'Dramatic' expulsion of rebel unions is ambiguous TUC debates will ignore the dangers orders for facing workers

It's al been said betoreby Hitler THE FIVE-DAY London Festival of Light ended in Trafalgar Square yesterday afternoon with a mass prayin. From the standpoint of the organizers of the 'Festival for Jesus', however, the turn-out since Wednesday has been disappointing. On Saturday a pop concert—led by big-name Cliff Richard— only attracted about 7,000 to Hyde Park. The same event last year brought 20,000 out. For five days the Festival-with organizers • like Mary Whitehouse, Malcolm Muggeridge and Lord Longford - has peddled ideology which has more in common with the Dark Ages than 1972. Spurning any semblance of rational and logical thought, they described Dunkirk as a 'miracle'. 'We are again surrounded and infiltrated. Only this time it is by a subtle and destructive enemy. Today we or see the steady erosion moral values, the increase of violence, lawlessness, the breakdown of family life,' they said.

le answer? 'We want to bring out the supernatural talents in peoplé, I was told by one of the organizers.

reality it means that anyone who opposes authority, who contributes to moral pollution' must be smashed down. "The Nationwide Petition for Public Decency' already calls for strict censorship of the media.

This paranoia of the petty-bourgeoisie stricken by the break-up of British capitalism finds its echo in the voices of two men.

One is Enoch Powell who also talks of the 'enemy within' and 'moral pollution' and is a mortal opponent of the working class.

The other man is Adolf Hitler, who said in Mein Kampf": *The fight against pollution of the mind must be waged simultaneously with the training of the body. This seductive and sensuous senions into tme heads of outs youth, which Their age ought to be unknown to them • But if this fight is not fought to the finish... little of God's image will be left in human nature.' letter builders SEE p. 11 EAST and north-east England will be rather cloudy at first but Their expulsion from the debate will certainly give the impression that something important is happening at the 104th Congress, which is exactly the impression the leaders of the trade union movement wish to create.

In fact not one of the debates this week will really examine the enormous dangers that face all trade unionists in • the coming year—still less will any policy be adopted to meet this challenge.

Even the General Council bid to expel the rebels from the Congress floor is ambiguous.

The Council have not committed themselves to expulsion, despite the prolonged and deliberate violation of policy by The recommendation before Congress on this issue ends 'that any suspended union which has not deregistered by that date [December 31, 1972] shall continue to be suspended until the 1973 congress, when its position will be reviewed'.

But it is on the issue of unemployment and opposition to the Tory government that the real bankruptcy of the leadership is revealed.

On economic policy, once more, there is a long-winded resolution pleading for growth and full employment. This time there are more 'lefty' frills to satisfy unions like the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers; calls for the control of profits and prices, Motions weakened THE TUC is preparing to adopt a weak and ambiguous future policy on co-operation with the Industrial Relations Act.

Congress decides its attitude On Wednesday morning. But already the technical and supervisory section (TASS) of the big engineers' amalgamation has relinquished a demand that unions must not appear before the National Industrial Relations Court or pay fines.

This was a direct challenge, to existing TUC policy and actions of the giant Transport and General Workers' Union.

At a press conference yesterday TUC general secretary Victor Feather would not say THE RIGHT wing in the National Union of Journalists suffered a shattering defeat at the weekend when a special delegate meeting in London on Saturday voted 171 to 160 not rescind a deregistration decision taken by the NUJ annual conference in April. Labour ranks must figh JOHNS withdrawal of the Housing Finance Act and a shorter working week.

But on the key issue of further collaboration with the Tory government and the employers it says nothing.

Everyone knows that in the coming months more lip-service will be paid to all the fancy demands in the motion, while the TUC, the CBI and the Cabinet get cracking with their plan • to stop strikes and cut wages.

The motion itself represents the kind of pious pleading for the Tories to 'do something' about the economy that has characterized conference resolutions since the election of the Tory government in 1970.

Two years ago - again at Brighton—Congress was 'gravely concerned' with the figure of 600,000 unemployed. Once more Congress 'demanded' that the General Council press the government for reflation.

This ended in failure. The TUC report for 1971 told the gloomy tale of this verbal offensive to bring prosperity back to Britain. The section on economic policy and organization began with these words:

In the field of economic policy, last year cannot be described as one of progress. The government's policies have been based whether he thought this represented a tougher line than present Congress policy. He is reserving his opinion until Hugh Scanlon, the engineers' president, proposes the composite on Wednesday.

The composite also clearly envisages payment of fines since it calls for a fund financed by unions to meet any penalties imposed • under the Act.

A motion from the Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians, which calls for a campaign including industrial action to bring down the Tory government and return a Labour government pledged to socialist policies, has been completely lost.

BUILDING workers in Bradford on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming their determination to stay on strike till the full claim of £30 for 35 hours was won. The resolution, moved from the floor, rejected any return to work on the basis of company or local agreements. savagely torn away? 2) How to make sure that these policies, once adopted at Blackpool, are actually carried into effect?

Many 'lefts' will speak enthusiastically about socialism. But without mobilizing the working class to bring down the Tories, and force Wilson and company into office pledged to carry out these policies, then all that will happen at the conference will be talk.

Socialist Labour League policy is to build Councils of Action in every area to unite all sections of the working class against the Tory attacks, and to force the TUC leaders to call a General Strike to drive the Tories out of office.

Only a Labour government returned through such a working-class struggle can be pledged to carry out the socialist policies put forward by the ranks for the Blackpool conference. on its doctrine of disengagement, quite alien to the General Counmodern industrial society, of a cil's view of the needs oia Presumably in • case anyone thought the TUC was going to get really radical and give up its bid to persuade the Tories, the council added: 'Despite this, the General Council's longstanding approach to dealing with the government of the day, which was restated shortly after the General Election has been maintained throughout the year.' Since these immortal words, the TUC has been 'dealing' with the Tories for a further 12 months, unemployment is now 930,000, this winter it could be 13 million and we find the luc still begging for reflation.

The policy on the anti-union laws, however, has not remained static.

From the at Croydon March sistance to the Tory Act has steadily crumbled. Only spontaneous action by workers— without any call from the top has had any effect on the National Industrial Relations Court.

The biggest retreat, ironically, occurred on May Day, when the TUC 'inner cabinet' gave unions a free hand to appear before the court.

But not one resolution on THE ISSUES AT COVAN agenda this week calls the TUC to task for this abysmal collapse. Still less does any union call for mass industrial action against the legislation.

After all the traumas, jailings and fines, the TUC is back to where it was in 1970 with no positive policy of action against the anti-union laws apart from their original demand for a Labour government to repeal it.

A few hearts may flutter if Hugh Scanlon of the engineers presses his demand that there should be no co-operation with the court.

But it appears that he and Jack Jones of the Transport and General Workers' Union, whose union has appeared at the NIRC, have come to a diplomatic agreement to spare each other any embarrassment.

It is in this atmosphere of abject complacency that the Brighton Congress begins.

There will, of course, be fistwaving from the rostrum, warlike threats and general shouting around-this is all good form so long as the movement does not get committed to a political fight that would disturb the cosy relationships with the Tories and the employers.

The unions who walk out today will leave little better behind them. now by a mixture of passionate oratory the Stalinists have almost succeeded in foisting on the 4,000 men left at Govan a deal which not only gives no jobs guarantees and no new wage and bonus rates, but which emphasizes in almost every line the urgency of renewed effort to maximize interchangeability and productivity.

The boilermakers have called their bluff. They are not prepared to budge another inch.

Instead of being taken in by the Stalinists men throughout the yards should read the agreement and throw their weight behind the boilermakers.

LIVERPOOL

LECTURES Tremendous Interest has been shown In Liverpool for the series of lectures starting next Tuesday. Already large numbers of tickets have been sold.

If you are interested in obtaining your ticket please contact:

Bill Hunter, 58 Leighton View, Liverpool 8. Tel.: 051-709 7734.

FOUR LECTURES THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM given by (SLL national secretary)

1. Marxism as the theory 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 Tuesday September 26 AEU HOUSE Mount Pleasant Liverpool 1, 7.30