells how he joined the CP:? 'I had to be "vetted", since I had a political past as a Scot- tish Nationalist and as a socialist town councillor and magistrate. 'Bob Stewart was appointed to "vet" me. After asking me various questions, he said, "I don't know what to put you as-how to describe down your position." ' "Oh," I replied, "just put me down as a muddled intel- "Right," he said, lectual." "you're in": MacDiarmid never moved his away from Nationalist politics, and in 1938 he left the CP. The Moscow Trials, betrayal of the Spanish the revolution-these he could willingly accept, but indiffer- ence to Scottish Nationalism he could not stomach. In 1950, MacDiarmid stood for Kelvingrove in the General 'Republican Election-as Scottish Nationalist with Com- munist overtones' • Aboui that time he described himself as 'Tito-ite'-defined for the occasion as meaning a Com- munist-Nationalist. Characteristic was his re- turn to the CP in 1957. While thousands of people were leaving the Party, shocked by the revelations of Stalin's role and by the crushing of the Hungarian workers' coun- cils, MacDiarmid found him- self quite at home with his old Stalinist friends. Edinburgh readers may recall a debate in 1957, in he defended which the CP's opposition to the demand for unilateral nuclear disarmament by Britain. MacDiarmid • claims with some justification that he won over the CP to his view on Scottish Nationalism. Especially since 1965, the worked for Stalinists have 'unity' with all tendencies in this political porridge. Mac- Diarmid himself has been an member of, the enthusiastic '1320 Club', , alongside some very reactionary figues, and has worked as hard as he could Party mambor, Hugh MacDlarmid working to tie the Scottish class to middle-class reaction.

Despite MacDiarmid's loud protestations that he is a Marxist-Leninist, his ideology is permeated with subjective idealism, accurately reflecting the impotence of the Scots petty-bourgeois. Most striking in this respect is his unswerv- ing adherence to the Social Credit schemes of the currency crank Major Douglas. MacDiarmid quotes with en- a statement of thusiasm Douglas's, hailing it as align- ing him 'with all that is best in thought from the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath to the present day': 'If all history and all obser- has not been misread, vation there is implanted in the in- dividual a primary desire for freedom and security which, rightly considered, are forms of the same thing. MacDiarmid engaged actively ed in the Social Credit movement in the 1930s. He does not try to hide the political character of this movement: 'A friend said to me in Lon- don... "What are you doing among these people? Don't you know they will all go religious-fascist?" I did not realize anything of the kind, but they all did go religious- fascist, and I still do not see why that should be so.? And even the evolution of the Social Credit group into semi-fascist 'Greenshirts' the did not change the economic views of this great 'Marxist'.

'I myself, though a member of the Communist Party, have always believed-and I still believe-that Major Douglas's proposals should be applied in the transitional period before the achievement of integrated communism." MacDiarmid's mysticism, his confusion', is no 'intellectual barrier to his work for the CP. On the contrary, it fits in well with the interests of the Soviet bureaucracy and the politics of Stalinism today.

Gollan is able to greet him, not just as a 'celebrity', bring- to the ing useful publicity Party, but as a fellow-Stalinist in his own right. 1 Benmaist-inmost. l've Kept, 2 'The Company (1966), pp. 152-153. 3 Op. cit., pp. 113-114. 4 Op. cit., p. 120. Workers Press, Wed How would you like to be just 32 years old, a Master of the Hounds, bone idle and filthy rich? You would? Listen to this story, then. The dashing Viscount Wim- borne, who has all the out- standing characteristics of the has just fixed nobility, up a deal which will bring him no less than £26m without even raising a sweat. Our noble viscount is simply selling 575 acres of land on his estate, near Poole, Canford Dorset. The local council is buying it to develop a private residential estate and a shop- ping centre. Most of the land will be sold off to private developers, say the council. But this won't Viscount Wimborne bother when he's getting £45,000 an acre. There's no need to think he will be out of a house after the transaction. Viscount Wim- borne has a house in Wilton Crescent in London plus a country house and estate near Rugby. When daddy died in 1967, he inherited about £900,000 from his father's estates in Britain. hounde Below: huntsmen an ress, Wednesday August 30, 1972 PAGE 9 Recent events around Rho- desia's Olympic "team', have thrown some light on the clique that runs the International Olympic Committee. They happen to be some of the most reactionary - and richest -- men of our time.

Which explains the ploy over Rhodesia. The new president of this exclusive club calling itself the IOC is Lord Killanin (Eton, Cambridge and the Sorbonne), an Irish peer. He has around ten director- The lord is comfortable enough on his family estate in Co Galway. One Count Jean de Beau- mont, a vice-president, is said to be worth a mere £100m in personal wealth. King Constantine of Greece is another member. And there are three princes, a number generals and of a host of aristocrats. Britain's two representatives are the well-loved Marquis of Exeter, and former Bovril chief Lord Luke. Both are 67 and Old Etonians. An undivulged fee is levied for membership, which accounts for the IOC's healthy Swiss bank balance.

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Eight-week pay battle—but leaders hold it back Dragged out work-to-rule demoralizes Pompey men PAGE 10 Workers Press, Wednesday August 30, 1972 LABOUR MP for Birming- Roy Hat- ham, Sparkbrook, tersley, warned a meeting of his constituency Labour Party last night of the growing in- fluence of the 'tiny disruptive the trade element within union movement'. And he called for an end to Relations the Industrial Act on the basis that it gave this 'the best so-called element debating point it has enjoyed in 50 years. result, he 'As went on, way it Should has grown jone should way had the Bill been Brought not into law. heen 'Indeed the element nas Portsmouth dockyard entranci debating given more than point. They can argue with some reality for the first time in recent history that the trade union establishment is against the and the that trace for traditional peaceful means and redress seeking justice are, therefore, bound to fail.

legitimate 'Men with griev- ances now find them an attrac- As a result, tive and natural ally. a responsible trade union leader- so hard and ship who worked fought so successfully this year and re-establish maintain to Workers at Portsmouth their authoritative influence over naval dockyard are now their own trade unions must have the Industrial Rela- seen in the eighth week of a tions Bill as the principal weapon in their opponents' armoury.'

work-to-rule in support of Hattersley is so concerned, it their pay claim. workers that militant seems, have should not any voice in Many of the men teel, how- the trade unions that he is pre- that this action is get- ever, Industrial pared forget the ting them nowhere and that Relations Act is also the Tories' their representatives in their armoury union main weapon against these same trade unions!

are holding back from taking But then was also one of all-out industrial action.

he the 69 Labour MPs who so for- Today a further meeting of their differences that they got the Joint Co-ordinating Commit- the Common supported entry in for government industrial tee and kept the Tories in Market body that establishments, the power. discusses rates of pay for all in- workers also And many dustrial civil servants, is due to member him as Barbara Castle's place and many are take men under-Secretary Depart- at the for a one-day stoppage pushing Employment and of ment on that day. Productivity when she was intro- Thirteen unions are represen- anti-union ducing Labour's own the JCC. They discuss ted proposals-'In Place of Strife'. with representatives of the Civil Service who then report back to Privy International Lord Jellicoe, the Lord

UNITED

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have been Seal. Workers Press has spoken employees in Belgium Union Bill Stillwell, of told work that would to to stop Construction, Allied Trades and the in benefit management Technicians

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shop strike by UPI colleagues in Lon- for the steward Portsmouth, who don. spokesman at told us: Union Journalists' National of 'In 1960 the government Central London branch said the agreed not to set down rates of instruction had been notified to pay as it was they who paid the Walter Pauwels, them National Em- of the wages. secretary 'A private inquiry was set up Union of Belgium, who plovees' rates-this that UPI members formulate basic had deplored was set up on 13 different indus- Brussels had been assigned to tries and the pay was based upon London 'to work sent to as an average of outside industry. strike-breakers'. The dally paper that leads the fight against the Tories. {20.28 for 12 months (312 lagues) £10.14 for 6 months (156 lasuas) £5.07 for 3 months (78 188u88) If you want to take Workers Press tonice a mook the rates are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and sand to: 1860 Clapham High St, Chrculation Dept., Workers Press London, SW4 7UG. I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Pross.

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'Since then . the committee has revised its recommendations three times. First there were groups A to l1970 it set up then only five groups and in three industrials-shipbuilding, engineers and building indus- tries. "This agreement was not on a average hourly basic, but on earnings and this was excluding bonus. "This present claim for 17 per cent is to bring us up into line But now this agreement. with there is the government's 6f per cent restriction and this is why they cannot carry through their part of the agreement. In actual fact they have reversed their 1960 decision. "The present action in the dockyard really first started on July 5 when a group of us at- tended the lobby of the JCC. On July 7 we held a mass walk- out and demonstration-this was only the second time the whole history of the yard. The first time was in 1969 in support of the 1970 pay claim and we won the full claim. 'After this impressive action, where 7,000 dockyard workers marched through Portsmouth, the yard Whitley Committee had no further action in mind!' (The Whitley Committee representa- tives are elected according to the system of each parti- election cular union. They become senior union representatives dockyard-they are the dock- yard equivalent to convenors in factories and they have full shop steward credentials.) The following Monday about 50 shop stewards lobbied the committee which agreed to re- deputation of five ceive stewards. "The complained stewards about the 1,000 "scabs", ', but the committee just put it straight back the laps of the into stewards. Committee members told them that they would back any action they decided to take.

"The result walk-off was a "Matapan" leaving from

HMS

behind 12 scabs. The men re- fused to return back to the ship until these men were moved.

'When the yard Whitley Com- mittee was told, members came down to the dockside and asked the men to return to the ship.

They then went to see manage- ment and meanwhile similar

• HMS

action took place on "Endurance". The action soon spread and by 2 p.m. that day many of the other ships were joining in. 'When a full stewards' meet- ing was held the following day the Whitley Committee refused to forward any policy and simply asked for suggestions. At this July ll it was meeting on decided to ban overtime and

\ CORRESPONDENT

have a work-to-rule. The com- mittee said it would issue guide- lines for the work-to-rule. These, however, took three weeks to compile! "The men returned to the "Matapan" with the feeling that they had been sold out. 'The work-to-rule if strictly adhered to would paralyse the would whole yard and no man be able to move, let alone work itself -the government covers so many times with so many rules. "The safety part of the work- to-rule has affected the work of the dockyard. The work-to-rule and overtime ban has now gone on for eight weeks. Over this time action occurred throughout other yards. "The work-to-rule stated that no man should 'go out on trials on board the HMS "Matapan" Yet they were preparing to do just this. Only two men at first started to go-one who wasn't in the union and the other who was waiting for redundancy.

"The Whitley Committee did UCATT shop steward Bill Stlliwell not take any action about this and by the following morning the number grew to seven. A picket was arranged for the following day when they were due to leave. 'However the management moved fast and got the men off at 7.30 a.m., beating most ol the pickets. The ones that were there managed to get all but three to turn back. were in uproar 'The men against the Whitley Committee for their lack of foresight. They then went to management to ask the these men. return passed Meanwhile the men resolution to 'Reporting back, the Commit- tee said that management would discuss the involved questions returned work. if the men to They did this on the advice of the representatives and the man- agement refused to shift on any of the questions. "The Whitley Committee res- cinded the decision of the men to black the "Matapan" mainly because they were scared of call- Whitley ing strike action. The Committee took one action dur- ing the middle of the work-to- rule-they proposed a one-hour stoppage after pressure from the men for further action. "The management said any that walked off the ship would be asked to clock out. This in chaos with walk-out ended some men walking off the ships, some staying on, a few clocking out and a few clocking back in again after the hour's stoppage.

'The committee's recommen- dation was not to refuse an order (the men could have been ordered straight back on to the ship as soon as they left) and not clock out. I think the majority of the Whitley Committee is holding back the dockyard workers who want to take further action. The committee is looking for ex- cuses for not taking action be- cause of what might come out of it. The majority of the com- mittee has even opposed calling a mass meeting of the men to discuss the latest situation at Portsmouth. The general attitude of the men is that they are sick to the work-to-rule, death with they can't see it getting any- where. To take action for eight weeks and you can't see any becomes demoralizing, effect especially as they can see no further action. "This claim and what the gov- ernment has offered is just one attack on the working class. The only way to stop it is by remov- ing the government and putting a proper socialist one.' acting Said Bernie Wyatt, secretary of the Whitley Com- mittee: "There is no doubt in of the committee's mind the strain put on the management by the overtime ban and work- to-rule which has brought about a vast reduction in work put by meribers without out tragic a loss as we would have had if there had been a stop- page of work completely. 'Management has to continue the bonus schemes where work is measurable. Further it is the of the committee to policy liaise with other yards as to a continued policy in government establishment.' When asked if the present work-to-rule was demoralizing the men and that many were talking of leaving the union, he said: 'There has been no talk of withdrawing from the union and to our knowledge no reduction in union strength but an increase of principle.'

BBC 1

9.45 Mr Benn. 10.00 Robinson Crusoe. 10.25 Play tennis. 10.50 Magic roundabout. 11.00 Olym- pic grandstand. 1.30 Andy Pandy.

1.45 News and weather. 1.55 Olympic grandstand.

7.25 MISSION

IMPOSSIBLE.

Underwater. 8.10

DRAMA

PLAYHOUSE:

'THE VENTURERS'. Doug- las Wilmer, James Kerry, Breaks. Sebastian 9.00

NINE

O'CLOCK NEWS

and weather.

TODAY AT THE OLYMPIC

9.50 GAMES. Diving, Fencing, swimming, canoe slalom finals. 12.30 Weather.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 4.10 Play school. 4.35 Jackanory. 4.50 Laurel and Hardy. 5.10 Blue Peter flies the world. 5.40 Magic round- about. 5.45 Sounds of music. BIRD'S EYE VIEW. John 6.45 Bull's Workshop. 7.30 NEWSROOM. Weather.

TIMES REMEMBERED

8.00 by children from abroad. 8.10 MAN ALIVE. The Army Game. The BBC has a sudden obsession with the army and tonight does a public relations job through comedy and documentary using both channels. On BBC 1 Warren

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 1.45 Good afternoon.

2.18 Puffin. 2.20 London. 4.10 Paulus. 4.25 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.10 F troop. 6.35 Lon- don. 11.45 News, weather. Epilogue. SOUTHERN: 12.55 News, weather.

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2.15 Belibird. 2.25 London. 3.40 Houseparty. 4.00 Little big time.

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4.25 London. 6.00 Today. 6.35 London. 8.00 Cade's county. 9.00 London. 10.50 Odd couple. 11.20 London. ULSTER: 1.45 Racing from York.

3.40 Sound of ... 4.00 Romper room. 4.20 News. 4.25 London. Sca

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11.00 Film: 'Boys Will Be Boys'.

Will Hay. 12.25 Women today 12.50 Freud on food. 1.15 Bell- bird. 1.25 Sean the leprechaun.

1.40 Woobinda. 2.00 Castle haven. 2.25 Racing from York. 3.15 Edgar Wallace. 4.10 Hatty town. 4.25 Little big time. 4.50 Ace of wands. 5.20 Olympic games and news.

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8.00 THE MAIN CHANCE. Dear 9.00 Sir, Uniess .

NEWS AND OLYMPICS AT

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THE

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IN

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Oberwesel to Utrecht. 9.25

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Montgomery Clift, Aline MacMahon, Jarmila No- votna. A young refugee World War 1I after is helped by an American soldier to regain his identity. 11.05 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

11.10 FESTIVAL 26.

Mitchell (top) and Ronald Fraser are in 'No Peace on the Western Front' at 9.25 and BBC 2's Man Alive programme at 8.10 investi- Army Game' - the "The gates Territorials. 6.00 News. 6.10 Viewfinder. 6.35 London. 8.00 Cade's county. 9.00 London. 10.50 World War I. 11.20 London. YORKSHIRE: 1.45 Dr Simon Locke. 2.15 Bellbird. .2.25 Lon- her. don. 4.10 Sean the leprechaun.

fog. 4.25 London. 6.00 Calendar, weather. 6.35 London. 8.00 Jason 3.40 King. 9.00 London. 10.50 Blue light. 11.20 London. 11.50 lon. Weather. _on- GRANADA: 1.15 Freud on food.

1.45 Racing from York. 3.40 Pey- ton Place. 4.10 News. Sean the leprechaun. 4.25 London. 6.00 News. 6.05 Newsday films. 6.30 2.00 Odd couple. 7.00 London. 8.00 Cade's county. 9.00 London. 10.50 Dick Van Dyke. 11.20 Lon- don. TYNE TEES: 1.45 Dr Simon Locke. 2.15 Bellbird. 2.25 Lon- don. 4.09 News. 4.10 Make wish. 4.25 London. 6.00 News.

oss- 6.05 Charlie Brown. 6.35 London.

8.00 Jason King. 9.00 London.

11.50 News. 12.05 Epilogue.

SCOTTISH: 1.45-3.15 Racing from York. 3.35 Horoscope. 3.40 Women today. 4.10 Hatty town.

4.25 London. 6.00 News. 6.15 awr. Cartoon. 6.20 Under these roofs.

6.35 London. 7.00 Band call. 7.30 London. 8.00 Cade's county. 9.00 10.50 London. Festival. 11.20 London. 11.50 Late call. 11.55 McCue's music. GRAMPIAN: 1.45 Racing from York. 3.15 News. 3.20 Yoga. 3.45 Women today. 4.10 Enchanted house. 4.25 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.10 Grampian week 6.20 Canadian view. 6.35 Lon- don. 8.00 Department S. 8.55 Police news. 9.00 London. 11.45 don. Scales of justice.

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

ONCE upon a time men like the Scott Lithgow engineers from the ship- yards on the lower Clyde were the pride of their union. The president of the Amalga- mated Union of Engineering Workers, Hugh Scanlon, would point to them as an example.

Here were men in the midst of a bitter strike following the strategy laid down by himself when he decided to abandon any idea of a national strike over the engineering pay claim.

With many other militant Scottish workers they were encouraged by the president to declare local guerrilla warfare against employers for at least an increase in the basic rate, a substantial general increase (to benefit the higher paid men) and better holidays. (This incidentally, was after Scanlon had coolly abandoned the demand for shorter hours and dealt a mortal blow to the spate of Manchester sit-ins.)

Now the wheel has turned the full circle. After over ten weeks of bitter strike the Lithgow men, from Greenock and Port Glasgow, together with their 400 brothers from Kinkaid's Engineering, have found themselves an embarrass- ment to their leader. The national deal reached over a week ago meant no pay increase at all for the militant engineers like the shipyard work- ers who had been in the van- guard of Scanlon's plant-by-plant battles for the claim. The award merely improved pay packets for that small min- ority in the industry who lived on the old basic of £19 for skilled workers and £15 for semi-skilled. Naturally the Lithgow men were angry-what exactly had their ten-week struggle been about? This was the question they asked Scanlon when they cornered him days after the national settlement at the union's Peckham Road headquarters in London. To their amazement the strik- ers found that the struggle after all had been all about the tiny minority of lower-paid men.

This has not endeared the men to their leadership-Scanlon was accused of 'verbal acrobatics'.

There are grounds for the accu- sation. If the struggle was about only the lower-paid men, one won- dered why a circular was issued all branches in mid-June to defining three minimum points of settlement. These were, an increase in the basic rate, a gen- eral all-round increase and longer holidays. One wonders also why the original charter, which included a demand for a 35-hour week, was tabled in the first place.

In fact Scanlon was covering up for the collapse of his claim -the direct responsibility of humself and his executive and the Lithgow men know it. Despite this blow the Scott Lithgow men decided that the national settlement was entirely inadequate and voted to keep our on strike. But they continue to fight with the knowledge that the struggle is now isolated.

Strike cominittee chairman Vic Lyle summed up the mood among the enginéers: Workers Press, Wednes 'It Hugh Scanlon was who came up here and talked about not enough action being taken on the claim. He encouraged us to go ahead and fight it out at local level. 'So that's what we did. But we find the whole thing now turned around. We find we have been used for the lower paid. The men who have been doing what the executive council said have got nothing. It's an understatement to say the men feel very, very bitter., says Mr Lyle. The blow is doubly hard to bear since the men were strong believers in the plant-by-plant strategy. 'In • past national claims we usually got nothing or very little -because we work above the basic. 'When Scanlon put this local action idea we thought it was a new trend, giving, us a chance to fight for our increases.

But then they got the employers round the table after all the fight- ing and what did they get, £3 on the basic. Well we were offered £2.75 before the strike started.'

I would like infort Fill in the form below and

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, L

Name Address s, Wednesday August 30, 1972 PAGE 11 Men picketing the Scott Lithgow gates on the lower Clyde Mr Lyle and his committee are carrying the fight forward for the four points-a substantial wage increase, a shorter working holidays and week, more an increase in the consolidated time rate. The battle has been a tough one on both sides. • Scott Lithgow are noted for business methods their ruthless and the engineers launched determined picket to stop sup- plies entering the yards after they found that management and staff representatives were doing their work. Clashes with police led to 27 arrests But despite the setback, morale is still high. The vote to stay out after the national settlement and after nine weeks on strike was overwhelming. When Lithgow men return they will not go back undefeated and they will have learned some lessons about Hugh Scanlon and his executive. NOTE: In case the talk about low paid and high paid confuses The 'high'-paid anyone. Lithgow workers earn a maximum of £27.50 and many walk with £20 a week after stoppages!

information about ow and send to NATIONAL

ALIST LABOUR LEAGUE,

H ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

PAGE 12 Workers Press, Wednesday Augi LEADERS of Ulster's Social Democratic and Labour Party yesterday described reports that they have adopted a which abandons the policy united Ireland prospect of a as 'inaccurate' According to leaked reports following the Party's weekend conference in Donegal SDLP proposes joint rule of Northern Ireland from Dublin and Westminster. The 'Belfast Telegraph' say the

SDLP

would like regional a assembly in Ulster elected under proportional representation with two high commissioners. The assembly would have wide but security would be powers, the responsibility of Westminster and Dublin. From the plan the SDLP appears to have abandoned any call for a united Ireland.

Instead they have adopted Tory policy which is to keep the six counties separate from the rest of the country so long as majority in the north want it this way. Gerry Fitt, who represents the SDIP at Westminster, said the report was incorrect on some he did important points. But admit that the SDLP were very interested in joint control.

proposals in The latest fact are closely in line with the appeasement policy suggested by the Party's leaders in January- before Bloody Sunday and direct rule wrecked any moves towards a deal. In à television investigation of the Ulster crisis Fitt admitted he was in favour of a 'demo- cratically-elected' assembly in the north, but was vague over the issue of unity. It would said, 'within any operate, he constitution'. future all-Ireland Clearly the opportunist leaders of the SDLP are now crawling towards a new deal with the Tory government over the bodies of the Irish working class.

It is significant that they have also asked to see Tory premier Edward Heath for talks over the 'slow progress towards ending internment'. The SDLP leaders would un- doubtedly use such a meeting to sound out Tory reaction to their latest treachery in pre- paration for attending the all- talks called by Ulster party Secretary William Whitelaw in late September. is verbally com- The

SDLP

mitted to boycotting these talks unless all internees are released.

But behind the scenes there is a strong desire to attend.

The Provisional IRA has called for a boycott of the talks 'while recognizing the sincerity of some of the people concerned'.

They declared there will be no end of their campaign until in full their demands are met by the British government.

These include a call for an 'all-Irish' conference to determine the future of the country.

They have admitted that the army occupation of the repub- lican areas of Belfast and Derry has been a blow to their offen- sive which continued early yes- terday with a fierce gun battle near a Belfast hospital in which army claim eight gunmen the were hit. The Official, and so-called of the IRA, has Marxist wing, even deeper depths of reached • futility. Their protest now in- mock Gaelic football volves matches outside the British embassy near Dublin.

WEATHER

A RIDGE of high pressure will persist over the British Isles from a high over west Norway. Another dry day is expected cloudy at times, and although especially during the morning, in the eastern half of the coun- try, most districts will have some shine are kely in id westem shine are Britain. areas of in east Overnight fog patches and northeast Scotland will clear during the morning Temperatures will be much the same as those of today. aday August 30, 1972 with grade differenti

UNION

shop stewards met manage.

officials and Ltd, been holding out for Molins Machine Tools Deptford, ment at About 600 south-east London, yesterday to try to resolve the The strike was have already nine-week-old sit-in at the factory.

of the AUEW of the engineers claim for a called in support to affect a decision 35-hour week and a f6 rise.

average increases of £3.25 ment's latest offer. Molins have offered

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

DOCKERS at London's Mid- Cold Store urged

COAST

of Scotland land port

EAST

stewards the second to hurl dockers struck for yesterday day running yesterday over ships Jack Jones'

T&GWU

leader the blacklisted during recent 'stop the picketing' plea back national strike. in his face. Several hundred dockers were his word', 'He's gone back on out at Leith, Dundee, Aberdeen, Kirkaldy and Burntisland.

Strong said one angry picket. 'When the join the action Jones-Aldington report came out pressure to he was still telling pile on expected at a meeting at Grange- us to He only wants mouth. the pressure. dozen ships were About two rocking the boat now to

STOD

worried blacklisted in the for because he's about get- attempting to break the national ting another fine. said there was noth- unregistered The men strike by using could do to discipline ing Jones ports. Two of them have berthed at dockers' leaders who had called for and blacking the picketing to go on. just ignore him', said ex- 'We'll Clancy. Con from Borthwick's wharf, Pentonville prisoner sacked and a further 84 from Deptford, Unofficial leaders are consider- Nelson's wharf, Blackfriars. Jones ing extending their blacking cam- promises. to all ships using paign dockland istered ports if the committee of As rumours swept that men at individual by Jones-Alding- yesterday inquiry sebring wharfs were calling off the black.

fails to them within ton on their Mid- Dock Labour ing own initiative, the National told Scheme on October 31. land picket Bob Moon me of those there was a danger by "This fight is not, over wanted with the who to go on You chalk', pickets said. long campaign becoming isolated.

be sure and print that there have is taking advantage of the 'Jones many jobs lost in been as the employers' sacking Jones said he had port week as Dast threats make out that the gained.' to division About 140 men are to be stewards in this are

TWO DAYS TO GO

Our Fund. therefore, is vital. A

GOOD

post yesterday of We need all your support to help brought our total up to £135.91 and develop us improve £1.338.81. Keep up this great Workers Press. This month we• last-minute effort-you are almost still need £411.19. We have two there. Collect wherever days left. more But unemployment continues can-if possible add some- Tories continue you to rise and the all extra yourself. Rush to step up their attacks.

thing Our paper must rally all those donations immediately to: who are becoming even more Tory Workers Press fight this determined to A and August Appeal Fund, clear lead government. 186a Clapham High St, Tory be government can this London, SW4 7UG. made to resign.

BY PHILIP WADE

OVER 500 building workers council in north London yester of the claim for £30 and a 35-h A mass meeting voted in fav immediate stoppage, the first workers during the ten-week b voted for an all-out, national str leaders. The proposal for immediate stri floor and was enthusiastically receiv speaker-to more applause-condem back to work on the bas men agreements.

ING

differentials, but the 900 strikers have ng out for £4 across the board.

00 men at Molins' Saunderton, Bucks, dy returned to work and the settlement EW national claim was also expected decision of whether to accept manage- Leith and Dundee. They are the 'Fastnet' and the 'Paris'.

Ernie Davidson, Aberdeen delegate to the unofficial East of Scotland strike committee which agreed the blacklist policy, told Workers Press yesterday that the employers were making a stand and seemed 'determined to pro- voke a conflict with the dockers'.

On Monday, Forth Stevedores Ltd at Leith rejected an offer to work the 13 other ships in port besides the 'Fastnet'. All the ships in port must be worked, the company insisted. bunch of anarchists. The next thing will be the law down here turning us over' Other pickets added that Jones was bending over backwards to win the approval of transport workers and, whether through redundancies, disciplining or dis- union, enchantment with the seemed prepared to lose a large section of his dock membership.

They claimed that Jones' tac- tics following the collapse of the national dock strike have spread widespread confusion among dockers about the next step in their fight for jobs. 01-622 7029 01-720 2000 Restered listed ews porkers ress Office. Press, Workers 186a Clapham High _Street, London.

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU), London, High Street, 180b Clapham

SW4 7UG.

orkers employed by Camden n yesterday struck in support 1 a 35-hour week. d in favour of a complete and he first by London council week battle. The meeting also onal strike called by the union iate strike action came from the ly received. At the same time, the -condemned the policy of sending the basis of separate company Communist Party member 'Lew' Lewis, a member of the London action committee, who the main speaker on the was avoided any criticism platform, of the union leadership. He him- self made no proposal for a strike but only 'suggested' they come out. In fact Lewis has time and • a national time again opposed strike and the CP, through the 'Morning Star', supports separ- ate agreements. In West London, many build- ing workers who have been on strike for ten weeks, yesterday bitterly attacked the union leaders and demanded action from their executives. Many suffering from acute financial hardship, asked why no call for help had gone out to other trade unions. Others demanded no return to work until a national agree- and opposed ment was signed the separate deals' strategy. More building workers wanted to know why the CP-led 'Charter' group had not brought out an edition of their paper during the strike. 'We've been out ten weeks and I don't see any light coming through, UCATT picket Naahan Kelly told me outside the Laing's hotel site in Gloucester Road.

"There has been no support from the union leaders of any- one else. If they don't think they can win themselves, the union leaders should seek back- ing. It's no good calling us • just out and then leaving us lo struggle on by ourselves.

I am opposed to sending any- one back to work until we get a national agreement. We want the £30 for 35 hours now.

'All workers must now support the building workers. Because if we lose, the Tories will crow,' said Mr Kelly. He said if the union leaders didn't want to fight they should resign. 'We send them there and them to fight. And they're pay getting paid while we're on strike. Federation steward Bernie Batcheldor was also opposed to separate company agreements.

He also wanted to know why the 'Charter' had not appeared during the strike. Another picket told Workers Press: 'We want action from the executive. It's as simple as that.

We're having it hard with no we're having strike Now pay. fight with the social a terrible security for some money. 'The employers should have been hit right away with a national strike. But George Smith (UCATT general secre- tary) is a middle-of-the-road man. Look, the Transport and Workers' Union is one General of the biggest in the world. It has plenty of money and many members. 'We need the support of other unions. At the moment the build- ing workers are a lone voice in the wilderness, with no leader- ship,' he said. 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.