Workers Press no. 893

workers press

NUM FALLS IN

WITH TORY

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETT

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

President Joe Gormiey

BY DAVID MAUDE

yesterday MINERS' leaders walked away from a fight with the Tory government's plan for state regulation of wages. The National Union of Mineworkers' executive meeting in London, agreed to delay the start of negotiations on their big, new pay claim until December.

Senior Tory Ministers-in Blackpool for their Party conference-had cause They have already re- for celebration.

TUC

acted with pleasure to the General Council's proposals for an "al- ternative' Heath's £2 limit to premier will see yesterday's rises and on pay move as further confirmation that union chiefs are toeing their line.

At its annual conference in July, the NUM on rises of €5.50 to £7 and a set its sights The union shorter working week. also the National Coal Board for cided to ask existing differentials. changes in Earlier month secretary Law- this union Daly said that the Heath plan would affect negotiators' not union pay recom- mendation to yesterday's executive meeting.

members And dispersed as executive yesterday president Joe Gormley morning, insisted that the government plan had not entered into their considerations. But he added: I have no doubt that the talks with the TUC and the government are bound to people's the end the colour minds at of exercise. Gormley claimed that the reason for de- laying detailed formulation and presentation of the claim was lack of information. The executive had to take into account all the resolutions passed at the conference, he said.

might well have to have It composite claim covering all the issues raised in July.

This would be decided at next month's meeting, and with executive negotiations the NCB would start in December.

Gormley was asked about a pledge given last month to Industry Minister Tom Board- event of disagreement full man, that in the consideration would be given to the use of *so to avoid industrial arbitration as action if possible. He complained that it And with at least 2 million was difficult to persuade his workers in the pay queue along- members arbitration side the miners, power men and to trust industrial when both the government and government workers, the TUC were introducing figures vesterday's decision was clearly a key one for the Tory campaign.

into the discussion. Arbitration, of which Gormley Yet Gormley was able to is a keen advocate, is another announce after the meeting that key element in the Tories' state the decision to defer the claim Already the pay plan. has been In unanimous. other ment industrial claim words, it had beer. supported not has been there as of part only by the right wing but also the backstage deal between by the Communist Party faction Heath and the TUC at Chequers.

on the executive. The miners' present pay deal and With the Tories their with the Coal Board does not ex- Europe friends in stepping up pire until February, enabling the pressure daily for a fully-fledged right wing of the union executive of regulation of system state to argue that there is no rush to wages, this is an abandonment of submit their claim. the CP miners' leaders responsi- bility to the working class as But the Wilberforce report whole. which formed the basis of the Whatever the technical argu- last deal specified that ne- Day brought forward by the gotiations could be put back to ments their traditional time of Novem- the predominant right wing, ber if either party wished. question for every trade unionist

• FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 1972

JEWSLETTER

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCI

Some of the 27 threatened will today must be the need to fight the Tory state pay plan. Figures for the last quarter show that the annual rate of price increases is now 7 per cent.

The Tories' phoney call for re- tail price increases to be limited to 5 per cent cannot contain this basic movement. union And whatever the leaders agree behind the scenes with the Tories cannot contain the movement of the working to defend its rapidly- class eroding standard of living.

With its acceptance of the principle of state regulation of wages earlier this week the TUC General Council has signed up for service with the Tories in battle against the working class.

Yesterday Communist Party members on the NUM executive, strengthened the hand of the right wing in this betrayal.

3, 1972 • No. 893 4p

E SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUI

of the 27 Midland Cold Storage workers tened with the sack by the Vestey family • See page 12. NUM secretary Lawrence Daly

LEAGUE

FOREMEN

and some tech- nical workers at the Coven- try Parkside Rolls-Royce plant are to stage a one- day token strike next Mon- day in protest against the company's refusal to con- tinue wage negotiations until the three-way national wage talks-aimed at establishing state control of wages-have reached a conclusion. The strike will involve about 250 foremen and 50 service engineers. Their pro- test has received support from the 1,000 indirect workers at the plant who have given 14 days strike notice. IN A major bid for middle- class support for the Tories Barter launched Chancellor State pay ge workers Anthony tey family. vitriolic attack on what he calls 'the wreckers'. See page BRITAIN had another huge trade deficit last month amounting to £136m. But the Department of Trade and Industry statement the said picture was 'seriously distorted' by the dock strike. It compared with a revised deficit of £187m in August when the full brunt of the dock strike was being felt. This was the second highest 'visible' deficit since the £222m of August 1970—also caused by a dock strike. Imports were at a peak; they totalled a colossal £968m against as exports £832m, the highest ever.

workers press

NUM FALLS IN

TEL! WITH TORY

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETT

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRA

ant doo Gormley

BY DAVID MAUDE

MINERS' leaders yesterday walked away from a fight with the Tory government's plan for state regulation of wages. The National Union of Mineworkers' executive meeting in London, agreed to delay the start of negotiations on their big, new pay claim until December.

Tory Ministers-in Blackpool for their Party conference-had cause for celebration. They have already re- the

TUC

acted with pleasure to General Council's proposals for an 'al- ternative to premier. Heath's £2 limit on pay rises and will see yesterday's move as further confirmation that union chiefs are toeing their line.

At its annual conference in July, the NUM set its sights on rises of £5.50 to £7 and a shorter working week. The also de- union cided to ask the National Coal Board for existing differentials. changes in secretary Law- Earlier this month union would Daly said that the Heath plan rence negotiators' affect union pay recom- mendation to yesterday's executive meeting. members dispersed And as executive Gormley yesterday president Joe morning, insisted that the plan had government not But into their considerations. he entered added: I have no doubt that the talks with the TUC and the government are bound to people's minds at the end colour of exercise. Gormley claimed that the reason for de- laying detailed formulation and presentation of the claim was lack of information. The executive had to take into account all the resolutions passed at the conference, he said.

well have to have a It might composite claim covering all the issues raised in July.

This would be decided at next month's and negotiations with executive meeting, the NCB would start in December.

was asked about a pledge given Gormley Tom Board- last month to Industry Minister man, that in the event of disagreement full consideration would be given to the use of arbitration 'so as to avoid industrial action if possible'. He complained that it And with at least 2 million was difficult to persuade his workers in the pay queue along- union members to arbitration side the miners, power men and trust when both the government and industrial workers, governell the TUC were introducing figures yesterday's decision was clearly a into the discussion. key one for the Tory campaign.

Arbitration, of which Gormley Yet Gormley was able to is y element in che Tories another after the announce meeting that key element in the state the decision to defer the claim plan. Already the pay govern- has been In other unanimous. workers' industrial claim words, it had bee: supported not ment has been sent there as part of only by the right wing but also the backstage deal between by the Communist Party faction Heath and the TUC at Chequers.

on the executive. The miners' present pay deal With Tories and their the with the Coal Board does not ex- friends in Europe stepping up pire until February, enabling the pressure daily for a fully-fledged right wing of the union executive of regulation of system state to argue that there is no rush to wages, this is an abandonment of submit their claim. the CP miners' leaders responsi- bility to the working class as Wilberforce But the report whole. which formed the basis of the last deal specified that Whatever the technical argu- ne- pay. could be put back to brought forward by the gotiations ments their traditional time of Novem- wing, the predominant right ber either party wished. question for every trade unionist

IEWSLETTER • FRIDAY OCTOBER 13, 1972

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIA

Some of the 27 | threatened with today must be the need to fight the Tory state pay plan. Figures for the last quarter show that the annual rate price increases is now 7 per cent.

The Tories' phoney call for re- tail price increases to be limited to 5 per cent cannot contain this basic movement. And whatever the union leaders agree behind the scenes with the Tories cannot contain the movement of the working to defend its rapidly- class eroding standard of living.

With its acceptance of the principle of state regulation of wages earlier this week the TUC General Council has signed up for service with the Tories in battle against the working class.

Yesterday Communist Party members on the NUM executive, strengthened the hand of the right wing in this betrayal.

, 1972 • No. 893 • 4p

• SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAG

of the 27 Midland Cold Storage work ned with the sack by the Vestey far • See page 12.

R LEAGUE

FOREMEN

and some tech- nical workers at the Coven- Parkside Rolls-Royce plant are to stage a one- day token strike next Mon- day in protest against the company's refusal to con- tinue wage negotiations until the three-way national wage talks—aimed at establishing state control of wages-have reached a conclusion. The strike will involve about 250 foremen and 50 service engineers. Their pro- test has received support the 1,000 indirect from workers at the plant who have given 14 days strike notice. IN A major bid for middle- class support for the Tories' state plan, Chancellor pay rage workers Anthony Barber launched a lestey family. vitriolic attack on what he calls 'the wreckers'. See page BRITAIN had another huge trade deficit last month amounting to £136m. But the Department of Trade and Industry statement said the picture was 'seriously distorted' by the dock strike. It compared with a revised deficit of £187m in August when the full brunt of the dock strike was being felt. This was the second highest 'visible' deficit since the £222m of August 1970—also caused by a dock strike. Imports were at a peak; they totalled a colossal £968m against exports of as £832m, the highest ever.

Strongman takes office in Malagasy PAGE 2 Workers Press, Friday October 1 The International Commission in US War Crimes, sitting in Copenhagen, claims that Haiphong and Nam Dinh have been largely destroyed by bombing like that seen right. 'The aim seems to have been the total destruction of all forms of life and buildings in these towns,' it says.

THE FRENCH police have arrested 22-year-old Basque, Michel Euba as part of a campaign to implement Minister of the Interior, Marcellin's decree outlawing the Basque separatist move- ment in France. A policeman claims that he saw two Basques who had been expelled from France in Euba's car on Sunday. Under the decree, the leaders organization of the dissolved have a month to wind up their affairs. Anyone who is under the slightest suspicion of helping Basques can, like Euba, be com- mitted to jail on the flimsiest of evidence. newspaper which lishes the communiqués of the Basque separatist movement or the latter any favourable gives publicity will be prosecuted by the police. The legal formulas used by the government are the same as which the French those with government illegalized socialist organizations after the May-June events in 1968. This sinister co-operation be- tween Franco and Pompidou is repression of the net of part against left-wing opposition being spread throughout the Common Market which German Social Democrat Willy Brandt is favour- ing in his crackdown on the organizations of Arab immigrants.

mover of the anti- Prime communist repression in Spain, Blas Pinar, member of Franco's Council of Ministers, told a rally of 1,200 blue-shirted fascists - in Madrid on Monday that separa- threatened the unity tists Spain. Those governments which political asylum gave Basques should hand them over at once to the Spanish authorities.

Pinar is also behind the pre- sent purge in the Spanish univer- sities. The Ministry of Education's refusal to renew the contracts of eight teachers in Valencia Univer- sity led to the resignation on Tuesday of the university rector, two vice-rectors and five deans.

The list of those to be dis- missed in Madrid University said to include 50 to 100 teachers has not yet been disclosed.

Fascist officials in both Madrid and Barcelona have expressed concern that if the universities are opened for the new term they will soon have to be closed because of strikes. It has just been announced that the first course in the new 'Degree at Home' scheme will Barcelona in January. start in Government operated, it will be organized through correspon- dence and will avoid large con- glomerations of students.

October 13, 1972 AS PRESIDENT Nixon's spec inger prolonged his talks in Pa mese Politburo member Le Du waxed indignant at the US b mission. A main aim of the North Vietna of President Nguyen Van Thieu in block to a peace deal seems to b government in Saigon. The Nation: far refused to join a coalition goverr President Thieu has again expressed his opposition to the three-part . government pro- posed by the NLF. This would consist of the present Saigon regime without Thieu, repre- sentatives of the NLF and of a neutral group. Purpose of the government would be to hold elections in the south. Thieu says he will fight to the end against such a government and is mobilizing his supporters in the capital. The bombers which hit the French legation in Hanoi were aiming at railway yards only a few miles Even "The away. Times', , not an outspoken critic of US raids in the past when only Vietnamese peasants and workers were killed now heads its editorial 'A Crime and a Blunder'. It hints that, as the Lavelle case showed, the US military are carrying out unauthorized raids. Official claims that bombing has been confined to military targets is exposed by the International Commission into US War Crimes sitting in Copenhagen. The report of the Commission's team says that the cities of Hai- phong and Nam Dinh have been destroyed while some largely other towns have been razed to the ground. GENERAL Gabriel Raman- antsoa, the new strongman ruler of the island republic of Malagasy in the Indian Ocean, took office yesterday for a five-year term following the resignation of president Philibert Tsiranana. siranana resigned after a referendum had given a 96 per cent vote to the general, who was i's special adviser Henry Kiss- ‹s in Paris with North Vietna- r Le Duc Tho, French officials • US bombing of their Hanoi h Vietnamese has been to get rid Thieu in the south. The stumbling ms to be the composition of the • National Liberation Front has so on government. It adds: The aim seems to have been the total destruction of all forms of life and build- ing in these towns. No regard seems to have been paid to the lives of civilians, or to the pro- tection of hospitals or places of religious worship. It was simply bombing to indiscriminate mass kill and destroy' Or as a US air force general once put it in a franker mom- ent: 'We will bomb them back to the stone age.' •The Commission also reported that dykes and dams had been deliberately • bombed and that there had been large-scale use of perforating and fragmentation anti-personnel bombs over the north. Former US Attorney-General Ramsey Clark who was one the team which visited the north, said he saw many victims of these bombs which had plastic casing which could be not detected by X-ray when they entered the body. 'The movement of the body will cause it to cut and cause pain, but doctor will have great difficulty in finding it, he said. The Commission is holding further hearings in Copenhagen this week and further revela- appointed premier at the end of widespread riots and May after demonstrations against Tsiran- ana's rule. The outgoing president used to be known as 'Mr 100 per cent' because he always got at least 99 per cent of the votes at elections. His electoral prowess to have deserted him appears entirely since the May days.

Tsiranana had gone through the motions of opposing Raman- antsoa's request for absolute Henry Kissinger tions after the style of the 'Penta- gon Papers' have been promised jointly Russo, by Anthony charged with Daniel Ellsberg in connection with the leaking these documents to the press.

Daniel A French engineer, Mandelbaum, visited dykes and sluices in the Red River delta in August and reported that they had been bombed in a deliberate and specific manner. The US Senate Committee on staff has pro- Foreign Relations duced a report which shows that bombing has been of no effect in wringing concessions from North Vietnam. Nor has it prevented Hanoi from meeting the needs of the forces in the south, it reported.

'Compared to the damage to US and the internal prestige division created by the bombing policy, its meagre gains must be seriously questioned.' powers on the grounds that a vote for the general would mean five years of military dictatorship.

This is what it does mean.

The new dictator will undoubt- edly continue the existing policy South of rapprochement with Africa and extreme anti-com- munism, though he may well make some gestures towards the popular feeling that ties with France are too close. However, the basic problems which sparked the mass demon- THE YUGOSLAV government is to introduce urgent changes in justice administration tol- lowing complaints from Com- Party officials munist that some criminal law regulations seemed to have been drafted by people 'drunk from democracy'. A newly-formed government group will draw up the changes by the end the month, according to an official state- ment reported by the news agency Tanjug. The changes will be aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of judicial organs in carrying their tasks, the out statement said. The new group will review the application so far as the criminal code, the code of criminal pro- cedure, the code of economic violations and the code of petty offences are concerned. Party offcials have said that been . compiled legislation has too much on western lines. The work of judicial cadres has been described in certain instances as "totally formalistic'. The Tito bureaucracy wants to strengthen its hand against both left and right. It is staging a series of trials of Croat national- ists and has also imprisoned a number of left-wing opponents and critics, including three Bel- grade students accused "Trotskyism'. Three prominent Croat intel- lectuals imprisoned on were Wednesday for 'espionage and criminal acts against the people and state' They were said to have col- extreme right- laborated with wing émigré organizations. Dragutin Scukanek, described as an old-age pensioner, was given four years' jail for espionage.

The trial also opened on Wed- nesday of Professor Miljenko Foretic, editor of the now de- funct magazine 'Dubrovnik'. He charged is with issuing hostile propaganda, publishing articles a nationalist, separatist and counter-revolutionary nature and organizing lectures and debates with nationalist speakers.

strations in May remain: over 450,000 youth are unemployed on an island of 67 million people; prices of the country's staple products are falling and the average family income is at starvation level. Ramanantsoa no doubt hopes that five years of military rule will enable him to crush the militancy that emerged in May.

But his honeymoon with the people öf Malagasy is likely to be brief.

Councillors leave door open for retreat, but Camden is London's

CAMDEN'S LABOUR-CONTI

will continue to refuse to impl least for the time being. But s have capitulated and will now Camden-which leaves them tr of London still resisting the Aci yesterday morning at the end o JUST a few hours before the Camden decision, the only major defiant council left in the north- west, Salford, reversed policy and capitulated to the Tory gov- ernment by 27 votes to 20.

All 35 Labour members had been given a free vote and the implementation decision was only carried because a number of Labourites voted with the Tories. Now that the original pledge to oppose the Act has fallen, 16,000 • Salford tenants will face rent increases of £1.08 from mid-November under the Tories' plans. group leader Leslie Labour Hough said afterwards: "There will be no recrimina- tions against any member, how- ever he or she voted. The deci- sion on this was taken at a meeting to the city This apology for the right wing will not help the tenants in the least. And only noW Eccles in the whole greater Manchester area remains deter- mined to fight the Tory attack on housing. same AT 9 a.m. last Monday Lucas workers at the factory at Fazakerley in Liverpool began their sit-in strike against the threat- ened closure of their factory. At about the time same at CAV's plant at Acton, West there was a comically London different activity going on.

The Red Flag of the People's Republic of China was flying the building. No, Reg over Birch and the Maoists were not engaged in sympathy action. It was to mark the official visit of a Chinese trade delegation.

The visitors given full were honours: red sugar bowls and red plastic spoons for their cups. Leading shop stewards met them and shook hands.

There talk of a flm was order for diesel fuel equipment.

Not to be outdone by this the Soviet Union is sending its delegation today. By today, of course, the Chinese red flag with golden stars will be stowed and the away Russian version, with hammer and sickle, will be brought out of mothballs. With this generous hospitality to the 'red peril' the right-wing in the factory are élements being driven to distraction!

• 12 4 1 Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 PAGE 3 sole rent rebel

BY PHILIP WADE

CAMDEN'S LABOUR-CONTROLLED council in north London The Act is law, says Kaufman: will continue to refuse to implement the Tory "fair rents' Act-at least for the time being. But Salford Labourites in the north-west We can't risk our livelihoods have capitulated and will now put up the rents. The decision by Camden-which leaves them the only Labour council in the whole of London still resisting the Act-became clear in the early hours of MANCHESIER Labour am noti MP Gerald Kaufman to carry carry; yesterday morning at the end of the October council meeting.

has pledged he will per- Labour councillors had been right to implement sonally Stant Le salu Despite long negotiations with the Tories tenant facing eviction. une over small concessions in the Act, the major The member for Ard- cillors, Gold- Act against the mandate from Manchester pledge policy had wick gave this carefully phrased Labour Party. TenanTS bello their report to the council meeting.

epeatedl asked what 'What absolutely Led by ind of help the Labou committee Best, chairman Peter they sure Is that whetner the developed said they could make no recommendation at all to councillors implemented was prevared 10W councillors. This frustrated Tory attempts to move give to lamilies lacıng it or not, the tenants amendment calling for implementation.

because of the why they both pay ll, All the refused rent strike. speak lories said Kaufman. coula a was move a rererence back 15 with five Labour which failed 27 to Kaufman — who At this point he was abstensions. The council's August decision given the Ardwick seat At they said not drowned out by cries of after Harold insufficient implement (carried 30 to 26) remained Camden serving as surikel when offcial Dolicy. Wilson's

UCCI

Heath out. He con. Because a straight vote was avoided, the Tories 10 Downing evidence above lin: ace sed implementits afd instainers castied case tween 1964 1970— 'Nothing said: 1 this they will be the was austainers Canned une can change the fact that day on the Act. There probably was some measure House o commons the Act is law? of truth in that. if I hear of any eviction the other Now at the will down Eventually Kaufman end of the second week of the 'fair come rents' they will to the Camden has lost £26,000 in down potential nave lo evic Ical for il crecsed rents. At a rate of £13,000 a week it is a me as well? reason

LABOUR S

atend wiere mighty sum for which the 30 non-implementers can But Kaufman and the collapse. One could not 'outside influences expect, he argued, coun- eventually be surcharged.

But the Labour group Is two local councios ul the cilors ¡cavile us escare oute mee 'If we had implemented the Act it would have Party public meeting on and careers meeting live Thonde destroyed Wednesday night made by breaking the government to do fight inflation,' said Cilr that this himself: As for the only kind of help nurden inished lie on Cllr Brian Loughran they could expect from the Queen put her name welcomed the 'changes this That day Tories. brought in by the government' 85p increases instead the Labour Party. Act. of fl and rebate allowances of up to f10 instead of responsibiiti „lne remiser To £8. say whether Manchester you as an MP ended. I As far as he was concerned, and Loughran leads the 1011. the "time to recon-

EVICT THE

Implementers, sider' implementation was the 'Minister the agrees to cut

EVICT

TORIES

principle of the Act' in relation

DONT

to toe corena tor tair rents'.

But the calculation asis, as it basis, rents on a market

OPERATE

OT THE

tney were tenancies. the central point of the Act.

THE

must be obvious to all Camden

WAITS

RENT

councillors that the Tories will

TONIES!

cannot-

BILL

destroy the whole basis of their lesis was hard to see what Cllr Loughran was getting at. To defeat the Act ren of the defeat resignation and Tories and he mentioned nothing about that. Paddy Only one councillor, O'Connor, made a firm stand. the Ins is a class allack by Tories,' he said. 'They have only and that is one idea to screw more rent trom the working class.

"To hell with the concessions!

I'm not interested in whether the rent is 85p 100pp. Whatever the government does. we wIll 101 accept a vote for implementation.'

Camden tenants are already finding it impossible to pay exist ICHl alicals amount to a staggering £440,00V, Tenants lobby Camden councll meeting on Wednesday which went on until the early hours.

or over per of all potential revenue. How Labour has betrayed us 'Last week we spec- Chate tacle of Mr Allaun lending his stamp of respectability to the big ther Course not help councillors in trouble. 'It is my the real

A LIVERPOOL

'These blows opinion tenants' were By a long-time dealt to tenants all over the should be leader has accused the Labour Call Dalell had gone clearing these people out of the councillors of Party Lully. conspiracy rents campaigner Labour Party. Tone do tole tenars moe were the Labour smash resistance by tenants was Party any- the sticking to their pledge re- the Tory rent sistance would have been 90 per seeds of the against in-

WINCH

Housing Finance Act into the tance to maintain from creases. support cent dost calls. minds of the Tories. Francis tenants and then abandoned them 'As it is, 1 believe the move- Mike McGurgan (46), chairman Report on housing talked about ment has been dealt a crippling an e cacce the Liverpool north-west subsialzing people ana not bricks To support argument he blow Amalgamated Tenants' and mortar This was up by the in Bootle. campaign points to collapse If you look at the Labour and it became the essence and leader ot the resistance "The counci decided to no our co in bootle, says Labour councillors, ment the Act on August 23. On cillors saying they would defy the MPs and the national "There is section of the August 24, 11,000 tenants in Act, knowing full well the impli- of the Party all pledged Labour Party- -the grass roots- resist To told about The Bootle were Canons Suct stand. that should These be preserved une AcL. Know u we lo! crease and were threatened with collapse was very sudden they would eventually implement cream. are the AL The notices to quit if they did not would be generate did not it. rest are completely corrupt. We suspect "Their main strategy by the yay. a completely new leader- was Labour Party NEC! 'In all, five forms were sent ship' elections coming up uncer tre Mr McGrirgan, who lives on an new local government structure. said that the out tnat aay ana tney were all Mr Mcuurgan on the outskirts of Bootle, estate printed by local firms. tenants' movement should be in- They wanted to get in once more obvious mind that this Cantanes volved in politics. and Coun protect THeN Careers. cillors not have been done 'I have been on platforms with will be paid under the It is impossible to avoid this new regulations, don't forget, he less there had prior people like Frank Allaun in the After experiencing what has collusion between Labour days of struggle and happened the Labour early Party said. group and the housing depart- should kicking He claims Labour inat tne WC UCTe made a pretence of resis- ment. disobedience against the Act.

these people.

THE JAY LOVESTONE

gue is to Lorenon i amed hat mi win ane Bai do as postmaina: Samon caterped Loven to a deal PAGE 4 Workers Press, Friday October From Stalinism... to the CLA When Jay Lovestone headed a three-man dele- gation Moscow in to I 1929 to discuss the deep- split inside the ening American Communist Party, the 'American Commission' of the Com- munist International de- nounced him more openly than before as a 'rightist'. It accused him of adopting a factional attitude not only to- wards his Party opponents, but towards the Comintern Execu- tive. His removal from Party leadership was clearly coming.

The delegation drafted a cable to trusted lieutenants back in the USA. The instruction was for to complete preparations the transfer of Party premises and other property to their supporters and to take charge of all mailing lists. On May 17, 1929, the Comintern Political Secretariat decided to remove Lovestone, Gitlow and Wolfe from all leading positions in the Ameri- can Party, to purge the Poli- tical Committee and to warn Lovestone that it would be a breach of discipline for him to attempt to leave Russia. On May 20, following dis- closures by Walter Duranty in.

the 'New York Times', the 'Daily Worker' published the Comintern's Address to the American Party and the deci- sion of the Party's Central Committee to endorse it. Two days later, the 'Daily Worker' publishing telegrams began repudiating Lovestone and company and pledging support for the Comintern. The first to come in were from four district organizers formerly identified with Love- stone and Gitlow. In the fol- lowing weeks, there, was a steady stream of such mes- sages. Moscow, In Gitlow was offered a job with the GPU.

Welsh, another member of the American delegation was offered a holiday in the followed by an Crimea, extended stay in the Soviet Union to lecture on American Negro problems. Wolfe was offered a long rest at Sochi, the Black Sea resort, or a job for the Comintern in Korea, or work for the GPU. But the Americans did not want to remain in the Soviet Union, within reach of Stalin.

Eventually they managed to get permission to leave, one at time, Lovestone finally a obtaining permission to return to America for two weeks for personal affairs. His old supporters in the American Party were deserting him, the instructions on trans- ferring property had been ignored, and on June 4, the new Stalinist leadership sent a cable to Moscow disclosing his attempts to prepare a split and asking that his return to America be delayed. On June 11, 1929, Lovestone took a plane for Danzig, with- out telling the Comintern, and made his way back to, America.

His expulsion was announced in the 'Daily Worker' on June 27. As a last gesture, Lovestone, October 13, 1972 the CIA. By Charles Parkins. Part S Above: a group of the Minneapolis De Cannon who fought alongside Trotsky over this question, while Lovestone still and Wolfe sent an Gitlow 'Appeal to the Comintern' asking it to re-examine the situation in the American Party. They were told the appeal would be heard pro- vided Lovestone returned to Moscow. Otherwise his expul- sion was final. He never returned. In November 1929, Love- stone entered on a new phase of his career. With the first issue of a paper called 'Revo- lutionary Age' he and the supporters he had managed to retain launched themselves as a centrist movement in the American labour movement. They formed-with just 200 members - the 'Communist Party (Majority) group, later adopting the name Communist Party of the USA (Opposition) and then, as they moved closer to social democracy, the name Independent Labour League of America. Despite the conditions of his removal from the CP and "little' the Comintern, the Lovestone bureaucrat con- tinued to show respect for the big bureaucrats in Moscow.

On March 5, 1934, some five years after his expulsion, and nearly a year after the tragedy brought by Stalinism to the German working class, Love- 'unity' stone still spoke of with the Stalinists. The American Trotskyists had decided to challenge Lovestone to a public debate on that day. James Cannon made his theme 'For a new party and a new International'.

Lovestone counterposed the programme 'Reform and Unify the Communist International.

• Part Six

HONOR ROL

CAR: 4::

ANIL RAN

ÚRALE CARISON

JARE COOPER

OSCAR COOMER

KAM

OF ACAM

HANK

TOWARD

FARMER

00BOS

apolis Detendants, revolutionists who were in • Trotsky for the formation of 'a new party ar stone still claimed that unity with the Stalinist All that was needed to erase the record of Stalin's criminal policies was for the Comintern to accept Lovestone back intò the fold! Actually, it can be said that Lovestone's prolonged fawning before Stalinism at this time was not despite the conditions but because of of his split them. He had never really made a principled break with Stalinism. He had helped it develop and had gone along with it as long as he could. All that he required, in effect, was that in return for his uncritical support for Stalin's policies in the Soviet Union, he should be supported and given a free hand in the USA. During the 1930s, Lovestone continued to insist, in opposi- that tion to the Trotskyists inter- while the Comintern's be national policies might wrong, there was nothing with Stalin's internal wrong policies or with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

We have said that Love- stone's support for 'socialism in one country' was the oppo- proletarian inter- site of nationalism. It went hand in his opportunist hand with development in America, to- wards 'American Exception- alism'. It was along this line of continuity that, having been ousted from the Comintern, the Lovestoneites were to become aligned in the later 1930s with the centrist parties affiliated to the London Bureau (like the SAP in Ger- many and the ILP in Britain), and were strenuously opposed, like these centrist parties, to the call for the formation of a Inter- revolutionary new national, Fourth Inter- the national. • were imprisoned during the Second World " party and a new International'. Cannon chall • Stalinists was possible.

They denounced this forma- tion of an International 'from above'-because, of course, it would mean, 'above' Love- Brockway, etc. They stone, insisted on their independ- to pursue their own ence' national brands of oppor- tunism. The centrist groupings could never really develop as an alternative leadership in the labour movement. For all their pose of 'independence', they continued in the long run be subservient fellow- travellers of one or other of in the main bureaucracies-social democratic, Stalinist, syn- dicalist, Stalinist, synidicalist.

Lovestone ended up attached to a section of the trade union bureaucracy in the United States. In 1937, he joined the staff of David Dubinsky, right-wing reformist leader of the Inter- national Ladies Garment Workers' Union. It was as the protégé of Dubinsky that Love- together with some of stone, his followers, began to risa in the union bureaucracy. The old-time union leaders needed bright fellows some with political ideas, because worker, under the American the impact of the 1930s, the slump, the international crisis, be com in t politicat. Thes becoming political. needed fellows who could fight communism. Who better than the old 'City College boys', the Lovestoneites who had learnt to fight communism when they were fighting the Left Opposi- tion, had learnt all the bureau- cratic tricks in the Stalin school, and besides, had a few scores to settle? In the United Automobile la James id World War. Seated centre nnon challenged Lovestone to a debate Workers, Homer Martin, the then leader, was facing a chal- lenge from a combined opposi- tion of social-democrats, Stalinists, and others, headed by Walter Reuther. In May 1937, the union magazine attacked "wildcat' strikes. In June, it began denouncing left-wing , factions in the union. The following year, Martin began widespread dismissals of union officers who opposed him. He went on the radio to denounce the Communist Party's activities in the union. Suspended officials were put defendants replied with that 'the conspiracy charge that actually existed... was a conspiracy between Homer Martin and an irresponsible, disruptive, political adventurer and meddler, Jay Lovestone'.

In substantiation, they were able to produce correspond- ence, including a letter from Martin to Lovestone, assuring him that one of his supporters, Irving Brown, would be kept on the union payroll. In fact, a whole number of Lovestone's supporters were disclosed to be holding posts in the union and undoubtedly the Lovestone forces were advising and influencing Martin. . (The latter eventually ended up, his union career finished, in the pay of the Ford Motor Co.) had Lovestone clearly entered on the third phase of political after career, Stalinism and centrism; pro- fessional anti-communism. He was on his way to the CIA.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Regional development was high on the agenda of the talks recent between Edward Heath and the Italian premier Andreotti. The activities of the Italian monopoly Fiat are a good indication of this tendency in Europe which Heath and the Tories find so attrac- tive. At the beginning of 1969, the head of Fiat, Agnelli, re- vealed that they intended to invest substantially in the south. This was in line with their plans to intervene in the international market heralded by their agreement with Citröen, the French car manu- facturers. Fiat's turn to the south had much to offer the share- holders. There were healthy government grants for expan- sion of industry in the poverty- stricken countryside and huge pools of unemployed prepared to work for next to nothing.

struggle of trade- The unionists in Fiat's plants in Rivalta and Mirafiori were another powerful argument for some redistribution of pro- duction: their strikes from 1968 have continuously held up and delayed production schedules. The new factories are being built in towns where there is no industry and they provide work for 20,000 workers. Rather than establish one com- plex, the factories are spread in many different southern towns. They are in towns close to railways and the government guarantees low prices to keep down transport costs. Fiat also has the contract for the restructuring of the railways to handle the containerized systems they favour. Spain is another welcome haven for Fiat investment.

After the healthy profits recorded by the giant Seat plant in Barcelona, which is jointly owned by Fiat and the Spanish government, Agnelli has begun two more ventures in Franco's police state.

and Citröen-Hispania Seat have just signed an agrement for a car-components factory in Vigo in the north of Spain.

Factory sales will be aimed as much at the export market as domestic consumption. However, the big coup was Top: Police attack workers and students otti's visit to Sesto. Above left: Andreotti.

the contract signed on Septem- ber 8 with Spain's National Rail Company (RENFE) for the design and construction of a new train for the Spanish rail network. Fiat and RENFE will share profits equally for of the train the sale to countries in Latin America which have the same width gauge as Spain. While this side of Andreotti's Europe must have pleased premier Heath, he must also have been impressed by the firmness of the Italian police their government against and trade unionists. A few days before Heath's arrival, Minister of the Interior, Rumor addressed a police training school on the war 'violence against and sub- version'. He concluded: 'We shall never cease in our duty with to maximum pursue energy and seriousness any use of. violence to create uncer- a lack of trust in tainty or public opinion.' Action followed words. The this peroration, night after Rumor co-ordinated 'an extra- ordinary operation of control over criminals on all national territory' - almost 300,000 searched 30,000 people were were fined and 385 arrested.

While Rumor was initiating this enormous police exercise, leader fascist Almirante addressed a school of 300 gun- men and youth in Montesilvano (Pescara) on the necessary pre- parations for the autumn struggles in the factories and the reopening of schools and universities. With black-shirt rhetoric, he praised their 'virile appearance' and appealed to 'physical con- flict' ', the 'old national princi- d students demonstrating against Andre.

Andreotti. Right: Fascist leader Almirante.

ples of daring and strength in struggle. If the state does not function, then we are the state' If Rumor and Almirante can be so arrogant, this is entirely the responsibility of the Italian Communist Party and centrists who are embarking once more this autumn on a round of national one-day strikes. These can only dissipate the un- questionable militancy of the working class. fascists greet The every appeal of the Stalinists to "democracy' with daily terror- ism against workers. Recently, Andreotti was in- vited to Sesto by the CP to present an anti-fascist gold medal. During the presentation, CP helmeted police and stewards joined together against protesting students and workers. After Andreotti had left, fascists blew up the Sesto CP head-quarters. Stalinists' This the was reward for inviting Andreotti and helping his forces of law and order. a week in which the After offices of a liberal organization had been dynamited in Catania, left-wing in which the Feltrinelli bookshop w a s bombed, and the restaurant of a co-operative in Camst in Sicily was destroyed, Giulio Quercini, provincial secretary of the CP, called on the Minister of the Interior to operate the anti-fascist con- stitution'. terrorism, law and Fascist a Communist Party order, guardian of democracy, ex- ploitation of cheap labour— this is the Common Market which the leadership of the Labour Party leader refused to reject at their Blackpool con- ference, Workers Press, Fl The most devastating efiects of the interna- tional economic crisis are being telt by the ex- colonial and semi-colonial countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Industrial recession and synthetic substitutes have in many cases cut demand in the metropolitan for countries their staple agricultural and mineral exports and prices have collapsed on the interna- tional markets. This has drastically reduced their reserves of foreign ex- change and worsened the crisis caused by heavy 'aid' repay- ment debts to the main imperi- alist centres. What has hap- pened is clearly shown by a look at the coffee market.

Coffee is the second largest commodity traded internation- and it is almost all grown countries: for the large-scale coffee producing countries of Latin America and Africa the crop is a matter of life or death. Earnings coffee from exports make up more than per cent of the foreign exchange earnings of Brazil, Rica, Colombia, Costa Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Haiti. Other countries which rely heavily on the coffee crop include Angola, Ecuador, Ivory Cameroon, Coast, Republic Malagasy and Mexico. Twenty years ago, coffee at 80 selling cents was a pound on international mar- kets and was hailed as the of economic salvation the 'third world. Now its price is around 45 cents a pound— and the dollar has been devalued. But lacking the capital to diversify into other forms of industry, the coffee-producing countries are forced to con- tinue their reliance on the beverage. In 1970 they exported a total of $2,500m- worth in over 57 million 60- kilogramme bags. For the past ten years the international coffee trade has been controlled by agreement between the producer and con- sumer countries. They signed an agreement in 1962 after a slump of over 50 disastrous per cent in the world coffee price. The International Coffee The 1,350 workers at the Enka in artificial factory fibres Breda, Holland, have won a reprieve from temporary closure for their factory after unprecedented two-week an factory occupation. In mid- September the management of this multi-national concern announced 6,500 redundancies factories throughout at five Europe, including the complete closure of the Breda works.

Unemployment has been rising steadily in Holland and the workers decided they had no alternative but to occupy the factory. They barricaded the gates, locked out the management and called for 3 Press, Friday October 13, 1972 PAGE 5 Agreement, supervised by a new body called the Interna- tional Coffee Organization, was intended to stabilize the mar- ket by a combination of price control and quota-fixing.

The ICO fixes quotas for the 40-odd producer-countries and sets a range within which various coffee the prices of grades should fall. If the price should move out of this range, then the ICO will automati- the cally cut (or increase) quotas of the countries involved. In practice the Organization has been dominated by the main coffee-consuming coun- try, the United States, which takes by far the largest slice of world production. The US and the other major consumer countries have always had a vested interest in keeping down prices by setting quotas artificially high. 'partnership' The

ICO

between the consumer- countries and the producers resembled that has always between a rider and his horse.

The last straw came in December 1971, with the devaluation of the dollar, how- ever. The US and Canada firmly refused to make any conces- to the coffee-producing sions countries who saw their tenu- ous foreign exchange earnings slashed at a stroke of Presi- dent Nixon's pen. In a desperate attempt to overcome the crisis, the pro- ducer-countries met in Bogota, Colombia, earlier this year and decided to ignore any quota increases dictated by the ICO.

They threatened to cut off sup- plies to consumer-countries which opposed them. The Bogota meeting had a large element of bluster and bluff. But for a brief period it drove up the coffee price.

Then the US and its allies struck back. At the recent ICO gathering in Geneva, they have refused to accept the pro- ducers' demands-and clearly hope that desperation will cause some producers to break the united front. The US is plainly hoping to provoke a dumping war the producer- between countries, which have no real powers of resistance to the Ithas American demands. 50 called the producers' bluff and over the coming months the battle could have devastating effects. from the other support branches of the Enka empire and the rest of the trade union movement. bedding Food and were passed over the gates by the men's families and plans were even laid for a helicopter air- lift of provisions In case management tried to stop this. The management, of course, denounced the occupation as illegal, but also revealed very clearly the growing trade war which is the real cause of un- employment. In a statement to the press the managing director L. H.

Meerburg said: 'Since 1966 we have made no mistakes and very little capital investment.

It is only the unbridled ex- pansion of other firms that has flooded the market and we are not responsible for that.

'Unless this problem can be sorted out by a European in- vestment policy, I can see the in the same thing happening polyester-fibre market.?

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 By Leslie Stuart On May 3, 1926. two days Meanwhile the General more determined as the days Council of the TUC had pass. They not "drifting before the General Strike al c own plans. They were to use back to work". Un the began, Winston Chur- Herald to publish The British "The trary, the trouble keep 1S chill, then Chancellor of those men at work who have Worker'. not strikeyet been ordered the Exchequer and to one The authorities were natu- of the most ruthless rally not so helpful in its case These reserves were never On the evening of May members of a reaction. called out. The TUC was too when the presses were about frightened that it 'vio- might ary Conservative govern- to run, plain clothes police, late law and order'. There was ment, met with the mem- led by police inspector, no revolutionary he TUC to give raided the premises, while a lead. What the bers of the Newspapers was to organize strong force, including concerned Proprietors Association. mounted police, formed a cor- somelning else They had don outside the building 'In all districts where large proposal to keep sympathetic workers make to him. It was that they numbers of workers are idle out. sports should be organized and considered 'advisable The situation brought Gen- the national interest that the entertainments arranged. This members to the eral Council government should print daily will keep a number of people spot. Meanwhile Labour leader news bulletins giving essential busy and provide amusement Ramsay MacDonald for many more' news', since in they themselves got with Not political agitation, not were going to be closed down couch the striking the attempt to give the prole- newspaper workers. matic piece of class-collabora- tariat a 'subjective insight into tion, the police were called off the They historical task were willing to help posed the carry out and the paper was launched.

its objective situation', which government to There was no scab labour in Trotsky the scheme. as the pul lorward Churchill leapt at the offer its case. Printed by members aim of revolutionary activity, of the printing unions and dis- football matches between but and suggested pro- should form a tributed by members the the police and the prietors com- strikers- distributive section the that is what the The wantish Union, Bulletin or Gazette; but there Paper Workers' Meanwhile British reached by its last number Gazette' was going through the were •SO many of shades opinion' them that it circulation of 700,000 farce of pretending among that the over copies. was hand the country was faced with Red The first number business over to the Civil Ser- Revolution. Prime Minister gave clear message of what line the Baldwin wrote in the second vice and the Stationery Office incidentally, TUC intended to pursue. -thus exposing, issue: •Message to All Workers the old hypocrisy about the Constitutional government The General Council of the independence of is being attacked Stand the bureau- TUC wishes to emphasize the behind the government, cracy. who fact that this is an industrial are doing their part, confident The premises of the right- *Morning wing Post' were dispute. It expects every mem- that you will co-operate in the requisitioned, scab labour ber taking part to be exemplary measures they have undertaken liberties and recruited, and on May 5, the in his conduct and not to give to preserve the of first day of the strike, the firs privileges any the laple police issue appeared. It cost Id and interference. The outbreak of these islands. laws of disturbances ran to eight issues, usually of England are the people's birth- would be any four pages. very damaging to the prospects right. You have made parlia- ment their guardian. The Gen- The first issue carried a two.

of a successful termination of column article splashed on the the dispute. eral Strike is challenge to asks parliament and is the road to front page. like most of the Council pickets Sune anarchy and ruin? it bears the especially to editorial matter, avoid obstruc- Not that there was anything marks of Churchill's hand.

tion and to confine themselves *Nearly all the their newspapers strictly to legitimate to fear from the workers' have been silenced by violent duties.' liamentary representatives. And this The of Witness the concerted action. seeds capitulation parliamentary 'The British Gazette great nation, on the whole the were already there. 'The retort In British Worker' ran for on May 6. community which eight

SOLACOL

"The civilization can show, is for issues. In not one of them House of Commons met this afternoon the reduced in this there any attempt to develop though respect to the level of African the political consciousness of nothing untoward had hap- natives dependent only on the There There pened. WaD which carried reports of solidarity of 'a won- ment, rumours no scene, passion. al c derful response to the call', of Instead there was a wonderful in a tew days, if this were allowed to the machine working exhibition of calm; confident efficiently'. calm and self-possession.

conunue, rumours would son the air, raise panic and dis- But was working for? Where *Everybody waited to was the see belt and the transmis- how the British House of Com- order, inflame tears driving and pas and carry us sion? mons would comfort itself in sions together, which all to depths sane an unprecedented situation and

WORKERS

man of any party would even they were supplied with spectacle care to contemplate. probably other "The government has decided

GROW MORE

parliament in the world could not only to use broadcasting have furnished in similar cir- spreading information, but The little jokes

DETERMINED

cumstances. to bring out a paper of their were made and the little bursts of laughter came as they come a sufficient scale to

OWI

carry full and timely news There is never a word about day every session. every in Never was a body of men less to all parts of the country.'

political aims, Top: Herbert Smith, A. J.

HOOLLOND LO

This is Churchill's pompous, turn the immense of "rattled". Never was the House during strike. response P. M. Baldwin's message. of Commons more dignified or inflated style. It shows him the organized workers into the the game he was to pursue all overthrow of the Tory govern- more assuring. armoured cars were the words, through strike the ment and the setting up of a other although by in Hyde Park-just in c game making the flesh of the socialist one. In fact the milit- MacDonald might have "a face -and while militant (It creep. ansitive embarrassmerst to the of the workers was of remarkable pallor', he and in one place after another wi casts an interesting light on the his fined colleagues and BBC's imparti-

TUC.

legend of the stick to the games of the club obstructing the "The workers are while outside ality.) growing the troops and booing and insulting' A. d. Cook and W. P. Richardson arriving at Downing 8 left: Police vergus Above strikers' football teams. Right standing But then there was no 'menace de Park—just in case to parliament', as Baldwin had ile militant workers alleged. The TUC spelt out ce after another were the ruling class how safe to imprisoned for they were on May 6 in an edi- torial in 'The British Worker' police, for scabs. 'Mr Baldwin, who has fol- Constitutional Government Is being attacked Lot all good citizens whose livelihood and labour have thus been put in peril bear with fortitude and patience the hardships with which they have beon so suddenly confronted. Stand behind the Government who are doing their part confident that you will co-operate in the measures they have undertaken the libertles and privil.

to preserve eges of the people of these islands.

The Laws of England are the People's birthright. The laws are in your keeping.

You have made Parliament their guardian The Genoral Strike is a challenge to Parliamont and is the road to rriving at Downing St and ruin. anarohy Right:

STANLEY BALDWIN.

lowed from the beginning the between the dispute miners and the mineowners, is aware that it has been an industrial dispute throughout. No political issue has ever been mentioned or thought of in connection with it. It began over wages and conditions; it has never been concerned with anything else... The General Strike is "menace not to a parliament" . No attack is being made on constitutional govern- ment. We beg Mr Baldwin to believe that' To read these words is to have proof of the total bank- ruptcy of reformism. The pay- oil came on May 13 when The British Worker' in a banner headline announced: 'Great Strike Terminated: Trades Union Union Congress Satis- fied That Mines Will Now Get a Fair Deal'. The miners fought on alone until November and then had to accept defeat. The greatest mass action by the working class this century was smashed.

No Marxist can consider the reformist trade union leaders as even potentially a revolu- tionary force. What was deci- sive in the defeat of the Gen- eral Strike was the inability of the young Communist Party of Great Britain to break with reformism and construct a genuinely alternative leader- ship. This meant that through- out the strike the CP's main demand was 'All power to the General Council'. Under Stalin's direction partici- Soviet trade unions pated with the 'lefts' on the Anglo-Soviet Trade Union Committee which became a cover for the General Coun- cil's sell-out. Far from learn- ing from the inabilities and treacheries of reformism, the Communist Party has misled generations of workers on this malignancy in the workers' movement.

GATHERING

IN

STRENGTH

Less than a month after the collapse of the strike, Stalin said: 'It should be said that the CPGB is one of the best sections of the Communist International. It should be mentioned that throughout the General Strike in Britain its attitude was absolutely cor- rect.' For the cynics, for the impressionists, for the middle class, the 1926 General Strike marks a finite point in the struggle of the working class Workers Press, Friday against the ruling class. 'You see,' they say, 'it can't be done.' Only the Trotskyist move- ment has completely analysed the General Strike, drawn the political and historical lessons and engaged in the fight to build the alternative revolu- tionary leadership in the work- ers' movement to for- carry ward the struggle to build socialism. That is what makes Trot- sky's book, 'Where Is Britain Going?', such a powerful and incisive polemic. In it he actually forecast the advent of the 1926 General Strike and went on to describe the rapidly-developing historical forces which would be the forging mill of the British revolution. Britain's 'next 1926' will be a vastly different event. Capi- is now talism riven with deeper contradictions. Britain, once the financial and indus- trial power house of the capi- talist world, is the poor man of the party. It has lost its and empire with it the supremacy of its currency.

the other hand, the working class has been gather- ing in strength. Better wages Vorkers Prezz, Friday Oclabor 13, 1972 PAGE 7 and conditions have been won in struggle-in the course of which trade unions have been strengthened. Marxists are not surprised to note that the bankrupt trade union leaders are rush- door of No 10 to the Ing Downing Street before the struggles begin in earnest. Un- today's like 1926, union bureaucrats are brazenly capi- tulating in advance of the fight. Only a few weeks ago at the TUC Congress at Brighton, George Smith of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, returned to the ancient theme of his pre- decessors to members warn not to regard themselves as an Stay alternative government, away from politics, Smith was saying. It could have been Citrine himself! Today's trade union leaders are prepared to come to a deal for state control over wages with the Tory government and over the anti-union Industrial Relations Act. But the work- ing class isn't. And that's what we base our struggle on--the Marxist understanding of the revolutionary potential of the working class.

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Friday October 'Parliamentary reform' and the worl In Where is Britain Going?' Trotsky flays the ideological backwardness of the British labour leaders. By the 1920s it most constituted the effective barrier to the development of revolu- tionary consciousness in the working class, and thus to the overthrow of the decaying capitalist system. In particular, Ramsay MacDonald and company had thoroughly absorbed the bourgeois interpretation of British history as one of pro- gressive evolution, distin- guished from that of other countries by its 'gradualness' In point of fact, Britain was no more immune to revolu- tion, and the effects of revolu- tions elsewhere, than any other country. European revolutions of the 19th cen- tury profoundly affected the policies of British govern- ments. And, as Trotsky acidly points the MacDonald scarce have become the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924 had it not been for the Russian Revolution! But it is necessary to go further back into the past. 'In the final reckoning all the con- temporary history of Britain developed from the revolution of the 17th century? This is profoundly true of the history of the workers' fight for the vote. For the parliamentary English Revolution, by des- troying royal absolution in Britain, opened the way for middle-class commercial and industrial expansion, the great Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th cen- tury and the emergence of the modern working class. The restoration of the mon- archy in 1660, after the death of Cromwell, did not in any way dilute the importance of the social and political gains of the Revolution-as James Il found to his cost in 1688, when his attempt to restore monarchical power led to his enforced abdication. For all Cromwell's dis- respectful treatment of his own parliaments when they jibbed at accepting his dictatorial proposals, he had established once and for all the principle of representative government and opened the door for the later development of demo- cracy. Democratic elements emerged, much to Cromwell's mistrust, among his own most fervent supporters. The doc- trines of the 'Levellers' pene- trated so far into the ranks of the New Model Army that he obliged to debate the was merits of their manifesto, "The Agreement of the People', at meetings in Putney Church in November 1647. Thomas Rainsborough expressed the Levellers' beliefs as follows: / October 13, 1972 the working class, by Jane Brown 'I think the poorest He that is in England hath a life to live, as the greatest He; and therefore truly, sir, I think it's clear that that every man that is to live under a government ought first by his own consent to put himself under that gov- ernment; and I do think that in England the poorest man is not all bound in a strict sense to that government that he hath not had a voice to put himself under... Though such doctrines were logical extension of merely a Cromwell's own Puritan faith in each man's direct respon- sibility to God, and although protested the Levellers that 'communists' they were not (unlike of the small sect 'Diggers' whose support was not great enough to worry Cromwell), he rejected The Agreement of the People', and later forcibly suppressed followers. Its suffrage proposals would tend towards 'anarchy'. They would undermine the discip- line of army officers. Still more dangerously, there was the that (as General possibility Ireton put it): The poor would attack the wealthy' , and all property rights would be undermined. This plain speak- ing on both sides in 1647 illustrates with exceptional clarity which the obstacles later 'parliamentary reformers' were to encounter. It is not until 1760 that the demands for changes in the composition of parliament and the electorate again become prominent. It is no coincidence that this date marks approximately the onset of the Industrial Revolu- tion. In the intervening cen- • Whig and Tory parties tury had emerged, but since both an oligarchy of represented wealth and property, and both wished to maintain the exist- ing "Constitutional Monarchy', the main political conflicts arose between personal cliques within the two parties rather than over questions of prin- ciple. Elections infrequent were and unexciting. For although the franchise (i.e. those allowed to vote) varied, it was in most cases limited enough to allow one of the great Whig or Tory candidates to 'buy up' the electorate and in the pro- cess 'buy off' all but the richest and most determined. of opponents. Hanoverian kings, The George I and George II, in- delegated creasingly their responsibilities to a chief or Prime Minister, who, of course, would use Crown patronage (in the form of sinecures or simple bribery) to strengthen his own support in parliament.

In the 1760s this state of affairs was abruptly shattered by the Wilkes and cry Liberty!'. John Wilkes, son of manufacturer, wealthy a launched a radical magazine, 'North Briton' in which edition Number 45 (1762) had Above: Cromwell dis Cromwell had establis the temerity George Ill's new Prime Minister attacked the he had concluded a against France These "terms' handing the French colonies been profitabl have families by own. veiled criticisms of 1 in which the King h his Minister, new corruptio rampant parliament was able to win a h of popular support. On the one han back appeal 1688, against the royal prerogati for representative ment On the the case won whose Traders affected by the war And, probably Wilkes' surprise, trial for publishing 45 sent the votele through people, had other no which focus grievances. 1762 trial The Wilkes' expulsion fi ment But after a pe outlaw, he Britain determined

DOSTRON

Parliament. middlesex was ency with a large number shilling freeholders ¡cal the attenti city's poorer When Wilkes got h ed without opposit for Middlesex, only imprison mediately demonstra workers his prison. were shot parliament the King into expel from his new seat. In 1769. prison, Wilkes twic self re-elected, ejected again. provided him or статете с oIr. cal principles which England: through 'If ministers can the power be your shall not tive, the ext step and will follow spi that shall send then boasted England orate next mo It the next by tion, the ceeded candidate elected votes, votes). Parliament diately inundated tions on every mat mwell dissolving the Long P ad established once and for criticize to new choice of and openly ne terms on which cluded a recent war erms' had included back of several which might profitably exploited such Wilkes' as concealing cisms of the method le King had installed and of the within corruption generally, Wilkes • win a nuge amount one hand he could k to the traditions 'extension of prerogative' and for esentative govern- the other hand, his sympathy of were pockets the war settlement. his owr and arrest publishing Number of wave voteless mass of as yet cause on their many trial resulted in pulsion from parlia- fter a period abroad returned to he regain to of n as a Member comparatively of (40 voters eeholders) and was to London to attention of the inhabitants. res got himself elec- it opposition as MP only to be im- imprisoned, London emonstrated around 'rioters' dead. was persuaded by nto expelling Wilkes while in still only in. These expulsions aim with a platform ents of radical politi- les which resounded ters can once usurp declaring who representa- ext step is very easy ollow speedily. It i: ling you whom you parliament, and boasted constitution will be entirely the roots... next Middlesex elec- government suc- aeclaring Theit Wilkes' 1,143 was imme- with peti- very matter of poli le Long Parliament in 1653.

Despite this treati › and for all the principle of representative gove tical reform, from extension of the franchise to abolition of bribery and permission for free public assemblies to be held. 60,000 signatures were collected in the provinces. In London, merchant seamen and silk weavers went on strike and a large body of coal- heavers marched on West- minster. Wilkes founded a 'Society of the Supporters of the Bill of Rights' but, alarmed at the momentum of the protests he had been able to rouse, did little to extend its influence after his release from prison in 1770. After a brief skirmish over newspaper reporting of parlia- mentary debates in 1771, he found himself a comfortable job as an alderman, and later Lord Mayor of the City of London. From this privileged bureaucratic position, he called in troops to deal with the 'Gordon riots' of 1780. Wilkes' later career is comparable to that of some of those men whom the mass reform move- ment of 1832 was to raise to power. Yet Wilkes' personal loss of was immaterial. popularity The social forces which had made him famous continued to gather momentum. and to seek a political outlet through the reform of parliament.

At this stage only the 'new rich', making fortunes from improved and commerce methods in agriculture and industry, had the funds and organization to put forward a clear programme. The demands of the Asso- ciation Movement (founded by Yorkshire gentry and free- holders in 1779) meant little to the urban poor whose sup- port Wilkes had courted. They were a non-party movement.

They wanted some extension of the franchise, but more than anything else they were concerned with limiting elec- toral and parliamentary cor- ruption. 'The restoration of national morals' (Wyvill) was a far cry and Liberty!' from Wilkes The moderation of this move- ment's aims is proved by the fact than in 1782 Burke, later opponent of bitter the French Revolution, sponsored a successful Act reducing the amount of money spent on pensions and sinecures. When Pitt the Younger be- came Prime Minister in 1783, he too toyed with parliament- ary reform, as a vote-catching method. His proposal for a £lm government fund to 'buy up' and redistribute 72 MPs to areas where new centres of population were springing up was 'defeated by a mere 20 votes. But ten years later, the Prime Minister same Britain into a 21-year war against the governments of the French Revolution. 39.- this treatment of his own parliaments, ative government. The French King's summon- ing of his parliament in 1789 was welcomed by most British MPs. For a brief spell they anticipated the emergence of 'constitutional monarchy' which might prove a useful ally. The 'reformers', , such as the Whig Fox, were ecstatic; the latter hailed the storming of the Bastille as 'the event and the bes. greatest in the history of the world! The Revolution did indeed give immense impetus to govern- mental reform in the long run.

But after the execution of the French King and the Reign , the British reform of Terror', movement was forcibly sup- pressed for three decades.

REFORM

The Revolution tore down the barriers not merely of monarchical despotism, but of religion and 'private property' British well. The as bourgeoisie took fright. Tom Paine's 'The Rights of Man' was said to have sold 200,000 copies in its English edition (1791). Literate arti- form societies sans began to to discuss political reform as a means to social reform (e.g.

London Corresponding the Society, 1792), and even to ex- change correspondence with re- volutionary Jacobean clubs in Britain's declara- Paris. After tion of war in 1793, such acti- vities were not merely subver- sive, but reasonable. French connivance in Wolfe Tone's Irish rebellion of 1798 confirmed the government's worst fears on this score. There followed the notorious Combination Acts of 1799, instantly illegalized which every kind of political discus- group or trade union, sion revolutionary or otherwise. Within parliament, reform' became a dead issue. Meanwhile, however, the war gave immense impetus to the mechanization of industry, the building of factories, the herding of workers from small villages into large towns.

The industrial proletariat was in the making. No amount of repressive legislation could prevent the accelerating. con- sciousness oppression amongst that class, deprived of all security and rights. Nor could it erase the ad- vice of Daniel Eaton, in the popular paper defiantly en- titled 'Hog's Wash', 1793: 'Be ye therefore unceasingly employed in endeavouring to procure a fair and equal repre- sentation, in parliaments of a proper duration. When that is obtained your other grievances be expected may soon cease ...

CONTINUED TOMORROW

"L'insurrection des Acteries'.

By Manuel Grossl. Published 1972 published by La by EDI. First Batalla', 1935, Barcelona.

By Juan Garcia Thirty-eight years ago, from October 4 to 18, 1934, civil war raged in the mining valleys and province of Asturias, in northern Spain. It raged because the Asturian miners saw the participa- tion of Gil Robles' CEDA party in the Republican government as a step to- wards fascism. Robles was a Catholic lawyer who spent the first two years of the Republiç-set up in 1931—establishing the CEDA as a national party, with the emphasis on his fascist shock force-the Youth for Popular Action (JAP). Manuel Grossi's account written in prison after the in- surrection, is a grim warning who worship the to those working - class spontaneous movement against capital.

Grossi was a member of Maurin's Worker and Peasant Bloc (BOC) and later of the Marxist Party of Workers' Unity (POUM), which was the product of the fusion of the with the group of

BOC

'socialist' Andrès Nin. No one could be better qualified to narrate the events which gave birth to the United Workers' Front and Com- mittees of Working-Class Alliance of the type idealized by the French revisionists of the Organisation Communiste Internationaliste. The Asturias insurrection was a foretaste of the 1936- Spanish civil war—it 193,8 followed on militant strikes and uprisings in Catalonia in 1932-1933. All these experiences showed that, without the conscious intervention of Marxists the working class learns nothing politically, however militant and radical its actions might be. The day-by-day account by Grossi reflects the immediate problems in the Asturias, the organization of insur- rection, committees of pro- duction, militias ... through the prism of romantic rhetoric: 'Nine o'clock at night. The news of the CEDA into the government is confirmed. Everybody is very agitated. We are close to battle. The red army is almost ready. The clock of revolution cannot wait anymore.' Immediately the local com- mittee Workers' of the Alliance, an amalgam of social- democrats and anarchists, gave the signal for the uprising. The Communist Party abandoned the final shreds of ultra-leftism and joined the movement. ing two anarchists, Party to the

BOC

by The entered the Manzaneda. hoped they of mind. stumbled on. fighting against teered to It was only that the think about success of the The body on two of the control. The use long debate on radio. The Oviedo had hands cussion encourace throughout use revo determine Here already of defeat: verbiage would pose Republic and power by mass meetings and The diary dynamite, This activity a leadership in Mieres compri socialists, two Communist The pro- as unity in struggle not seem to matter C that this was a dominated entirely battle where the workers ve': which was irk- the romantics who r would conform to revolutionary state munitions ght and day to pro- ial for the red army several fronts assault I troops. • and youth volun- the life-and- gle against fascism. only on October the movement-its throughout Spain. y of united oppor- its discussion ossibilities for ex- e front of struggle: on Madrid and the Oviedo radio ich was under their ch was rejected ás radio was as neeting, we nad a • on the question of The station fallen into our a long dis was decided not to decision was based if lowing reasoning: this must be the in struggle n of the triumph of ere victorious could the ine workers in e peninsula not to were the seeds behind the banal victory y the fear of mobil- class which the taking the working class. the speeches to the or millia men unionists. is The heroism of the OI events ass, the tireless pro- fighting with warfare was matched by which took pride slaugthered.orkers the Grossi's method i the masses', would rezisionıcı avoid order to clusions about mere organizationa fact, ation had been view to preparing r activity. Everythin oruless improvized insurrection. Republican acted systematic rebels savage battalions the foreigr occo, regular troops und of mand of rancoce 'In the Mieres there was no on this gence of failure due to the struggle throughout the Generalidad and to our lack of The leadership surrection soon dec ot the Spanish wor and that was the: working Workers' Alliance cerned. The fighting con the 18th. The kind what Moroccan detachme favour of! Hundreds of w shot or arrested f in the insurrection Cuced 'Marxist, Peasant the Bloc', that the Span class was to blam in contrast he said 'Our relations Republicans had no at any moment, being there differences uprising, the Popula already in being. as ment for containing ing the struggle of class. In contrast preparation tor th Gil Robles, power planned the counte with his generals. •

TOMORROW:

autobiography revi Republican In the streets the bodies they have method is constantly selt-activity o the modern would call it, in avoid drawing con- about leaaership nizational addendum no serious prepar- been made with a eparing revolutionary iverything was more provized during the government First, then most ttalions from Mor- legion and ops under the com Lieutenant-Colonel the general guidance co Franco. Mieres committee, no longer any diver- matter. The our insurrection abstention in the proletariat The t the rest of Spain, meful capitulation of Catalonia, alidad in soon decided to call e since Asturias had followed by the rest nish working class was the fault of as far as Alliance was con- ting continued until truce detachments were in of workers were rested for their part Grossi con- prison Worker ano the Spanish working blame, although, t he said: with for despite ideological ars before Franco he Popular Front wa being as the instru- and defeat- ontaining uggle of the working the lack of at the centre consciously he counter-revolution Gil Robles phy reviewed. Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 PAGE 9 Three members of the Mon- was magnificently expressed in day Club, the right-wing Tory a recently published Economist Intelligence Report: 'Standard- group, attended a youth meet- ing of the fascist Italian Social ization of many components, as well as flexibility in the face Movement Italy when in of labour troubles, are expected recently. to lead One of those who went was to substantial savings in cost.? Hamilton Neil (23), until Britain's recently vice-chairman of the into the entry of Market Federation Conservative Common will further Students. 'We went to find out facilitate the swift transfer of what went on in Italy,' he said production and investment to on his return. meet the requirements of the Air fares and all expenses car empires. were paid for by the

MSI.

The Geneva-based Inter- national Metalworkers' Federa- Readers will remember the Monday Club meeting recently tion has sent a report to car for which the National Front unions informing them of these The Federation provided stewards. developments. is asking the unions to 'give

SNOBPOOL

urgent attention to the impli- cations' of the Chrysler and The most popular working- GM moves. Britain has Class resort in

DILIGENT

been, almost, since time Blackpool. When immemorial, conferences started to A diligent young police officer party held there it of the home counties De was with in one great irritation that the bureau- recently went to the home of a crats of both parties travelled senior police officer who works at Scotland Yard. He informed there. boarding found They the the officer that his neighbour houses the meals inadequate, was unsavoury disgusting and the entertain.

who was under suspicion for garish. Now there is a a number of local crimes. Next ment complete change of heart. day Blackpool described transferred to another district.

is as 'quaint', the accommodation is

UCS

'so earthy', the fish and chips stands on the promenade are This item is strictly for those •divine' and the bingo halls appreciate the are 'super'. who want to politics of Harold Wilson: the These snobs can afford to politics of the possible extravagantly praise Blackpool.

So the story goes a Minister They spend their holidays in presented Wilson in 1968 with idyllic cottages in Greece and the that the Fairfield's news Malta. shipyard scheme was about to collapse. What, might you suppose, Carworkers should note with was Wilson's reaction? alarm the plans by General He called for his personal Motors and Chrysler to build secretary and asked for a map a 'world car'. of the Clydebank area com- Both firms are engaged in a plete with all the constituen- race to produce the new model cies. He then got a breakdown which will built and be of the Labour and Tory seats marketed on an international in the and the voting area figures at the last two General basis. Chrysler is apparently aim- Elections. launch its new model, After pondering the possible ing to the Valiant, in 1975. Assembly loss of seats if UCS was axed, works are planned in Britain, Wilson would announced he United States, Australia the resurrect the yards until the America. and, perhaps, Latin next election. Thus Upper The danger of this operation Clyde Shipbuilders was born.

LEON TROTSKY:

Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25- -cloth £1.87} Where Is Britain Going? Paperback 37½p Revolution Betrayed Paperback 62½p-cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.12—cloth £1.87% Permanent Revolution : Results and Prospects Paperback 75p In Defence of Marxism Paperback 75p Lessons of October Paperback 60p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG

PAGE 10 Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 TV

ALL TRADES

UNIONS

ALLIANCE

BBC 1

MEETINGS

9.38 Schools. 11.45 International golf. 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble 1.30 Joe. 1.45-2.00 mill at one. BARNSLEY: Friday October 13, Craftsmen. 2.05 Schools. 2.25 7.30 p.m. Community Hall, Laithes International golf. 4.00 Clangers.

the ATUA conference.' Speakers: 4.10 Play school. 4.35 Magic Robbie Roberts (Dodworth roundabout. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 miner), Chris Stones (chairman. Ray Help. 5.15 Michael BenTine time.

Sours Yorks tenants), Jaxon (South YS). 5.45 News and weather.

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

CENTRAL

LONDON (Entertain- ments press _branch): Sun- and

6.45 BARNEY

BEAR. The Im- day October 15, 7 .p.m. L0. 24 possible Possum. Film Technique, School of Sull, industrial 6.55

PANTHER

Speaker:

PINK

Royston Bujl, corres-

SHOW.

pondent of 'The Scotsman' (in a 7.15 THE VIRGINIAN. Men from personal aapavily). Shiloh. The West versus volone mackenze October ACTON: Monday 16, Co-op Hall, High Street, W3.

8.30 DAD'S ARMY. Keep Young p.m. ATUA conterence' and Beautiful.

9.00 NINE

O'CLOCK NEWS.

CROYDON: Monday October 16, Weather. Ruskin House, Coombe Road (near South Croydon Stn).

9.25 INTERNATIONAL

SHOW

'ATUA conference.

JUMPING.

10.45 FRIDAY NIGHT NEWS.

EAST LONDON: Tuesday October 17, 8 p.m. Festival Inn, Grundy

MAN CALLED IRON-

11.35 A St, Chrisp St Market, E14.

'ATUA

SIDE.

conference. 12.25 Weather.

DAGENHAM:

Tuesday October 17, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall! Fanshawe 'Force Avenue, Tories to resign.

ITV

KENT:

Thursday October 19, p.m. 'The Legion', Burgess Road. Aylesham. 'Reinstate Wil- 9.30 Schools. 12.00 Happy house.

Prepare the Griffiths fitters. HalT 12.15 Conservative Party confer- Soeakers:

ANA

conterence. Griffiths' striker and leading ence. 1.00 Freud on food. 1.25 Kent miner (both in a personal Dan. 1.40 Bush boy. 2.05 Lastle capacity). haven. 2.30 Good afternoon. 3.00 Racing from Newmarket. 3.50 Conservative Party conference. Soclalist Labour League 4.20 Adventures of Gulliver. 4.50 Magpie. 5.20 Nanny and the pro- Leeds fessor. 5.50 News.

6.00 TODAY.

LECTURES

THE THEORY AND

6.35 CROSSROADS.

PRACTICE OF MARXISM

7.00 THE

PROTECTORS. The Quick Brown Fox. Given by 7.30 HAWAII FIVE-O. The Clock Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Struck Twelve. Committee member) 8.30 DORA. Dinner at Eight.

YARD.

The nature of capitalism 9.00

NEW

SCOILAND

Nothing to Live For. Monday October 16

NEWS AT TEN.

10.00 Historical materialism today 10.30

POLICE FIVE.

Monday October 23 10.40 VILLAINS. Billy Boy. Bullding the revolutionary party 11.40

MUSIC MATTERS.

Monday October 30

'AUTUMN LEAVES'.

11.45 FILM:

Joan Crawford, Cliff Rob-

PEEL HOTEL

ertson. An elderly spinster Boar Lane, 8 p.m. marries a younger man. Subscribe! The dally paper that ads the workers press fight against the Torles. £20.28 for 12 months (312 Issues) £10.14 for 6 months (156 issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are: 21.56 for 3 months (24 issues) {6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send 1o: 186a Clapham High St., Circulation Dept., Workers London, SW4 7UG I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

THURSDAY

Days required

MONDAY

TUESDAY

FRIDAY

(Please tick)

WEDNESDAY

SATURDAY

Or months. Full subscription (six days) for Name Address Amount enclosed £ Françols Truifaut made Julle Christie Christle for her dual role of Linda and World Cinema's presentation on BBC Truffaut films to be seen in this series.

BBC 2

9.30 Conservative Party confer- ence. 11.00 Play school. 11.25 Conservative Party conferençe.

4.30 International golf.

6.05 OPEN UNIVERSITY.

6.35 IRELAND. The Land for the People.

7.05 OPEN UNIVERSITY.

7.30

NEWSROOM,

CONFER-

ENCE REPORT. Weather. 8.10 MONEY' AT WORK. The Housing Question. 9.00

GARDENERS' WORLD.

Planting for Spring. PLANS ARE far advanced Off for the introduction of a national police data bank to come into operation in 1974. Assisting the establishment of the bank, largest file the private information on citizens compiled by the state ever authorities, is the • Post Office Data Processing Service. This month's issue of the Post Office journal, 'Courier', says: 'A team of PO computer com- munications experts have been closely involved with the setting up of a rapid access computer system for the police based on National Computer the Police Centre at Hendon in London' The newspaper quoted Mr Jefi Warley, who has been work- ing on the system since 1967, as saying: "The computer is the key to referring speedily to facts on file at office. The records system has been something of a pipe-dream for many years; now it will soon be a reality and Post

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 9.30-12.00

London. 1.45 Racing. 3.45 Puffin. 3.55 Jimmy Stewart. 4.25 Pebbles and Bamm Bamm. 4.50 London. 5.20 Alexander the greatest. 5.50 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.10 London.

FBI.

Report. 6.35 7.30 10.35 Film: 8.30 London. 'House of Dracula'. 12.20 News, weather.

WESTWARD. As Channel except: 12.00 London. 12.15 Gus Honey- bun. 12.25-1.00 London. 1.45 Rac- 3.53 ing. 3.45 Slender span. Sport. News. 6.00 Diary. 6.25 12.20 Epilogue. 10.32 News.

SOUTHERN:

9.30 London. 1.00 1.05 Wildlife weather. News, Beverly Hillbillies. theatre. 1.30 2.00 Freud on food. 2.25 Racing.

3.45 Conservative Party. 4.10 Houseparty. 4.25 Funky phantom.

4.50 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 5.50 London. 6.00 Crossroads. Day by day. Scene SE. 6.35 Out of town. 5.50 London. 6.00 Day Scene SE. 6.35 Out of by day. town. 7.05 Sky's the limit. 7.35

FBI.

8.30 London. 10.30 Week- 10.35 Film: 'Seconds'. 12.30 end. News. 12.40 Weather.

HARLECH:

1.00 9.30 London. 1.45 A Battle over the Atlantic. Women place of her own. 2.30 only. 3.00 Racing. 3.45 Conser- vative Party. 4.10 Tinkertainment.

4.25 Rovers. 4.50 5.20 London. 5.25 5.50 Gustavus. Crossroads. Report 6.18 London. 6.01 West. 7.30 Report Wales. 6.35 Bonanza.

'Witness Murder'. 9.00 Film: to 11.00 Now London. 10.30 Dora. 11.30 Candidate for it's your say. murder. 12.30 Weather. HTV Cymru/Wales 7 and 41 as except: 4.10-4.25 Cantamil.

above 6.01-6.18 Y dydd. 10.30 Outlook.

11.30 UFO.

11.00 Sports arena. 12.30 Weather. HTV West as above except: 6.18- West. 6.35 Report ANGLIA: 9.30 London. 1.45 Rac- ing. 3.45 Conservative Party. 3.55 4.20 News. 4.25 Romper room. 4.50 Skippy. London. 5.20 5.50 London. 6.00 About Primus. 6.35 7.00 Sale Anglia. London. of the century. 7.30 O'Hara. 8.30 London. 10.30 Probe. 11.00 Film: 'Take Her, She's Mine'.

ATV

MIDLANDS:

9.30-1.00 Lon- don. 1.45 Racing. 3.15 Horoscope.

Good 3.50 Lon- 3.20 afternoon. 4.20 Forest 4.50 don. rangers. London. 5.20 Flintstones. 5.50 Today. London. 6.00 6.35 Lon- don. 7.00 Sky's the limit. 7.30 Christie look like anybody but Julie Adventurer. London. 8.00 8.30 and Clarissa in 'Fahrenhelt 451' 'The Young London. 10.30 Film: on BBC 2. This is the first of three Lions'.

ULSTER:

10.30-1.00 London. 1.30 News. 1.32 Cartoon. 1.40 Schools.

2.40 Racing. 3.45 Johnny Neal. 4.00 4.20 News. Romper room. 4.25 Funky phantom. 4.50 Lon- 5.20 Merry melodies. don. 5.50

INTRODUCTION TO TRUF-

9.25 London. 6.00 Reports. 6.35 Lon- FAUT SEASON. Profile of 7.00 Sky's the don. limit. 7.30 French film director Fran- Spec- UFO. 8.30 London. 10.30 cois Truffaut. Film: 'How trum. 11.00 Awful About Allan'. 9.35

FILM: 'FAHRENHEIT 451'.

YORKSHIRE:

9.30 London. 1.00 Danger 1.55 Racing. 3.50 First of three films direc- man. London. 4.25 Merrie melodies. ted by Francois Truffaut.

5.20 4.50 London. Elephant boy. With Oskar Werner, Julie 5.50 London. 6.00 News, weather. Christie. 6.35 London. 7.00 Sky's the limit.

7.30 Cade's county. 8.30 London. 11.20 FILM NIGHT. Robert Shaw 10.30 Film: The Haunting'. 12.30 and his films. Weather.

GRANADA:

9.30 London. 1.00 Galloping gourmet. 1.30 Stingray.

11.50 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

1.55 Racing. 3.40 Conservative Party. 4.20 News. Funky phan- 4.50 5.15 Cross- tom. London. roads. 5.45 Felix. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.20 Sylvester. 6.35 Kick off. 7.00 8.00 Pro- Riptide. 8.30 London. 10.30 Film: tectors. 'B. F.'s Daughter'.

TYNE

TEES:

9.30 London. 1.00 Dangerman. 1.55 2.15 Yoga. 2.45 News. 2.46 maice contribution has made a Office know-how 3.50 London. 4.25 Merry melodies.

London. 5.20 Elephant boy. 4.50 Every police headquarters in Today. 5.50 6.00 6.35 London. the country will be equipped with London. 7.00 Sky's the limit. 7.30 a terminal for the system and in Cade's 8.30 county. London. areas there will be "Hitler'. 12.20 News. 10.30 Film: additional terminals at divisional 12.35 Epilogue. level.

SCOTTISH:

9.30 London. 1.00 Under the scheme police will Love American style. 1.45 Rac- be able to dial into the computer ing. 3.15 Dateline. 3.45 Conser- and information the extract vative Party. 4.25 Merrie melodies.

On lives of private citizens.

4.50 London. 5.20 Crossroads. Today. 5.50 London. 6.00 6.30 vo private citizen knows what Shirley's world. Sky's the 7.00 is on lis police file and there is limit. no way of erasing anything which 7.30 London. 10.30 Friday night. 11.00 Late call. 11.05 Film: is untrue. The Fiend Without A Face.

Earlier this week Workers

GRAMPIAN: 10.58

London. 1.00 Press revealed that the police are

UFO

1.38 Schools. 2.40 Cartoon. also preparing to introduce two 2.57 News. 3.04 Racing. 3.45 subsidiary banks-one for people Conservative Party. 4.20 Funky connected with drugs and one 4.50 London. 5.20 |van- covering all immigrants living in phantom. hoe. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. this country. 6.05 Thompson. 6.35 London. As the economic crisis worsens 7.00 Sky's the limit. 7.30 Hogan's the state is preparing for large- heroes. 8.00 McCue's music. 8.30 scale repression of the working London. 10.30 Points North.

11.00 The development of these Class. Film: Young Job look. 11.10 surveillance techniques massive Fury'. 12.30 Epilogue. is crucial in this stage re- pression,

Students spread take-over By Sarah Hannigan STUDENTS OCCUPYING two buildings of the North London Polytechnic were yesterday discussing plans to broaden their fight with the college authorities against victimization and the freezing of their union funds. For over a week students at the Cam- den Town Poly's department of business studies have been occupying their pre- mises in protest against the proposed sacking of their head of department. Mr W. J. Jenkins. On Tuesday they were joined by students at the Ladbroke House science department who took over administration of their block.

Yesterday's discussions were on proposals to extend further the occupation and 'disruption' of administration of the Poly's various buildings by reparing to get students at the main building in The festooned entrar Iolloway Road to back them.

first flared Trouble at the fears expressed after his appoint- college last year when the ment announcement. announcement of the proposed The foremost of these was director for the new North Lon- amendment to the students' union don Poly-Terence Miller-was constitution which proposed that first made. any further rule changes would Students and staff opposed the have to be ratified by the Board appointment of Miller who, they Governors. of This was said, had a long history of close whelmingly rejected by the with Smith's association lan majority of students. racialist regime in Rhodesia.

in 1972 the Later January They also at the students' passed angry union two were heavy-handed way in which the its constitution amendments to director had been chosen with the requisite maJorıty. Following this move, the students' without any reference to either staff or students. union funds were frozen and still Following his appointment, have not been paid to date.

Miller's first moves confirmed the The total outstanding now

TRANSPORT

General Workers' Union faced with action by an employer at the National Industrial Relations stewards and claimed he was Court. dismissed hecause he sup- ported their fight. A Bootle transport firm will When the dock strike seek to reopen a case against finished and Howitt's took the union which involves the back everyone except the two blacking of its lorries by Liver- men, dock shop stewards im- pool dockers. posed the black. The firm, Howitt Transport Howitt September On 19, of Bootle, sacked two drivers opened an action in the NIRC.

on August 1 when they laid off Both sides agreed to adjourn their men during the dock the action and try to negotiate strike. an agreement. Since then talks One driver, a steward, then have failed a to produce Liverpool went to see shop settlement. TORY CHANCELLOR of the Exchequer, Anthony Barber, the summoned yesterday Tory Party to steel itself for the coming pay fights with the working class. Replying the economic to at the Blackpool con- debate ference, Barber returned to the Nation' theme which 'One has Tory dominated speeches since the start of the Heath plan for state control over wages.

Labour, in vative or order to smash the system and to enable The aim of this strategy is to the Labour them to impose their embrace the trade sort leaders, win of society.' union support of middle class and the leave The most revealing feature of the working class wide open for this comment is the way in attack. which Barber makes pacifying the Labour towards and Barber told his conference:

NOTCAS

trade union leaders. 'What I think is important is that the overwhelming majority Having beaten them over the of the British people know that 'wreckers' head on previous the proposals put forward by the the rail dispute) occasions (e.g. Prime Minister fair. The are Barber now shows that the Tories whole rightlv demands country desperately depending are on that the control of inflation must their assista ice to isolate the be our overriding consideration.

of working wages struggles the It will be. class. He said that what was at stake In all yesterday's speeches was not just the rate of inflation there recognition of the but 'our whole system of parlia- unavoidable combat which lies in democracy, whole mentary our front. free democratic way of life'.

Ian Gow, of Eastbourne, attacked He went on: 'There are those the union leaders for attempting —not many, not the responsible the Industrial Relations to get union leaders, but powerful men Act put 'on ice'. nevertheless—in this country and 'I do not believe that item in other countries who are quite ought even to be allowed to get indeed determined, prepared, to on to the agenda of the resumed the of industrial use weapons Chequers talks! strength and inflation in an Angus Maude, MP, said: 'We are "attempt to degrade and defeat elected government, in a the Conser- situation where economic ned entrance hall to the Polytechnic.

amounts to over £45,000 for the last three terms. In July this year the head of of the business department studies school, Mr Jenkins, a leading member of the Asso- ciation of Teachers in Technical Institutions and consistent a of Miller's methods, opponent was informed by the director that he was suspended from duty until an immediate inquiry into the running of the department was carried out. Since then it has been agreed that Mr Jenkins' union, the ATTI, conducts an inquiry into the list At the first hearing the

T&GWU

drew further into open collaboration with the Industrial Relations Act when they sent a full-time official, legal man Alfred Blyghton, to represent the union at the

NIRC.

Even court president Sir John Donaldson went out of his way to welcome the obvious co-operation of the union with the NIRC. On that basis it is almost certain that the T&GWU will again put in an appearance hearing today when resumes. Barber: Tough talk laws have virtually ceased to operate. In a mad world it may be that only the absurd can have a hope of success. If it does not work we want tough action to deal with strikers, whether violent or not.' R. T. Glenny, former chairman of the Greater London Area Con- servative Association, said Tories Should support measures to control the unions and their "blackmailing wage claims'.

And they should not 'moan when personally inconvenienced by tough government action'.

Sir George Young, an economist répresenting Acton Conservative Association, said: 'People are fed up with rising prices. They simply want it stopped quickly and are prepared to accept an element of rough justice to achieve that.'

During a short debate on agri- culture James Prior, the party's deputy chairman, called tor sup- port for the state pay plan.

Inflation had forced up food prices, he said, and 'that is why everybody should support wage moderation'. Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 PAGE 11

NEWHAM

council's sewer- age site at Beckton, east Lon- reputed which is to be at a standstill four weeks after the ending of the national building strike. The 300 Beckton men, one of the last groups to be called out for the £30, 35-hour week claim, have been locked in dispute with contractors W. C. French over the claimed attempt hirm's to slash bonus rates. Earlier this week a mass meet- ing rejected officials who union return-to-work put proposal based on management's offer of to the status quo be- fore the strike and negotiations of 12 charges levelled against 'labour relations'. on him by Miller. Site convenor Fred Levinsky The however, students, have rejected the proposal the The present occu- opposed this. basis that management made no 500- pation was started after a mention of the bonus dispute.

strong emergency students' union The men were made more de- endorsed their meeting execu- termined by the fact that man- for immediate tive s proposal agement had attempted to bypass occupation of the business college the works committee and ne- last week. officials gotiate with full-time They demanded Jenkins' rein- who had played a leading part statement, of their union imposing the national claim.

in Miller's funds and end programme of running down non- Only letter granting status bonus allegedly quo on cut line with his degree courses in from 85p to 15p an hour- -and proposals to transform the Poly- no abrogation of procedure in technic into 'second-class' discussions with site representa- university. tives will a to work, the men say. for all Send for delegates' and observers' cre- dentials from: Conference Secretary, R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 SPECIAL TRAM PRORA RUSTOM, LONDOM, $1.50. COACHES FROM OTHER AREAS Union. Branch Names; addresses and No of delegates/observers I enclose € as delegates fees Signature of secretary I would like information about Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

LABOUR

LEAGUE,

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

Name Address

Bid to break cold store PAGE 12 Workers Press, Friday October 13, 1972 Vestey's threaten to sack depot workers picketing THE 27 MEN at the powerful Vestey family's Mid- land Cold Store, Hackney, east London will be sacked today unless haulage operators deiy dockers' pickets and begin using the depot again.

It is understood that been denied reports that Royal of the been picketing meeting drivers In

UIOUD

lave the five months as Group shop stewards Midland for WIll Transport and General call off the black. eventually Workers' Union No. 1 branch Canulaiell pickets said they the container depot and … cole store

IWO

unanimously has

VOLEU

registered cold store yesterday operators employ break the picket. determined as ever to were as jobs. dockers' leaders' for Cold store workers' shop stew- carry on the night rollowing the store ard Roy Ruff told me: •We have acceptance of the Jones-Alding- Workers Aldington had end claimed Jones proposals, which put an every day

LUIL

ended the immediate prospect of week. Unattachec This have voted … envolary and it. But I think the owners Register, the number of men wil- dockland unemolovment are afraid. ling to picket the cold store has they called on stewards wild- draw the picket in a last-minute Dockers from London's Royal been dwindling. And there have 16,000 Leyland men may strike to back sit-in Ohio, taking over con- to market conditions' TALKS were held in eventual closure. trol. York witi yesterudy If no satisfactory But the 700 men sit- industrial riarned ton, has out- between British-Ley- down flat refused to come is achieved before ting in have been land, Paton's and next Wednesday, shop move until Thornycroit leaders. union officials to try unscrambled and Their sit-in stewards and settle the dispute their jobs guaranteed. severely crippled the 16.000 workers Leyland's Basing- and gearboxes Eaton's bus Tue Son LIeV 011

LOW

stoke subsidiary. Leyland, Lancs, have have a three-year lease Th e Thornycroft the plant and are land's bus and truck stage factories. already planning all-oul surike Ley- in Hampshire has been Thornycroft move come since deal should have their Bolton, Lancs, land has almost come to halt and

3,000 AEC,

through October plant. a hiving- to brevenu Southall, the An Eaton's offer of 15 workers were the operation wnich will lead to loss of Eaton Corporation months' work 'subject laid ofi yesterday. Why Anna Mendelson changed her name explosions in London A DEFENDANT at the Old she thought the Cause want to her because she ande teas acqui cet of causing 'Angry Bailey Brigade' trial knew Mathew asked if acquitted yesterday admitted using she had thought the police might explosions valls lole false name early in January interested in her 'in respect Employment Ministry's Tn e 1971 because she feared she the bombing of the home offices. the Employment Secretary, Ian Purdie (24) was acquitted might be raided after lan Lici of conspiring to cause Koser carr explosions Purdie and Jake Prescott, She replied: 'No, they Earlier Anna Mendelson told are had been whom she knew, everybody who are the had the interested in court she written arrested by the police. Od Bailey alger thev Halles interested in. That is the way piece paper she Mendelson (24) told Mr out they work' wanted to find what their John Mathew, prosecuting, that Anna Mendelson, three other specific jobs were. deny Prosecutor Mathew asked her women

TOUT

men charges of conspiring to cause whether she could not have 'better answer' as to why explos Des. given a December last vear sne nao written une dames. Prescott sentenced She replied that she had been

WAC

15 years' imprisonment after doing research Britain's

OCTOBER

judiciary and how it worked.

convicted being 'conspiring'

FUND £270.48

Ford strike goes on our October Fund, which disappointing.

ENGINE

PLANT

workers a compromise formula put for- when the TUC, officials, Just at a time Ford's Dagenham ward by union under plant yester- the which the line be at completely backed up Torles would run day decided to continue their higher speed, support the the the Stalinists, strike against management DuL Ouly plan of state control wages as at pre- same number oriood increase the speed be turnec allemmois lo sent actually worked. all our energies must of their production ine decided They not 500 oneet meet workers where why a revolutionary alter- The 500 workers, on the over.

arain unt sext week. camshaft be built. head line, decided to engine workers have now native must stay out until management agrees been laid off by the dispute Workers vital. Our should be used clearly to trade These issues unionists everywhere. must Thalidomide injunction the leadership provide this Toy government. stop publication of a 12,000-word There is not a moment to lose THE TORY Attorney-General Sir in the fight for Fund Peter

TRIC

kawilson. to apply aruce o se manoomice scanoar - month. Everything you can raise the High Court for an injunction The case is expected to be "The Sunday Times' heard in the High Court before against our paper out wil nele Kee• Lord Chief Justice, front. Let's go into LOrd Wednesday Immediately. Post all your dona- Widge Sunday Times" next 'The will defend

LONS IO.

the

CIRCULATION

Workers Press fol- Rawlinson's intervention lows tor muniationid with the October Appeal Fund, marketers thalidomide 186a Clapham High St, 01-622 7029 Dritain, une muri-munon Dound London, SW4 7UG. whisky empire, Distillers Limited.

"The Sunday Times' the article, WilleI.

NEWS DESK

Painp Knignuey, to the chairman of Distillers, Sir Alexander Glen, inviting objec- Ba claphame et Lorde comments at ine alky Ma Clapham Wash S nons or rebresentatons 01-720 2000 with After consultation the Attorney-General the paper was m High Street London Prin Capham informed that an injunction was Street, being sought. bid to stop them being sacked today. Said Roy Ruff: "They have got what they wanted. The TUR has gone, but now we're all going to lose our jobs.' The men said they felt no but hostility to the dockers, they claimed that the blacking campaign had no chance of solv- ing the mounting problem of un- employment in east London.

Ed Raven told me: 'Instead of having working man against working man, why don't they try and work along with us. There should be a joint committee of dockers, drivers and cold store workers. If they call off the picket, I think there would still be a good chance of negotiation.

'We came out on strike when they jailed the five dockers. We supported them, but they won't support us.' workers, Cold store drivers and the majority of dockers all belong to the T&GWU. But so far union officials and the docks stewards' leaders have made no attempt to fight for the one thing which could unite the two groups — nationalization of the industry entire port transport under workers' control. PLO envoy Said Hammami PALESTINIAN and Arab students and workers are being expelled from Germany whole- sale in a purge following the Munich airport shoot-out.

Mr Said Hammami, London representative of the Palestin- Organization Liberation estimates that more than 220 students and large numbers of workers had been expelled since the Brandt government banned the General Union of Palestinian Students and the General Union of Palestinian Workers. 'Within two months there will be no more Palestinian students in Germany if the expulsions continue as they are going at the moment.? He pointed out that the British press had remained silent about the purge. "The German government is doing exactly what the Israelis do in the occupied territories.'

This action is directed against all militants. It is a disaster for the Palestinians because once these students have been expelled they will find it almost impossible to continue their education else- where, he said. LUCAS workers in Birmingham are now aflected by a strike of 230 maintenance electricians in support of their pay claim. The electricians struck work on Mon- day after rejecting a management £4.25-a-week pay offer.

CONSTRUCTION

workers yesterday ended their strike at M5 bridge the site of the at Avonmouth, Bristol. The 500 men walked out on aid attendant on the Somerset the Avon. Contractors side of Fairfield-Mabey Ltd I have agreed. The bridge, to carry the Birming- motorway into ham-Bristol Somerset, may open two years late because of industrial trouble and hold-ups due to safety and pollution investigations.

BRIGADIER Babafemi Olantunde Ogunpipe, Nigerian High Commissioner 1966-1970, who died in London last left November, aged estate in England and valued at £101,643 gross, £90,098 net (duty £20,498). He left his property to his wife Elizabeth and other relatives. DART VALLEY Railway Com- pany is to take over responsibility for running passenger services on the 67 mile Paignton-Kingswear line in Devon from British Rail on October 28. YUGOSLAVIA yesterday signed a f6zm contract with British Rail and Metro-Cammell for the supply of 800 wagons. British Rail said that the order, from Croatian Railways, was one of the largest placed with a British firm. The wagons will be built British Rail Engineering's at Ashford, Kent, works for delivery between next July and the middle of 1974. THE SHIPBUILDERS and Re- pairers National Association President yesterday elected as Mr T. A. Greenwell, joint man- and aging director of Doxford Sunderland. Mr T. Mclver, man- aging director of the Swan Hunter Group, was elected vice- President. BP LLANDARCY oil - refinery near Swansea, South Wales is to run down after seven-day strike Wednesday notice was given on of its 2,000 night by 1,000 strike notice workers. The ex- pires at midnight next Tuesday management claim and local they are aiming to make the re- finery safe by then. These moves follow the breakdown of between transport pay talks union officials and the company.

STIRLING University students yesterday staged 400-strong a sit-in protest at the expense of a four-hour visit by the Queen to the campus. They took over the foyer of the MacRobert theatre- restaurant-bar complex and as the Queen unveiled a plaque and made a short speech naming a courtyard outside the building, and shouting could be Singing heard. A student spokesman, Miss Linda Quinn, claimed that for the past month students' wel- fare had been ignored while the university authorities went about preparing for the visit. She said they had been told the visit ex- penses would be about £1,200, but they suspected it would be a lot more. She added that the Socialist Labour League

PUBLIC MEETING

Behind the Assassination of Trotsky A reply to Joseph Losey's film Tuesday October 24, 8 p.m.

CONWAY HALL

RED LION SQUARE

LONDON WC2JJ

(Nearest tube Holborn) Speaker: G. Healy SUL national secretary' Admission 10p